How a Salaryman Became an Underworld Boss

“Hello. I’m Senior Team Leader Ales Bruno, an FBI representative.”

“For the record, Officer Bruno is an undercover operative,” Director Nevers clarified.

Bruno gave his direct superior a slight nod and continued,

“All FBI agents working on the ground are Philippine citizens.”

“I see.”

“We maintain continuous surveillance of Vice Chairman Chen Zhihui, Carlos, and the upper ranks of Abu Sayyaf.”

Bruno nodded once more, the lights in the room gradually dimmed, and a detailed map appeared on the screen. Pointing a laser pointer at one area, he said,

“The Abu Sayyaf base is hidden in the jungle north of the Agus River.”

“I see. How many people are at the base itself?”

“It’s difficult to determine the exact number, but we estimate around three thousand.”

“According to our information, the group’s total strength is between six and seven thousand,” Director Santiago interjected.

The FBI and the National Bureau of Investigation were both intelligence and law-enforcement agencies. Their data should have matched, yet the figures differed by more than twofold. Jiham decided to ask Santiago the reason for the discrepancy.

“The three thousand at the base itself are active militants ready for combat,” Santiago explained.

“And the rest?”

“Veterans and members of the older generation who have stepped away from active operations.”

“So they should be regarded as a trained reserve?”

“Exactly, Director Cha.”

Jiham nodded in understanding and turned back to Bruno.

“How large is the base?”

“About thirty thousand square meters.”

In other words, roughly three hectares.

“That’s fairly extensive. Where are Vice Chairman Chen and the leadership staying?”

“In a fortified compound near the main camp.”

“I see. And how many civilians live in the surrounding area?”

“According to our estimates, around five thousand.”

“That many?”

“Most of the local residents have close ties to the organization.”

Abu Sayyaf could hardly provide itself with everything it needed on its own. That meant food and basic necessities were supplied by the local population.

“I see. How far are their homes from the base?”

“The nearest ones are about fifty meters away. Most are scattered within a two-kilometer radius.”

The Philippine Air Force planned to strike the Abu Sayyaf base using FA-50PH light attack aircraft. The GPS-guided KGGB bombs had a deviation of no more than one meter. However, if the pilots made a mistake, the consequences could be disastrous—civilians could be harmed.

Voicing his concerns, Jiham asked the Defense Minister about the precautions they were taking.

“Only experienced crews have been assigned to this mission, and they’re currently undergoing intensive training. The risk of missing is virtually nonexistent.”

“Even so, the human factor can’t be ignored. Get as much as possible out of the training.”

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

Since the head of the Defense Ministry was expressing such confidence, there was no point in harboring further doubts.

“All right. But the base covers a huge area. Are you sure you’ll be able to wipe them all out in a single strike?”

“The concentration of forces is located within a one-kilometer radius of the center of the camp. If we conduct a mass drop of KGGBs, there’ll be nothing left of them.”

“But that will require pinpoint accuracy and destructive power.”

“We’ve tested the KGGB. A single bomb completely devastates an area the size of a football field.”

“Impressive.”

“Haha, I agree.”

It was time to get to the main point.

“I’d like the FA-50PH bombing strike to be recorded in its entirety on video.”

Minister Fernando understood perfectly well what lay behind Cha Jiham’s request. KGGB aerial bombs possessed tremendous destructive power while remaining quite affordable. However, because they lacked a record of actual combat use, efforts to promote them for export had encountered difficulties.

The South Korean government had provided a batch of the bombs free of charge precisely to obtain real combat testing and actual video footage. Wanting to repay Korea for the assistance it was providing, Fernando agreed without hesitation.

“We’ll deploy several drones equipped with thermal-imaging cameras above the base.”

“I’d be extremely grateful.”

“We need footage of the camp’s destruction ourselves,” the minister added.

“That’s true.”

At that moment, NIS Director Om Giyeon joined the conversation.

“Minister, even with the KGGB’s destructive power, some of the militants are bound to survive. Do you have a plan for that possibility?”