Hwang Sok-Yong - The Shadow of Arms

“That’s a tricky question. I’ll sell them in Da Nang, but I can’t be responsible for where the goods end up.”

“I will supply the goods on one condition.”

Thach smiled and leaned back to wait for Yong Kyu to go on.

“I want you to give me detailed information on the transactions of Puohung Company. I want to know who the American soldiers are, their ranks and units, the kind of items they’re supplying, quantities, and prices, and so on.”

Thach cocked his head. “I’m not sure I can do that. It raises the sticky problem of business ethics. Among merchants, we may know the particulars of others’ dealings, but it’s customary that we hold all that in confidence. A sort of tacit understanding, a bond of mutual trust, you might call it.”

“Then in that case there’ll be no medical supplies, I’m afraid.”

“As you wish.”

The van was passing the blinding wall of the White Elephant. Through the trees lining the street the sea and the sidewalk cafés came into view. Clusters of soldiers and a few civilians were drinking soft drinks on wooden benches.

“Can I give you a piece of friendly advice?” Thach asked.

“Go ahead.”

“I don’t disagree with your objective of gathering information on the black market. That’s why I’m sharing an office with you. The reason I agreed was because our deal only concerned B-rations. So do not try to drag me into your plan.”

“Is that your advice?”

“No, I’m not finished yet. Pay no attention to the Americans. If you upset them, you’ll upset the entire market.”

Toi asked which restaurant Thach had in mind, and latter said something and pointed. The conversation was suspended until they reached the restaurant. It was an old wooden ship secured to a pier in Da Nang Bay. The entrance was across a wooden gangway that bobbed up and down with the waves. Fish were picked out of a net just brought in, filleted on the spot and served with a clump of sweet rice and vegetables.

“We have to know as much about the Americans as they know about us,” Yong Kyu said.

Thach went on chewing his fish without any reply. Yong Kyu looked over at Toi. As if to emphasize his lack of interest in the conversation between Yong Kyu and Thach, he was staring out through the window at the bay.

“What you want to know is something else. You want to know about the NLF’s dealings, don’t you?”

Thach said it so nonchalantly that Yong Kyu lacked the presence of mind to come up with a smart response.

“Yes.”

“Will you report what you find out to the American forces?”

“Not necessarily. That’s not for me to decide. I suppose we’ll inform them if and when it becomes necessary for us to play such a card for the sake of our position.”

“It’ll be used for reverse leverage, so to speak?”

Yong Kyu took a slow sip of water to buy some time to put his thoughts in order.

“If I give you an honest answer, what sort of help can you give me in return?”

“There is a lot that I know,” Thach said in a sincere tone.

“Fine. We just want to know the kind and quantities of goods being delivered to the NLF, that’s all. Those transactions are the problem of the parties involved. As you know, we have no interest whatsoever in the dealings between the South Vietnamese government and their own civilians. But when a delicate problem arises between the Americans and us, we can solve it with that kind of information. But, then, the occasion to use it may not arise, you never know. That is, if we have full information on the American side’s dealings. That’s why I asked for your cooperation with Puohung.”

“I can give you tips on what’s going on in Le Loi market. What you’re saying is, you’d like to have some ammunition for self-defense.”

Toi started speaking in Vietnamese. Thach kept on nodding, as if in agreement.

“What’s going on?”

“I said you’ll be leaving in four months,” Toi answered. “All Korean soldiers’ duty lasts ten or twelve months, right? Even if you have information on the market situation here, it isn’t going to matter too much one way or another, that was my point.”

“Good. I now see that it’s not a question of duties on your part. I’ll let you have information on Puohung Company business. I suppose you’re already familiar with Major Pham’s dealings. The problem is the situation on the NLF side, which means I’ll have to go out into the lot where the intercity trucks gather every day and confirm a few things. Out there you’ll find the men in charge of supplies for each NLF command region. I tell you what I’ll do. You let me know what information you need, and I’ll dig it up and pass it on to you, what do you say? In return, you provide me with medical supplies.”

“We can’t be out front on that, but we’ll open a channel for you,” Yong Kyu said.

Nguyen Thach held out his hand and grabbed Yong Kyu’s and shook it, before Yong Kyu even had time to react.

“Now, let’s talk about the old man, Hien.”

On Friday Yong Kyu took one of the rec trucks to Turen. As he waited in front of the warehouse Leon came by on a forklift. The American gestured for him to go inside. Yong Kyu took a seat by a metal desk in the warehouse and waited for Leon to finish his job. It was a while before Leon appeared.

“It’s driving me crazy. I’m just too busy.”

“Finished?”

Leon rolled his eyes and shook his head. “No, this is just the beginning. Inventory inspection has just gotten underway.”

“How are you going to cover the shortages?”

“We lend the stuff to each other. Whatever’s missing I can borrow from a warehouse in another block to fill the hole for now. There’ll be new goods coming in soon.”

“Then I suppose the stuff I was to pick up today won’t be available?”

“What did you say it was?”

“Raisins.”

“Ah, plenty of that still. Take it all. The inspection on B-rations isn’t very strict. And please, try to see Stapley.”

“Where is he?”

Leon lowered his voice. “Down by China Beach. On his way to the movies, one of our supply men saw him. I’m supposed to go meet him.”

“What will you do when you see him?”

“I can’t just let him go to prison. As we discussed earlier, we should find him a place to hide, a boarding house.”

“Toi said he’d check around.”

“Meet me at China Beach tonight. We have to move him quickly.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“Yeah, that whorehouse near Somdomeh. The place Stapley and I used to go to.”

“I’ll be there after I finish the day’s duty.”

“Let’s meet at seven at the China Beach Bar.”

“About the medical supplies,” Yong Kyu said, changing the subject, “do you supply civilian hospitals in Da Nang, too?”

“Yes, for relief medicines. But a certified requisition from the Vietnamese government office is absolutely required.”

“How about the Red Cross Hospital, is it the same?”

“All they need is their own requisition. But why do you ask?”

“Someone asked me about it, that’s all.”

Yong Kyu left Turen with the raisins in the afternoon. He deposited the goods in a conex at the pier and returned to the office in Le Loi market. Thach had hung a hammock next to his desk and was taking a nap in the shade. A cool breeze blew through the window.

“Mr. Nguyen Thach, please wake up.”

Yong Kyu rocked the hammock, but its swinging motion only seemed to deepen the man’s sleep. He licked his lips and tilted his head sideways.

“Wake up!” Yong Kyu spoke in a louder voice and held the hammock still. Thach looked up at him with a frown.