21st Century Goguryeo

November 24th, 2023, 15:50

East Sea, 43° 1' 17.06" north, 139° 23' 53.69" east, international waters (The Maritime Task Flotilla Seven)

"Wow! Hurray!"

The crew members in the battle command room of Gwanghae (DDG-1001) cheered and hugged each other and celebrated in joy. Some of the crew members held onto their cross necklaces and thanked God with tearful expressions.

A few minutes ago, when water columns and black smoke rose to several meters high, Hyosung the Great, which was thought to have been hit by the KH-47M2 Kinzal anti-ship missile, was brutally turned to the left, avoiding being shot or sunk.

Immediately before the crash, six 'Ion Glums', the data-linking detection devices, were damaged by the plasma diffuse shells fired from the Harper K-1 warship.

The KH-47M2 Kinzal anti-ship missile, which had lost its data link, tried to detect Hyojong the Great (DDG-1003) again with its own active radar but failed to detect the target due to a strong SECM disturbance.

In response, the KH-47M2 Kinzal anti-ship missile flew based on the last location information before the target signal was cut and crashed into the sea as it grazed the left side of the function of the orbiting Hyojong the Great (DDG-1003).

Although the left side of the function was torn apart by the power of the explosion, only 11 people were injured without any casualties, and the captain of the Hyojong the Great (DDG-1003) reported that there was no problem in sailing.

It was a stroke of luck. Aside from the power of the warhead's formidable 500-kilogram conventional bomb, it was a disaster in itself when an object flying at the high speed of Mach 10 crashed.

While the crew members were shaking with joy, Admiral Ahn Hyung-kyun sat helplessly in a chair and breathed a deep sigh of relief looking at his happy crew members.

The voice of Colonel Cho Tae-hyun, the captain of the 71st Battalion and the captain of the Gwanghae (DDG-1001), who had been listening to all the situations in the combat command room so far, came through the network, "Admiral! Stop coming to the bridge. If you stay there, you'll be 10 years older."

Admiral Ahn Hyeong-gyun waved his hands and smirked at the captain's joke.

At that time, tactical control officer Kim Hyuk-min approached and spoke to him, "What shall we do with the Russian landing ship?"

Currently, the three *fighter-class (alligator) ships had changed course and were returning to Vladivostok.

"With all the Far East fleet warships buried, I don't think we need to attack a strong ship."

"Yes, I get what you mean."

"The problem is the Russian nuclear submarines. There's a good chance that they'll be able to submerge and wait for a chance to avenge the Far East fleet. Tell all destroyers to strengthen their anti-sleep vigilance."

The ten nuclear submarines mentioned by Admiral Ahn Hyung-kyun were deep diving in the Northeast Sea, currently gathering in the sea where the Maritime Task Flotilla Seven was located.

"Yes, sir."

"I'm going up to the bridge now."

"Thank you for your hard work. Everybody, attention!"

Kim Hyuk-min, the tactical control officer, saluted as a representative, with all the crew members of the combat command room taking a floating position.

"Yeah, you guys did a great job." Admiral Ahn Hyung-kyun, who saluted back, patted the tactical control officer on the shoulder and left the combat command room.

* * *

November 24th, 2023, 16:30 (15:30 New China time)

New China's Beijing Black Panther Gang Headquarters

"Are you sure about the goods?" Shin Bai-ching, the boss of the Black Panther Gang, a man with unusual eyes, asked a man wearing a black uniform and reporting in a straight posture.

"Yes, Team Leader Jjangcheon has surely confirmed it."

"Hoohoo, we are finally seeing the result."

After the birth of the New People's Republic of China, President Wang Jing-Wei had gathered former members of the special forces to form a secret service under the president's office - the Black Panther Gang.

In the early days of its establishment, it was mainly responsible for hacking and gathering confidential information about the Eastern Republic and the Republic of China for the independence of China, but the target became Corea, which was growing more and more powerful over time and was engaged in intelligence gathering activities that corresponded to state secrets.

"So, what do we do with the children?"

"We have to let them go as promised!"

"Do you really have to send them back?"

"They are just young and innocent children. What do you want to do with them? What if I don't send them back and he decides to report me? As much as it's an item, it's troublesome for the Corean intelligence to move!"

Shin Bai-ching gestured for him to get out of there since he was annoying him.

"Yes, sir."

Shin Bai-ching, who was left alone after the man in the black uniform left, picked up the phone on his desk and made a call.

"It's Shin Bai-ching."

"So, how's everything going?"

"Yes, I'll be in Beijing in four hours."

"Well done, I'll remember this!"

"Thank you."

"As soon as you arrive in Beijing, send it to the General Equipment Research Institute!"

"Yes, sir."

After the call, Shin Bai-ching put his legs up on the desk and smiled. He had taken advantage of his previous record and now he had a platform to jump into politics. Just thinking about it made him smile.

* * *

November 24th, 2023, 17:00 (11:00 Russian Time)

Moscow, Russia, bunker state R-13 (Conference room)

With extreme anger, Putin stared at the high-ranking officials sitting on the left and right sides of a long desk with his lips shut tight, his eyes like a pair of laser targeting the officials.

The high-ranking officials on the receiving end of his stinging gaze felt life dying. It would have been been a thousand times better than just being yelled at and scolded.

The defeat of the Far Eastern fleet was not just a defeat. The total amount of weapons poured into the war was a whopping 30 billion dollars. It was more important than the Northern Fleet or Baltic Fleet. With the defeat, through the Arctic Ocean from here to the East Sea, Russia's naval power would not be able to be administered for the time being.

There were still more than 30 nuclear submarines and conventional submarines in the Pacific fleet, but they were still a submarine power.

They could secretly dive underwater and stir up the East Sea but it was not the force that Putin wanted to carry out the landing operation in Hokkaido.

The result of such a severe economic and military blow caused a chill in the conference room here at State R-13.

Chief of General Staff Beshastnich, who remembered Putin's words to him in the previous meeting, slowly rose from his seat and spoke to President Putin, "I'll take full responsibility for this defeat and step down as the Chief of General Staff."

The atmosphere in the conference room had become even heavier due to the remarks made by Chief of General Stuff Beschastnich.

"Chief of General Staff! The crucial time for the war against Corea is about to begin and you are resigning? It's not the time yet," Defense Minister Ivanov tried to dissuade him.

Other senior officials also nodded and expressed opposition to the resignation. President Putin, who was watching the officials, said while smirking, "Chief of General Staff! Yes! You'll have to take off your hat, but as the defense minister said, if the general chief of staff of the Russian army changes at such a critical time, it will not do any good to the morale of the military. Chief of General Staff Beschastnich! I'll give you one more chance. A chance to take revenge against those damn Coreans."

At President Putin's charismatic remarks, Beschastnich, the chief of general staff, bowed and shouted in a restrained salute, "I, Beschastnich, Chief of General Staff of Russia, will do my best with the opportunity given by the president."

In the eyes of others, the Chief of General Staff's behavior seemed a little exaggerated. But for Beshastnich, the party involved, the words spoken were sincere.

"From now on, carry out all operations in the judgment of the Chief of General Staff. You don't have to be approved by me one by one."

"Yes, Mr. President!"

At President Putin's remark, Beschastnich, the Chief of General staff, was filled with loyalty and confidence.

At the same time, President Putin called for the foreign minister after Beshastnich, the Chief of General Staff, sat down.

Foreign Minister Valeri Karpin who had the same name as the commander of the Far Eastern Fleet, replied, "Yes, Mr. President!"

"When the Eastern Army moves, immediately ask New China for assistance under the mutual military treaties."

"Yes, sir."

President Putin turned his head towards the Director-General of SVR (Foreign Intelligence) and called his name.

"Yes, Mr. President!"

"I'm sure you're all set for Kurdistan?"

"Yes, we are on standby after all the preparations. All you have to do is give me an order."

"Okay! Minister Igor Semshov!"

"Yes, Mr. President!"

"How are our preparations to switch to a munitions plant after declaring a state of emergency?"

"Yes, from daily necessities to heavy equipment, all factories and companies are ready to switch to a munitions plant system in less than 24 hours."

In the event of a state of emergency being declared due to the outbreak of war, all Russian companies and factories were in the process of converting to munitions plants within 24 hours since a month ago.

"All right, I think all preparations have been set."

President Putin, who checked with various officials one by one, got up from his seat and shouted, looking at a map of the entire Siberian region as well as the Korean Peninsula hanging on one wall of the conference room, "At 24:00 today, launch the offensive on the Manchurian area in Corea."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

November 24th 19:30 (17:30 Thailand time)

Silom Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand (Room No. 1022)

Professor Woo Jin-gil, who had returned to the hotel after shopping, stayed in his room all the time, and two bodyguards were watching TV in the living room.

A while later, the voice of the hotel staff was heard through the intercom, "Room service."

When one of the bodyguards opened the hotel door, two female employees dressed in the hotel's uniform brought food and red wine on a trolley.

"Professor, did you order room service?" another bodyguard approached the door and asked him.

"Oh, is it here? Yes, I ordered it. Let them in."

"Yes, sir."

After a while, luxurious food and red wine were served on the living room table.

"Come on! Everyone, sit down. I feel like you're having a hard time here because of me and since I thought that wine would be better than beer, so I ordered it." Woo Jin-gil, a professor with a warm demeanor, gestured to the two bodyguards to sit down.

"Professor! I'm sorry, but no alcohol is allowed when we are on duty," Assistant Manager Kim Dong-jin, who was a senior assistant secretary among the bodyguards, said as he showed disapproval.

"Oh! I'm not going out today. I'll only be going out tomorrow, so don't worry and let's have a drink. I'm staying at the hotel today, so what's the problem?"

At Professor Woo Jin-gil's continued request, the two bodyguards sat on the sofa after countless invitations.

"Haha, yes. Just one glass of wine and help yourself to a lot of food."

"Yes, thank you. Thank you for the food." Oh Sang-tae, the Chief, bowed his head to express his gratitude and used a fork to pick up the delicious-looking food.

"Even though I am traveling alone, I don't feel like I'm here alone because of you two. You two are having a hard time because of me hahaha."

Professor Woo Jin-gil spoke more kindly than usual. It was like a pattern of behavior that appears when one does things out of guilt.

"Haha, what are you talking about? We're just performing our duties. You don't have to worry about it."

It felt different from usual, but Assistant Manager Kim Dong-jin thought it was because he felt sorry for them.

"Let's have a drink."

Professor Woo Jin-gil handed over a glass of red wine to the two bodyguards.

Clink!

When the three of them clinked their glasses with each other and tried to drink the wine, Professor Woo Jin-gil's smartphone suddenly rang.

"Oh! It's my daughter. Wait a minute."

Professor Woo Jin-gil, who confirmed that the incoming number was his daughter's number, went into his room to take the call.

"Oh, Dad!"

"Yes, it's me. What happened? How are the kids?" he asked in a silent voice so that the bodyguards in the living room couldn't hear him. "Are the kids there? Are they back?

"Yeah, they just got here."

"How are your kids doing?"

"They're okay."

"Oh! Thank God," Professor Woo Jin-gil held onto his smartphone and said as if he was praying. He had thick tears in his eyes.

"Eunseo, listen up! Take your husband and the kids right now and go to Corea with the tickets I gave you! Okay?"

"Yes, I will. What about you?"

"I will go back to Corea tomorrow. Wait at my house."

"Come today as well, Dad. I'm so scared."

"Don't be afraid! It's gonna be okay. Go ahead and wait. Okay?"

"Yes, I got it. See you tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm hanging up now!"

After finishing the call, Professor Woo Jin-gil covered his mouth and sobbed. Professor Woo Jin-gil, who couldn't even cry because he was afraid that the security guards in the living room would hear him, sobbed for a few more minutes.

"I'm afraid I'm gonna hurt you. I'm sorry," Professor Woo Jin-gil muttered, thinking of the bodyguards in the living room on the other side of the wall. Then he took something out of his bag.

One was a long letter and the other was a pill.

Professor Woo Jin-gil put the letter on the bed and looked at the pill in his right hand for a long time.

"This will not wash away my sin of betraying my country, but at least this is the only thing I can do."

Professor Woo Jin-gil, who was lost in thought for a while, popped the pill into his mouth at once.

Then, with a severe amount of pain, the veins burst in both his eyes, white foam flowed out of his mouth, and he soon collapsed onto the bed, feeling weak.