21st Century Goguryeo

November 25, 2023, 13:30

Funeral home of National Intelligence Service Safe House Hospital, Songpa-gu, Seoul, Namju

Namgoong-won, who was in full swing with stories from the past, moved to the resting room upstairs for a while at the request of Director Ahn Yeon-woo. They were also accompanied by the head of the Cyber Security Bureau, Cheok Hyuk-jun.

"Ah! I'm sorry to pull you away. I have something to tell you."

"Oh, it's okay. Director, by the way, what happened to your seat…"

"Actually, Director Cheok has something to say to you here rather than me."

"Ah! Yes, what is it?"

"Haha, sorry, Mr. Namgoong-won, I asked Director Ahn to pull you away," Director Cheok Hyuk-jun, who gave a warm impression like the uncle next door, said with an apologetic expression.

Namgoong-won slapped his hand and smiled broadly. "No, haha, that's fine. So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"Nothing much. I heard from Director Ahn that Namgoong-won developed a voice call tracking system."

At the words of Director Cheok Hyuk-jun, Namgoong-won's gaze turned to Director Ahn Yeon-woo.

At this, Director Ahn Yeon-woo said apologetically to Namgoong-won, "I'm sorry. It was a situation where I had no choice but to tell them."

When Namgoong-won was pursuing the two Scorpion agents, he received informal assistance several times from Director Ahn Yeon-woo. For that reason, Director Ahn Yeon-woo also knew a little about the device called a voice call tracking system.

"Haha, no. During that time, I received a lot of help from Director Ahn." He showed a bright smile to Director Ahn Yeon-woo, who looked guilty, and immediately answered the question of Director Cheok Hyuk-jun. "Yes! In the past, I had made such a device with the help of Hocula."

"I see. Could you possibly provide us with that device?"

Namgoong-won readily agreed to the direct request of Director Cheok Hyuk-jun. "Sure. Of course! If you need it."

"Ah! Thank you."

"Actually, since it is an illegal device, I was thinking of disposing of it, but just in case, I kept it at home. Would it help?"

"It will be of great help."

"Then, I will deliver it to Sabo-guk through my wife tomorrow. Before leaving the company, the last department I was in was Division 2 of the Cyber Security Bureau. It feels good to be of help to the department I worked for and not to other departments."

"Hahaha, that's right. There is one more thing." Director Cheok Hyuk-jun glanced at Director Ahn Yeon-woo next to him and continued talking, "Do you have any intention of returning to your job in the security bureau again?"

"What? Return? Ah!"

"Is this a difficult question?"

"Haha, I just started a business…," Namgoong-won, who had a perplexed expression on his face, glanced at Director Ahn Yeon-woo.

At this, Director Ahn Yeon-woo opened his mouth, "Chief Cheok! Allow me to speak to Namgoong-won for a moment."

"Ah, certainly!"

After giving a short answer, Director Cheok Hyuk-jun left the break room. Namgoong-won immediately asked, "Woah! Chief Ahn! Why the hell are you asking me to return?"

"Well, now the entire NIS is upside down."

"What happened?"

"It has to do with the late Professor Woo Jin-gil."

"Ah! I see."

"More than that, you remember this place?" Director Ahn Yeon-woo slightly changed the topic.

"Sure. How can I forget?" The National Intelligence Service Safe House Hospital was the first point that changed Namgoong-won 's life. Eight years ago, after his family and friends were assassinated by Scorpion agents and he collapsed due to shock, this was the place where he first met Director Ahn Yeon-woo and Manager Lee Hye-jin.

When Namgoong-won came here, sad memories came to mind, and he deliberately did not talk about the past with Manager Lee Hye-jin. Of course, Manager Lee Hye-jin also did not deliberately mention the past.

"Right. This is the place where I first met you and the place that changed your life forever." Director Ahn Yeon-woo seemed to be talking about the past to Namgoong-won on purpose, even though he knew it was a painful memory.

"Haha, now that I think about it, it's the place where I first met my wife, so it's also a meaningful place in a way," Namgoong-won deliberately said, trying to look at the bright side.

"Is that so? Does thinking positively make you feel a little more comfortable?"

"Haha, am I not a positive person?"

"Do you know why I brought up the past?"

"Well, maybe it's because of the reinstatement, isn't it?"

"Right! It's your reinstatement issue." Director Ahn Yeon-woo looked around the break room where there were only the two of them, then with a serious expression told Namgoong-won in detail about Professor Woo Jin-gil's suicide and the leak of plasma core technology.

"Ugh! Is that true?" Namgoong-won, who learned of the great truth, opened his eyes wide and gave a look of disbelief.

"As I said before, this case is an emergency for the entire NIS. We need to retrieve or destroy the plasma core technical data as soon as possible, and of course, we need to catch the kidnappers as well."

"No, how could they kidnap those babies and do such a thing? I am so angry."

Professor Woo Jin-gil's suicide was truly an unfair death itself. Professor Woo Jin-gil, who had devoted his life to plasma research for the sake of the nation, ended up dying tragically for betraying the nation. There was nothing he could do for his family, but that didn't change.

"Yeah, they're heinous bastards. Shouldn't we find those guys?"

"Yes. They must be found and brought to justice. No. I have to catch them and make them live in pain for the rest of their life." Namgoong-won's anger surged momentarily when his family and friends, who had been unfairly killed in the past, crossed his mind.

"That's why your reinstatement is so important! You can help me catch them."

"Um, that's… wouldn't it be possible to find the culprits using the voice call tracker without me?"

"It is important to catch the kidnapper, but it is also important to recover the core technology or completely destroy it. That's why we need your skills."

"I see." Namgoong-won gave a short answer and fell into deep thought.

Director Ahn Yeon-woo waited quietly.

"Hey, chief!"

"Yes, have you decided?"

"It is difficult to make a decision right now. I'll go home and talk to Hye-jin. There is a lot to do for my business, and there are a lot of things that are at stake."

"Yeah, it's going to be difficult to make a decision right now. In any case, discuss it with Manager Lee as soon as possible and make a decision."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

"No, why are you apologizing? We are asking too much of you."

* * *

November 25, 2023, 14:00

The B2 bunker, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (a conference room at the Joint Command and Control Center of the Armed Forces)

Thirteen hours after the outbreak of the war with Russia, they were effectively defending against the remaining 35th Army, 36th Army, and 5th Army, except for the 29th Army, which was attacking the Mongolian border. In particular, the route of the invasion of the main units of the 35th and 36th Army was mainly a difficult mountainous area. For this reason, the speed of the invasion was not fast even after a large-scale invasion. Accordingly, several Gyeonggap Mountain Divisions specialized in fighting in the mountains were firmly defending the main invasion route. As a result, the Northern Front did not have to worry too much. In addition, in the case of the 5th Army, 'Operation Annihilate the Triangle', which would be the starting point of the advance of the Primorsky Sea, was in full swing.

The success of the Operation Annihilate the Triangle' in which several main units of the 5th Army were gathered in one place on the protruding Samgakji Plain of the Northeast Front, the Airborne Strike Division was deployed to the rear of the enemy by air, and then defeated at once while surrounded in all directions. It could be said that this was the prelude to a large-scale counterattack by the Corean army.

The problem was the 29th Army, which was invading through the Mongolian border. The 65th Light Armored Infantry Division (sunset), which moved from the garrison in Gangjin (Hulun Bayer), bypassed Lake Horun and intercepted the 36th Motorized Infantry Division, the leading unit of the 29th Army, advancing upward.

Although they received intensive artillery fire from artillery units of various calibers, it was partially bombarded by Russian artillery units due to artillery support from the 86th Mechanized Guard Division (Iron Tong) Division Artillery belonging to the 13th Corps, which was responsible for the division artillery and the upper border. They were able to put them down. However, they suffered considerable damage from the intensive missile attacks of the missile brigade outside the range of the Corean artillery. Accordingly, the Joint Chiefs of Staff had no choice but to issue an order to retreat to the rear of the Immigration River.

Meanwhile, the 11th Armored Division and 39th Motorized Infantry Division, which were ranked first in the 29th Army's battle ranks, detoured and advanced to the bottom of Lake Horun. About 300 T-14B Armata tanks of the 11th Panzer Division equipped with an unmanned turret system and 16MJ railguns advanced on them like a gale.

But something stopping them. It was the Wu Chun River that led to the Horun Lakes and the Bour Lakes.

There was no flowing water in the river and while the river was not very wide, it was impossible for a heavy tank to move at high speed because the water split into several branches. Because of this topographical advantage, the 5th Panzer Division (the key), who had time to spare, arrived here first and ambushed the enemy. When the 11th Panzer Division attempted to cross the Wu Chun River, it launched a surprise attack.

The 11th Panzer Division's command department hastily ordered their subordinate units to cross without first understanding the situation on the other side of the river through a search tank or reconnaissance drone. They seemed to have forgotten the basics of the Doha Field Manual. The 11th Panzer Division's T-14B Armata tanks, crossing at a markedly slow maneuver speed, were embarrassed by the sudden attack of the 5th Panzer Division's C-2A1 Black Tiger tanks and suffered unilateral damage at first. However, the 5th Panzer Division (the key) also retreated to the rear after receiving an order to retreat from the Joint Chiefs of Staff due to the attacks of various artillery forces and missile brigades waiting in the rear.

"It's a shame. If only that 11th Panzer Division had done a good job, the 29th Army would have been able to slow down the overall advance." Captain Yoongi-yoon clicked his tongue.

"Will there be another chance?" Captain Kim Yong-hyun crossed his arms and asked calmly, but he was also saddened in his heart.

Lieutenant General Kim Yong-hyeon, the head of the operations division, said confident, "Once the 7th and 30th Divisions join the Immigration River as a defense line, the 29th Army's vacuum will be over."

"Honestly, isn't the problem those missile brigades? Those guys should definitely concentrate on them."

Shin Sung-yong, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was silently staring at the screen of the control room, looked at the digital clock on the wall and said, "Sir! The Minister will arrive soon. Let's all go to the conference room."

After a while, Minister Kang Yi-sik, who had attended the National Security Council (NSC) in the basement bunker of the National Crisis Center all morning, appeared in the conference room where high-ranking generals were sitting. All the high-ranking generals rose from their seats.

"At ease! We don't have much time, so the meeting starts right away." Minister Kang Yi-sik took his seat and immediately began briefing the contents of the NSC meeting this morning. 20 minutes later, the atmosphere in the conference room wasn't very good.

"Under the current circumstances, we cannot send a corps-level force to Kurdistan." These were the first words spoken by Chairman Shin Sung-yong of the Joint Chiefs of Staff right after Minister Kang Yi-sik finished his briefing.

"I know it will be difficult. We are at war with Russia."

"Then why do you give such an order?" Chairman Shin Sung-yong of the Joint Chiefs of Staff asked with an upright expression.

"I can't help it. It's the president's firm will, the independence of Kurdistan."

"Are you saying that the independence of other countries takes precedence over our own safety?"

"Heh heh, what are you talking about? Could the President have given this order with such a thought in mind?"

"Otherwise, how could you order a corps-level dispatch? Didn't I report to the minister of the future plans for the occupation of Siberia?" Shin Sung-yong, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not back down and expressed dissenting opinions.

On the way there, he had guessed that the opposition of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would be severe, but Minister Kang Yi-sik was perplexed by the stronger reaction that he had not expected.

"Well, I know it's difficult because it's the beginning of the war. Still, it's the president's order, so select the available forces and hurry up to prepare for the deployment."