21st Century Goguryeo

January 17, 2024, 04:00 (New China time: 03:00)

Outside Langfang City, Hebei Province, New China (temporary presidential office of the Central Military Headquarters)

<Kung! Kung! Kung!>

President Wang Jing-wi, who had been drinking whiskey like water till late at night, frowned and shouted when he heard the knocking at the door.

"What? What's the fuss about?"

<Clank!>

The general secretary of the presidential office, who was knocking on the door, opened it with a nervous look on his face.

"Mr. President! We have to leave this place right now!"

President Wang Jing-wi opened one eye and peeked at the clock on the wall.

"What? It's still three o'clock. Weren't we supposed to leave at five o'clock?"

"Well, I've received an urgent call from the general staff office, and they have informed me that the Korean military has crossed the Chao Bai River and will soon arrive in Langfang."

"The Koreans have crossed the Chao Bai River? How? We were going to build a defense line there. What the heck are you talking about? Talk in a way that I can understand?"

"The details of it are…They just told me to prepare to move right now…"

The general secretary shook his head as he was only trying to deliver the information that he had received from the general staff office.

"Hey!"

President Wang Jing-wi, who had come out from under the covers, entered the General Staff operation room wearing just a robe.

There were several soldiers busy carrying various equipment around the hallway.

"What? What's going on?"

President Wang Jing-wi opened the door of the operation room and asked. In response, General Chief of Staff Guo Jingfei, who was having a serious conversation with the staff, replied in an urgent voice.

"Please get ready to leave this place for now. There isn't a lot of time left. I'll tell you about the details on our way."

"Is it true that the Koreans have crossed the Chao Bai River?"

"Yes, that's right."

"When?"

"Two hours ago."

<Boo!>

From a short distance away, a huge explosion was heard. As a result, the ceiling lights trembled, and dust fell from the ceiling.

"Two hours ago? And you only just found out?"

"I'm sorry but it seems that the Korean military used EMP bullets around the Chao Bai River defense line. So, the communication was lost, and I could only report it to you now."

<Kwaang! Kwawawang!>

The sounds of explosions could be heard from the operating room once again, and it seemed to be getting closer by the minute. As a result, President Wang Jing-wi felt the situation was becoming serious, so he turned around without asking any more questions.

"Mr. President! We have the helicopter ready. Since we don't have much time left, please only pack the important things. The rest will be packed by the soldiers later. I'll come to pick you up as soon as the preparation is completed."

President Wang Jing-wi shook his hand and left the operation room.

"We also need to move now."

Chief Executive Officer Kao Wei-kwang said while holding a briefcase in one hand, which contained documents from the overnight counterattack operation.

"Go ahead. I'll go to the helicopter with President Wang Jing-wi."

"Yes, then I'll go first and wait."

* * *

January 17, 2024, 04:15 (New China time: 03:15)

On the outskirts of Langfang City, Hebei Province, New China (temporary residence of the Central Military Headquarters)

In the helicopter hangar of the temporary residence, 16 Z-9 armed helicopters, four Z-8 large transport helicopters and 20 Russian-made Mil Mi-17 transport helicopters were on standby on the modified runway.

The Z-8 large transport helicopter was a helicopter for President Wang Jing-wi, and the rest of the Mil Mi-17 transport helicopters were to be boarded by several party officials and general staff commanders.

Since this was a temporary residence in the Central Military District, there was no airplane runway. Therefore, they had to go to Gao Beidian Airport, 50 kilometers southwest by helicopter, and then take a plane from there to Yangquan.

Because of the unexpected arrival of the Korean military, the temporary residence was in chaos as they prepared for an emergency evacuation. It looked like a hotteok restaurant that was on fire.

After a short time, President Wang Jing-wi and General Chief of Staff Guo Jingfei rushed to the modified runway, accompanied by an escort.

President Wang Jing-wi, who was out of breath, boarded the Z-8 big transport helicopter with the help of the guards. Then the officials and general staff commanders who had been waiting in front of the helicopters hurriedly boarded as well.

<Dududududududududu~>

The Z-9 armed helicopters in charge of the escort mission slowly ascended as President Wang Jing-wi boarded, creating an incredible sound as the engines roared to life. They then constructed an air cover by hovering in the air.

As the Z-8 large transport helicopter was about to take off vertically and the rotor began to spin, something was falling from the eastern sky outside the garrison.

When it reached a certain height, it exploded, emitting a tremendous light.

<Paaang!>

In comparison to the amount of light emitted, the explosive sound was not that loud. However, it didn't appear to be a normal explosion. The tremendous light emitted sent shock waves that spread in a circular pattern in all directions. The temporary residence was also within the range of the shock waves.

<Papapapat!>

Like a momentary typhoon, the shock waves vertically swept through the runway.

As a result, the engines of the Z-9 armed helicopters that were hovering in the sky stopped all at once. The sudden loss of power caused them to fall to the ground.

<Kkiiing! Keukeukeuk!>

Meanwhile, the engines of the Z-8 heavy transport helicopter and the Mil Mi-17 transport helicopter, which were preparing for take-off, stopped. Additionally, sparks flew from the different instrument panels, causing a fire.

<Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!>

Explosions erupted in all directions as the Z-9 armed helicopters crashed to the ground, sending pillars of fire and debris soaring. The high-ranking officials and general staff commanders on board began leaping from the numerous transport helicopters that had caught fire.

The dashboard of the control room of the Z-8 large transport helicopter, which had President Wang Jing-wi onboard had also caught fire. The president jumped out of the helicopter with the help of the escort captain and ran away without looking back.

<Boo!>

As soon as he had run away, the Z-8 big transport helicopter exploded and split into two. The fire raged on and debris flew into the air. As a result, the vertical runway area immediately turned into a blazing fire.

"What happened?"

President Wang Jing-wi, who managed to escape death, gasped and asked, pointing to the railing of the helicopter hangar. In response, the escort captain, who ran carrying President Wang Jing-wi's bag, replied with a short breath.

"I'm not sure but I think the Koreans have attacked."

At this time, Chief of Staff Guo Jingfei who had safely alighted from another transport helicopter approached with several staff members.

"Are you okay?"

"Whatever it is, what happened?"

President Wang Jing-wi asked nervously.

"I think they dropped the EMP bomb."

"EMP?"

"Yes, this situation wouldn't occur unless it is an EMP bomb."

<Piiiiiyung~>

<Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!>

A sound that rang out like thunder could be heard in the sky, followed by a series of explosions that occurred simultaneously on all sides of the temporary residence. It appeared to be an artillery attack using time-on-target (TOP) technology.

<Uaaaak!>

Soldiers caught in the explosion yelled and scurried away in all directions. Several buildings collapsed, generating dust clouds. In addition, the flames of death carried away other automobiles parked on the ground, creating a hellish island.

The problem was that these explosions continued unceasingly. Fortunately, the helicopter hangar was strong enough, so President Wang Jing-wi and his party were able to survive.

"Strategy Manager!"

"Yes, Chief of Staff!"

"Get your subordinates to prepare a vehicle so that we can get out of here right now."

"Yes, I wanted to but all of the vehicles are getting damaged as well…"

"What? Does that mean that we can't get out of here?"

President Wang Jing-wi, who was listening to the conversation between the two generals, asked with a fearful look.

"No, we'll find a way out somehow."

"General Chief of Staff! Because the connection with the outside is currently down, it appears that the best option is to escape and obtain a car from the outside."

When Chief Executive Officer Kao Wei-kwang gave the most realistic option in the current situation, General Chief of Staff Guo Jingfei nodded and called the Strategy Manager.

"Strategy Manager!"

"Yes, General Chief of Staff!"

"Right now, all of the guards will be mobilized to provide escort to the city. Choose speedy subordinates and prepare the vehicles in advance! We'll have to save him no matter what."

"Yes, I'll get it at any cost."

"Good! Have everything prepared so that we can leave in 20 minutes."

"Yes, I will."

The Strategy manager Major General Du Yu-ru, immediately issued the orders. As a result, 1,000 guards and troops were transferred from the direct infantry unit and moved through the continuously falling shells to form an escort line from the main gate of the temporary residence to the city.

* * *

January 17, 2024, 04:20 (New China time: 03:20)

Langfang City, Hebei Province, New China

"Everyone! If we stay like this, we'll be dead. We must end this war by killing President Wang Jing-wi and his comrades, who think the lives of the people are inferior. Don't you think so?"

A man wearing a red t-shirt was giving a speech through a loudspeaker in front of demonstrators filling the eight-lane road in downtown Langfang.

"That's right. Let's get rid of him! Let's get rid of him! Let's get rid of him!"

Although the majority of Langfang's residents had evacuated, more than 100,000 people remained in the city and continued to demonstrate. The majority of the demonstrators were from the lower classes, who were unable to escape due to a lack of money and food.

"Right now! Let us go to the location where the sinner Wang Jing-wi is currently residing and punish him."

When the man in the red t-shirt screamed once again into the loudspeaker, the protesters raised their weapons and shouted.

They even had rifles, pistols, and heavy machine guns stolen from soldiers during the protests.

<Ji ji jik! Ji ji jik!>

"Beehive two here! Beehive two here! Currently, the worker bees are moving. Over!"

The man who was leading the demonstrators and shouting through the loudspeaker turned his head and blocked the loudspeaker for a few moments, then whispered into the communicator, and then a Korean voice came out of a small machine placed in his ear.

"Beehive one here! I'll move right away. Beehive two, three, and four, get ready, too!"

"Beehive two here! Check! Over!"

"Beehive three here! Check! Over!"

"This is Beehive four! Check! Over!"

Agents of the Special Operations Bureau of the National Intelligence Service, who were currently operating in various parts of New China, were communicating with each other without the protesters' knowledge even after communication was cut off due to the EMP bomb.

One such person was Manager Na Min-won of Special Operations Bureau three. He was the one who had given the speech to the demonstrators. He was as fluent in Chinese as a native speaker because he had studied overseas in Beijing for four years when he was younger.

"Okay! Let's go! Let's show them our power."

After ending the communication, Manager Na Min-won got off the podium and walked in the direction of the current temporary residence. Then more than 100,000 protesters began to follow him while shouting.

At the same time, guards and some troops were entering the city on the other side of the road. In a matter of minutes, a clash between the two teams would most certainly occur.

"Beehive three here! The worker bees are approaching 500 meters!"

At the entrance to the city, Beehive three who was observing the situation sent out the message.

"Beehive one here! Please keep a lookout and report back. And Beehive four! Come out! Over!"

"This is Beehive four! Over!"

"Are you ready to harvest honey?"

"Beehive four here! It's possible right away. Over!"