21st Century Goguryeo

January 20, 2024, 01:00 (local time 02:00)

120 kilometers offshore (Taejong the Great Ship of King Taejong [DDG-996] of Katsura City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan)

Unlike the northwest front, where heavy snowfall was accompanied by a Siberian northeast wind, the Pacific Ocean 120 kilometers east of Katsura, where the Mariana Trench passes, was calm with no winds, and the moon was reflected on the calm waves. It was a stunning scene that will leave anyone who saw it speechless with admiration.

Admiral Kim I-won, who had been admiring this magnificent sight from the railing on the Taejong Great Ship (DDG-996) for some time, returned his gaze to the direction of Yo Myung-hoon, the captain of the Taejong Great Ship (DDG-996).

"Admiral! In a little while, the 7th Mobile Fleet will also enter the operational waters."

At this area in the sea were six destroyers belonging to the 2nd Destroyer Squadron of the 2nd Fleet, nine frigate belonging to the 2nd frigate Fleet and two Hocula cruisers, the Charisok (CG-1105) and Kang Woo-kyu (CG-1106), that were sailing at the forefront. It looked reliable just by looking at it.

"Really? They're just on time."

Admiral Kim I-won checked the watch on his left hand and took a deep breath once again before entering the bridge.

"Haha, Admiral, it's cold. Let's go in."

"Right."

Admiral Kim I-won entered the bridge and confirmed that the 7th mobile fleet was approaching, as indicated by the tactical symbols on the monitor screen, and that the 2nd fleet was currently aligned.

"Captain Yo!"

"Yes, Admiral."

"Tell Admiral Ahn to deploy in tripod formation behind the Charisok and Kang Woo-kyu cruisers."

"Yes, okay."

At the same time that Captain Yo Myung-hoon responded, an officer in charge of communication, who was listening to the conversation between the two superiors on the bridge, issued orders to the 7th Mobile Fleet on his own, even though no additional instructions were given.

After a while, the six Hocula destroyers of the 7th Mobile Fleet, which had received the order, were seen sailing in three different directions on the screen.

After a while, another screen on the bridge lit up and an upstanding looking man appeared.

He was Ahn Hyeong-gyun, the Admiral of the 7th Mobile Fleet.

"Salute! It's been a while, Admiral!"

"Long time no see. How have you been?"

"I've been doing quite well. What about you, Admiral?"

"What will happen to me? While you were battling the Russian Navy, I was pleasantly licking my fingers."

"Hahaha."

Admiral Kim I- won's joke made the entire bridge crew laugh for a brief moment. The crew on the bridge of the 7th Mobile Fleet felt the same way. Among Navy admirals, he was known for making old man jokes and other popular jokes without hesitation, earning him the title of 'most pleasant admiral.'

"Admiral, can I just lick my fingers this time?"

Admiral Kim I-won waved his hands in response to Admiral Ahn Hyeong-gyun's joke and said, "Hey, that's my specialty. I'm sorry but you must work hard in the lead this time as well!"

"What? Hahaha. Okay. Admiral, see you tomorrow morning at the meeting."

"You must be exhausted from the long journey. Have some rest."

"Salute!"

As soon as Admiral Ahn Hyeong-gyun's face disappeared from the screen, Captain Yo Myung-hoon approached and said, "Admiral, will you be going to the Eulji Mundeok ship after the meeting tomorrow morning?"

"Why? Do you hate that?"

"Haha, how could that be? Wouldn't it be better to command the Allied Fleets from the newest and most powerful ship, the Eulji Mundeok, rather than ours? Its defense has also improved."

Following the first Northeast Asian War, all three outdated KD-1 class destroyers were decommissioned. Instead, three more Hocula destroyers of the class KD-4 were built and serviced under the same name. Eulji Mundeok (DDG-1013) inherited its name and served as a flagship of the 2nd Fleet and the 2nd destroyer fleet in February 2023.

The Hocula destroyer, Eulji Mundeok (DDG-1013), of the KD-4 class, outperforms the original Gwanghae warship (DDG-1001).

"Do you also feel the same way, Captain Lee?" Admiral Kim I-won asked Lee Deok-kyung, the captain of Eulji Mundeok (DDG-1013).

"What? What do you mean?"

"Think about it—how would you feel if the entire 3rd Fleet Staff, including myself, the 7th Fleet Commander, and the rest of the crew, were gathered on the bridge of the Eulji Mundeok?"

"Oh! That's..."

"Besides, I like this place. So, I will be here chasing you until the war is over, don't pretend to be surprised later. Haha."

"Hahaha, I see, Admiral."

"Okay! Then, shall we check on the location of the Caucasians?"

After hearing the conversation, the officers on the bridge projected the Pacific Fleet's position on the screen.

"Well, we will be having fun."

The 3rd and 7th Fleets, denoted by red tactical symbols on the screen, were sailing through the expected routes from east and south, toward the direction of the blue tactical symbol which indicated the meeting point. The 3rd Fleet was located 980 kilometers away, while the 7th Fleet was located 880 kilometers away.

"We'll meet them at the expected maritime point tomorrow night, as planned."

Captain Yo Myung-hoon, took a closer look at the screen and said, "That's what I'm saying. I think we can still have a peaceful night. Good! I'm going to take a rest. Let's switch to the on-call system so that you can rest as well."

"Yes, have a good rest, Admiral!"

"Captain of the Fleet is leaving the bridge." When Admiral Kim I-won left the bridge, a communication line opened throughout the ship, conveying the fleet commander's movement status.

* * *

January 20th, 2024, 03:00 (Latvia time: 19:00)

Latvian city

Six hours ago, as planned by Team Leader Park Gi-oong, the two left the cafe and walked toward a location where several taxis were waiting. They then hurriedly boarded the taxis and went off in different directions.

Soon, the parked SUV's engine started. However, two people quickly exited the car and took another taxi to chase the one that Team Leader Park Gi-oong had taken. At the same time, the SUV began pursuing the taxi that Chief Kang Won-il had driven off in.

Team Leader Park Gi-oong frowned as he saw this take place from the back seat.

<'They're not amateurs.'>

Team Leader Park Gi-oong felt troubled as his plan didn't go well.

"Team Leader! They have split into two." Chief Kang Won-il had also seen what had happened and communicated with the Team Leader.

"That's what I'm saying. Chief Kang, go to the hotel as planned!"

"What about you?"

"I'll think about it."

"I see."

Team Leader Park Gi-oong began to consider another plan while keeping an eye on the taxi chasing him in the rearview mirror. He then took two 100-euro bills from his wallet and handed them to the taxi driver.

"What? We haven't arrived yet."

"I'm just paying you in advance. Please go around the city."

"Okay, let's do that."

The taxi driver, who appeared to be around 60 years old, eagerly took the 200 euros and continued driving with a smile on his face.

Team Leader Park Gi-oong kept an eye on the road until he found a suitable location, 500 meters ahead, where a large intersection was located.

"Excuse me, driver! Please turn left at the intersection 500 meters ahead and then keep to the fourth lane."

"But, if a car turns right, there will be an accident."

"Please do it depending on the situation."

"Well, let me try. Haha."

"Could you please turn the volume of the music up?"

"Oh, you like classical music."

"Yes, haha."

Team Leader Park Gi-oong, who answered nervously, looked at the traffic lights ahead of them. As soon as the taxi driver turned left, they were stuck in the first lane, and the taxi that was following him was in the same lane as well.

When the taxi that had just entered the intersection became caught in the first lane, Team Leader Park Gi-oong reached for the control X-K02 terminal screen mounted on his left wrist.

He then turned transparent and disappeared. Since the taxi he was in had made a left turn, he was in a blind spot and the taxi that was chasing him couldn't see him.

In an instant, while in TCS mode, he opened the taxi door, jumped off onto the side of the road, and closed the taxi door with his left hand.

He took off in an instant, rolled a few times, and soon came to a stop.

As it happened in a blink of an eye, the taxi driver continued to drive without knowing that Team Leader Park Gi-oong had disappeared, and the taxi that was chasing him also followed the taxi without noticing his absence.

He then looked around, and when he was certain that no one was nearby, he turned off the TCS mode. Team Leader Park Gi-oong then appeared in an instant and immediately hailed a passing taxi and followed the taxi that had been chasing him.

About 10 minutes later, the taxi that had initially picked up Team Leader Park Gi-oong stopped on a side road, and the taxi driver looked back with a scared expression on his face when he realised that Team Leader Park Gi-oong had disappeared. No matter how hard he thought about it, what happened was unusual.

The taxi driver looked up at the sky and murmured something, then looked inside and outside the taxi once more. At that point, the taxi that had been chasing them came to a halt, and the two white people inside approached and spoke with the taxi driver.

Team Leader Park Gi-oong, who was watching this scene from a taxi a distance away, smiled.

At that moment, hours after the chaos that had happened in broad daylight in the city had quieted down, Team Leader Park Gi-oong was watching the hotel entrance from a taxi parked on the side of the road.

Those who had followed Team Leader Park Gi-oong looked for him for a while in the city, gave up and returned to the SUV. They were currently watching the three-star hotel where Chief Kang Won-il was staying.

<'How long have they been following us? It's certain that it won't be easy dealing with them. How long are they planning to stay here? Go away, bastards.'>

When he was spitting swear words in his heart, the taxi driver turned his head and spoke to him in a slightly angry tone.

"Hey! How long are you going to stay? Will you pay for it? I have wasted the day because of you."

"Okay, okay."

The taxi driver was speaking in Latvian, not English, but he could make out what he was saying based on his expression and tone. In response, Team Leader Park Gi-oong signed okay with his fingers and immediately took out all of the euro bills from his wallet and placed them in the taxi driver's hand.

It looked like it was 800 euros. The taxi driver's irritated expression brightened upon seeing this.

"Is it good now? I will rent the taxi for the whole day. Do you get it?"

Team Leader Park Gi-oong spoke in English whether the taxi driver understood him or not and his boring wait continued.

After some time, two people got off from the SUV and went to the hotel lobby and the SUV started once again.

"Hey! Hey! That car! That car! Chase it!"

Strangely, the taxi driver winked as if he understood and stepped on the accelerator.

<Vroom!>

"Chief Kang! I'm chasing the SUV right now. Two people got off from it at the hotel and walked to the lobby, so be careful! I'll send you their pictures right away."

Team Leader Park Gi-oong snapped a photo of those exiting the SUV with his shield glasses and immediately transmitted it to Chief Kang Won-il via the control X-K02 terminal.

"Now, shall we find out who you are?"

The SUV, which had been driving on the city road for some time, drove into the quiet suburbs and into the basement parking lot of a shabby, old building.

"That's right! I finally caught you. You punks!"

"Hey! Stop! Stop!"

<Squeak!>

When the taxi came to a stop in front of the old building, Team Leader Park Gi-oong gave the taxi driver a thumbs up and jumped out. The taxi driver then gave him a thumbs up and quickly drove away.

The surrounding area was dark because there were no streetlights on the side of the road, but he switched the shield glasses vision mode to infrared mode, allowing him to see as if it was daylight.

Team Leader Park Gi-oong, who had been in the taxi for hours, warmed up with a simple stretch and immediately began his investigation.

He first entered the underground parking lot where he saw several luxury SUV vehicles parked, so he knew he was in the right place.

He then carefully ascended the stairs and heard voices speaking English all around him. At least ten people appeared to be present. When Team Leader Park Gi-oong discovered that there were more people than he expected, he immediately activated TCS mode and launched a full-fledged investigation.

While walking carefully along the hallway, he approached a room where light leaked through the open door.

For a brief moment, his expression was distorted. Several men in bulletproof vests with CIA written on them were checking their firearms or watching monitors installed on the tables in the room.

"CIA? You punks."