21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 464: Season 2 Book 19 New China’s Participation in War – 1-2 Close Battle

January 1st, 2024, 03:15

An underground bunker at the Blue House National Crisis Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Namju

Despite being in the midst of a war with Russia, South Korea had a meeting at the National Security Council (NSC) at 11 p.m. the day before in the bunker of the National Crisis Center. The atmosphere was still filled with the year-end and New Year festivities as usual.

However, when the officials heard the news of the invasion of New China from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, they changed the subject and switched to a countermeasure meeting related to New China.

The NSC meeting was to observe the situation of infiltration operations related to the dismantlement of plasma core technology currently in progress by the National Intelligence Service’s Foreign Intelligence Division 1.

“Seriously, the people from New China cause trouble all the time.”

When Justice Minister Park Bum-tae ground his teeth to convey his true feelings, Executive Minister Kim Soo-gyeom responded by hitting his knee with his fist.

“That’s what I’m saying. Shouldn’t we take this opportunity to crush them?”

“Of course. We have to devastate Beijing as well as the other major cities.”

Even Minister of Unification Policy Kim Young-chul showed a sign of discomfort and spoke out.

Eventually, the members who attended the NSC meeting expressed their anger one by one.

“By the way, shouldn’t we connect with the Joint Chiefs of Staff? Mdm. President!”

Prime Minister Lee Youn-yeon calmed the members and asked the president.

“The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is said to be on his way here.”

Lim Jong-won, Chief of Staff, responded immediately instead of the president.

“Is there still a need for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to come here after New China has gotten involved in the war as well?”

When Prime Minister Lee Youn-yeon asked again with a puzzled expression, Chief of Staff Lim Jong-won answered with a firm expression.

“It seems that there is something he needs to report to the president in person.”

“Well, I see.”

After the NSC meeting was convened, President Choo Un-hee, who had been quiet with a firm expression on her face, spoke quietly.

“Minister Kang!”

“Yes, Mdm. President!”

“Was any action taken on the New China’s ambassador in Korea?”

“Yes, 1st Vice Minister Oh Jin-myung has currently moved the Ambassador Wieungga Wanglinche to the office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

“Contact 1st Vice Minister Oh Jin-myung and tell him to convey what I have to say without changing a single word. This invasion is an illegal act of warfare and we will take corresponding retaliatory measures.”

“Yes, I will contact him now.”

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-hee quietly stood up from his seat, walked to one side of the conference room, and took out his smartphone.

At this time, a knock was heard from the entrance of the door, and soon after, Chairman Shin Sung-yong entered the conference room.

“Welcome Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff! Please take a seat.”

Lim Jong-seok, Chief of Staff, got up from his seat and pointed him to an empty seat on one side.

“Thank you.”

Chairman Shin Sung-yong, seated in his seat, took off his hat and laid it neatly on the conference table.

“Okay. What do you have to report personally?”

“Yes, Mdm. President! I’ll begin right away. At exactly 03:17, a bomb that was very similar to a plasma-amplified bomb hit the 6th Mechanized Infantry Division, which was defending the area of Xeonan (Qinhuangdao), causing great damage. Currently, the exact status of the damage has not been identified but considering that communication with the division’s headquarters has been cut off, it is suspected to be serious.”

In an instant, the conference room froze. Everyone was in shock, so no one was able to speak. Only Minister of National Defense Kang Yi-sik, who possessed a strong personality, continued to ask questions while maintaining his calmness.

“Did you just say that it was a bomb that resembled a plasma-amplified ammunition?”

“Yes, after checking the afterimage of the current explosion with the Apollo reconnaissance satellite, it is judged to be a very similar bomb.”

“So, does that mean that New China developed a plasma bomb?”

“Up to that point, I can’t judge…”

“What do you mean by development? Those b*stards, they have succeeded in developing a plasma bomb by stealing our technology.”

Unification Policy Minister Kim Young-chul frowned and complained.

“My, my, what should we do? We are in big trouble. In big trouble.”

When Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Jeong Tae-guk clicked his tongue and lamented, Minister of Unification Policy Kim Young-chul made a slightly dissatisfied expression and spoke as if he was complaining.

“There’s nothing to be in trouble about. Even if New China has developed a plasma bomb, given the time, they would only have as many as dozens of them. However, don’t we have hundreds of bombs, and aren’t there various means of fighting? If you’re going to win in a firepower battle, it can’t be a game.”

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Jeong Tae-guk, who was depressed at the tone of Minister of Unification Policy Kim Young-chul, who seemed to be blaming himself, said in a low tone.

“Is that so?”

“Sure, yes it is.”

“But the problem is that a single shot is more powerful than a nuclear bomb. Also, we don’t know the exact number of bombs they have in their possession. This has made things very difficult.”

As a former Minister of National Defense, Kang Hyun-soo, head of the security office, had an accurate analysis.

“I also feel the same way as the Chief of Security. The difference between a New China with conventional weapons and a New China with plasma bombs, though we don’t know how many they possess, is a whole different ballgame. A single shot can cause a lot of casualties.”

When the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Security, who were former military generals, gave their opinions which got the others to face reality, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Shin Sung-yong stood up. Then, the eyes of all the members of the NSC, including the president, turned to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

“I also came to the Blue House in person for another reason. I would like to put in a request to Mdm. President.”

“What’s the request?”

When President Choo Un-hee responded, Joint Chiefs of Staff Shin Sung-yong looked around at the committee members and spoke in a determined voice.

“Please approve the unlimited retaliatory attack on New China.”

“Unlimited retaliation attack?”

“Yes, that’s right. It’s an unrestricted attack on New China. In inevitable situations, we want to be able to use plasma-amplified bullets even in large cities.”

“Do you mean even in big cities as well?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“If that happens, wouldn’t it cause a lot of damage to civilians?”

“As the Chief of Security and the Minister of National Defense said earlier, currently New China has similar strategic weapons to ours. In this situation, I think we have to play a bolder and more powerful firepower battle to win the game. If not, this Korean-Chinese war will face a lot of difficulties, and the damage to our side will be formidable.”

In order to make such a request to the president, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Shin Sung-yong left the situation room even in important situations and came to the Blue House.

“Well, an unlimited retaliatory attack…”

The president, who whispered a few words with a perplexed expression, was silent for a moment. The committee members then urged her to approve.

“Mdm. President, why are you hesitating? Approve it right now.”

“Yes, that’s right. Please approve.”

“Mdm. President, we have a good reason. There is no mercy for an enemy that has invaded one’s own country. There must be clear retribution.”

NSC members provoked the president as if blaming her. Even so, President Choo Un-hee, who had been silent for a while, quietly opened her mouth.

“The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff!”

“Yes, Mdm. President!”

“I will approve unlimited retaliatory attacks. In addition, I delegate all powers to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff regarding the future war with New China. In other words, report it after taking action.”

At this time, Kang Hyeon-soo, head of the Security Office, intervened in the conversation.

“Delegating all the powers, Mdm. President…”

“No. It is alright.”

President Choo Un-hee firmly restrained the opinion of the head of the security office. In fact, President Choo Un-hee was usually gentle as a female president but when making an important decision, she is known to show as much strength as a man. That was the situation right now.

“Tha…thank you Mdm. President!”

Chairman Shin Sung-yong of the Joint Chiefs of Staff bowed his head to express his gratitude for her approval.

“The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff!”

“Yes, Mdm. President!”

“I approved it because I trust the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. You know what I mean, right?”

“Yes, I know what you mean.”

“Okay.”

President Choo Un-hee, who had settled the issue with New China, turned her head to finish the call and called Minister Kang Kyung-hee again, who was seated in his seat.

“Minister Kang!”

“Yes, Mdm. President!”

“I’m sorry to bother you. Please forward it back to the 1st Vice Minister.

“Yes, what should I say?”

In response to Minister Kang Kyung-hee’s answer, President Choo Un-hee’s face spoke with a voice full of determination.

“As of the present time, we will promptly deport the embassy and all consulate staff members of the New China Embassy, including Ambassador Wieungga Wanglinche, and we are also ordering the citizens of New China to return to their home countries within 48 hours. If there is a New Chinese citizen who does not return to their home country within 48 hours, tell them that they will be classified as illegal immigrants for whatever reason and will be detained.”

President Choo Un-hee’s actions were very tough.

“Yes, I will get your message across.”

“And please take care of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs so that all Korean nationals in New China can return to their home countries within 48 hours. Even if it means they have to make their way back by taking out all civil aircraft.”

“Yes, all right.”

The meeting on New China carried on for another ten minutes, and Shin Sung-yong, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, returned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The NSC meeting had once again changed to a topic related to the Foreign Intelligence Division 1, which was carrying out the mission of discarding core plasma technologies.

Lee Young-jin, director of the National Intelligence Service, who had not said a word at the previous meeting, apologized to the president in a sincere tone.

“I’m sorry, Mdm. President! All this has occurred because we couldn’t handle things on time.”

“What do you mean you are sorry? What are you talking about all of a sudden? And what are you saying you couldn’t handle things? Are you talking about New China’s plasma bomb?”

To this, Director Lee Young-jin of the National Intelligence Service responded by nodding his head.

“Chief of National Intelligence Service! You shouldn’t say that about the hard work of your subordinates who are suffering in other countries. Everyone here knows that the NIS staff are doing their best. Aren’t they still risking their lives to infiltrate? Don’t say that ever again.”

“Still…”

“My, my! Why do you keep doing this, unlike the NIS chief? If you keep doing that, I’ll get angry.”

President Choo Un-hee was genuinely pissed off. Director Lee Young-jin reluctantly replied that he knew.

“By the way, I am very curious about the current situation regarding the Foreign Intelligence Division 1.”

“Let’s then connect to the Foreign Intelligence Agency.”

“Okay. Try to connect it.”

Currently, the situation room of the National Intelligence Service’s Foreign Intelligence Service was watching the progress in real-time through a camera equipped with Foreign Intelligence Division 1 and agents who infiltrated the secret laboratory of the Ministry of General Equipment.

* * *

January 1st, 2024, 03:55 (New China time: 02:55)

Zone 15, Industrial Park, Beician District, Tianjin City, New China (inside the Hisan factory)

Now, an hour and a half after succeeding in infiltrating the secret laboratory of the Ministry of General Equipment, Manager Namgoong-won was the first to hack into the security system using the internal line network. Because of its complex state-of-the-art security system, Manager Namgoong-won successfully hacked in only after an hour. After that, he was able to obtain control over internal and external entrances.

As a result, Alpha One and Two succeeded in infiltrating the secret laboratory at 2:10 local time, and Manager Namgoong-won accessed the internal server network to completely discard all data related to the plasma core technology.

Meanwhile, Lee Ja-sung and agents visited research institutes or related facilities that study plasma core technologies, and some research facilities installed bombs called M2-kill, which are 20 times more explosive than dynamite, but high-tech security sensors were installed everywhere. Due to the state-of-the-art behavioral recognition sensor that can detect not only the flow of air but also small vibrations, the movement of Foreign Intelligence Division 1 and agents were very slow, which consumed a lot of time.

“Please come out, come out!”

Manager Namgoong-won, who had been struggling with a laptop connected to an internal LAN connection for an hour against a dark wall in a laboratory, murmured to himself as if he were chanting a spell, tapping the keyboard carefully so that it would not make any sound.

He wandered around the interconnected internal server network which was in a form of a huge maze and checked each folder himself. He was in a state of extreme tension and was super nervous as he had to quickly hide because security staff were going on their rounds in pairs.

“This is not like a Shanghai Subway line, why did these b*stards make it so complicated?!”

At this time, Assistant Manager Na Sung-hyun, a member of the special security team supporting Manager Namgoong-won at the dormitory, delivered the good news.

“This is Bravo One! Come out Bravo Zero. Over!”

“This is Bravo Zero! Did you find anything?”

“Heh, heh, I found it. Server 13, drive D, folder 251AZXX, folder password is ChineseIdeology, and it is the Plasma folder among the folders inside. However, the Plasma folder is also double-encrypted. Bravo Zero, who is good at this part, please decrypt it. Over!”

“Oh! Well done, Deputy Na!”

“Ah! I’m not Deputy Na, I’m Bravo One.”

Deputy Na Sung-hyun, who was wrestling with the computer at the dorm, seemed to find it interesting and fun to communicate with each other by their nicknames, just like the Black Agents.

“I get it. Bravo One! I’ll unlock the password of the folder. Bravo One and Bravo Two, support the Alpha Team. Over!”

“Bravo One! Roger that!”