21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 490: Season 2 Book 20 Shadow of War – 1-3 The Fair Price

“What do you mean when you say we can’t communicate with the outside world and can’t go outside? I can’t stay here, you incompetent people, so call the helicopter right now!” President Wang Jing-wi yelled, believing he had been imprisoned. However, there was nothing that could be done because all communication channels had been cut off, and there was no way to call a helicopter.

“Mr. President! I’m afraid it is not possible as all means of communication are currently down. We will dispatch a helicopter as soon as we regain communication,” replied Guo Jingfei, head of the operation center, reluctantly.

“Shit! Shit!” President Wang Jing-wi, who spat abusive words, frowned and returned to his office.

In response, Director Dai Xiangyu approached Guo Jingfei, the head of the operation center, and whispered carefully, “Operation commander! I think we’ve already lost the war.”

“What are you talking about?”

Director Dai Xiangyu looked around at the other commanders and showed them a picture that he took using his smartphone. “This is the picture I took when I was trying to go outside.”

“Is this really a picture of Beijing?”

“Yes, it is.”

Guo Jingfei, the head of the operation center, was taken aback when he saw several pictures appear one after the other. The soaring buildings had vanished, and the ground had turned a dark red.

“I can’t believe it, I can’t believe this is how Beijing looks now. What did the Koreans do?”

Guo Jingfei, the head of the operation center, collapsed helplessly after handing back the smartphone. He was in complete shock.

“If the capital city, Beijing, is like this, the other cities would have suffered far more damage.”

“That’s a possibility. I can’t believe they committed genocide in such a densely populated area without being insane. Summon all of the commanders to the operation meeting room now.”

“Yes, all right.”

* * *

January 8th, 2024, 00:00

Over Guangdong Province, Republic of China

Jang Yue Fung and Yuan Xiaoqiao congratulated each other and enjoyed the festive atmosphere as the Dassault Falcon-8X, which had just passed Hunan Province and entered Guangdong Province with the four plasma bombs, safely entered Republic of China airspace.

“We’ll arrive at Hong Kong International Airport in 10 minutes. Passengers should take their seats and fasten their seat belts.”

“We are finally arriving. Hahaha.”

“Yes, Minister of Defense! Let’s all sit down. Haha.”

“Don’t you think you should avoid calling me ‘Minister of Defense’ from now on?”

“Oh! Is that so? Haha.”

They were slightly drunk and talking nonsense, and this was the last conversation between them.

A high-speed missile was flying toward them from 400 kilometers northwest. The identity of this missile flying at Mach 20 was the S-AAM-500 cobra missile, a long-range air-to-air missile launched from a CF-21P Zhujak fighter.

The pilot of the Dassault Falcon-8X hurriedly turned to the sudden radar lock-on alarm and attempted to avoid the unidentified missile, but the S-AAM-500 cobra missile had already reached the corner.

When the cobra missile collided with the fuselage side of the Dassault Falcon-8X, it exploded. The shattered Dassault Falcon-8X turned into large and small balls of fire and crashed to the ground.

Jang Yue Fung and Yuan Xiaoqiao, as well as their associates, who betrayed their country by attempting to hand over the plasma bombs to the Republic of China, died without even knowing how.

“This is Hawk Squadron’s Hawk One! Mission complete! We’re heading back. Over!”

“This is the nest! I have approved your return. Over!”

“This is Hawk One! Copy that!”

The CF-21P Zhujak fighters turned around and returned to the 20th Fighter Wing’s Sanhan Air Base after reporting on their completed mission.

* * *

January 8th, 2024, 00:00

Underground bunker of the Blue House National Crisis Center, Jongno-gu, Seoul

An hour after the operation, the world’s media outlets began reporting on the current situation of New China’s major cities.

The reports criticized the Republic of Korea for committing the worst civilian massacre in history against New China and requested that they cease their illegal acts against humanity.

Furthermore, the leaders of Western countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States, issued a joint statement criticizing the Republic of Korea. Naturally, Russia’s President Putin took advantage of the opportunity to rally Western powers behind him, attacking Korea more forcefully than any other country and labeling it a country guilty of war crimes of inhumane acts.

A split-screen on the operation room’s large screen displayed news about the current situation in New China from all countries around the world. The news announcers all spoke negatively about Korea, and in some cases, they even referred to President Choo Un-hee as a war fanatic.

In particular, CNN News from the U.S., which had received a video of Beijing from the U.S. Department of Defense, broadcasted the dreadful scene to the world and a group of war and economic experts came forward to criticize the negative effects of the second Northeast Asian War.

Three years ago, South Korea, which participated in the first Northeast Asian War for complete unification, colonized Japan, the world’s third-largest economy and dominated the Japanese market. And China, which used to be known as the world’s largest market, was divided, causing the global economy to fall into an abyss for a moment, almost entering a recession.

Furthermore, military experts unequivocally stated that South and North Korea deliberately started the First Northeast Asian War to unify, which was ridiculous and false information.

In Korea, the foreigners who watched this absurdity would have believed it because it was broadcasted on such well-known news channels.

Furthermore, the domestic opposition party, which had been silently supporting the war, announced that it would stage a protest condemning the current government for excessive warfare. The emergence of an unexpected situation both inside and out resulted in a very serious situation. When President Choo Un-hee received the report, she could only stare at the screen as if she was lost.

“Mdm. President, to be able to resolve such an issue, you must be firm at times like these.” When Kang Yi-sik, the head of the National Security Office, saw the president’s pitiful expression, he offered words of comfort.

“Yes, I must. It’s a war we fought for the fortunes of the Korean people, so we have to put up with it. I know exactly what I should do.”

“Yes, I am confident that the president will prevail. We’re also here for you. So, when you’re having a difficult time, say so. You don’t have to overburden yourself.” Chief Secretary Lim Jong-seok added words of consolation as well.

“Okay. I’ll do that. Thanks to you, I am able to cheer up.” President Choo Un-hee, who had lost courage for a while, took comfort in the encouraging words of her aides.

* * *

January 8th, 2024, 08:00

Blue House (Press Center), Jongno-gu, Seoul

Since early in the morning, the Blue House was filled with domestic as well as foreign reporters.

After some time, the camera turned toward the entrance, and the sound of camera shutters flooded the room as soon as the senior presidential secretary for public communication announced the president’s arrival.

President Choo Un-hee, who used to enter the Blue House press center with a warm smile whenever she made a statement or a public speech, entered wearing a black suit, and had a serious look on her face. She immediately headed for the podium in the middle of the press center.

She then looked at the cameras in front of her and began issuing her statement without a script.

“Fellow citizens and my compatriots! I’m going to talk about the use of strategic weapons against New China last night.”

President Choo Un-hee, who started her statement with a greeting, continued to speak with a more serious expression. “Three years ago, China was a country that surrendered after losing the war to Korea, and it was divided into three countries, but the country which inherited China’s legitimacy was New China. Of course, I would like to say that the surrender clause signed should be maintained once it is established. However, they took advantage of our war with Russia to steal Korea’s confidential technology, the plasma core technology, and to use plasma bombs against our Korean troops.”

Reporters were baffled as it was their first time hearing about the leakage of the plasma core technology.

“Can the Republic of Korea forgive New China for violating the surrender clause, seizing our war with Russia as an opportunity to launch a preemptive attack, and stealing and using Korea’s core technologies against us?”

Reporters were gradually overwhelmed by President Choo Un-hee’s determined voice as she spoke enthusiastically.

“For seven days before using large-scale strategic weapons against New China, the Ministry of National Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff broadcasted evacuation warnings through all media outlets, and even used strategic fighters to drop flyers to evacuate all targeted cities. Which country does something like this to the citizens of the country that they are at war with?”

President Choo Un-hee slowly looked from the reporters in the front to the foreign reporters in the back row and continued to speak, “Nonetheless, rather than assisting their citizens who wanted to evacuate, the New China government blocked all roads out of the city, preventing the citizens from leaving, giving them no choice but to return to the city. It is entirely the responsibility of the New China government that the damage to the civilians was so disastrous. But I’m also saddened by the large number of civilian casualties. However, as the Republic of Korea’s commander-in-chief, I have a mission and a responsibility to win the war. As a result, I have authorized the use of large-scale strategic weapons in all cities in New China, and I will bear all international condemnation and live with the consequences for the rest of my life. I’m determined.”

It was a shocking remark for both the domestic and foreign reporters who had expected the president to apologize as a result of the international community’s criticism. However, it was the opposite of what they expected. As a result, domestic and international reporters were taken aback and took down President Choo Un-hee’s statement word for word.

“Dear citizens! My compatriots abroad! What I have to endure, I have to endure, but I want to say something to the various countries that have criticized the Republic of Korea. Currently, many countries are calling the Republic of Korea a nation that engages in war crimes and I’ve been accused of being a war fanatic. I’d like to ask them—how righteous and self-assured are they to criticize us? What a wonderful country they have.”

President Choo Un-hee looked at the camera and lifted a glass of water as the speech had made her thirsty.

“I won’t state the country’s name exactly. But, before you criticize the Republic of Korea, please consider your history. Do you know about the past? And one more thing—Russia! President Putin! Did you call me a war fanatic? There’s a saying in Korean that goes, ‘Don’t blame others when you’re the one who’s done wrong.’ I want to get this across to President Putin. Which country was it that initiated the Second Northeast Asian War? Also, didn’t you launch hundreds of intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of destroying all Korean territories as well as the Korean Peninsula, dozens of times? It amounted to more than 500 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Are you going to deny it? And please keep it in mind that every city in Russia could be turned into New China if you keep behaving like this.”

Both the domestic and foreign reporters exclaimed. It marked the turning point of her statement.

President Choo Un-hee, who paused to take a breath, looked at the camera once again and spoke in a serious and powerful voice, “Fellow citizens and my compatriots abroad! I’m not afraid to say it. I’m confident that New China will vanish into history, and that Russia will also be brought to its knees within a month. Please bear with me for a little longer, even if you are feeling anxious and finding things to be difficult. Thank you very much.”

When President Choo Un-hee stepped out to the side of the podium and bowed, it wasn’t just the Blue House officials, but the domestic reporters who stood up and applauded as well.

Wasn’t that exhilarating? It was the first time in history that the Korean people’s pride was portrayed so clearly toward the rest of the world.

Even after President Choo Un-hee left, the applause continued. And after some time, the senior presidential secretary for public communication took to the podium. “This concludes the president’s statement, and only five people will be able to ask questions. We will have two domestic reporters and three international reporters.”

As soon as the senior presidential secretary for public communication finished speaking, the reporters raised their hands regardless of whether they were domestic or foreign reporters..