October 30, 2020, 11:30 (CST 10:30), Dandong City Hall in China

  From the 90th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, the 115th Mechanized Infantry Battalion’s 3rd Company was coming down from the six-o’clock direction across the Sino–Korean Friendship Bridge and along the Wanxing Road. It approached the entrance of the 18-story Dandong City Hall after passing through the wide plaza. Infantrymen began to get out of the Hyunmoo armored vehicle. Each platoon waited in all-around security. After receiving Company Commander Captain Kim Young-joon’s orders, the three platoons, excluding the 1st Platoon, quickly entered the building and went to their assigned routes to begin their search.

  “First Platoon Commander?”


  “Yes, Company Commander, sir.”


  “From here on, shoot anyone you encounter on sight, whether it’s a civilian or anyone else.”


  “Yes, sir.”


  After giving that short order to the Platoon Commander, Captain Kim briefly looked at the mini screen on his left wrist and called someone.

  “First Lieutenant Kang? You can come out now.”


  A few moments later, the Headquarters Company’s Troop Information and Education Officer Kang Ki-soo and two Headquarters Company troops who were holding cameras and boxed bags got out of the armored vehicle.

  “When should we start?”


  “Wait. The platoon commanders will contact us through the communications network when they have completed the search and requisition of the City Hall.”


  “Yes, sir.”


  First Lieutenant Kang, after looking around and giving a short answer, put his arms out to stretch his shoulders once before continuing to speak.

  “Since the Chinese have a large landmass, their plaza is bigger than Seoul’s plaza.”


  “Yeah, I agree.”


  After about 30 minutes had passed, a report was uploaded from each Platoon Commander that search and requisition had been completed. Although some City Hall bureaucrats tried to resist, the armed troops were able to suppress them easily.

  “I think the City Hall requisition is completed. Shall we begin?”


  “Yes, sir.”


  When Captain Kang gave a hand signal to the Headquarters Company troops who came with him, they put on white gloves and took out a large Korean flag out of the boxed bag.

  “You and you, take down all three five-starred flags! I hate the sight of it.”


  When the Troop Information and Education officer gave the orders to two platoon troops that were on all-around security, they bolted from the line, ran to the flagstaff, and took down the five-starred flags.

  “We will begin, sir.”


  The Troop Information and Education officer held the camera, then shortly took out an MP3 with a small speaker attached and pressed the play button. Korea’s grand national anthem began to play from the small speaker, and the two members of the Headquarters Company wearing white gloves began slowly hoisting the Korean flag high up into the sky in time with the rhythm.

  “.……Until that day when the waters of the East Sea run dry and Mount Baekdusan is worn away, God protect and preserve our nation……”


  The Troop Information and Education officer turned the camera here and there, careful not to miss a single moment of this historic event as he recorded. When the Korean flag reached the flagpole finial and the national anthem ended, 3rd Company Commander Captain Kim Young-joon shouted with a loud voice.

  “Company! All attention! Present arms to the flag!”


  A few tens of thousands of troops were all around securing the area, while the remaining 30 or so soldiers stood rigidly in straight rows and columns facing the Korean flag. All gave a salute.

  Thump!

  “Order arms.”


  Thump!

  “Thank you for your hard work, Captain Kim, sir.”


  “You call this hard work? But this makes me shed tears.”


  “I also teared up as I was recording it on camera, sir.”


  After First Lieutenant Kang finished his duties, he passed the camera on to the Headquarters Company member and saluted Captain Kim.

  “Salute! Thank you for your hard work, sir. I will be heading back.”


  “Salute! Keep up the good work, First Lieutenant Kang.”


  After the salute, First Lieutenant Kang and the Headquarters Company members went back to the armored vehicle they rode and headed to the battalion headquarters barracks.

  Truthfully, this event was ordered by the Joint General Staff for war commercial purposes, but Company Commander Kang and Company troops, who were directly involved in hoisting and saluting the Korean flag on Chinese territory, were deeply moved. Something deep inside their hearts was stirred. Counting the time, it had been 1,000 years since a Korean flag had been hoisted and saluted on this their ancestors’ land. From a historical perspective, it was the first step, after countless years, to come and reclaim this territory.

  This is the Company Commander. Each Platoon Commander, make sure to ingrain on the Chinese bureaucrats inside City Hall that this is Korea’s territory now, starting today, before sending them all home. Over.

  On this day, the video of the Korean flag being hoisted at China’s Dandong City Hall was broadcast in the evening news not only in North and South Korea but also abroad. Korean citizens who watched this, whether in their homes, the terminal, the waiting room of the train station, pubs, or anywhere where people gathered, embraced each other without hesitation and continuously shouted the words “Reclaim our territory!” jubilant for finding again their ancestors’ land that disappeared in history. Also, “Long live, Korea!” shouts were heard as the entire Korean peninsula was immersed in a festive atmosphere. A group of students created a flag of the three-legged crow somehow and waved it while sharing the joy in this festive scene.

  The people of Korea threw a celebration, creating a sentiment of wonder if Korea is indeed a nation in the middle of a war. Thus, they demonstrated that the interior of Korea had no signs of imposition or anxiety of any kind.

  October 30, 2020, 21:00, National Crisis Management Center basement bunker in Jongro-ku Blue House, Seoul

  The TV broadcast showed people coming out to the streets, continuously shouting, “Reclaim our territory!” and “Long live, Korea!” and the many news reporters and cameramen who were tirelessly gathering news materials of this scene.

  “The Joint Staff did a huge event.”


  Minister of National Defense Kang Hyun-soo, who was briefly absent earlier that day, spoke with hearty laughter while watching the TV with the President.

  “That is true. The citizens being so happy and unified brings me joy too.”


  “Mr. President, sir, Chief Secretary Na Sung-tae is very worried about you.”


  “What is he worried about?”


  “Your health, sir. He is quite worried and said you haven’t slept in two days. Since today, you are in a better mood, how about getting some sleep? I will be here and protect this place.”


  President Suh Hyun-woo waved his hands and asked in return.

  “Will a person get sick from not sleeping for two days? Or will they die? This is fine.”


  “The war won’t be over in one or two days, and it has just begun so there is no need to strain yourself. I would be grateful if you listened today, sir.”


  As his heart was touched by Minister Kang’s words, which were spoken with a doleful gaze, the President replied, slightly nodding his head.

  “I understand. Then I will rest tonight. So do well, Minister Kang, and I will come back early tomorrow.”


  “Thank you, Mr. President. It’s all right to come in late, so I hope that you will rest well, sir.”


  October 31, 2020, 01:00 (CST 24:00), urban district of Yanji, China

  Yanji, located in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, was Yeongil in the local language. Like the Korean Autonomous Prefecture that it is, 250,000 of the city’s 440,000 population were Korean. The Central Military Commission, concerned about the Koreans’ act of betrayal, deployed the 16th Army Group 8th Infantry Division 55th Brigade’s troops in various parts of the city. Though the Yanji invasion plan began at 2:00 p.m., sounds of gunshots and explosions still rang in several parts of the city past midnight. And in Yanji airport, an intense battle was just beginning.

  Ratatatatata~

  In every waiting room floor of the airport, loud gunshot sounds from heavy and light machine guns rang throughout. It seemed as if battalion-size troops and company firearms were hiding in the airport building and conducting a flooding operation. The marines responding to this was the 1st Marine Division 3rd Marine Brigade 32nd Raid Force Battalion, known as the “Black Bat.” The marine’s 6th Company, approaching from the front side of the waiting rooms while dodging the flooding machine-gun bullets, found it difficult to advance due to only a few parked cars that made it difficult to take cover.

  When Sergeant Cho Jae-hwa slightly raised his head above the car to confirm the Chinese army’s movements through the wall using the inverter vision mode, bullets flew in immediately and left several bullet holes on the car roof. Sparks flew, and one bullet from about ten hit his helmet before bouncing off. From this, he quickly ducked his head.

  Ping Ping Tack Pingping~ Tatak tatak tatak

  Sergeant Cho, after rubbing the top of his helmet with his hands, mumbled with a slight grin.

  “Huh? I got hit once on the helmet? This has one hell of a bulletproof ability.”


  After taking one long deep breath, he fidgeted with the handle of the newly provided K-200P plasma smart-grenade launcher, and flung his body while pulling the trigger of the grenade gun consecutively.

  Toong! Toong! Toong! Toong! Toong!

  Five bullets of small 30 mm smart grenade were thrown to where the Chinese army’s heavy and light machine guns were coming from. These tore the machine-gun shooter’s limbs along with a loud explosion, turning the shooter into a raglike mess. When Sergeant Cho landed on the opposite side vehicle to hide after using all five of his ammunition, 4th Platoon Commander 1st Class Sergeant An Kang-kyu, who was already there, shook his head and spoke woefully.

  “Do you have to shoot like that?! Just shoot carefully while hiding. You don’t have two lives!”


  “Platoon Commander, sir, shouldn’t the invincible marine corps fight with this caliber? We have to show this level of action to be the invincible marine corps—the ghostbusters.”


  When Sergeant Cho spoke in a feigned serious expression, 1st Class Sergeant An flipped him off.

  At this moment, Company Commander Oh Eun-gil’s voice was heard through the company communication network.

  This is Chug Boat. Listen, all platoon seafoods. From now, the 7th Company will do a blitz advancement from the opposite side. Commence firearm demonstration so they can’t focus on them. Over.

  Squid, roger.

  Baby Octopus, roger.

  Cod, roger.

  Pollack, roger.

  At the Company Commander’s orders through the company communications network, the 6th Company marines, one by one, began getting into position for focused shooting.

  “There is probably no other person like you in our Company, Sergeant Cho. I heard you returned from discharge and volunteered for an extension for this battle?”


  “Platoon Commander, sir. I am an invincible marine corps FM with a burning dedication to serve the country. I also believe that I am a warrior.”


  Fearless perhaps because he was young, there was composure all over the face of confidence-filled Sergeant Cho. After reloading the small 25mm grenade magazine, Sergeant Cho winked once at 1st Class Sergeant An and waited for the Company Commander’s signal.

  “FM my *ss.”


  Chug Boat, on my signal, focus fire starting with Pollack Weapon Platoon. Company! All seafoods, fire!

  All at once, the 6th Company marines consecutively fired at the airport waiting rooms with K-200P plasma smart grenades and heavy weapon laser mini-machine guns. With the addition of about 100 KS2s, laser beams darted from the first to the third floor of the waiting room like a shower. The marbled wall of the waiting room cracked from the coin-sized holes coming from every laser shot, and windows shattered, creating a beehive. Sergeant Cho fired his 30 mm smart grenade again at the Chinese army, who hid from the consecutive laser beams inside.

  PewPewPewPew~ PewPewPewPew~

  Ratatatatatata~ Ratatatatata~

  In this exchange of bullets and beams, the Chinese soldiers continued to fall. Parts of the marines were hit from bullets and limped, but they got up again and took cover.

  “This protective suit performance is incredible. Jin-kyung, are you okay?”


  Sergeant Cho called out to Corporal Na Jin-kyung in front of him, who collapsed from a shower of bullets but sprang back to his feet, and asked him if he was okay.

  Leaning on the half-broken car for cover, Corporal Na turned around and gave a slight thumbs-up while he replied.

  “This is nothing, sir.”


  “There are too many pretentious guys in our unit.”


  st Class Sergeant An clicked his tongue and spoke woefully when even Corporal Na spoke with a bluff.

  “When this battle is over today, I am going to clearly show you a mental fortitude lesson from hell to the heavens!”


  “1st Class Sergeant An, you can’t do that. I didn’t do anything wrong, sir.”


  Even in a situation of life or death, the marine troops participated in war while joking with each other. Whether it was from wickedness or guts, the invincible marine corps clearly was not afraid of death if viewed on a positive light. But on the other hand, it could also be seen as a lack of military discipline from the Tang Dynasty.

  This is Chug Boat, we are also advancing. Advance in a four-beat formation starting with Squid.

  Squid, roger.

  Baby Octopus, roger.

  Cod, roger.

  Pollack, roger.

  Simultaneously with each Platoon Commander’s reply, they advanced in a charge formation starting with the Squid Platoon, and the other platoons fired at once to cover. After safely reaching the first-floor waiting room entrance, signal name ‘Squid’ 1st Platoon divided into squads to disperse to both sides and began their covering fire toward the second-floor stairs. Following them, Baby Octopus platoon began running.

  Ratatatatatata~ Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

  Between the running Baby Octopus 2nd Platoon, sparks of fire bounced off the concrete ground. A few marine troops were shot with bullets. However, they only limped for a moment and endured the pain while continuing to dart off.

  Patpat! Papapapapat!

  The Chinese soldiers, firing the machine gun blindly, were petrified and spooked.

  “Aaah, what are those Korean marine b*stards? Are they ghosts or zombies?”


  The horrified Chinese soldiers, screaming frightfully, fired the machine guns blindly while they writhed in pain.

  They have seen zombies seen in movies. They were grotesque zombies that didn’t fall or die from bullets and continued running to eat them. After today, among the captured Chinese soldiers, there was an absurd rumor that the Korean marines produced zombie troops, and halfway through the war, this rumor spread throughout the Chinese army. They began to show signs of avoiding battles with the marines.

  The reason was that these normal army infantrymen, although they wore full-protective gears and specialized bulletproof vests, don’t fight with the seemingly unreasonable behavior of the marines. The marines, when in battle, fight as if they had tossed their fears to the dogs. They did not spare their bones in any battle, and, thus, when shot, many soldiers sprung back up to their feet like zombies to continue fighting. Thus, even among the marines, they joked about being called the invincible zombie marine corps rather than the invincible marine corps.