December 15, 2020, 13:00, National Crisis Management Center basement bunker in Seoul Jongro-ku Blue House

  The Minister of National Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited the National Crisis Management Center to have a briefing session with the President for two hours about the current state of the maritime war that broke out at the southern end of Jeju Island earlier that day. They discussed plans for future measures. Now, after having lunch, they gathered in the conference room to have tea while watching the dangerous protests happening in Japan and the distorted broadcasts spread by extreme right-wing politicians.

  On TV, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party from the House of Representatives was shown being interviewed in front of protesters, who were holding various pickets and shouting slogans to annihilate the opposing country, Korea. Not divulging the facts, he was insisting on Korea’s unilateral aggression while foaming at his mouth. Scenes like this continued to air from morning until past afternoon.

  “Mr. President, I have a question.”


  National Defense Minister Kang Hyun-soo asked the President as if he had a sudden thought while watching the TV broadcast.

  “What is it?”


  “That is, didn’t you object to the formal complaint against the brutality of the Japanese government at the UN Security Council meeting regarding the Sarin gas in Jilin City? It came to my mind while watching that d*mned broadcast.”


  “Hahaha, Minister Kang.”


  “Yes, Mr. President.”


  “Didn’t we get across the legitimacy of our attack on the Japanese fleet to the members of the UN Security Council with just the one document covertly signed by China and Japan at that time?”


  “Yes, sir, we did.”


  “Then why would it be necessary to waste such a valuable thing by exposing it?”


  “Excuse me? What do you mean, sir?”


  “Look at that Japanese broadcast. Instead of reflecting on their history, isn’t Japan still stuck in a militarism swamp and unable to come to their senses with this distorted history education?”


  “Yes, Mr. President.”


  “I would like to take this opportunity to definitively punish Japan.”


  “Then, are you saying you are keeping it as an ace up your sleeve for the punishment of Japan, Mr. President?”


  “Yes, that’s correct. It’s a trump card. Isn’t it the most vicious crime among crimes to spray Sarin gas, which the UN banned, for the benefit of their own country, especially while disguising as their enemy of war? Wouldn’t we need to hold this ace up on our sleeves to not walk on eggshells around the international community in the war ahead against Japan?”


  After the President finished speaking, Minister Kang, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Chief Secretary looked at the President with a surprised expression.

  “Why are you looking at me with surprise? Everyone.”


  “Mr. President, you are really incredible. I would have never thought, even in my dreams, that you would save it for such a clever scheme. I was only thinking about the sanctions of the international community against Japan by exposing the Jilin incident to the UN Security Council.”


  Clap clap clap!

  The Minister of National Defense, who had placed his teacup down, even ended up clapping.

  “I was surprised too, Mr. President! Hahaha.”


  The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff spoke while shaking in laughter.

  “Sooner or later, we won’t have to watch such garbage broadcasts anymore.”


  The Chief Secretary, who watched the interview of a Japanese politician in his 70s with stretched-out cheeks relentlessly uttering all kinds of lies in front of the camera, also spoke while laughing.

  “That is true, sir. My blood boils when I watch broadcasts like that. Two-faced Japan definitely will have to pay the price soon.”


  Even the Minister of National Defense, who was applauding, spoke while showing an uncomfortable expression after watching the TV broadcasts.

  “To do that, Minister Kang and Chairman Kang, you will need to work hard.”


  “Don’t worry about that, sir. Whether it is a Japanese expedition or an attack on the Japanese mainland, any Korean would support it. I, too, want to let go of the chairmanship and get involved directly as Commander of the expeditionary force.”


  “What are you saying? If Chairman Kang leaves the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who would be in charge? Haha!”


  * * *

  December 15, 2020, 15:00 (CST 14:00), X-2 Bunker in Beijing, China

  Currently, China was at a crossroads hanging by a thread.

  Following the retaliatory attack of Korea’s “Chiyou punishment,” Captain Chiu Li Jiang Ji, who rose as Commander-in-chief of the People’s Liberation Army, persuaded President Xi Jinping to throw an irresistible bait to Russia and Japan to turn them into allies to reverse the unfavorable war situation in one go. But the ambitious strategy of Captain Chiu to use two countries to pressure Korea and use that gap to turn the war situation around had failed from the start.

  First, the JMSDF did not perform its role. If things went according to the plan, they should have taken Dokdo and dispersed the Korean Navy’s power. Only then, the Chinese Navy would have not only landed on Jeju Island but also the Korean Peninsula. Instead of landing, however, they lost to two Korean Navy fleets in the southwestern sea of Jeju Island. Only 50 ships, including the surface landing vessel, returned to the Ningbo Naval Base.

  Additionally, Russia initially crossed the Chinese–Russian border and advanced to the three sages of the Northeast in high spirits, but was greatly defeated in the first battle with the Korean armored forces. The Russians stopped advancing to drag a timid local war. As a result, it was not possible to disperse the Korean Army’s power toward the three sages of the Northeast as much as they wanted to, and could not stop the most important Beijing advancement.

  Captain Chiu’s plan was a very dangerous move that threw the Koreans off guard. However, the men following Captain Chiu’s plan could not fulfill their duties, and this resulted in the subsequent failure of the plan.

  “Stupid Japanese b*stards can’t even take over a small island and instead get destroyed by the Korean Navy. And the Russian b*stards who were all talk and called themselves brown bears got scared that they lost one battle.”


  President Xi Jinping’s clenched fists shook as if the more he thought about it, the more agitated he becomes, and he expressed his anger while staring at the Control Room monitor.

  Watching President Xi Jinping like this, no one among the several generals of the Central Military Commission and members of the Politburo spoke a single word.

  “Someone speak. Don’t just sit still like you can’t speak.”


  President Xi, who turned his gaze away from the monitor, leered at the generals and committee members present, feebly standing at close range.

  “Captain Chiu! You don’t have anything to say either?”


  Captain Chiu, who stood still silently, paused briefly with a blank expression before he replied while looking at President Xi.

  “Mr. President, sir! Now, the chances of China winning the war against Korea with the leading tactical strategies are slim.”


  “Did I ask to hear something like that? We need to take measures. The measures.”


  “Mr. President, sir! Although we are currently being attacked by the Korean Army even at the capital, time is on our side.”


  “What do you mean?”


  Captain Chiu approached President Xi and spoke after he got near.

  “The Korean leadership must have tried to end the Chinese–Korean War with lightning speed from the beginning. In my opinion, they envisioned to end the war as early as within one month and the latest in two months. The war is now entering its second month. Korea is not expressing it externally now but they are likely very impatient that the war has dragged on.”


  “Let’s say that’s true. So what?”


  “In modern warfare, long-term warfare is heavily correlated with national power. It’s about how long a country can continuously fight the war. This is the size of the territory, the resources and self-production, and the population.”


  “Continue.”


  President Xi Jinping was immersed in the persuasive words of General Chiu.

  “As I had just said, time is on our side. If this Korea–China war continues into a long-term war, Korea must fight against China, Japan, and Russia—three countries. With a small territory, depletion of resources, and a small population, Korea does not have the capacity to sustain a long-term war. As time goes by, Korea’s consumption of national strength will decrease rapidly.”


  Now, the Generals of the Central Military Commission and members of the Politburo, including President Xi Jinping, were listening intently to what Captain Chiu was saying.

  “For this reason, Korea will face limitations in its ability to perform war. Most likely, the hot-headed Koreans will immediately face public opposition to the war, and there will be an economic crisis and internal division. Federal reunification will also crack.”


  “Now that I hear it, it sounds likely.”


  Vice President Li Yuan Chao interjected with a glow.

  “Vice President, don’t interrupt and stay quiet.”


  When the Vice President interjected at an important part, President Xi Jinping reprimanded him, glaring at the Vice President.

  “I’m sorry, sir.”


  “Continue.”


  “Yes, sir. Now, when we can’t beat Korea with China’s power, we need to drag the war with Korea as long as possible rather than trying to win. I think this tactic is the best in this situation.”


  “Hmm, it hurts my pride, but I can’t help it if this is the only way. Then how much time are you talking about for a long-term war?”


  “At least six months, sir.”


  “Currently, the Korean military is in a full-scale offensive to capture Beijing. Can we stop this and last for more than six months?”


  As if he went into thought at President Xi’s question, he stopped talking briefly before opening his mouth again.

  “Truthfully, this is the most dangerous moment for China. No matter what, the capital city of Beijing needs to be blocked. The 38th Army Group, which has been reorganized, will be put into full operation today.”


  During Korea’s surprise attack at the beginning of the war, the 38th Army Group, which is first in the battle ranks, suffered the most damage and reached the level of destruction, but the 38th Army Group was revamped by drafting only the elite troops from each army group and using the latest equipment produced. Although they were going to head the vanguard of recapturing the three sages of the Northeast, the 38th Army Group hid their forces in the suburbs of Beijing due to the unexpected defeat of the other army groups.

  * * *

  December 15, 2020, 15:30 (MSK 09:30), Moscow Kremlin, Russia

  Russia’s President Putin, a belligerent figure, was also from the KGB, the intelligence agency of the former Soviet Union. As such, he has a level-headed judgment and vision for the future. Although he signed the “Russia–China Territory Transfer Agreement” on conditions he couldn’t shake off from China and advanced Russian troops into the three sages of the Northeast in exchange, he did not dispatch as many Russian troops as requested by China. This was because he did not want to sacrifice more Russian troops than necessary.

  He thought that merely launching a simultaneous offensive against the three sages of the Northeast would terrify the Korean military in advance, causing them to back off. Contrary to President Putin’s expectations, however, the Korean Army aggressively defended the Russian offensive and even defeated the 12th Tank Regiment, the unit under the 57th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Army.

  As a result, President Putin became cautious of the fact that Korea faced Russian troops with some guts and that they were defeated by the Korean Army, even though it was a regiment-scale unit. To this, President Putin decided to deploy a large number of reconnaissance satellites and reconnaissance aircraft to gain a full understanding of the Korean military forces. Also, to deal with the NATO forces, he gave orders to supply the newest tanks and various military equipment to the three sages of the Northeast advancement unit, and thus numerous transport planes flew in day and night.

  “Is the aircraft transportation to the eastern military district going smoothly?”


  With a face that exuded charisma, President Putin asked this to the Minister of National Defense. To this, Minister Mikhail Ivanov straightened up and replied.

  “Currently, there are about 200 transport planes transporting day and night, and various types of tanks, armored vehicles, and self-propelled guns are also being sent through the Trans-Siberian Express.”


  “Minister Ivanov, keep your eyes on it to progress it smoothly. We must show them clearly what happens if they touch Russia without any fear.”


  “Yes, sir, don’t worry. Currently, 4 reconnaissance satellites and 20 reconnaissance aircraft are monitoring the 3 sages of the Northeast for 24 hours a day. After completing the military reinforcement within 15 days, we will show the Korean Army the terrors of the brown bear nation.”