December 18, 2020, 15:00, Chungbook Chungju-si 17th Fighter Wing underground research facility X-22 lab (Satellite development)

  The X-22 lab was full of research staff. Last year, in 2019, they had successfully developed the KS-AD Zeus 1 satellite and planned to develop Zeus 2 and 3 as well. But due to the outbreak of the Korea–China war, the government had requested to rush the development of the Zeus tactical interception missiles; hence, the doubled number of staff working in the lab.

  Dr. Oh dong-jin, the leading expert in aerospace dynamics, also known as the “Father of Satellites,” had been working—sleeping only two hours a day—to complete the assembly of Zeus 2 and 3. Also, due to the hard work of Dr. Oh and 50 research staff, Zeus 1 satellite’s weakness of lowered power output had been fixed, and it now has a lighter satellite weight as well.

  “Hello, everyone! How do you do?”


  The door of the X-22 lab opened and Head Researcher Namgoong-won entered.

  “Head Researcher Namgoong! Welcome.”


  Dr. Oh Dong-jin greeted him in a friendly manner. The other researchers waved their hands to greet him as well.

  “Dr. Oh, you don’t look so well . . . You must be working too hard, don’t you think? I am concerned about your well-being.”


  “I look that bad, huh? Don’t tell me. I can’t sleep much these days, thanks to the Ministry of National Defense.”


  Dr. Oh Dong-jin’s face was full of fatigue. His eye bags had sagged down to his cheeks and his original white lab coat was so stained that it was no longer white.

  “Take it easy, Doctor.”


  “It’s okay, it’s the fate of all engineers! I am used to it now, so I am fine. Besides, we are almost done anyways.”


  “Really? When would you guys be done?”


  Dr. Oh Dong-jin began to stretch to take a break from Namgoong-won’s visit.

  “I think it will be 15 more days before we are finished, don’t you agree, Doctor?”


  Dr. Yoo Ho-won, Dr. Oh Dong-jin’s star pupil, poked his head from the other side of the satellite and answered.

  “Dr. Yoo, hello.”


  “You’ve been well I presume, Head Researcher Namgoong?”


  “Of course. I am not too busy these days that’s why I am strolling around like this.”


  “Man, I am envious, hahaha!”


  “Right, Doctor Lee!”


  “What?”


  “Could you please take a look at this?”


  Namgoong-won handed him the tablet he brought with him.

  “What’s this?”


  “This is something I made with Hocula’s assistance.”


  On the tablet were numerous blueprints and data. Dr. Oh Dong-jin, who was staring at the tablet for a while, seemed to be in awe and spoke wide-eyed.

  “Is this possible?”


  “It’s still in the beginning stages, so I am not sure.”


  “This is truly a revolutionary idea. If it can be executed, I would like to take it on sometime.”


  “Right? I want to develop something like this, so I can make a fortune and retire early.”


  “Please let me in on the project. I want to live the rest of my life without having to worry about money, wouldn’t you?”


  “Is that so? Hahaha!”


  The system Namgoong-won was developing was a new gaming system that would shake the entire industry in the future.

  December 18, 2020, 15:30 (China Standard Time 14:30), 22 kilometers east of Yentai Province, Plaines, China

  It was 40 minutes ago when the skies 22 kilometers of Yentai hosted a fierce battle between the Korean Navy’s attack choppers and the Chinese 26th Army Group’s 7th Chopper Regiment. The WZ-9 and WZ-10 type helicopters from China’s 7th Chopper Regiment were outdated compared to the Koreans’ and China had lost half of their forces before retreating. The Korean WAH-11SP Peregrin falcon choppers and KA-11 Phoenix land attackers exhausted their arms and returned back to Pongrai Airport.

  Korea’s land attackers and Peregrin falcons were temporarily tasked with protecting the Korean Marine’s 2nd Armored Battalion. Therefore, the aerial forces returned to base to avoid exhausting their equipment since there was no official repair battalion near the airport to fix the damages. Also, they had exhausted their ammunition and so had to return to base.

  The choppers and jets from both sides returned to base, but the battle between China’s type 99G tanks and Korea’s K-2 Black Panther tanks was still ongoing. The Chinese tanks outnumbered the Korean tanks three to one and surrounded them as they attacked. The AFT-10 armored vehicles from the rear also pushed forward while firing their anti-tank missiles.

  Beep, beep, beep

  The LWR (Anti-tank missile Laser Warning System) of the Black Panther tank that had just destroyed a type 99G tank began to ring. From their flank, an HJ-10 missile fired by the AFT-100 armored vehicle was flying toward them. The Black Panther tank fired their active hard-kill type protection system (KAPS) that was the buzz of all military enthusiasts when it came out.

  Boom!

  The HJ-10 anti-tank missile that was 15 meters away from the Black Panther tank exploded. When the Black Panther tank was able to avoid the danger, it began retaliating against the AFT-10 armored vehicle.

  The 120m 56 round Smoothbore gun began to spit fire, making a thunderous sound. When the adapter detached once it left the APFSDS (Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot), the missile flew over 1500m/s and hit the AFT-10 armored vehicle’s turret.

  The missile had pierced through the armored plating of the AFT-10, and, using its momentum, detached the turret from the body with a loud explosion.

  Bang, Booooom!

  China’s 8th Armored Division’s tank regiment had sustained considerable damage from the Korean marine’s artillery attack and KA-11P Phoenix land attackers before entering into battle with the K-2 Black Panther tanks. Not before long, the frozen rice fields had type 99G tanks in flames were strewn everywhere. There were K-2 Black Panther tanks that were also broken down by the Chinese cannon rounds.

  Some 20 minutes later, the tide of battle favored the 2nd Marine Division’s 2nd Armored Battalion. The type 99G tanks from China were struck down, and the AFT-10 armored vehicles attacking from the rear began to retreat once the K-2 Black Panther tank’s rounds began to target them.

  When the tanks from the 1st and 2nd Company under the 2nd Armored Battalion raised their pace and moved forward, the Battalion Commander’s voice came through the communication line.

  First and 2nd Company! Stop at once! Maintain your position and fire only within your range. Over.

  First Company roger that, over!

  Second Company roger that, over!

  The armored forces from the 8th Armored Division banking along the S302 road was detected by the spider drone. The main force from the Chinese armored regiment was attempting to march into the city while the battle took place.

  Commander! This is the headquarter Company Commander Choi Cheol-gil.

  What is it?

  An armored force the size of a battalion is headed toward Yentai along the S310 and G204 highway.

  Send the footage to every company now!

  Yes, sir!

  I am giving the order to each company. The 1st Company is to clean up the battlefield while the 2nd Company will head to the S310 highway. The 3rd Company will head to the G204 highway to cut them off. Check the locations on the digital maps. I have just sent in the coordinates. Over and out.

  First Company confirmed, over!

  Second Company confirmed, over!

  Third Company confirmed, over!

  Each Company Commander checked the location sent into the digital screen and gave orders to each vehicle commander.

  Vroo~ Vrooooom~

  The 2nd and 3rd companies turned around rapidly and moved at full speed.

  The tanks under China’s 8th Armored Division were moving off-road to march toward Yentai. Commander Ahn Gang-joon knew the 2nd Armored Battalion would not be enough to block their path and deployed the strike force’s (Magpie viper) choppers to attack the tanks.

  The KUH-M50 Super Surion choppers hiding in the mountain pass took off. They were not land-attack choppers, but they had 25 MLRS 50mm plasma cluster rockets, 22mm laser Vulcan guns, surface-to-air S-AGM-20 short-range missiles, and S-AAM-30 Magpie viper missiles which made them more than capable for the task.

  Fortunately, no one was on board, thus, the KUH-M50 Super Surion attack choppers were not weighed down and moved quickly toward their destination.

  That day, the 26th Army Group trying to retake Yentai and the 2nd Marine Division fought fiercely—the battle continued after sunset. However, the Chinese forces faced a disadvantage once the sun had set and so they retreated. The 2nd Marine division returned back to base as well and stood guard while waiting for reinforcements.

  December 19, 2020, 09:30 (China Standard Time 08:30), China Weihai Port

  The six escorting destroyers from the 2nd Fleet of the 71st Maritime Flotilla that left Incheon Navy Command Center at 2000h last night had arrived at Weihai Port. The container freight ships could not move at their full speed, and it took longer than expected for them to arrive.

  During their 11-hour voyage, there were no Chinese naval forces that threatened them. The Northern Sea Fleet had been annihilated at the start of the war, and the Southern Sea Fleet also had lost 50 percent of its forces when they attempted to land at Jeju Island, so they returned to the Ningbo Navy Base to regroup.

  Likewise, there were no submarines that could fool the Poseidon 2 underwater satellite. Even if they risked their lives and attempted to make a move, the S-SSSFM-500 trident hypercavitating torpedoes from the Poseidon would take them out. After the war broke out, eight submarines had already been destroyed after wandering into the Korean deep sea.

  The container freighters docked first and began to unload their cargo. Since the crane operators were interrogated by the 3rd Special Forces Brigades earlier, they were able to move the cargo swiftly while a special forces soldier was keeping watch on them. The unloading process went smoothly.

  In nearby docks, four of 60,000-ton Kanghwa class landing ships were unloading armored vehicles and tanks with their hatch open. From the stairs connecting the ship and the port, marines can be seen moving out.

  From Yentai, Commander Ahn Gang-joon rode on his Commander’s vehicle to arrive at the Weihai Port. He shook hands with Major General Jo Gyu-hong, Commander of the 3rd Marine Mobile Division.

  “Man, you look well since your time at the mainland, don’t you?

  Major General Ahn Gang-joon joked around while shaking hands with General Ahn.

  “General Ahn, don’t you think I always look great? You don’t look so good though?”


  “Tell me about it, I have two stars on me, so I can’t wear masks, could I?”


  “I am going to wear it. I need to protect this handsome face. Hahaha!”


  “Your jokes are always terrible. You haven’t changed, have you?”


  “Hahaha, let’s go! Korea’s cold but it’s colder here, isn’t it?”


  “It’s 15 degrees Celsius below zero. Get on.”


  The two generals had been friends for over 30 years, and they used to joke around with each other when they were young. They rode on the K-160 Hummer and headed to the division headquarters building. Then the vehicles of the other Commanders followed in a line.