February 21, 2021, 01:20

  Sada Beach, Mikata District, Fukui Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

  Boom! Boom! Wham! Boom!

  Whoosh! Bam!

  Numerous sand pillars soared in a 5km radius on Sada Beach in Mikata District. A strong smell of gunpowder covered the area. The outskirts of Tsuruga City were also included as target points. Many bombs flew there as well. As a result, some homes and buildings collapsed. Civilian damage increased.

  However, the escort fleet of the 2nd landing expeditionary force did not care. As planned, they continued their fierce bombardment without mercy. Every time the shell hit, the dark beach area brightened instantly.

  They were bombing in case of enemy ambush corps. If there were any, they could get rid of them with this bombing. However, the intensity was severe. This was because it was a retaliation attack. They had received damage from the tsunami that had been caused by the torpedo attack of the U.S. on the way here.

  Many surface combatants had been sunk or lost due to this tsunami. The destroyer Kim Jong-seo (DDG-975) had sunk. Also, among the convoys, Gyeongbuk (FF-819), Busan (FF-827), and Ulsan (FF-828) had not been able to cross the tsunami wave and sunk.

  Civilian container ships had suffered damage as well. The strong impact of the tsunami had broken the pins that bound the tanks and armored cars to the ships. It moved the center of gravity and this had made the ships tilt to one side. As a result, the private container ships that had lost their balance had been sucked into the tsunami wave.

  As a result, C-3 White Tiger tanks and various armored vehicles of the 17th Tank Battalion, belonging to the Capital armored division (Fierce Tiger), had been lost. Finally, seven 4,000-ton transport ships that had been transporting various war materials had been also caught in the tsunami and sunk.

  Most of all, the loss of life was the most painful thing. Of the soldiers, 218 were killed and 300 were missing. And among the civilians, 117 died and 69 were missing.

  The firing from the 12 warships continued for about 30 minutes and stopped. Soon after, 16 WAH-91SP Peregrine Falcon attack choppers took off one by one from the Ganghwado-class LHD (Landing Helicopter Dock) of each multi-purpose amphibious assault ship. Those ships were the Ganghwado (LHD-5111), Geojedo (LHD-5112), Yeonpyeongdo (LHD-5113), and the Baengnyeongdo (LPH-6112). The attack helicopters flew to Sada Beach. A total of 64 WAH-91SP Peregrine Falcon attack choppers maneuvered in a double-row horizontal formation. They searched all over the ground with various vision modes and began to cover the ground and air.

  Also, eight CWA-11P Fenghuangs, which were deployed for the first time in the amphibious operation, took off in turn along the runway. These were ground-attack aircraft. The Fenghuang had powerful twin engines. Those engines helped the aircraft take off even on a short runway without the help of a catapult.

  As the WAH-91SP Peregrine Falcons and the CWA-11P Fenghuangs began to support ground and air cover, the docks of the four LHD multi-purpose assault ships began to open slowly. Marines of the 2nd Marine Regiment (Yellow Dragon) of the 1st Marine Division, who were on standby while boarding the EFV C-24P-N amphibious assault vehicles to support this amphibious operation, jumped into the sea when the door was opened all the way. Then, with the power of the powerful plasma water jet propulsion, they quickly raised the speed to 55 knots and headed to Sada Beach.

  The ground attack planes, Fenghuang, and the attack helicopters, Peregrine Falcons flew over Sada Beach and provided aerial cover. Meanwhile, 75 C-24P-N amphibious assault landing vehicles from three LHD multi-purpose amphibious assault ships arrived at Sada Beach in 5 minutes by sprinting 7km off the sea.

  After maneuvering over the beach, the rear hatches of the vehicles opened. Marines of the 2nd Marine Regiment (Yellow Dragon) split from side to side, checked the all-around security. Although it was a landing operation during the war, the tension felt at the beach was less than during training. That was because they had completely secured the control of the sea and air.

  Numerous star shells illuminated the dark Sada Beach. With just one EFV sortie, the three Marine Battalions arrived at the beach and secured a bridgehead. Then, 12 Go Bong-jun class (LST-I) and Chunwangbong class (LST-II) landing ship tanks increased their speeds and maneuvered to Sada Beach.

  * In the novel, the Chunwangbong class landing ship tank (LST-II) was an all-weather tank. Like the Go Bong-jun class landing ship tank (LST-I), it could come alongside the pier and do OTH amphibious operation.

  After about 10 minutes, the landing ship tanks came onto the beach and extended the ramps. Soon, the White Tiger tanks and various armored vehicles appeared. They moved forward on the sand.

  The three-hour Sada landing operation was carried out safely. It ended fast. Then, the 26th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, a subordinate unit of the 20th Armored Division, which landed on Sada Beach in a completely organized manner, advanced to Tsuruga Port, 10km east of Sada Beach. They took over the port in an hour.

  ***

  February 21, 2021, 05:50

  Tsuruga Port, Fukui Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

  In the air above Tsuruga Port, about 10 WAH-91SP Peregrine Falcon attack choppers were flying at low speed, providing thorough air cover. On the ground, C-3 White Tiger tanks and K-23P Hyun-mu armored vehicles were deployed throughout the port. They were putting pressure on the Japanese port night watchmen. Also, the 109th Mechanized Infantry Battalion and 111th Mechanized Infantry Battalion’s infantry were deployed as squads at all entrances and suspicious places that could be entry points to the port and unfolded strict vigilance.

  Under the perfect vigilance, the Ganghwado-class multi-purpose amphibious assault ships, Ganghwado (LHD-5111) and Yeonpyeongdo (LHD-5113) were anchored. Tanks, armored vehicles, and self-propelled artilleries came out from those ships. Also, in another anchorage, four Dok-do class (LPH) amphibious assault ships were moored at the same time. Various armored vehicles and war supplies came out from them.

  On the flight deck, some flying objects were hovering in the air. They seemed like planes but had weird shapes. They were flat square-shaped planes with small wings. They looked like alien spaceship shuttles from an American TV show. They came out of nowhere, landed on the Dok-do class amphibious assault ship, unloaded their cargo, and left.

  The official name of this aircraft was the CMV-100 Skybus, a next-generation transport aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing. The plasma engines that were installed in the lower four corners were the C-PTZ-500C. This was the latest development among the C-PTS series. The Skybus could carry up to 32 fully armed troops and has a maximum takeoff weight of 200 tons. The existing V-22 Osprey operated in the U.S. was able to carry up to 27 tons. So, it was not even comparable.

  Also, it could fly at a speed close to Mach 1.6 and had a maximum range of 4,100 km. This was a distance that could cover Sinuiju to Busan three times. Besides, even if the engine power of the C-PTZ-500C was maximized, the noise measured from a distance of 10m was only 25dB. It was a very advanced and quiet engine that could not be found in modern aircraft engines.

  Also, some special systems were installed to improve its defense ability. They were TCS (transparent concealment system), SSS (shield blocking system), and ACS (anti-gravity control system). Thanks to these, even during a transport mission in the middle of an enemy line, it was possible to safely carry out a transport mission, not caught by enemy aircraft or ground anti-aircraft units.

  The cargo that the Skybuses were transporting at the moment were Corean cultural properties that had been plundered by Japan. Corea infiltrated into Japan two weeks ago and had been retrieving them for ten days.

  Corean soldiers collected all the things that were considered Corean assets from museums and historical museums, private memorials, and temples all over Japan. They didn’t distinguish whether the item was stolen or actually paid for. Some of the special warriors also collected items of ambiguous origins.

  Cultural heritages that had been collected from all over Japan were saved in secret places that had been prepared in advance. Today, 48 CMV-100 Skybuses carried those artifacts on to the Dok-do class and Ganghwado-class amphibious assault ships with bright searchlights.

  Crew: 3 (Pilot, co-pilot, operator)

  Capacity: 32 infantries (foldable chairs), up to 50 / up to 80t of internal cargo

  Length: 15.5m

  Width: 5.5m

  Height: 3.8m

  Weight on board: 168t

  Engine: 4× C-PTZ-500C

  Maximum speed: Mach 1.6

  Cruising speed: Mach 1

  Range: 4,120km

  Combat action radius: 1,800 km

  Maximum range: 5,590 km

  Ceiling: 11km

  Weaponry:

  mm laser Vulcan beam * 2

  mm S-AAM-80 Magpie viper (infrared) short-range missile * 4

  ***

  February 21, 2021, 09:00

  Yomiuri Golf Course, 22 km west of Toyonaka, Hyogo Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

  Osaka City was a key point on the way to Tokyo. Yomiuri Golf Course was 9km away from Osaka. Corean soldiers had arrived at Yomiuri Golf Course two days ago. They had made a defensive position according to the order of their superiors. They tried to reconnaissance Osaka, but they had to give up.

  It was because the 3rd Infantry Regiment and the 36th and 37th Motorized Infantry Regiment which were the direct and subordinate units of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division of the Middle Army were preparing for street fighting. Also, if a battalion scale got caught while they reconnoitered the city by ambush force, the damage would be very high because the city was big. It was about 40km2. It was bigger than Seoul.

  Thus, the soldiers conducted aerial reconnaissance using Spider II drones. Taking the mountain range as a border, preparing for a surprise attack, they were waiting for the main force to come.

  About 200 tanks and armored vehicles belonging to the 3rd Marine Division had driven four hours and arrived at the Yomiuri Golf Course. The endless long rows of medium-sized tanks and armored vehicles lined up beautifully on the golf course which did not look like a golf course anymore.

  Lieutenant Colonel Hong Man-ho, the battalion commander of the 3rd Search Tank Battalion, was waiting at the entrance of the golf course in advance. After the long line of tanks and armored vehicles had passed, a command post vehicle with a division flag of the 3rd Marine Division appeared. Major General Jo Gyu-hong who was the division commander was riding on the command post vehicle. His upper body was stuck out through the opened hatch.

  “All attention! Bow!”


  “Salute!” Lieutenant Colonel Hong Man-ho who was waiting for the division commander with other staff saluted as he saw him.

  “Salute!” Major General Jo Gyu-hong raised his hand in salute powerfully as the commander of the division of Corea’s best armored unit.

  Soon, he got off the K-22 command post vehicle, shook hands with Lieutenant Colonel Hong Man-ho, and entered the barracks that had been prepared in advance.

  “Battalion Commander Hong. You did a good job so far. Thanks to you, the other brigade commanders and I could come here easily.”


  “No, sir. I just did my job.”


  “You did a better job than what you had to do. Anyway, how are the Japanese movements?”


  “I have prepared a briefing.”