February 24th, 2021, 23:00

  The Yokota underground bunker at Chiba Prefecture, Honshu, Japan (the U.S. – Japan conference room)

  The sounds of explosions and cannon fire falling on Tokyo’s satellite cities could be faintly heard from the underground bunker.

  The Corean Army’s march towards Tokyo was ongoing day and night from Tokyo’s 7 o’clock and 1 o’clock directions. The 30 million citizens of Tokyo and its satellite cities had to spend their nights with open eyes.

  At times, some of the explosives hit homes and small buildings and created small explosions. Civilian casualties were mounting.

  “Do you hear that? The Coreans are now at the gates. Will there be any further aid from America?” Minister of Defense Shibasaki asked General Bruce Wright, the commander of the U.S. armed forces in Japan, with a vein popping out of his neck.

  “Minister Shibasaki! Aren’t you asking for too much? The U.S. is also in a state of chaos from Corea’s attack on the mainland. The entire west coast has been annihilated, and many major cities have lost their power and electronics from the EMP rounds,” General Bruce Wright, who would always speak in a calm tone, answered the minister angrily. It reflected how bad things were in America as well.

  “Please mobilize all operable bombers and strike the Corean peninsula.”


  “My, my! Do you think any remaining forces are operable? 50% of America’s air force bases back home have been wiped out. They’re gone without a trace,” General Bruce Wright answered Minister Shibasaki while stifling his anger and urge to punch him in the face for making such unreasonable requests.

  “Very well. Let’s mobilize all of our U.S. Marine forces stationed in Tokyo to the city, so we can defend it. How is that? We will order our forces to mobilize to Tokyo as well.”


  “Minister! An order just came in from the U.S. joint chief of staff. We are to withdraw from defending Tokyo……”


  Once the U.S. was attacked on their own soil, the joint chief of staff decided to focus all of their military power on a single area. It ordered all MEABs (Marine Expeditionary Armored Brigade) previously deployed to defend Tokyo to retreat to Yokosuka Port. The U.S. joint chief of staff concluded that it would be a waste of their own men to defend Tokyo.

  The U.S. had abandoned Japan.

  “What? You are pulling out now? Is America abandoning its ally? Do you know how much money we have given to the U.S., and this is what you have to say?”


  “The U.S. has done all that it can for Japan. Also, this is an order from the joint chief of staff. As a soldier, it is my duty to obey orders.”


  “Who at the U.S. joint chief of staff gave such foolish orders? Did the U.S. government also approve of this?” Minister Shibasaki stood up from his seat and shouted at General Bruce Wright while pointing a finger at him.

  “Minister! You are going too far. President Trump also approved this order.”


  “Ha! You Americans, really! You gift our nation with nuclear bombs, and now you are truly stabbing us in the back despite being your ally in the 21st century.”


  “Minister Shibasaki! With things the way they are, you must understand. The damages on American soil are too severe. The U.S. had no choice but to retreat.”


  “There’s no need. Haha, it seems the U.S. government and joint chief of staff thought we are fools. Just wait and see, we will not just take this slight.”


  Minister Shibasaki kicked off from his seat, opened the door, and left the room. General Bruce Wright, who was now alone, tapped on the table with his fingers and sank into thought. Then, he made a call-

  This is Tony Ahn. –
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  Hello? This is General Bruce Wright of the U.S. armed forces in Japan. –
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  Yes. Have you finished talking things over with Minister Shibasaki? –
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  Yes, we just finished discussing the matter. –
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  What did he say? –
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  He adamantly opposed. Also, he threatened us that Japan will not just take it lightly. –
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  Hmm, as expected. I understand. Yes, thanks for checking in. Keep me informed. –
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  Yes, I’ll call again. –


  * * *

  February 25th, 2021, 09:00

  The shores of Asa River at Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan (the 20th armored division’s 60th armored brigade HQ)

  The Corean Army’s 20th armored division and the 9th mechanized infantry division joined the march to Tokyo. They took day and night shifts and used all of their power to enter the city. They had attempted to break through the enemy’s defenses and reach the heart of the city in the shortest time possible and put an end to the war.

  Starting from this morning, the capital armored division started mobilizing towards Tokyo at high speeds from the 7 o’clock direction. The Corean military’s power was getting stronger.

  “What? Are you kidding me? No. You must stand by until the repairs are complete, and then return to your own platoon!”


  “Repairs director, sir!! We can still fight.”


  “What the hell do you mean you can still fight? The gearbox of the turning plate is completely shot, and the main turret can’t even turn properly. You still think you can go into battle?” The sergeant major of the brigade’s repair battalion yelled at Master Sergeant Oh Young-taek for making an unreasonable request.

  “Sir! Please! We’ve known each other forever, why are you like this? It’s fine. Please approve us for deployment.”


  “Hey! Don’t just think about yourself, but the subordinates working under you! What are you going to do if you enter the battle again in this state and there’s an internal explosion? What if your men get hurt, or worse, killed? Who’s going to be responsible? Me? Or will you take responsibility after you’re dead?”


  “Sir! How could you say such frightful things……? And why would the division’s top gun be hit? Please trust me and give us the approval, sir. I beg you. Sergeant major, please!” Master Sergeant Oh Young-taek begged the sergeant major as if he was about to get on his knees and grab his pantlegs.

  “Hey! Damn it! This is not an issue of whether I do you a favor or not. I need to make the decision based on rules and procedures. Stop bothering me and just take a break at the barracks!”


  “Sir! Please, you’re being too harsh. If that’s the case, I guess I have no choice but to speak with the brigade commander……”


  “Are you out of your mind? You’ve really lost it. Don’t get yourself in trouble and rest up before he makes you write an accident report. You crazy bastard! Damn!”


  When the sergeant major left after checking over the repair charts, Master Sergeant Oh Young-taek was alone at the repair battalion headquarters tent. He walked back to his tent and tried to think of a good solution.

  “Master Sergeant Oh, sir! How did it go?” Sergeant First Class Kim Young-joo who was taking a break saw the master sergeant enter and asked.

  “Damn it, it’s no use. We need to stay here for 3 days.”


  “Yes!” Sergeant Yeom Hoon-gi, who was standing next to Sergeant First Class Kim cheered with both of his hands in the air. Master Sergeant Oh glared at him.

  “Sergeant Yeom! Are you happy?”


  “Well, of course, sir! I am very pleased. Ha ha ha!”


  “Why, you……”


  “Master Sergeant Oh! Why don’t we take things easy here and then return to our platoon?” Sergeant First Class Kim glared at Sergeant Yeom to make him stop and coaxed Master Sergeant Oh.

  “No! I am going to speak with the brigade commander.”


  “What? Are you serious, sir? That could…… I think you might be poking the hornet’s nest, sir.”


  “Shut up. I’ll be back.”


  Sergeant Yeom Hoon-gi sighed after seeing Master Sergeant Oh Young-taek walk out of the tent.

  “God! We should use this chance to take a break! The vehicle commander is going to get us killed.”


  “I know. Me, too. Jesus! Once this war is over, I am going to get promoted to vehicle commander, so I can get out of Master Sergeant Oh’s shadow.”


  “Ha ha ha! Do you think Master Sergeant Oh will let you go, sir?”


  “Hey! Master Sergeant Oh has been promoted to master sergeant now, so he can’t be a vehicle commander once the war is over! He’ll be a quartermaster at some company at best, don’t you think? He he.”


  “Ugh! The thought of him being a quartermaster!”


  “You can say that company will be screwed in that case. Ha ha ha.”


  * * *

  February 25th, 2021, 09:30

  The Yokosuka Port at Kanagawa Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

  Yokosuka Port was full of foreigners attempting to go overseas once the Corean military had charged into Tokyo. A ship of unknown nationality entered the port. A man from the ship disembarked and finished going through customs. He stood and waited for someone while stroking his beard.

  Soon, a black sedan with the American embassy plate arrived. The bearded man got on the sedan as if he was waiting for it to arrive.

  “Welcome. I am Louie, a staff member working at the U.S. embassy,” Louie, who drove the black sedan over, attempted to converse with the bearded man seated at the back. However, he did not answer and only waved his hand to signal Louie to start driving. He grabbed the steering wheels and started to head out.

  Louie started to move out of Yokosuka Port and glanced at the suspicious bearded man in his rearview mirror a few times. Since he was a junior at the U.S. embassy in Japan, he went to pick up the bearded guest under his superior’s orders. When he finally got to see the person he was picking up, he sensed that something was not right. The bearded man did not say a word until the car almost arrived in downtown Tokyo. He pulled out a smartphone-like device and attempted to check something-

  Code name FH225 has arrived at the destination. –
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  Code name AX001 uploading the target’s intel. –
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  Code name FH225, intel received. –


  The smartphone-like device that the bearded man was holding clearly showed the code name FH225 on its screen. That code name was used by the Russian American Sergei Harinotov, the Scorpion agent who was responsible for killing Namgoong-won’s friend Kang Jeong-ho.

  * * *

  February 25th, 2021, 09:30

  The shores of Asa River at Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan (the 20th armored division’s 60th armored brigade HQ)

  Hmm hmm hmm~

  Master Sergeant Oh Young-taek seemed to be in a good mood and humming happily. After entering the barracks, he spoke to his subordinates.

  “Hey, gang! Start packing up……”


  “What? Why, sir?” Sergeant First Class Kim Young-joo, who was laying down and using his phone, asked.

  “What do you mean why? We are going back to our platoon. Ha ha ha.”


  “What? Did the brigade commander give his approval? We are supposed to get back on that piece of scrap tank and conduct our mission, sir?”


  “Yes!”


  “Argh!”


  Sergeant First Class Kim Young-joo and Sergeant Yeom Hoon-gi glanced at each other and frowned. Master Sergeant Oh seemed to have found their faces amusing and taunted them.

  “The brigade commander said a soldier must die at the battlefield and permitted us to get back into action. So, let’s go back as the best of the armored forces in Corea! Ha ha ha,” Master Sergeant Oh clenched his fists and shouted.

  Sergeant First Class Kim Young-joo and Sergeant Yeom Hoon-gi both looked as if they were already dead, and started to pull out their packs from the cabinet.

  “You bastards! Stop looking so grim…… The thing is, the 61st armored brigade that attacked Tokyo last night reported that the U.S. Marines have completely pulled out from the city. Now they are only going up against the Japanese army in battle. The division’s reconnaissance drone also confirmed that the U.S. forces are moving to Yokosuka Port.”


  “Really, sir? The U.S. military is pulling out of Tokyo?”


  “Well, I don’t know what they are planning, but since they are pulling out all of their forces from defending the city, the U.S. military is probably leaving for good. Therefore, that goddamn Warthog or Wardog tanks that have been giving us trouble will no longer be there. Ha ha ha.”


  “Sir! How will we go into battle with a tank that can’t turn its main turret?”


  “Hey! Have faith in Sergeant Yeom!”


  “What? Me?”


  Master Sergeant Oh Young-taek walked up to Sergeant Yeom Hoon-gi and spoke while placing his hand on his shoulder, “So what if our turning plate doesn’t move? Sergeant Yeom here could drive the tank so we can aim, right?”


  “What? Sir, are you serious……?”


  “Whatever! Pack up already! I just received approval from the sergeant major at the repair battalion.”


  “Goddamn it! I’m going to lose my mind. Sergeant Yeom! What did we do to deserve an evil superior like him?”


  “I am going to write about this at the division’s grievance box.”