October 1st, 2023, 23:30

  The North State, Pyeong-yang, Potong River-ku, near the People’s Labor Party building

  Late at night, there were men in black suits moving covertly at a 5-story building near the People’s Labor Party building.

  These men were under the NIS’ ACS C team who were tasked with keeping tabs on the high-ranking government officials from North Korea. The ACS C team, which surveyed their targets 24 hours a day, was all anxious from failing to listen to the conversations that took place during the meetings here three times in a row.

  Despite using the latest equipment, the bugging attempt had failed three times, so Team Leader Kim Gook-shin had to succeed today even if it cost his life. He was already scolded by Director Youn Soo-gil yesterday.

  “All of you, prepare to lose your jobs if we fail again today!” Team Leader Kim Gook-shin spied on the Labor Party’s building through the crack between the curtains and spoke to his teammates who were operating the high-tech equipment.

  The interior of the building’s 3rd story and the outline of 12 people were clearly showing up on the laptop’s display, thanks to the power of the VR-M2 optical equipment that was 5 times more powerful than the standard VR-M. The improved features had allowed the NIS agents to see through the building in such high quality that they were able to determine who was whom by looking at their faces.

  The men gathered today were the usual members including the party’s chairman, Kim Hyung-won. Senator Kim Yeo-jung was in attendance as well. That was why they had to succeed in listening in to the conversation.

  “How is the bugging going?”


  “Ah! I don’t think we can get it to work again, sir. We brought in more powerful equipment this time, but the unknown jamming waves are causing interferences again.” Assistant Manager Oh Seung-tae guiltily scratched his head while moving the plate-shaped antennae around and typing away on the laptop.

  “Are you sure you brought the latest equipment?”


  “Yes, we got them directly from HQ yesterday, sir.”


  “God damn it!”


  Team leader Kim Gook-shin stroked his forehead and called over his teammates after he made up his mind. “Chief Kim! Bring me the bag with the infiltration suit!”


  “Sir? Are you going in yourself?”


  “What choice do we have? If the bugging equipment is not working, I need to go listen in or record it myself. Bring it here.”


  Team Leader Kim Gook-shin took off his clothes and started to put on the infiltration suit Chief Kim Young-ho brought him. Then, he placed the X-C02 console on his wrist.

  “Sir! If you get caught during the infiltration, it will have irreversible political consequences. The director of the NIS would have to step down and the president could be impeached,” Assistant Manager Oh Seung-tae attempted to dissuade him.

  “Don’t you think I know that already? That’s why I can’t get caught.”


  Team Leader Kim Gook-shin checked over the equipment he needed for his infiltration for the final time and clicked on the TCS button on his X-C02 console. In an instant, he vanished.

  “If I fail, I will kill myself immediately. They won’t find out where I am from. So, you guys must leave the premises if that happens.”


  “Sir! This is too reckless.”


  “We have no other choice, do we?” Team Leader Kim Gook-shin spoke while being invisible and ran up to the roof of the building with a giant rope gun. When he reached the roof in one fell swoop, he tied the rope to a structure on the roof and fired the hook to the roof of the party building on the other side.

  Pew!

  The hooked tip connected to the rope’s end pierced through the wall of the party building’s roof. Team Leader Kim Gook-shin placed a ring on the tight rope and threw himself off the roof.

  Wooooooooosh~

  He arrived on the roof of the party’s building from 50m above the surface. He unhooked the ring and cut open the door with a laser cutter-

  I will now enter the building. Watch through the VR-M2 and leave the premises if anything goes wrong. I am cutting off all communications now. Over.

  Team Leader Kim Gook-shin made his last radio communication and turned off his radio. Then he carefully opened the roof door and started to walk down the stairs.

  Meanwhile, the C team’s members were all watching his movements through the VR-M2.

  Team Leader Kim Gook-shin had moved down the stairs to the third floor and moved towards the meeting room down the hall. He had to move carefully on his toes to avoid anyone hearing his footsteps. A few party staff members were walking down the hall, but they didn’t notice him. Finally, he arrived in front of the meeting room.

  However, Team Leader Kim Gook-jin faced another problem. He attempted to listen to the conversation, but could not hear anything through the door. He couldn’t open the door while being invisible either. He had to wait until someone opens the door, but he couldn’t just wait until then.

  He had no choice but to gamble. The only way he could listen and record the conversation through the door was to place a grain-sized microphone into the room. There was a risk of being noticed by the people attending the meeting, but he had no choice and went into action.

  Team Leader Kim Gook-shin pulled out a small pistol-like device. After he got down onto the floor, he placed the barrel of the device between the door and pulled the trigger. A small microphone attached to a thin string flew through the room between the cracks. The pistol’s screen showed that it flew about 10m in front of him.

  After he manipulated a few things on the gun’s console, the recording began. The recorded conversation was now playing through his headset.

  As the minutes went by, the look on team leader Kim Gook-shin’s face was full of shock as he eavesdropped on the meeting.

  * * *

  October 2nd, 2023, 19:00 (Kurdistan Standard Time 13:00)

  The Republic of Kurdistan, West Azerbaijan, Maku, the Azerbaijan Park

  The 7th mechanized infantry brigade, responsible for the entire state of Baan, had handed off the patrolling and peacekeeping of major cities to the republic’s forces three days ago and instead, were tasked with guarding the eastern border.

  The 3rd mechanized infantry company’s encampment was now being used by the brigade’s HQ and the 3rd mechanized infantry company had moved into Maku.

  Azerbaijan Park, which had been patrolled by a platoon’s worth of soldiers, was now the encampment of the 1st reconnaissance platoon’s forward base.

  A temporary barrack was made in the middle of the park and with the help of the engineering battalion, the park had turned into a functional military base guarded by Corea’s 44 soldiers under the 1st reconnaissance platoon and 40 soldiers from the republic’s military in 4 shifts.

  While this was going on, the Corean military noticed large groups of Iranian soldiers were gathering at the city of Bozark 10km away from them. Based on the intelligence gathered by the reconnaissance equipment, two battalions’ worth of infantry, armored vehicles, tanks, and close-ranged anti-air armored vehicles were present. They were all outdated equipment, but they were no measly force to be ignored. The brigade headquarters ordered the 1st reconnaissance platoon to conduct missions every day within an area 5km away from Bozark.

  Vroooooom~

  The 1st platoon had taken a break after being on sentry duty in the early hours of the morning. Now, the two K-23P-M Hyun-mu armored vehicles of the platoon took off from the barracks.

  The 311 armored vehicle with the platoon commander on board and the 312 armored vehicle started to move out with their 50mm photon cannon pointed towards the mountains on either side of them. Soon, the platoon arrived at the village of Honduras.

  Honduras was in the far west of Iran and it had the most activity of the Iranian militia. The village was a dangerous place where the citizens could turn to a militia member at any moment.

  When the two Corean armored vehicles arrived, the villagers did not look pleased. The children and elderly all ran back to their homes, and the younger men kept watching the Corean soldiers-

  This is the platoon commander. Vehicle 312, stay here and perform a thorough scan for any weapons and then move to point 2.

  Lieutenant Kim Un-gyu gave out his orders to through the radio. The 312 vehicle’s commander, Sergeant Go Gi-jun, answered him:-

  312, confirmed.

  “Han-ho! Time to go! Be careful out there! You remember the 4th squadron got shot at while on duty, right?”


  While the 4th squadron was patrolling the village of Honduras, an Iranian militia fired his AK-47 at them and some of the men were slightly injured.

  “Yes, sir. I am aware. We will be careful,” Sergeant Kim Han-ho answered the vehicle commander and ordered his squadron to dismount.

  “Everyone, move out!”


  The eight men got out of the armored vehicle and split into two groups in a formation. The village chief walked up to them and spoke in Persian.

  The X-C02 started to translate his words into Corean and it came through the headset:

  “This is Iranian territory. Why are you coming here every day? Get out!”


  Sergeant Kim Han-ho waved his hands to calm the village chief.

  “We are only conducting a reconnaissance mission to avoid any unnecessary conflict between the two nations.”


  Sergeant Kim Han-ho’s words were automatically translated through the speaker on his chest to Persian. However, the village chief’s expression did not change.

  Corporal Kim Sung-ho, who was standing next to Sergeant Kim Han-ho, shouted while pointing his gun at the man, “Hey, you bastard! Did we say we are going to kill you all? We are only here to scout out the area and leave. Didn’t you hear it the first time?”


  The forceful tone and rough mannerisms of Corporal Kim made the village chief move back in fear.

  “Sir! It’s no use to talk to them nicely,” Corporal Kim Sung-ho spoke boastfully after his intimidation worked on the village chief.

  “Hey! Corporal Kim. Don’t agitate the villagers. That’s an order from up top!”


  “Sir! I’m aware, but don’t you know? If we keep……”


  “Shut up!”


  “Yes, sir.”


  Sergeant Kim Han-ho glared at corporal Kim Sung-ho to shut him up and gave an order to the rest of his men.

  “We must hurry and reach the second point. Vice-squad leader!”


  “Yes, sir!”


  “Take your team to the 6 and go conduct a thorough search.”


  “Yes, sir.”


  Sergeant Lee Jin-tae started to move with his men under the squad leader’s orders.

  “We move to our 3 o’clock and continue our mission.”


  Meanwhile, the 311 vehicle moved past the village of Honduras and arrived at a desolate plain. They were now 3.7km away from Bozark, and it was the closest they have ever been to the city.

  Lieutenant Kim Un-gyu, the platoon commander and the vehicle commander of the 311 armored vehicle, used his periscope to check his surroundings. The great plains were desolate with no Iranian soldiers to be seen.

  “Let’s move forward a bit more!”


  Staff Sergeant Ahn Kang-man, the armored vehicle’s gunner, tried to dissuade Lieutenant Kim Un-gyu, “Sir! No! If we go any further, it will be dangerous. We don’t know when and where we will be attacked by anti-tank missiles.”


  “It’s the same for us here. Moving up another 1km doesn’t change anything!”


  “Sir! Please!”


  “Shut up and keep moving, Corporal Oh!” Lieutenant Kim Un-gyu ignored Staff Sergeant Ahn Kang-man and gave the order to the driver.

  The 311 armored vehicle once again revved up its engines and moved forward.