October 10th, 2023, 09:00

  The South State, Seoul, Jongro-ku, the Blue House (President’s office)

  The footage of the NIS foreign intelligence department agents and the ADD technician’s performance was playing in the president’s office. It was taken from the camera equipped on Assistant Manager Park Gi-oong’s shield glasses.

  The footage showed what the agents and the technicians did. When both the agents and ADD technicians got on the trucks and opened the black box’s hatch, there were numerous types of tactical nukes wrapped in metal wrappings. There were many different types of tactical nukes that could be launched from 155mm self-propelled guns, dropped or launched by aircraft, and three more methods. Then the footage went to the ADD technicians disarming the detonation devices with deft hands.

  Soon the footage was over, and President Choo Un-hee spoke while applauding, “That was amazing work. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.”


  “We couldn’t fail, could we? We were just doing our jobs, madam president,” Director Lee Young-jin from the NIS bowed slightly in a humble manner.

  “No, your agents did amazingly. I heard the report that the mission was a success without causing any casualties, but I can tell how dangerous it must have been after seeing the footage. What if the attack choppers had arrived? Wouldn’t everyone have been sitting ducks?”


  “Yes, that’s right. The attack choppers were something we did not manage to predict,” minister of national defense Kang Ui-sik spoke with a concerned look on his face.

  “Exactly. Madam President, based on the footage and the report, those choppers are Russia’s latest Mi-28UB Havoc attack choppers. These are the exact ones that our Foreign Reconnaissance Department reported 10 days ago. If Iran had deployed these choppers into the field 10 days after receiving them, that means the Iranian revolutionary guards’ takeover of the equipment is faster than expected.”


  “I see. I am worried about Russia’s unofficial activities since they are starting to cross the line.” President Choo Un-hee also had a concerned look on her face.

  “Yes, that’s right, ma’am. I think it’s only a matter of time before we go into a military conflict with Iran,” Minister Kang Ui-sik answered the president.

  Minister Kang Kyung-hee suggested a solution. “Ma’am, I believe we should approach the matter of Russia handing off its tactical nukes and latest weapons unofficially to Iran with no concern for their security diplomatically to both nations.”


  “Diplomatically? Wouldn’t they be suspicious? I’m sure Russia must suspect our nation to be behind the disarming of the tactical nukes.”


  Minister Kang Kyung-hee continued when the president questioned her, “Even if they obtained evidence that our intelligence agency was behind the attack, both nations would not be able to make an official complaint. It is a severe offense by Iran to hold nuclear weapons while being a member nation of the treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). It would be more than enough to be criticized and sanctioned by the international community. Based on that, I don’t think there’s any need for concerns, ma’am. Shouldn’t we try to focus on keeping our peacekeeping forces at the Republic of Kurdistan away from the war if Russia coaxes Iran into invading the nation with the offer of weapons instead, ma’am?”


  “You’re absolutely right, Minister Kang. It’s only been two years since the East Asian War ended. I also agree we should attempt to solve this diplomatically if possible. We cannot go into war again with the lives of our younger generation at stake.”


  During the East Asian War, Minister Kang Ui-sik was the joint chief of staff and was ridden with guilt for sending many young men to their deaths. He did not want to send the nation’s young men back into war again.

  “Do you think it could be solved diplomatically, Minister Kang?” The president looked at Minister Kang Kyung-hee with a concerned look on her face.

  Right now, Corea was on the verge of cutting off diplomatic ties with Russia due to the matter of Hokkaido, and all diplomatic communication with Iran had been cut off since the support of the Republic of Kurdistan’s independence. The Turkish government had attempted to solve the issue about the Republic of Kurdistan’s independence diplomatically in Corea’s stead, but there was no significant progress being made.

  “That’s my job, isn’t it, ma’am? I will attempt to contact both nations.”


  “Yes. Our priorities should be to solve matters peacefully through diplomacy instead of war. I hope it goes well, Minister Kang.”


  “Yes, I will do my best, madam president.”


  As Minister Kang Kyung-hee has said, Russia and Iran were in no position to make an official complaint to Corea about the tactical nukes being disarmed even if they had proof. The actions of both nations were a severe violation of the treaty and warranted legal sanctions from other nations.

  In the end, it seemed the desert sandstorm brewing due to the relationship between the three nations was dying down. However, this was just the start, and the true storm from the Middle East was just rearing its head.

  * * *

  October 15th, 2023, 19:30 (Iranian Standard Time 14:00)

  Imam Khomeini International Airport, Tehran, Iran

  Five days ago, the Corean government had attempted to contact Russia and Iran, but Russia had officially refused to meet with Corea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while the Iranian ministry agreed, thanks to the help from the Turkish government. Minister Kang Kyung-hee was scheduled to officially visit Iran.

  There were suggestions for Minister Kang Kyung-hee to meet with the Iranian officials at a third-party nation since it could be dangerous for her to visit Iran herself. However, she refused and claimed a visit to the nation was needed to come to a peaceful negotiation.

  Minister Kang Kyung-hee used the ministry’s CS-300P plane to arrive at the Imam Khomeini International Airport in 4 hours. She attended the short welcoming ceremony and started to head towards downtown Tehran on Highway 7 aboard the minister’s vehicle.

  Two cars from the Corean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and two from the Iranian government started to escort Minister Kang Kyung-hee’s vehicle. The 5-car convoy sped faster than the other cars on the two-lane Highway 7 since Minister Kang was scheduled to meet with Iran’s minister of foreign affairs Alireza Haghighi and they had 30km to go to reach downtown Tehran from Imam Khomeini International Airport.

  Meanwhile, the NIS agents from the Foreign Intelligence Department Unit 3 and the technicians from the ADD had returned to Corea while Unit 1 stayed behind the city to continue collecting intel. When the NIS agents heard about the minister of foreign affairs’ visit to Iran, they decided to guard the minister in secret along Highway 7 by activating the TCS mode on their vans and waiting at major checkpoints.

  While the car was driving past the desert scenery, Minister Kang Kyung-hee pulled out her smartphone and called the president to report her safe arrival in Tehran.

  “Hello? Madam President! I have just arrived at Imam Khomeini International Airport and moving to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran.”


  “I see. That’s good to hear. I hope the meeting goes well.”


  “Yes, ma’am. I will do my best.”


  Static started to distort the call and the conversation cut off at times as the minister was speaking to the president.

  “Hello? Hello? Madam President! I think the call is getting cut off. I will call once I have a better signal, ma’am.”


  Minister Kang Kyung-hee looked at her phone with a bewildered look on her face since she had never experienced her phone being cut off while calling in numerous other countries.

  “Minister! Is there something wrong?” Her chief secretary asked from the passenger’s seat.

  “I don’t know. I think there’s something wrong with the signal. Static keeps interfering with the call.”


  “Really, ma’am? That’s odd. Our communication lines are independently…… ”


  Wooooooosh~ Boooooom!

  A large explosion occurred. With an ear-piercing sound, all five vehicles within the convoy got swept up in the blast and flew in all directions.

  Bang! Booom!

  A large fireball rose in the middle of the highway, and the other vehicles near the explosion got caught up and flew off as well. Highway 7 had turned into a flaming hell from the blast.

  “Ma-manager Lee, sir! That’s an explosion. I think the minister’s vehicle……,” Team Leader Park Gi-oong, who was 2km away from the blast, spoke on the radio.

  “What do you mean, an explosion? Speak up!” Manager Lee Ja-sung had observed the minister’s car pass by safely a few minutes ago, and shouted his question after hearing Team Leader Park Gi-oong’s report.

  “The minister’s vehicle and the escorting vehicles exploded. I think it was a terrorist attack.”


  “Fuck! All right. Move to the scene immediately! Protect the minister! I’m on my way too.”


  “Yes, sir.”


  Team Leader Park Gi-oong turned his car around and started to drive down the highway in the direction of the flames and smoke.

  Two days ago, Iran’s leader Mustafa Khomeini Hamanei had met with Director Ruslan Nigmatullin from Russia’s SVR Middle Eastern branch in secret.

  Director Ruslan Nigmatullin had received special orders from President Putin after the hand-off of the tactical nukes to the Iranian leader’s personal military forces was stopped by an unidentified armed organization. He had scheduled a meeting with the Supreme Leader Mustafa Khomeini Hamanei for this reason.

  That day, Director Ruslan Nigmatullin had made a few requests to the supreme leader. The major one was about Iran making proactive military activities against the Republic of Kurdistan, but the other ones were more than enough to shake up the entire international community.

  * * *

  October 15th, 2023, 20:40

  The South State, Seoul, Jongro-ku, the Blue House (President’s office)

  President Choo Un-hee, who received the report about Minister Kang Kyung-hee from Director Lee Young-jin after talking to her on the phone a few minutes ago, called for the NCS (National Security Council).

  “How’s Minister Kang Kyung-hee and her staff?” The first question President Choo Un-hee asked was Minister Kang Kyung-hee’s status and the safety of her staff.

  “The agents went to the scene and conducted first aid, but the five agents in charge of guarding her had died from the blast. Minister Kang, her secretary, and six others are all severely injured. All of them have boarded the CFS/A-31SP Three-toed Crow space jets that we deployed and it has taken off just now.”


  Director Lee Young-jin heard the report straight from Iran and deployed a CFS/A-31SP Three-toed Crow space jet with a doctor aboard after requesting cooperation from different intelligence agencies. Every second mattered, so Director Lee Young-jin contacted the aerospace forces himself to request the deployment of the fastest space jet: the CFS/A-31SP Three-toed Crow.

  “Five people are dead…… Are the six injured at risk?”


  “We are not sure yet, but according to the doctor on board with them, all six people have avoided the major risks for now. Once they reach home, everyone will be taken care of by the best medical staff and latest medical technology, ma’am.”


  Director Lee Young-jin considered having the individuals go through surgery in Iran, but he concluded that the minister and her staff would be at risk of a second attack since the terrorists were unidentified and at large. Therefore, he ordered to have everyone return to Corea.

  “Yes, I hope they recover. The medical staff is all prepared, right?”


  “Yes, madam president. The central general hospital finished their preparations and are standing by.”


  “I understand. What did the Iranian government say?” When the director of the NIS finished speaking, the president asked the deputy minister of foreign affairs who was acting for Minister Kang Kyung-hee.

  Everyone’s gaze turned to him.

  “The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs only said they are investigating the matter and did not provide any further information, ma’am.”


  “So, they know who is behind the attack, but feigning ignorance. We must firmly protest this to the Iranian government and have our own intelligence agency conduct an investigation,” National Security Director Kang Hyun-soo spoke in an angered tone.

  “Exactly. Deputy Minister Oh, please send an official letter outlining this demand to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”


  “Yes, understood, madam president!”


  “We must figure out who is behind this heinous crime. Whether it is the Iranian government or some alt-right terrorist organization. We must show them not to mess with our nation and punish the perpetrators to make an example out of them,” the president spoke in a firm tone while tapping the desk. Her voice was full of rage.

  “What’s the status of the peace-keeping forces?” The president asked the minister of national defense this time.

  “All combat brigades are on high alert, while the engineering brigades have all stopped their current projects and are on alert as well, ma’am.”