November 17, 2023, 16:30

  Northern State, Pyeong-yang-si, the road in front of the People’s Labor Party Headquarters.

  Kaboom~ Crash! Flame!

  A black-masked man who was holding flame bottles in both hands threw them at a store window. The flame bottles that broke through the window then quickly spread the fire to the entire building.

  These scenes continued to be seen throughout Pyeong-yang. Rioters ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands took over the streets, damaging store facilities and cars that were parked on the road, and setting fire to them. They were like angry bulls.

  Downtown Pyeong-yang was filled with red flame and smoke as rumors spread rapidly that Kim Jong-un, former Chairman of the National Defense Commission, and Kim Hyung-won, a politician representing North Korea, were killed in a bomb attack by the Central Government (Federal Government). This was considered the biggest crisis since the establishment of the Federal Republic of Corea.

  The rioters who rushed into the Peace Square from all over Pyeong-yang had one thing in common. The leaders of the riot wore black masks and had their hats pulled deeply down. They led the crowd by throwing iron pipes, wooden weapons, and flame bottles, influencing ordinary citizens living in Pyeong-yang to also become violent, then slowly turning them into rioters. The situation got worse as they became even more violent than the men wearing masks.

  That was when 166 companies of riot police, fully equipped with protection gears, stun batons, and shields closed the roads around the Peace Square. Behind them were water cannons and mobile strike force vehicles.

  Over time, nearly half a million outraged rioters occupied all the streets as they marched until they faced police officers. The black-masked men leading the crowds ran smack into the police officers with their iron pipes and flame bottles, and so did the others.

  The crowds clashed with the riot police, causing a series of casualties. The rioters, who were beaten with the stun batons, fell onto the ground as they were electrocuted, while the police officers were also injured by the rioters rushing and attacking from all sides.

  The riot police had trouble controlling the crowd as the president had specially ordered them to manage the riot respectfully. As time went by, the crowd grew larger, and far from controlling them, they were about to breach the police barricade.

  After the bombing, rumors spread like wildfire that the bombing was a Central Government conspiracy and that they were the ones pulling the strings, resulting in simultaneous riots and bloodshed in many places in Pyeong-yang as though it was thoroughly planned.

  In the meantime, Governor Ahn Dong-tae contacted the Commander of the State Guard despite President Choo Un-hee’s disapproval of the deployment of the State Guard to suppress the riot. However, the Joint Chiefs of Staff quickly reached out to the Commander of the State Guard and ordered him not to move the State Guard.

  The Commander of the State Guard, who belonged to the Joint Chiefs of Staff but was under the command of Governor Ahn Dong-tae, the Commander of the Northern State Military, was in a very difficult situation. However, as President Choo Un-hee’s order came first, the Commander of the State Guard refused Governor Ahn’s request. Instead, he ordered his subordinate forces never to move under any circumstances.

  November 17, 2023, 17:10

  Northern State, Pyeong-yang-si, Potonggang-ku, Northern State Government Office Building

  “What the hell are you trying to do? Wasn’t the President against it?”


  Mayor Kim Kyu-jin followed Governor Ahn Dong-tae and tried to stop him. However, Governor Ahn Dong-tae stuck to his plan to deploy the troops to suppress the riot.

  No matter how hard he tried to make him understand, Governor Ahn Dong-tae’s stubbornness was beyond comprehension.

  “Your plan can eventually cause problems. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is on its way to arrest you, Governor. So please, stop.”


  Governor Ahn Dong-tae, who was busy making phone calls, paused and responded to Mayor Kim Kyu-jin, “Mayor Kim! Corea is a Federation. I’m the one responsible for overseeing the Northern State, not the President. Do you think I could be arrested in the Northern State?”


  Governor Ahn couldn’t conceal a snort of laughter as he continued to make calls.

  “Okay! That works. All forces must be deployed to take strong action immediately.”


  Mayor Kim Kyu-jin asked as Governor Ahn Dong-tae ended his short and simple call, “Who were you talking to?”


  “My security forces in the Northern State.”


  The troops, which consisted of two battalions, were stationed near Pyeong-yang to protect the State Governor’s safety in the event of a war or emergency.

  “What? The security forces? Are you trying to subdue the protesters with your security forces?”


  “Yes, and they’re not just protesters, they’re mobs trying to overthrow the country.”


  “Huh! Governor, once you cross the line, there is no turning back! Do you really want this to happen? I don’t understand why you are doing this.”


  “The Northern State shouldn’t go back to the way it was before.”


  “A protest of this scale can’t take us back to the past. You are overreacting. Please stop immediately. I’m begging you as Mayor of Pyeong-yang.”


  A few minutes later, a dozen helicopters were seen from the distance and were soon approaching the Northern State Government office building. They were Northern State Security helicopters dispatched to protect Governor Ahn Dong-tae. More than 700 guards fully armed with various weapons from the security forces drove armored vehicles to downtown Pyeong-yang.

  November 17, 2023, 18:00

  Northern State, Pyeong-yang-si, Potonggang-ku, the Red Revolutionary Youth Group’s hideout

  A few hours ago, Man Gil-soo, the leader of the Red Revolutionary Youth Group, had received a call from Woo Byung-hoo and carried out the plan he had been preparing for a while.

  After unification, Man Gil-soo, the leader of the extreme-left wing, created the Red Revolutionary Youth Group with people with similar political tendencies and secretly gained financial support from the People’s Labor Party. In short, being a secret society of the People’s Labor Party, they had been manipulating public opinions and maneuvering various politics related to the People’s Labor Party.

  Man Gil-soo had consistently brainwashed the poor and Chinese nationals living in Manchuria, which was incorporated into Korean territory after the end of the Northeast Asian War. The number reached approximately 100,000 and they were the forerunners of the simultaneous riots that occurred today in downtown Pyeong-yang.

  “Everything is going well.”


  Don’t reveal your identity. Please be careful.

  “Don’t worry. Our team members will elevate tension and slip away, a strategy called hit and run.”


  Soon, the troops will be deployed to curb protests. Keep up the good work until then.

  “Will do.”


  It was Woo Byung-hoo, a special investigator at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who spoke to Man Gil-soo on the phone.

  “Call every action executor. The troops will be dispatched soon to put down the riot, so tell the members to sneak out without being caught.

  November 17, 2023, 18:00

  Southern State, Seoul-si, Gangnam-ku, National Intelligence Service, the Interrogation Room in the External Intelligence Department

  A man sat handcuffed in a small room with black walls and a ceiling light.

  He was Jo Myung-rok, passed out after being shot by a sonic bullet in his Pyeong-yang hideout. He looked very haggard and was dazed.

  Whoosh!

  The door opened and Manager Lee Ja-sung came in.

  Tab! Tab!

  “Mr. Jo Myung-rok, did you sleep well? You were fast asleep; approximately five hours have passed,” Manager Lee Ja-sung said while tapping on the square table with a bunch of papers.

  Jo Myung-rok, whose face was down with hazy eyes, had no response.

  “Oho, was the sonic bullet too harsh?” Manager Lee Ja-sung asked as he waved a hand in front of the said face.

  “Who the hell are you?” Jo Myung-rok said suddenly.

  “Oh, are you awake now? The two of us have a lot to talk about. So, drink some water and we’ll get started right away.” Manager Lee Ja-sung handed over a bottle of water to him.

  Thud! Jo Myung-rok slammed the table with his handcuffed hands. The bottle rolled off the table and fell to the floor.

  “No need, just tell me what brought me here, huh? How dare you treat me like that? Isn’t there liberal democracy in the south?”


  “Oh gosh, did you just say liberal democracy? You, who was in a gunfight with New China in a country like this? Huh?”


  “New China? Are those bastards from New China?”


  “You didn’t know?”


  “How am I supposed to know?” Jo Myung-rok found out that the unidentified gunmen were Chinese during the skirmish. He tried playing dumb.

  “Oh! We will figure it out soon…… Okay, let’s get started.”


  Lee Ja-sung took out several pictures from the envelope he was holding and placed them on the table.

  “Take a look. You see these pictures?” Lee Ja-sung continued, pointing to the pictures. “You know these guys, don’t you?”


  In the picture were Team Leader Park Gi-oong and the Foreign Intelligence Unit 1 agents.

  “Why are you asking me about those bastards?”


  “Why are you giving me a hard time when all will be revealed? Mr. Jo Myung-rok, let’s be good to each other.”


  “Don’t be ridiculous! I didn’t do anything wrong. That means I have nothing to share. Release me, right now!” Jo Myung-rok shouted and glared at him.

  Manger Lee Ja-sung continued with his questions carelessly. “Mr. Jo Myung-rok, where have you been since reunification? Trying to keep a low profile?”


  “Keeping a low profile? I don’t know about that. I was living a normal life.”


  “Were you? How?”


  “Why do you want to know?

  “Fair enough. After Kim Jong-un regained consciousness, have you met Kim Hyung-won and Kim Jong-un?”


  “Why would I? I’ve never met them.”


  “Is that so? Look at these pictures.” Manager Lee Ja-sung handed him a picture of himself taken with Kim Jong-un, Kim Hyung-won, and his close allies.

  “You think that’s me? Are you kidding? You can’t fool me with this fake picture.” He strongly denied it.

  “Are you refusing to accept the truth?”


  “Refuse? No way, I’m just telling the truth!”


  Then, the door of the interrogation room opened and a middle-aged man came in.

  It was Lee Young-jin, the Director of the National Intelligence Service. When Lee Ja-sung tried to stand up from his chair, he stopped him and gestured for him to continue.

  It was common to observe from the opposite room where the interrogation room was visible, but this time, NIS Director Lee Young-jin stayed in the room to watch the interrogation.

  Jo Myung-rok immediately noticed that the middle-aged man who just came in was Lee Young-jin, the Director of the National Intelligence Service. Although he had lived like a hermit for more than two years, he recognized the major figures of the Federal Republic of Corea.

  “Alright. Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you know.”


  November 17, 2023, 18:30

  Northern State, Pyeong-yang-si, Qianlima-ku, near Kangson Station

  Huff! Huff!

  Oh Ji-wan ran straight ahead, breathing heavily. He had been running between life and death for more than six hours. Fortunately, he gave his shadows the slip.

  Oh Ji-wan moved along the Daedong River stretching out to the West Sea and hid in the forest for a while, trying to catch his breath.

  “Where the hell are those bastards coming from?”


  Oh Ji-wan couldn’t figure out why this had happened to him. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind.

  “Jo Myung-rok, could he be the one who planned all this?”


  Oh Ji-wan began to suspect Jo Myung-rok and soon become certain. Besides the Foreign Intelligence Unit 1 agents, Jo Myung-rok and his group were the only ones who knew the path to the warehouse, a hideout, after the bombing.

  On the way to the warehouse, Oh Ji-wan and his group were attacked in the most secluded place. This meant that someone who knew the path planned the attack. It was so obvious. The culprit was Jo Myung-rok and his group.

  “But, why? Jo Myung-rok, you son of a bitch! Trying to eliminate me after all that hard work. I’ll tear your heart apart and chew on them. Wait for me.” He gnashed his teeth in anger, not knowing that Jo Myung-rok had been arrested by the National Intelligence Service.

  “I will just rest here for a while.”


  Oh Ji-wan was so exhausted by the time his thoughts were sorted out. He decided to stay in the woods for a while, then escape when the sun was completely gone.