December 24th, 2023, 14:30 (France Time: 06:30)

  Charles-de-Gaulle International Airport, Paris, France

  The day before, Shin Baiqing, the former captain of the Black Tiger gang, arrived in Paris on a direct flight from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok at 21:00, passed through immigration with a fake passport, and went down to the underground parking lot.

  As planned, a black sedan slid over and stood in front of Shin Baiqing when he reached basement three of the underground parking lot. Then, a man opened the window halfway and greeted him in a friendly tone, as if he were a friend.

  “Oh! We finally meet like this. I am Jackie Lee. Come on, hop in.”


  A well-built man got out of the passenger seat and immediately opened the back door.

  “Nice to meet you. I will introduce myself formally. I am Jackie Lee.”


  “I am Shin Baiqing.”


  The two men who sat side by side in the back seat formally introduced themselves and shook hands.

  “Was there any problem with security?”


  “Haha, don’t worry. Who am I? It’s not like this is my first time doing this. Did you see anyone else in the underground parking lot?”


  “No. I didn’t see anyone.”


  “Look at that. The underground parking lot is controlled to prevent access to even a single ant. The CC cameras installed in the parking lot are also blocked by our security team, so you don’t have to worry.”


  Jackie Lee raised his chin and said a little arrogantly, showing that he was not at all worried.

  “Well, I like it.”


  When Shin Baiqing nodded and spoke, Jackie Lee looked at him with a smirk and said.

  “By the way, you must have brought along that thing as well, didn’t you?”


  “Sure, I brought it.”


  “Haha, yes. Let’s take a break at the hotel prepared by our side and talk about business.”


  “Alright.”


  The black sedan carrying the two men drove out of the underground parking lot and moved quickly through the roads leading to Paris.

  December 24th, 2023, 16:00 (Russian time: 10:00)

  Russia Bunker State R-08, Moscow (Meeting room)

  On November 27th, President Putin had collapsed from shock due to the outcome of the war as a large-scale nuclear force projectile from Russia was completely blocked and intercepted by South Korea’s CAMD. 80 percent of the force of the rocket was destroyed in the retaliatory attack. President Putin had been receiving treatment and was in a stable condition.

  Two days ago, the long-awaited news came from New China. According to the mutual military protection treaty signed by the two countries, New China would launch a massive attack on the Republic of Korea at 02:00 on January 1, 2024.

  It was the news that President Putin had been waiting for. In response, President Putin, after delegating war authority to the General Staff in his absence and stepping down for a while to receive treatment, appeared in the State R-08 conference room after a month.

  In Russia, the entire Khabarovsky Frontier was handed over to the South Korean army, and the main force of the 35th Army, which had built a defensive line along the Bureya River, was defeated by the 7th Mobile corps and gave up the southern tip of Amurskaya along the border.

  The Russian army, which was in the northern front was currently blocking the invasion of the 7th Mobile corps. The 35th Army’s direct unit, which had lost most of its main force in the last defense battle of the Bureya River, built a defense line over the Jeya River again. However, as most of the units belonged to fire support, the General Staff urgently sent the entire 36th Army to the last line of defense on the Jeya River.

  The Jeya River, which extends north from Blagovesensk, which is adjacent to the border, is a much wider and deeper river than the Bureya River, so it can be very advantageous from a defense perspective. It was excellent, so it couldn’t be a big variable. Also, due to the extremely cold weather, which averages down to minus 10 degrees Celsius even in broad daylight, the Jeya River was so frozen that dozens of armored vehicles could pass through it.

  “We have to stop the invasion of the Korean Mobile Corps somehow! Defend the Jeya River defense line unconditionally.”


  While receiving a comprehensive report from the Chief of Staff, President Putin, who attended the State R-08 conference room here after a long time, asked whether he thought the last line of defense on the Jeya River was important in the current situation. To this, Chief of the General Staff, Vladimir Beshastnikh, responded immediately.

  “Currently, the entire 36th Army has been deployed to the last line of defense of the Jeya River.”


  “Can you stop it? Didn’t you say that the 35th Army had lost more than 50 percent of its power?”


  President Putin looked at him with scepticism and asked the question again.

  “I think we can stop it. In addition, we intend to concentrate all remaining forces of the Strategic Rocket Forces here. We also plan to support the 2nd Air Force and the 4th Air Force.”


  This is why President Putin cares so much about the Jeya River defense line. However, if the 7th Mobile Corps defeated the 35th Army and crossed the Jeya River to continue invading along the border, Russia could face a very difficult situation.

  The remaining units of the 29th, 41st and 2nd Army, which were preparing for a large-scale invasion in the western border area, carried out a large-scale attack at 00:00 on January 1, 2024, as promised by Shin-Guk, the Republic of Korea. This was because they could be exposed and attacked by the 7th Mobile Corps.

  If this happened, it could be impossible to conduct a simultaneous large-scale attack operation with the New China Army. For this reason, in the current situation, the Jeya River defense line which was blocking the invasion of the 7th Mobile Corps was very important.

  “If the circumstances allow for support, we will send additional troops to the Jeya River defense line.”


  “Yes, I will do as you have said. Then I will continue to keep you posted.”


  After a brief delay in response to President Putin’s question, Chief of the General Staff Vladimir Beshastnikh continued the briefing again.

  “Next, we will report on the input status of the southern and western military districts.”


  When Vladimir Beshastnikh, Chief of the General Staff, continued with his report, the big screen changed.

  The movement status of various units stationed in the Southern and Western Military Districts was displayed on the screen. In particular, there was a lot of movement of subordinate units in the Southern Military District located in the southwestern part of Russia.

  “The recruitment of troops from the Southern Military District is greater than I thought!”


  President Putin, who looked at the screen, said with a slightly worried expression. To this, Chief of the General Staff, Vladimir Beshastnikh, responded immediately, as if this was to be expected.

  “Yes, it is. It consists of the entire 49th Army and two railroad brigades in the Southern Military District but don’t worry, Mr. President!”


  “Is there a plan anyway?”


  “Yes, on behalf of the 49th Army and the two railway brigades, we are recovering all the military equipment we have provided to Iran and will restore it through mobilization.”


  “Then, how about aggravating the Korean military through Kurdistan?”


  “In the current situation, I think it has failed. Also, the Iranian government is making moves to recognize the independence of the Kurdistan Republic.

  Chief of the General Staff, Vladimir Beshastnikh, bowed his head slightly.

  “Then did the internal bombing operation against Kurdistan fail as well?”


  “In the current situation, that seems to be the case. At first, there was a lot of commotion within Kurdistan, but the South Korean military has dealt with it better than expected.

  “Haha, it’s hopeless. It’s hopeless! Nothing is going to happen!”


  President Putin, who would have issued a decree in the past, was feeling unsure about his health condition after the fall the last time and was more accepting of the current situation.

  “I am sorry.”


  “I can’t help it! If so, when will we be able to recover and restore the equipment we provided to Iran?”


  “It will be completed by December 31st.”


  “Get it done faster. Maybe the Ukrainians might use this opportunity to launch a general offensive against the rebels that we support.”


  “We are mobilizing all our reconnaissance forces to understand the movements of the Ukrainian army one by one.”


  December 24th, 2023, 18:00 (New China Time: 17:00)

  Secret House of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau, Huairou District, Beijing, New China

  With the valuable information obtained from the server room inside the President’s room, thanks to the performance of Director Yoo Ha-yeon, the agents of the Foreign Intelligence Unit 1, Manager Namgoong-won and his men went out early today to carry out the mission for the safekeeping of the core plasma technology.

  Based on the information obtained so far, the analysis was as follows.

  The current plasma core technology was stored and being researched in a national department called the Ministry of General Equipment. In Korea, the Ministry of General Equipment was a national research institute such as ADD (Defense Science Research Institute).

  Manager Namgoong-won concentrated on securing a list of research institutes related to the Ministry of General Equipment and had identified 12 research institutes so far. However, the Foreign Intelligence Unit 1 and its agents had secretly infiltrated and checked all 12 research institutes only to find out that they were research institutes for general weapons and were not related to plasma core technology.

  “I’m here.”


  Manager Lee Ja-seong, who had gone out to perform his mission early in the morning, came in with his wet top off. Then he approached Manager Namgoong-won and talked to him.

  “Uh? You’re here? But is it raining outside?”


  “You did not know? Even though it’s winter rain, it’s pouring.”


  Namgoong-won didn’t even know it was raining outside because he had been wrestling with a laptop all day along with two special security agents.

  “Good work. Take a shower right away!”


  “Okay! I’ll take a shower! It’s not snowing on Christmas Eve. What the hell is with this rain?”


  As Manager Lee Ja-seong murmured and walked to his room, Director Kim Young-kyun, who was working next to him silently stared at the laptop screen, stopped working for a moment and let out a long sigh.

  “Ha! Today is Christmas Eve! On the eve of Christmas during my youth, I was stuck in the corner of my room and just typing on my laptop…I’m so pitiful, I’m pitiful.”


  “Hey, don’t! Is Christmas Eve important now? You’re a man who’s carrying out a mission which the fate of the nation depends on!”


  Senior Assistant Manager Na Sung-hyun scolded him with tears in his eyes.

  “Isn’t that what you mean, Manager Namgoong! Isn’t it?”


  Director Kim Young-kyun, who turned his head to look at Manager Namgoong-won, as if avoiding the uncomfortable gaze of his senior, said with a sad expression on his face.

  “Yeah! I didn’t even know today was Christmas Eve.”


  Manager Namgoong-won, who immediately thought of Manager Lee Hye-jin when he heard the word ‘eve’, took out his smartphone and looked at the picture they took last Christmas Eve.

  “Oh! Where is this? It looks great.”


  Director Kim Young-kyun, who turned his head to look at Manager Namgoong-won’s smartphone, asked with a smile.

  “Here? Probably Baekdu Ski Resort.”


  “Woah! Have you been there?”


  Baekdu Ski Resort was built in 2018 at the foot of Baekdu Mountain and had the best facilities in Korea. Thanks to the high altitude and weather, it operates for six months a year and is equipped with a unique hot spring facility flowing from Baekdu Mountain, making it one of the most famous places for both domestic and foreign tourists.

  “I was looking for a special place and I went there!”


  “Wow! It would have been quite expensive if it was on Christmas Eve.”


  “It must have cost 3 million won for three days and two nights!”


  “Woah! That’s half of my salary.”


  Director Kim Young-kyun stuck out his tongue and shook his head.

  “Hey! Why are you so interested in the manager’s personal affairs?”


  “It’s not much, I just asked because I was curious.”


  “Shut up and do your work!”


  “Ah! Yes, I understand.”


  Manager Kim Young-kyun, who had raised his lips at the constant scolding of Assistant Manager Na Sung-hyun, began to tap on the laptop’s keyboard again, and Manager Namgoong-won stood up and said.

  “Today is Christmas Eve, so let’s not work overtime today!”


  “Is that true?”


  Director Kim Young-kyun asked with a bright smile for a moment.

  “Okay! If you come to a foreign country and stay in the corner of your room as you’ve done, until the day of Christmas Eve, and just work, you will be miserable, so let’s get in the mood today!”


  “Oh, yes!”


  “Chief! Would you mind?”


  Deputy Na Sung-hyun asked with a slightly worried expression.

  “We’re not resting for the entire day. It’s just for the night, so why do you look so worried? And look at this!”


  Manager Namgoong-won pointed his finger at his laptop screen.

  “Ugh! This is!”


  “Yeah! It’s like a secret research lab belonging to the Ministry of General Equipment!”


  “Wow! Did you find it?”


  “I’m not sure, but I think it seems like it! So, let’s not work overtime tonight, and let’s enjoy ourselves.”


  “Okay. Haha!”


  Director Kim Young-kyun closed his laptop, spread his hands, and smiled brightly……