January 4th, 2024, 01:30 (New China time: 00:30)

  Hysan Factory Zone, 15th Industrial Complex, Beichen District, Tianjin, New China

  An hour had passed since the Red Barn Swallow rescue team, which had completely occupied the factory area in Area 15 within 30 minutes, began the full-fledged rescue operation. Despite the engagements with the New China guards that were taking place on the outskirts, the rescue operation was underway and the heavy equipment was safely working on it.

  Anyhow, rescuing people buried 30 meters underground was not an easy task. Furthermore, the probability of a second collapse was extremely high, so they were cautious and had to work more carefully.

  Fortunately, the engineers from the New China Armed Forces had successfully dug a wide area up to 20 meters underground, which was 40 kilometers away from where the two managers were buried. They were most likely digging in the area where the server room was located.

  Anyway, the Korean engineers were digging in the area where the two managers were believed to be buried without stopping. To increase work efficiency, the excavated building wreckage was carried off the ground by 15-ton trucks.

  Team Leader Park Gi-oong watched them with anxiety and used the CRB-330 equipment to scan and check the bio-response status of the two managers several times in case anything went wrong.

  “How are the two managers doing? Are they okay?” asked Team Leader Youn Tae-jin as he approached.

  “Yes, I think so.”


  “That’s a relief, but don’t you think their speed is slow?”


  “They are working slowly because they are afraid of a second collapse.”


  “Oh, really?”


  “What about the agents?”


  “They are on guard in their respective positions.”


  “And what about Team Four?”


  “Our escape route has been secured. Besides, the soldiers in the sky are covering us, so you don’t have to worry.”


  Team Leader Yoon Tae-jin smiled brightly as he pointed his finger at the members of the Capital Heavy Armored Assault Squadron, who were still flying in the sky and performing reconnaissance missions.

  “Really? That’s a relief.”


  “Team Leader Park! Don’t be worried and just focus on the rescue work here.”


  “Okay.”


  At that moment, a special soldier with the rank of sergeant ran toward them.

  “Are you Team Leader Park?”


  “Yes, that’s right.”


  “I’ve come to deliver the battalion commander’s message. He wants to inform you that a brigade of the New China army is on its way from the northeast.”


  “A brigade?”


  “Yes, and we expect that the battle will begin within the next 20 minutes. So, before that, the NIS agent should move to a safe zone…”


  “No. We can’t do that. We will also participate in the battle.”


  “What? So, you’re saying you’ll take part in the battle?” The member of the special forces asked, surprised.

  “You don’t have to be concerned about us because we have protective suits as well as personal firearms.”


  “Oh! But the battalion commander said…” The special forces member gave an awkward look and trailed off the end of his reply.

  “We’ll go and talk to him directly. Let’s go, Team Leader Youn!”


  “Okay!”


  The two team leaders left the member of the special forces behind and headed to the sky bus, which was being used as a temporary command base.

  “I’m Team Leader Park Gi-oong.”


  “Yes, come in.”


  Team Leader Park Gi-oong and Team Leader Youn Tae-jin entered the sky bus.

  Unlike regular sky buses, there were various monitors and communication equipment installed.

  “Ah! Haven’t you received the message yet?” Lieutenant Colonel Kang Min-joon, who was checking various monitors, asked as soon as the two team leaders came in.

  “Yes, we received it. We are here to talk to you about it.”


  “Yes, go ahead.”


  “We will also participate in the battle.”


  “What?”


  “From what we’ve heard, it’s the size of a brigade. As a result, there will be at least a few thousand soldiers, so we must unify our power.”


  “Oh! But this is a military operation. You should leave the battle to us…”


  Hearing this, Team Leader Youn Tae-jin took a step forward and said, “Haha! I know what the battalion commander is afraid of. Team Leader Park and I were both from the 13th Airborne Special Forces Brigade. So, trust us and give us a chance.”


  Lieutenant Colonel Kang Min-joon, who had briefly gotten relieved after hearing that they were former members of the 13th Airborne Special Forces Brigade, nodded and replied, “That’s great. However, rather than fighting on the front line, you should take part in the battle from behind. Please keep this in mind.”


  “Of course. Thank you.”


  Lieutenant Colonel Kang Min-joon smiled brightly as the two team leaders thanked him with a big salute. Then he called the deputy.

  “Captain Lee!”


  “Yes, battalion commander!”


  “Do we have extra protective and bulletproof suits?”


  “We don’t have protective suits, but we do have 25 bulletproof suits.”


  “Okay, give them to the Foreign Intelligence agents.”


  “Yes, I will.”


  “Thank you, battalion commander!”


  “What are you thankful for? You didn’t think I’d let you participate in the battle without your suit, did you?”


  “Haha, actually I’m wearing a protective suit underneath it.” Team Leader Youn Tae-jin showed his protective suit by lifting his shirt.

  “Oh! That’s a relief.”


  At that moment, a deputy officer came in and reported to Lieutenant Colonel Kang Min-joon. “Commander! The car is ready outside.”


  “Okay, I got it.” Lieutenant Colonel Kang Min-joon removed his beret and replaced it with a bulletproof cap as he replied. He then grabbed his weapon and attempted to leave, but he stopped and spoke to the two team leaders. “I am leaving this place to you. Please take care of yourself.”


  “Yes, we will.”


  As soon as Lieutenant Colonel Kang Min-joon left, a man called Captain Lee approached and said, “How many people are there in total?”


  “There are 16 agents.”


  “Yes, then I’ll prepare 16 outfits.”


  “Yes, thank you. Team leader Youn! Call the rest of the team agents except for Team Four!”


  “Okay!”


  January 4th, 2024, 02:00 (New China time: 01:00)

  Outside the northeast end of Industrial Complex 15, Beichen District, Tianjin, New China

  The New China Army moved quickly, contrary to the expectations of the Special Warfare Command, which planned the rescue operation. The 35th Motorized Infantry Brigade, in particular, was rapidly approaching along Tianjin’s city road from the northeastern direction, leading various armored vehicles and tanks.

  “Wow! It’s been a while since I’ve worn this.” Chief Youn Gil-soo of team one, wearing the supplied bulletproof cap and suit, knocked on the bulletproof suit and said.

  “Why don’t you go back to the military since you like it that much?”


  “What? What a disappointing thing to say…I’ve been on a run for two years. What do you mean by going back?”


  When his senior, Chief Kang Won-il, mocked him, Chief Yoon Gil-soo narrowed his eyes and looked at him.

  “Look at you. Are you frowning at me?”


  “Do you think you’re in the military because you’re wearing a bulletproof suit? Are you playing a soldier in cosplay?”


  “Oh, my.”


  Not far away, a red flame erupted with a huge explosion.

  “It looks like it has started! Everyone, calm down and take care of yourselves! Okay? Especially Team Three!”


  “Ah! Team Leader! Aren’t you worried because there are two girls in Team Three?” said Assistant manager Yang Jung-suk jokingly while laughing.

  “It’s noisy! Everyone, take care of yourself! Let’s go!”


  At the words of Team Leader Park Gi-oong, the team members nodded and began to run to their respective positions.

  At the same time, outside the northeast end of the industrial complex 15 in Beichen District.

  A member of the Heavy Armored Assault Squadron, who was flying along the road between ten-story buildings, fired a series of 40-millimeter portable activated carbon bombs.

  The activated carbon bombs, which flew leaving a trail of white smoke, hit the upper part of the armored vehicles that were moving along the roads and exploded one after another.

  The activated bombs were only 40-millimeter in diameter, but they easily penetrated the upper armor of the older armored vehicle, which was not even a third-generation class.

  The 35th Motorized Infantry Brigade’s 85-type armored vehicles, which were moving in a line, lost their balance due to the sudden attack and were thrown into the nearby buildings, or stopped in the middle of the road, emitting red flames and thick smoke.

  “It’s from the air. Up in the air!” An officer who appeared to be the commander of the armored vehicle unit stepped out of the hatch, looked up at the sky, and shouted into the communication receiver in his left hand.

  It was difficult to see them due to the dense yellow dust, but they were occasionally visible because of their reflection from the windows of the buildings.

  As a result, the 85-type armored vehicles raised their 25-millimeter Autocannon to their maximum elevation and fired.

  About 25 shells soared over the buildings after being fired from ten 85-type armored vehicles. Some shells smashed through building walls, causing debris from large and small buildings to fall to the ground.

  It couldn’t, however, reach the heavily armored member who was flying at high speeds. The member who had just fired turned around, as if to tease them, and fired again at the armored vehicles.

  Several 85-type armored vehicles were hit and exploded helplessly. District 15, the factory area, was not in the city center, but it was still within the area. Naturally, the more you travel into the city, the more complicated the road becomes, and as such, fewer roads led to District 15. As a result of the bottleneck, various armored vehicles, tanks, and other types of vehicles belonging to the 35th Motorized Infantry Brigade merged at the intersection and had to reduce their speed.

  The command of the Red Barn Swallow team took advantage of this. As such, the members of the Heavy Armored Assault Squadron flying in the sky attacked them at the intersection where the armored vehicles and tanks almost crawled.

  When the leading armored vehicles stopped and burst into flames, the armored vehicles following from the rear had no choice but to stop, adding to the damage.

  The stationary targets were nothing more than delicious prey for the Heavy Armored Assault Squadron members who were flying freely in the sky.

  They couldn’t move forward, even though the recapture target was only a few kilometers away. As a result, the brigade command issued orders for the troops to get off and run directly to the location. In response to the orders, the infantry from the 80 or so armored vehicles descended and ran toward Area 15.

  A rescue tank began to move away from the damaged vehicles that were in flames and were blocking the road, paving the way.

  However, the Heavy Armored Assault Squadron members couldn’t leave it alone.

  A member of the Heavy Armored Assault Squadron approached the rescue tank that was trying to move away from several 85-type armored vehicles that were overturned or burning at the intersection and soon fired a 12-millimeter laser Vulcan into the top armor.

  Red laser beams struck the top armor. The powerful 12-millimeter laser beams penetrated the armor and stirred inside because it was fired from only 30 meters away. The rescue tank, which had turned red as if heated, could no longer move and came to a halt.

  When the road was now blocked by the rescue tank, the commander’s voice erupted through the communication network.

  At the same time, a red light was fired from somewhere toward the New China infantry, who had gotten off their armored vehicle and were running squad by squad to the factory area in District 15.

  As a result, the infantry of New China collapsed while screaming one after another.

  “1-3 sector cut is completed!”


  A special soldier, who had been hiding in TCS (Transparent Waste System) mode a while ago, fired when he saw the New China infantry running along the small road.

  At that moment, 180 special forces were waiting for the New China Army in TCS (Transparent Containment System) mode on all the roads leading to the factory……