Before the war with South Korea broke out, there were not as many people who were trying to illegally cross the border to the Republic of China, because it was extremely dangerous. However, after the war broke out, as many as 50 attempts occurred on a single day.

  At 5,000 yuan per person and a total of 50 people per day, he could get more than 40 million won in Korean money. Since he had to split the profits with his colleagues who were waiting on the other side of the border, in addition to the fake ID cards he had to make so they could live there, and the fact that he was endangering his own life, it wasn’t considered a lot of money. So, even if he received 100,000 yuan, it would not be very beneficial to him.

  “Since it’s winter, the current is not severe, so we’ll go slowly, relying on the rope we tied together.”


  When Jeong-gwang arrived at the river, he checked the water temperature with his hand and was the first to get in, followed by those who had been waiting behind him.

  “Oh, it’s cold!”


  Someone yelled as the coldness seemed to freeze his bones.

  “Shh! Be quiet!”


  Jeong-gwang put his index finger on his mouth and frowned.

  Like this, about 50 people began to cross the river under the cover of the moonlight as quietly as possible.

  The Janggang River was too wide to cross all at once. Even the smallest width measured 1.2 kilometers. It was for this reason that the small island was chosen as an intermediate base. Otherwise, no matter how strong the person was, if he tried to cross it all at once, he would be washed away by the current, and if one person made a mistake, everyone would be washed away and turned into a water ghost.

  In about 30 minutes, they reached the small island.

  As soon as everyone arrived on the island, they fell to the floor and exhaled heavily. Swimming the 650-meter distance was not easy.

  “You will be frozen to death like that. Take out your blankets from your luggage and cover yourselves. We’ll take a short break of about 10 minutes.”


  Jeong-gwang approached the people one by one, covering them with blankets, before sitting on the floor and covering himself with a small blanket while looking around the island.

  Since it was an island made of sand piled up in the middle of the river, it was not popular, but there was nothing bad about being careful.

  “I need to go to the bathroom, please.”


  Jeong-gwang criticized with a low voice.

  “You should’ve gone in the water when we were crossing the river. What do you want to do?”


  “I’m sorry. It’s the big one.”


  A woman in her forties looked as if she desperately needed to use the bathroom and didn’t know what to do. As a result, Jeong-gwang pointed to one side of the island.

  “Hurry up. We can’t stay here for long.”


  “Yes, thank you.”


  The woman in her forties ran in the direction he pointed at, holding her butt.

  Ten minutes passed.

  “Get ready to go. Put the blankets back in your bags and make sure that water isn’t able to enter your bags.”


  Jeong-gwang gave the people instructions before turning his head and looking in the direction where the women had gone a while ago.

  “Why hasn’t she come back?”


  “Sorry, I’m sorry. I’ll go to look for her.”


  Her husband bowed to him and walked in the same direction as her, fearful that they would be delayed because of his wife.

  At that moment, flames erupted from not far away, and the sound of an explosion rang.

  “Argh! It’s a landmine.”


  Jeong-gwang shouted urgently as he realised it was a landmine.

  “Everyone swim in that direction. Hurry up!”


  “Oh, my. My wife. What should I do?”


  The man, who was on his way to find his wife, was startled by the sound of the explosion and ran to Jeong-gwang to ask.

  “It’s late. Hurry up and run if you want to live.”


  “Jeong-gwang! Please, she is my wife.”


  “Oh, my!”


  Jeong-gwang, who couldn’t do anything because of the man who was holding on to his pants, scratched the back of his head and yelled.

  “Okay. You can go first. I’ll bring your wife with me.”


  “Thank you.”


  “Hurry up, pack up and run. If you’re late, you’ll get shot and you’ll die.”


  “Yes, yes.”


  Several lighting bullets fired from the New China’s guard post were falling slowly, shining a bright light.

  Jeong-gwang, who clenched his teeth, ran to the place where the landmine exploded.

  The island, which was getting brighter and brighter, gradually became clear in shape.

  The New China guard post fired without hesitation. They were firing at the people crossing the river. This attempt at smuggling them out of the country was a failure.

  Soon after, Jeong-gwang witnessed a horrific scene. As expected, the woman had stepped on a landmine, resulting in the loss of her right leg and she was suffering from severe bleeding. Furthermore, her left leg had been hit by debris and she did not appear to be in a good condition.

  “Save me, save me!”


  The woman struggled to raise her hand and ask Jeong-gwang for help as blood poured out of her mouth while she tried to speak.

  Jeong-gwang paused. He would carry her on his back if she had a chance of survival. Her injuries, however, were far too severe.

  At this time, sand splattered everywhere along with the gunfire.

  “Oh, my!”


  Jeong-gwang ran toward the Republic of China, carrying the woman on his back. It was incredible that she felt lighter than he had anticipated due to the loss of her leg.

  Jeong-gwang, who screamed to calm himself, finally made it to the other side of the water and jumped in.

  He supported the woman with one hand while stirring the current with the other.

  They continued to fire at him. He did not, however, give up. He finally crossed the river and arrived in the Republic of China, wondering where this superhuman strength came from.

  “Put your hands up!”


  Several border guards from the Republic of China appeared in the dark and pointed guns toward him.

  After he had placed the women on the floor, he raised his hand, turned his head, and looked back in the direction he had come from. In the light of the lamp, he could clearly see it.

  “Go!”


  With his own eyes, he witnessed several bodies being washed away by the water. In the end, they were unable to cross the river, and they had all been shot to death. The colleague who was waiting for them must have fled.

  “What? She’s dead. Did you carry her body up to here?”


  A soldier shook his head when he saw the dead woman who was lying on the floor. She seemed to have died from excessive bleeding after spending a long time in the water.

  “Who are you?”


  A soldier who appeared to be senior asked while pointing his gun at him. Only then did Jeong-gwang collapse on the floor and mumble helplessly, as if everything was bothering him.

  “Oh! I don’t know. A broker! I’m just a broker!”


  People from New China were currently fleeing across the border to the Republic of China or the Eastern Republic. Unofficial rumors have circulated that the number of people who have fled New China has surpassed 500,000.

  As if before the reunification of the Republic of Korea, the situation of North Korean defectors escaping from North Korea was taking place here in New China.

  * * *

  January 12, 2024, 10:20 (New China time: 09:20)

  In front of the Central Public Security Building in Hubishi, Henan Province, New China

  A Molotov cocktail that flew through the window exploded, and the fire soared inside the public security building.

  “Throw it! There! Throw it over there, too!”


  A group of men wearing motorcycle helmets and other safety gear threw Molotov cocktails at the public security building without showing any mercy.

  Public security vehicles parked outside of public security buildings were already on fire, and dark smoke had engulfed the surrounding area.

  “Shoot them! Shoot them!”


  On the fourth floor, someone opened the window and shouted. Then windows opened in various places and the sound of shooting began to ring.

  “Ugh!”


  A man, who was just about to throw the Molotov cocktail, was shot in the chest and fell forward. As the Molotov cocktail that he was holding dropped to the floor and exploded, the flames wrapped around the man.

  “Euaaaaaaaa.”


  The man who had been surrounded by the fire screamed in agony as he rolled around on the floor, while other men who were nearby removed their coats and covered him with them to put the fire out.

  However, the bullets fired from public security buildings did not leave them alone.

  “Ugh!”


  “Gasp!”


  The men who were removing their coats to put out the fire were shot as well and collapsed on the floor.

  “Hey! Throw it there!”


  When someone yelled, a man hiding behind the wall took a grenade from his bag that he had no idea where he had got from and pulled out the safety lever. He then threw it toward the window on the third floor.

  The grenade, which flew in a parabolic line, shattered one of the windows on the third floor. After a while, there was a loud explosion, and a tattered-looking police officer was thrown out the window and fell to the ground.

  The public security who saw this continued to fire mercilessly at them as if they were possessed with some evil power.

  This riot was not only happening here, but it was also happening simultaneously throughout the city.

  Eventually, people had gotten their hands on public security arsenal, so ordinary citizens roamed the city with heavy weapons, attacking only public security and government buildings. The gunshots, explosions, and screams of the citizens continued unabated.

  * * *

  January 12th, 2024, 11:00 (New China Time: 10:00)

  5 kilometers southeast of Yongcheong-si, Henan Province, New China

  Yongcheong in Henan Province was an intermediate city with a population of 1.2 million, one of the cities geographically close to the Eastern Republic’s border, and geographically surrounded by borders on three sides. In other words, it was surrounded by the Eastern Republic.

  After China was divided into three major countries, New China did not have ties with the Eastern Republic unlike the Republic of China, which had other political ideologies, but managed to maintain diplomatic relations.

  For that reason, the border controls have loosened, and getting in was also possible with simple procedures. However, as New China waged a full-fledged war with the Republic of Korea, the borders of the Eastern Republic were closed.

  Therefore, on all the roads from Yongcheng to the border of the Eastern Republic, there was a long line of vehicles. The roads were full of cars for as far as the eye could see.

  These were people attempting to flee from New China as rumors circulated that the New China military was using civilians as a shield. Aside from the evidence, photos of the brutal massacre of protesters protesting in front of the Central Military District headquarters the day before were widely circulated.

  In response, the border guards closed all the border entrances and ordered them to return while pointing their guns at them.

  People, however, got out of their cars and protested because the road was so congested that they couldn’t even pull out. As time passed, the intensity of their protests grew, and the atmosphere was getting tense.

  At last, Lieutenant Colonel Gui Cheon, the commander of the border guard at the entrance, used heavy weapons to disperse the protesters. Lieutenant Colonel Gui Cheon’s expression was uneasy, as he was aware that people were rioting in various parts of the country.

  Even in the cold winter, thick drops of sweat flowed down from his forehead.

  “Open the border. We can’t live here any longer because we’re afraid.”


  “Open! Open!”


  Citizens flocked in massive numbers, their faces scowling like raging bulls, and some wielding iron tools resembling monkey spanners.

  “Go back. The border is closed, and you cannot pass. This is the order, so I can’t help you.”


  He screamed into the loudspeaker, but his voice was drowned out by the citizens’ yells.

  “That is not working, Everyone, let’s push ahead.”


  Fights started breaking out all over the place. When someone yelled, the citizens then jumped into their cars and started the engines all at once.

  The cars in front made a loud engine noise and began to move forward at the same time.

  Even though Lieutenant Colonel Gui Cheon had not given the order to fire, one of the heavy weapons gunners was startled and flinched, and unknowingly pulled the trigger.