Chapter 19: Gathering Storms

Korean Peninsula.
The border between South Korea and North Korea.
Under the cover of night, several South Korean soldiers, faces filled with despair, cut through the barbed wire at the border.

“Junhee, are we really going to do this?”
Kim Jaemin, panic-stricken, crossed the barbed wire, his hands trembling slightly.

“Are you planning to go back? Don’t forget how they threatened you!”
Junhee, the young soldier, eyes brimming with tears, helplessly said, “Your girlfriend, Seerui... yes, I’ve seen her—a very beautiful woman.”

“Yes.” Upon hearing this, Kim Jaemin thought of his girlfriend—a gentle woman. Having her by his side was the happiest thing in his life.

“Such a beautiful woman, we all secretly envied you.”

Suddenly, Junhee lost control of his emotions, lowering his voice to a near shout: “If we don’t do this—”
“What will they do? Those shameless Americans, what will they do?”
“Isn’t it enough that the military base violates women every year?”
“After they assault those women, what happens? They just brush it off or pretend nothing happened.”

“Kim Jaemin, understand this!”
Junhee, nearly hysterical, pointed at Kim Jaemin, growling, “They’re watching right behind us. If you displease them—”
“Your family, and that beautiful woman of yours, they’ll all be tortured to death!”

“Y-yes... I understand.”
Despair filled Kim Jaemin’s eyes. He glanced back once, looking at his own country.

The greatness his politicians boasted about was so hollow, like a bubble ready to burst. They were all merely puppets controlled by that terrifying nation across the shore.

Slowly closing his eyes, he reopened them with a newfound determination.

For his family’s sake, he had no choice but to betray.

“Move quietly, let’s go!”
Seeing Kim Jaemin regain composure, Junhee exhaled deeply.

This time, as they crossed into North Korea, there would be no turning back. Their action was for their families alone.

With hatred for America burning in his eyes, Junhee led his twelve-man squad into a North Korean village.

One kilometer behind them, at a nearby outpost, several American soldiers peered through binoculars, watching the men go from arguing to accepting the reality and taking action.

They could hear every word through their earpieces.

“John, this is really interesting.”

“Interesting? It’s just the last struggles of monkeys. No, they’re not even monkeys.”

One large man, still holding binoculars, sneered: “Mike, you have to understand, South Korea is just a dog we raise.”

“As a colonized nation, the people here have no right to refuse.”

“Where’s Philip?”

“Oh, he went off for some fun. He’s got his eye on a housewife—and her daughter isn’t bad-looking either.”

John’s tone was indifferent; to him, this was all routine.

He had his share of escapades too.

Nearby middle schools were frequent haunts. Those South Korean students were really easy targets!

“Hmph, he sure knows how to have fun. Just make sure he cleans up his mess. If he screws up, kick him right back to America.”

“Don’t worry, he’s already investigated. The husband of that mother and daughter works on our base, so no trouble will come of it. Haha, next time I’ll have to try too.”

“Hmph, suit yourselves. Remember to wipe your ass afterward.”

...

On July 20th, a launch site in the South China Sea was completed and entered the quality inspection phase.

As a launch platform for a moon rocket, this should have been world-shaking news.

Unfortunately, this major announcement only ranked second in online trending topics.

The top headline was about a sudden event that happened last night.

Early in the morning, waking from their sleep, the people of China opened their phones to a flood of breaking news.

“An atrocity that shocks heaven and earth! A South Korean squad infiltrated North Korea last night and indiscriminately shot twenty-six people in Hanming Village!”

“Shocking massacre! South Korean soldiers commit a crime that infuriates gods and men!”

“North Korea is mobilizing a million troops toward the 38th Parallel—war imminent?”

“US aircraft carriers Yokosuka and Kadena set sail, forming a double carrier fleet in the Yellow Sea.”

“Urgent: The Eastern and Northern Fleets deploy; China and the US double carrier fleets confront each other at sea!”

“...”

News flooded in relentlessly, with updates every minute on social media.

The entire Yellow Sea region had become a massive powder keg.

The news spread rapidly across the globe.

All nations and peoples had their eyes fixed near the 38th Parallel.

It wasn’t just North and South Korea.

The crux was the two superpowers behind them.

China and the United States.

If these two went to war, the entire world would be doomed.

Thus, in an unusual display of anxiety, some Western countries quickly issued diplomatic statements.

France: “We call on China and the United States to exercise restraint; the peninsula’s situation should move toward peace and stability.”

Germany: “Both sides must put aside differences. The priority is to investigate the reasons behind the South Korean squad’s infiltration and ensure proper appeasement and compensation.”

The United Kingdom: “All parties must remain calm!”

Meanwhile, Russia exclaimed, “What the hell? You guys gang up on America but didn’t invite me???”

Then Russia acted swiftly, deploying the Far East Armored Group Army, assembling half a million troops rapidly at the North Korean border.

Some South American media, never shy of sensationalism, even blasted headlines proclaiming, “World War III Begins Now.”

Even Japan and South Korea, usually lively and carefree, were utterly stunned.

South Korea: “What? My men did this? Not me! I’m not responsible! Why is everyone staring at me?”

“What? North Korea is gathering a million troops at the border, preparing to advance south?”

South Korea, bewildered, desperately requested the stationed US military to organize defenses.

After all, South Korea’s strength was no match for North Korea’s furious retaliation.

With America’s approval, South Korea finally breathed a sigh of relief and belatedly began mobilizing troops for defense.

War clouds darkened the entire peninsula.

Neighboring Japan was also dumbfounded.

Their “father,” the US Navy, was confronting China in the Yellow Sea.

And it looked like they were really going to fight?

Japan: “Ah, they’re really fighting?”

Caught between two great powers, the small nations became mere clowns.

Though Japan often acted carefree, as the saying goes, a dog that bites doesn’t bark.

They bark loudly because they know someone’s got their back, and they believe no real fight will break out, so they confidently trade insults.

But if war truly erupted, Japan would immediately show its weakness.

If America lost, it would just pack up and leave the Western Pacific.

But what about Japan?

Though Japan claims to be a Western country, it’s stuck right there.

It can’t run.

With anti-submarine fleets and China’s extended-range rockets within reach of their homeland—how could they fight?

But since “dad” had spoken, whether they liked it or not, they had to tough it out.

So after much hesitation, the Japanese fleet finally arrived on the scene.

The atmosphere was truly tense.

Upon nearing the Japanese fleet, they were immediately caught in electromagnetic interference, and communications among the fleets became intermittent.

In the skies above, China and the US had already begun their electronic warfare duel.

Storm clouds gathered over the Yellow Sea.