21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 114

November 7, 2020, 20:00 (CST 19:00), Yingkou region in China

The 20th Armored Division (Decisive Battle) headquarters, the 61st Armored Division, and the 26th Mechanized Infantry Brigade started moving to Yingkou region, away from the nuclear bomb radiation contaminated zone in Pan-Jin. They began working on decontaminating the area while maintaining a 5-km distance from each other, cautious of more nuclear bomb attacks from China.

A few days earlier, arriving at Xingang Port through the 10th Amphibious Fleet, two units of the 11th Artillery’s 976 MRLS Battalion (from the 2nd Corps’ select 2nd Artillery Brigade [Double Dragon Artillery]) turned up in the Yingkou region. On the side of the Chunmoo armored vehicle, a red X mark was clearly engraved on the radiation symbol.

Vroooom~Vroooom~

The 12 Chunmoo armored vehicles, in a line formation, just drove past the 61st Armored Brigade’s station and began warming in the large open area. A few moments shortly after the warm-up was completed, all K270A1 gun batteries pointed toward Pan-Jin.

After luckily surviving a nuclear hell, Sergeant Kang Joong-tae, the tank driver of the 61st Armored Brigade’s 12th Tank Battalion 1st Company Tank 113, spoke to Staff Sergeant Oh Dong-kyung. They were setting up a camp tent while wearing exposure prevention suits.

“There is something different about that artillery battalion.”

“What?” asked Staff Sergeant Oh Dong-kyung.

“Over there, sir,” replied Sergeant Kang Joong-tae.

He pointed with his chin toward the Chunmoo armored vehicle that just finished warming up in the large open area next to the 12th Tank Battalion.

“Hey! Are you now pointing with your chin at your superiors?”

“Please give me a break. I will be discharged in five days. Of last year’s sergeants, I was a Super Sergeant, so can’t you give me a break?”

“Oh yeah, isn’t this the month you get discharged? I feel so sorry for you. You have five days left until you’re discharged, yet you were dragged into the battlefield where you don’t know if you’ll die without any promise,” mocked Staff Sergeant Oh Dong-kyung.

Laughing as if to provoke him, he looked over to where Sergeant Kang pointed.

“Isn’t their troop mask a little similar to the radiation symbol? Is that a tactical nuclear bomb doucher?” queried Staff Sergeant Oh.

Checking the armored vehicle’s mark between the lights, Staff Sergeant Oh spoke nonsensically.

“Huh? Staff Sergeant Oh, please. Our country doesn’t have nuclear weapons,” answered Sergeant Kang Joong-tae.

“Maybe America gave them to us. Since our army got hit with a nuclear weapon, maybe they won’t give us that nuclear umbrella. But wouldn’t they give us one or two nuclear bombs as an allied country?” Staff Sergeant Oh pondered aloud.

“I hear you. You have a point, sir,”

At the Tank Commander’s summon, First Class Sergeant Yoon Il-ho went to the Battalion Headquarters and brought back a strange cylinder-shaped device. Of this, Staff Sergeant Oh asked him a question.

“First Class Sergeant Yoon! What is that?”

“This? It’s a radiation elimination device called R something. If you turn this on for about a day, they said all radiation substances get eliminated,” replied Sergeant Yoon Il-ho.

“Then are we allowed to take off our exposure prevention suit?” asked Staff Sergeant Oh.

“Not now, but you will be able to take it off tomorrow morning,” replied Sergeant Yoon Il-ho.

“That’s good, it was getting stuffy. Come to think of it, there’s nothing our country can’t make. Oh yeah. First Class Sergeant Yoon, look over there,” said Staff Sergeant Oh.

While placing the cylindrical device on top of the tank and activating the device according to the explanation he had received, First Class Sergeant Yoon looked toward what Staff Sergeant Lee was pointing at with his finger.

“What about it?” asked Sergeant Yoon Il-ho.

“Look at the mark, sir,” requested Staff Sergeant Lee.

“Oh, that?” said Sergeant Yoon Il-ho.

“Do you know what that is?”

When he seemed to know something, Staff Sergeant Lee and Sergeant Kang rushed over to where Sergeant Yoon Il-ho was and asked again.

“Who are those people? Staff Sergeant Oh said they belong to a nuclear bomb artillery unit.”

“It’s the thing I brought,” said Sergeant Yoon Il-ho.

“Huh? What do you mean, sir?”

“It’s an artillery unit that shoots these, you guys.”

“What do you mean, sir . . . ?”

Sergeant Kang, not understanding what he was saying, scratched the back of his head.

“Don’t worry about it anymore and just set up the tent,” said First Class Sergeant Yoon Il-ho.

Sergeant Kang pulled the tent strings and mumbled inaudibly.

A few moments later, 12 Chunmoo armored vehicles of the 967 MRLS Battalion’s Alpha Artillery Unit and Bravo Artillery Unit created a thunderlike roar. Rockets flew into the air, creating a foggy dust cloud.

Shoooong~ Shoooong~ Shoooong~Shoooong~

In a few seconds, 144 rockets or 12 270-mm rockets from each of the 12 Chunmoo armored vehicles spewed out a foggy smoke and flew into the Pan-Jin sky, disappearing quickly from sight. A few moments later, when they reached the Pan-Jin sky, the 12 270-mm rocket body covers opened and 25-cm cylindrical submunition (K-RRS) fell evenly and widely on the Pan-Jin sky, which was still pure hell from the nuclear explosions. Once they hit the ground, instead of an explosion, they made an activation sound and simultaneously, something popped out from the cylinder top and blinked faintly.

From each Artillery Unit K-1200 armored vehicle, several operators checked the monitor and reported continuously. Also, each Fire Control Operator constantly checked the blue blinking marks on the digital map. A few minutes later, there was a report uploaded to each Artillery Unit Commander.

<ul>

This is Bravo Artillery Unit Fire Control Operator Park Gil-won.

Yes, how did it go?

All have completed landing on the target location. Except for the defective 28 out of 720, all 692 are properly under RRS {Radiation Remove System}.

Good, make sure to monitor the area for 24 hours without resting through overnight-duty soldiers.

Yes, sir.

</ul>

The 2nd Artillery Division 11th Artillery Unit 976 Artillery Battalion was an army unit that decontaminated radioactive elements. The sudden outbreak of the war with China made the Olympus base choose the MRLS K270A1 Chunmoo, which already used a projectile method, although it was still undergoing testing since it was developed shortly before the war began. Also, the Olympus base selected a few Chunmoo artillery battalions to add armored vehicles to remodel and monitor the projectile rockets to allow them to function.

The cutting-edge submunition deployed from the 976 Artillery Battalion had the technology to decontaminate radioactive substances, including Cesium, which are harmful to the human body, within a 300-m radius. Once elimination had been completed, it radiated high heat to melt itself like a self-destructive bomb.

On this night, radiation elimination submunition (K-RRS) flew throughout the western front where the nuclear explosion occurred. The Olympus researcher, who wasn’t able to test K-RRS thoroughly, said that it would take at least seven days to completely eliminate radiation in the area.

<hr />

November 7, 2020, 23:00 (CST 22:00), Jilin region in China

The only surviving Army Group from the Northern Theater Command, the 16th Army Group, had constructed a defense line from Changchun to Jilin. The Korean Army’s 2nd Army Group 7th Armored Division (Seven Stars) had advanced 50 km into Jilin and used unmanned reconnaissance planes and spider drones to check Jilin meticulously in order to organize an attack.

The K-1100 Console armored vehicle operators, by order of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, continuously checked the screens sent from the unmanned reconnaissance satellite and drones. They analyzed the various aspects of the 16th Army Group such as troop deployment. Thirty minutes later, inside the K-22 Commander armored vehicle, the Division Commander and Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations checked the videos sent from the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence through the monitor to discuss opinions on an attack plan.

“If you look on the screen, you can see that the tanks deployed in Jilin are most likely armored units from the 16th Army Group 4th Armored Division,” observed the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations.

“Looking at its scale, it doesn’t seem like the scale of a division,” said the Division Commander.

“At the start of the war, the 16th Army Group 4th Armored Division likely had a huge loss, and now had to adopt a distributed arrangement for their troops between Changchun and Jilin. Thus, the scale of the armored unit deployed here in Jilin seems like one armored brigade.”

After his reply, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations continued his analysis while pointing at one side of the digital map.

“However, we should not be caught off guard that the Chinese armored unit is the size of a brigade. If the Motorized Infantry Unit here pushes in from the ten-o’clock direction, we could have many casualties.”

“It’s likely an anti-tank armored vehicle division.”

“Yes, that is correct. In my opinion, it would be good to detour the Motorized Infantry Division to the eleven-o’clock direction with the 73rd Armored Brigade and attack from the side, quickly destroy the enemy armored brigade by speedily advancing the 75th Armored Brigade, and after that commence the Jilin occupation strategy with the rear unit 8th Mechanized Infantry Brigade.”

“That’s a good plan. But did we confirm the location of the enemy artillery unit?”

“We haven’t confirmed the location of the artillery unit yet.”

“It’s concerning that we haven’t found that.”

“I believe that they may have deployed all of them to the final defense line in Changchun.”

Division Commander Suh Jung-yul looked closely on the monitor, crossing his arms. After being in deep thought for some time, the Commander uncrossed his arms and spoke while still looking on the monitor.

“Let’s send the Reconnaissance Tank Battalion first and quickly hit the enemy armored brigade before backing off. If we throw a jab, we’ll get some sort of response.”

“Yes, sir.”

Once the core of the plan was established, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations used the communication network of the Division’s capital Reconnaissance Tank Battalion to order them to maneuver quickly to check the enemy armored brigade’s hidden intent. He gave the other army units a few orders pertaining to the plan.

Vroooom!

All K-2A1 Black Tiger tanks of the Reconnaissance Tank Battalion started up their engines and began moving slowly toward the expulsion route. Behind them, the 75th Armored Brigade maintained their wide line formation. Once the Division Commander’s expulsion command was received, all of them bolted off and quickly moved toward Jilin. Though it was late at night, the cutting-edge vision equipment let them see like broad daylight, and they advanced relentlessly forward on frozen ground.

The 75th Armored Brigade, including the Reconnaissance Tank Battalion, deployed multi-wavelength smoke grenades from all tanks 30 km away from Jilin and created another layer of darkness in the night as they closed the distance with high speed. The K-2A1 Black Tiger tank at the very front deployed the smoke grenade every chance they had. When they reached a distance of 20 km away, flashes of light and firing sounds came from several areas of the Jilin city.

Crash! Crash! Craaash!

A few moments later, the canon air-raid warning sounded. In a few seconds, canons fell in between K-2A1 Black Tiger tanks and columns of fire rose.

After confirming this through the spider drone monitor, Division Commander Suh showed a slight smile and muttered.

“I knew this would happen. Something on my back itched. Those Chinese hid the artillery unit in various parts of the city.”

“Though it’s the enemy’s side, their plan was good.”

“That’s true. Tell the Reconnaissance Battalion to retreat immediately from the impact zone, and the 75th Armored Brigade to retreat 3 km to the rear.”

“I will direct them immediately.”

The 3rd Armored Brigade that followed behind the Reconnaissance Battalion stopped their movement after the first smoke grenade was deployed, and only the Reconnaissance Battalion advanced. Hence, they used the multi-wavelength smoke grenade to disrupt enemy detection and tricked them as if they were mobilizing with a scale greater than a brigade. China’s plan to wipe out the Korean army by firing at once when they were in range was exposed and failed.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

The K-2 Black Tiger tank’s improved model K-2A1 Black Tiger tank moved urgently out of the fire net while dodging the falling fire like they were walking in a tightrope of death. Then there was a huge flash of light.

With the flash, a mushroom cloud erupted, and the nuclear storm that started from the center quickly spread out to the sides.

Rumble!

Woooosh!

When the extreme heat and storm rushed through, a few Black Tiger tanks near the bomb center got caught up in the storm and flipped over as they flew off. Houses nearby in the small towns disappeared without leaving debris like they were swept away with a brush.

“Sons of b*ches, using a nuclear bomb is fun for them now.”

The monitor became static as the spider drone also was swept up in the nuclear storm and melted. Seeing this on the monitor, Division Commander Suh cursed.

“Sir, will you order all of the army units to retreat?”

“Tell them to retreat from the fire range. Is the Division Artillery Unit able to fire at Jilin?”

“Except for the self-propelled artillery of 16th Artillery Battalion, 56, 57, and 637 are able to fire.”

“Good! Tell all units to prepare for fallout, and order 56, 57, and 637 to keep firing until the next order.”

“Yes, sir! Understood.”

Due to the over-pressure equipment, all tanks, armored vehicles, and specialized vehicles of the 7th Armored Division had no problems with radiation exposure. From this, the Korean Armored Division escaped the firing range and waited for further instructions, whereas the other three artillery battalions began an enormous retaliation fire in the entire city of Jilin.

Pew~ Pew~ Pew~ Pew~

Eighteen units of K-9A1 Lightning self-propelled artillery and 18 K-137 200-mm multiple-launcher Fire Dragon armored vehicles, and 18 MRLS K-239 Chunmoo armored vehicles spewed fireworks incessantly while the firing continued for over 30 minutes.

Attacking civilian structures for the first time, the Korean Army’s 7th Armored Division Artillery Battalion made the Jilin city hell without hesitation. When the road became blocked while warming up and firing from the top of the city road, the Chinese army was baptized in fire and lined up to cross the Jordan River, and in some cases, they left the artillery and multiple-launcher armored vehicles to run away.

After firing for over an hour, the 7th Armored Division’s three Division Artillery Battalions continued shooting while receiving emergency supplies of ammunition without knowing when it would end.

“Division Commander, I think that this was enough to collapse all Chinese artillery units hiding in this city.”

The Assistant Chief of Staff of Operations did not expect that the nuclear bomb retaliation fire would last over an hour. Truthfully, however, the concern was the use of the ammunition. For the Division Commander, however, what the Assistant Chief of Staff of Operations said went unheard, and he replied with a question rather than an answer.

“How many sets of plasma cluster bombs does 637 Battalion have?”

“They currently have 18 sets.”

“That’s enough for two artillery battalions. Distribute three sets to each artillery battalion and tell them to fire straight at them.”

“Yes, sir. I will tell them right away.”

Simultaneously after responding, he turned around to say a few words to the communication operator. He then grabbed the microphone to relay the Division Commander’s orders. A few moments later, he put down the microphone and reported to the Division Commander.

“Division Commander, sir. They said it will take about five minutes to load.”

“Good! After 637 launches of the cluster bombs, halt all artillery battalion fire.”

“Yes, sir! Understood.”