21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 169

December 29, 2020, 17:00 (China Standard Time 16:00), downtown Beijing, China

It was only four in the afternoon, but downtown Beijing was already in complete darkness. Only the installed light fixtures lit up the area, but the entire city was dark. Beijing’s sky was covered in the radioactive fallout which had blocked off the sun.

The situation was similar to Beijing’s constant smog problem but at its absolute worst. There were only a few citizens wandering outside due to fear of radiation. These people faced the danger of being exposed to radiation while trying to find food, so they covered themselves in layers of clothing and scarves.

Each division’s armored brigades that reached Beijing that morning moved in units of battalions and installed K-RRS or the Korea-Radiation Remove System across the city. The K-RPS was also known as the radiation removal system. A nuclear explosion of a 1kt bomb can leak out radiation of 3x1010Ci, caused by 36 different types of elements and 300 of each element’s isotope. Among them, Cesium-137 (half-life of 30 years) and Strontium-90 (half-life 28 years) last the longest on the surface. The K-RPS was able to absorb and remove all the radiation from a radius of a couple of hundred meters within 7 days.

Also, the 50,000 special forces men that had been conducting guerilla tactics, and the 8th Special Forces Corps were treated for radiation as well as provided with radiation protective suits. Small-scale K-RRS units were placed at their encampments to ensure the men’s safety.

When Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kang Ui-sik, said, “China is the one that shits, and we are the hands that wipe their asses,” this was what he had meant.

* * *

December 29, 2020, 21:30, Korea

Korea’s broadcasting networks all sent out footage of the Korean flag being raised over Beijing and the aftermath of the nuclear bomb explosions. All networks had used their allotted one hour for news for this topic alone. In truth, there was a hidden intent from the Ministry of National Defense.

From the footage on the news, a Troop Information and Education Officer equipped with a radioactive protective suit from the Korean military was giving an interview in the fallout-ridden Beijing. The suburb of Beijing was only 60 kilometers away from the blast zone of 100 nuclear missiles that were equal to the “little boy” bomb that fell on Hiroshima. The area was not within the directly affected areas, but it was still within a lethal range, and the nuclear storm and heat had caused a significant amount of damage to the surrounding buildings.

The other news channels were showing the southcentral ocean areas where all the powerful government department buildings were located. The southcentral sea adjacent to the Forbidden City was designated as the National Preservation area, it being once the emperor’s temporary palace (a place the emperor rested while traveling) where banquets were held.

In present times, China’s State Council (the highest bureaucratic office) and the Communist Politburo Party’s Secretary’s office, and the General Office of the Communist Party of China (the bureaucratic office) had their offices here as well along with President Xi’s office, the most powerful man in China.

Every government building that housed China’s most powerful organizations all flew the Korean flag instead of China’s.

* * *

December 30, 2020, 02:00 (China Standard Time 01:00), Huizhou Province (the 42nd Army Group’s command headquarters), China

Lieutenant General Han Feng, Commander of the 42nd Army Group was looking over the nighttime scenery of Huizhou from his window. He was holding a document in his right hand.

“Huizhou seems more beautiful tonight,” he thought.

Compared to Beijing’s scenery being broadcast on the Korean news, Huizhou’s night scenery’s beauty was at its peak. Commander Han Feng made a romantic remark that contrasted the serious look on his face. He gave an order to the 42nd Army Group’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant General Du Zhenwui.

“Lieutenant General Du Zhenwui!”

“Yes, Commander!”

“It seems it’s about time for us to begin! Be covert about it.”

“Yes, understood, Commander!”

A moment later, sounds of gunshots were heard at the 42nd Army Group’s Command Center.

First, the 21st Amphibious Armored Regiment under the 124th Division moved toward the command headquarters at high speeds. The strike force began to attack President Xi’s bodyguards.

Within the command headquarter buildings, Commander Han Feng’s direct subordinate forces were facing President Xi and the commanding General’s bodyguards.

However, the bodyguard’s lack of equipment and the surprise attack caused the bodyguards only equipped with pistols to fall over like dominos. President Xi’s bodyguards especially faced heavy losses. When the 21st Regiment’s tanks and armored vehicles arrived, the bodyguards had no choice but to stand down.

All that was left were President Xi, his Commanding Generals, and the 30 odd bodyguards assigned to guard the President. The Operators did not seem to grasp the situation and were sitting around hesitantly.

“What is going on out there?”

President Xi, who had awoken from the sound of gunshots, kicked off the blankets and rose up. That was when the President’s office door opened and someone shouted.

“Mr. President! You must evacuate now, sir.”

Captain of the guards Zhang Ning, who had replaced Captain Shu Lungun, who died in combat when they left Beijing, ran into the office out of breath with a pistol in his hand.

“Evacuate? Then whose are those gunshots?”

“A coup, sir. Led by Han Feng and his men.”

“What? A coup? Son of a—”

“There is no time, sir. The special forces that were charged with the outer defenses seemed to be subdued as well.”

“Hmm.”

President Xi Jin Ping judged the situation was getting out of hand. He put on his clothes and followed the Captain.

“Right this way, sir.”

There were ten bodyguards waiting outside besides the Captain.

“What about the politicians and other Commanding Generals?”

“It seems all members of the political committee and the Generals at the Command Center have been captured, sir. You must escape, sir.”

“All right. Let’s get out of here!”

“Yes, sir!”

That was when a dozen soldiers rushed into the hallway and bullets came flying toward them.

The spray of bullets caused sparks to fly around everywhere, and three of the guards following them fell to the ground.

Smack! Clank!

President Xi’s party ran down to the first floor through the stairs while dodging bullets. Captain Zhang Ning hit the window with his pistol mercilessly.

“The entrance must have been taken over by Han Feng and his men, sir. You must escape through here.”

“All right.”

With his answer, President Xi leaped out of the window with the help of his bodyguards. When he tried to get back up, Commander Han Feng’s men were already there with their guns pointed at him.

Bang! Babababababang! Bang!

Over the window, gunshots rang across the building, and the bodyguards attempting to follow President Xi all fell down while spraying blood. Captain Zhang Ning also died while slouched over the window as he puked blood from his mouth.

“It’s over, President Xi Jin Ping!”

Someone spoke while walking toward him from the horde of guards glaring at him ready to pull the trigger at a moment’s notice. It was the Commanding Officer of the 42nd Army Group, Lieutenant General Zhen Duwei.

“Traitor of the people! Zhen Duwei, you bastard!”

President Xi grit his teeth while insulting him.

“Am I the traitor of the people? Or are you? The man who abandoned the lives of 20 million people by dropping nuclear bombs on them?”

“What?”

“Take him away!”

“Yes, sir!”

Two of the sentries tied Xi Jin Ping’s hands behind his back and started to take him away when he shouted again.

“You will see what treason will get you.”

* * *

December 30, 2020, 02:50, Yongsan ku B2 bunker (ROK Military Joint Command Center), Seoul

It was late at night and no major battle was taking place, but Chairman Kang Ui-sik was sitting on his desk, waiting for something while tapping on the desk’s surface with his fingers. A moment later, Operations Director Lieutenant General Kim Yong-hyun entered the office.

“Sir! We have news that you were waiting for.”

“Is that so?”

Chairman Kang stood up from his seat at the Operations Director’s words.

“Yes, sir. Lieutenant General Han Feng, Commander of the Southern military had captured Xi Jin Ping alive.”

“Hahaha! Finally, the Korea–China war is coming to an end!”

“Hahaha, great work, sir.”

“The war is not fully over, but I am glad at least the Korea–China war will be over before the reunification.”

“Hahaha, you’re right, sir.”

“Well, I must report this to the President.”

“At this hour, sir?”

“My, my! Don’t you know how the President is by now? If we report late on the account of the hour, he will scold us instead. Hahaha!”

“Ah! You’re right, sir. Hahaha!”

That morning, the Joint Chiefs of Staff had arranged a secret contact with Commander Han Feng of the Southern military through Lieutenant General Wu Weian. They were finally able to reach him by the afternoon. Chairman Kang had come up with a few plans to end the Korea–China war.

One of the contents of the conversation that had moved Commander Han Feng was about how President Xi approved the order to drop nuclear bombs on Beijing.

The role of the People’s Liberation Army was to, as the name suggests, protect the people. However, President Xi had ignored the welfare of 20 million Beijing citizens and used 120 nuclear missiles at Beijing’s suburb for victory, which was unheard of in history until now. The core message from Korea was how President Xi had violated the core belief of China’s Army, and now he must be arrested and charged for his crime.

Under this pretense, the Korean military had promised to clear out the radiation in Beijing and treat its citizens affected by the radiation.

Commander of the Southern military Han Feng agreed to the offer and ordered for the arrest of President Xi Jin Ping and the rest of the Commanding Generals.

* * *

December 30th, 2020, 04:00 (China Standard Time 03:00), (the 42nd Army Group’s command headquarters), Huizhou Province, China

President Xi, the politicians from the Central Political Commission, and the many Commanding Generals were all tied up and placed in a temporary prison. Commander Han Feng and other Commanders from the 42nd Army Group were having a meeting.

“Did you contact Korea?”

“Yes, we have alerted them of our actions, sir.”

One of the aides-de-camp answered.

“All right, let’s talk about what we will do now and in the future.”

Commander Han Feng looked at the 20 Generals seated in a round table and spoke.

“Will you accept the terms the Korean military has offered, Commander?”

Commander Du Zhenwui asked.

“Do you think we can win against Korea’s military?”

Lieutenant General Zhong Lei, Commander of the 41st Army Group, straightened up and answered.

“If we stall for time so Russia and Japan can regroup to pressure the Koreans, I believe it will be possible, sir.”

“Russia and Japan? I am sorry, but I disagree. Russia and Japan are only concerned with their own profits and nothing else, are they not?”

“I agree as well, Commander!”

Zhen Duwei, Commander of the 42nd Army Group piped in Commander Han Feng’s words.

“Please speak up if you have any opinions,” Commander Han Feng said.

That day, the meeting held at the Southern military’s Command Center was over at daybreak, and the majority agreed to accept the Korean military’s offer. Through this, Commander Han Feng had alerted three other military groups of what they did, excluding the northern military group, and called for an emergency meeting.

If there was an agreement through the meeting of Commanders in Chief of military groups, then the Korea–China war would be over with Korea being victorious after two months of battle.