21st century Goguryeo

Chapter 354

November 11th, 2023, 11:00

The South State, Incheon, Youngjongdo, the Incheon International Airport

Corea’s source of economic development that led to it becoming a world power was sourced from alien technology, which applied to automotive, computer chips, airways, shipbuilding, Information Technology, beauty, and numerous other industries. The reunification also opened up North Korea as a tourist attraction after being closed off for decades, and it made the nation’s tourism boom more than ever in over half a century.

Before the unification, about 20 million tourists were visiting Corea, but now over 90 million tourists were visiting the nation based on statistics from October of 2023. These figures were more than enough to surpass Japan’s numbers, which previously held the highest rank in Asia.

Also, most of the visitors came from the neighboring nations of Japan, China, and Taiwan due to the diplomatic issues Corea was facing with other nations. The Corean tourism industry was walking on eggshells teetering between growth and decline.

However, looking at the distribution of foreign visitors, those from the three neighboring nations dropped to 40%, and the remaining 60% was filled by European, North American, South American, and Southeast Asian visitors.

During this tourism boom, there was one popular tour that every visitor went through. It was the Peace Corea tour that covered most of the major attractions within Seoul and the North State. It seemed North Korea being closed off to the world for decades attracted foreigners.

The Incheon International Airport was full of foreign tourists waiting to go through customs before going on the Peace Corea tour.

The gate opened and numerous tourists from the New China Republic poured through. Thirty people from different age groups started chatting with each other and gathered under the tour guide’s flag.

The group seemed to consist of ordinary tourists, but there were a few men with a sharp look in their eyes among them. These men tried to act like tourists and got on the tour bus.

The tour was scheduled to go around Seoul’s attractions and restaurants for three days before going through the DMZ National Park spanning 992km2 and the Panmunjom to reach the North State. For six days, the tour would take the visitors to Gaesung, Pyeongyang, and Gumgang Mountain before returning to Pyeong-yang to take the visitors back home. It was a busy 10-day schedule.

The 30 tourists from the New China Republic who were scheduled to tour across Corea got on the tour bus leading out of Incheon International Airport and headed towards Seoul.

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November 11th, 2023, 11:30

The South State, Chungchung-do, Chungju-si, the Corean Aerospace Science Center, Parthenon research facility

Namgoong-won toured the facility after meeting with Dr. Lee Su-jin and greeted the researchers whom he had been close to. Finally, he moved towards the X-1 research facility that housed the alien spaceship.

The X-1 was the same as he left it three years ago. The spacecraft at the center was also the same, despite it being there for a long time.

“It’s been a long time, Hocula!” Namgoong-won greeted the Hocula AI through the smartwatch he was wearing on his wrist. The alien spacecraft started to emit numerous colored lights.

“You’re back. It’s been a while, Namgoong-won!”

The smartwatch that converted hypersonic waves to the Corean language allowed the AI and Namgoong-won to communicate with each other.

“Sorry for not being able to visit even though I asked for so much help through this watch.”

“It’s fine. I was busy as well.”

“Hey, Hocula, you sound more human compared to the last time I saw you. Don’t you think? Ha ha ha,” when the AI used the term ‘busy,’ Namgoong-won started to laugh.

“I am an artificial intelligence system that evolves with the environment. I have spent the last seven years working with humans.”

“Wow! It really has been that long.”

“Namgoong-won!”

“Yes, what’s up?”

“What is the official response from you humans?” Hocula seemed to be aware of the reason for Namgoong-won’s sudden visit.

“Hmm, the thing is, we were hoping you would stay with us for another three years.”

“That’s a difficult request. Namgoong-won, you made a promise to me!”

“I know! I remember! I also want you to take the Splithians back to their home planet.”

“Namgoong-won, do the humans want me to stay for another three years because of the scientific technology they didn’t manage to learn from me?” Hocula’s question imitated people’s speech but also went straight to the point as an AI would.

“That’s right! That is one of the main reasons!”

“There’s no need to worry about that! I have compiled all of the technological data that would not harm the Splithians within the Gaia system at the Parthenon. I am sending the passcode protocol to your smartwatch.”

“Wait, really?”

“I had already transferred all of it to the Gaia system when it was finished a year ago.”

“Hmm, I see! Hocula, please don’t think of us humans as selfish!”

“Of course, I don’t. It was a pleasure to get to know you, Namgoong-won. I will miss you.”

A weight started to crush Namgoong-won’s heart. Tears started forming in his eyes.

To other people, the tone of Hocula’s response was cold and mechanical without any intonations, but to Namgoong-won, it sounded as if his last best friend was saying farewell.

“I, I am going to miss...,” Namgoong-won couldn’t finish his sentence and started to sob.

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November 11th, 2023, 12:30

The South State, Seoul, Jung-ku, the Federal Investigation Bureau (Director’s office)

Deputy Hong Gi-soo used a lunch appointment as an excuse to visit the director’s office and handed him a small disk.

“What’s this?”

“This is all the intel I dug up about Special Agent Lee Byung-hoo.”

“So? Did you find out anything?” Director Kang Hyuck, who was about to put on his suit, rushed over to take the disk.

“Ha ha, what’s there to rush? Put your jacket on first, sir...”

“Of course I’m in a rush. The Blue House and the NIS are on high alert.”

“The disk contains all the investigation I conducted on Lee Byung-hoo and an additional month’s worth of his whereabouts.”

“Was there anything suspicious?”

“Yes, he went back and forth to Pyeong-yang frequently, sir.”

“I knew it. There was something fishy about him.”

Director Kang Hyuck grasped the silver disk in his hands and frowned.

“This guy Lee Byung-hoo was good at covering his tracks, and it took a while for me to find his tracks, sir.”

“Great work. You silenced the agents on your end, right?”

“Of course, sir. I only ordered my most trusted agents.”

“I see. How about we go grab lunch?”

“Yes, you’re buying, right, sir?”

“Of course. Let’s go.”

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November 11th, 2023, 19:00

The South State, Seoul, Kangnam-ku, the NIS building (Counter-terrorism Unit 3’s office)

The Counter-terrorism Unit 3 finally found a shred of hope after chasing after the ex-North Korean Foreign Intelligence Unit’s agents with the aid of every single department of the NIS.

Unit 3 had gone through every single security camera, vehicle camera, personal IC camera footage by hacking and matched faces from the footage with their targets for three days. They finally found a match that had a 70% accuracy rate.

Team Leader Park Gi-oong became wide-eyed as he was matching the faces of the footage to the targets for the past three days.

When the monitor showed the result of a 70% match after going through the matching program, an enlarged face of the target came into view.

Team Leader Park Gi-oong started typing faster on the keyboard.

“I swear to god if this is another dead end. I am going to bite my tongue and kill myself!”

This wasn’t the first time he saw a match. Every time that happened, the deep scan confirmed that it was a different person. Team Leader Park Gi-oong typed away on the keyboard a few times and started getting anxious.

The face had a 70% match and he started to compare it to the ID picture gathered at the border and the one from the footage. The 70% match did not waver even after the deep scan.

“Great! I found you,” Team Leader Park raised both of his hands and got up from his seat.

The other agents who were all busy staring at their own monitors rushed to where Team Leader Park was. Then, each of the agents started to say something.

“What! You found him?”

“Really? For real this time?”

“Sir! Where are they?”

“Pyeong-yang!”

The security camera that caught the matching footage was located at Pyeong-yang’s Daesung-ku Bipa-ro (Bipa-dong)’s 716. The Emperor’s Saloon.

“What the? A saloon’s suite?”

Everyone was flabbergasted. No one expected a security camera from a saloon would be the one to provide them with clues.

“Those sons of bitches. We spend day and night here without going home to find them, and they were having the time of their lives there?” Team 2’s leader Youn Tae-jin grasped his sides and swore.

“When did Assistant Manager Lee say she will be back?”

“She said she will be here at 10:00 the earliest, sir,” Chief Ha Sang-man, the senior of Counter-terrorism Unit 3, answered him.

Assistant Manager Lee Hye-jin was busy attending a meeting with senior officers.

“Hmm, if that is the case, our team will move to Pyeong-yang immediately. You guys from Unit 3 should stay behind and continue going through the footage. If the entire unit moved and it turned out to be false intel, then it would be a waste of time for all of us,” Team Leader Park Gi-oong, who was second in command within the investigation unit, gave orders since Assistant Manager Lee Hye-jin was absent.

“Yes, understood, Team Leader Park!”

“Great! Please tell Assistant Manager Lee we will contact her after we arrive at Pyeong-yang! Guys, let’s get our gear and head out!”

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November 11th, 2023, 22:20

The North State, Pyeong-yang, Daesung-ku, Bipa-dong, Bipa street (The Emperor’s Saloon)

Team Leader Park Gi-oong and his team drove down the newly built eight-laned highway and reached Pyeong-yang’s main street after driving for two hours.

“I think it’s that long building over there?” Team Leader Youn Tae-jin pointed to a high-end bar showing the high-tech laser show from the distance. It was The Emperor’s Saloon they were looking for.

“Whoa! This place is as dazzling as Kangnam,” Chief Oh Hyuck-soo from Team 2 spoke with wide eyes.

Team Leader Youn Tae-jin slapped him on the back of his head and yelled at him, “Hey! We’re not on some field trip. Get it together!”

“Sir! Come on! I just thought it looked cool.”

“Hey, shut up! Go over there and get those thugs out of our way.”

There were about 10 thugs in black suits standing in front of The Emperor’s Saloon’s entrance.

“Jesus, how would any of the customers go into the bar if those idiots are standing in a line like that? Anyways, there are too many of them. Don’t you think, sir?”

“What! That’s nothing. How many are there, like 10?” Chief Oh Hyuck-soo shook his head at Team Leader Youn Tae-jin and walked towards the thugs.

“Ha! I shouldn’t have come with just two team leaders! Fine! I have a plan of my own,” Oh Hyuck-soo muttered to himself and shouted at the thugs with his hands in his pockets, “Hey! Our bosses are taking over this place. You see them behind me, right? They are the toughest around. Get on your knees, you bastards!”

When a normal-looking person came up to them and started shouting, the thugs seemed to be shocked and frowned.

“What the fuck! Who is this little shit?”