Chapter 355: I Believe In You (2)

Whooooosh!

The sun, shining white, swept from the right side of the canopy to the left. The ground and the sky appeared half to the left and half to the right.

“I’ve got it! Unit Five!”

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

The enemy plane was in missile range.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

However, Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon had also entered the enemy’s.

“Unit One! It’s dangerous! Get out of there!”

If Park Seung-Yong left now, Lee Ki-Do would be struck, and if they lost Lee Ki-Do, the enemy Phantoms would be left unattended.

The MiG 29 followed Lee Ki-Do as he made his plane twist around. Park Seung-Yong, who was targeted by another MiG 29, followed right behind him.

They were too outnumbered.

‘I’ve already given my life to the Taegeukgi!’

Park Seung-Yong made the Falcon soar, then sent it plunging.

Beeeeeeeeeeeep.

Click.

Peeeeeew!

An AMRAAM flew from the tip of his wings.

Park Seung-Yong Falcon spun and flew away as if it was tossed sideways.

***

Swiiiiiiish!

Kang Chan gritted his teeth and ran upward. He felt as if the sound of the jet engines were digging into him.

The more the sniper moved, the harder it was to catch him. The good news was that the enemy planes hadn’t bombed them yet, and the noises from the dogfight above made it impossible to hear any footsteps.

Gérard and Kang Chan gasped as they neared the top. “

Haah

!

Haah

!”

They were going to catch their motherfucking enemy so they could escape to the cave!

Kang Chan pointed Gérard to three spots, ordering him to take them.

Haah. Haah.

Catching his breath, Kang Chan slowly moved forward. In front of him was a patch of grass at an odd angle, a tree rising out of nowhere in the middle of the grass, and an area that was raised above the ground.

Swiiiiiish!

Hearing the jumble of airplanes sent a shiver down his spine. Nevertheless, he focused on what he could see.

They only had eight men facing the enemy’s thirty.

His first instinct was to have them take cover in the cave and, if possible, get their allies’ planes away from enemy skies.

Perhaps it was because of the planes above them, but the wind was a little stronger now that they were higher up.

Kang Chan moved slightly, leaning on trees and branches.

Where is the enemy? Where?

Gérard was still looking as well.

Kang Chan knew that the enemy had to be somewhere in this area.

Perhaps he was even right next to them or under their noses already.

Maybe he was already in the crosshairs of their rifle scopes.

At that moment, Seok Kang-Ho spoke on the radio.

Chk.

“Captain. I’m going to head in front of the cave. Get the sniper before he shoots me!”

That crazy bastard!

If the sniper turned out to be outside Kang Chan’s range, Seok Kang-Ho would be a goner.

They were rushed. With only eight friendly planes fending off thirty enemy planes, the thought of being carpet-bombed made Seok Kang-Ho impatient.

Although the planes were drawing out their voices, it was still dangerous for them to talk on the radios here.

Kang Chan scanned his surroundings. His venomous eyes glinted mercilessly.

***

Swiiiiish! Swiiish!

“Unit Six! Fall back! Fall back!”

Despite Lee Ki-Do’s urgent insistence, Unit Six stubbornly pursued the enemy Phantom.

They were all aware that the Phantom that Unit Six was after was aiming for the ground, but with an MiG on their tail, it was still too dangerous to pursue it.

Whoooosh!

The enemy plane plunged, and Unit Six followed.

“Unit Six! I said fall back!”

Hisssssss!

Unit Six fired an AMRAAM. Immediately after, the MiG that was chasing him fired an AA-11.

Boooom! Crash!

The enemy’s Phantom and Unit Six burst into flames.

Whoooooosh!

Park Seung-Yong’s aircraft plunged as if it had lost its balance. However, it quickly recovered.

Beeeeeep.

The MiG 29 that destroyed Unit Six appeared on his radar.

Click.

Hisssss.

Booooom!

‘Please!’

Park Seung-Yong prayed desperately that Kang Chan, whom he had met just a few days ago, and the ground troops with him would find a place to hide.

***

Haah. Haah.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion.

The hair on his head stood on end, and a chill ran down his neck and spine.

Let’s see if you can hide, you fucking son of a bitch!

If you can risk getting bombed just to target my men, then I’ll risk getting bombed just to fucking kill you!

Kang Chan’s bloodlust blossomed like never before.

Suddenly, he froze. His gaze locked on an area where the grass was more clumped than others. The stalks stood stiff even with the wind blowing against them.

Kang Chan put his finger on the trigger.

At that moment, Seok Kang-Ho spoke on the radio again.

Chk.

“I’m moving now.”

A

t that moment, Kang Chan saw the muzzle of a gun move.

Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!

He fired three shots into where the sniper’s head and torso likely were, then two more in succession.

Kang Chan ran forward. Almost at the same time, Gérard charged in from the side.

Pew! Pew! Pew!

Kang Chan shot the soldier guarding the sniper, who had been hit in the chest and was now coughing out blood. Gérard shot him two more times.

The RPG-7 in between them drew his attention.

These assholes had intentionally waited on this route.

What would have happened if Kang Chan and his men had flown over this area in a helicopter?

Just thinking about the consequences horrified him.

Chk.

“We got this one! There might be more, so when you go into the cave, split into teams before you enter!” Kang Chan shouted into the radio.

Swiiiiiiiiish!

Boooom! Boooom!

At that moment, the ground shook, and a huge pillar of fire rose from the mountain up ahead.

Bombs!

Chk.

“Hurry!” Kang Chan shouted.

Swiiiiiiish!

The fighter jet that had bombed the mountain in front of them dove down.

Kang Chan glanced at Gérard.

‘One! Two!’

They knew this was the only way to go. It was frustrating and maddening, but there was nothing they could do.

Dash!

Kang Chan and Gérard threw themselves down the mountain at the same time.

Crack! Crack, crack!

Did they slide down?

No. They essentially just jumped off.

If they hit a tree, their bones would break, and if they hit their heads on a rock or broke their necks, they would die.

Swoosh.

Soon, they hit a hill, sending them back into the air a little before crashing back down again.

Splat! Crack! Crack, crack!

They bounced and spun multiple times. Eventually, they started skidding across the ground, the sharp rocks in their way cutting through their thighs.

Crack! Crack, crack!

Every time their chests hit large rocks, their breaths were forced out of them.

It felt like the ground and the entire world around them were spinning.

However, this was the fastest way they could descend the mountain.

Boooom! Boom!

The ground shook violently again. The place that they had just been standing on earlier was engulfed in a sea of fire.

If they had been just a little late...

Thud! Thud!

Kang Chan and Gérard were thrust to the bottom of the mountain.

Rumble!

They could barely breathe, let alone groan.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

As dirt rained down on them, Kang Chul-Gyu and Nam Il-Gyu tightly yanked Kang Chan inside.

***

Swoooooooosh!

Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon soared, seemingly defying gravity.

The enemies had started bombarding the ground. This was why Unit Six had been willing to die to take out even just one Phantom!

Swiiiiiiiiish!

“Unit Eight! You’ve got bogie on your six!” Lee Ki-Do shouted again. “The ground troops won’t be able to make it if we can’t take down these bastards!”

Whooooosh!

Park Seung-Yong forcefully made his airplane swerve.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep!

The enemy’s MiG followed behind him. He didn’t even need to look at the radar to know.

Park Seung-Yong spun the side stick in a circle. In an instant, the sky and ground were turned upside down and then returned to their respective places.

Whooooosh!

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

Beeeeeeep!

The MiG that was chasing after him was now in front of him.

Click. Hissssss!

Avoiding the explosion, Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon, dove toward the ground.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

‘How?’

Park Seung-Yong felt a chill run down his spine.

Boooooom! Boooom!

The Phantom that Unit Eight had shot and the MiG that Park Seung-Yong had been fighting burst into flames in midair at the same time.

Booooooooom!

Park Seung-Yong made the Falcon fly to the side again before soaring vertically.

“Unit Eight! Turn around! Turn around!” Lee Ki-Do radioed.

“It’s too late! Please protect our allies—!”

Booooooom!

Unit Eight exploded in mid-air.

Booooooooom!

They barely had enough fuel to head back to base now. It was time to leave.

Swiiiiiiish!

“Got it! I got it!” Unit Four exclaimed.

Right after, the enemy’s Tomcat exploded.

Booooooooooom!

“This is Unit Five! I’ve got an enemy on my tail! Cover me!”

Whooooooosh!

Park Seung-Yong immediately dropped down behind Lee Ki-Do’s Falcon.

“I’ll cover our rear, Unit Five!” Park Seung-Yong shouted.

“Get in my fucking radius!” Lee Ki-Do shouted at the wild Phantom that he was chasing.

Neither Lee Ki-Do nor any other pilots in the air were worried about fuel.

They were prepared to fight to the death.

Park Seung-Yong couldn’t be prouder of his squadron.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep!

Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon cried out in danger.

“Hurry! Unit Five!”

“Got him!”

Hisssssss!

Swiiiiish! Booooooooom!

Lee Ki-Do swung to the left, and Park Seung-Yong to the right.

Boooooooooooom!

The Phantom exploded loudly, destroying the MiG that was chasing after Lee Ki-Do.

Swiiiiiiiish!

Park Seung-Yong wasn’t one to let any opportunity like this pass him by. His Falcon swerved to the left, then stalked a panicking MiG.

Click.

Hissssssss!

Boooooooom!

As the Falcon soared high and wide, the MiG burst into pieces.

***

If a hundred people, one after the other, pounded someone with sharp stones, their target would be in the same state as Kang Chan and Gérard currently were.

They were scratched, torn, and had gouges all over them.

They couldn’t even be wrapped in bandages anymore.

“Daye.”

“Got it.”

Seok Kang-Ho walked over to Kang Chan and cut a piece from a bandage with his bayonet. Then, he shoved it into the open wounds with his fingers.

‘Kegh.’

It wasn’t just one or two injuries.

As the DMZ team looked on with curiosity, Seok Kang-Ho rolled up the bandages and tucked them into Kang Chan’s body in more than half a dozen places.

“Let’s tie you up.”

“Take care of Gérard first.”

Following Kang Chan’s command, Seok Kang-Ho went to Gérard and stuck bandages into his wounds as well.

The cave was quite deep.

As Kwak Cheol-Ho came over and tied Kang Chan’s wounds until his blood was barely circulating, they heard multiple noises from outside.

Swiiiiiiish! Booooooom!

“Yoon Sang-Ki! Can you communicate with the fighter jets?” Kang Chan shouted, looking back. The sounds coming from the fighter jets echoed through the cave, drowning out any other sounds.

“I can try!”

“Then set the radio for me!”

Yoon Sang-Ki pulled out a brick-sized radio and held it to his ear.

***

Swiiiiiiiish! Swiiiish!

Beeeeeeeep!

Park Seung-Yong took down another Tomcat.

Click.

Hissssss!

The moment the Sidewinder went flying, Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon flew sideways, spinning as if performing aerial acrobatics.

Boooooom!

“I got it! Cover me! Cover me!” Lee Ki-Do shouted again.

Whoooooooosh!

Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon spun and soared behind Lee Ki-Do.

“I got you, Unit Five!”

Swiiiiiiiiiish! Swiiish! Swiiiiiiish!

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon beeped loudly in warning.

He couldn’t move away from behind Unit Five right now and let Lee Ki-Do die.

Swiiiiiiiish!

Unit Five sank, following the Phantom that had suddenly plunged down. Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon chased them.

They quickly swept past the mountains, swerving sharply around the bends.

Whoooooosh!

Right after, he violently soared higher into the skies.

Hisssssssss!

The moment Lee Ki-Do fired a Sidewinder, Unit Five and Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon crossed past each other.

Whooooosh! Swiiiish!

Hissssss!

The enemy’s Tomcat hurriedly soared through the air to avoid a collision with Unit Five.

Whoooooosh!

However, Unit Five suddenly spun and followed closely behind the Tomcat’s back.

Chk.

“Dispatch center! We are safe! Get yourselves to safety now!” Kang Chan shouted over the radio.

Whooooooosh!

Park Seung-Yong covered Unit Five’s rear again.

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

The enemies weren’t fools, and there were many of them too.

The surviving MiGs and Tomcats were all racing to catch Park Seung-Yong first.

“We don’t have enough fuel to go back! We’ll do our best to stop the enemy planes, so please protect South Korea!” Park Seung-Yong shouted in response.

At that moment, everyone could hear their conversation.

Whoooooosh!

As if to answer him, Lee Ki-Do doggedly followed the writhing enemy Tomcat.

“There’s no time! Hurry! Unit Five!”

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

Park Seung-Yong couldn’t move away. Otherwise, Lee Ki-Do would be left wide open.

Swiiiiiiiiish!

In the blink of an eye, Park Seung-Yong flew behind Unit Five, which had spun in the air twice.

“UFOs approaching! Speed 900 knots! There are too many of them! I repeat! Multiple UFOs approaching!” Unit Two radioed urgently.

Whooooooosh!

Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.

Park Seung-Yong’s Falcon did its best to avoid the MiG behind it.