Kang Chul-Gyu wiggled a protruding rock on the slope free. The world had changed. Where there used to be snipers, rifles, and mines, now there were snipers wielding RPG-7s, also known as ‘

Allah's magic wand.’

Whizzzz! Whizzzz!

Missiles kept flying toward their position. However, they were no longer coming as fiercely as they had been earlier perhaps because his men had gone into hiding.

It was funny how the world worked, though. To his surprise, after being blasted into the air three times, he landed out of the missile range.

Brushing off his head, Kang Chul-Gyu settled down on the slope as if it were a makeshift fishing chair. Like a wild boar that had just dug up potatoes, his face and body were completely covered in mud. His back and right shoulder tingled, possibly hit by shrapnel, and blood was oozing from all over him.

Pfft.

Brushing his hair with his hand, Kang Chul-Gyu realized that he had clotted blood on his hair and the back of his hand. Fortunately, Kang Chan didn’t have to see him like this.

A missile whizzed out of nowhere. A massive explosion followed, shaking the slope where Kang Chul-Gyu was sitting.

Swoosh, swoosh!

Dust and soil tumbled down below. Their pathetic enemies seemed to know nothing else but how to hold a missile.

Nevertheless, Kang Chul-Gyu decided it was time to show them why the Russian, Chinese, and North Korean special forces feared him and the DMZ team.

While surveying his surroundings, he pressed a button on his radio.

Chk.

"Nam Il-Gyu."

Chk.

"Sunbae-nim! We have two dead and three injured,” Nam Il-Gyu replied.

Chk.

"I’ve got one dead and five injured on my side,” Yang Dong-Sik reported.

Chk.

"I want everyone fit for combat on stand-by. It’s time to turn the tables. Show them how we retaliate.”

Chk.

"Yes, sir. What about the control room, sir? What should we tell them? We agreed to report any enemy sightings…"

Kang Chul-Gyu stood up.

Chk.

"Nam Il-Gyu, handle the report. Tell them we'll take care of it."

Chk.

"Copy."

As the huge moon hung high above them, shining down amid the starry sky of Afghanistan, Kang Chul-Gyu turned to the mountain where the enemy was. His eyes glinted ferociously like a furious panther.

I'll hang their heads on trees!

It doesn’t matter if they're Spetsnaz, Baekryong, or airborne troops!

He would let his enemies know that he and the DMZ team had passed through and rampaged here.

***

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

As the 606 fired at the mountain where they suspected their enemies were hiding, Jeong Won-Min accepted a brick-sized radio.

“Control room! This is the 606! We've encountered enemy snipers! We haven’t figured out their numbers yet, but we already have three dead on our side!" He exclaimed, then repeated his message.

Right after, he heard Kang Chan on the radio. "606! Can you get out of there?"

"The snipers across the river are pinning us down! Requesting permission to handle this ourselves!"

A brief silence followed.

"Understood. Permission granted, 606!"

"Copy that, Command!"

Jeong Won-Min handed over the radio to one of his men and eyed the opposite bank of the shallow river, which had mounds of dirt rising like islands amid the twisted stream. The enemy snipers were well-hidden, and they had all stopped firing.

You think snipers are enough to take us down? Dream on! You have no idea how hard I trained my men, but you’re about to find out!

Jeong Won-Min turned his head.

"Han Jeong-Su! Jeong Wook! Take four men each and cross over! Park Nam-Gi! Cover them from this side!"

"Yes, sir!"

The instant Han Jeong-Su jumped into action, enemy fire erupted, and the soldiers immediately retaliated.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

***

Cha Dong-Gyun and the Jeungpyeong special forces team unleashed a relentless barrage of bullets. The enemies had blocked the mountain path with a truck like barbarians buying time while they prepared to storm a castle.

To be fair, climbing this mountain without any cover would be a daunting task. Although its relatively low height was a definite drawback, the ridge gave the defenders a strategic advantage.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Tuk tuk tuk! Tuk tuk tuk! Tuk tuk!

Amid the rifle gunshots, the Jeungpyeong special forces team’s snipers took down the enemies armed with missiles and machine guns.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

'What else are these guys waiting for?'

Cha Dong-Gyun surveyed his surroundings. He then suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

Chk.

"Snipers! Watch the truck!"

Flap! Flap! Flap! Flap! Flap!

At that moment, the enemies removed the tarp behind the truck, revealing five machine guns. The weapons swiftly blazed.

Tatatatatatatatatat! Tatatatatatatatatat!

Cha Dong-Gyun, Kwak Cheol-Ho, Yoon Sang-Ki, and their snipers’ positions were riddled with bullets, causing dust and soil to explode into the air.

Cha Dong-Gyun ducked down.

Tuk tuk tuk! Tuk tuk tuk tuk! Tuk tuk!

While they were under heavy fire, their enemies charged all at once.

***

After communicating with Nam Il-Gyu and Jeong Won-Min, Kang Chan turned on the satellite phone and dialed a number. The call rang thrice before he heard Kim Hyung-Jung on the line, quickly saying everything he had to say.

- This is the situation room. The enemy seems to have figured out our positions via satellite. Once we hang up, we'll jam the satellite again, so we won’t be able to use the satellite phone for a while.

- Except for you, Command, all other teams are under attack.

The others had already told Kang Chan as much.

"Anything else I should know?" Kang Chan asked.

- We are conducting an internal investigation, but there’s nothing special to report yet.

"Alright. I'll call you at zero eight hundred tomorrow."

After hanging up, Kang Chan looked at the dark sky and called Vasili.

Fucking satellites!

'Why are the enemies attacking all other positions aside from ours?’

Kang Chan wondered as he listened to the dial tone.

- Monsieur Kang.

Kang Chan was so surprised by the voice that he was momentarily rendered speechless.

- Monsieur Kang?

"Mr. Ambassador?"

- Do you ever get surprised, Monsieur Kang?

Kang Myung-Gu and the other members glanced curiously at Kang Chan as he spoke French in a way that felt different compared to when he was conversing with Gérard.

- This phone number will be invalid in five minutes, so let me get straight to the point. Special forces teams from the French Foreign Legion, Russia, China, and Germany have departed. The DGSE and Russian intelligence bureau have determined that the missiles Ivan sold do not have nuclear warheads mounted on them.

"Does that mean there are no nuclear missiles?"

- It’s more likely that they can be launched directly from a submarine. Since the OTP is in Korea, they might have found another method.

"I see."

- Monsieur Kang.

"Mr. Ambassador."

Despite the urgent situation, Lanok called out to Kang Chan softly. It was clear that he had more to say.

- The submarine Alex is in the North Pacific. Their nuclear missiles’ target might not be Korea.

What is this all about?

Kang Chan cocked his head in wonder.

- Alex is clearly aiming for the USA. On the surface, everyone would see this as Russian nuclear warheads being launched from a Russian submarine.

Damn it!

Kang Chan glared at the sky.

This is why they’ve got to stop needlessly creating weapons. Just like that satellite.

- Sherman seems to be panicking now. The US has been searching for Alex, but they cannot react rashly. It's just like the situation with the Titanic.

The Titanic? The ship that sunk after it boasted so much about its grandeur? What does that have to do with this?

- US aircraft carriers are moving, and fighters are on standby, but they cannot strike Afghanistan because they don't know where the launch device is or if they have another OTP.

"Do we have at least a small lead?"

- Unfortunately, we don’t. That's why we have to leave this matter to you and Korea's special forces teams... Figure it out... the only way… Monsieur Kang…

“Mr. Ambassador? Sir! Hello?!” Kang Chan shouted. Receiving no response, he turned off the satellite phone.

It was a little over eight in the evening now. They were three hours away from the DMZ team and five hours from the 606.

Kang Chan gazed toward where Kang Chul-Gyu and Jeong Won-Min would be.

"Everyone, on me!"

The agents quickly huddled together. Seok Kang-Ho, Choi Jong-Il, Gérard, and Woo Hee-Seung guarded their perimeter.

"The DMZ team has encountered the enemy here, and the 606 is being pinned down by snipers here. Both sides have reported three casualties," said Kang Chan.

Kang Myung-Gu and the other agents’ eyes glinted as they looked up from the map.

Kang Chan continued, "Special forces teams from France, Russia, China, and Germany have already been deployed. However, there’s likely a nuclear launch device somewhere in the Rukha area that will launch the nuclear missiles themselves from a submarine in the North Pacific to the USA."

From their location, Kang Chan drew a line toward Rukha with his index finger.

"Instead of moving around the outskirts, we will be pushing straight through this path. This should cut our time by at least five to six hours."

Kang Myung-Gu nodded.

"The mountains luckily aren't that tall. Still, it’ll be hard to carry all this equipment. We should eat once more here before we depart."

They had to be quick.

The DMZ team and the 606 were fiercely battling the enemy as they spoke. Moreover, considering the Jeungpyeong special forces team hadn’t had time to communicate, they were likely already in combat.

Unfortunately, no matter how urgent the situation, there was a limit to what they could endure.

"Pack light. Ammunition, grenades, medkits, water, and just one more meal. Once we leave, we’re not stopping until we reach our target location.”

The agents gritted their teeth, their blood boiling with the desire to depart immediately and their hearts aching for their colleagues who were in difficult situations.

"Go eat."

The agents nodded and quickly settled down.

Chomp. Chomp.

Kang Chan relayed the situation to Gérard again in French.

"Here you go, sir.”

One of the agents handed them C-rations. Kang Chan, Gérard, and Woo Hee-Seung, with their rifles slung over their right shoulders, put rice balls into their mouths.

Chomp. Chomp.

In the vast area of Rukha, they had to find or destroy the nuclear launch device.

As they ate, Kang Chan once again looked in the direction of the DMZ team and the 606. Soon after, he surveyed the area where the Jeongpyeong special forces team should be.

Hearing a rustle twice, Kang Chan put a rice ball, slightly bigger than a fist, into his mouth and chewed quickly.

I've had enough of this kind of life.

However, someone had to do it. This was the only way to build the South Korea that Song Chang-Wook and Hwang Ki-Hyun had dreamed of.

"Gérard, I'll take point with Daye. You cover our rear. I’ll position Choi Jong-Il and Kang Myung-Gu in the middle," Kang Chan ordered.

"Oui."

Kang Chan drank from his water pack and then stood up.

"Choi Jong-Il! I want you and Kang Myung-Gu in the middle of our formation. Daye and I will take point. We’ll be picking up the pace from here on out, but let me know immediately if you notice any problems."

"Yes, sir."

Kang Chan moved to the very front and approached Seok Kang-Ho. His body was screaming at him to slow down, seemingly irritated by the pain.

"Let's go."

"Copy," Seok Kang-Ho answered.

Seok Kang-Ho followed Kang Chan, and so did the rest of the team. They had long since forgotten the number of enemies waiting for them at Rukha—no, they simply no longer cared.

Isn't this what special forces teams are for? A small elite force exerting unimaginable power.

The DMZ team, 606, and Jeungpyeong special forces team would handle their parts.

I trust them. That’s why I brought them with me in the first place.

***

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The Jeungpyeong special forces team’s snipers risked their lives to target the machine gunners. Having experienced countless battles before, they no longer felt as if they had to rush.

Ratatatatatat!

Thanks to their machine guns, the enemies had closed the distance between them and the Jeungpyeong special forces team by ten meters. enemies in black uniforms and dark hoods charged at them head-on.

Ratatatatat!

No matter how many bullets they fired, the enemies kept coming, steadily closing the distance and stubbornly climbing the slope. They were like demons trying to burst out of a portal connecting this world to hell.

Ratatatat! Bang!

Click!

"Reloading!" Cha Dong-Gyun shouted as he swiftly changed magazines. Even in that brief moment, the enemies continued to push toward them.

Click-clack!

Bang! Bang! Ratatatatat!

Not long after, Kwak Cheol-Ho shouted, “Changing mags! Cover me!”

In response, Cha Dong-Gyun immediately turned to Kwak Cheol-Ho’s twelve and rained down bullets on the enemies.

A moment later, Kwak Cheol-Ho resumed opening fire. At the same time, an enemy managed to reach Cha Dong-Gyun.

"Inshallah!"

Before the enemy could do anything, Cha Dong-Gyun fired two bullets into his chest.

Bang! Bang!

Flash! Crash!

However, during that time, two more enemies had managed to close in on him. It was already too late to shoot them. Even if he could take down one, he’d be an easy kill for the other.

‘You bastards!’

Cha Dong-Gyun swiftly unsheathed the knife attached to his ankle.

Swoosh!

‘I've seen and experienced this kind of thing countless times!’

Swiftly, he grabbed the charging enemy by the collar and stabbed him in the neck. Right after, he turned the enemy around like a shield.

Crash! Thud!

Bang! Thud! Thud-thud! Bang! Ratatatatat!

The first line of defense had collapsed.

"Hold them off!”

Whistle! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The only silver lining they could see was that the second line of defense could now provide them with cover.

It doesn’t matter if it kills me! I’ve got to give it my all!

He would face the enemy with just a knife in hand—just as Kang Chan had.

"Do not back down! Don’t let them get past us!"

Crack! Splatter! Crack! Crack!

Amid the enemy gunfire and advance, the snipers stubbornly protected Cha Dong-Gyun.

Boom! Bang! Boom! Bang! Boom! Bang!

'I’ve been taught this too!'

Ping!

When a sniper took down an enemy, Cha Dong-Gyun used the brief opening to pull the pin of a grenade.

'I just gotta keep doing what he did back then!'

Whoosh!

Cha Dong-Gyun threw the grenade, then swung his knife three more times.

Whistle! Whistle! Whistle!

About ten meters below him, a large explosion erupted.

Boom!

Ping! Ping!

Cha Dong-Gyun wasn’t the only one who had learned from combat. Kwak Cheol-Ho fought just as well and hard as he did.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Crack! Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the neverending gunshots overlapped one another, two more explosions reverberated.

Boom! Boom!

'This is it!'

Cha Dong-Gyun recalled the time he defeated enemies in a rundown house in Afghanistan. The moment his enemies lost the initiative, they immediately fled from the area they had been so desperate to claim.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The enemies staggered and fell as if dancing. However, he could still hear more enemies breathing heavily near him.

Cha Dong-Gyun met their gleaming eyes that seemed to say “Surprise! Injustice! And the desire to kill Cha Dong-Gyun!”

The enemy kept his glare on Cha Dong-Gyun as he flailed and tumbled down the slope.

You want to take me to hell with you, don’t you, you fucking bastards?! Well, guess what? I don’t give a fuck! Go do whatever you want. You can even turn into a ghost and haunt me. No matter how hard you try to scare me, you’ll never cross this line we’re holding!

I don’t care what it takes! I’m fulfilling the mission that the captain and South Korea have entrusted to me!

Cha Dong-Gyun shot the writhing enemy.

Bang! Bang!