139. Reclamation Operation (1)
To drag an opponent who's given no response so far to the negotiation table, they needed a powerful blow.
"In other words, a decisive victory."
Yes, they needed a victory so overwhelming that no one—not even the Immortal Cult—could deny it.
The Immortal Cult looked down on the allied forces because this cold snap had put them on the defensive. They probably thought they held the advantage...
But the truth, if laid bare, was almost the polar opposite of what these two men imagined.
"They think they've won, so now they want to negotiate? Who do they think they're kidding?! We won't talk until we've crushed them!"
"They're mocking us! Do they think we can't fight, so they're provoking us?!"
From the Immortal Cult's perspective, the Balhut Cult's victories in battle were just taunts: "Oh, look, you can't wage war after all."
Sure, if you judged purely by territory, the Immortal Cult had the edge. But in terms of tangible gains, the Balhut Cult and its allies had taken them all. All the Immortal Cult had secured were ruins in North Ulsan.
So when the allies, having seized all those real benefits, now offered "merciful negotiations from a position of equality," it could easily be seen as a malicious provocation.
"This won't be easy. They're still pushing us back even now."
"The victory conditions will have to be stringent, too."
But from Jeong Dong-gun and Han Seong-geun's viewpoint, the Immortal Cult was the one advancing, so they assumed no negotiations were on the table.
"For a definitive victory, we need to reclaim not just North Ulsan from the Immortal Cult, but the Ulsan Bridge leading to South Ulsan as well."
Their logic wasn't wrong, exactly. Aside from the Ulsan Bridge and Ulsan Airport—essential for assaulting South Ulsan—the entire North Ulsan region was in Immortal Cult hands. Practically speaking, they controlled all of Ulsan except the airport, meaning they could leverage the city's full resources. To the allies, that meant the Immortal Cult had no reason to negotiate without a clear win like reclaiming Ulsan.
Thus, the allies had to shatter that arrogance(?) of theirs completely.
"Then the operation is simple. Reclaim the Ulsan Bridge to South Ulsan. Done."
"You're making it sound way too easy, Commander!"
Yes, reclaiming the bridge to South Ulsan would seal a decisive victory for the allies. Control the bridge, and you'd physically sever North Ulsan from the Immortal Cult's main base. Detours existed, of course, but losing the central transportation hub meant no guarantees those routes were intact.
In short, secure the bridge—the traffic nexus—and the rest would fall like spoils of war.
Jeong Dong-gun had pointed that out, but his brevity drew a sour look from Jin A-yeon beside him. "Too curt—no details!"
"The bridge is the vital link between South and North Ulsan. They know its value full well. Undead forces are stationed there around the clock."
Han Seong-geun nodded at Jin A-yeon's words, adding that the Immortal Cult surely recognized the bridge's strategic worth as a transport hub. Indeed, they had undead troops garrisoned there constantly; approach carelessly, and you'd be trampled.
"Exactly. The bridge is crawling with undead units. A frontal assault would be suicide. There are probably mid-level necromancers there too. Their curses and debuffs are lethal to troops. Get hit, and neither I nor the soldiers can fight properly."
"We know."
Jin A-yeon agreed a head-on fight was impossible, citing necromancer curses and weakening spells as prime examples. Jeong Dong-gun nodded, recalling how a banshee nearly doomed the East Sea Fleet.
"That's for a frontal attack. But what if we don't go frontal?"
Which was why, in this battle, he had no intention of attacking head-on. He revealed as much to his staff. If direct assault was out, they needed another approach.
"Well, there's the detour route, but it's too far—we'd get spotted en route. Plus, that's Immortal Cult territory. You know they use it too."
Jin A-yeon had evidently considered the bypass first and dismissed it outright.
True, both sides knew the detour existed, and the Immortal Cult was already hitting allied supply lines via it.
"The mountains have no monsters, so troops used to hiking could cross. But we'd be limited to a small force. Outnumbered, reclaiming the bridge would be tough."
Or they could mimic the Immortal Cult's own tactic—cross the mountains. It was viable, just as the enemy had suggested.
"Problem is, if we're spotted, it's annihilation."
And the Immortal Cult had already demonstrated that risk. Caught out, retreat was impossible; you'd be wiped fast. It was a strategy only they could afford, with endless undead cannon fodder and no care for losses.
The allies were living humans; casualties mattered. For the Balhut Cult, with finite troops, it'd burn through their forces.
"First off, no plans for a bypass assault."
Jeong Dong-gun acknowledged Jin A-yeon's point and ruled out the detour firmly.
"You don't mean the navy, do you? A river-crossing op with naval support!"
"Precisely. We'll detach some naval assets for a crossing operation."
Han Seong-geun figured if not bypass, then navy-assisted ford. With East Sea Fleet help, ships could ferry troops to North Ulsan shores, hit the undead rear, link with frontal forces for a hammer-and-anvil.
"But didn't you say the East Sea is critical?"
The snag: East Sea was Balhut Cult turf, a profit zone. Pulling the fleet risked that, which was why they hadn't joined the war yet.
"The fleet hasn't just trailed the ghost ships for nothing. They've been studying their emergence patterns."
But the Balhut Cult hadn't idled; they'd mapped ghost ship timings.
"Tell the navy: ghost ships appear during East Sea fishing hours. Around 3 a.m., withdrawing when fishing ends. Likely mission: disrupt fishing. They occasionally target container ships, but we can coordinate with the U.S. to schedule those at our convenience."
Ghost ships hit only when it hurt Balhut profits, vanishing otherwise. Non-peak times freed the navy for Ulsan.
"So, navy usable when no ghost ships?"
"Of course, coastal watch needs ships, so not the full fleet. But a few vessels suffice to cross that river, right?"
Jeong Dong-gun confirmed limited use, but even a handful could ford a company-sized force. No enemy prep for naval crossing; succeed, and link with riverside troops for pincer on the bridge. Plus naval gunfire support upriver—odds were solid.
"More than solid. When's the crossing?"
"We usually fight from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Partly to match their pushes, but mainly because sunset hits fast around 4 now."
Jin A-yeon praised the feasibility and asked timing; Jeong Dong-gun cited current battle hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., skirmishes mostly, no big clashes as allies dodged them.
"Dark makes friend-foe ID hard. Undead seem fine with it, but they miss our traps in shadows. Nailed some big ones that way."
Plus, Korea's short days: 4 p.m. dusk, pitch black without pre-apocalypse lights. Allies struggled in dark; Immortal Cult could fight but withdrew to avoid traps.
"7 p.m. Feed the elite vanguard well beforehand, then cross."
"7 p.m.? Not bedtime yet."
Jeong Dong-gun set 7 p.m. raid; Jin A-yeon called it early—post-dinner leisure time.
"Constant fighting fatigues their brass too. Our frontliners rotate with reserves for exhaustion, right? Their leaders are worn from a month of daily war."
But that was pre-apoc logic. Here, in apocalypse warzone, post-dinner drowsiness made it prime complacency hour. No one expects raids before bedtime; Jeong Dong-gun flipped that script.
"True. Even mages need breaks when mana and mental drain bottom out. Necromancers too."
Magic's mental toll meant command rest post-battle—basic fact, backed by intel from the month-long grind.
"Alright, operation briefed. Objections?"
"None."
"None, sir."
Han Seong-geun and Jin A-yeon approved; plan set. Allies would prep for crossing.
"Already sent Sang-hee to seize North Ulsan port. They ignored it without bridge threats—light garrison."
Jeong Dong-gun had dispatched trusted adjutant Son Sang-hee ahead.
"But they'll spot our moves."
Issue: port grab endangers nearby Ulsan Bridge; Immortal Cult would guess the target.
"Yes. Told Sang-hee to take bypass routes to supply lines, framing it as anti-detour strike. They'll suspect bridge, but no hard proof pre-op."
Jeong Dong-gun countered: Sang-hee seized supply bypasses, not bridge, selling defense against detours. Distance favored bridge suspicion, but her small force couldn't take it—doubt without reinforcement.
Masterful misdirection; highlight:
"Let's prep. Bridge reclamation op."
"You're joining personally?"
"Who else? Strongest Awakener here is me—Jin A-yeon!"
Jin A-yeon volunteered as suicide squad for crossing; Han eyed her worriedly, but she stood firm: if not her, who?
"Hah. Confidence overflowing."
Han smiled wryly, unable to argue. Without her bravery, who'd dare vanguard? He figured Jeong Dong-gun planned this knowing her mettle.