140. Recapture Operation (2)
As the day of the decisive battle drew near, Jeong Dong-gun deliberately baited the Immortal Cult, drawing their eyes to the allied forces' detachment. Normally, battles ended in tepid skirmishes—fight just enough, then pull back at the right moment. But this time, it was different. Like men possessed, the allies launched a ferocious assault on the Immortal Cult, hitting them so hard that the cultists fell back on the defensive, convinced the coalition was spoiling for a real fight.
The Immortal Cult scrambled to regroup, pouring troops into the fray to counter the onslaught. Without hesitation, the allies withdrew their forces to Ulsan Airport. It was as if the attack was a stark warning—don't underestimate the coalition garrison here—followed by a retreat that forced the cult into a grinding siege on the fortress. The goal: make them think this was all there was to it.
"Perfect—no moon tonight."
"Can't have them spotting the fleet by moonlight. Good timing."
But the allies' true aim was to fix the Immortal Cult's gaze on Ulsan Airport, blinding them to the Pohang fleet's movements. The flotilla, already loaded with troops from Pohang, arrived in Ulsan waters right on schedule, around 6:30 p.m. They melted into the dark sea and sky, engines off, drifting silently as they awaited the promised signal.
"Damn, this is tense."
Jin A-yeon had joined the morning clash at Ulsan Airport to make sure the enemy knew she was there, then slipped away from the front lines around lunchtime. She led the handpicked suicide squad straight to Pohang, boarding a ship from the Pohang fleet. Now, resting her battle-weary body inside the vessel, she wore a faintly tense expression as she waited for Jeong Dong-gun's signal from Ulsan Airport command.
No problem. We've prepped for this op like crazy.
It was a solid plan with high odds of success, backed by layers of preparation. The enemy was locked onto the coalition's fierce counterattack at the airport—they wouldn't react fast to a crossing. And above all...
"Nice to meet you."
"Y-Yu-na...? No, you're not."
...the Dragon Priestess Baek Seol-hwa was joining the op. Seol-hwa, who'd been admiral of the Pohang fleet, had insisted to Jeong Dong-gun that she couldn't sit this crucial mission out. She'd climbed aboard Jin A-yeon's ship to see Ulsan Airport's hero up close, and A-yeon had mistaken her for Yu-na, overwhelmed by the massive mana radiating from the girl.
"Afraid not—I'm Baek Seol-hwa. A-yeon unnie."
Seol-hwa replied with a beaming smile, offering a handshake despite the disappointment. Realizing the girl reaching out was even younger than Yu-na, A-yeon flushed awkwardly but took her hand and introduced herself.
"Uh, yeah. You know me. Jin A-yeon. So... Dragon Priestess?"
"That's right. I'm Seol-hwa, priestess of Bahamut, guardian of Pohang. I'm here to support you all in this crossing operation."
A-yeon ventured the question about the famous second Dragon Priestess, and Seol-hwa nodded gravely, pledging her aid. And if Baek Seol-hwa was here...
"Kim Tae-sik, captain of the Pohang fleet. I'll be ensuring your safe passage today."
...that meant her sworn navy captain, Kim Tae-sik, was too. Now fully Seol-hwa's adjutant, he waited until she'd finished greeting A-yeon, then introduced himself quietly as her subordinate. No trace of embarrassment at serving a girl younger than him—nor any mention of his old rank from the Republic of Korea days. He'd fully severed ties with his past self.
"Han Seong-geun."
"Yes, I've heard of you, Mr. Han. Deputy commander of the coalition forces, right?"
Han Seong-geun, who'd been pondering the op's success beside A-yeon, followed suit. Kim Tae-sik greeted him warmly, addressing him by his coalition title.
"Haha, just got lucky with the commander's favor... Makes my shoulders heavy, though."
Han demurred humbly, crediting it all to Jeong Dong-gun. Kim eyed him with a mix of envy and jealousy. If we hadn't opposed Jeong or the Balhut Cult, that could be my spot.
No. I'm content. Seol-hwa-nim gifted this overgenerous role to a washed-up has-been like me.
Being close to another Dragon Priestess held massive potential—no need to covet more. Sure, rivals like Seo Un-jae and Ha Jin-woo were in the mix, but fewer competitors meant Kim's path upward was clear, especially with Seol-hwa trusting his command of the ghost fleet right now. With the Pohang fleet vital for East Sea security, his promotion track was set.
"Introductions over. Time's approaching. When Jeong sends the signal, we sail. Captain, prep the fleet."
"Understood, Seol-hwa-nim. All ships: engines hot, stand by for friendly signal."
With self-intros done, Seol-hwa ordered preparations. Kim complied instantly, broadcasting to the fleet while firing up engines. Slipping through the darkness, they pushed from open waters toward Ulsan Harbor. The coastline was coalition-held, but this was insurance against any spies.
"They really poured everything into this op."
"Of course. The peninsula's situation is dicey. Balhut Cult HQ needs a win to shake off the gloom."
A-yeon marveled at the effort; Kim's face darkened as he spoke of the worsening Korean scene.
"Huh? Dicey how? What happened in the East Sea, old man?"
"Old man...? Well, fair enough. It's not the East Sea—Seoul's stirring trouble. Community chatter says its hero, Kim Su-ho, lost to the undead."
Seoul's invincible hero, the Undefeated General, had tasted defeat. A-yeon whipped around, glaring at Kim. He'd been the first superhuman on the peninsula, his feats blasted across every community forum.
"What? Kim Su-ho's dead? That guy?"
"Sources say he survived. But his forces fell back to the Han River line and went defensive. They lost everything—even Myeongdong—back to the undead."
"Not that bad, then?"
Kim Su-ho himself hadn't fallen; it was just a pushback from reclaimed turf. One step forward, two back—par for the course. The Balhut Cult had abandoned unusable land too. A-yeon shrugged it off.
"The problem's the failed Seoul recapture. Success would've proven the Republic endures."
A win there could've let Kim's faction claim the legitimate government mantle, unlike the Balhut Cult's clean break. But failure left the Gangnam provisional regime stalled.
"Kim pulled back, focusing on Seongnam, Suwon, Gwangju, Yongin. Says it's to rescue survivors."
"In other words, he's writing off Seoul—Gangbuk."
"Abandoning Seoul?!"
In apocalypse or not, Seoul was the peninsula's heart, its symbolic core. Reclaim it, and the provinces would follow. Kim's push was to stem local breakaways eyeing independence.
"Yeah. Things are rough. Giving up reclaimed land means the undead in Seoul are rampant."
"Kim's got all the top awakeners. If even he bails, Seoul's gotta be hell."
"Doesn't that make the Han River the new front line?"
If the hero faltered, Seoul was likely a nightmare. A-yeon paled at the thought of the Han as undead frontline.
"Heh, with old Republic remnants in Seoul, you could say Korea lost to the apocalypse."
"Harsh."
"But the hero lives, forces intact. Seoul's still viable—for now."
Hope lingered. Kim Su-ho would rally, fight on. Well-equipped, unbroken will—he'd succeed next time.
"From his view, he was surrounded. Needs a solid rear base. Talk of ditching Seoul's just forum bluster."
"Sounds like our Ulsan Airport siege. Tell me more."
A-yeon's curiosity piqued, but...
"Hmph. Chat time's over."
Jeong Dong-gun's signal arrived.
"Not the Han, but let's cross anyway."
At Seol-hwa's command, the fleet surged toward Ulsan Harbor, aiming to ferry troops into South Ulsan. Ships closed in a blink.
"Ghost fleet ahead! Linked to the Immortal Cult after all!"
"Affirmative. But not our foes. All ships, prep as usual."
"Roger!"
The enemy reacted swiftly to the sudden fleet but summoned ghost ships instead of shore troops—too abrupt. This confirmed Balhut intel on the ghost fleet's Immortal ties, and...
"All ships, ready! The Dragon Priestess descends personally!"
...a golden chance to weaken them. Seol-hwa strode onto deck, flashing a cold smile at the ghost fleet.
Turn Undead
She invoked the victory chant over the Pohang fleet. To the ghost ships, desperate to evade it, came the dreaded holy spell—straight to the face.