Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: 12.8 Military Coup (4)
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The key to the coup orchestrated by Lee Sung-jun was sticking strictly to the timetable.
If they failed to complete their assigned missions within the deadline, the entire schedule would unravel.
In particular, the arrest team's mission to seize Park Han-jin's official residence carried the heaviest weight.
Captain Lee Sung-myung, who had been dispatched to the residence on Army Minister Lee Sung-jun's orders instead of heading to the ministry, linked up with a plainclothes team led by Colonel Kim Sung-ju, the Guard Unit's personnel staff officer who had been waiting nearby.
"From now on, I'm taking command. Any objections?"
"None, Colonel."
Even if there had been, the difference in rank made it impossible to voice them.
Kim Sung-ju nodded and led his troops toward the residence's entrance.
At the entrance stood the residence guard detail, wearing Marine Corps insignia.
"Halt! Halt!"
"I'm Colonel Kim Sung-ju of the Army Criminal Investigation Division."
As the plainclothes commander, Colonel Kim Sung-ju, and a few plainclothes soldiers approached, several Marines stepped forward to check their IDs.
"What's this about?"
"We have urgent business and need to see His Excellency. Please step aside."
"Please wait a moment. I'll notify the residence manager and handle it."
A young Marine lieutenant hurried into the guard post and picked up the phone.
Kim Sung-ju watched him for a moment before giving the signal.
"Wha—what?"
The soldiers at the entrance had no chance to resist before the plainclothes officers snatched their rifles.
Bang!
A single gunshot rang out amid the chaos.
At that instant, Captain Lee Sung-myung and the military police platoon, who had been waiting out of sight against the wall near the entrance, came charging in.
The Marine lieutenant in charge of the guard post saw his men being subdued during the ID check and yelled into the phone he'd just connected.
"Manager! Armed intruders are breaking in!"
The lieutenant barely got the words out before the plainclothes officers beat him down, leaving him sprawled on the floor.
Kim Sung-ju grimaced and issued an order.
"Captain Lee, secure the entrance and take control up to the inner offices. We'll handle arresting Park Han-jin."
"Understood."
Kim Sung-ju's group drove straight into the residence grounds.
By the time the arrest team stormed the front gate, Army Minister Park Han-jin was having tea with his secretary chief, Colonel Bae Jun-su.
"I'm sorry I couldn't promote you this time."
"Not at all, Your Excellency. Your concern alone is more than enough."
"I'll make sure to create an opportunity next time, so don't worry too much."
"Yes, sir."
Their warm exchange, a rare moment of encouraging a subordinate, was interrupted when Residence Manager Warrant Officer Ha Kyung-tae reported in.
"Your Excellency, the Defense Security Command secretary chief says he has an urgent matter to report."
"Is that so? Ah, Secretary Chief Bae, have a seat."
Park Han-jin followed the residence manager and picked up the phone.
Park Han-jin had no idea what he was about to hear.
That was why he spoke to the DSC secretary chief in an utterly calm tone.
"Yes, what's going on? What? Signs of a coup are strongly suspected? Explain in detail!"
Park Han-jin's voice suddenly rose in anger at the shocking news.
Colonel Bae Jun-su, who had been sipping tea in the living room, jumped in surprise and rushed to the switchboard room.
"What the hell has the DSC been doing! If the MPs are mobilizing, it's a clear coup—how do they expect us to react now that they've finally figured it out! Got it. Sound the alarm, and tell the DSC commander to report to the Army Ministry immediately!"
Park Han-jin slammed down the phone.
"Secretary Chief!"
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"I'm heading to the Army Ministry now. Get the car ready."
"Understood."
"Ah, Warrant Officer Ha."
"Yes."
"How many troops do we have at the residence?"
"The Marines have one company stationed nearby. Security is handled by two squads on rotating duty."
"Contact the Marines and tell them to reinforce the residence perimeter. And prepare a five-vehicle escort for when I head to the ministry."
"Understood."
While Park Han-jin went to change into his uniform, Warrant Officer Ha relayed the minister's instructions over the phone.
Just then, the other line rang.
"Ah, what now. I'm swamped."
Warrant Officer Ha picked up the receiver.
The moment he did, gunfire erupted, followed by a young Marine lieutenant screaming and the sounds of him being pummeled.
Then the line went dead.
"No way."
Ha Kyung-tae realized all hell had broken loose.
"Secretary Chief! Secretary Chief!"
Ha Kyung-tae urgently called for the secretary chief.
"Manager, what's going on?"
"The residence is under attack right now. We need to get His Excellency out immediately."
"What?"
Bae Jun-su was stunned but knew there was no time to waste.
"Aide! Aide!"
At Bae Jun-su's shout, the minister's aide-de-camp, Captain Lee In-gyeom, came running with his pistol holstered.
"Yes, sir."
"We need to get His Excellency out of the residence right now."
Bae Jun-su rushed upstairs to the minister's room and pounded on the door.
"What is it now?"
"There's no time to explain. The residence is under attack."
"What?"
Park Han-jin may have spent a long time as a politician, but he had once been a field soldier.
He instinctively grasped how dire the situation was.
Without a word, Park Han-jin headed downstairs without even grabbing his coat.
Park Han-jin's wife emerged, sensing the commotion, and followed him.
"It's dangerous, so you should come with us."
"Got it."
Park Han-jin's group headed toward the residence wall.
Gunfire suddenly poured down in front of them, followed by a shout.
"Park Han-jin! Surrender if you want to live!"
The moment Aide-de-Camp Captain Lee In-gyeom drew his pistol, bullets tore through his body.
"Captain Lee!"
Bae Jun-su roared in fury, but the dead man couldn't be helped.
Park Han-jin's lips trembled.
He had never faced a threat like this in his entire life.
'Me? Park Han-jin, captured by these lowlifes?'
"Drop the gun!"
Another burst of gunfire rang out.
Colonel Bae Jun-su hesitated before dropping his pistol.
"Your Excellency, think of the lady's safety."
Park Han-jin gritted his teeth and dropped his gun.
"Fine, you bastards. Weapons down. Who the hell are you, trying to take me in?"
"Army Criminal Investigation Division. We'll explain the details at headquarters."
"Criminal Investigation Division? Oh Jung-gu would never issue such an order!"
"What's the holdup? Take him."
The plainclothes officers swiftly closed in and arrested Park Han-jin.
They loaded only Park Han-jin and Bae Jun-su into their vehicle and sped away from the residence.
Residence Manager Ha Kyung-tae watched from afar, then hurriedly scaled the wall and slipped into the Army Quartermaster General's residence.
"Huff. Huff."
"What happened? Why are you covered in dirt?"
Warrant Officer Ha ignored the quartermaster general's residence manager's question and grabbed the phone first.
He immediately called the Marines.
"This is Army Minister Residence Manager Ha Kyung-tae. Yes. His Excellency the Army Minister has just been kidnapped. Don't know the affiliation. They claimed to be Army Criminal Investigation Division. Yes. Dispatch immediately."
The Marines dispatched a five-vehicle unit to the residence right away upon Ha Kyung-tae's call.
They also notified the Army Ministry that the minister had been kidnapped.
Of course, the ministry already sensed something was gravely wrong.
The DSC had reported signs of a coup, and gunfire reports had come in as well.
The senior-most general still at the ministry, the Chief of Staff, frantically made calls everywhere, but he couldn't reach any of the key commanders at their residences.
Even the Capital Defense Command commander was out of contact.
The Chief of Staff settled for calling the 3rd Army Commander.
The only senior commander he could reach right away was General Kang Ki-jeong of the 3rd Army.
The moment Kang Ki-jeong picked up, he was horrified to hear Park Han-jin had been kidnapped.
"This is a real coup unfolding. We're in deep shit. What do you need from me?"
"Your Excellency, please prevent any 3rd Army troops from moving without Army Ministry authorization."
"The units under 3rd Army right now are the 16th and 17th Reserve Divisions, 12th and 33rd Infantry Divisions, 1st Guard Division, and the Guard Unit. But the 16th, 17th, 1st Guard Division, and Guard Unit have no division commanders, and the 12th and 33rd are a ways from Pyongyang. How could units like that move?"
"These are the guys who moved the MPs without the Provost Marshal knowing. If battalion commanders and ops staff band together to push out orders, how are units without commanders supposed to control them?"
"Got it. I'll check and call you back."
The moment Kang Ki-jeong hung up, the phone rang again.
"Commander Kang Ki-jeong here."
"Your Excellency, units under the 16th and 17th Reserve Divisions are mobilizing toward Pyongyang."
"What? What did you say?"
Kang Ki-jeong was stunned and called the division, but the chiefs of staff could only say they were helpless.
"The battalion commanders and ops staff are teaming up to force the mobilization orders. What am I supposed to do?"
"Lie down in front of the gates if you have to. No mobilization!"
Kang Ki-jeong bellowed into the phone, but the situation was even graver.
Reports came in that the Guard Unit was mobilizing too.
"Your Excellency, the Guard Unit is mobilizing."
"Whose orders?"
"Ops staff orders."
"No mobilization without field army command. Stand down!"
"If the division issues the order, we'll comply."
Kang Ki-jeong called the division, but they denied any such thing.
While the 3rd Army commander clutched the phone in futile efforts, DSC Commander Lee Jung-ju arrived at the DSC headquarters.
He had narrowly escaped the arrest team sent by Lee Sung-jun thanks to a last-second tip-off, but he was appalled to see how badly things had spiraled.
"Who the hell is crazy enough to lead a coup and let things get this out of hand?"
"According to the intercepts, it's Lee Sung-jun."
"That bastard was supposed to be touring central Pyongyang until 7:30, wasn't he?"
"It was a feint. He's set up his command post at the Guard Unit right now."
"Son of a bitch."
Lee Jung-ju ground his teeth.
Things had come to this—they had no choice but to go all in.