The Night of Seoul

The order to launch a nuclear missile caused everyone's expressions to twist in horror. A nuclear weapon. One of the weapons whose very use is taboo. Once detonated, an entire city becomes a city of death. It takes an agonizing amount of time to fully restore a city that has been irradiated. And now, that very weapon was about to be dropped on their own country—on their capital, Pyongyang, no less. And by their own hands, at that.

Kim Seongryong, covered in blood, spoke up urgently. "C-Chairman Comrade! What are you saying right now! You mean to abandon the countless people outside?!"

The gazes of the other officials were no different from Kim Seongryong's. Pyongyang's population was approximately three million. No matter how much these high-ranking officials looked down on the common people, this was a different story. Not 30, not 300, but a staggering three million. This would go down in history. As the worst act of self-destruction ever committed by the worst political regime.

However.

"They will gladly die for me. Isn't it their natural duty as citizens of the Republic?! So, show the South Korean bastards the nuclear punishment at once!"

"Do you not know that if a nuclear bomb goes off, Pyongyang will be reduced to ashes! Are you trying to create a city of death?"

But Kim Jeong-yoon spoke with a confident expression, as if he were oblivious to such things.

"The place where I, of the Baekdu bloodline, live is Pyongyang and the Republic itself. So, prepare for launch immediately!"

Kim Jeong-yoon's gaze turned to one side. Standing there was a man in a black combat suit. It was Ri Cheol-jin, who held a seat on the Party Central Military Commission. He was also the person in charge of the nuclear launch.

"Understood, Chairman Comrade."

It was a situation Kim Jeong-yoon had already instructed him on before they even arrived here. That was why, unlike the other officials, there was no surprise on Ri Cheol-jin's face.

The White House, Washington D.C., USA.

"Mr. President! Unusual activity has been observed at North Korea's nuclear-related facilities!"

President ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Kilmer's face turned pale.

"What does that mean! Unusual activity?"

"Our analysts are viewing it as the preparation stage for a North Korean nuclear launch."

Kilmer said with a grave expression.

"Order the Pacific Integrated Military Command to raise the alert level. Specifically, contact our nearby allies, Japan and South Korea, immediately. Tell them that unusual activity has been observed in the insane North Korea."

South Korea.

Upon receiving the intelligence from the United States, the National Security Council was convened at the Blue House. The Minister of National Defense spoke up.

"The possibility of a nuclear launch from the North is currently rising."

Bang!

"Those insane bastards!"

President Cha Insoo slammed his desk.

"What is happening to the Hunter Management Department currently in North Korea? Have troops been deployed to rescue them?"

"Not yet. It is certain they are in Pyongyang, but their current location is unclear, so we are searching."

"Just when! After all our citizens are dead? Find a countermeasure quickly! Quickly!"

China.

An emergency meeting was also held by the Communist Party leadership.

"That insane pig bastard! He should have just eaten the fodder we fed him, but he’s finally gone and done it! Where on earth is the target of the nuclear launch? South Korea? Or Japan? Or maybe the United States? Surely it’s not us, right? Where is it?"

"It has not been confirmed yet. Only that there is a possibility of nuclear weapon use..."

"What about the hotline? Is it still dead?"

"The hotline has not been connected since we cut it off first."

Flames flickered in the eyes of Chairman Jiang Weichang.

"We must prepare for the worst-case scenario. Deploy troops to the North Korean border immediately!"

The Minister of National Defense nodded.

"The order to deploy the entire military has already been issued. Additionally, the nuclear missile defense system is also being activated."

"Send a warning to North Korea again! Tell them that if North Korea actually fires a nuclear weapon, and if we suffer even the slightest damage, we will demand ten thousand times the compensation."

"Understood!"

Matters regarding nuclear weapons surrounding North Korea were clearly classified. However, there are no eternal secrets.

Seoul City Hall.

Seoul Mayor Yoon Taeshin's phone rang loudly. Looking at the screen, it was Choi Moon-soo, the Head of the Emergency Response Headquarters. Yoon Taeshin answered the phone. And from the other side of the receiver, a thick male voice began to be heard.

"What did you say? Nuclear? You mean nuclear weapons?"

Yoon Taeshin's voice trembled. What kind of bolt from the blue was this in the middle of the night? Nuclear?

-Yes, Mr. Mayor. It is information that North Korea is launching nuclear weapons!

"Where is the target of the nuclear weapon?"

-Well, that is... It seems the capital of South Korea is the target."

Yoon Taeshin's eyebrows twitched.

"What does that mean! If it's a target, it's a target; what do you mean by 'it seems to be the target'!"

-That is because the Ministry of the Interior and Safety hasn't issued an official alert yet..."

Yoon Taeshin, frowning, fell into deep thought for a moment. As the mayor leading the capital of the Republic of Korea, his choices in such an emergency were important. What could he do as the Mayor of Seoul?

"We must urgently activate the Emergency Response Headquarters. Summon all departments related to disaster and safety. Is there any separate information from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of National Defense, or the Blue House?"

-Not yet, Mr. Mayor."

"Sigh... This is why civil servants are... If an incident has occurred, you have to take action quickly. Send out an emergency disaster text immediately. Send an official request for cooperation to the Gyeonggi Province Governor as well. In the worst-case scenario, we must evacuate all Seoul citizens. There must not be even a moment of hesitation."

Then, Choi Moon-soo said in a worried voice.

-But Mr. Mayor. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has not yet issued an official alert. If we step forward first for no reason, and it turns out not to be true..."

Yoon Taeshin's face turned red.

"Hey, you! What are you saying right now? It's not anything else, it's a nuclear weapon. Nuclear! A nuclear bomb is over our heads, and you're telling me not to evacuate because an alert hasn't been issued!"

His voice grew louder.

"Send the emergency disaster text to the citizens! Right now!"

In the deep, deep night when everyone was asleep, millions of cell phones rang in unison. Kim Cheol-soo, a father of two, was no exception. Reading the message he checked in his sleep, he rubbed his eyes and read it again.

"...W-what is this?"

He was wide awake. Damn it, a goddamn nuclear bomb?! Am I dreaming right now? But he couldn't just deny reality. He had two children who were precious to him, and a wife. I have to protect my family. Kim Cheol-soo shook his sleeping wife awake.

"Honey! Wake the kids up right now! We have to evacuate immediately!"

The sound of thumping from the apartment above echoed in Kim Cheol-soo's ears. Usually, he would have complained about the noise at this hour and called the security office, but now, that noise didn't bother him at all. No, rather, it heightened his sense of crisis and made it feel even more real.

In the apartment hallway, the sounds of packing luggage, moving hurriedly, calling out names, and the crying of children who hadn't fully woken up were mixed together like a battlefield. The area around the elevator entrance was already packed. That wasn't all. Because of the text messages posted on the internet by Seoul citizens, social media was instantly filled with fear and chaos. Real-time search rankings were dominated by terms like nuclear attack, North Korea, Seoul nuclear attack, and emergency evacuation. Even though it was dawn, the roads were a mess with cars trying to evacuate somewhere, and long lines formed at convenience stores and marts to get food. Subway stations were already full. Their faces were filled with terror.

And then.

The notification sound of an emergency disaster text filled the streets again.

What, what is it! Tension filled people's faces. Is it a message that a nuclear attack is imminent? Or that they have already fired it?

Citizens checked their phones with trembling hands. And they were able to see it. The emergency ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠disaster text.

"W-what is this, again!"

"Is this for real?"

"Sigh... I survived. Damn it. I really thought a war was starting."

"Mom, can we go home now?"

While people breathed a sigh of relief at the news of a false alarm, criticism poured out from the media toward the government for causing this commotion at dawn.

Of course, netizens were the same.

The focus of the criticism was on the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Then, the Seoul Metropolitan Government hurriedly released a statement through media reports.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety didn't stay quiet either.

Two government agencies were in fierce conflict. In ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the midst of this, news broadcast by North Korea was uploaded to YouTube and became a hot topic. North Korean Korean Central Television news. A female announcer with a tense expression opened her mouth.

[We deliver an urgent breaking news report to all the people of Joseon. Today, we deliver the shocking news that heinous South Korean hunters are running amok in Pyongyang, our Republic.]

The screen changed, and the chaotic appearance of the streets was visible.

[These despicable South Korean hunters entered our Republic under the pretext of helping us, but soon revealed their true colors and brutally murdered our proud Republic hero comrades who turned their backs on them. Our clean and proud Pyongyang is being dirtied by their feet.]

The screen switched to the Juche Tower with a picture of Chairman Kim Jeong-yoon hanging on it.

[Accordingly, our beloved Supreme Leader Comrade has finally made a grave decision.]

The announcer swallowed hard in the middle. And sweat flowed down her cheeks.

[Today at 14:30, we will launch a nuclear weapon toward Pyongyang. This is an inevitable measure for the complete annihilation of the South Korean hunters who are trampling on our Republic.]

The announcer's voice became urgent.

[Therefore, all people residing in Pyongyang must evacuate immediately! Do not delay and leave the capital! We will surely win against the South Korean hunters. Long live the Democratic People's Republic of Korea! Long live our great leader!]

Her expression, shouting "Long live" like a believer in a cult, froze. The video had ended. Only then could the citizens of the Republic of Korea know the final destination of the nuclear weapon. And they were shocked by the fact that Hunter Cheon Yushin was currently in Pyongyang. And the real-time comment section began to explode.

People's attention began to shift from the conflict between Seoul City and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to North Korea.