Chapter 43: Victory Baby Day
Chapter 43: Victory Baby Day
West Sea waters, 1:05 p.m.
Cutting through the dense sea fog, a Chinese Navy carrier strike group from the Northern Theater Command Fleet deployed.
At the front was China’s second aircraft carrier, Shandong, spreading its massive runway.
On the flight deck, eighteen J-15 fighter jets warmed their engines as they waited to take off, and at the stern, helicopters tested their rotors with torpedoes mounted.
As if escorting Shandong, two Type 055 ten-thousand-ton destroyers took up covering-fire positions to the left and right.
Powerful phased-array radars comparable to Aegis rotated as they swept the West Sea. Following behind were four Type 052D destroyers, six Type 054A frigates, and one Type 901 large replenishment ship.
It was a massive fleet of fifteen ships.
“We’re in attack posture. The enemy’s naval gunfire will follow shortly.”
The faces of the South Korean Navy commanders darkened.
The thing they kept telling themselves wouldn’t happen was about to happen.
Higher command had relayed a contradictory order: no rash judgments, but respond decisively.
“Any movement from the U.S. carrier?”
“No. They’re pulling back in the East Sea. The U.S. military will not enter the war.”
“No contact from U.S. forces stationed in the North or from U.S. Forces Korea either?”
“They only keep saying no official orders have been issued. It’s obvious they’re trying to stay out of the war.”
The U.S. forces who told them to rely only on them were pulling out right as hostilities were about to begin.
The Second Fleet commander ground his teeth.
Then an order came down from the Chief of Naval Operations.
“I’ll take full responsibility. Deploy the fleet, and once you confirm the enemy’s attack, respond immediately!”
The order to respond came through.
South Korea’s West Sea task force deployed.
At the center, two Sejong the Great–class Aegis destroyers (ROKS Sejong the Great, ROKS Yulgok Yi I) took position with their radar domes lit, and behind them moved three Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin–class destroyers, four Incheon-class frigates, and Dokdo (LPH-6111), carrying troops and amphibious helicopters.
On Dokdo’s flight deck, Marine amphibious assault troops, KAAVs, and anti-submarine helicopters stood ready.
Total strength was twelve ships. They were outnumbered, but they were not inferior in electronic warfare capability or missile defense systems.
The two fleets faced each other at a distance of 90 kilometers. Radar and electronic warfare gear jammed each other’s signals, and an invisible war had already begun.
Both command authorities ordered battle formations without yielding an inch.
Tactical control room of the Chinese task force.
“Shandong, takeoff preparations complete. J-15, first sortie package standing by.”
The crew’s voices were cold and mechanical.
The Chinese fleet’s strategy was simple.
Secure air superiority, overwhelm the South Korean fleet’s air defense net, then begin preparations for a landing.
Meanwhile, in the CIC (Combat Information Center) aboard ROKS Sejong the Great, officers’ hands moved busily.
“Confirmed signs of enemy fighter launch. Range 90 kilometers.”
“SPY-1D radar tracking. Preparing to activate layered air defense network.”
The naval officers’ eyes were resolute, but the tense air settled heavily.
1:12 p.m.
From the deck of the Chinese carrier Shandong, the first J-15 package took off with a roar.
Eight fighters cut through the sky toward the South Korean fleet. After them, the second package prepared to launch.
The sky was soon covered in jet exhaust heat and shock noise.
ROKS Sejong the Great, bridge.
“Eight enemy carrier aircraft inbound. Range passing 80 kilometers.”
The captain gave a short order.
“Prepare SM-2 launch.”
Hatches on the vertical launch system opened, and smoke and flame surged upward.
South Korean Navy missiles shot into the sky.
Twelve SM-2 surface-to-air missiles flew straight toward the enemy fighters. Then, from the Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin–class as well, RIM-66 missiles launched one after another.
The West Sea airspace tangled into dozens of trajectories, forming a massive net.
The Chinese fighter package immediately began evasive maneuvers.
Flares and chaff burst in all directions, and some dropped close to the sea surface to shake off missiles.
But they could not avoid the first impact.
A huge fireball bloomed in the West Sea sky. Three J-15 fighters fell like burning lumps.
The command room on the Chinese carrier froze with tension.
“Confirmed three shot down. Remaining five closing on target!”
Gritting his teeth, the commander gave the order.
“Type 052D, fire anti-ship missiles! Entire task force, commence counterattack!”
In an instant, twenty-four YJ-18 supersonic anti-ship missiles streaked toward the South Korean fleet, leaving fiery tails.
The South Korean Navy did not stay still.
ROKS Sejong the Great and ROKS Yulgok Yi I launched SM-6 long-range missiles at the same time to intercept. Missiles collided with missiles in the air, triggering chained explosions. For a moment, the West Sea sky became a gigantic fireworks ground.
1:18 p.m.
When the first exchange ended, smoke and flames rose over the water.
China lost four fighters and most of its missiles, but the carrier and destroyers still remained intact.
South Korea took no missile hits on any ship, but the frontline tension rose even higher.
“Naval gunfire!”
The Chinese fleet advanced and fired naval guns at the South Korean fleet.
This was when the anomaly began.
Shells that should have flown toward the South Korean fleet veered off in a completely different direction and plunged into the sea.
South Korea’s return fire then barely slipped past China’s intercept missiles and hit the carrier Shandong every time.
“Kwa-kwa-kwang!”
The massive Chinese carrier Shandong split in half under twenty-four shell impacts and began to sink.
The Chinese Navy side turned into chaos.
An aircraft carrier that could withstand several shell hits without issue was collapsing into pieces from a single attack.
South Korea’s follow-up fire flew toward the two ten-thousand-ton destroyers near the carrier.
The destroyers met the same fate as Shandong.
In an instant, the main Chinese combat power was annihilated.
The remaining destroyers, replenishment ship, and frigates quickly turned and began to retreat, but they could not escape the continuing strikes.
In less than fifteen minutes, the fifteen-ship Chinese fleet sank into the cold West Sea.
“Breaking news. A clash occurred in the West Sea. China launched a preemptive attack, but the Republic of Korea Navy sank all fifteen Chinese warships, including the aircraft carrier!”
On the news screen, the Chinese fleet was shown being swallowed by the West Sea. Through the thick black smoke blanketing the water, fragments of warships still sinking appeared here and there.
Aren’t those broadcast people scared?
The press was reporting live from a helicopter.
If something went wrong, they wouldn’t even have anyone to blame…
I guess that was professionalism.
I always prided myself on my own professionalism, but I couldn’t beat broadcast people.
“That’s right!”
“Wow!”
Cheolmin-hyung, Yuri, Ahyeon, and Arin cheered, overjoyed like they were about to jump.
Arin practically threw herself into Cheolmin-hyung’s arms.
Lauren stared with her mouth open, as if she was shocked by the situation, while Bella and Seorin seemed to have little interest in what was happening.
At that moment, something registered in my telekinetic field that surrounded the entire Korean Peninsula like a barrier.
It was a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM, IRBM) fired from the Chinese mainland after their fleet was sunk.
Was it nuclear?
I didn’t know whether it carried a nuclear warhead or just a conventional one, but surely they didn’t fire a nuke right away.
When I expanded my telekinetic field, additional missiles were preparing to launch from secret missile bases along China’s coast.
I lightly caught the missile flying over the West Sea and sent it back to where it came from.
“Kwa-kwa-kwang!”
It was a shame only I could see this scene.
If the broadcast people knew, they could have filmed the moment those missile bases lined along China’s coast were devastated by the missiles that just returned…
Just sending back the incoming missile couldn’t stop every missile being prepared for launch, so I simply crushed the missiles that were about to lift off with telekinesis and detonated them.
Seeing no mushroom cloud rise, it probably wasn’t nuclear.
But an enormous shockwave scoured the surroundings.
It wasn’t a densely populated area, but still, quite a lot of people turned to ash without even managing a single scream.
How many did I kill today?
But my hands were already stained with blood, so I should make it definitive.
I seized all the Hyunmu missiles our military was preparing to intercept with, lifted them into the air, and sent them flying toward China. Judging by the amount of explosives inside, it matched what China had launched.
I searched the internet for China’s industrial complexes and factory districts and drove them all straight down into those places.
They didn’t fly under their own propulsion—so they needed to be slammed down hard from the air to detonate, and I used all my strength. Thankfully, the missiles exploded the instant they hit the ground surface.
This time, the strikes weren’t in low-population zones like missile bases—so many more people died.
It felt like at least tens of thousands were killed.
“Breaking news. We’ve just received word that the missiles we launched struck the Chinese mainland. This is footage from Chinese state media.”
I grabbed more Hyunmu missiles and wondered where to hit next.
Beijing? Shanghai?
Were those China’s biggest cities? They seemed like places equivalent to Seoul or Busan for us.
This time, a lot of people would really die.
The Hyunmu missiles I held reached the skies over Beijing in an instant.
At that moment, the news screen broadcasting China’s impacts changed.
And the Chinese president, whose face I recognized well, appeared.
“We propose a ceasefire. Today, China fully acknowledges all responsibility for the dispute with Korea and proposes a ceasefire.”
A ceasefire?
Who decided that…
The end of war was something the Japanese emperor demonstrated by the book in 1945.
I slowly lowered the Hyunmu missiles I was about to slam down, right over Beijing.
About one meter per minute?
On the live broadcast, the Chinese president received a report from an aide at his side.
But he shook his head and shouted something.
I brought in more Hyunmu missiles and raised them over Shanghai as well, beginning to lower them.
Korea really had a lot of missiles.
Then the Chinese president’s face turned white as he clenched his teeth and made an announcement.
“I declare again. As of this moment, China announces unconditional surrender. Korea must cease armed action!”
Good.
No matter who I was, I wouldn’t have felt at ease driving missiles into megacities with populations that easily exceeded several million.
Should I think in tens of millions for China?
I used telekinesis to detonate the Hyunmu missiles that were descending over Beijing and Shanghai.
Fire and fragments then fell over the cities like a rain of sparks.
“Wow! We won!”
Watching the Chinese president’s surrender declaration, Cheolmin-hyung looked moved to the point his eyes even glistened with tears.
When I looked with my telekinetic field, people all across Seoul poured into the streets, hugging each other, shouting with emotion.
Arin was still in Cheolmin-hyung’s arms, and maybe she was so happy that she grabbed Cheolmin-hyung’s face and kept kissing him.
I think I saw something like this online before.
Was it footage from the 2002 World Cup?
Just moments ago, Seoul’s streets looked like a ghost town, but now they were filled with citizens holding Taegukgi flags. Cars that were evacuating toward Gangneung made U-turns and came back, honking nonstop.
“Today, the Republic of Korea has once again blocked foreign aggression. This will be recorded as a great history. I—”
The president came out and launched into a long speech.
Beyond Seoul, the entire Republic of Korea was celebrating like it was a party.
After World Cup babies, it looked like victory babies would be born today.
“Chicken places reopened!”
Bella opened the delivery app on her phone and showed me the screen. Restaurants that had said they were preparing to open had all switched to accepting orders.
“Today’s a chicken angle—chicken call?”
“Eat in your rooms. I have to work.”
In a few hours, the place would be overflowing with guests wanting short stays.
“Arin, Hyeonyeong, Yuri—go upstairs and clean. It looks like we’ll go full tonight!”