Triple Border (7)
“No, of course I’m tempted.”
Master Sergeant Hong spread both arms wide in an exaggerated shrug.
“I’m tempted, and I’m curious too. But what can we do about it? We don’t even know the guy’s name, and he’s clearly from a different unit. Should I call Brigadier General Kim and beg him to hand over their division’s best sniper to us? Just forget about it, Major. And besides…”
Hong pointed toward the special forces operators sitting at the rear of the boat and continued.
“Those guys back there are pretty damn capable in their own right. Honestly, before that nameless sniper showed up, weren’t they the prettiest boys in the unit?”
“Well… yeah.”
Cho Cheol-woong nodded with an expression of agreement. No one knew better than he did—the man who had trained them personally—just how exceptional the 707 Special Mission Group’s skills were. Even though they were currently wasting time bailing muddy water out of a ruined light rail station in a place like this, there was no more reliable combat asset than these men in a real fight. Especially when it came to infiltration on land or small-unit suppression operations.
“So what you’re saying, Major, is that they’re clever bastards who might return to a place they’ve already used once? Striking at our blind spot?”
Hong, who still hadn’t received a clear answer, asked again to confirm. Cho Cheol-woong slowly shook his head.
“Not a chance. They will absolutely not come this way.”
They were smart and efficient enough to devise clever operations. It was hard to imagine them making such a basic mistake as reusing the same negotiation site twice. If they did, the most disappointed person would be Cho Cheol-woong himself.
“Then what the hell are we doing here?”
Hong asked, sounding aggrieved. Cho Cheol-woong lightly tapped the bow of the rubber boat as it sliced rapidly through the water.
“We’re going to break through the blocked section of the Jungnangcheon by boat, aren’t we?”
“Come on, Major. That’s a weird joke. I’m not asking what kind of work we’re doing. I’m asking why we’re stubbornly guarding this place when we already know those bastards aren’t coming here. That’s what I’m asking.”
Hong let out a hollow laugh, as if he found the whole thing absurd, and went on.
“I certainly hope you’re not about to tell me it’s to look good in front of Lieutenant General Shin. If our Major Cho actually said something like that, I’d be completely disappointed. Really.”
Gulp!
The special forces operators who had been pretending to watch their surroundings while eavesdropping on the conversation all swallowed visibly. It was clear they were just as curious about Cho Cheol-woong’s answer.
“Heh. That guy…”
Cho Cheol-woong, who had accepted a cigarette from Hong, let out a short snort.
He already knew exactly what kind of answer Hong wanted. This veteran operator also wanted to be used properly—as one of the Republic of Korea’s finest elite soldiers. Not doing pointless grunt work like this, but performing irreplaceable tasks that no one else could, contributing to the nation…
Not a single one of the special forces operators had moved to rescue their own families or acquaintances after the zombie outbreak. Even during the early days of the crisis, when they were flying helicopters over major cities for VIP rescue and communications restoration, they had completely suppressed their personal desires and focused solely on their assigned missions.
Precisely because they were like that, they had every right to demand that their service carry clear meaning. And Cho Cheol-woong had a duty to fulfill their pride. If they hadn’t saved the country from an unprecedented disaster—or if they weren’t going to save it in the future—there would be no way to overcome the guilt of not even being able to protect their own families. Especially since they were men stronger than anyone else.
“Master Sergeant Hong, I understand how you feel, but we need to be cautious right now. Too many of our boys have already been hurt or killed because of mistakes.”
Cho Cheol-woong exhaled a long stream of cigarette smoke. Hong nodded with a look that showed he fully understood.
“Yes, I know the sacrifices were heavy.”
The Jeju coup staged to reinstate General Chae hadn’t only claimed the lives of South Korea’s top leadership and generals. An enormous number of elite soldiers had also been wasted that day, dying utterly in vain. The 707 Special Mission Group, UDT/SEALs, special warfare units from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and even the Marine Corps’ finest…
So many priceless, top-tier soldiers had simply killed one another, riddled with bullets and drowning in blood before collapsing. And all for nothing… Whenever the memory of that day resurfaced, Cho Cheol-woong still couldn’t suppress the frustration and regret.
The plan had been to eliminate the lazy Navy brass and the kingmaker, then have General Chae seize real power and suppress the zombie crisis. Up until the day of execution, he had believed it was flawless. That once the rotten higher-ups were blown away, everything would fall neatly into place…
But it hadn’t. With the entire upper command wiped out and the chain of command shattered, the military had splintered into multiple warlord factions. The situation had become even more hopeless than before. The five warlords around the Nakdong River only fought among themselves for power and showed no interest in advancing north.
In fact, they might even be enjoying this zombie world more than anything. After all, they no longer had to take orders from anyone. They could wield absolute power and indulge in endless pleasure every single day. The same went for Lieutenant General Shin, the new lord he had chosen to serve.
After witnessing that entire absurd chain of events firsthand, Cho Cheol-woong had made a firm resolution. He would act with even greater caution and establish a proper military leadership. He believed that was the last sacred duty left to him as the commander of the Republic of Korea’s finest special forces unit.
But it would not be easy. First, he had to find a general with a sound mind. Then he would need to simultaneously suppress five warlord factions brimming with paranoia—an enormous undertaking. A single mistake in either of those two difficult tasks would cost the lives of hundreds of elite soldiers. If they suffered another loss like that, it would mean the complete annihilation of South Korea’s special forces. So caution was the only option…
“Lieutenant General Shin still doesn’t fully trust us.”
At Cho Cheol-woong’s words, Master Sergeant Hong let out a small sigh.
“Hoo… Well, that much is obvious just from looking at our equipment. I mean, rubber boats? At the very least he could have given us a couple of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns so we could at least operate radars.”
When Lieutenant General Shin had sent them to Seoul to capture the one-armed group, he hadn’t provided a single helicopter or K-30 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun. He had only permitted the detachment of about twenty troops and basic firearms. It was clear he suspected that once the special forces operators obtained enough equipment to carry out independent operations, they would simply vanish somewhere.
“We have to keep acting like loyal dogs—stupidly loyal—until Lieutenant General Shin lets his guard down. As long as we can earn his complete trust, I can carry out even stupider orders without complaint.”
Cho Cheol-woong looked at Hong and the operators as he spoke. After the chaotic battle in Jeju, the force under his command—including the absorbed SEALs—numbered around three hundred men. If he could give those special forces operators a proper mission, he didn’t mind looking like a fool for a while. Not at all.
“Then… my guess was right after all?”
Hong leaned forward with a bright expression. Cho Cheol-woong stared at him with his one remaining eye and smiled.
“You already knew. Why are you pretending you don’t?”
“Come on, Major. How could I possibly know what’s inside your head? Words have to be spoken out loud to taste right, don’t they? Since we have the chance, please say it yourself! Just once, and I won’t pester you anymore!”
Hong begged, mixing in an aegyo that looked completely ridiculous on his rugged face. Unable to ignore such earnestness, Cho Cheol-woong nodded.
“Fine.”
After making eye contact with every special forces operator aboard the boat, Cho Cheol-woong spoke clearly.
“We will retake Seoul before spring arrives.”
Though he phrased it indirectly, it was nothing short of a declaration of coup against the indolent Lieutenant General Shin and the other warlords. The moment Cho Cheol-woong finished speaking, the operators let out quiet cheers, and Hong clapped his hands together with deep satisfaction.
“That’s exactly what I wanted to hear!”
“Now that your wish is granted, focus.”
Just as Cho Cheol-woong was about to bring them back to attention with his usual stern tone, every face suddenly hardened.
Whump-whump-whump-whump-whump—! Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud—!
A low but distinct sound of rotor blades cutting through the boat’s motor noise and the sound of water. A helicopter! It wasn’t visible yet, but one was approaching from somewhere.
“Turn the boat! Get under that bridge!”
Cho Cheol-woong pointed behind them without a second’s hesitation.
Vrooooom—! Splashhhhh—!
The boat carrying them immediately carved a wide arc and headed back upstream toward the Gyeomjae Bridge they had just passed.
Thud! Thump!
The moment the boat, now slowed beneath the bridge, touched the shore, the operators moved in perfect coordination. They hauled the boat up and sprinted toward the point where the bridge met the slope. They were concealing it in the darkest shadow cast by the four-lane bridge.
Thwack! Thud! Thwack-thwack! Thwack-thwack!
While the others moved the boat, Cho Cheol-woong and Hong used MP5s fitted with suppressors to silently eliminate the zombies wandering near the promenade. It was better to cleanly eliminate any risk of their position being exposed by the creatures’ shrieks.
Swooosh—! Swooong—!
The sounds created as the bullets broke the sound barrier bounced off the surrounding buildings and echoed faintly, but it wasn’t loud enough to reach the helicopter.
Thud!
Once the boat was perfectly hidden, the operators who had run over quickly dragged the zombies’ corpses into the underbrush.
Slice—! Slice-slice—!
They used combat knives to cut and bend the long, dry reeds, layering them crisscross over the bodies. From even a short distance, the camouflage was flawless. Meanwhile, Hong transmitted a radio message to the operators left behind at the light rail station.
Unidentified helicopter moving north over the Jungnangcheon! I repeat. Unidentified helicopter moving north. Maintain current positions until further orders. Stay fully concealed and keep sharp watch! Especially, no mistakes on Point Alpha surveillance!
Whump-whump-whump-whump-whump—!
The sound of the helicopter was growing louder. It would soon be visible to the naked eye.
“You, watch six o’clock! You two, three and nine o’clock.”
Hidden behind the piers of the Gyeomjae Bridge, Cho Cheol-woong pointed at the operators and assigned their duties. Then he poked just his head out from behind a pillar and glared up at the pale late-autumn sky. They waited like that for about five minutes.
Whump-whump-whump-whump-whump—!
A single Black Hawk flew directly over the bridge where they were hiding, heading north. Judging by its direction, it really was flying toward the abandoned light rail station and the half-built building. The time was 09:51.
“Contact the base and check if there have been any changes near Point Alpha.”
About three minutes later, Cho Cheol-woong ordered Hong. By now the helicopter should have reached the plain right in front of that half-built building. Hong pressed the switch on his earpiece, communicated with the snipers stationed at the light rail station, then shook his head slightly.
“A Black Hawk just did a low-altitude flyby a moment ago, but there have been no other changes. No one disembarked, no landing, and it even flew off while keeping a considerable distance.”
Then what the hell was that Black Hawk?
Caught off guard by the unexpected report, Cho Cheol-woong pressed his lips tightly together and fell into thought. There was no reason for a Black Hawk to be flying over the completely abandoned skies of Seoul without purpose. If it had flown all the way here from south of the Nakdong River, burning expensive fuel and taking such risks on a long-range flight, there had to be a reason. And in the current situation, what other purpose could there be besides a “trade”? That Black Hawk was definitely connected to the immune blood transaction.
Had these bastards moved the location further north than the previous trade site?
While Cho Cheol-woong was pondering this, Hong asked,
“Should I tell the kids to pursue it?”
“Leave it. How would we chase it now?”
Cho Cheol-woong shook his head without hesitation. It was easy to vaguely say “above Taereung,” but actually chasing it on foot would require searching an absurdly vast area. Doing so on foot, without being spotted by the helicopter, while also killing zombies along the way, was an impossible mission even for special forces operators.
“…Tsk. Still a shame, though.”
Cho Cheol-woong clicked his tongue as he looked up at the sky. He hadn’t expected to meet them at all, yet after seeing the helicopter pass by with his own eyes, he felt as if he had let something that had once been within his grasp slip away. It was exactly then.
Whump-whump-whump-whump-whump—!
The familiar propeller sound began to grow close again. This time from behind them…
Rustle—!
The instant they detected the noise, Cho Cheol-woong and the special forces operators quickly changed direction and hid behind the opposite side of the pier.
Whump-whump-whump—! Thud-thud-thud-thud—!
Though they couldn’t see the helicopter, the sound of the blades slicing through the air was transmitted clearly.
“Flying from northeast to southwest, Major.”
Hong, who had narrowed his eyes and focused every nerve on his hearing, reported. Cho Cheol-woong’s assessment was the same.
Whump-whump-whump-whump—!
The helicopter sound, now very faint, gradually grew more distant. They waited a little longer in case it turned back, but that was the end of it.
“Do you think it was Tango, Major?”
The question was whether the people aboard that Black Hawk were the targets they were after—the one-armed group.
“Hmm…”
Cho Cheol-woong stroked his chin as he stared at the southern side of the Jungnangcheon. The Black Hawk had flown off somewhere over there. It might have already landed by now. If it had conducted a quick aerial reconnaissance before landing for the trade, the pieces fit together.
Should they pretend they hadn’t seen it and forget about it? Or should they track the direction the helicopter’s sound had faded and investigate?
Theoretically, the former was obviously the correct decision. The risk they would have to shoulder was simply too great. They had only seen one helicopter, but no one knew how many more might be behind it. Even if it was just one, there was no way an MP5 could win against aerial gunfire. In other words, the moment they were discovered by the enemy, their lives would be in grave danger.
Moreover, what they had to face wasn’t only enemy troops. Zombies also had to be factored in. In a zombie world, seven men blindly advancing along a riverbank would be nothing short of suicidal. However… despite that, a man’s instinct and an elite soldier’s competitive spirit burned like wildfire inside Cho Cheol-woong’s heart. If they could make good use of this unexpected stroke of luck and capture the one-armed group alive… then they could accomplish in a single stroke a mission that had seemed impossible, and many things would fall neatly into place.
“We will move south and follow that Black Hawk’s trail.”
Having made up his mind, Cho Cheol-woong turned to the special forces operators and spoke.
Nod.
It was an extremely reckless order, yet no one objected. They simply nodded with solemn expressions.
“We will use the vehicles on the Dongbu Expressway as cover while moving south. Eliminate small groups of zombies we encounter and advance. Avoid any groups of three or more. If we confirm the helicopter’s passengers are Tango, prioritize capture over elimination. In all other cases the objective is reconnaissance, but if combat breaks out, we will fire first with aimed shots.”
After explaining the rules of engagement, Cho Cheol-woong asked everyone,
“Any questions?”
“None, sir.”
The six special forces operators, including Hong, answered simultaneously in the same tone. Confirming that their faces had switched to serious mode, Cho Cheol-woong stood up with a satisfied expression.
“Good. Let’s move.”