48. Operation Begins. (2)

Special Forces Commander Sung Gyuhyeok, seeing us, waved and called out loudly.

“Hey, Song Jungsah. Are you done with your work for today?”

“Yes, Commander.”

Song Jungsah waved back at Commander Sung Gyuhyeok and started walking.

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat and followed Song Jungsah.

Ah, this is uncomfortable.

Sung Gyeon, damn it.

As we approached the management building, I could see Commander Sung Gyuhyeok’s face.

He was smiling.

…Why?

Did he hear something from his sister?!

Is he smiling to put me at ease before he slaps me in the face?!

I tried to hide my thoughts and forced a smile, nodding slightly as I tried to walk past.

Then, Sung Gyeon grabbed my arm.

“Where are you going? Come here.”

“……”

Damn it.

Don’t hit me.

It’s not my fault.

I didn’t intentionally try to see anything, and I didn’t know a woman would be in the men’s shower room.

It’s not like there was a sign on the door.

Ugh, this is so frustrating.

As I reluctantly turned, Commander Sung Gyuhyeok’s smiling face appeared in front of me.

Or rather, he was just standing there.

I just felt like he was getting in my face.

Damn it.

Why do I feel guilty?

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok said:

“Seong-hun, you didn’t know, right?”

I didn’t respond.

I wanted to say a lot.

I wanted to argue that I didn’t do it on purpose, that I didn’t know it was his sister.

Sung Gyeon said:

“Of course he didn’t. He was out. No one contacted him.”

Contacted about what? Damn, about what?

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok nodded.

“That’s right. Seong-hun, the President has started a broadcast. He can’t go out in person, so he wants to reach out to survivors through a broadcast.”

…What?

I looked at Sung Gyeon.

Then, I looked at Commander Sung Gyuhyeok.

From their expressions, it seemed they hadn’t talked about the shower incident.

I felt relieved!

I nodded vigorously to show I understood and replayed what I just heard in my mind.

A broadcast?

I tilted my head and asked:

“A broadcast? What kind of broadcast? The broadcasting stations must have been taken out. YouTube?”

“Yes, on YouTube. Would you like to see it?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok handed me his phone.

The screen showed a video that wasn’t live.

It seemed he had been watching it with Sung Gyeon, as it was paused midway.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok pressed the play button, and President Min Jeong-woo appeared, sitting at a shabby desk with his hands clasped.

“-As I mentioned, this situation has occurred simultaneously around the world. Impossible and unacceptable things have happened, and many have lost their loved ones and family. I am no exception.”

President Min Jeong-woo paused for a moment.

He lifted his eyes to look at the camera and continued:

“Just as I loved my wife, I believe you all loved the family members you lost. This pain, which I and you have experienced, is more painful and agonizing than losing a country.”

President Min Jeong-woo’s eyes were resolute even as he spoke.

“But despite all this, I am still alive. You are still alive. We are still breathing and living, even in the moment when the world is falling apart.”

President Min Jeong-woo took a deep breath and continued:

“I do not lose hope. I believe we can rise again, that humanity will not fall. I hope those watching this broadcast do not lose hope.”

He glanced to the side.

Then, he smiled and looked back at the camera.

“There’s a window next to me. I went for a walk today. My favorite walking path is clearly visible from here.”

I tilted my head.

A walk?

Why is he talking about a walk all of a sudden?

I realized it in that moment and gasped.

President Min Jeong-woo said:

“Are you afraid to go outside? The streets are empty. As long as you don’t enter buildings and move quietly, nothing will stop you. I repeat, the streets are empty.”

He’s trying to lure people out.

He’s beckoning them to come out.

This man is trying to pull people out of their homes and hideouts where they’re afraid to go outside!

I looked at President Min Jeong-woo and took a deep breath.

My breathing became heavy.

Pulling people out recklessly is, of course, dangerous.

I saw with my own eyes a middle school student being torn apart on the street.

Technically, I was the one who killed him.

But staying locked up in homes or warehouses is just as deadly.

If time goes on, those who are trapped somewhere without rescue will inevitably die.

The President is determined to pull everyone out.

President Min Jeong-woo said:

“This is Seo-rae Village. It is safe here. We have set up barricades, we are farming, and soldiers are protecting the people. Everyone is living safely here.”

President Min Jeong-woo smiled.

“Are there teachers among you? Musicians? Construction workers? Chefs? Are they not there?”

He extended his hand gently and said:

“There are homes here. There are neighbors. There are students for you to teach, vegetables and meat for you to cook, and all the things you can build. We need you. I believe that by coming together, we can continue our lives and rebuild.”

President Min Jeong-woo’s hands spread out.

He said:

“I will wait for you here. I want to meet you. I need you. This is Seo-rae Village.”

President Min Jeong-woo glanced to the side and smiled.

“The weather was very clear today. Even though we can no longer check the weather forecast, I think the clear weather will continue for a while. I will go for a walk again tomorrow.”

And the video ended.

At the end of the video, and in the comments below, a contact number was listed.

I whistled lightly.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok laughed and said:

“Is it a broadcast? It’s a pre-recorded and edited video, but what do you think?”

“He’s still the President, after all.”

I chuckled and said:

It’s quite moving.

“His appeal is truly remarkable. I think he can pull people out of their homes right away. Have you received any contacts?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok inhaled sharply and tilted his head.

“Yes, many. From Jeolla, Gangwon, Chungcheong, Gyeongsang, and even North Korea.”

“North… North Korea?”

I stuttered without realizing it.

Of course, it makes sense. North Korea couldn’t avoid the apocalypse either.

Now, whether it’s North or South Korea, borders and cease-fire lines are meaningless.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok nodded.

“Yes. We can’t go pick them up, but we told everyone who can come to come. But…”

“But?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok looked at Sung Gyeon.

Sung Gyeon sighed and said:

“We received a strange call.”

“A strange call?”

Sung Gyeon nodded and said:

“Yes. They said to take down the video. They said there’s no such thing as a government or president in this world, that it’s unnecessary and to take it down immediately. They threatened us.”

“…Threatened?”

My brow furrowed involuntarily.

I tilted my head, frowning, and asked:

“There are crazy people out there. What kind of threat? A threat is when they say they’ll do something if you don’t do something, right? What do they have to threaten with?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok nodded and said:

“It’s a proper threat.”

I looked at Commander Sung Gyuhyeok.

His expression was serious, not joking.

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok said:

“The call came from the Seoul Waterworks.”

…What?

I groaned and asked:

“…The waterworks…?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok slowly nodded.

“Yes. The Water Management Bureau. The people controlling the water supply are threatening us.”

I was speechless.

Water?

Water?!

Sung Gyeon said:

“The President says not to take down the video, but the Chief of Staff seems to have a different opinion. He talked a lot with the President. They contacted the people at the waterworks and decided to take down the video by midnight tonight…”

I sighed.

My hand instinctively went to my waist.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

I let out a dry laugh and said:

“…What a bunch of lunatics.”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok said:

“Seong-hun, there’s nothing we can do right now. The President has ordered us to proceed with the power plant operation as planned, and Song Jungsah is learning intensively for that. The operation starts tomorrow afternoon.”

“…Tomorrow afternoon?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok nodded.

“Yes. Song Jungsah says he can learn everything in the manual by tomorrow afternoon.”

Sung Gyeon chuckled and shook her head.

“He never actually said that. You just told him to learn it by tomorrow afternoon. How can he learn that thick manual in just four days?”

Commander Sung Gyuhyeok shrugged and said:

“We knew it was a tight deadline. Park Sojang said the deadline is tomorrow night. We don’t have time. With the waterworks issue, we can’t delay any further. The operation starts at four tomorrow afternoon. We need to do it while it’s still light. If it gets dark, the streetlights might break during the fight.”

Ha…

The waterworks…

These crazy bastards are trying to cause trouble out of nowhere.

I nodded and spat.

“This is fucking ridiculous. Does learning the waterworks system take as long and be as complicated as the power plant?”

Sung Gyeon tilted her head and asked:

“I don’t know. Why?”

I turned and started walking, saying:

“I’m just going to kill them all.”