Chapter 3 (1/2)

The Korean Army’s headquarter was situated within the heavily-forested mountain, far from any civilization. It was a giant tunnel, leading deep into the mountain itself. Joon-young wondered when and how this place came into existence when he saw it.

At the gates was a sign. Considering it had the name ‘New Energy Research Centre,’ Joon-young guessed it was originally a research facility, not a military one.

The generals and officers were dumbfounded when they saw Joon-young and his men knocking on the front gate. The orders to stand ground were given only a moment ago, yet they came back so confidently as if they belonged here.

The newly joined officers and generals fumed with rage and stated they should be executed for insubordination, but the veteran generals and officers simply shook their heads to that idea. They were in a desperate time for survival, and every soldier mattered. They also felt sorry for using these infamous, battle hardened veterans as sacrificial p.a.w.ns. Some suggested they should be sent back to the front lines, but it was met with the argument that they would simply desert their post again, and aid in the collapse of the front line. They had no choice but to incorporate Joon-young’s men into the research centre’s security force.

Joon-young had a good reason to come here. There was a rumour about a new weapon under development in this facility. This information was given to him by his now-deceased regimental commander, to cheer up Joon-young with the hope of victory when he was grieving for the loss of his family in Busan.

Joon-young wasn’t aware of the details, but the rumour suggested that its completion could change the war, and that j.a.pan was aware of its development. The j.a.panese forces would only hara.s.s the research centre instead of an all-out attack, waiting for the results of the weapon’s development. If this rumour was true, Joon-young believed that the j.a.panese forces were attacking now because its development was nearing completion.

“You’ve got to give it to them. They’re putting up a good fight.”

The battle still continued in the darkness of the night. The artillery sh.e.l.ls echoed in the mountain like the beating of the drum, while tracer ammunitions lit up the night sky with its dazzling display.

“Can I have one too?”

“Hm?”

As Joon-Young sat on an ammo crate on top of the guard tower, admiring the battle like it was a movie, a beautiful researcher wearing black rim gla.s.ses and a lab coat approached. Her face was pale, and her eyes were soaked in depression as if she had no will to live on.

“Have a sit.”

Joon-Young moved to the side of the box, making some s.p.a.ce for her and handed her a cigarette. The moment he lit her cigarette, she began to cough furiously. It seemed like this was her first time.

“Kuh! I don’t understand why people enjoy smoking if it’s so bad for you.”

“What does that matter when you could die at any moment?”

The woman smiled back at Joon-young’s reply.

“Huhu! You must be that famous sergeant.”

“Hm? Do you know me?”

“Of course. Even the researchers know about the sergeant who fled the battlefield with all of his men. Most of them call you a coward but strangely, many in the army don’t seem to be bothered at all.”

Joon-Young simply shrugged. It seemed the woman had nothing more to say as well. They just sat there and watched the battlefield together in silence. Despite the constant struggle, the woman continued to smoke. When she finally finished the cigarette, Joon-Young asked a question.

“How’s the research going? I can imagine that making a weapon that can turn the tide of this war would be difficult.”

Her eyes turned cold as she stared back at Joon-Young.

“Where did you hear that?”

Joon-Young snorted as he replied back at the defensive woman.

“Well, let’s just say it’s the reason I ran here with all my men.”

With his words, the woman’s eyes softened and began to have a soft smile, with a hint of ridicule.

“Huhu, I see you’ve heard the rumours. I guess it would be impossible to hold on like this without some kind of hope like that.”

“Did the research meet a dead-end?”

“Have you heard about the Rainbow Project?”

“Isn’t that the famous mystery? They call it the Philadelphia experiment right?”

“That’s right. The technology we’ve been working on even before this war was teleportation. Haha, it was an impossible project from the start. How can we develop something from a sci-fi movie when we’ve only just managed to begin testing for nuclear fusion technology? Impossible. Do you know why the j.a.panese army suddenly attacked after the countless offers to surrender? The research director took the results of our project and defected. j.a.pan realised it was all a bluff, so they had no reason to wait anymore. There is no hope now. Even if I survive somehow, I’ll be locked away in a laboratory as a slave until I die a lonely death…”

As her voice slowly turned into a sob, Joon-Young looked around awkwardly. He was alone with her on the roof, but he could not get close to comfort her.

He was sure there were snipers watching this facility at all times. If he tried to comfort her with an alternative goal in mind, a jealous sniper might pull the trigger on Joon-young’s head.