บท 555: Chapter 555: You Can’t Survive Here
The underground tunnel shook violently with a deafening blast.
Small stones rained down on the car that Kim Jong-il was riding in, clattering against it.
"What the hell? What's that noise?"
Kim Jong-il exclaimed, startled.
Once again, a loud explosion erupted, shaking the tunnel fiercely.
Baek Cheol-soo rolled down the window and leaned out.
Nothing was visible ahead. But…
Baek Cheol-soo's face hardened as he looked up at the ceiling.
"General, we should turn back. The tunnel is about to collapse."
"Cheol-soo, what are you talking about?"
"It seems someone is trying to bring the underground tunnel down!"
"What?"
Kim Jong-il trembled, but Baek Cheol-soo was too preoccupied to respond.
"Turn the car around! Now!"
"Yes!"
The soldier at the wheel quickly turned the car around.
"Everyone, turn back! We're going the other way!"
Baek Cheol-soo immediately ordered the other cars, and the vehicle carrying Kim Jong-il's family and Jang Seong-taek also veered towards the villa.
The narrow two-lane road made it difficult, and it took several tries before they could head in the opposite direction.
In the meantime, another explosion resounded. Cracks on the walls and ceiling of the underground tunnel spread further.
"Step on it! Push down with all your might!"
Baek Cheol-soo shouted, urging the car to accelerate.
"Cheol-soo."
"Yes, General?"
"What… what's going on?"
"It seems that the attackers anticipated your escape and are trying to collapse the underground tunnel. The way ahead is probably blocked."
"So, that means no support from the East Sea Fleet Headquarters?"
"Getting there through the underground tunnel will be difficult, but support via land and sea routes should still be possible."
If the East Sea Fleet Headquarters were to come via land and sea, it would take more than two hours.
"How did those bastards find out about the underground tunnel? They seem well-prepared, huh?"
"There might be someone close by who's in league with them."
Baek Cheol-soo thought of Jang Seong-taek.
However, he didn't dare speak his name aloud.
"I believe there are only a handful of people who know about the underground tunnel. This place was personally designed and built by you, General."
"Exactly."
Kim Jong-il nodded.
"Given that they're quickly severing communications and have knowledge of your schedule and location, the person providing them information must know you well."
"True, true."
There were few individuals who matched all these criteria, even among the elite of the Republic.
Even the Guard Headquarters responsible for his security did not know everything.
"Hmm. Jang Seong-taek is the most likely suspect. But if that's the case, he shouldn't have followed us here. I can't make sense of it no matter how much I think about it."
"I heard that Manager Ma had changed the schedule to come here instead of going to another guesthouse."
"Right."
Baek Cheol-soo glanced briefly at Kim Jong-il's face before continuing.
"If such an incident had occurred near Pyongyang, it would have already been suppressed. Room 74 is too far from Pyongyang."
"…"
"Everything feels off. Why did we have to come here at this time in winter… why was there an attack right at this moment?"
Kim Jong-il closed his eyes, deep in thought at Baek Cheol-soo's words.
Small stones continued to fall onto the speeding vehicle.
Igor and the mercenaries began to enter the building.
Igor remained outside, surveying the surroundings cautiously.
"There's no one here."
Hearing the voices of the mercenaries who had entered first, Igor and the others followed them inside.
Igor signaled quietly to the mercenaries. The mercenaries, having confirmed the signal, split into two teams.
One team guarded the stairs while the other began to search the area.
With the power already cut, darkness enveloped the building.
The mercenaries lowered their infrared night vision goggles.
Igor donned his night vision goggles one last time and instructed,
"Search from the first floor up."
Standing at the entrance, Igor kept watch while directing the mercenaries.
He observed their movements while checking the time.
Suddenly, an earth-shattering explosion reverberated, and he felt the ground tremble slightly.
'Looks like the underground tunnel has been successfully blown up.'
A little later, the search of the first floor was complete.
There were sporadic skirmishes, but they managed to eliminate everyone on the first floor without major casualties.
"No targets found."
Igor nodded at his subordinate's report.
Just then, static crackled from the radio, followed by a voice.
― Alpha, this is the third team. The underground tunnel explosion is complete.
"Good. Stay in position just in case the target heads your way."
― Understood.
After finishing the transmission, Igor called out to Ivan.
"Ivan, report!"
― Moving toward the train station.
"If there's a problem, contact me."
― Understood.
Everything was going according to plan.
'Chairman Kim Jong-il will either move to the underground bunker or use the underground tunnel to head toward the East Sea Fleet Headquarters.'
It was what Jang Seong-taek had relayed to him.
As Igor reflected on the information Jang Seong-taek had provided, he carefully traced out the building's blueprints in his mind.
Finally, he spoke up.
"Some will guard the stairs, the rest will move down to the bunker."
After selecting the mercenaries to guard the stairs, he opened the door leading down to the basement.
As they slowly descended the pitch-black stairs where not even an inch was visible, suddenly, someone appeared.
Before he could issue instructions, one mercenary fired his weapon.
Bang!
With the sound of a gunshot, a figure crumpled to the ground lifelessly.
"Confirm the target."
One mercenary cautiously approached the spot while the others on guard kept their weapons trained.
The mercenary who checked the face shook his head.
Despite several skirmishes afterward, they achieved overwhelming victories thanks to their superior equipment.
After eliminating all hostile forces on the underground first floor, they stood in front of the closed door to the second floor.
Without any suspicion, one mercenary grabbed the doorknob.
Click!
"Get down!"
Igor shouted urgently, throwing himself aside at a strange noise.
Boom!
With an explosion, the iron door leading to the underground ricocheted away.
Igor took a stance and watched the door. But as time passed, no one came out, and only then could he see the mercenary who had tried to open the door.
The mercenary was left with one arm completely blown off, and fragments were embedded all over his body, blood soaking everywhere.
At Igor's gesture, one mercenary moved toward the fallen comrade.
He soon shook his head.
It was a signal that the mercenary was already dead. It was a result of forgetting the basics.
"Everyone, stay alert. It's not over yet."
"Yes."
There was only one dead mercenary, but many had sustained injuries from the significant explosion.
"Check again and then we move in."
Following Igor's orders, the mercenaries checked down below.
"No one is here."
"We're moving in."
The mercenaries went ahead, and Igor followed, checking their backs as they slowly descended the stairs.
After the explosion, they could enter without further engagement.
However, just as they passed through a dark corridor, people suddenly rushed in from around the corner.
The mercenaries were the first to react.
Ducking low and spraying bullets, the opposing side immediately began firing back.
The skirmish was brief.
Before long, the mercenaries confirmed that all enemies had collapsed and moved forward.
Checking their opponents' weapons, the mercenaries casually adjusted the night vision goggles they wore.
Unlike the North Korean soldiers wearing cheap bulletproof vests, they were clad in the latest equipment that cost a fortune.
That said, the mercenaries were wounded, but not to a lethal extent.
"We'll soon reach the underground bunker. Everyone who can move follow me, and those who can't, stay here and wait while getting treated."
"Yes."
Igor spoke to the man closest to him.
"Nikolai, you stay here and watch over the wounded."
"Yes!"
Leaving the wounded behind, the mercenaries following Igor moved slowly.
Soldiers who weren't killed outright writhed on the floor.
"Confirm the kill."
Once again, several gunshots rang out, and the downed soldiers no longer moved.
Only after confirming all were dead did the mercenaries start to advance.
Though the underground was a maze, Igor knew the location of the bunker.
After walking for a while and turning several corners, they finally arrived in front of the underground bunker that Kim Jong-il would retreat to in emergencies.
Before the tightly shut bunker door, Igor pulled the night vision goggles back up onto his helmet.
Whether Jang Seong-taek's claims were true that they received electricity from emergency generators, the firmly closed door showed no signs of opening.
"Blow it up."
One of the mercenaries pulled out several bombs from his gear and placed them on the door.
"Installation complete."
"Everyone, back up."
After confirming that all the mercenaries fell back, Igor gave the signal.
Upon seeing the signal, a mercenary detonated the bomb attached to the door.
A moment later, a loud explosion echoed. The door shattered, sending debris flying, but thanks to the distance, the mercenaries suffered little damage.
The shockwave brushed against the mercenaries' faces, and as the smoke cleared, faint light could be seen.
"Cover me."
Igor led the way, with the mercenaries following closely behind.
However, there was no one inside the bunker.
"Looks like they went down into the underground tunnel."
As they moved to find the entrance leading down to the underground tunnel.
Suddenly, the study door swung open, revealing soldiers.
They glared at the mercenaries, their guns aimed in their direction.
Behind them stood Kim Jong-il and his family, as well as Jang Seong-taek with a gun aimed at his head.
"You bastards! Who are you?"
Kim Jong-il demanded. But no one there understood.
Without a response, Kim Jong-il yelled again.
"I asked who you are!"
Igor shouted in Russian.
"Target confirmed! Everyone stand down!"
At the sudden Russian words, Kim Jong-il's eyes widened. Soon, Russian words came from his mouth.
"You're Soviet, aren't you?"
Igor didn't respond to the question.
"I'm giving you one chance. Lower your weapons and surrender, and I'll spare your life."
"What? Spare my life? Do you know who I am?"
Igor glared at Kim Jong-il in silence.
"Answer me! Do you know who I am? Who sent you? Did the Russian government order you to kill me?"
"This is the last warning. Drop your weapons and raise your hands. Or you'll die."
"Hahaha!"
Kim Jong-il laughed maniacally.
"You think you can kill me? You think you can make Kim Jong-il die? If you do, you won't leave here alive, understand?"
"…"
Kim Jong-il shot a glance at Baek Cheol-soo, who held Jang Seong-taek.
From the back, Cheol-soo pulled Jang Seong-taek forward.
"Was it Jang Seong-taek who ordered this? Did the Russian government join forces to eliminate me?"
"…"
"If I die, this bastard dies too."
At the quiet threat, Igor pulled a pistol from his side. Without hesitation, he fired.
"Kk!"
With a short gasp, Jang Seong-taek leaned over.
Blood streamed from his left thigh.
"What matters to us is you, not anyone else. We don't care if everyone here dies."
Kim Jong-il seemed caught off guard by the sudden gunshot, looking bewildered between Jang Seong-taek and Igor.
Seeing that expression, Igor spoke firmly.
"Don't even think about buying time. Everyone drop their weapons and surrender, or we die together."
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