Chapter 16: The Military Coup of December 8th (4)

The key to the coup launched by Lee Sung Joon was meeting objectives within the time limit.If given tasks weren't completed within the time constraint, the entire schedule would inevitably be thrown into disarray.

Especially crucial was the mission of the arrest team tasked with subduing Park Han-jin's residence.

Captain Lee Sung Myung, obeying orders, deployed to the Army Minister's residence, joining Colonel Kim Sung-joo's plainclothes unit on standby.

"From now on, I'll exercise command. Any objections?"

"No, sir."

Even if there were, the rank difference demanded there shouldn't be.

Kim Sung-joo nodded and led the troops towards the residence entrance.

At the entrance stood the residence guards wearing Marine Corps insignia.

"Halt! Halt!"

"I'm Colonel Kim Sung-joo from the Army Criminal Investigation Division."

As the plainclothes commander, Colonel Kim Sung-joo, and several plainclothes soldiers approached, a few Marines came out to conduct an inspection.

"What's your business?"

"I have urgent matters to discuss with His Excellency, so please clear the way."

"Please wait a moment. I'll notify the residence manager and take action."

A young Marine lieutenant hurriedly entered the guardhouse and picked up the phone.

Kim Sung-joo watched this and gave a signal.

"Wh-what?"

The Guards were disarmed before they could react.

Amidst this, a single gunshot rang out.

At that moment, Captain Lee Sung-myung and an MP platoon, who had been waiting out of sight against a wall near the entrance, came running.

The Marine lieutenant, seeing his men overwhelmed, yelled into the phone:

"Armed intruders!"

The lieutenant couldn't even shout a few times before being beaten by the plainclothes officers and collapsing to the ground.

Kim Sung-joo, barked his next orders,

"Captain Lee, secure the entrance and subdue up to the duty room. We'll arrest Park Han-jin."

"Understood."

Kim Sung-joo's group immediately drove their car into the residence.

At the time the arrest team barged in, Army Minister Park Han-jin was having tea with his chief of staff, Colonel Bae Joon-soo.

"I'm sorry I couldn't promote you this time."

"Not at all, Your Excellency. Your consideration is more than enough."

"I'll create an opportunity next time, so don't worry too much."

"Yes, sir."

Just as the warm conversation encouraging his subordinate continued, Warrant Officer Ha Kyung-tae, the residence manager, barged in.

"Your Excellency. The DSC chief of staff says he has an urgent matter to report."

"Is that so? Ah, Colonel Bae, please remain seated, this shouldn’t take long."

Park Han-jin followed the residence manager and picked up the phone, having no idea of what he was about to hear.

Thus, he addressed the DSC chief of staff in an utterly calm tone.

"Yes, what is it? What? Strong suspicions of a coup attempt? Explain in detail!"

Park Han-jin's voice suddenly rose, his shock colored the tone.

Startled Park Han-jin’s shout, Colonel Bae Joon-soo who had been drinking in the living room approached the

Colonel Bae Joon-soo, who had been drinking in the living room, was startled and approached the switchboard.

"What the hell has the DSC been doing! If MPs are mobilizing, it's clearly a coup, and you're only figuring this out now? Fine. Declare an emergency, and tell the DSC commander to report to the Army Ministry when he arrives!"

Park Han-jin slammed the phone down, his knuckles white.

"Colonel!"

"Yes, Your Excellency."

"We're going to the Army Ministry now. Prepare the car."

"Understood."

"Ah, Warrant Officer Ha."

"Yes, sir."

"How many troops are stationed here?"

"A Marine company nearby. Two squads rotate for security."

"Contact the Marines and strengthen security. We need an escort to the Army Ministry, make it five vehicles strong."

"Understood, sir."

While Park Han-jin went to change into his uniform, Warrant Officer Ha relayed the minister's orders over the phone.

Just then, the other phone rang.

"Ah, what now? It’s one thing after the other…”

Warrant Officer Ha picked up the phone.

As soon as he lifted the receiver, he heard gunshots, then a young Marine lieutenant scream, followed by the sounds of a beating.

Then the line went dead.

"It can't be."

Ha Kyung-tae realized all hell had broken loose.

"Colonel! Colonel!”

Ha Kyung-tae urgently called for Bae Joon-soo.

"Manager, what's wrong?"

"The residence is under attack right now. We need to evacuate His Excellency immediately."

"What?"

Bae Joon-soo was shocked but knew there was no time to waste.

"Aide!”

At Bae Joon-soo's call, Captain Lee In-gyeom, the Army Minister's aide-de-camp, came running with his pistol.

"Yes, sir!"

"We need to get His Excellency out of the residence right now."

Bae Joon-soo hurriedly went up to the minister's room and knocked on the door.

"What is it now?"

"There's no time to explain. The residence is under attack."

"What?"

Though Park Han-jin had lived as a politician for a long time, he was once a field soldier.

He instinctively knew how dangerous the current situation was.

Without a word, Park Han-jin went downstairs without even putting on his coat.

Park Han-jin's wife, hearing the commotion, followed him out.

"The situation is dangerous, Your Excellency, it may be for the best that the Madam comes with us as well.” Sᴇaʀᴄh the Nʘvᴇl(F)ire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"Alright."

Park Han-jin's group headed towards the residence wall.

Suddenly, gunfire rained down on them, followed by a shout.

"Park Han-jin! Surrender if you want to live!"

As soon as Captain Lee In-gyeom, the aide-de-camp, drew his pistol, bullets tore through his body.

"Captain Lee!"

Bae Joon-soo shouted in anger, but nothing could be done for the already dead man.

Park Han-jin's lips trembled.

Never in his life had he been exposed to such a threat.

"Drop your weapons!"

Another burst of gunfire rang out.

Colonel Bae Joon-soo hesitated, then dropped his gun.

"Your Excellency. I think it's best to consider Madam's safety."

Park Han-jin gritted his teeth and dropped his gun.

"Fine, you bastards. I've dropped my weapon. Who the hell are you trying to capture me?"

"We're from the Criminal Investigation Unit. We'll explain the details at the safe house."

"Criminal Investigation unit? Impossible! Oh Jung-gu would never give such an order!"

"What are you waiting for? Escort him."

Plainclothes officers approached and swiftly arrested Park Han-jin.

They then loaded only Park Han-jin and Bae Joon-soo into their car and immediately left the residence.

While Warrant Officer Ha Kyung-tae, the residence manager, watched this from afar, then hurriedly climbed over the wall into the Army Quartermaster General's residence.

"Huff... Huff..."

"What happened, lad? Why are you covered in dirt?"

Ignoring the Quartermaster's residence manager's question, Warrant Officer Ha immediately looked for a phone.

He called the Marine Corps right away.

"This is Ha Kyung-tae, from the Army Minister's residence manager. Yes. The Army Minister has just been kidnapped. No, I don't know their affiliation! They claim to be from the Criminal Investigation unit. Yes. Please deploy immediately!"

Upon receiving Ha Kyung-tae's call, the Marine Corps immediately dispatched five standby units to the residence.

They also informed the Army Ministry about the minister's abduction.

Of course, the Army Ministry already sensed something was amiss.

The DSC had reported signs of a coup attempt, and gunfire had been reported as well.

The Chief of Staff, the most senior general remaining at the Army Ministry, frantically made calls everywhere, but couldn't reach any of the major commanders' residences.

Even the Capital Defense Commander was out of contact.

So, the Chief of Staff reluctantly contacted the 3rd Army Commander.

The only other high-ranking commander he could reach was Senior General Kang Ki-jung, the 3rd Army Commander.

Kang Ki-jung was shocked to hear about Park Han-jin's abduction as soon as he answered the phone.

"This really is a coup. What a disaster…… What can I do to help?"

"Please prevent troops under the 3rd Army's jurisdiction from moving without the Army Ministry's approval."

"The units under the 3rd Army are just the 16th and 17th Reserve Divisions, 12th and 33rd Infantry Divisions, 1st Guards Division, and Training Units. The 16th, 17th, 1st Guards and Training Units have no division commanders, and the 12th and 33rd are far from the Capital. Can these units even move?"

"They moved the MPs without the Provost Marshal's knowledge. If they decide to move at the regimental level, how can we control units without division commanders?"

"Understood. I'll investigate and call back."

As soon as  Kang Ki-jung hung up, the phone rang again.

"This is Senior General Kang Ki-jung speaking."

"Sir, the 16th and 17th Reserve Divisions are mobilizing towards the Capital."

"What? Repeat that?"

Startled, Kang called the divisions, but chiefs of staff reported helplessness.

"Regimental commanders and operations officers are pushing mobilization orders. What can I do, sir?"

"Lie down at the base entrance if necessary. They must not mobilize!"

Kang shouted, but the situation worsened.

Training Units also reported mobilization intent.

"Sir, Training Units are mobilizing too."

"Whose orders?"

"Operations officer's orders."

"Absolutely forbidden without field army orders. Do not mobilize!"

"If division orders come, we'll follow."

Kang called the division, but they denied any such activity.

While the 3rd Army Commander was making futile efforts on the phone, Defense Security Commander Lee Jeong Ju arrived at the DSC headquarters.

He had narrowly avoided the arrest team sent by Lee Sung-joon thanks to a timely warning, but he was shocked at how badly the situation had deteriorated.

"What madman is leading this coup for things to get this bad?"

"According to intercepted information, it's Lee Sung-joon, sir."

"Wasn't he supposed to be patrolling the Capital until 7:30?"

"It was a deception. He's currently set up a CP at the Training Units."

"That son of a..."

Lee Jeong-ju gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched tight with fury.

At this point, they had to go all in as well.

The situation was spiraling out of control faster than he could have imagined. Lee Jeong-ju's mind raced, calculating their next moves in this dangerous game of power.

***

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