Chapter 37: A Gun Is Deadlier Than A Pen

Silence filled the Revolutionary (Rebel) Army Command Post.

“What are you all doing!”

“Contact the units deployed out there and tell them to block off all roads near the Assembly building!”

“Ye-yes!”

They scrambled to make contact.

But it didn’t seem very effective.

[“Members of the National Assembly are arriving at the building.”]

[“Soon, another attempt at oppression through force… the attempt to suppress us again will be nullified.”]

[“We will restore the rule of law…”]

“Can’t we stop that somehow?”

Fride, unable to watch any longer, asked.

“Are you talking about the broadcast, ma’am?”

“Yes, isn’t all the information leaking outside?”

“The internet connection originates from South Korean assets, so…”

“So what?”

“It’s difficult for us to physically block it.”

That was right.

The major communication networks, including the internet lines installed by South Korean companies after North Korea’s collapse, were strictly the assets of those South Korean companies.

Blocking them would require seizing key facilities.

Occupying South Korean corporate assets using military force?

It was quite a burden for them in their current situation.

“Is that important right now?”

“This whole thing is about to go wrong!”

“We will take swift action!”

To achieve great things, small sacrifices are unavoidable.

At least, that’s what Fride thought.

[“As the current President is missing and there are concerns about his inability to perform duties due to external pressure, we will now table a motion regarding the appointment of an Acting Authority.”]

It had to be stopped.

If the National Assembly appointed an Acting Authority according to their will and politically resolved the current situation, it would be a major flaw in the legitimacy of the revolutionary army.

One might ask what legitimacy there is in seizing power through military force.

But justification and legitimacy are always important.

If you don’t want to falter from the beginning, it’s crucial to lay a solid foundation.

This applies to both construction and coups d’état.

“Figure out a way to stop them, quickly!”

They hastily dispatched a portion of the 1st Battalion troops to the Assembly building.

Since the distances between major facilities in Pyongyang were short anyway, the troops arrived quickly.

***

The Mansudae Assembly Hall, a massive building constructed by the North Korean Kim dynasty to flaunt their power.

Of course, its role was merely that of a rubber stamp for the Kim dynasty.

Today, that huge, sturdy building became the last bastion of the nascent republic’s democracy.

And the soldiers who arrived to trample that last bastion of democracy surrounded the building.

A soldier, appearing to be an officer, shouted into a megaphone.

“If you surrender and come out now, we will overlook today’s events!”

“Come out quickly!”

And to the rebels’ kind guidance, the counter-rebels…

Rat-tat-tat-tat!

“Look at these sons of b*tches!”

…answered with hot lead bullets.

Isn’t there a saying, ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’?

Naturally, since the North was also a place where people lived, a similar saying existed.

“Fire!”

“Respond!”

A heartwarming situation unfolded as they exchanged bullets.

It’s common sense that defense is more advantageous than attack.

This is obvious when the troop numbers aren’t significantly different, and in this situation, the defending force was much larger.

Moreover, they were holding out using the sturdy building as a fortification, so that said it all.

The infantry that rushed over couldn’t break through.

“Contact the command post!”

“We need support!”

As three or four men died from the hail of bullets fired through the windows, the field commander, judging the situation impossible, requested help.

The response was positive.

Support troops would arrive soon.

Despite that, the situation wasn’t good.

To subdue those barricaded inside with steel furniture blocking the entrances, quite a lot of blood would have to be spilled.

***

Back at the command post.

“They need more support?”

The Commander, Fride, asked again.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“It seems they’re having difficulty entering because the enemy is hiding and holding out inside the Assembly building.”

Receiving this dismal report, what was Fride thinking now?

Was she contemplating a peaceful resolution to this situation?

‘Should I just go myself and use magic to blow it up?’

‘Or should I set it on fire to force them out?’

…

It seemed the word ‘peace’ didn’t exist in her dictionary.

And our Commander, General Yakovlena El Fride, made her decision.

“Army Commander, where is the nearest tank unit to the Assembly building?”

“Are you talking about tanks, ma’am?”

“Yes.”

Everyone thought, ‘Surely not.’

“Th-the Pyongyang 105th Tank Division, ma’am.”

“But why do you ask…?”

“Deploy the tanks.”

“Contact them immediately and tell them to move out.”

Everyone was aghast.

But they didn’t show it.

And they rationalized it to themselves.

‘Yes, sending more troops here will only increase the casualties.’

That was half-true.

If they hadn’t committed the act they called a revolution and others called a coup in the first place, there wouldn’t have been any casualties.

“Are we really… deploying them?”

“Is there any other way?”

There wasn’t.

Other than them giving up right here.

“Ah, and I will go with them.”

“It’s too dangerous, General!”

“You must not have seen me fight on the battlefield.”

Some generals who had seen her fight nodded.

On the battlefield, she was a bulletproof human, no, a bulletproof elf.

Of course, it was thanks to Fride’s layers of magic, but did that matter?

The person hadn’t been pierced by bullets.

“The tank unit has entered Pyongyang, they report!”

“Good, I should head out too.”

“I will drive, ma’am.”

“No, I’ll go alone.”

“Just one communications officer needs to follow me.”

But who would go?

Who would want to volunteer to walk into a battlefield raining bullets…?

“I will go!”

“Follow me.”

The world was wide, and there were many madmen.

Among them were madmen who walked willingly onto a battlefield.

Fride and a communications officer boarded a vehicle that might commonly be called a Jeep.

The Jeep let out a monstrous noise and spewed exhaust fumes.

Simultaneously, the communications officer’s neck snapped back.

Fride’s vehicle sped through the city center.

It was still too early for the sun to rise.

Only the streetlights illuminated the road.

From afar, a majestic engine roar could be heard.

The tank unit.

Ah, how dependable they looked.

Steel bodies and endless tracks crushing the ground beneath them.

Perhaps somewhat similar to heavy construction equipment.

But heavy equipment is a tool for construction.

And a tank is a tool designed solely for destruction.

Fride joined the very front of the tank column.

They advanced. To destroy democracy.

To crush legally elected political power.

To establish their own justice.

Towards victory.

***

The tanks stopped one by one. And aimed their cannons towards the Assembly building.

Fride shouted herself.

“This is your last chance!”

“Drop your weapons and come outside!”

“Surrender!”

“If you surrender, your lives will be guaranteed!”

A lesser reward than before.

But because the terrifying tanks were threatening them, the troops occupying the Assembly building… they fell into internal conflict.

‘How about surrendering here?’

‘No, they won’t actually fire.’

‘I think so too.’

‘Isn’t it just for intimidation?’

‘Even General Fride wouldn’t fire cannons in the middle of the city, would she?’

And they reached a conclusion.

“We will never surrender!”

It was a decision born from seemingly rational reasoning.

‘Won’t South Korea or the US intervene?’

But the South Korean government had already decided against military intervention.

They merely passed a formal resolution condemning the armed conflict in Pyongyang and hoping for a peaceful solution.

The United States was a plausible possibility.

If Fride’s group bought just a little more time, if those occupying the Assembly building bought just a little more time.

And Fride had absolutely no intention of giving them that leeway.

In conclusion, the thoughts of the 3rd Battalion officers were wrong.

Fride was someone who did what she said she would do.

“Oh really?”

“Then I’ll show you.”

“Firing permission granted!”

“Fire!”

Kaboom!

The tank unleashed flames with a fierce roar.

The tank rocked like it was riding a wave, and a high-explosive shell slammed into the building’s exterior wall.

Smoke rose from the wall along with a large flame.

Kaboom!

Kaboom!

Tanks continued to spew fire one after another.

Because it was a building constructed with modern methods, a few tank shells didn’t cause a catastrophic collapse.

Of course, it was enough to hit the personnel inside the building.

“Crazy b*tch, she actually fired!”

“Get away from the walls!”

“Move the wounded!”

Bullets flew from a window some distance from the impact point.

Naturally, they did no damage whatsoever to the tanks.

They still hadn’t come to their senses after taking three tank shells.

Of course, no one knew if it was due to a meaningless devotion to democracy or simply because they’d been hit by shells.

Eventually, the tanks spat fire once more.

Shells were fired with a sound that felt like it would damage eardrums.

Hit.

Hit.

Hit.

Dust scattered around the tanks, and the smell of gunpowder hung thick in the air.

The Assembly building spewed smoke like mad.

No matter how prepared they were for a noble sacrifice for democracy.

Faced with incoming artillery shells, any courage was nothing but futile.

“D-don’t shoot!”

“We Surrender!”

The 3rd Battalion troops surrendered to the overwhelming military force.

They walked out the main entrance with both hands raised above their heads.

Trudging.

Like defeated soldiers.

Which wasn’t wrong, as they were indeed defeated soldiers.

“Move in.”

Soldiers led by Fride stormed into the Assembly building.

Members of the Joseon Democratic Party and Joseon Social Democratic Party were dragged out one by one.

Inside the Assembly hall were Fride’s troops, and some assembly members who had promised cooperation with Fride.

The Deputy Speaker sat in the Speaker’s chair.

The Speaker had already been dragged out.

And then.

They elected an Acting Authority.

Unanimously.

They declared Martial Law.

Unanimously.

They completely finished off democracy.

Also unanimously.