Chapter 135: The First Preemptive Strike

“……”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing.”

Sa-yoon shook his head. Delving too deeply into thoughts of Han Do-hoon would only further muddle his mind.

“Tae-han hyung. Let’s not worry excessively. We’ve managed well until now, and we’ll continue to do so. While some aspects have deviated from our original plan, our lives have always unfolded in unexpected ways, haven’t they?”

“That’s true. The world has never truly followed our designs.”

Air-Rhein’s existence was perpetually ensnared, twisted, and complicated by unforeseen incidents. Kang Tae-han chuckled, a genuine smile spreading across his face, at Sa-yoon’s consoling observation.

“Because of that, I intend to adjust our future plans slightly. The other villages have been more cooperative than anticipated, so by tomorrow, all of Air-Rhein will be assembled here. This village will house our entire force.”

Sa-yoon, who had been leaning back in a relaxed posture, straightened up. The boredom vanished from his eyes, replaced by a keen glint. He swiftly grasped the implication of Kang Tae-han’s words.

“Then, the time has finally arrived.”

“Indeed.”

Kang Tae-han clenched his fist. The moment they had long awaited was now upon them.

“It’s time for us to launch our first preemptive strike.”

“Finally, we’ll live up to our name. Let’s make a spectacular impact, befitting our reputation as the world’s most formidable terrorist organization.”

Even Kang Tae-han, who typically disdained the label of a terrorist group, grinned, aligning with Sa-yoon’s sentiment this time.

“In three days, we will strike first. Naturally, Jin Sa-yoon, you will lead the vanguard.”

“The location?”

“We must return to the place where we’ve clashed most fiercely. Let’s engage in a grand confrontation on that tiresome battlefield once more.”

Battlefield. Hearing that wearying name again, Sa-yoon’s gaze drifted to the distant sky. The clear, cerulean expanse seemed to watch over him.

A hazy cloud of dust obscured the sky. Carried by the wind, dry air and specks of sand brushed against his cheeks.

“This is easier than I thought.”

Sa-yoon looked down from a high vantage point, observing the Air-Rhein members entering the building. Beside him, Kang Ah-jun stood with his arms crossed. Their surprise preemptive strike had been a resounding success.

The Espers on this battlefield, having never been attacked first, were overwhelmed in the dead of night, unable to mount a proper defense. The ease of their victory was almost anticlimactic, given the tension they had felt.

Air-Rhein and the Esper Alliance hadn’t truly been at war; it had merely been a hunt, with the Alliance attacking and Air-Rhein fleeing. Witnessing these disorganized forces crumble so helplessly against their first act of defiance made that reality sting even more acutely.

Air-Rhein’s combat personnel, rallied around Kang Tae-han, swept through the building, subduing those who resisted to the very end. Sa-yoon and Kang Ah-jun, positioned to provide distant support, checked the time as they watched. The battle, which had begun at dawn, concluded before noon.

“It’s fortunate Han Do-hoon wasn’t here, at least. Thanks to that, it ended quickly. I was prepared to fight for two or three days if he had joined.”

“You can say that again.”

For a war they had braced themselves for, its conclusion was surprisingly swift and anticlimactic. Han Do-hoon, whom they had fully expected to confront, had not shown even a trace of his presence. Moreover, that wasn’t the only unexpected turn of events.

Strangely, Kim Chae-jun was unreachable. The phone call Sa-yoon had made to give him a heads-up before the battle began had only rung, then disconnected. Something unusual was unfolding. Sa-yoon, a vague sense of unease stirring within him, looked toward Kang Tae-han, who was raising a white flag.

“Let’s go down too.”

“Understood.”

The two, who had commanded the entire battlefield from above and kept watch over their surroundings, descended towards the half-demolished building. The lodge where Sa-yoon had once briefly stayed lay in ruins, its steel framework exposed, and the asphalt of the helipad, where choppers once came and went, was shattered.

“Sa-yoon!”

“You worked hard, Tae-han hyung.”

“What hard work? You did all the heavy lifting. Well done. Truly magnificent.”

Kang Tae-han laughed boisterously, patting Sa-yoon’s back with resounding thuds. The loud smacks made Kang Ah-jun, watching from the side, wince and flinch.

“You’re the one who neutralized the Alliance bastards. Even the Espers, renowned for their abilities, couldn’t use their strength effectively because of you. We’re accustomed to your shaking things up, so it didn’t bother us, but those guys must have been terrified.”

In the days leading up to the operation, the Air-Rhein members had undergone special training with Sa-yoon. It was an exercise in moving to their respective flight teams during moments when the ground shook and space warped. Consequently, Air-Rhein could launch aerial attacks regardless of the situation, while the Alliance Espers tumbled helplessly to the ground.

Behind the radiant Kang Tae-han, the Air-Rhein combatants, having entered the fray, stood in orderly rows, their gazes fixed on Sa-yoon. Their faces, flushed with their first victory, shone as brightly as the midday sun.

Even in such an overwhelming victory, casualties were inevitable. Some stood with bandaged heads, leaning on their comrades for support. Despite the pain and exhaustion from a battle that began at dawn, not a hint of such weariness could be seen on their faces.

“Everyone looks pleased.”

“Of course. Many of them have harbored deep resentment for a long time.”

They were all individuals who had gathered here, carrying their own stories of injustice and sorrow. Sa-yoon looked at each one of them. His own circumstances, at least, were better. While he had a sad and difficult past, Sa-yoon possessed power. He had the strength to realize his will and to rectify distorted realities.

Most here, however, did not. They had endured long periods, tormented by their own helplessness, on the verge of drowning in despair. That was, until Sa-yoon appeared as a lifeline. Therefore, the victory they had achieved with their own hands held an immeasurably profound meaning for them.

Sa-yoon subtly smoothed his face, suppressing the smile that threatened to break through, and addressed the people.

“I understand your joy, but everyone needs to rest. We don’t know when the next battle might erupt.”

“Yes. Don’t worry.”

“We’re ready to fight again right now, if needed.”

Listening to their cheerful replies, Kang Tae-han, too, was grinning widely beside him. Sa-yoon quietly nudged Kang Tae-han’s side. While he understood the combatants’ excitement, their leader shouldn’t be so lax.

“Han Do-hoon still hasn’t appeared. We don’t know what schemes he might be brewing from above, so stay vigilant.”

As Sa-yoon whispered, Kang Tae-han’s smile faded, replaced by a serious expression as he nodded.

“Then, Sa-yoon, you should go rest too. I’ll manage the prisoners before the next battle.”

Kang Tae-han, finally regaining his composure and focusing on his duties, led the people away. Sa-yoon stood in the now quiet clearing, lost in silent contemplation.

Though everyone was joyful now, how long would that emotion last? By this evening, the news would undoubtedly be spewing breaking reports. Those aligned with the Alliance would relentlessly denounce Air-Rhein, their words dripping with malice, proclaiming how wicked and cruel the organization was until their throats were raw.

It was obvious how thrilled they would be, given that an organization previously slandered for doing nothing had now truly acted. Air-Rhein, now a genuine terrorist group, would have no choice but to suppress their enemies with force to reveal the truth, and that path would surely be arduous.

“……”

Still, thinking of the smiling faces of the people, a faint smile touched Sa-yoon’s lips. The more he worried, the more effort he would simply have to put in. As he had resolved from the beginning, Sa-yoon had no intention of losing, and that remained unchanged.

As he moved towards the hastily prepared lodging area on the battlefield, he saw a bustling crowd in the distance. This was the support team, following behind the combatants. Among those organizing supplies and clearing debris, one person rushed out, running frantically.

“Sa-yoon! Sa-yoon! It’s a huge deal, no. It’s amazing!”

The person shouting loudly and waving his hand was Park Han-woo. This remarkable individual, who had carried a heavy camera to the front lines, determined not to miss such important moments, now dashed towards Sa-yoon, having even tossed aside his precious camera.

“Hah. Hah. Look at this.”

Park Han-woo, breathless after sprinting barely 100 meters, extended his mobile phone to Sa-yoon. The screen displayed a video of a woman looking directly at the camera. As the play button was pressed, a calm voice flowed out, accompanied by subtitles below.

[…That’s how I was forcibly conscripted. After that, he was mobilized for several missions and then contact was lost. The last thing he told me was that he would be deployed on a very important mission and would be going overseas.]

The woman, pressing her lips together and briefly composing herself, continued speaking, her eyes red-rimmed once more. Her striking blonde hair cascaded like waves with every movement. She was truly a vibrant person.

[A few days later, my brother’s death notice arrived at our home. A brief notification of ‘died during mission’ was all it said. I, our family, could not accept the situation. I didn’t want to accept the perfunctory explanation that his remains couldn’t be recovered due to his death overseas, but at the time, I was powerless. So, I buried my brother in my heart forever.]

“Who is this person?”

“She’s a popular singer these days. She suddenly uploaded this video this morning.”

The woman, speaking with a clear voice befitting a singer, paused and choked up. Tears soon streamed down her face, soaking her handkerchief.

[If what Air-Rhein claims is true, then what happened to my brother? It’s not just me. Countless people who experienced similar situations have written their stories in the videos Air-Rhein uploaded. I, on behalf of them, demand an explanation from the Alliance.]

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