Chapter 36: Fighting On The Side Of Evil

Even though the first button had been misaligned, it was still within the expected range.

We’d already drilled a backup hole beside it in anticipation of a situation like this.

It would take about ten more minutes for the 3rd Battalion of the Capital Defense Command to arrive at the Mansudae Assembly Hall to seize the legislature.

So we waited calmly.

There was no force left that could stop us anyway.

***

South Korea was in chaos.

More precisely, the South Korean government was.

They had no solid grasp of what exactly was happening in the North, only that a coup was underway.

The National Security Council of the Republic of Korea.

It sounded like a grand institution, but its purpose was simple.

This meeting, chaired by the President, usually convened when—

Something had seriously gone f*cking wrong.

When North Korea still existed, they would hold one every time the North provoked the South.

“Is Pyongyang still not responding?”

The President asked.

“Still nothing. We’re trying everything we can, but… it seems they’ve been physically cut off.”

“Ha… is there really no way to contact them?”

At that moment, the Director of the Dimensional Bureau answered cautiously.

“Um… we’ve received word that the ringleader is General Yakovlena El Fride of the Chosun Defense Forces, correct?”

“Yes. …Ah!”

The President looked like she’d just realized something.

If this were a comic, a lightbulb would’ve lit above her head.

“As you know, she’s a dimensional returnee. She’s under the jurisdiction of the Bureau. We’d like to try reaching out through her case officer—what do you think?”

“Use every possible method. Try immediately!”

As soon as the President spoke, the Dimensional Bureau Director made the call.

“Now then, let’s discuss how we should interpret this situation, and what action to take.”

Here’s the situation.

A coup has occurred in the North.

A military coup involving nearly the entire military leadership.

Pyongyang is completely cut off.

Based on the earlier interrupted call with Advisor Kim, there’s likely been violent conflict as well.

They immediately ordered the border—formerly the DMZ, now the Korea-Chosun border—to be sealed.

Letting people go North in this situation would be insane.

They also planned to extract any citizens with South Korean registration currently located in the North.

Rescuing nationals from conflict zones is a government’s duty, after all.

That was the initial response.

Now came the real question.

How should they respond to the military coup?

It was tricky to either support or oppose it outright.

Of course, some would say:

“A democratically elected government is being toppled by the military, what’s there to debate?”

But it wasn’t that simple.

First off, the coup’s success was practically guaranteed.

With the top brass leading the charge, there was no force left in the North that could stop them.

Even if there was, it would be a tiny minority—and given Fride’s track record, she wouldn’t hesitate to use force to seize power.

So that minority would just end up crushed by the rebels.

If they condemned or opposed it too strongly, they risked ruining relations with the new regime.

That would destroy their entire long-term unification strategy for the peninsula.

Then what about supporting the coup?

Obviously, that would be insane.

A 21st-century democratic nation openly supporting a military coup that denies democracy?

The domestic backlash would obliterate the current administration’s chances of reelection.

Not to mention international opinion would turn sour fast.

There was one more option.

Send in the South Korean military.

Which also happened to be the worst option.

Even if it was “to stop the coup,” if it escalated to a firefight, people would die.

And it’s not like South Korea was attacked first—imagine citizens dying just to “restore democracy in someone else’s country”?

You could already hear the approval ratings crashing.

War always breaks out unexpectedly.

And if they weren’t careful, this could be another Korean War.

Except this time, South Korea would be the aggressor, not the defender.

Unless they wanted to reverse roles and fight North-South again, that option had to be discarded completely.

With no good solution in sight, the room fell into endless debate and frustration.

***

♫~ ♩~

A ringtone suddenly pierced the early morning quiet.

A rude intruder disturbing someone’s peaceful sleep.

Of course. Insurance, loans, credit cards, or some other scammer.

Who dares wake me at this hour?

Checking his phone, he saw it was his supervisor.

‘What the…?’

Was there an emergency?

There’s no reason for work to call at this hour unless something bad happened.

“…Hello? Yes, yes. …What?”

The words coming through the speaker were shocking.

The dimensional returnee he was managing had… started a coup?

His first and only returnee case, Yakovlena El Fride.

She’d launched a coup in the North.

He had always known she was extraordinary.

From the immense firepower of her magic to her long, dark history and tragic end.

When she’d taken on the role of Supreme Commander in the North, he’d been a bit worried.

Worried that she’d repeat what she did before returning here.

But over time, he’d come to think she wasn’t that kind of person.

A little arrogant sometimes, sure—but she could be down-to-earth and surprisingly human.

She even had her clumsy moments.

Overall, he thought she was a pretty decent person.

She seemed to be adjusting well post-settlement.

Her move to Pyongyang had been unexpected, but since many elves lived there, it wasn’t too strange.

She seemed to be settling down, even living with someone.

After all, she’d spent centuries in war—of course she’d want to rest.

Apparently not.

Maybe our returnee hadn’t really escaped the world of steel and fire.

Anyway, his supervisor’s request was simple.

Contact Fride.

Try to stop this.

At the very least, try to keep blood from being spilled.

And then the call ended.

Ha…

The dial tone buzzed in his ears.

Please pick up.

-“Jeonghun? What’s wrong?”

She picked up!

But what do I say?

Stop the coup! No violence!

Yeah, that’s not going to work.

“Um… Fride?”

To hell with it. What else can I do?

“Are you… absolutely sure you need to go through with this?”

-“What do you mean? My job? I’d rather not become unemployed just yet.”

“You know what I’m talking about.”

-“…So the news already got that far, huh.”

“Isn’t there another way? It’d be best if no innocent people had to bleed…”

-“Don’t worry too much. There won’t be blood. There would need to be resistance for bloodshed. But who would oppose me?”

“You’re not going to stop, are you?”

-“Turning back now would only deepen the chaos. That’s not how problems are solved.”

“…Got it.”

He relayed everything to his supervisor.

“…Yes, sir. Understood.”

The matter was now beyond him.

He was just a civil servant who’d done his best.

‘But is that really enough?’

After a moment of hesitation, he made up his mind.

He quickly got dressed, grabbed his keys, and started driving north.

His ordinary life was now over.

He was throwing himself into the extraordinary.

***

“Stop! Stop the vehicle!”

An army sentry blocked the car.

The window rolled down.

“You’re not allowed to head north. All personnel and vehicles are under restriction.”

He held up his government ID hanging around his neck.

“I’m from the Dimensional Bureau. I have to get up there now.”

“You can’t pass.”

“I already got pre-approval. Please remove the barricade.”

“That so?”

The guard wasn’t dumb. He decided to check.

“Hey! He says he’s Dimensional Bureau. Call command and confirm.”

“Yes, sir!”

The younger soldier made the call as the guard stepped away from the car.

And that’s when Jeonghun made his move.

He floored the gas pedal.

The vehicle roared and lunged forward.

“Huh?! Stop him! STOP! Report this right now!”

He weaved between the barricades and sped through.

Even as he pressed the pedal, doubt gnawed at him.

Was this right?

Would it even make a difference?

He was just one civil servant.

But still, he drove.

He pushed his doubts to the future version of himself.

For now, he would focus only on doing what he could.

That was enough.

He drove at full speed toward Pyongyang.

If there were speed cameras, he’d rack up a huge fine.

But Jeonghun left those worries to future Jeonghun.

Realistically, his arrival wouldn’t change much.

But maybe—just maybe—it could prevent even one drop of blood.

That would be enough.

The military was blocking the outskirts of Pyongyang.

So he took a side road—a dirt path, really.

His car screamed in protest, but he didn’t hear it.

He made it.

He’d entered the heart of Pyongyang through sheer recklessness.

Before sunrise, the city was eerily quiet.

Nothing like Seoul’s nonstop noise.

Now, he had to decide where to go.

The answer was obvious.

He had to find Fride.

***

“3rd Battalion has arrived!”

Good.

Just a little more. Once we seize the Assembly, it’ll all be over.

“Tell them to occupy it immediately. Report back once it’s done.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Time passed.

Five minutes. Ten minutes.

“Why’s it taking so long?”

“No word yet.”

“Connect me.”

The communications officer called the 3rd Battalion commander directly.

“He says to wait a bit longer…”

Are they building a new Assembly to seize or something?

A bit more time passed.

A general rushed up and held out his phone to me.

“Commander! You need to see this.”

“What is it?”

The phone screen showed a livestream.

“We, the officers of the 3rd Battalion, firmly oppose this unlawful seizure of power. Once the lawmakers arrive, we will…”

What…?

“What the hell is going on?”

“It seems like… betrayal…”

D*mn it.