Against the Corrupt Cartel

Cheonghae

Cheonghae looks like a utopia. People's income levels are high and the gap between the rich and the poor is small, and all the people benefit from a highly developed civilization.

Few people know that Cheonghae is a rotten country inside. Corruption cartels in the military and defense industries have encroached on the country even after Three Nations War ended with Cheonghai's victory.

The military-industrial complex was a means of ensuring the survival of the Cheonghae in the days when the Cheonghae Federation was divided into three countries. The military, which worked closely with defense companies, efficiently produced high-tech weapons, which helped Cheonghae win the Three Nations War.

But the link between the military and the defense industry hasn't disappeared since the end of the war. Rather, they lobbied the political community heavily to consolidate their power and interests, and they unreservedly removed those who opposed them.

66 years after the end of the Three Nations War, the influence of the military-industrial complex remains strong. And the corruption cartels they have formed are now adversely affecting Cheonghae's political environment.

President Lim Daehyun ran for president and was elected with the belief that he would eliminate these corrupt cartels. But can his reforms succeed? Kim Yeon-Jae, the current defense minister, was also one of those who stood up to the corruption cartel, but today she eventually gave in to reality. Lim Daehyun, like Kim Yeonjae, may give in to reality.

For the past 60 years, the military-industrial complex has consolidated its power. Now their corrupt cartels are like fortresses that can never be broken.

The military-industrial complex is steadily increasing Cheonghae's defense spending to consolidate their power. The defense industry applied EMP protection designs to all civilian facilities across the country in the name of preparing for "enemy country's EMP attack," and the military steadily purchased new weapons under the name of suppressing "enemy country's military attack."

But in the end, continuing to increase armaments required a more solid justification. The threat from the 'barbaric tribes' and external states around Cheonghae has become a great cause. Cheonghae's forces consistently attacked stateless tribes in Cheonghae's borderlands in the name of protecting the outlying inhabitants and drove them out. Also, Cheonghae's army became stronger day by day in the name of protecting the country from threats from other countries.

Such 'daily life' will not change, at least for the time being. Unless someone comes forward and reforms it.

Minister of Defense Kim Yeon-Jae was asked by his generals to approve an operation to evict stateless tribes across the border. No one knows what she thought of the generals' requests, but she approved them anyway.

The field commander appointed by Kim Yeonjae was Miles Maguire. Myles Maguire, who was ordered by the Minister of Defense, was dispatched to the scene with the aircraft on board, but his mind was uncomfortable.

Miles Maguire was a soldier who did not have any ill feelings toward the military-industrial complex. But the stateless tribes that he should force to evict were unarmed tribes with medieval civilization.

As he joined the army, he expected to fight against powerful enemies. But this was not what he expected. No one likes to use weapons to kick out unarmed civilians.

His faith in the army began to falter.

Cheonghae

Cheonghae Federation

Hanoul, Headquarters of CIB(Central Investigation Bureau)

"What's happened?"

"One of the Ryu-Lyeon group's trucks on the 24가-H2 highway has disappeared. The escort vehicles were attacked and destroyed."

The CIB's situation room was thrown into disarray by a sudden emergency. The convoy, which was carrying important experimental weapons, was attacked, and the truck carrying the weapon disappeared. The CIB's anti-terrorism mission has failed. Now they had to complete the task of arresting terrorists.

Raymond Riley

"Analyze CCTV at the site and check the recorded footage of the UAV responsible for the area." Raymond Riley, head of the CIB's counterterrorism team, gave instructions quickly without panicking.

"CCTVs at the scene were all broken just before the attack, and the UAV passing by was shot down. This is a premeditated terror." Raymond frowned at the agent's report.

Raymond Riley
"There's no clue? Shit. I have got to go to the scene. Get ready to go."

"Yes, Sir."

Cheonghae Federation

Outskirts of Daepyeong City

24가-H2 highway

The CIB's counterterrorism team, which was dispatched to the scene, forced the police to step back from the scene and began investigating the scene. Two military vehicles escorting the truck were destroyed in a rocket launcher attack, and the truck disappeared from nowhere.

Raymond picked up the iron plate next to the exploded military vehicle.

It was a vehicle license plate.

Park Mi-ra
"I checked the license plate number in the database and it was the license plate of the stolen truck." Park Mi-ra, deputy head of the counterterrorism team, showed Raymond information about the truck with a hologram.

Raymond Riley
"It's an 11.5-ton truck, bulletproof function, and an unmanned vehicle.”

Park Mi-ra
"That's right, Sir."

Raymond Riley
"Trucks are unmanned vehicles, how could terrorists steal trucks?”

Park Mi-ra
"Shortly after the terror was reported, the network of trucks and the military's central control station was disconnected. It's supposed to be a hack."

Raymond Riley
"Okay. Do you have any clues about the location of the truck?"

Park Mi-ra
"The AI at the police central control station is tracking trucks of the same type as the stolen trucks nationwide. We'll have the results in at least two hours."

Raymond Riley
"Okay. Let's finish cleaning up the scene and go back to the headquarters. If the truck's current location is confirmed, send a mobile strike force straight to where the truck is."

Cheonghae Federation

Hanoul, Ministry of Defense

Colonel Do Young-chul
"Ma’am, the truck convoy carrying experimental weapons was attacked, and the truck carrying the weapons was gone. We're currently tracking trucks at CIB."

Colonel Do Young-chul began briefing after saluting Minister of Defense Kim Yeon-Jae.

Minister of Defense Kim Yeon-Jae
"What's the missing weapon?"

Colonel Do Young-chul
"It's a nanorobot bomb."

Minister of Defense Kim Yeon-Jae
"What is it? You said it's an experimental weapon, explain it in detail."

Colonel Do Young-chul
"It's a weapon that explodes from sky and attacks everything within a kilometer radius using nanorobots. It's a tactical weapon currently being tested by the Defense Research Institute, and along with the truck, the weapon has disappeared."

Kim Yeonjae gave the order to Do Young-chul after thinking for a while.

Minister of Defense Kim Yeon-Jae
"Don't leave the work to CIB alone. We need to track down the truck, too. Use reconnaissance UAVs to find trucks. Find and analyze all trucks of the same type. The truck is a government's truck. There won't be that many trucks of the same kind in the country.”

Colonel Do Young-chul
"Yes, Ma’am."

Cheonghae

Cheonghae Federation

200km from Jingyeong City

Led by the GA-02 VTOL Gunship, the aircraft unit flew about 200 kilometers to a vacant lot on the eastern border.

That place had to be a vacant lot with no one.

The vacant lot was inhabited by nomadic people who crossed the border. They were a group of medieval civilizations, and although they seemed harmless, the command ordered suppression in the name that there might be a mixture of vampires between them.

General Miles Maguire was watching the nomadic people tens of kilometers away by the EOTS screen. Miles Maguire was reluctant to do this, but he couldn't help it.

General Miles Maguire
“Open Fire.”

Two FA-12 V/STOL Multi-Role Fighter jets flying nearby began firing air-to-ground missiles at the nomadic people when Miles Maguire was ordered.

The place where the nomadic people lived was quickly engulfed in flames.

20 MA-47 VTOL Attack Aircraft also opened fire after the fighter jet's bombing. They fired air-to-ground missiles and rockets, and the place where the nomadic people were was filled with flames and explosions.

Miles Maguire closed his eyes tightly. So did Gunship's pilots.

A minute later, after the shooting, Miles Maguire looked back at the EOTS screen.

"There is no movement of life on the scene," the pilot reported in a crawling voice.

It's over. It was only a minute, but it was the most terrible experience of Miles Maguire's life.

All the way back to the base, Gunship's cockpit was in silence. No one spoke first, and not only Miles Maguire, but also the pilots, remained silent except when they radioed.

General Miles Maguire
"Do you think this is justified?"

It was Miles Maguire who broke the silence. And what he brought up was somewhat dissident.

The pilots were surprised for an instant, but one pilot responded as if he had made up his mind.

Captain Bae Hyeyul
"Sir, What happened today is a total injustice. We fired at unarmed civilians, without evidence." Captain Bae Hyeyul looked straight at Miles Maguire and said in clear pronunciation.

General Miles Maguire
"You think so, don't you? Today's operation is a massacre of civilians. It's not a battle. I'm not trained to do this."

Miles Maguire said.

"That's right. Today's work was terrible," said the other pilot cautiously.

Miles Maguire continued after making sure the radio was off.

General Miles Maguire
"Don't let our conversation out today. But keep in mind the fact that today's work was not justifiable. And let's not forget what happened today."

Miles Maguire finished speaking and did not open his mouth anymore. So did the pilots.

Cheonghae Federation

Hanoul, Headquarters of CIB(Central Investigation Bureau)

Park Mi-ra
"We found the truck. The truck is now identified as being in a closed warehouse building on the outskirts of Nogcheon."

Park Mi-ra floated a hologram of the warehouse building and showed it to Raymond Riley. The hologram showed the exact location of the truck, the number of people identified in the warehouse building, and even their location.

Raymond Riley
"All right. Send a mobile strike unit there. Arrest all the people on the scene, and shoot them if they resist."

Park Mi-ra
"Yes, Sir."

Cheonghae Federation

The outskirts of Nogcheon City

The warehouse building, which seemed to have been abandoned for years, seemed empty at first glance. Weeds were thick around the warehouse, and a corner of the roof of the warehouse building was broken. Even the road next to the warehouse building was deserted.

But a sharp-eyed person will know that someone is using the warehouse. On the site of the warehouse building, there was a small road caused by weeds being stepped on, which connected the entrance of the warehouse building with the road.

Even so, it was hard to think that this warehouse building was used for anything other than farmers' crop storage or tramp' hideouts.

But it's not just an ordinary warehouse, it's one of the "Howlers" strongholds. Howlers used the warehouse to prepare for operations or to provide shelter for members.

And, CIB has just noticed that the warehouse is based in Howlers.

Two divisions of the CIB mobile strike unit began to approach slowly, surrounding the warehouse. The soldiers used thermal imaging equipment and vibration detectors to identify the situation inside the warehouse and the personnel inside the warehouse before surrounding the warehouse.

After a while, a soldier threw a flash grenade into the window.

Members of Howlers, who were in the warehouse with a strong explosion, collapsed on the spot. Only a few members could prepare for battle with guns.

"Get in!"

At the same time as the commander ordered, the soldiers entered the warehouse and opened fire.

Flames gushed from the soldiers' railgun rifles, and members of Howlers, who tried to resist, were crushed by gunfire.

"Don't move!"

Soldiers rounded up members of Howlers, who had fallen, and searched the warehouse.

"Completed the operation, killed 3 people, captured 20 people."

The commanding officer of the squad reported to Raymond Riley via neural-Internet network security communication.

Cheonghae Federation

Hanoul, Ministry of Defense

Colonel Do Young-chul
"Ma’am. CIB secured the truck first. I'm not sure if they found any experimental weapons, either." Colonel Do Young-chul rushed into office and reported to Minister of Defense Kim Yeon-Jae.

Kim Yeon-Jae remained expressionless after hearing the report. Do Young-Chul could not understand her innermost thoughts.

Minister of Defense Kim Yeon-Jae
"......Tell CIB to bring us the experimental weapons as soon as you find them."

Colonel Do Young-chul
"Yes, Ma’am."