Chapter 222 – Close Encounter (1)
The dreamy and happy times have passed, and heavy tasks have come upon us.
“It will soon pass by the moon.”
Artemis said.
A 3D map of the solar system appears on the central control room screen.
The moon orbits the Earth, maintaining its distance as always.
Not a single particle of infection can be found there. An equally hostile environment for both humans and infectious agents preserved the purity of the moon.
And one more thing. Something huge and fierce was flying straight towards the Earth.
The spaceship is the source and starting point of the solution to all of these situations. It comes into the territory of the Earth.
The shelter is quiet today.
All work was halted to prevent even the slightest confusion.
Farmers harvesting vegetables in the hydroponic cultivation room and tying and dismantling by-products.
Gongsunii were devoted to assembling, cutting, disassembling, and gluing work in various factories.
The cycle of sisterhood that harmonized for the city’s members, whether weaving cloth in a weaving mill, cooking food for everyone, cleaning, or caring for the sick, came to a halt.
Only the security forces patrol the quiet city with sharper training than usual.
[The events that occurred after the start of the operation will be disclosed in a limited and sequential manner after some time has passed.]
Kids reported.
She serves as our city’s officer and is also responsible for educating and promoting residents.
However, unlike the strict officers in history, he is the type that passionately wags his tail at his leaders.
“What is the South’s reaction?”
“I’m still having the same day as usual. They commit crimes or sell their bodies for just one ration voucher. The military units are fighting over each other’s wits, looking at each other like cows and chickens. Survivor camps are merging, splitting, and creating new ones by trading or backstabbing each other. It’s like a wild arena of competition.”
Artemis said.
“Is there any communication from the Honam garrison?”
“At all. “Every day is difficult there, so there is no time to understand what is happening above.”
It is a large-scale warlord led by the Mokpo garrison, who drove out the infected army in the Honam Plain and took root there.
Among the various warlords in the south, it is the closest to the shelter in terms of distance.
They completed the collective farm, sowed the seeds, and succeeded in sprouting them not long ago.
We were also very interested, often helping, and watching with a drone.
Children running barefoot in the rice fields, adults busy with work, and even elderly people with tears in their eyes at the revival of the land they have farmed their entire lives.
There is something about the sight of people settling in land reclaimed from infectious agents that warms our hearts as fellow human beings.
However, right now, they are busy with battles going on every day.
This is because the number of people coming down from the infected area in the central part of the Korean Peninsula is increasing.
We are still maintaining agricultural progress by defeating them every time, but we cannot guarantee if the current trend continues.
We may have to abandon the hard-earned foundation for reconstruction and move south again.
[There are many people who would rather die fighting than abandon this place again. They are mostly farmers who have lived here for a long time. People say, ‘I don’t have much time left to live anyway, so what’s the point of running away and surviving for a few more years?’ But there was no way to persuade them.]
He was the commander of the Honam garrison who spoke bitterly.
Meanwhile, Lee Seong-bong, commander of the Yeosu garrison, integrated the neighboring region of Namhae through negotiations. The remaining forces in Goheung, which had a hostile relationship, are also surrendering one after another.
According to Artemis’ simulation, if an independent government separate from Jeju Island is established within 10 years, he will most likely be elected president.
[Is there anything special about the inland area?]
Seongbong Lee asked through regular video communication.
“It’s hell as always. “It’s to the point where we have to only take the same route.”
[Recently, there has been a lot of talk about the frequency of infectious agents moving southward from above. The commander in the Honam area was having a hard time. The number of missing people among the searcher group has also increased.]
“They also continue to learn and find ways to survive. It would be easier if they were just ignorant people like zombies in movies.”
Seongbong Lee smiled awkwardly. A born soldier, he had no interest in mass media, so he did not take jokes like this well.
[Wouldn’t something be done?]
Although he didn’t say it out loud, I can roughly guess what he meant.
Colonies of infectious agents descending from hell in the center of the Korean Peninsula. They are gradually increasing in frequency and size.
My army and Lee Seong-bong’s national army cooperated to eliminate one of them.
Since then, he has worked very hard to maintain a close cooperative relationship with me.
Even Artemis was surprised when he, an upright and born soldier, sent her a ‘gift set’ and a letter of gratitude.
“We also have several important schedules, so it will be difficult for a while. Of course, we will continue to share the information obtained through reconnaissance.”
[I am just grateful.]
He didn’t necessarily ask what schedules there were. We also did not inform him about the spacecraft salvage operation we were preparing.
While I was sorting out the previous events in my head, the time for the operation was just around the corner.
“3 minutes to enter the atmosphere.”
Artemis said.
What I am about to see are secrets that will have the most profound impact on our world.
Until a few years ago, I was in a position where information was controlled as a reserve citizen, but the situation has changed.
Now I am the one who selects the information I control and decides when to distribute it. It seems like we really don’t know what’s going on in the world.
“Transmission of low-orbit satellite photos.”
Shelter’s dedicated satellite finally captured the spaceship’s image with its camera.
A majestic spaceship appearing among the stars. The silvery-white giant emitting a faint light was dispelling the emptiness of the dark universe with its mere presence.
It is an abandoned ship carrying only monsters and corpses, but there is no corruption or barnacles.
This is probably possible because it is a ghost ship wandering in a vacuum sea where there is no air or bacteria.
Beep.
“Collision risk detection.”
Following Artemis’ words, a small screen was added in a pop-up format.
It is a half-destroyed satellite with the Chinese flag on it and various space debris beyond it.
During the infection war, nuclear weapons were not only exploded on the ground.
The satellite was buried in the shadow of the approaching spacecraft due to the large difference in weight. Other debris also turns into dots and is swallowed.
Some of them exploded with yellow flashes, but they did no harm to the spacecraft.
“Atmospheric entry standby.”
When I operated the PDA, my army deployed outside the safe range from the expected landing point was displayed on the minimap.
Numerous combat robots, combat vehicles, drones, helicopters, and various suicide weapons.
The entire army of steel follows one will and awaits an unprecedented situation to come. Not a breath of breath or an ounce of tension.
* * *
In the science fiction movies I watched, all means of communication went crazy at this point.
From radio, news, personal streamers, commander-in-chiefs who start broadcasting to the public, to conspiracy theorists holding loudspeakers or installing speakers in their vehicles.
Some were telling the truth, some were trying to deceive, and some were talking about conspiracy theories.
Numerous protesters and looters fill the streets.
The sight of the Army deployed to control and guide citizens and the Air Force fighter jets dispatched to the sky cannot be left out.
However, such clichés could not be used in a world that had already been swept by a storm of destruction.
“What is the reaction of foreign countries?”
“It’s extremely local. How many people have both an astronomy hobby and a survivalist hobby? Are you aware of the status of potential successors to each country’s government? Even in the military, most people probably don’t know what’s going on in the sky.”
In fact, in this day and age, monitoring the outer atmosphere in real time is an extremely luxurious thing.
“For your information, the Jeju Island government is unresponsive. “He may not be so incompetent that he is completely unaware of the situation, but there is no public emergency announcement and no waiting for the Air Force to dispatch.”
“There’s a spaceship coming down to their territory, but they’re not interested.”
“For them, the mainland of the Korean Peninsula has virtually become a ghetto.”
Ghetto. There is certainly no more appropriate expression for the Jeju Island government’s attitude toward the mainland.
“If the spacecraft changes direction and lands on Jeju Island, what will happen?”
“Are you really going to do it?”
Artemis smiled at me as I complained.
“Of course it’s a joke.”
“Then focus on the screen.”
She massaged my shoulders.
Being able to touch my body at any time without hesitation is a privilege that only Artemis has in the shelter.
Because she was in full operational mode, she did not sit in her own seat. She was sitting next to me with a neat posture like an adjutant.
Even though she is ticklish and arrogant, she always strengthens my authority at important moments.
“Is it cool?”
“Yes.”
I placed my hand over her delicate hand massaging her shoulder. Then Artemis stopped massaging and hugged her.
“We’re all there now.”
The screen displayed has changed. The dark universe disappears, and a familiar scene unfolds.
An expanse of blue sky and white clouds in harmony. This is the sky seen from the land of Korea.
Beneath it, the Metacraft Cybernetics Research Center exists.
[Guuuuung.]
With a faint vibration sound, a yellow flash began to shine across the blue sky.
A huge ship covered in fire, smoke, and steam slowly descends to our land.
“I hope my choice is not wrong.”
It was a decision I made after much deliberation, but seeing the spaceship arrive at the doorstep of my hometown filled me with a little fear.
Gooooo!!!
The sound of impact was duller than any noise I’ve ever heard. Even though it comes through a speaker, I can feel the gentle vibration beyond my skin and into my heart.
Because it was such a huge spaceship, even though it landed safely, a huge dust storm spread in all directions.
The deployed troops covered everything up and still calmly stayed in place, waiting for my orders.
A huge amount of sand dust gradually cleared away, revealing the glorious fuselage of the spacecraft.
“Jinsu.”
Artemis and I looked at each other and nodded.
“All-force operation begins.”
The moment my command was given, huge waves of movement arose in all directions surrounding the spaceship.
All over the rocks, bushes, trees, riversides, ruins, and roads, beings that had been in a low posture raised their bodies and their red eyes glowed.
[I understand.]
[I will follow your orders.]
[Order received.]
[Strike troop dispatch begins.]
[Deploys a siege.]
[APC combat posture activated.]
My silent army, the voices of four types of evolved security robots and the beeping sounds of autonomous weapons filled the central control room like a chorus.
