[Breaking News] Large-Scale Riot in Gangneung
"This is Gangneung's Coffee Street. Amid the dense crowds, people have suddenly begun biting and attacking one another. The street has descended into chaos from this inexplicable violence. Police have set up a control line at the entrance and are restricting access to the area. Authorities say—"
An unreal news report played on the screen.
"Comm Chief, things are crazy in Gangneung, huh? Feels like Kingsman."
I called out to the comms sergeant, who was playing a mobile game, trying to draw a reaction.
"Oh... what's wrong with those people? Seriously, it's like they've got chips in their brains."
Just like always, we cracked jokes while pulling duty.
Even though we really shouldn't be joking about this...
No one ever wants weekend duty.
Watching the news was the only way to relieve the stress.
That's when the phone in the command center rang.
"This is the brigade duty officer. You're watching the news, right?"
It was the logistics officer.
Everyone has at least one superior they despise. This guy was top-tier in that department.
He ordered the rapid response team to mobilize.
Of course this had to happen on my shift...
Apparently, the police had requested assistance in that chaotic area shown on the news—Gangneung Coffee Street.
I turned my eyes back to the screen.
It was the weekend, so the place was packed.
In the middle of that crowd, people had... started biting each other?
Biting? Really?
When the news first came on, I hadn't thought much of it.
Sure, it looked bad, but it felt like someone else's problem—something to joke about and move on from.
But now... we were deploying?
I had no idea what a five-minute readiness team was supposed to do in a situation like that.
"Duty officer, what exactly are we supposed to do out there?"
The squad leader of the five-minute team asked the question I was wondering myself.
Thankfully, the squad leader this week was Master Sergeant Yoo, the most reliable guy in the battalion.
"How long will it take to get there?"
Instead of answering, I asked a question of my own.
"Factoring in the military vehicle, at least an hour."
Yoo replied without hesitation.
"Alright. Deploy first. I'll confirm the situation and contact you."
I decided to send them ahead and gather intel myself.
"Understood," said Yoo as he headed out of the command center without another word.
Soon after, the gate sergeant reported that the vehicle had departed.
I contacted the brigade duty officer to report the deployment and asked for a clear mission briefing.
"The team has departed. What's the exact mission?"
Would it kill you to give clear orders for once?
"I'm still confirming it. Just wait."
Even while on the phone with me, he didn't seem the least bit interested in our conversation.
All we had to go on was the news. In the background, I could hear him talking to someone else.
"...Live rounds? No. Yes. Yes, the 56th Battalion's team is already en route. Alright. Got it."
Live rounds? Did I just hear that right?
"Sir, are they taking live ammunition?"
I needed an immediate answer to that.
"Yeah, hold on... What's your role again?"
He ignored my question. Typical.
"...I'm the 2nd Battery Commander."
Let me tell you something, since you seem so curious.
He clearly had more questions of his own.
"Who's leading the team? Is it a sergeant?"
No, you idiot.
"Master Sergeant Yoo Young-min."
Do you even know who that is?
"Okay, fine. As the battery commander, go along and supervise things."
Great. So much for a peaceful shift.
"What about the battalion? Who'll be in charge if I leave?"
One last desperate attempt to stay.
"Leave the assistant duty officer. And bring the ammo."
"...You're sure we need live rounds? What exactly are we doing out there?"
Which is to say, I don't trust a damn thing you're telling me.
"Ha... you little sht... Just do what you're told. I don't know either. You're... Kang Ji-hoo, right?*"
He must've checked the system.
"Yes, that's me."
"If necessary, I'll call your phone directly. Stay alert."
"..."
"Why aren't you answering, you punk? This is urgent! Move!"
Click.
The call cut off.
No useful information. Just like every other conversation with that guy.
"...Seriously, what the f***."
I couldn't help but curse out loud.
"What, the logistics officer again?"
The comms sergeant asked knowingly, seeing my reaction.
"I swear, how did that guy ever get promoted? Comms Chief, I'm heading out. Keep things under control here. I need the keys for the arms locker."
Get a grip. Focus on the mission.
"Ammo? You're taking live rounds?"
He was sharp, that one. He headed toward the ammo locker.
"Orders are to bring it, so we're bringing it."
As I opened the locker, the alarm blared.
I turned it off like second nature, grabbed the ammo, and called the battalion commander.
"...Yes, I'm being sent out too."
I gave a brief rundown of the situation.
"Got it. I'm on my way back to the unit. Does the operations officer know?"
Ooh? No?
"The assistant officer is passing it on now."
He wasn't, of course, but I gave the comms chief a silent cue, and he picked up his phone.
"Alright. Be careful. Don't issue any ammunition unless absolutely necessary. Report in once you've assessed the situation."
"Yes, understood. Over and out."
I loaded my gear, rifle, and ammunition into the standby vehicle.
Then I jumped in the driver's seat and called Yoo.
"Yoo, where are you?"
"Just got on the highway. What's the mission?"
Of course he'd ask that right away. Dependable as always.
"I'm being sent too. The brigade said they'll call me with further instructions. I'll keep you updated."
Once again, Yoo didn't get the answers he deserved—but he didn't complain. He simply said, "Understood."
I didn't tell him about the live rounds.
In this situation, what did it matter?
If anything, it would only cause confusion.
I stepped on the gas, determined to catch up with the response team.
I need to arrive before Master Sergeant Yoo.
Speeding in a military vehicle is asking for trouble...
Especially with the logistics officer, who'd chew you out for breathing wrong.
Then again, if I was gonna get yelled at anyway, might as well go all in. I floored it.
My phone rang.
It was the operations officer.
He wasn't calling with intel.
In fact, he asked me what I knew, pressing for the same level of information the battalion commander had.
He kept asking, "Does the commander know about this?"
Then came more calls from brigade. Even a few from corps.
Lots of calls, zero new information. Just made driving harder.
With this much pressure, you'd think someone actually knew what was going on.
If the police requested support, shouldn't the corps be in the loop?
Maybe I just don't understand the military yet...
While grumbling, I suddenly realized—I had arrived in Gangneung.
Where was I supposed to go again?
The police said someone would direct us—ah, there.
An older officer holding a traffic wand came into view.
I parked nearby and got out. The officer noticed my uniform and walked over.
He was drenched in sweat and visibly relieved.
"You're from the military, right?"
He gave me a light salute.
Though not required, some officers give salutes as a courtesy. He seemed like one of them.
"Yes, from the 56th Battalion. Can you brief me on the situation?"
"It's chaos over there—absolute madness. People's eyes are rolling back and they're attacking others like wild animals! I've never seen anything like this in my life. We were told to block off this intersection, no exceptions. Normally we wouldn't, but we had no choice. Same with the other direction. People are furious that we're not letting them through. The officers who went into Coffee Street... we haven't heard from them."
Talkative guy, huh...
"Officer, what exactly are we supposed to do? We're soldiers. It's uncomfortable dealing directly with civilians."
Sometimes, honesty is the best approach. That was one of those times.
In short, the police had no clue either.
They were calling it mass hysteria. People attacking each other with no clear cause.
They wanted us to go in and figure out what was happening.
Calling in an artillery unit's rapid response team for this felt... wrong.
"I'll report back to my unit first."
I returned to the vehicle, prioritizing a call to Yoo.
"Yoo, where are you? Head to Anmok Intersection. You'll see a Rexton SUV there."
I gave him my location.
"What's our mission?"
There he goes again.
Still, that dependability…
"I'll explain when you get here. Just hurry."
I hung up.
While waiting, I considered how to explain all this.
I reported to the battalion and then the brigade.
Let the brigade handle corps reporting.
By the time I was done, Yoo had already arrived.
…During the call with brigade, they told us to follow police instructions—while the logistics officer yelled at me for not reporting fast enough.
I still didn't know whether we were authorized to use live rounds.
Whatever. Follow police orders, they said.
"Yoo, we're going into that intersection to see what's going on. That's our mission. A few officers went in but haven't reported back. If it looks too dangerous, report immediately. Actually—you know what? I'm coming too."
Sending a subordinate into danger alone isn't my style.
"Understood. That's all?"
I don't know, man...
"Did you pick your team carefully? Let's move."
Yoo, once again denied clarity, silently returned to his vehicle.
We moved out, with me leading the way.
And what we saw—
Was not mere chaos.
It was like something out of a disaster movie.
No. It was worse—far more horrifying than any fiction.
The news had only shown a glimpse.
The entire area was drenched in blood.
And the sight of it all... scorched my mind like fire.