Damn the World, Ride a Submarine - Chapter 203



Only Krnovel

Episode 203 – Convoy

The radio was transmitting information that the checkpoint had been disabled.

– Bravo Team here. The Oakland Bay Bridge checkpoint is neutralized. Thousands are scattering into San Francisco. All units be ready for unforeseen situations. Over.

– (This is Bravo Team. The Oakland Bay Bridge checkpoint has been disabled. Thousands of people have dispersed into downtown San Francisco. All units, prepare for any emergency situation. Over.)

– IronSentinel Actual, Bravo Team, confirm checkpoint functionality loss? Out.

– (Initial Sentinel Actual, Bravo Team checkpoint function lost? Please confirm. That’s it.)

There were bound to be looters among the surging crowd, but there was no clear way to sort them out.

– Bravo Team Lead, the checkpoint is non-operational, and the city is infiltrated by a large number of unconfirmed civilians. Out.

– (Team Leader Bravo, the checkpoint is out of order, most civilians have entered the city. Over.)

This situation was also relayed to the convoy team.

Charlie and Delta Team members who had been helping with the gold unloading work at the OSL branch had to be deployed again as border resources.

The situation was becoming increasingly complex and dangerous, and the entire operation was slowing down.

– Crackling.

– IronSentinel. Change of operation location for Bravo Team, move to OSL office, support Convoy Team’s perimeter. Out.

– (Initial Sentinel. Bravo Team’s operational location changed, moved to OSL branch, Convoy Team’s security support. That’s it.)

– Bravo Team, Roger that. Out.

– (Bravo Team, confirmed. That’s it.)

Bravo Team began moving towards the OSL branch in tactical vehicles.

Occasionally people would be seen looting stores, but they were in no position to address the problem.

By the time Bravo Team arrived at the OSL branch, darkness was beginning to fall over the city.

Sporadic gunshots could be heard here and there throughout the city. The sound of police car sirens continued to shake the night air.

Bravo, Charlie, and Delta teams turned on the headlights and searchlights of all vehicles, illuminating the surrounding area.

In any case, covert work is difficult, and it seemed that there was also an intention to show off their military force to the looters.

The night was deepening in San Francisco.

As the gold unloading operation neared its end, Alpha Team’s urgent radio transmission echoed throughout the ARK’s situation room.

– Crackling.

– Alpha 1/1, Alpha, fire at will, target vehicle lights, Drones 1 and 2, deploy all bombs. Over.

– (Alpha Team Leader. Alpha Team indiscriminately fire, target vehicle lights, and drop all bombs on Drones 1 and 2. Over.)

The looters who were confronting each other at the Golden Gate Bridge had found a way to get past the checkpoint.

Four large trucks were parked at the front of the two-way traffic lane and were speeding toward the checkpoint with their high beams on.

Because of the glare from the lights, it was impossible to even think about using night vision goggles, and accurate aiming was difficult.

The Golden Gate was engulfed in a tremendous flash of light and explosion as if it were in the middle of a war, and two of the four large trucks that were rushing forward were shaken by the impact of the mortar shells and fell into the sea.

Several of the other trucks’ lights were broken as well. The other trucks following them followed suit and continued to drive forward with their high beams on.

One truck was stopped by the police and Alpha Team’s gunfire, but other trucks bypassed it and continued to drive toward the checkpoint in formation.

Soon, the trucks pushed past police vehicles, broke through barricades, and broke through the checkpoint.

The cars that followed also passed through the checkpoint, and before there was time to stop them, all the vehicles were pushed into downtown San Francisco.

Bravo Team and the police stopped the vehicles by continuously shooting at their tires, but they were helpless against the hundreds and thousands of vehicles charging forward without any countermeasures.

If it had been a regular war, it could have been stopped with armored vehicles, tanks, or anti-tank weapons, but it was a difficult measure to take against a group of civilians whose weapons status could not be confirmed.

Even though I knew that there was clearly a group of marauders involved, I could only watch.

I had underestimated their firepower and organizational skills.

Also, even if they were prepared, it would not have been easy to choose to fire RPGs at civilian vehicles or fire indiscriminately.

Alpha Team Leader reported that hundreds of vehicles had passed through the checkpoint and entered downtown San Francisco.

Director Kim Jun-myeong, who received the report, gave instructions to leave the Geummun Bridge checkpoint to the police and join the convoy team.

Alpha Team split into K151 tactical vehicles and headed towards the OSL branch, but the looters who saw them mistook them for pursuing them and started shooting.

Alpha Team had no choice but to move, engaging unseen enemies. Among them were vehicles belonging to a raiding party that were pursuing Alpha Team in the opposite direction.

Alpha Team Leader was concerned that if they went straight to the OSL branch, it would only attract the looting gang.

He took a detour and completely neutralized the pursuing raiders before heading back to the OSL branch.

…

The darkness had turned the entire city of San Francisco into a lawless zone.

Gunshots could be heard everywhere, and the sirens of police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances were incessant. Is this what Gotham City looks like in the movies?

The situation had become so difficult that the five OSS special forces teams were barely able to focus their capabilities on their own defense.

San Francisco had become a lawless place, and it seemed that only the California National Guard could be brought in to resolve the situation. It was clear that the situation could not be calmed down without imposing martial law.

Looters also began to gather at the OSL branch where the gold unloading operation was in full swing.

The bright lights, heavy equipment and rows of large trucks would have been enough to attract the attention of looters and rioters.

With all the lights on in the middle of the night and something being loaded onto a truck, it must have looked like big prey to looters.

Signs of danger were being transmitted one after another via radio.

– Cheeeeeeek.

– Alpha Drone 2, a group is gathering towards the OSL office. Over.

– (Alpha Drone 2, a group of them are gathering at the OSL branch. The end.)

– Bravo Drone 1, around 20 people are moving towards the Convoy Team along the road. Over.

– (Bravo Drone 1, about 20 people are heading towards the convoy team along the road. Over.)

– Charlie Drone 2, dozens of armed individuals moving towards the back road of the OSL office building. Over.

– (Charlie Drone 2, dozens of armed men are moving towards the road behind the OSL branch building. Over.)

– Alpha Drone 1, over a hundred armed militants are heading towards the Convoy Team. Over.

– (Alpha Drone 1, over a hundred armed men are heading towards the convoy team. Over.)

Hundreds of marauding bandits were descending on the OSL branch.

It was clear that word had spread among the raiding group that they were trying to transport something of value, as communication systems such as smartphones were effective.

The sight was like several packs of wolves united to hunt a large prey.

The OSL branch and the entire OSS task force were surrounded by hundreds of marauding bandits, and the encirclement seemed to be closing in like thin slices of salami.

No matter how well-armed they were, launching a preemptive strike against civilians on American soil was not an easy choice.

It was a land where the social system was collapsing and looting was rampant. Amidst tight security, countless trucks and heavy equipment were constantly taking things out of buildings.

It would have been an appearance enough to tempt marauders.

The number of looters continued to grow. It seemed as if the entire California looting gang was coming.

The hundreds of looters attracted more rioters from the surrounding area, and the OSS task force of just 60 men found itself surrounded by thousands of looters.

However, the looters also had eyes and could see the OSS mark and flag, so they were unable to rush in hastily.

Even in the dark and tense conditions, the work of transferring gold bullion from the OSL branch continued.

As the work was nearing completion, gunshots began to ring out from an unknown direction.

– Bang!

– Bang, bang.

– Tadadang.

– Bang, bang, bang, tadadadadang, drurreuk, drurreuk

Starting with the first gunshot, a huge amount of bullets began flying towards the special forces.

It was indiscriminate shooting with a numerical advantage.

If 2,000 people were firing one bullet per second, that would mean 120,000 bullets were flying per minute.

The area around the OSL branch building was suddenly turned into a scene of chaos and mayhem.

– Crackling.

– Convoy Command, conserve ammo and engage only infiltrators with sniper fire. Over.

– (Convoy Commander. Conserve ammo, selectively snipe infiltrating enemies. Over.)

It was the voice of Special Forces Regiment Commander Park Il-rim. He was the person who created OSS together with Director Kim Jun-myeong.

The experienced regimental commander Park Il-rim realized that responding with firepower alone had its limits. And then another operational directive was transmitted via radio.

– Command all units, switch off all lights and engage targets using night vision. Attack drones, use thermal imaging to strike hidden enemies. Over.

– Commander broadcasts to all units. Turn off all lights and fire at targets with night vision goggles. Attack drones, use thermal imaging cameras to attack cloaked enemies. That’s it.

…