Damn the World, Ride a Submarine - Chapter 231



Only Krnovel

Episode 231 – K-600 Rhinoceros

The vice president conveyed his intention to meet me with the Polish president.

“During this troop dispatch negotiation, he asked me personally. I simply replied that I would do my best.”

“Okay. Then we should give this manager a face lift. Haha.”

“Ah! Thank you. But… This is just an idea.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

“This war has brought us, the OSS, Ukraine, and Poland, on the same boat.”

“Yes.”

“So, how about using this as an opportunity to create a military alliance of Black Sea coastal countries, separate from NATO?”

“Well… the country is a bit lacking in creating an international military organization that goes beyond alliances….”

“If the representative makes up his mind, Moldova, Romania, and Bulgaria can participate.”

“Really? Oh~ When did that happen···?”

“While carrying out psychological operations for this dispatch of troops to Poland, we secured various intelligence assets that could be used to win over friendly forces in neighboring countries… no, to gain their cooperation.”

Since his days at the National Intelligence Service, Director Lee has had a habit of creating assets and connections that could be used at any time. While working on Ukraine-related operations, he planted considerable intelligence assets in Black Sea coastal countries.

“Okay. If Bulgaria participates, that leaves Turkey and Georgia.”

“Turkey is doing tightrope diplomacy. If a military alliance is formed in the Black Sea, I think it will follow the trend. And Georgia….”

“Georgia?”

“There is currently an effort to strengthen the old Georgian rebel forces. Depending on the situation, a government that leans towards us may emerge.”

“Okay. Okay. Now I’m starting to get the picture.”

“Then shall we proceed?”

“Yes, of course. You can proceed with it in cooperation with ESSO Secretary General Jin Min-gyu and Eurasian Forces Commander Lee Du-man.”

“Yes. In that case, I will push for visible results by the time the representative enters the Black Sea.”

“Okay, I understand. I’ll just trust you, Manager, and take it easy. Hahaha.”

I felt like a big worry had been lifted.

This was because, although the OSS had military superiority over Russia, Russia’s vast territory and overwhelming numbers were thought to be enough to ensnare us.

…

A report has been received regarding the deployment of the latest anti-submarine patrol aircraft, the P-8C Poseidon, which was suggested by Commander Choi Eun-seok and decided to be introduced.

An acquisition team was dispatched from OSS-AC to receive the eight aircraft that had been delivered to Australia, while the four aircraft that had been en route to India turned around and arrived at the Shinheung camp.

The P-8C was deployed to the Far East Republic with four aircraft, four aircraft at the Tawi Tawi Island new camp, and four aircraft at the Marshall Camp, and an order was issued for an additional eight aircraft to Boeing.

After Rasputitsa, who turned the Ukrainian land into a mud puddle, ended, the land hardened.

The advance party of 40,000 Polish troops arrived in Kiev and was deployed to the northern Ukrainian front, and the Ukrainian army, which had found some free time, also began a full-scale offensive.

Ukrainian forces in the South, with the support of the OSS Navy and artillery, recaptured Mariupol and advanced towards Donetsk.

The 2nd Division of the Crimean Army of the OSS captured Rostov-on-Don and Taganrog at the edge of the Sea of ​​Azov. With this, the entire coast of the Sea of ​​Azov was under our control.

The 3rd Division of the Crimean Army, together with the 1st Division, captured Krasnodar.

I briefly surfaced the steel submarine that was swimming in the deep sea. I felt a bit suffocated and wanted to get some fresh air and smoke a cigarette.

I opened the hatch and stood on the ARK’s mast.

– Phew~

The cigarette smoke was carried by the South Atlantic wind.

Suddenly, I remembered the time when I was heading to Severodvinsk to retrieve the ARK.

He sailed around Africa and across the South Atlantic, receiving several seaborne airlifts on board the conventional submarine Lee Hoe-young.

At that time, I also saw the eruption of the Lakagigar volcano, which brought about a volcanic winter close to the Ice Age. I thought that in just five years, both I and the world had changed completely.

While the ARK was smoking on its mast, the crew was also out on the mast and deck, basking in the sun.

As Hyein took a picture with her boss, Yumin, the sound of her laughing out loud echoed across the Atlantic Ocean.

Commander Choi Eun-seok spoke.

“Your Majesty, what are you thinking?”

“Oh, I was thinking that I needed a moment where I could just not think about anything.”

“Now that you mention it, I guess you must be tired.”

“That’s right. I’m not doing any hard work, and I’m not lacking anything… but I feel tired.”

“I think the hardest thing for people is deciding something. That’s what makes them different from animals, who act on instinct without making decisions…”

“I see. Having the option to choose seems to be both a blessing and a punishment.”

“It must be even harder for you, since so many lives depend on your decision. And it must be even harder for you, since you love humanity.”

“Haha. It’s a bit strange that you suddenly say humanity.”

“No. The enemy is a person who is united by love for humanity. If he had been born in the Middle Ages, he would have been a prophet or a traitor, and if he had been born in the Modern Age, he would have been a revolutionary. Haha.”

“More than that, I miss my teenage years when I was a corner nerd living in the peaceful times.”

“You’ve become a successful nerd since you now have real aircraft carriers and submarines instead of plastic models. Hahaha.”

“Now that I hear you say it, that’s true. Haha.”

Director Kim Jun-myeong was belatedly promoted to the position of Master.

“Sir! Why are you leaving me out while smoking?”

“Haha. You seem busy. I came up quietly.”

“Ah, I was busy communicating with Regiment Commander Park Il-lim… Haha.”

“Have you given the Special Forces Regiment another mission?”

“Yes. We have been given the task of contacting and supporting the Georgian rebels who are working with OSSIA. One special task force is currently moving by submarine to Sukhumi, Georgia.”

“I see. What are the specific support requirements?”

“We are in the process of moving some of the Georgian rebel command posts to Sochi, Russia, along with weapons support.”

“?”

“It is difficult to establish a large-scale rebel command within Georgia. They say they are establishing a command in Sochi, an area occupied by the OSS.”

“You’ve worked hard… Ah, Director, here.”

I handed Director Kim Jun-myeong a cigarette and lit it. He also exhaled a long puff of smoke between the dark sea and the blue sky.

“If it weren’t for you, I would have quit smoking.”

“I always feel sorry. Hahaha.”

“But strangely enough, I never feel like smoking alone.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha.”

“Oh! But what’s the weather like?”

“why?”

“Isn’t it spring yet?”

“That’s right. There’s still quite a bit of distance to the equator. It’s quite warm.”

“Is the Little Ice Age ending?”

“Strictly speaking, it’s not an ice age, but a volcanic winter. It’s been almost a year since the Laki volcano stopped erupting ···.”

“Please, I wish this damn volcanic winter would end.”

People were relieved that the weather was finally getting warmer, but I felt uneasy for some reason.

If you have adapted to something, whatever it is, it becomes a non-disaster. Now, the world, which has just adapted to winter, is not sure what unexpected events may occur.

I thought it was better to know in advance that it was an unavoidable fight than to be anxious about not knowing when it would happen.

We survived five winters without incident, and it didn’t seem like we would be returning to the old Earth just because the harsh winter was over.

…

Time passed quickly in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The ARK began its voyage back into the abyss of the North Atlantic, while fighting raged in Ukraine.

The 40,000-man Polish 2nd Army Corps and the 60,000-man Northern Ukrainian Army, a total of 100,000 Allied troops crossed the Dnieper River and advanced, recapturing Chernihiv faster than expected.

The Polish 2nd Army Corps brought Korean-made K2 Black Panther tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers, and the Ukrainian army, with the help of the Polish armored forces, began a brisk advance.

In particular, the Polish military brought 20 Rhinoceros K-600 obstacle-clearing tanks imported from Korea, which played a major role in clearing Russian minefields.

This was possible because the OSS Air Corps and the Ukrainian Air Force controlled the Ukrainian air force.

In the battles preceding our landing operation on the Black Sea coast, the Russian air force was annihilated.

In addition, early warning aircraft and fighter jets dispatched from the OSS 1st aircraft carrier were in charge of surveillance, and the Ukrainian Air Force was able to support ground forces with confidence.

With the air superiority secured, Polish artillery and armor carried out tactical pressure maneuvers to push back the Russian lines, while K600 obstacle-clearing tanks took advantage of the gap to create corridors through the minefield.

Once the minefield was cleared, Ukrainian armored units and mechanized infantry waiting in line would quickly break through the front line.

The Ukrainian Army in the South continued its advance without pause, supported by the cool artillery fire of the OSS artillery. After liberating Donetsk, it liberated Kramatorsk and was about to advance on Luhansk.

The 3rd Division of the OSS Crimean Army captured Krasnodar, a strategic point and important city in southern Russia, then established defensive positions along the Kuban River and captured small and medium-sized cities in the area one by one.

The 1st Division of the Crimean Army moved north along the M-4 highway, eliminating Russian strategic points one by one.

And the 2nd Division advanced along the M-4 highway from the occupied territory of Rostov-on-Don and captured Shakhty.

As a result, Luhansk, one of the largest cities in eastern Ukraine, found itself under attack from the west by the Army of Southern Ukraine and from the east by the 2nd Division of the Crimean Army of the OSS.

The Russians continued to send reinforcements and supplies, but with no air superiority, they were just prey to the OSS air forces.

The OSS Crimean Army’s junior commanders were so upset that there were no Russian weapons to be captured since the air force had attacked first.

…

The steel ARK was passing somewhere in the North Atlantic.

While war was raging in Ukraine, weapons were being developed and new ships were being launched in OSS-LAND, Kiribati.

Among them, there was news that two additional self-propelled artillery battleships had been launched and were heading to Korea, undergoing interior construction.

OSS-ART Dr. Kim Beom-jun has requested a communication connection.

“I have requested communication as I have something to report to you, sir.”

“Doctor! Even if it’s not a report, it’s nice to hear your voice like this.”

“Yes, me too.”

“Have you received the report that the self-propelled gun battleship has been launched?”

“Yes. Do you have any new achievements? I’m looking forward to it.”

…