Chapter XXVII: Operation Tone-Deaf (Part Two)

Honam Tank Battling Ground

Jeollanam-do, South Korea

Ahn Soo-jin froze up after hearing the news that her sister, Ahn Hyun-jin, got white-flagged. This created vacuum of power for a brief in South Korean rank. Trying to recuperate from the condition, Baek Hyun-joo are taking command, but she immediately confronted with two crises. First, Erika and her group are closing from her back, and second, Emi Nakasuga, dangling on the hill possess a greater threat to their group below. The problem is, they cannot raise their cannon high enough to shoot Emi's tank, neither can they try to turn back due to the cramped space.

"Hyun-joo-nim, what should we do now?" asked Seo-yeon.

"We can't turned back, so we must push forward, eliminate that dangling flag tank, then coming out the same way as Japan did," said Baek Hyun-joo, "we'll cover your back."

"Arasseo."

South Korean Comets, and a Jackson and a Cromwell, moving forward, following the same escape route from Japan, via The Ardennes, and also to get a clearer line of fire into Emi Nakasuga's tank. Meanwhile, Baek Hyun-joo with two Cromwells and one Jackson, tries to hold Erika's at bay. Kim Seo-yeon in her Cromwell lead their pack to go to Ardennes. One of her goal is to avenge the demise of their vice-commander. A little bit hard to do that since white-flagged Japanese tanks got in their way. Their counterparts from the other side, Centurions led by Sung Min-ah, and the rest of Jacksons, led by The Park Twins, have come first and stucked in the middle of white-flagged Japanese tanks. They have to wiggle a bit to give Kim Seo-yeon and her detachments way.

"Keep sharps! We must find the tank that..."

Before Kim Seo-yeon finished her sentences, a shell punching through her glacis, bouncing and hit the turret ring, instantly white-flagged her tank. A Hail Mary shot, with a 6-pounder shell. It's Kashiwaba Twins, attempting to hold her ground. Without Kim Seo-yeon, the detachment come in slight disarray when The Kashiwabas raining shell after shell.

"Don't falter!" said Baek Hyun-joo via radio, "take them out!"

"We can't! The 6-pounder is able to pierce any of our armor!" said one of Comet commander.

"Min-ah-nim, can you lead the way?"

"We're a little bit busy making our way, can you just finished them? It's just a tank, for chrissake!"

"Roger!"

A Comet tries to lead way, but another 6-pounder shell white-flagged her at once. Another Hail Mary, but this is enough to cause rampage.

"Dammit, Min-ah-nim! Could you just shake and move!?" cries Baek Hyun-joo, "I'm trying to hold Japan at bay here! And unless you all move through the hill and flank them, you're doing no good right now!"

"Hey! Calm down, will you?" said Sung Min-ah, "but unless you're helping us ford the way, we can't go any faster!"

Indeed, Centurions and Jacksons of the left flank needs to manually slide through the wreckage of white-flagged Japan tanks. Marie just sit in top of her turret, watching South Korean tanks desperately trying to make their own way while casually eat her cake. Yes, before she got white-flagged, Marie has the last order to place all remaining tanks in a way that will make hard for any tank from left flank to get through The Ardennes. This of course upset the Korean crews, but Marie keeps her poker face while eating and drinking as if nothing happened. She even hand cakes, breads, cheese, and red grape-juice to every Japan crew members that has been white-flagged.

"Dammit! They're having a picnic here!" said Sung Min-ah.

"Never mind them, how about you right now? Can you pass through?" asked Baek Hyun-joo.

"A little bit more!" said Sung Min-ah.

"Mi-sook-ssi, how you're doing on the hill?" asked Baek Hyun-joo.

"Worst! They're firing on us, we can't move any forward!" said Im Mi-sook, a Jackson leader which took over Kim Seo-yeon's role in the hill.

Another 6-pounder shell fall in front of Im Mi-sook's detachment, force them to roll back a little. The Kashiwabas fight them very hard, that nobody in South Korean realize the real situation.

"You should leave us, Bakashiwaba," said Emi Nakasuga.

"Silent! We won't leave you for anything!" said Kanako Kashiwaba.

"We're just a dead weight, so leave us!"

"Not in a million years!"

The truth is, after Nagisa Shiratori fired her shot that eliminate Ahn Hyun-jin, a step below their track is crumbling down, and left Emi Nakasuga's Tiger hanging in the cliff, with only rear tracks that stucked on The Kashiwaba's Crusader keep them from falling. This of course put the Crusader practically immobile, and can only shot in stationary position, otherwise, they'll risk to drop Emi's Tiger dangling on them. It's very fortunate that first two shots of The Kashiwabas are Hail Mary shots, knocking-out two South Korean tanks in consecutive manners, which led the rest of the line daunted to move forward, since the 6-pounder has enough muzzle velocity to penetrate all their armors. Im Mi-sook prefers to wait for Sung Min-ah's Centurion, which has frontal glacis thick enough to withstand the shot.

"You are very stupid, do you know that?" sighed Emi.

"That's the reason you called us Bakashiwaba in the first place, right?" said Tsurigiko.

"Yeah, we're just live up to the name," said Kanako.

Emi silent for a minute.

"Put all that aside, thank you, I'm proud to have you as our team," said Emi.

"Oh, just save it till we won this match, will you?" said Kanako.

"Speaking of winning, do we really can't do anything other than dangling here?" asked Hitomi Yuzumoto.

"Well, unless we can shoot on that way..." said Kita.

Kita pointing at 3 tanks in the opposite site, commanded by Baek Hyun-joo to hold Erika's detachment at bay.

"Can we shot that way?" asked Emi.

"Nope, unless we fly," said Nagisa.

At that time, the first Centurion, commanded by Sung Min-ah, finally able to get through, followed by the other right flank tanks that still have to creep forward. Due to the constrict of space in The Ardennes, the tank that already there congested the road, resulting they have to wiggle to give Sung Min-ah path to move front and center. This also not escape from the eye of Kashiwabas.

"Hey, you said you need to fly?" asked Kanako.

"What's in your mind?" asked Emi.

"Just tell Hitomi to prepare the next shot for Nagisa," said Tsurigiko.

"Wait! Don't do this!" said Emi.

"No other way, our tank will enough to cushion you from the shot, but you won't survive the fall," said Kanako.

"Be prepared!" said Tsurigiko.

"Scheiß! Hitomi, quickly load the next shell!" said Emi.

The Kashiwabas then firing on Sung Min-ah's Centurion. Their 6-pounder shells are no match for the Centurion frontal armor, however, it's not killing that they're after. Agitated, Sung Min-ah order her gunner to fire her 20-pounder gun on The Kashiwaba's Crusader. The sheer power of the shot slams the Crusader very hard that white-flagged it instantly. However, it also act as a cushion, that send the Tiger flying, but not white-flagged it at once.

"Feuer!" said Emi.

Nagisa shot at the three tanks holding Erika's. At this time, she doesn't really picky about who's she's shooting. And for some reason, the 88mm shell managed to find its way to one of the Cromwell, the one commanded by Baek Hyun-joo, the current commander of South Korean left flank tanks.

"What!?"

Oh Yoon-a from the Jackson are very surprised by the sudden white-flagged of Baek Hyun-joo, which sat next to her. It froze her for a second, which prove to be a fatal one. As that is the time needed by Erika to fire her shell on them, and quickly eliminate her. Han Na-eun, the only Cromwell left, quickly fall back, realizing she's now outnumbered, as both Seshka and Erika can now concentrate the fire on her. This let the left flank open for Seshka and Erika to rush forward.

"Anyone, Min-ah-nim, what shall we do?" asked Han Na-eun.

"Just go to the hill, and we'll take the same escape route that Japan use before. After this, we shall go and regroup with Daejangnim, she'll know what to do," said Sung Min-ah.

"Ne, arasseo!" said Han Na-eun, quickly retreating to join the other tanks.

"For anyone behind me, you must follow me closely, since the road is narrow, we need to quickly get out of here," said Sung Min-ah.

"Ne!"

Sung Min-ah then spurred her Centurion, followed by The Park Twins' Jackson, then the rest of South Korean tanks, all tried to pick up their pace to be able to jump the final ledge safely. After this, all they have to do is joining their commander, Ahn Soo-jin, and hunting Japan's last flag tank. These setback isn't necessary cost them winning. Unless...

"BLAMM!"

Just second before Sung Min-ah's Centurion leaping the edge of The Ardennes, Assam, which conveniently stationed her tank in front of the leaping edge, shot her in the underbelly. And since Sung Min-ah is half-airborne, her tank flipped back under the force of the shot, and hit The Park Twins' Jackson following behind. The crash doesn't white-flagged the Jackson, but it broke the gun barrel, and send the Jackson sideways, clogging the only way out, which quickly turned into multiple collision and further jammed the road, trapped many South Korean tanks, not yet white-flagged, in the hill. The congestions sealed when both Erika and Orange Pekoe, which conveniently sneaking through the back of right flank, each white-flagged some of the rear tanks.

"You finally come," said Marie which casually eat cake in top of her turret.

"So you're expecting me?" asked Erika.

"Not really, I just know that somehow you will show up, or rather, I'm sure you're going to show up."

"Really? Does Miho told you anything?"

"Nope, I know as much as you know from Taichou."

"Then how?"

"I don't know, I just do."

Erika paused then looked at the pile of non-white-flagged tanks of South Korea, trapped on the hill. She could pick them up one by one, but it will be waste of time and ammos.

"Will the recovery vehicles from the WSF come here?" asked Erika.

"Yes, but not at this very moment. I estimated we have time window for about 20 minutes, or rather YOU have the time window," said Marie.

"Me?"

"Yes, since we've done our part, in glorious manner if I may add."

"So what should I do?"

"I don't know the answer to that, Erika-san. As Taichou said, we must do our best of our abilities. So, what do you think you can do best?"

"That simple? But isn't that quite absurd?"

"Maybe, but maybe, this is what Taichou is thinking when she concocted this operation. Maybe this is what Operation Tone-Deaf all about."

Erika hauled a deep breath, and take a quick glance to the heap once again.

"So, 20 minutes, eh?"

"At most, and the clock is ticking, unless you wished to have a cake time with us, if so then by all means."

"Thank you, but I have to take a rain check on that."

"I'll save you some cakes, then."

"Alright, Seshka, Assam, Pekoe, roll back, and we'll converge on Taichou's position."

"And leave the still active enemy tanks here?" asked Orange Pekoe.

"We have a bigger fish to fry, come on," said Erika.

Erika and her detachment then salute to the Japan crews there that has been white-flagged, before rolling back out to chase after Miho's position. They have at most 20 minutes before recovery vehicles came and clear this congestion, and free the trapped tanks. For some reason, this remind her on the final match of 63rd National High School Sensha-do Championship, in which Miho pulled the same trick against Kuromorimine.

"I think I see what are you trying to do, Miho," thought Erika, "so please don't die yet, as I'm coming to you."

But, where's Miho?

After leaving The Ardennes, Miho and her Ooarai teams moving far, detached from any other group, chased by Ahn Soo-jin and her Cromwell's Company. By leaving 5 Cromwell in The Ardennes, meaning Ahn Soo-jin now has 10 tanks chasing Miho, as opposed to 6 tanks of Ooarai Group she has. This 3:2 ratio doesn't really bother Miho, not even the fact that she commanded 4 different types of tanks. This is something she's doing everyday in Ooarai.

The news about Ahn Hyun-jin's demise, though, put a great shock on Ahn Soo-jin, in which she froze for some times. This of course worries all her crews, and they hope she can recover herself fast.

"Daejangnim..." called Kang Hye-ri, loader of the tank.

"Daejangnim..." called Lee Yu-ra, radio operator of the tank.

"Daejangnim-eonnie..." called Kim Da-yeon, gunner of the tank.

"Daejangnim, please wake up!" called Jung Ga-eun, driver of the tank.

"Daejangnim!" all of them calling together.

Ahn Soo-jin snapped from her catatonic state immediately.

"What a..." said Ahn Soo-jin.

"Thank's God you finally awake, I thought you're going to stay comatose till the end of the match," said Kang Hye-ri.

"What? Oh gosh, what have I done..." said Ahn Soo-jin with regretful face, "I'm sorry, it just that..."

"Hey, don't worry, we understand. Hyun-jin-a was once our team members too, right?" said Lee Yu-ra, patting on Ahn Soo-jin's shoulder.

"And I have a little sister too, Daejangnim-eonnie, so I understand your feeling," said Kim Da-yeon.

"Thank you all," said Ahn Soo-jin.

"Alright, now that you've back, it's time to avenge for Hyun-jin-a, shall we?" said Kang Hye-ri.

Ahn Soo-jin smiled, and they all shook hand.

Meanwhile, in the VIP stage, both supreme commander, Ami Chouno and Ahn Jae-joon, are sitting while anxiously watching how the match goes. As regulation said, during the match, supreme commander cannot provide any contact, moreover assistance, to their team below. So, they can only watch and see. Ahn Jae-joon seems unease that his youngest daughter, Ahn Hyun-jin, got white-flagged, and some of his tanks are being clogged in the hill, however, he tried not to showed it on Ami Chouno, which still have a faint smile in her face.

"You seems very relaxed," asked Ahn Jae-joon.

"Why should I not?" replied Ami Chouno.

"After two of your flag tanks got white-flagged, I assume you must be worried, since now you only have one flag tank, which, if I may add, is now being chased by my best detachment."

"Concerned, yes, a little bit. But worry? Not at all."

"You want to turn the tide of the match? But how? You only have one flag tank left. If that gone, then it's all over. Not to mention that half of your tanks is gone as well."

"And half of your tanks is clogged in the hill, Ahn-sama."

"Which can be back to the game after the recovery vehicles finished clearing the clog, Chouno-nim."

"The time window is enough to turn the table, don't you think?"

"Still that doesn't change the fact that you only have one flag tank, while I still have two left."

Ami Chouno giggle, then she got up from her seat to made a warm tea in the refreshment station near there.

"You have known by yourself that sensha-do in Japan is played very orthodoxly, that we are not familiar to some modes that is common internationally. For example, we are highly unfamiliar with Multi-Flag Tank Battle system, which employed three flag tanks on the field, unlike you, which has use this system very recently on your battle against North Korea in the first round. On the other hand, we do more familiar on the standard Flag Tank Battle, which employed only one flag tank in the field, so..."

"Impossible!"

Ahn Jae-joon stood and faced Ami Chouno.

"What kind of strategy that is to sacrifice two of your own flag tanks in the sake for familiarity?"

"A kind of strategy that will lead to our victory, I guess." Said Ami Chouno while sipping her tea.