{March/21/2022}
(Seoul:South korea)
0700 hours
"MORTARS!"
"TAKE COVER!"
Major Kwang yelled out to his men second before north korean mortars began exploding all around their position.
Currently Kwang and his men were holding up in Okjung middle school where they've been dug in for the last three month.
When the north korean invaded their homeland and finally reach the gate of Seoul, Okjung middle school have been converted into an emergency hospital for civilian and soldiers alike. At that time, Major Kwang and his men were fighting in the street of Seoul, trying their best to hold the north korean advance.
But in december the north korean made a breakthrough in the south korean line and advance all to the Han river, cutting of the defenders in two. The south korean high command order it's soldiers to retreat back to the other side of the Han river.
When the order was given, Kwang and his battalion of 300 men were order to defend Okjung middle school while other units were evacuating thousands of patients from the school to the south side of the Han river.
The evacuation was largely succesfull with 95% of it's patients manage to cross the river before the north korean arrive. But unfortunately before the evacuation was completed, the north korean have cut them off of their escape route and since then, Kwang and his battalion alongside a few of the patient that was left behind have been holding their position for three month straight.
The mortar barrage continue for another fifteen minutes before it finally stop. Kwang stand up from under a cafetaria table where he was cowering in incase the roof fell over. He then check the men who's in the same room as him. He let a sigh of relief, seeing all of them are fine.
But his relief are short lived, knowing that the north korean will attack them in a few moments. Without wasting any time, Kwang grab his rifle and rush toward the second floor window. "MEN, TAKE YOUR POSITION! FIRE AT ANYTHING THAT MOVE" he boomed out.
Soon every soldiers there grab their rifle and took their position on the school balcony and wait for the north korean to attack them. They didn't have to wait long as a battle cry was heard and soon enough the first north korean charge through the gate into the school main field, follow by dozens of his comrades.
"OPEN FIRE!"
The south korean soldiers didn't need to be told twice and open fire from three side and multiple stories with anything they had, rifle, machine gun, grenades everything they had at the north korean.
From the top floor of the school, a two men machine gun crew was opening up at the north korean. The machine gunner was firing his K3 light machine gun in a few short burst to converst ammo and shoot more accurately while his assistant gunner was firing his rifle right beside him.
Being positioned in the school top floor giving them an adventage over the school ground as it giving them view of the whole school and was easy for them to shoot any north korean that was entering the gate.
More and more north korean soldiers comes charging through the front gate with bayonet fixed at the end of their rifle only to be cut down by the endless south korean gunfire. There were so many enemies charging through the main gate and into the school yard that the south korean defenders didn't even need to aim to hit their target.
As he was shooting away his machine gun, the machine gunner saw in the corner of his eyes, mulitiple platoon of north korean climbing the school gate from the north instead of using the main gate on the east. He immidietly grab his machine gun and called out to his assistant gunner to reposition themself to face the north korean intruder.
Once he was properly positioned, he immidietly start to unleash hell upon the north korean. He manage to kill most of them before they even got the chance to climb over the fence and some who do take cover to avoid the incoming gunfire.
But then he stop shooting, he just ran out of ammo. His assistant gunner start to give him a spare ammo belt when the north korean soldiers below start to return fire. The machine gunner duck behind cover and he open his machine gun top cover, put the ammo belt in, close it and cocked his gun.
After finally loading his gun, he and his assistant gunner went back to kill the remaining north korean below. after a few second of shooting they stop as the last north korean have been killed. After confirming every single one of them is dead, he reach for his radio and contacted his Major.
"Bravo 2-5 to Alpha 0-1 we got two dozen hostiles broke inside the northern building, over."
The machine gunner could hear the Major cursing under his breath.
"Roger that Bravo 2-5, thanks for the warning." Major Kwang said before signing out.
The machine gunner then put down his radio and went back to raining hell the north korean.
A squad of nine men was taking cover behind classroom window on the fourth floor while simultaniously firing at the north korean at the school yards below.
The squad leader, -woon was taking shots at the north korean with his Type 88 rifle, picking them of one by one. Even though the Type 88 wasn't as accurate or reliable compare to his standard issue K2 assault rifle, it have to do for now as he and alot of his comrades had ran out of 5.56mm round in the last three month and was force to ditch their standard issue rifle and grab a weapon from their dead enemy.
As he continue to fire upon the north korean, his radio crackled to life. "Whiskey 4-1, this is Alpha 0-1, be advised there's atleast two dozen hostiles inside your building on the second floor! over." Major Kwang said throuh the radio.
"Shit!" he cursed.
The squad leader then turn to his men. "Li, Ga-eul, Na-gil, Dal you guys clear the first floor with me!"
"Yes sir!" his men reply.
Da-woon then lead his men out the classroom and toward the staircase leading to the first floor. All men have their rifles raised as they decend the stair, incase if any hostiles show up.
When they reach the third floor and started to decend to the second floor, the five men could heard a series of rapid footsteps in the floor below them. Da-woon tighten the grip of his rifle, ready to shoot anything that move infront of him.
When they saw the second floor, they stop and crouch down. Seconds later, two north korean came into view. Da-woon and his men wasted no time and open fire at the unfortunate soldiers, killing them instantly.
As the two soldiers lay dead, Da-woon order his men to move forward and check both end of the hallway and find both side was filled with north korean soldiers.
Da-woon and his men immidietly take cover behind pillars and nearby wall. Da-woon peek through left side of the hallway from his cover and shot dead three enemy soldiers while one of his men took out two others. On the right side his three other men manage to kill seven more.
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
"Clear!"
"All clear!"
His men yelled out.
"We're not done yet guys! there could be more of them down here!" Da-woon addresed to his men as he could see the north korean in the school yard being shot left and right by the south korean soldiers. "Li, Dal, both of you guard this stair incase if more hostile try to accend the building. The rest of you on me!"
"Yes sir!" His squad reply.
Soon Da-woon and two of his men start to walk away from the stairway and sweep the hall way for any north korean they didn't kill from the earlier firefight. Occasinally they would walk pass a classroom and they would kick the door open and check each class if it was any enemy hiding in there or not.
They pass a few more classroom without finding any north korean hiding in any of them, a fact that made them uneasy as they were ready to use their gun on the north korean but the fact they haven't found any in this floor, even though they new some of them are here made them anxious.
But they didn't have to wait any longer as they heard gun shot from this floor infront of them. They slowed down their pace and readied their rifle. They advance for a few moment until the reach a corner. Da-woon order his men to stop as he peek around the corner.
What he saw was atleast eight north korean soldiers caught up in a firefight with another squad. Da-woon turn his head toward his men and signal them to get ready.
They went into position careful not to get shot by their own comrades. Once in position Da-woon and his men put their finger on the trigger and open fire.
The north korean who's been tied up in a firefight with a squad of south korean duck behind cover to reload his gun when suddenly a soldiers next to him falls dead with a bullet hole at the back of his head.
The north korean was confuse at first because the enemy was infront of them, until he saw in the distance around three south korean soldiers was firing at them, taking out more of his comrades.
In a panic, the north korean soldiers jump to his feet to return fire but suddenly he fell to the ground as he felt a sharp pain on his back. he's been shot.
The pain on his back from his gunshot wound made him fall into a dazed like state as he's keep staring at his dead comrades. he didn't even relieze the sound of boots coming closer and closer to him. Then he fell a slight burning feeling on him head as Da-woon point his rifle at his head and pull the trigger.
Da-woon stood over his dead enemy with his rifle still aimed at his head. He then retrack his rifle and hold it against his chest.
"Thanks for the assist." Said the leader of the squad he just saved.
"No problem, but we need to clear this floor first before we can relax!" Da-woon stressed into his counterpart.
"We already check half of this floor and i assumed you guys have done the same with the other half." The sergeant ask.
"Yeah we did, but it's better be sure than sorry." Da-woon said.
The other squad leader was silent for a while, pondering about Da-woon suggestion, but ultimately he agreed. "Yeah you're right, don't want any northeners to surprise us cause we weren't being thorough." The squad leader remark.
So both squad went around the second floor looking for any hiding enemy as the gunfire around them started to dwindled.
On the rooftop of the southern building lied a south korean sniper, arm with his trusted K14 sniper rifle, he shot dead every enemy soldiers he see with deadly precision. He chose his target mostly those who were outside of the school gate by killing them.
Sometimes he would let his comrades have all the fun while he was scanning the battlefield for any high ranking officer to be killed. Ussualy when he did that, the north korean will go into a full retreat or were sent into a state of panic as the north korean didn't really know how to act without their leader at their command.
Scanning the battlefield through his scope for any soldiers to kill, he found one enemy cowering himself behind a dumpster from incoming gunfire. The soldiers look like he was no older than 17, he was hugging his rifle in fear with tears coming out of his eyes and seem like he's going to sh*t himself. The sight made the sniper felt an ounce of sympathy toward the kid, but he's still an enemy who invaded his homeland and sympathy only going to get himself killed in this situation.
The sniper lined up his crossair at the young north korean head and gently pulled the trigger. As soon as he done that, a 7.62x51 mm Nato round struck the young soldiers in the head, killing him instantly. The sniper rechambered another round and continue to look for enemies to kill. His next target was a machine gunner, he taking cover behind a pillars while lay down covering fires at some windows with his Type 73 light machine gun, a weird hybrid of the PKM and the bren gun.
What type of weapon he was using doesn't matter, as a machine gunner was a must hit target for snipers like him in combat and machine gunner was really annoying to deal with if you're just an infantry. Luckily he's a sniper who happend to have the high ground. So he did the same thing like he did toward the younger soldiers, he put his crossairs on the man head and gently pulled the trigger.
The bullet went clean through the man head and came out on the other side of his head, strucking the man assistant gunner on the neck. The assistant gunner drop down to the floor, though he wasn't dead yet as he was desperately trying to stop his own bleeding by holding his bleeding neck where the sniper bullet struck him.
The sniper didn't give the poor assistant gunner a chance to save his own life and finnish him of with a bullet to the head.
The sniper felt his rifle was alot lighter than before and remember he already fired all five of it's round. So he took of the gun magazine and pulled out a fresh one from his vest and cocked the bolt backward and forward, ready to fire again.
At this point the gunfire around him started to dwindle as most of the north korean are either dead or trying to flee the massacre. Determining his comrades could handle the enemy inside the school, he turn his focus toward the enemy who were outside of the school gate. Scanning the street with his scope, for a while he couldn't find anything on the street aside from dead bodies.
But then he saw that one of those bodies were actually moving, albeit in a slow pace, most likely it was a soldiers who think they can fool the sniper by blending in with the bodies. Unfortunately for him, this sniper wasn't easily fooled. Without wasting any time the sinper pull the trigger and his bullet struck the man in the back.
Suddenly one of the bodies stand up and started running. This guy probably have the same idea as the previous guy, but when he saw his companion getting shot sent him into a panic and made him run for it. The snipers like before just cocked his rifle bolt and shoot him in the back while he was running.
This particullar soldiers however made the sniper felt sick. From his uniform he could determined that the man he just killed was actually an officer. He had dealt with north korean officers before and they usually don't really care for the well being of their men and sometimes left them for dead if thing wasn't going on their favor.
That was the same thing this officer did to his men, leaving them for dead while he try to ran away from the battle. The sniper wasn't exactly fond of this type of people, because this type of guy remind him of his own commanding officer when he was stationed in the border a few years before the war started.
After he killed that officer, the gunfire seem to stop in the school, while he still could hear the sound of gunfire from the other part of the city, this school was silent. from his vantage point he could see his comrades began the routine job of cleaning the bodies and clearing the school room by room.
He have his own job to do, that is provide overwatch and give an early warning for any attack, so while his comrades was cleaning the school of dead bodies and stragglers. he would stay up there and stay vigilant.
But after that heavy firefight and how many men they kill, he doubt the northeners would dare to commit another attack after the heavy lost they suffer. So he let himself relax for a bit, he reach for one of the pocket in his vest and took out a lighter and a cigarettes. He put the cigarette on his mouth and lit it up with his lighter.
He inhaled the smoke and puffed out the smoke. He let out a sigh, he wonder how long they will be staying like this. He and most of his comrades is sick of fighting in the same place over and over again. But as he conteplated at their situation, he hear a series of explosion in the distance from behind him.
Far behind him was the Dongho bridge, one of the many bridge that cross the Han river. Hearing the explosion from the river peak his curiosity. So he grab his binoculars and aimed it at the bridge and the sight made him stared in a complete awe as he saw a collum of Japanese Type 10 main battle tank, cover by infantry made a crossing on the Dongho bridge.
"Well i'll be dammed." The sniper muttered to himself as he knew their waiting for reinforcement was coming to an end.
The sniper then put out his cigarette, grab his rifle and leave his post to look for the Major to inform him of the good news.
Kwang and his men let out a sigh of relief that they have manage to repel another north korean attack. But Kwang didn't immidietly relax as their could be still more north korean hides in the building, though it comfort him a little that some of his men already clearing the building at this moment. So now Kwang decide to check n his men.
"Ammo check!" He yelled to those who's in the room with him.
As soon as he yelled that, every man in the room start to check their ammo.
"I still got two and a half mag." One soldier report
"I'm on my last mag sir, and it's half empty." reply the other.
"I'm all out sir." Another complaint.
"Same with me sir."
"I still have three mags left."
"I'm on my last bullet."
More and more soldiers report to him about their ammo situation and it made Kwang grimace as the report is nowhere near positive as most of the soldiers report that their either low on ammo or completely out of ammunition.
Kwang then turn his head to one of the machine gunner. "What about you Seul-gi? How many ammo did you have left?" He asked.
The machine gunner sigh. "Half a belt sir." He informed solemmly.
"That's it?"
"I'm afraid so sir."
Kwang let out a sigh of frustraition. "Alright, Seul-gi find a replacement for your MG! i'm sure one of those dead body carry an RPK or something and the rest of you, try to find additional ammo from the dead bodies! God knows how long we're gonna be stuck here." He ordered his men.
"Yes sir." his men respond, though they are a little less enthusiastic tone. Not that Kwang could blame them, being stuck in a school for three month while being attack by a relentless enemy will took a tool on someone sanity.
It didn't help that they have been cut off from the rest of the world because they don't have any working long range radio and couldn't contact the other unit so they're pretty much in the dark from any information for the last three month, so they didn't know if a reinforcement was coming. And because of that, often times they have to fight the enemy without the capabilty of calling in air support.
They couldn't use their phone because phone service have been down since the north korean enter Seoul and so is the power so those who carry their phone couldn't recharge it. Though some of them still carry a short range radio that enabled them to communicate from different part of the school to organize it's defence.
After most of his men leave the room to look for ammo or to check on their comrades, Kwang stay there, he grab a chair and slump down onto it. He close his eyes to clear his mind from all the stuff he'd been force to witnessed since the first time he joined the army.
Like most korean men, he was forced to enter military service for two years thanks to the force conscription implemented by the South korean goverment because of their rocky relationship with their neighbour.
But when most conscript just wanted to do their time and continue on with their life, Kwang wanted to be part of the army, part of the reason why he was promoted to the rank of Major.
Because of his loved for his country and devotion to duty, Kwang often given the job that was consider more dengerous than others. His first taste of combat was in 2018, he was just a Corporal back then, he and his unit was given the task of patroling the DMZ when they came across a north korean patrol.
At first they didn't mind them as patrol unit from both nation often cross each other path so this was normal for them, if not a little bit tense. But this time was different, this time the north korean patrol was lead by a rather hot-headed officer who order his men to open fire at Kwang's unit as soon as they made visual contact.
The ensuing firefight resulted with multiple wounded in both side, though thankfully nobody was killed. The skirmish made both side tighten up their security but it did not resulted in a full blown war yet because a skirmish like this, unfortunately happend pretty often.
Since then Kwang was involve in a few more skirmish, he didn't saw any major combat until the invasion. When the north invade, Kwang held the rank of Captain. During this time Kwang manage to make a name for himself by organizing his company to hold an outpost for five days straight before he his post was overrun.
He and a handfull of his men manage to escape the outpost. His valor that day allow a large number of south korean and american troops to retreat and reorganize. For his action Kwang recieve a handful of awards and medals and was promoted to the rank of Major and was given the command of a full battalion.
After his promotion he participated in the initial defence of Seoul and finally the order to defend the Okjung middle school to allow the rest of the south korean force to retreat through the Han river. Though beacause of it he and his battalion was trap in this school as a result as the north korean surrounded their position before they were able to evacuate.
In the last three month he also lost a number of his men in combat, something he continue to think about. He think about how their family will react that their sons, husbands, brothers and fathers won't make it home.
Suddenly the door to the room he was in open violently, snapping Kwang out of his thought. Kwang look at the door to see that one of his men. Though who open the door made him worried as it was Mu-young, a soldier in his mid twenties with a average height, black hair and eyes, he was a sniper stationed at the school rooftop and he was supposed to stay up there as an early warning soldiers.
"Something wrong Mu-young?" Kwang ask in worry.
Mu-young doesn't seem so bother by his commanding officer worry and instead just shook his head. "No sir, there is nothing wrong."
Kwang let out a sigh of relief. "If that so than why are you here?" Kwang ask in confusion.
"I have a good news sir. I just saw multiple Japanese Tanks just crossed the Dongho bridge." Mu-young informed cheerfully.
Kwang for his part was suprised to hear that it was the Japanese that was sent to relieved them. But at the same time he was also relieved knowing once the Japanese troops relieved them, he and his men will be put o leave to get a rest they craved and deserved and probably reunited with their families.
Kwang missed his wife terribly, both of them are saperated when Kwang was sent to the frontline. The last time Kwang ever hear about his wife was when she called him to inform him that she and their kids are living with her parents in Busan for the time being.
And now that the Japanese will relieved them he will have the chance to see his wife again. Kwang have to admit, at first he had some reservation against the Japanese soldiers, mainly because of their lacked of experience.
But Kwang was quick to be proven wrong when he witnessed that the JSDF fought with great courage and skill against the north korean and Kwang quickly grown a respect towards them.
After processing the news of what the sniper just told him, Kwang finally able to find his words. "You're serious?" He asked in disbelieve that this is happening.
"One hundred percent sir." The sniper respond.
Hearing this conformation made Kwang smile in delight, finally they're going to leave this dump.
"Though they may have been run into some problem sir." Mu-young said.
"What kind of problem?" Kwang asked.
"On their way here, they have face a counter attack by the northeners. Three company, seven tanks, and a few BTR's." the sniper informed.
Kwang was baffles by this. "How the hell did they manage to get there without us knowing?!" He exclaimed.
"My guess sir, the enemy the earlier attack was a distraction for us so the rest of their forces could attack the Japanese without any resistance. They must've known that when they pass through this school that we would ambush them. So they sent a fraction of their forces to attack us and keep us occupited while the rest of their force took a different route to launch their counter attack." Mu-young describe his theory.
"Well that make sense." Kwang muttered. "How strong is the Japanese forces?"
"They've brought twelve tanks, around 14 APC, two IFV and a full battalion during their crossing. The problem is, the northeners launch their counter attack on multiple street blocks, so the Japanese cannot focused their forces. The Japanese currently only have three tanks and two company in this street, the rest are engaging the enemy somewhere else." The sniper finished.
Kwang was looking at the floor, silently thinking about the information his men just given to him. Mu-young just stand there awkwardly waiting for the Major to respond. But after a minute of silence, kwang raised his head and smirk at him.
"Well from what you just told me, looks like the Japs need some assistance eh." Kwang commented.
His smile was infectious, soon Mu-young started smirking to. "Abseloutly sir." He said with joy, knowing where this is going.
"Sergeant, get the men and told them to gather here! We're leaving this place!"
"Yes sir!"
The sniper then leave to call for his comrades. Finally they're going to leave this school.
(A few blocks away)
0745 Hours
"Yua, multiple hostiles on the third floor! Switch to coax!"
"Coax out!"
The Type 74 coaxial machine gun spew hundreds of bullets at the north korean hiding inside a building, killing four of them while the rest ran away.
"FOX 4, finished them!" Maho ordered.
"Roger that!" Ritaiko reply.
Ritaiko tanks then turn it's turrent towards the building and fire a High explosive round onto it, leaving a massive gaping hole on it's side and exposing the north korean soldiers that was hiding inside of it.
"Yua, Light them up!"
"Roger."
Yua then unleash a hail of 7.62X51mm bullets at the north korean while Maho herself also open fire using her remote control machine gun. They killed some of them but most retreat deeper into the building.
But when they think they were on the clear, the north korean suddenly was rained by explosion. It comes from the Japanese infantrymen who fire their rifle grenade at the building. effectively clearing them out.
"We got two enemy tanks approaching!" Kuome warned.
True to her words, Maho could see two north korean tanks approaching, to her relieved however, they were T-62M soviet era tanks that are no match for their Type 10. But even though it was obselete, it's still a tank and needed to be dealt with.
"Yua, take it out!"
"On the way!" The gunner called her shot.
One of the T-62M immidietly went up in flames as soon as the 120mm HEAT round made contact with it's armor. The other tank soon followed it's comrades fate as Kuome's tank fire a shot at it.
"Target destroyed." Yua reported.
Maho was about to compliment her gunner when something caught her eyes. "Dammit, Yua there's a BTR incoming take it out!"
Yua wanted to groan in frustraition, she swear the north korean just kept coming, but she held it in and comply knowing there is a better time to complain. "On the way!" The tank cannon spewed out it's projectiles and hit the BTR on it's front window and exited from behind before exploding, killing any infantry nearby.
While Maho and her tank platoon slowly advance while periodically taking out enemies armor. Outside the tanks, the battle was just as intense as inside the tank. The Japanese infantry are taking cover behind the advancing tanks and shooting any north korean that try to use the building to their advantage.
It's a symbiotic relationship. The tanks provide cover for the infantry from incoming gunfire while the infantry protect the tanks from any soldiers that try to destroy them with RPG.
Nishi walk slowly behind the tank, keeping her head down to avoid getting shot by north korean bullet while simultaniously keeping her rifle ready so she could shoot the enemy as soon as she saw them.
She then saw on one of the building, on the second floor window, two north korean soldiers preparing a B-10 recoilless rifle. Thinking fast, she aimed her rifle at them and fire five shot at the two soldiers, killing them in a second.
Satesfied with her kill, Nishi let out a triumphant chuckle before ducking behind cover. "I got two!" She announced to her squadmate.
Tamada, who's on her right gave her a smug look. "That's it? earlier i just kill three!" she said proudly.
Hosomi, who's on her left didn't gave a comment as she fire a few burst at the north korean hiding on a building to their left. She then run out of ammo and duck down behind cover to reload, but not before she respond to Nishi and Tamada. "Just so you know, i just taken out SIX north korean soldiers in that single burst i just did earlier." She boast.
Tamada rolled her eyes at her. "Really? i bet i could kill more than that in a single burst." Tamada shot back at her.
Hosomi raised her eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Prove it." she challenge.
Tamada only smirk at her. She load a fresh magazine into her rifle, she then stand up from the cover of the advancing tank and saw a squad of north korean hiding behind a roadblock from the Japanese endless gunfire. The only way Tamada could see them is because of their head sticking out of their cover.
Seeing her opportunity to beat her friend, Tamada set her rifle to single fire. She adjust her sight at the first north korean she saw and pull the trigger, hitting the poor soldiers in the head. She then pull her trigger eleven more times and seven of which found it's target before she was force to take cover again from the incoming gunfire.
Tamada then smirk at Hosomi and Nishi who's been watching her kill those soldiers. "I win." She said triumphantly.
Hosomi scoff at this. "Don't be so happy! i'll beat you in a few second." She then load a fresh mag into her rifle and start shooting.
"Oh your on!" Tamada said.
Nishi just smile at her friends antics, she was ready to start firing again when she notice one of her other squadmate, Haru gave her a weird look. Nishi then give him a confuse look. "What?"
Haru just shook his head and said something to her, though she couldn't here him due to the constant gunfire going of around them. "you said what?" She ask again.
"I said how the hell you three went from shellshock to being blood thirsty in just a few minutes!" Haru remarks.
Nishi was about to respond but was cut off by Tamada. "Hey it's our first time one of us having a near death experience! Forgive us for being surprise." She retorted sarcasstically.
"What!?" Haru said in a confuse tone.
"Leave them be Haru, they attend Chi-ha-tan accademy in highschool. They're known for being insane." The other squad member, Seiya reminded.
"Amen to that brother." Reply another squad member name Kakashi.
"Hey! what do you mean by 'insane!'" Hosomi yelled, feeling offended by the comment.
Another one of their comrades, Ren decide to chimed in. "What they mean by that? Well let me remind you." He then brought up his finger and started counting. "Charging blindly into enemy fire, announcing your presence at the enemy team by yelling at them, using the same strategy for twenty years straight without considering of upgrade it. Shall i go on?" Ren ask sarcasstically.
Now hearing that really hit the nerve of the Chi-ha-tan trio. "Did you really need to brought that up? that was a long time ago?" Nishi said with an annoyed face.
They said all this while being under fire.
Ren wanted to reply but was cut off by their Sergeant. "Hey, less talking more shooting!" Taizou scolded his squad.
His squad grunted and continue firing at the north koreans, but not before giving each other a death glare.
Inside her tank, Maho kept her eyes on the periscope, keeping an eye for enemy vehicle while Yua kept firing the coaxial machine gun at a building filled with north korean soldiers.
Soon the tank collum came across an intersection. Maho quickly scanned the surrounding area through her periscope and saw a two T-62M's tank appear from another intersection on their left and slowly turning their turrent toward them. "Yua, we got two enemy tank on our left!"
"I saw them." Yua said as she turn the tank turrent and aimed t the first one.
"Fire when ready!"
"On the way!" *BOOM* the Type 10 HEAT round soon penetrade the T-62M armor like a hot knife cut through butter, easily destroying it. The second tank also met with the same fate as their comrades when its armor was cut through by an APFSDS round from Ritaiko Type-10 Mbt.
"Target destroyed!" Yua reported with a smile, but soon the smile on her face dissapear and replace with a frowned. "Shit."
Maho raise an eyebrow at her gunner. "Yua, What's wrong?"
Yua let out a loud sigh. "We're run out of shell." She said with a dejected look.
"What!?" Maho said in a baffled tone, bu then quickly regained her composure. "What about the coax?"
"We still have 140 rounds left."
"Good, that means we still can engage infantry."
Yua nodded and continue to engage the Infantry. Maho then tap into her radio. "We just ran out of HEAT round. Kuome, Ritaiko, how many shell did have?"
"Fox 3 here. We still have 7 APFSDS round!" Kuome answered.
"This is Fox 4. we got 6 HEAT left."
"Copy that, Fox 3 i need you to keep an eye out for any hostile vehicle! Fox 4 cover us from attack from the surrounding building!" Maho ordered.
"Roger!" Both Kuome and Ritaiko reply.
"How the hell did they still have that many rounds while we're already empty?" Yua ask, baffled while still had her eyes on the gunner sight and fire the coaxial machine gun.
On another tank, Ritaiko kept a close eyes on the building around her, watching for any potential threat as the north koreans have been using the building to their advantage. She could see multiple figure trying to take shot at her tank. But each time they were force to take over when the Japanese infantry return fire on them.
As Ritaiko scanned the building, she saw something from out of an intersection, 200 meters of her position. It was a T-62M tank slowly revealing itself from the intersection and surronding it was atleast a dozen north korean infantry. And to her horror, the T-62 slowly turning its turrent toward her direction.
"Shit." she curse. "Kuome! there's a T-62 straight ahead!" She screamed through the radio.
Kuome was alarmed as she didn't saw the tank because she was busy directing her gunner to fire at a BTR. She immidietly order her gunner to turn the turrent and ready to fire at the advancing north korean tank.
Kuome's gunner had her eyes on the tank, ready to fire. But the T-62 beat her to it and fired first. Seeing this, Kuome and her crew brace themself for them impact. Luckily the Type 10 hardkill protection system do its job properly and destroy the incoming projectile.
The gunner recompose herself and put her eyes on the gunner sight to re-adjust her aim at the center of the tank. But Before she could shoot, the T-62M was suddenly hit by a rocket from it's rear. The rocket ignited the ammo rack and a ball of flame escape through the commander hatch, burning it's crew alive in the process.
Seconds later the infantry who's advancing alongside the T-62M turn arround to see what's destroying their tank. But they didn't have the time to recognize the threat as they were immidietly cut down by machine gun fire. Not by the Japanese but by South korean troops.
The north korean soldiers are to preoccupied fighting the Japanese that they didn't realize the south korean troops approaching them from behind. The south korean began to open fire at the north korean soldiers.
After realizing that they were being flanked, the north korean soldiers try to spun around and shoot the south korean, but those who did was shot dead by the Japanese soldiers and those who decide to focus on the Japanese was shot dead by the south korean. Both the south korean and Japanese was carefull not to accidentally kill each other and the Japanese tank have stop firing their machine gun after they saw the south korean on the other side to avoid friendly fire.
The north korean situation suddenly becoming more desparate than before, with the Japanese on their south and the south korean on their north, they knew it was only a matter of time before it was their turn to die.
One by one, the north korean soldiers began to drop their weapon and raise their hand, attempting to surrender. unfortunatally for some, they were shot dead because some of their comrades hadn't drop their rifles yet and was caught in the crossfire.
But after most of the North korean surrender, both the Japanese and South korean stop firing and began approach the surrendering soldiers to take them prisoner.
The gunfire from the surrounding building also stop. South korean soldiers also had enter the buildings where the north korean have been firing at the Japanese. The south korean kill most of them and taking the rest as prisoner.
Maho open her hatch to see the south korean soldiers. She could see that Kuome and Ritaiko had also done the same. She could also see that Nishi, her squad and the rest of her platoon was standing beside her tank.
She could also see that some of the surrounding buildings that was used by the north korean to shot at them are now occupied by south korean snipers and machine gunners. She also notice that the gunfire have dwindled, not just on this street, but on the other street as well where the JSDF have engage with the north korean. Meaning that the south korean troops had also help to flank the north korean in those streets.
Both the south korean and Japanese soldiers than start to rounding up the prisoner. As they rounded up the prisoner, both the Japanese and south korean soldiers finally get to face each other in close distance and both side began to greet each other. They wave at each other, shake hands, some even sharing cigarette.
"Um, should we join them?" Ask Kuome while gesturing to the crowd of Japanese and south korean soldiers.
Maho exchange look with Ritaiko and both of them shrugged. "Might as well, it'll be better for everyone if we're all acquanted."
Maho then hop out of her tank and walk toward the crowd south korean soldiers followed by Kuome and Ritaiko.
Kwang gratefully watch as his men getting along with the Japanese. After three long month. His battalion finally get the chance to leave that school, thanks to the breakthrough made by the Japanese for diverting the north korean attention from them.
Right now his men are working together with the Japanese to clean the streets of dead bodies and rounding up prisoner while talking to each other as if the earlier battle didn't affect them at all.
Though it was clear to Kwang that his men and the Japanese are having a hard time communicating due to the language barrier. Some of them are trying to converse in english while those who didn't speak english try to speak using awkward hand signals while speaking at the same time, much to Kwang amusement.
After a while, Kwang decided that he wanted to speak to one of the Japanese, probably an officer to have a quick chat before asking for medical assistant for his men who's wounded back at the school.
He then walk towards the Japanese line with his rifle slung over his back. Something then caught his attention, there is three tankers who's conversing with one of his sergeant in english. And lucky him one of those tanker was a 1st Lieutenant. Considering that this tanker was the first officer he saw and that she spoke english like him, Kwang decide that he will ask help from her.
Maho, Kuome and Ritaiko was having a conversation with a south korean soldiers, a sargeant to be presice. The sargeant came forward to them and thank the three tank commanders for coming at a right time right before they run out off suplies to which Maho, Kuome and Ritaiko said it was not a big deal.
As they continue chatting, Maho look over the south korean sargeant shoulders and saw another south korean soldier are approaching them. Her eyes went wide when she realize that it was a major who's coming towards them. The south korean sargeant notice gaze and turn around to see what she's been staring at. When the sargeant saw Major Kwang coming towards them, he immidetly straighten his back and salute the Major.
"메이저광!" The sargeant saluted.
"안심 상사" Kwang told the sargeant. "가서 거리 청소를 도와줄래." He ordered.
"알겠습니다!" The sargeant said before took off.
With that out of the way, Kwang turn his attention to the female Lieutenant and saluted her. "I'm Major Kwang Jeong, nice to meet you." he introduce himself.
Maho salute the man back. "Lieutenant Maho Nishizumi, nice to meet you to sir." She reply with formallity. she then extend her hand to shake the Major hand, which he gladly.
When they hands part, Kwang gives Maho a smile "I must say Lieutenant You guys are a sight for a sore eyes." He remarks while gesturing to the three Type 10 and the Japanese soldiers that was present there.
Maho smile back at him. "Yeah it was a good thing that high command have ordered a breakthrough along the Han river." Maho remark. Then she was reminded of something. "Wait, are you guys are from the 3rd infantry Battalion?" She asked.
Kwang nodded. "Yeah we are, we were trap in okjung middle school for three month and we were running low on supplies. If you guys arrived here a week late we would've run out of supplies for sure." He commented.
"Yeah we notice, before we made our crossing, we were told about your situation and was told to relieved your battalion from combat duty." Maho said, recalling their mission briefing last night.
"Well it's good to know that we were not abandoned. Yet Liuetenant Nishizumi i need to ask you a favor."
Maho raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"There are some of my men who are wounded back at the school, alongside a few elderly civilian that didn't get to be evacuated three month ago and they needed to be treated. The problem is we only have nine medics and they are ovrwhelemed from treating the wounded and like i said, our supplies are dwindling, including our medical supplies. Can you send some of your medics to help my men?"
Maho seemed to think about it for a moment. "Well i'm only in charge of the tanks platoon and not this regiment, but then again one of our task is to relieved your battalion so the medics will help you no matter what."
A relief sigh left Kwang's mouth. "Well thank god for that. "he then notice that the streets was started to look cleaner than earlier. "Well, it looks like we're almost done here. After we're done cleaning up. My men will lead you to the school."
Maho nodded. "Well lead the way Major."
Kwang smile and salute Maho before ordering his men to lead the Japanese to the school where they've been trapped for the last three month to help their wounded comrades..
(A few minutes later)
The Japanese troops have successfuly Captured Dongho bridge from the north korean and securing the surrounding area, including Okjung middle school, a place where a battalion of battered south korean troops have been holding up for the last three month.
And now that the Japanese soldiers, as well of their allies have manage to cross the Han river, it was time for this battalion of exhausted soldiers to get the rest they deserved, far away from the frontline.
But for now they need to take care of their wounded first.
During those hellish three month, many of the south korean soldiers have gotten wounded and some of them who had a fatal injury died because of their low medical supplies. But now those who's been wounded can be treated with the Japanese bring in fresh medics and medical supplies.
Right now the Japanese soldiers are helping the south korean troops to evacuate and taking care of the wounded soldiers and civilian who didn't get to be evacuated in time three month ago.
One of those Japanese soldiers was Nishi. She and her squad are currently taking care of wounded soldiers and civilian by giving them water and applying fresh bandage to replace the old one and their medic, Asahi are currently working with a south korean medic to administrating a painkiller to a wounded soldier.
The poor guy took multiple mortar shrapnel on both of his leg. The medic could only washing it clean with alcohol before covered it with bandage to stop the bleeding and without any painkiller he was in pain the whole time.
After Asahi and the south korean medics done giving the wounded soldiers ketamine, they were ready to change his bandage which is now soaked in his blood.
"Hey Nishi! Can you please get a bandage from my bag over there?" he pointed at his back on a table next to Nishi.
Nishi who's checking on an elderly lady nodded and grab his bag and give it to him. Asahi then reach into his medical bag and pull out two roll of bandage, he give one of them to the south korean medic and the two began to applied the bandage around the wounded soldiers leg until his wound was completly covered up.
The soldier eyes were half closed, like he was struggling to kept himself up from the blood he had lost and the ketamine he had receive. "Hang in there buddy, you're gonna make it." Asahi reasured him, trying to kept the man awake.
"나한테 죽지마 꼬마야, 네가 그랬다면 네 엄마가 날 죽일거야." The south korean medic added.
Just as the two medics were done helping this man, walked into the room. He then kneeled next to his medic. "How is he?" The sargeant question.
"As soon as he get proper medical care than he'll be fine." The medic informed him.
"Then we don't have time to loose. Asasi, get that man onto a stretcher and get load him onto a truck!" Asahi nodded. He then tried his best to convey the order to his korean counter part who seemed understand what he was saying despite the language barrier. The two medics the load him onto a stretcher and get him to a truck headed for a field hospital.
Taizou then turn toward Nishi. "Nishi, you help that lady to the truck as well!"
"Yes sir!" She reply. "Hosomi, help me with this." She called out to her friend. The two woman then slowly help the elderly lady get up from the chair she was sitting in and gently help her walk toward a truck outside of the school.
On the school courtyard, Mu-young watch with great relieved that his wounded comrades are being evacuated. The sniper took a great pleasure seeing both Japanese and south korean working together despite the two nation rough past.
As he began to leave his post, he saw a familiar guy, he have a black hair like his, a brown eyes and slightly taller than him. The guy have a look of displeasure on his face so Mu-young decide to approach him.
"Hey Da-woon! what's up with the sour face?" The sniper ask.
At first the young sargeant didn't answer. He just took a deep breath and let out a frustrated exhaled. "Nothing, it's just working with the Japs are making me uneasy." The Sargeant confess.
Mu-young raise an eyebrow at his friend. "Oh come on, don't tell me you hate them to for what happen decades ago."
"It's not that." Da-woon said exasparatedly.
"Then what?" Mu-young ask curiously.
"It's just tha-"
"Sargeant hate the Japs because they always beat him in League of legends!" One of Da-woon men yelled out from the distance.
Da-woon eyed immidietly went wide. "Goddammit, Li when i get my hands on you, you're dead!" He threaten his subordinate who took off instantly.
Mu-young just let out a chuckle and shake his head in amusement. "Don't be to hard on them Da-woon, i'm sure the Japs are nice people once you get to know them."
Da-woon only let out a sigh. "Yeah maybe you're right."
"Of course i am. Now come on, when we get back to base i'll buy you Soju, How's that sound?"
"Now that's what i'm talking about." Da-woon said excitedly, leaving the sour feeling of his heart.
Soon the two men began to join their comrades to head back behind friendly lines to finally get a rest they deserved.
