On one part of the border between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China which was separated only by the Yalu river, a couple of men dressed in military uniform patrolled a designated area given to them. Judging by their armament and uniform, including the patch on their sleeves, they are from the Border Guard. Just by looking at them, it could be said that the situation seems not to be the best one since a tense aura could be felt from them. One of the guards held his rifle, a Type-68 assault rifle in his right hand which held the pistol grip while the left held the hand grip and pointed his rifle towards something across the river, and the other one was picking up his binoculars. As it turned out, their target was bushes on the other side of the river after they noticed something was on there.

"What do you think Dongmu, another smuggler?"

"Perhaps? It's been a while since the last time we found it."

"Damn Chinese, what are they doing over there!"

"Ehhhh, probably has been bribed by them. You know, it's a big amount of money after all just to get a single person out of here. Thousands of American dollars if I remember it correctly."

"Huh, no wonder."

After he says it, the bushes are moving again but to their surprise, nothing is coming out of it. Still, they maintain their state of alert and wait for another minute while looking for the surroundings too.

"Ri Dongji, regarding that one animation video from China, isn't that actually illegal here in our country?"

"You mean anime?"

"Yes, that one."

"Well, Hwang Dongmu, as long as we aren't get caught, then it's not illegal."

Right after that, a laugh erupts between them.

"But, yeah, it's a high-risk one. But, it is worth the effort."

"I see…"

"Well, it seems that whatever it is, it's already gone," Ri said while lowering his guard.

"Or maybe that is just an animal."

"Possible," Ri said while beginning to walk into the road again. But, when he was about to walk on the pedestrian, suddenly, his eyes caught something near the river.

"Wait, is that..really a man?"

Hearing that, Hwang then also turned his gaze into the direction where Ri was looking at. When both of them looked at it closer, certainly, their eyes couldn't tell them otherwise. What they saw was really a man standing just a few centimeters before entering the river.

"Is he trying to defect into China?"

"I doubt it, but it's also a possibility."

Right after saying that, Ri rushed into that man and Hwang followed immediately.

"Hey!"

After Ri shouted, the man who now could be identified as a man who looked like in his middle age and wearing a suit turned his gaze to both of them. His face was apparently showed a mixed expression.

After both of them arrived, Ri immediately asked, "Sir, may I ask what are you doing over here?"

"I-I'm just enjoying the scenery."

"Enjoying it here, just some centimeters from the river with this setup?" Hwang pointed out the fact that he is wearing a suit instead of a casual one.

"Uh…."

The man couldn't answer it, or even try to respond to it. His reaction and facial expression easily make both Ri and Hwang to conclude it into one thing.

"Are you trying to defect?"

Of course, that is very possible and even then, probably the most plausible one. But the man, as expected denied it.

"No, no no no no!"

Both of the Border Guards' faces are showing a face of not buying it. They are still convinced that this man is trying to defect, especially after they heard something from the Chinese side near of here just some minutes before.

"Hwang Dongmu," Ri moved his head to the man a bit, which Hwang understood very well.

Hwang then walked towards the man and asked, "May I look for your identity card?"

The guy looks hesitated, but after his eyes noticed that the other guard seemed to begin to aim his rifle at him, he finally caved in. His hand opens a sling bag and looks for the identity card and after a while, he finally finds it. As the guard is accepting it, unexpectedly, the man's hand seems to not want to let the guard get it and then read it.

"Sir, please release it!"

"I… It's not me, I couldn't control my hands!!"

The guards didn't take it and continued to pull it but to no avail. Tired of doing it, he then used his left hand to punch the man's right hand which eventually released the ID card.

"Finally, sorry if it hurt."

After receiving it, Ri opens it and to his surprise, it's not a common ID card but instead, a special one given to the capital city dwellers, Pyongyang Resident Identity Card.

"Mr. O, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'm asking again, what are you doing in here?"

"Holiday."

Hwang couldn't help but look dumbfounded after hearing the answer. Pyongyang has everything, or if he needs something else there are plenty of options but this, it's out of nowhere. If he went into the Paektu-san, he would believe it but this? This place is so out of everything that could even be considered as a recreation or resting place.

"You are a Pyongyang resident, so I will not buy it. Nevertheless, this place isn't even close to anything that could be said as a resting place. Tell us, what is the intention that brings you here?"

Seeing that the smugglers didn't arrive, or maybe didn't dare to show up because of the existence of these two guards, added up by one of the guards are began to aim his rifle right at his head, O gave up.

"Yes, I….I'm trying to defect."

Just as he thought his life is over and the guards would straight up bring him into the camp, he was surprised by what one of the guards saying about.

"Have you ever thought what would happen to your family!?"

This is by far is out of his expectations, not even close to what the most possible questions he would ever get asked. Family? He never expected it.

"N..No…"

Suddenly, Ri punched the defector's face with his rifle stock. It was strong enough to make him fall to the ground.

"I hate this kind of person, only thinks about himself. You have a family, right?"

"Y…Yes…"

Hearing the answer, Ri's face turned red, and immediately kicked the defector's face with his knee before then kicking his body with his feet.

"You worthless piece of shit!"

Hwang who knew that Ri's rage wouldn't go that easily decided that it was enough. After making sure that there is nothing on the other side of the river, he then steps aside and holds Ri with his hands while still keeping his hand on the rifle and says,

"Okay, that's enough Dongji."

After he said that, Ri held his feet which were about to kick the defector and began to consider his action again. Sure, it would give O a painful lesson, but he should just let the Bureau to teach this defector a more better lesson, regardless of what the word better actually means by them.

"Ah, sorry…we are only tasked to capture any defector after all."

Hwang took a sigh of relief since he didn't want to carry a beaten-up person all the way back into the camp. Then, he approached O who was looks afraid of him too. Putting it aside, he offered his hands to raise him up which was accepted.

"Follow us!" Hwang said while trying to make the defector get up.

"Can you walk on your own?"

"Yes…"

"Alright."

Apparently, there is one thing that the guards forgot about. O knew that only death who would wait for him at the end of this journey if he followed these guards. So then, when the guard named Ri lowered his guards and the other one called Hwang did not even try to hold his hand, he realized that there was a good chance of a gap between him and the guards. The defector then took this chance by punching Hwang in the face before then running and jumping into the river and swam into the Chinese side. Suddenly, there are two men who appear out of nowhere rushing into the riverside, and looks like they are trying to get him. But the troublesome one is the fact that they are also having a gun, although just a pistol. But since they are aiming it at them, of course, they need to take care of it.

"Open fire!"

The Type 88 immediately launched a burst of ammo into the smugglers albeit some missed, while then their targets took cover behind rock and trees. Realizing it, both of them rushed away into anything that could be used to take cover, which the closest one is only trees.

"I will shoot at the smugglers, you kill the defector!"

"Got it!"

Ri then continued firing at the supposed smugglers who were rushing into the defector while Hwang was prepared himself to fire at the defector. But, right when Hwang was just about to fire at the defector, his view suddenly changed. No more defectors, no more smugglers, no river, and even China. It is totally has changed, all of it. But, one thing was for sure, the defector had escaped and now, they could see something like a landmass on the far away.

"Is it, become a lake?"

On the Demilitarized Zone of the Korean Peninsula which marks the borders between the two countries, there's a location that became one of the most popular spots and the most recognizable ones, the Joint Security Area, also known as Panmunjom. Tourists were allowed to enter as usual and take photos of the area, such as the Northern and Southern guards that on some occasions were standing on the borders near of the two famous blue buildings, especially on the concrete ledge that marked the borders. There are also several buildings that have become a landmark of this area, with the most notable ones being Freedom House on the south and Panmungak on the north. And in the case of Panmungak, sometimes the Korean People's Army officers used this building as their temporary office which explains why there are several KPA officers standing on there.

"Look at them, bringing tourists on here for almost every single day," muttered one of the officers.

One officer with the rank of Daechwa, which means Senior Colonel took a cigarette from the pack, then lit it up. He inhaled it slowly, then exhaled the smoke and looked at it till disappeared after being blown by the wind. After inhaling it again, he then turns his gaze to the former officers who muttering about the tourists. His mouth was opened up and after exhaling the smoke, he said, "Oh, how the time has changed you."

"What do you mean?" The officer asked with a confused face.

"I mean, isn't it you who said that their existence is an entertainment for you, since there are almost no tourists in here except Chinese or Russian maybe?"

The sentence quickly took him back to the time in the first week of his assignment here. He was amazed by the amount of tourists visiting the DMZ from the southern side and how varied they are, not like from the northern side when it's just either Chinese and Russian. Or, if lucky, several former Eastern Bloc countries and from friendly countries too.

"Ah, that…yeah, you are right. But that was in the past when I was just got assigned to here. Now, it doesn't feel the same as before."

"Yeah, I can feel it."

The officer nodded in agreement about this situation. He looks at the southern side again. Tourists are walking along the designated path and enjoying the scenery or taking photos. It was the usual view, and he was already getting used to it. But in a second, right after he blinked his eyes, the formerly South-controlled territory had been changed with sea. A water sprout could be seen being formed hundreds of meters from their location. Not only that, several shark fins could also be seen on the surface of the water.

The body of the KPA soldiers was trembling, the guards who were patrolling on the ground were running away from the former border line as soon after they saw the shark fins. The officers were stunned by what they witnessed currently, and shock together with disbelief were shared between each of them.

"Did I drink too much?"

"No, I'm not drinking and I saw the same thing as you."

"What should we do?"

"Is it the work of American secret weapon?"

"What kind of weapon that could do it?"

"They got a weapon that could change the weather, teleporting warship to another location and others. I'm sure it was done by them."

While the others were busy speculating about what had just happened, the Daechwa immediately approached a Major and said, "Ask the outposts if they saw the similar things!"

In Pyongyang, in the Pothonggang district located on a building not far from the Kim Il Sung Square, there is a building that is being the headquarters of the Korean Central News Agency, the largest DPRK state-run news agency which also delivers information to Korean Central Broadcasting Commission and even the Rodong Sinmun. Since its operational area isn't limited only to DPRK or East Asia but to the whole world, of course, the KCNA got some privileges such as the ability to use the internet in order to upload their news updates.

Just like what one of their members in the International Division is doing right now, an employee was opened his computer and began to type the name of the site. It wasn't too long before the site was fully loaded, and when he looked at the bell icon, he could see that there were some notifications. He decided to check what it may be about and, eventually just the usual ones like upvotes and comments except, there was also a very interesting comment. When he checked what the full comment might be, it turned out to be a really unpleasant one.

"Heh, criticizing the government is a crime you know."

Of course, he felt irritated by reading it. And as the rule says, he then decided to act in accordance with it. He then moved his cursor to the reply button and then typed, "You have been banned", and then used the tools to ban that account.

Finish banned that person, he then proceeded to post an update. The text has been copied including the link, now he clicks the post button but something is wrong. For an unknown reason, he couldn't post it and when he clicked the refresh button, it said that Reddit was inaccessible.

"What happens?" He wonders.

When he looks around, it seems that the problem isn't only being experienced by him, but the whole division too.

In Pyongyang at Junggu District, lies a large complex called Government Complex No.1 of Pyongyang, alternatively also known as the Worker Party of Korea Building No.1, or even Labor Party Headquarters. The size and functionality purposes of this complex put it on the same level as the Blue House complex of their southern counterparts. It, as the name implies, is the DPRK and WPK officials, especially those from the Department of Organizations and Guidance, an important part of the Central Committee, working office. But the more important one is the DPRK leader, Kim Jong Un himself.

Since it is not only the DPRK equivalent of the Blue House but also the Forbidden City, not many know what is actually going on inside of this complex. Entry access is limited, information from defectors isn't enough, and the only thing available for now is only the satellites. Many wonder what Kim usually does. Planning with his Generals on a reunification plan, making a list of possible black markets to fund his missile and nuclear programs, or maybe discussing what they should do in this recently heightened situation of this world? Well, one can guess, but Kim and his Generals will not say what they actually do.

In his office, Kim is alone currently and can be seen clicking his mouse and keyboard and staring at the screen so solemnly. Even when his door was being knocked, he didn't turn a gaze and just said, "Enter."

As the door opened, it showed two generals entered his office and walked towards him before stopping some steps from him. One of the general take a peek at what the Dear Leader is doing actually and to his surprise, it's a game that he also played, the Hearts of Iron IV.

"Janggunim Dongji, is it Millenium Mod that I see?"

"Yes!."

"Which year is it?"

"Two thousand, since I didn't enjoy the seventeen ones."

"I see."

Even though he said it, judging by his facial expressions anyone could tell that this general doesn't understand anything. Legit, he had tried to play that game but always ended up losing because somehow, his manpower always dropped to zero after several years passed and he couldn't train any new divisions. Actually, he can, but at a very very slow pace which didn't help to his war effort. Then, one of the Generals begins to speak.

"Janggunim Dongji, we are here as you ordered to. Is there something that matters?"

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot. It's about the Russian tha-...hold on...huh?"

"What is it, Janggunim?"

"Why did I get disconnected from Steam, more importantly, I can't log in!"

"Is your account got suspended or maybe banned?"

"I will nuke Steam headquarters if that's the case! I have spent hundreds of dollars on it."

"Janggunim, have you tried to open another site such as Reddit, Epic Game, or even YouTube? Because if you couldn't, then it's not steam fault."

Kim was showing an unpleasant face for the General who said it before, but he decided to try what the General said. He then tried to open Reddit and then YouTube, and as the General said, he couldn't open those, even Twitter.

"You're right, I couldn't open those sites, especially Twitter. Inform it to whoever is in charge of it to fix it as soon as possible!" He said while turning off his computer.

"Understood!"

"Now, let's start the meeting."

Near of the DMZ, located in the Kangwon province, an activity could be seen being done by several hundred Korean People's Army soldiers who are tirelessly working on something. Dust was blown up by a sudden wind that caused the dust made of sand to be flown over as the KPA was digging into something. As the dust finally went down, a column of KPA trucks entered the working site and stopped at the designated dropping zone.

After all of the soldiers have been out of the truck, then the columns of the truck are going back into the base. They then take a look at the tunnel entrance which is empty, but not long after there are some trucks going out of it and it's full of sand and rocks, indicating that they are digging a tunnel inside there. The soldiers, after watching the last truck entered that tunnel then were rounded up according to their platoons.

"My Dear soldiers!" The company leaders break the silence.

"As you all know already, the US Imperialists and their evil puppets are up to something. Janggunim has noticed their stance and decided that we should be prepared for it. Those capitalist dogs wouldn't ever think that we would show up straight inside of their city. Chaos and panic would break their spirit. In that situation, our glorious People's Army will march and liberate their people from the US Imperialist and its South Puppets from evil capitalist grips. Now, march Dongmu, dig the tunnels that would lead to the Liberation of our peninsula! Mansee!"

"Mansee!"

"Now, let's dig the tunnel even further into the South territory!"

Right after the company leaders finished it, he began to lead the new company into the cave. The interior, as expected is small and the roads are even only enough for one truck with two men standing at the same time, albeit it wouldn't be a pleasant experience. The lighting is only supported by a lamp every five meters each, and that's it. But, after a hundred meters had passed, the roads now became wider, enough for two trucks to make a turn and when they were going a bit further, there were two narrow gauge railways and carts that were enough to carry them. On the left, five carts arrived from the bottom and were full of rocks and sand, which were quickly being loaded into a truck that is already standing on there. The right one is still empty though, and there are ten carts waiting.

"This cart will bring you all even deeper and further. We will be going about one hundred and two meters below of the surface to make sure the South and America didn't realize it. Prepare yourself, Dongmu's!"

The soldiers then began to ride it and after several seconds, the cart now began to move. Just like the officer said, the railway was going down and down before then stopped at a certain point. Just like on the top, there are two railways. One of it has carts that are full of dirt. When they look at the surroundings, there are two tunnels at each site with each are saying restroom and utility, which they saw toilet sign on one of the utilities. Suddenly, the carts stopped and the soldiers were ordered to go down. Right after they just stepped out from the cart, an officer greeted them.

"Welcome to the Twelve Liberation Tunnel, I-"

Right before he finished it, out of nowhere they could hear the sounds of water are flowing down on below of them followed by cries of the workers down there.

"Run!"

On the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and Russia Federation border, several guards are standing on the Korea-Russia Friendship Bridge. Since the end of Covid-19 pandemic in DPRK, the bridge has been opened again and trade has begun to continue again, either that used by trains or trucks. Despite the fact that it's a railway bridge, trucks could pass it since there are planks laid between the tracks, but it's rarely used recently. And now, the Koreans are waiting for the last train from Russia that brings the material mentioned in the deal.

Located not far from there, stands a building called Tumangang Border Control. This building is not only guarding the border between Korea and Russia, but also with China since this location was a tripoint border between DPR. Korea, China and Russia. Several guards are standing on the top of the building and holding their binoculars tightly in their hands, as the arrival of trains is always fascinating for them.

"Oh, I could hear the sound now!" Said a guard which was then followed by his comrades nodding their heads.

Their eyes quickly are glued to the bridge, they wait eagerly. Then, a rumble in the distance grows louder and closer. A Russian train, long and proud, chugs into view, its carriages snaking across the steel like a slow-moving centipede. Twenty-five wagons strong, it always steals their attention whenever the train is coming, the gentle rhythm of wheels and engine humming a familiar tune.

Something is up about that train, its steady chug and click-clack, fills them with a quiet joy. Whatever it is, the train's melody never fails to make them smile, a simple pleasure etched in the sun-warmed afternoon.

"It's a shame that we are not allowed to watch it from the outpost."

"Well, don't be so salty about it. They actually have a valid reason to deny it."

"Fine then."

The guards kept their eyes glued to the train as it crawled across the bridge, inching toward the station. But as the last car lumbered over the borderline, marking the shift from Russia to Korea, the world flipped. Russia and China are no longer in their place and instead, their former territories are replaced by sea and outdated fishing boat fleet, with landmass on the horizon.

"What in Juche has just happened!?"

The soldiers are full of confusion and disbelief as the supposedly Russian territory of the Primorsky Krai is suddenly, out of nowhere are being replaced by sea and a relatively small fishing boat fleet, albeit some could be identified as soldiers instead of fishermen.

"Quick, let's check it out!"

The soldiers then rushed down to the bridgehead, but eventually chose to walk down into the riverside.

A soldier who had reached the riverside was dumbfounded when he could see the fleet more clearly. A bunch of fishermen wearing clothes that could be seen only in history books, while the several armed men were also wearing uniforms from the 18th or 19th centuries. When his comrades arrived, they were also dumbfounded and couldn't say anything since it didn't even make sense.

"Pak, what's going on, why are you all so silent?"

The Political Commissar, Kang is asking while walking down into their position. He wondered why his men hadn't answered his questions, but after he had taken a look at the river, now he knew why.

"Did Russia and China really disappear?"

A soldier asked again, but no one could answer it. Kang, on the other hand, thinking about something different.

"This is probably just a dream, or hallucination. There is simply no way this could happen!"

He was so sure about his hypothesis since there were simply no other possible explanations about this. While his men initially agreed with it, they quickly dropped that thought and debunked it.

"Kang Dongji, if this happens to a single person only, or maybe four or five maybe that's true. But to a whole company, probably not."

Immediately, the Political Officer took a look at his back and how shocked he was when dozens of soldiers standing at the top. Realizing that something is wrong and not like what he thought, he turned his gaze back at the river and shouted, "Hoii, who are you?"

One of the unknown fishermen, who was already looking at them since the landscape had changed then said, "Nani wo hanashite iru no?"

Hearing that the reply is in Japanese, the Koreans are now wondering what is happening actually.

"Why are they speaking Japanese, is our country now got teleported straight into Japan's territorial water now?"

"Well, that makes it easier for us to invade Japan and launch our revenge assault, isn't it?"

"But, why are they look so backward…is it really Japan?"

"Back into the past maybe?"

They then began to take a closer look into the supposed Japanese fisherman. But, after they took a closer look at their face, body, clothes, and after two boats full of knights sailing in their direction, they immediately dropped that wild guess quickly.

"It's not Japan, or even Asia."

As the knights get down from their boat and walk towards them, the Political Officers continued, "But maybe, we are going back into the past on a weird alternate timeline."

A/N:

Dongji means comrade, used when referring to someone older or holds higher positions

Dongmu also means comrade, but the opposite of Dongji

Janggunim means General but kinda exclusive to Kim Il Sung, Jong Il, and Jong Un