I Will Stage A Coup D’état

Chapter 21: The Military Coup of December 8th (9)

9 PM.

The Army abandoned the Army Ministry and moved its Command Post to the Capital Defense Command due to the threat of the Training Cavalry Regiment which had advanced faster than expected.

Ever since the suppression force gave up the Army Ministry and the Prime Minister's residence, the troops' morale was at rock bottom.

If the higher-ups were prepared to sacrifice even the Prime Minister, the emotions of most officers and soldiers were a different matter.

As the Army abandoned the Army Ministry, the Training Cavalry Regiment easily subdued Nagwon Street, known as the street of government offices.

The training units built barricades in the direction the Guard units might attack from, then deployed troops to key buildings.

This included the Army Ministry, Korea Radio Broadcasting Station, and the Imperial Communications Ministry building.

"General. We've completed the occupation of the broadcasting station."

I glanced at my watch.

There was plenty of time until morning, but considering the chaos throughout the Capital, it was uncertain if we could start the morning broadcast on time.

"Contact the broadcasting staff and make sure announcers, broadcast editors, and other necessary personnel report to the station by 4 AM."

"Yes, sir."

The only remaining task was to subdue the Army Command that had fled to the Capital Defense Command and the Guard Division.

Oh, and the Defense Security Commander and Provost Marshal as well.

Should I propose negotiations at this point?

I wasn't going to suggest a ceasefire or something like that.

What I intended to do was offer an enticement.

Basically telling them should they switch sides, plenty of rewards awaited.

I picked up the phone.

"Connect me to the Guard Division Commander's office."

"Connected, sir."

"You traitorous bastard! Lee Sung Joon! Do you think you can get away with this?!"

As soon as the call connected, curses flew at me.

General Oh Gwang-se seemed very...let's say...angry.

"General Oh, please calm yourself. If you listen to what I have to say, you'll understand my motives."

"What nonsense are you spouting now? You know what? Forget it, I don't want to hear it, just stay put whenever you are, and when our tanks arrive we'll crush you and those pathetic boys from the Training Division!"

"General, I'm being serious here. This is not the time to let our personal feelings interfere with our judgment. If we remove Park Han-jin from his office and meet an appropriate middle ground there will be no more need for bloodshed."

"Bullshit!"

"Sigh...Will you continue to be stubborn, General? Do you truly wish to take this to the bitter end?"

"You crazy bastard! You're the one who started this! I will finish it!"

Ha....

It seems that further dialog with General Oh was impossible.

I should try to reason with someone else.

Maybe the Provost Marshal would prove himself to be a more reasonable person.

I ordered the communications officer to call his office.

"He's refusing to take the call, Sir."

Sigh...Oh Jung-gu is playing hardball too...

Well, to be honest, I somewhat expected this.

As I was thinking about who else I could call, the phone rang.

"Captain Lee Sung Myung reporting, General."

"Ah, yes. What is it?"

"We've found the Vice Chief of Staff."

"What?"

I was startled by this news.

"Where was he?"

"We just discovered him in the refrigerator of his official residence. It seems he hid there to avoid being caught by us but couldn't get out."

Pfff-.

Who would have thought such an absurd thing could happen?

He seriously tried to pull an Indiana Jones? ¹Well, it's still better than Defense Minister Roh Jae-hyun during the December 12 incident, who was caught with his pants down.

"Good work."

"Thank you, sir."

I was about to leave when a brilliant idea struck me.

"Connect me to the Defense Security Command."

If those fellows were spying on my calls then they'd be shaken by the news of the Vice Chief of Staff's capture.

Psychologically, this was the perfect moment to break the DSC officials.

"Connected, sir."

"This is Colonel Jeong Sun-jin, Chief Secretary of the DSC."

Heh, would you look at that?

Properly stating his name and rank to a 'coup leader'?

Poor guy must be scared out of his wits right now.

"This is Major General Lee Sung Joon speaking. I'm sure the other DSC officials must be listening as well, so let me be clear. The Army Minister, Chief of Staff, and Vice Chief are all in our hands. The tide has turned. If you switch sides now and come clean, I'll ensure you're treated well."

There was no answer from the other end of the line.

It would be rather...awkward to receive a response given many officers of the DSC were also listening.

"Whoever is willing please contact our side."

I hung up.

With the DSC shaken, should I start talking with the officers of other units?

The Capital Defense Command, Guard Division, and the Provost Marshal's direct units.

There were many to sway.

I had the Training Unit officers contact anyone they had connections with.

*

"The 16th Reserve Division has entered the Capital, threatening the flank of the Guard Division headquarters. On the other side, the 17th Reserve Division is occupying major bridges leading into the Capital, focusing on blocking the routes for the 12th and 33rd Infantry Divisions."

"What about the Guard units that have advanced into the city?"

"They're in a standoff with the Training Units, the Front-Line Commanders are hesitant to engage in combat, especially since everyone's already exhausted from the Loyalty Training."

The rebel 16th and 17th Reserve Divisions were in a similar situation, but the Training Units were an exception.

Suddenly, the atmosphere among the Army's top brass grew heavier.

"Given the situation, let's just maintain the standoff. If we drag this out until daybreak, won't we ultimately win?"

"That's the idea, yes."

Most Generals took a heavy puff on their cigarettes.

Meanwhile, outside the Command Post, covert communications were taking place.

With the boundary between the Coup Forces and the Suppression Forces becoming more muddled at each passing moment, rumors were spreading like wildfire.

"Are you sure of that? If we side with General Lee, will he grant us higher positions?"

"That's what I'm saying! We should have followed General Lee Sung Joon from the beginning!"

Most young officers who came from the rural territories strongly supported Lee Sung Joon.

His ideology, beliefs, and ideals were all exemplary to them.

Like guidelines to follow.

Most of these officers only sided with the Suppression Forces because of the chain of command, but in their hearts, they wished to support Lee Sung Joon.

"What should we do now?"

"I have an idea. Get Captain Shin and the others outside."

"...For what?"

"We should lend a hand to General Lee's revolution! Just trust me, if this goes well, our future promotions will be guaranteed!"

Many officers plotted their conspiracies through the Command Post.

These clandestine movements spread regardless of affiliation, be it from the Military Police, DSC Units, Guard Units, Capital Defense Command, or Guards Division.

Ironically, the DSC which should have been tracking and preventing such conspiracies, was lost in its own worries.

"...Just listen okay? The Army lost the Army Minister. Anyone can see that General Lee is winning now. He even has the Prime Minister in custody!"

"Major Kim! That is treasonous talk!"

"It's over for us anyway."

"If General Lee wins, do you think we'd be safe? You were part of the team tailing and investigating General Lee under the Defense Security Commander's orders."

"...I was just following orders...Why should I be punished for doing my duty...Don't you think that General Lee will take this into consideration?"

The DSC officials gathered in small groups, exchanging such conversations.

It was a total collapse.

Then, as the DSC headquarters was encapsulated in such a situation, the Commander, Lee Jeong-ju, who had moved to the Capital Defense Command, called.

"This is the Chief Secretary speaking."

"Secretary Jung. How's the unit? Is everything well?"

Jeong Sun-jin could have told him everything at this moment.

But he chose silence.

Even he didn't know why he answered this way.

"There's no problem on our end, sir."

"...You didn't receive anything from Lee Sung Joon's side?"

"No sir."

After the first lie, the following ones came out from his mouth with ease.

Lee Jeong-ju ended the call, unaware he'd been deceived by his subordinate.

"Secretary Jung. You..."

The Inspection Chief looked at Jeong Sun-Ju with pure disbelief.

"I don't know why I'm doing this either."

Jeong Sun-jin wore a complicated expression.

Deceiving and lying to one's direct superior was an unforgivable crime for a soldier.

But in a corner of his mind, he thought...

I have kids to take care of.

9:30 PM.

Third Army Commander Kang Ki-jung was unaware of how shaken the suppression forces were inside and out, but he accurately grasped that the Army was in a state of helplessness.

"If we continue like this, we'll be defeated without even putting up a fight."

"But Commander, what can we do in this situation?"

At the meeting held at the Third Army Command, Kang Ki-jung, expressed his stance.

"I'll go to the front lines and directly command the 12th and 33rd Infantry Divisions."

The Capital can’t be saved from this critical crisis if they remain bound by the constraints of field divisions stupidly handing over the initiative.

"Sir?"

Naturally, the staff couldn't hide their shock.

It was unprecedented for a high-ranking general, a four-star general no less, to directly command units.

But Kang Ki-Jung's resolve was unshakable.

"Someone go fetch my helmet and coat, also notify the Army Ministry of my deployment."

Brushing aside his protesting staff, Kang Ki-Jung personally donned his helmet and boarded a military vehicle.

"Commander, even if you leave for the Capital now, there's no guarantee you'll arrive in time."

The Third Army Commander was aware of this fact.

However, he had no choice but to grasp the baton of command.

This old man shall be the last bastion of the Korean /genesisforsaken