When I Opened My Eyes, I Was in the Middle of the Battlefield

Robert Anderson, Director of External Relations at the State Department, was in the middle of the night.

It was because evidence came out as the case of tracking Sergei, which was thought to be prolonged, was gradually resolved.

Traces of missile transactions and experiments.

Specifically, these are the events that took place on the uninhabited islands and seas of the Taril Islands in the South China Sea, and Sergei was in the middle of them.

It is not a simple connection, but a situation that is presumed to have been led and executed.

‘… I thought it would be late, but it’s progressing faster than I thought.’

Robert looked at the report, tired but satisfied.

Based on bypassed mail records, hundreds of thousands of related dark web records were reviewed, Humint information obtained from contact with criminals and other related persons was analyzed, and images of satellites and high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles were compared pixel by pixel. It was the result of human victory.

He was a high school student, but the most important thing was something else.

This is the expected area of Sergei’s activities.

‘Republic of Camarnia… … .’

Soon, the related materials came to Robert’s mind reflexively.

The former Soviet Union, now an independent, partially-recognized state in the Caucasus, straddling precariously between Azerbaijan and Russia.

A civil war broke out between pro-Russian and anti-Russian factions, and neighboring Azerbaijan was also in conflict.

The smallest but most dangerous battlefield in the Caucasus.

However, it was not possible to record all relevant records in the report because cross-verification was not possible due to loss of information from countries adjacent to the South China Sea.

Most of it was guesswork and assumptions.

A few documents with traces of Sergei were only heading to Camarnia.

However, Robert’s eyes were different.

‘Camouflage or not… There is a reason why there are traces left.’

Just as they searched the Taril Islands, if they searched Camarnia in the same way, the results would come soon.

That’s how Robert was about to get ready for work after finishing his last check.

Tiliri-

The LCD screen flickered as the interphone rang.

It was when I pressed the button and asked for something.

– An urgent report came from Korea, Director. Please check your e-mail.

“I’ll check right away.”

After answering, he turned on the computer he had shut down and clicked the icon to check the e-mail that came up.

After reading the contents for a while, I made an impression.

“this… … .”

It was because it was recorded that Kang-tae was classified separately in the process of leaving the country.

It was also a report that agents selected as observers watched at the airport for 10 minutes and then uploaded a report, so there was no time to think about it for a long time.

After thinking for a few seconds, I pressed the intercom button.

“I’m waiting a minute.”

And I was worried while looking for a Korean intelligence source who could solve this.

To be precise, it was weighing whether or not to intervene in Kang-tae’s departure process.

Of course, from the moment I searched for a Korean informant, my mind was tilted to one side, but it was not an easy decision.

Was Kang-tae caught for a simple error, was he temporarily detained, or was he arrested or imprisoned? It was a situation where I didn’t know anything, I didn’t know the charges or the reason, and there were other reasons that took me to intervene.

For example, the fact that Kang-Tae is not an American, that he was captured by a Korean agency, and that the relationship between Kang-Tae and the State Department is revealed from the moment of contact.

But there was something else that bothered me.

‘It will be exposed from the moment Lee is taken out… … .’

The exposure that Robert was worried about was not the relationship between the State Department and Kang-Tae, or the suspicion that the State Department was behind Kang-Tae.

The actual role of the Foreign Cooperation Bureau would not be revealed, and even if it did, it would have been enough to change the department name and staff.

The problem was Kangtae.

If he was revealed on the surface, there was a high possibility that from now on, it would not only be a gang-tae in the United States, but a global gang-tae.

Not right away, but it won’t be long either.

Rumor has it that the CIA and the Department of Homeland Security were also roughly aware of Kang-tae’s abilities.

A small smile crept across Robert’s lips.

‘… I can’t help but not know.’

It was because he was a human weapon and a shooting genius with the quickness to aim and shoot at the enemy within 200m and the sophistication to blow away only the enemy’s thumb.

The moment I knew this, it was clear that I would be watching from all sides.

Also, I don’t think so, but maybe Korea already knew this.

What if you are negotiating quickly?

It would be painful for America. Because I couldn’t even give up my green card.

On the other hand, South Korea was in a more favorable position for negotiations because it had Kang-tae’s nationality as well as his past.

Robert’s head shook.

‘Maybe we should move forward with the long-term plan to make Lee an American.’

And when I was about to make a decision.

woo woo woo-

Not the interphone, but the cell phone in the inside pocket of the suit vibrated.

Robert paused at the screen.

‘Jake?’

He was someone I never called for personal matters.

It was clear that this call would also be under Robert’s jurisdiction, as he had only contacted them on matters related to the operation or the Foreign Cooperation Agency.

As soon as he made the decision, he got a call.

“hello.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jake’s business came across.

-Robert, something happened to Lee, do you know?

“I have reported and received something, but if it is your words, I will put everything aside and listen.”

-I had a phone call with Lee. I originally said that I would go to a long-distance shooting range and change my ticket, but the airport staff told me that I was waiting separately… … .

“Wait a minute, what?”

– He said he had put himself on standby.

“No, before that. A long-range shooting range?”

Robert’s eyes lit up.

It wasn’t just because I was looking forward to the sniper skills of Kang Tae, a genius of street fighting and CQB.

It was because he had an idea to add to the promise Jake had made.

Robert, who had been looking at the office ceiling for a moment, quickly continued.

“Then how would you like to do this? Since you said you were going to the shooting range, we are going to issue a green card as well. naturally.”

-If it’s a green card, do you mean permanent residency?

“Yes, Lee could be as good a strategic asset for America as you are. At least you have to have a green card, so the United States can protect and be with you. Even if it’s not that, you need a green card to buy and use firearms.”

-… I agree, but I have a correction.

“correction? What’s wrong?”

As Robert retraced his words and asked, Jake’s short reply came back.

-Lee is already a better strategic asset than me.

“Ah, that’s what you said. Got it. Oh, and… … .”

Robert said as if he had almost forgotten.

“Report Lee’s sniper test record in detail, including video and target locations.”

– Then, what about Lee’s work? can it be solved? I am very responsible because I changed my ticket according to my promise.

“Don’t worry, I already saw it. I’ll take care of it soon, so enjoy shooting.”

Once that decision was made, the process was simple.

It took less than 10 minutes to contact Korea through a State Department official and send an official letter of protest from G&G Corp.

It was like everything was resolved within 30 minutes of Kang-tae being quarantined.

Robert quickly pressed the intercom button.

“Have a green card ready.”

* * *

Early morning, Portland Airport, Oregon, USA.

In the chilly weather of early November, it was around the time I zipped up my padded jumper and came out of the airport.

“lee!”

A welcome voice was heard.

I tried to respond by raising my hand, but I let out a gasp.

Maybe it was because he hadn’t seen him in a long time, and he looked bigger. Just like the pillars supporting the airport are moving.

‘It looks bigger because I wear padding… … .’

As I was admiring it, I heard Jake’s voice.

“Did things go well in Korea?”

“Yes, I made a mistake. I’m sorry, they upgraded me to a business class seat.”

“Good.”

He gave a brief reply and immediately chined to one side.

“Go to my car.”

“Yes, but… Where are you going?”

“Did you have breakfast?”

“Yes, I ate the in-flight meal.”

“Then let’s go to the shooting range.”

“yes? Right?”

When I hesitated and asked, Jake, who was walking alongside me, stopped and looked back at me.

“Do you like it?”

“No, that’s not it… I was going to book a hotel and leave my bags behind. It’s good to learn, but I didn’t expect to go as soon as I arrived.”

“The successor is already at the shooting range.”

“ah… Then go. You guys are amazing, how long has it been since the sun rose… … .”

“The car is over there.”

Jake looked ahead as if his business was done.

Around the time when I laughed at his momentum.

“Get on, this is the car.”

Jake motioned to the car, but he paused again when he saw it.

“… … ?!”

There was one pickup truck that looked like a tank.

It was bigger than a Humvee.

Looking at it roughly, the length exceeded 6M and reached 7M, and the width is well over 2.5M.

“and… The car only rides the same as yours… … .”

“what?”

“Oh, no… The car is huge. Isn’t this military? I think I saw it at a special rental event… … .”

“That’s right, it’s a pickup truck used by the US Army called the F450. The body and windows are all bulletproof, so it’s no different from a Humvee.”

“Wow… Geely, so the team leader rides a Humvee in the neighborhood, right? A civilian version without the machine gun above.”

“That’s how it is.”

“Do you like the original Humvee style?”

I asked because it was a vehicle that did not appear in the game.

I’m curious, and I’m curious.

However, Jake shook his head with a slightly heavy face.

“Not really. The United States is a country built with guns, and it is also threatened by terrorism from many enemy countries, so I am just preparing for danger.”

“… … .”

“I hope that never happens, but maybe you will need this car on the way to the mart.”

I couldn’t help but reply to his next words.

It wasn’t because the atmosphere suddenly changed and it felt awkward or because I felt something like conviction.

Because it was as Jake said.

As in all Hollywood movies and FPS game stories, shootings and bombings took place in Lareple in Washington, DC, USA.

It was what Pikal did in the climax situation right before the nuclear war broke out.

And Sergei, who participated in the battle, was killed, which in fact meant nothing.

Because the next scenario was a nuclear missile launch.

Terror was just a blindfold.

Meanwhile, Jake said as he opened the heavy-looking door on the driver’s side.

“Come on, let’s go. It’s 50 miles (80 km) away.”

At that, I got into the passenger seat as if I was in a dump truck.

After that, I started running without saying anything, but in less than 30 minutes the buildings were out of sight.

It was all fields.

Occasionally trees much taller than the street trees stood on the left and right sides of the road, but in between they stretched endless fields.

‘As expected, the United States… It’s ridiculously big… … .’

After riding the three-lane boulevard for a long time as if cutting through a field.

Eventually, the speed of the car slowed down.

The gunshots, which had been soft, grew louder, and soon a shooting range information board appeared.

And this place was as wide as the land mass I had seen.

The size of dozens of football fields.

There was only one hill far away to block the bullet, and the rest was a vast plain.

In the middle, there were some piles of dirt to block targets and bullets by distance, but it was so large that it was not obvious.

‘Big… kill… … . This is a shooting range.’

Perhaps it was because of the memory of planting a 400m target on a mountain ridge with no roads, but only admiration came out again.

How many more unwanted mountain canters?

Around the time I smiled bitterly at the thought of the old days, a person came out of the office before I knew it.

At first glance, he seemed to be Jake’s successor.

His broad shoulders, sturdy body, and powerful eyes made him look like a soldier.

As expected, he greeted Jake and offered to shake my hand.

“Finally we meet! How many times have I heard you… wow, nice to meet you My name is Brad.”

While shaking hands vigorously, he raised his voice one after another.

“Is that true? That you blew the thumb of a terrorist?”

“ah… yes.”

“That’s really cool, then the anti-tank grenade that came flying must be real. It’s nothing compared to Umji.”

“That too, but… … .”

“Oh, I miss you, let’s go.”

He took me away as if pushing me, so I asked just in case.

“that… I’m here to learn, you know?”

“Ah, Jake said that… As expected, you are humble.”

“yes?”

“Let’s make a bet, how about a bet for lunch?”

An attitude as if you were treating a colleague who uses the same saro, rather than a teacher.

Feeling embarrassed, I grabbed the two of them.

“… Oh, let’s go in now.”