After 12 Hours

Illusion

I rub my eyes and look at the monitor again. However, nothing has changed. Four years later, February 16, 2026, to be exact. The U.S. and China fire nuclear missiles at each other. There's no indication of who fired first, but it's a fact that the two countries fired nuclear missiles on either side, which cost the capitals of each country tens of millions of lives. And since then, the news has stopped.

‘... Washington and Beijing... both where the key political leaders are... but that's where it begins.' ’

Nuclear weapons are literally the last resort. Writing down the extinction of human civilization at the moment of its use. He couldn't have only shot him once. Washington and Beijing are just the beginning. Shooting dozens or hundreds of shots at major cities such as New York, Shanghai, LA and Hong Kong.

Also, my country is likely to get caught up in it. My country is an ally of the United States, and North Korea is an ally of China. Since 2018, there has been a great deal of unity and interaction between nations, but I would not be able to refuse to participate in a war between the United States and China. It is true that if the United States and China go to war, the Korean Peninsula will also be on fire.

‘And... that's why... there's no news anymore. ’

There may be nuclear bombs fired in major cities such as Seoul, Busan, Incheon and Pyongyang, Hamheon and Qingjin in North Korea.

‘... to be like this... or maybe... to be like this...’

Conflicts between the United States and China have persisted since 2018. The two started a trade war, followed by an exchange rate war, and as a result last year. China's economic crisis has occurred. As a result, the United States has taken several cards of its own, including opening markets in China, eliminating trade imbalances, and stopping Chinese government intervention, but that has led to strong opposition to the proud people of China. So, as the Soviet Union did in the 20th century, recent U.S.-China relations have actually stepped in the footsteps of the Cold War.

By the way, you told me not long ago that you touched another American and Chinese warship in the South China Sea. ’

Military tensions in the South China Sea have been so frequent since 2018 that they are now out of reach, but they have managed to avoid head-on conflicts every time.

‘But... one day in 2026, I don't think he did it anymore. ’

If you think about it, it is also an axis of repetitive history. The world's Hegemony empire, in contrast to the creation of a rapidly growing nation, conflict, trade war, economic crisis, and war following the global economic crisis. When you look at modern times, it's extraordinary. However, the last war and the one to come will be one that will wipe out civilizations. to the point where you don't even get the regular news.

February 16, 2026... so it's Doomsday... everything breaks, everyone dies...

When I thought about it, I quickly got up from my seat. Close all open windows above the monitor, then turn off the computer. From the library, from the living room, to the bedroom where my wife lives. She sat on the bed and looked at the TV hanging on the wall, and she turned to me and said,

“Are you done? ”

I have a trembling voice

“Ah… yes. ”

I sat next to her, speaking. She looked at me and said to me,

“What? This must be really hard. ”

“Huh?"

When I tilted my head, my wife said,

“Brother, you look... a little strange. ”

I said, touching my face.

“You did?”

“Yes. He used to have a bright, confident face no matter what. But I feel a little dim today. ”

My wife knows me too well. I nodded and said.

“... you can't always be yourself. ”

in front of World War III, where nuclear weapons are coming and going. ’

I grabbed her hand, omitting the hind horse. My wife looked at me and said,

“It's okay, brother. You've done well. You'll be good at what you do next. ”

“Ah… yes. ”

She put her hands on her belly and said,

“Did you hear that, baby? My father is working hard worrying about you. If you're in the world, you have to be nice to your dad. Okay?"

My wife said, I smiled slightly. I couldn't smile inside. Pregnant wife, and coming child. But the end of the world will come in a few years. My child may have seen the end of the world in two years. When I think about it, I can never smile comfortably. My wife looked at me and said,

“You must be tired, sleeping brother. Think about work tomorrow. ”

“Ah… yes. ”

We turned off the TV, the living room, etc., and invited them to sleep. But I couldn't sleep.

‘What do I do? When the nuclear war breaks out... a safe place... in Jeju? No, Jeju Island has a naval base. My country must leave at all times. If China and the United States go to war, the entire Korean Peninsula will be on fire. So where do we go? Europe? I don't know. Europe. Most of them are allies with the United States. How will Russia react? No, that's okay. Switzerland? New Zealand or Canada? No, no, no, no. Should we just buy an uninhabited island on the Atlantic side? ’

I've drawn up a few scenarios. From now on, I pretend to invest in a safe place abroad and create a private villa. And no matter what the outside, the inside is dug up to 10 stories underground to create a shelter for nuclear war. Clean air, food and water enough to sustain itself for decades.

Of course, guns and ammunition are available just in case. Then you will be able to live under any circumstances. My kid, he doesn't know what sunlight is in the basement shelter, he doesn't know what his friends are, and he might live. I will survive anyway.

‘Yes... so... now. From now on, the North of Canada... or the Unmanned Pacific... or the Atlantic Ocean. We'll search from there. It's money. It's left to rot. ’

I've been thinking about this. Starting tomorrow, we'll make your preparations in secret. While I was thinking about it, my wife was asleep for a while. But I never thought I'd fall asleep today. I got out of bed, leaving my sleeping wife alone.

I walked out of the bedroom, living room, and out of the living room into the garden. My garden in the middle of the city. The wind was strong in November, but I walked across the garden regardless of it. At the end of the garden, you can see Seoul's nightlife. I looked at it and I thought,

‘... I didn't think it would be a problem for me anymore...’

He became the richest man in the country, had a stronger relationship than anyone else in Korea, and the power to know the future was full, reaching its peak. So, I just thought until recently, I would have nothing to do with my life. But a nuclear war going on and on in World War III. I can see the future, but I can't believe it's gone. Terrible thing. I looked at Seoul for a while. Far from here, you can see Suyeon Electronics Building. It's my building now.

"One by one here, I was about to take the Emperor's territory..."

And now all of this will be ashes. It is sad that my assets will fly away, but it is also sad that this beautiful landscape will disappear. The same is true of the people who live crying and laughing in these huge building forests. They all die. This civilization, which has been building for centuries, disappears in a single moment. I thought about it and bit my teeth slightly.

‘... how can we stop a war? ’

We can't afford to be put through this. You can build a refuge in the desert somewhere and bring me and my family back to life, but it won't end well either. Once the world of civilization is destroyed, it will be my money, my ability to see my future, and it will all be for nothing.

‘Yes, we can't let that happen. You can't just run away. ’

I thought about a few specific things I could do.

‘By order of President Seong-won... No, the alliance between my country and the United States doesn't break even President Seong-won. If you say you broke it, it's impeachment for the president. So what do we do?'

Realistically, our country cannot survive by messing with Korea's politics. It's a miserable situation as a sovereign state, but that's the reality. as Switzerland did in World War II.

‘We are neutral. Whatever you're doing in the nuclear war, do it between your countries. ’

I could do that. Now, my country and North Korea are both at the forefront of the United States and China. Neither country has a choice. Not yet.

So why don't we go to America and lobby? Senator, senator, congressman... if you can get to him, you can get to him. Why is Trump such a hypocrite anyway? If we send Crowe there... what about China... what about China? China may have a chance, because it used to be really hard, but after the economic crisis, China's political power became a little bit more flexible. ’

I don't know if there's any chance of digging that way.

‘Then, in the United States and China, we dig into the political network. And then whatever lobbying is, we stop the war in the United States. If we try Crowe, something will come out of it. ’

I came to that conclusion. The power I have now is a great power. The U.S. government, the Chinese government, may not be as good. If I try my best, I can stop the war.

"It's not gonna be easy, but..."

Suddenly, I remember the story my wife just told me.

‘It's okay, brother. You've done well. You'll be good at what you do next. ’

I clenched my fist.

‘Yes, my wife's child, my father, mother, brother. And we can't let the place where so many friends live be destroyed. Whether it works or not, let's do it. The next step is to think. ’

I turned away thinking that way. Doomsday is in three years. Until then, the underground bunker will be ready. I will do my best not to let it work. Prevent war, protect world peace. That's my next objective.

I returned from the garden to the living room, from the living room to the bedroom next to my sleeping wife, lying on my cold body and warming myself with a blanket. My wife and child in my wife's womb are asleep without knowing the world. I looked at her for a moment, closed my eyes, and asked her to sleep. I have to sleep. No matter how dizzy I am, I have to sleep well today so I can do my job tomorrow.