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The destroyer is nothing less than a fortress floating on the sea.

Sure, it might feel a tad smaller compared to other ships, but there’s no denying that a destroyer evokes the image of a massive castle adrift on the water.

So let me ask you this.

What happens if this floating fortress charges right in?

Like a wild boar with a crazed look, smashing into the island?

What on earth would unfold then?

* * *

“Wow, this is insane.”

Dokdo was quiet.

Not just quiet—utterly still.

“I can’t believe I lost my mind thinking about this. When I was asked where I wanted to go, I have no idea why I wrote down Dokdo. Had I not been totally hyped after watching that Dokdo documentary, I wouldn’t have jotted this place down. Right?”

It’s hard to believe this serene place is used as fodder for the disputes between Korea and Japan.

There’s hardly any change or special incidents occurring here.

The size is far too small for variables, and with little to nothing around, there’s hardly anything to enjoy.

Thus, the military life spent here in Dokdo is of the kind that tests one’s endurance.

Boredom.

Whether my eyes are open or closed, I constantly had to fight against this dreadful enemy.

During mealtime, while trying to sleep, or even during maintenance.

Every single moment was a struggle against that ‘boredom’ that slows down time.

And this boredom peaks right now.

When I’m on guard duty.

“Plus, I’m so sick of this damn gun and grenade. Ah, didn’t you say you didn’t enlist and just passed the exam to become a cop?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“I, you see, I enlisted. I wasn’t particularly talented with my body; I wasn’t good enough to be an athlete nor was I a stellar student. So I figured I might as well join the military and do some manual labor. But when it came time for promotion, I felt completely lost. I spent a year and a half just to reach corporal, wondering how on earth I’d ever make sergeant. Besides, military life didn’t really suit me, so I just quit after around three years.”

Before me was the pitch-black sea.

What I heard was the crashing waves and the occasional barking of dogs raised within our unit.

Here we were, stuck in this painfully dull place, left to spend time.

That’s why everyone going on guard duty tends to turn into chatterboxes.

After a good chat, time somehow manages to pass.

“It was a bit daunting after quitting. When I was in the military, I received a steady paycheck, had benefits, and didn’t have to worry about food or shelter… But stepping outside felt like being tossed bare into society. What’s worse is that in the army, you just have to do as you’re told, but in society, you can’t find anything you want to do… Honestly, it felt like being thrown into the ocean. But hey, who am I? The macho man, Corporal Kim Yi-chang, right? I found a way to survive somehow. Wanna know what it is?”

“Are you talking about preferential treatment for military veterans?”

“Yeah, that’s it! You studied your way in, so you seem to know a thing or two?”

And this chatter had an unexpected benefit.

It allowed me to learn more about my comrades, a little more about them.

Stories of my companions, their past… everything flows out in this cramped space.

“Our Republic of Korea has organized its military system in almost the same manner as the U.S. Isn’t that a relief? Like the U.S. military, we also treat and care for our soldiers well. The benefits are great while you’re in the military, but they also help you secure a job once you’re discharged. And among those jobs are spots in the police force. Of course, not everyone can just get in… But hey, who am I? I was the ace during my service. I had great evaluations within my unit, loads of recommendations, and lots of achievements. So I secured my spot as a special recruit without much hassle and, here I am….”

But with advantages come disadvantages.

The downside is that even if you don’t want to listen to the chatter, you end up having to nod along for the sake of the atmosphere. Even if you lack conversational skills, you have to squeeze out some dialogue.

And—

By being so focused on chatting, you can easily neglect your guard duties.

Breeeeep—-!!!

As the two cops, equipped with their guns and grenades, were engrossed in their chatter, an immense alert blared through the air.

“Huh?! What’s going on?!”

“This is an alarm!”

The ear-piercing sound sliced through the darkness, echoing throughout the island, the siren attached to the outpost lit up in a bright red light, signaling a crisis. Additionally, the lights installed all over Dokdo automatically switched on, emitting brilliant beams like a lighthouse.

An alert triggered when a boat or unidentified object entered a certain range.

It was a warning relaying an emergency and granting the last chance to respond.

The two cops inside the outpost turned pale as they fumbled for their night vision goggles to face forward.

The sound of the alarm signified an unidentified object had approached to within their grasp.

If it was simply a mechanical malfunction, they’d be lucky, but if not, they might face criticism for negligence.

No, merely facing criticism would be fortunate.

If that hyena-like journalist got wind of this, they might even receive disciplinary action.

Both silently wished.

Please let it be nothing.

Please let it be a mechanical malfunction.

But reality was far from their expectations.

“Oh, shit….”

What lay before the two with their night vision goggles on was a ship.

A ship of colossal size.

One so massive it could be compared to this rocky little island.

It was a monster, wrapping itself in darkness as it approached the island, a fortress encased in iron.

“What the hell? What kind of ship is heading for the island in the dead of night…?”

“Is something wrong, and they’re trying to dock?”

“That must be it. But still, no matter how urgent it is, they could at least signal the island, or contact us. They could prepare themselves a bit before arriving. Coming in so quietly like that puts them at risk of being attacked. Attack. It could get a hole blasted in it and sink.”

“Hmm. That does seem strange. What if they’re stranded? Or maybe their GPS went haywire, and they just happened to stumble upon the island?”

“That’s possible. Before you came, some wealthy people took their yacht out for a spin without any preparation and nearly got stranded, prompting a coast guard dispatch. That yacht stopped here briefly, and it was quite the sight.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yeah, so that ship might be the same case. Unless it’s something entirely different. In the past, I would’ve been on high alert for North Korean vessels, but these days… the Republic of Korea isn’t in a war with any other country, right?”

The two were briefly surprised by the gigantic ship but didn’t worry too much.

They thought it was just an urgent vessel that had come to dock without any prior contact.

In reality, there were frequent instances of fishing boats or military vessels having issues and coming to dock at Dokdo, so that thought wasn’t unreasonable.

Moreover, the absence of a clear hostile force was another reason they didn’t feel particularly serious about the situation.

In the past, there was a clear enemy force occupying the northern regions, but since North Korea made foolish moves and self-destructed, no country has remained hostile to the Republic of Korea.

Though there are some places viewed as potential adversaries, the feeling wasn’t profound.

While relations with Japan and China aren’t particularly good, they aren’t bad enough to be on the brink of war, and trade and exchanges continued to thrive.

Russia was similar.

Despite being viewed as a bully by nations nearby, Russia’s relationship with Korea wasn’t so bad. From Korea’s perspective, Russia was a strong but somewhat foul-tempered bully who treated them oddly well, while from Russia’s viewpoint, Korea might have seemed a bit weak, yet they were seen as loyal and tough individuals.

Was it that matching dynamic?

Russia tended to treat Korea surprisingly well, and Korea actively engaged with their military might while remaining wary.

Thus, neither felt acute anxiety about the situation.

They assumed that unless there was an actual war going on, entering this island with hostile intent was unlikely. Besides, the Republic of Korea isn’t completely blind; if enemies were marching in, some sort of notice would surely have been given… so the likelihood of that ship being hostile was almost negligible.

Indeed.

That ship was safe.

Still, it might have been worth critiquing that they hadn’t noticed its presence sooner.

The two thought just that.

Just… that’s how they felt.

But being optimistic when on guard is more toxic than any poison.

“Uh…? But why is that ship going so fast? Why is it speeding…?”

“Um… umm…! We need to intercept! We need to intercept!”

“Shit, it’s too late to blast holes in the ship now!”

When they realized that the ship was approaching without activating any lights, sending no signals, and not even slowing its speed, it was already too late.

Boom—!

The destroyer crashed into Dokdo with a deafening roar.

With vibrations that shook the entire island and a sound that echoed everywhere.

 

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