Summoning Chosŏn

Chapter 2 - Last Minutes

A Moments Before the Transferrence

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...."