The Line Between Us: Part II

Chapter 5: No One Left Behind

Far from the safety of Pusan, a new terror was about to descend on Seoul.

At the Seoul National University Hospital-the last sturdy building left standing in the devastated city-the air was heavy with dread. All around it, neighboring structures had already collapsed, leaving only twisted ruins and scattered debris across the broken ground.

Suddenly, dozens of North Korean soldiers appeared, sprinting toward the hospital with rifles raised, boots pounding against the rubble-strewn streets.

At the hospital entrance, a handful of South Korean soldiers formed a desperate line, blocking the doorway with trembling hands. One of them spotted the incoming threat and shouted, voice cracking with fear,

"공산당이다!"
("Communists!")

They lifted their rifles, fingers tightening on the triggers-but before any of them could fire, the North Koreans opened fire first.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

A hail of bullets tore through the air, slamming into the defenders. Their bodies jerked violently, as if caught in some terrible dance, before collapsing in a lifeless pile of bodies at the hospital's entrance.

"병원을 돌파하라!"
("Storm the hospital!") one of the North Korean soldiers barked.

Without hesitation, the North Korean troops surged forward, pouring into the hospital grounds.

Inside, several nurses rushed toward the massive double doors, struggling to shut them before the enemy arrived. But before they could even pull the doors closed-

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Gunshots rang out. The nurses crumpled to the floor, blood pooling quickly beneath them.

And then, the North Korean soldiers stormed inside-boots pounding, shouts echoing through the halls, while gunfire erupted outside the hospital walls.

Inside one of the wards, a squad of soldiers burst in-rifles raised, faces cold and expressionless.

Patients lying helpless in beds along both walls stared in shock, frozen mid-movement. Nurses, caught in the open, instinctively threw their hands up, sobbing. Some clung to each other in terror, trembling as chaos filled the room.

Footsteps echoed down the corridor-a steady, authoritative stride that drew every gaze toward the door.

Senior Lieutenant Kim Do-hwan entered, his uniform immaculate, his stare sharp and unflinching. The soldiers immediately snapped to attention, saluting him as he crossed the threshold.

Do-hwan's eyes swept over the room-cold, calculating.

Once the soldiers lowered their hands, one of them spoke up, voice uncertain,

"상위 동지... 이 포로들을 어떻게 하겠습니까?"
("Senior Lieutenant... What should we do with these captives?")

A smirk curled at the corner of Do-hwan's lips. Without a word, he turned and fired point-blank at a nurse huddled in the corner just a few steps away, shaking with terror.

Bang!

The shot slammed the nurse against the wall-blood splattering, her body crumpling lifeless to the floor.

A chorus of screams erupted. Patients and nurses clung to one another, sobbing and pleading, panic spreading like wildfire.

Do-hwan exhaled slowly, then turned to his men.

"모두 죽여라."
("Kill them all.") he commanded, voice flat.

"살려두지 마라."
("Leave no one alive.")