Kimori: Or even worse: that some random twist of fate decided by the algorithms of certain numbers deciding to give me a helping hand! Scary, I tell you. I'm convinced that at one point, I'll find a tribe somewhere out there who will teach me quantum physics...
TheAmerican: Glad to hear you're enjoying this! Keep the flow of input coming this way!
Okay, going to try a little bit of narrative and history book mixed together. Please bear with me, I'm not very good at either yet, I think.
***
North of Ulsan along the jewelry mines.
"What ARE they doing?" the guard grumbled. His complaints were immediately silenced by a silent glare from the commanding officer walking at a brisk pace past him, but he received no further reprimands.
General Yoon Gwan grumbled himself as he entered one of the many command pylons located in intervals along the Great Wall, nodding curtly to the guards flanking the entrance as they stood at attention and clasped their left fist to their chests in salute. Though he already had a good idea of what the previous guard was complaining about, protocol dictated that he arrive at the command post to be briefed about it all.
As soon as he entered the command post, he was greeted by his second in command, Commander Choi. Not particularly suited for the life of a soldier at first glance, Choi remained at his job because of all the commanders under his command of his part of the Wall (namely, the Wonsan border garrisons), he understood better than most the terrain of the surrounding lands and what paths the enemy, whoever they'd be, were likely to take once he knew what forces they brought to bear.
Without preamble, Choi simply said in a deadpan voice as he waved vaguely at the large map pinned to the wall, "The Aztecs are waving their swords at us again."
"Oh, Buddha help us, why this time?" The question was purely rhetorical, both men understood that. Nevertheless, Choi played along, responding,
"Because 'esteemed Montezuma, ruler of our Aztec Buddhist brothers,' is oh so politely requesting that Representative Wang Kon supply him with...oh, who are we kidding, sir? He's trying to extort us, and we just said no." Choi traced a finger along the recognized border between the Aztecs and the Koreans, which happened to be right along two jewel deposits, and for the time being the two were of an understanding that each had half of the share, and no more than that. The guards had dubbed the border "The Ruby Line" for the red glint of jewels that were carted back and dispersed among both empires.
"Some follower of the faith." Gwan rubbed his eyes as he removed his helmet, reaching for a shotglass to fill with soju (rice wine). "Well, orders remain the same; patrol the Ruby Line and ESPECIALLY the woods past the Han river." He downed his shotglass swiftly before asking, "Any word on those new weapons yet?"
Choi grinned for the first time that day. "I was hoping you'd ask, sir." He reached behind the table and pulled out a long, straight scabbard, with the hilt embroidered with elegant renditions of revered animals. One such animal prominently displayed on the hilt was the Ox, the sign under the emerging lunar calendar Gwan had been born under. "The metal smiths over at Cheju finally got off their asses and are shipping all the weapons we need. Give it a few years and we'll have a garrison to give Montezuma up there something to think more about. And this one's yours, sir."
"A hwandudaedo!" Gwan eagerly took the sword in his hands, and drawing it from its sheath, began admiring it in the setting sun's light.
"...and I believe I'll just start ordering the quartermasters to begin issuing the men more than just clubs. By your approval, general?" Gwan just vaguely nodded as he began to take practice swings with his new toy, Choi just chuckling as he left the command post.
More power to Gwan, he thought, at the rate we're going with the Aztecs, we may need it.
***
Who WAS this masked man...? A great contributor to Korean security.
"...the commander will be busy now that he has a proper weapon," Choi mutters to the guard as he passes by, waving his hand to him to show he should come along.
The guard nodded and matches Choi's step as he sets down the stairs with the commander. "And are the preparations in place?"
"Of course." Both are talking in low enough tones to not be heard, but if anyone was really listening in (which at their location, no one would or could), the guard seemed to be the one more in control than anything. "Two out of every five guards are with us, we have informants across the river in the Aztec garrisons, and we've enough people in the chain of command to inform Seoul when we need to."
"Good work." The guard began to split off. "Do consider a full-time job with us when your tenure here is over...we could use a coordinator like you." With that, the guard simply split off into the shadows and vanished. Choi took this in stride and simply walked on, now more than used to the enigmatic ways of Viktor Griph. That was simply his way.
Despite how unnerving it could get working with him, he would actually sleep much more soundly that night.
***
On Intelligence, excerpt from "Interesting Tidbits of History."
Nestled deep inside the Pyramids of Wonsan, the headquarters of the Kurimja, or "the Shadow," was founded by Viktor Griph, first among many intelligent men of Korea's security. The Pyramids were originally meant to act as a graveyard for distinguished men who greatly contributed to Korea's present and future; to be buried there, along with a full Buddhist funeral and burial, was considered one of the highest honors anyone could receive.
The Pyramids, sacred burial ground of Korea, and something more...
Due to its very structure, however, the Pyramids housed many nooks and crannies long forgotten by their own architects, making it perfect as a command nexus for intelligence work.
Convincing Wang Kon, the seemingly ageless ruler of Korea, of the need for keeping an eye within their borders and past them, Viktor Griph formed the Kurimja in the Pyramids, where members swore an oath to Buddha and their own ancestors that they would defend Korea from enemies "within and without," and to help the army as much as possible. Though the Kurimja no longer exist in their original form, traces of them are still very well with us in modern times in the form of the intelligence agencies...
***
Alright, that's it from me for now. Before I go, though, here's a full map of Korea right now.
Six cities and counting! I've got more land to exploit over on that other landmass where Cheju is!