"Chairman Li Guoqing has locked the door from the inside. We'll break in by force if we have to. We're working on it now."
"Enough. That door won't open. Just withdraw."
"Aren't we not supposed to withdraw from here?"
"...We'll have to think of another way."
A desperate voice came through the phone.
But Zhou Zhiming's expression showed no change as he took the call.
Family,
agents who could be called brothers, were standing at death's door.
When Zhou Zhiming had changed his mind.
When he had resolved that this was something that absolutely had to be done.
They were the ones who had stepped forward, saying they would do it together, that they would go together.
Agents who had sworn to follow the Chief to the end, no matter what decision he made.
They had stood with Zhou Zhiming prepared to die.
With the help of the Chairman's Chief of Staff, the MSS secret agents had made it all the way to the office with free passage.
They ambushed and subdued the Central Guard Bureau agents, and bound all the secretarial staff as well.
It had been perfect.
They only needed to capture Li Guoqing,
then the game would be over right then and there.
They had worked carefully; they had thought they had succeeded. But at the last moment, Li Guoqing had locked the door from the inside.
It was a specially designed security door.
They said it would absolutely not open.
"Withdraw. Withdraw and hide somewhere."
"No. We will stay together until the end."
"Right now, you have to hide your presence. Since no one saw your faces anyway, you can hide for now. If you stay there and get caught, it becomes an even bigger problem. Not my problem, but the MSS's problem. So withdraw."
"Yes."
"Let's see each other alive. If you survive, I'll contact you."
"I wish you luck."
The call ended.
They were agents who had risked their lives to stand with him.
Zhou Zhiming had a duty to protect them.
That was why he told them to withdraw.
If they remained, they might be of help.
But the danger would also increase.
Their chances of survival would only decrease.
He did not want to take that position by watching his juniors die.
This fight was Zhou Zhiming's fight.
Whether he won or lost, Zhou Zhiming had to move.
It was time for Zhou Zhiming to move.
Zhou Zhiming fiddled with the gun at his chest and moved somewhere.
.
.
.
Huff... huff...
It was difficult.
Li Guoqing moved toward the underground bunker as if running.
He had said he managed his health, but moving like this, his age was clearly showing.
In the past, this would have been nothing.
But right before him, the objective was in sight.
The National Command and Control Center inside the underground bunker.
He only had to get there.
Then he could feel safe for the time being.
Normally, no one could enter or leave the Command and Control Center.
No, the underground bunker itself was perfectly controlled from the outside.
It did not open except in emergencies.
At the entrances people could use, security agents stood guard around the clock.
But the entrance directly connected to the office was guarded by no one.
There was no one.
That was why he had chosen the Command and Control Center.
Thanks to that, he could reach the Command and Control Center without anyone knowing.
The important thing here was.
'Without anyone knowing.'
Someone had entered all the way to the office.
It meant the situation was serious.
Without inside help, it was absolutely impossible to enter the office.
It meant there was a rat inside.
If I am with someone, and they are not on my side?
Just thinking about it was horrifying.
Until the situation stabilized.
Until he could distinguish between enemy and ally, he had to hide alone.
He had to suspect and suspect again.
Only then could he survive and protect his position.
In that sense, the Command and Control Center was the optimal place.
First, it was safe.
If he locked the door from the inside, no one could enter.
It was a bunker built to withstand even a nuclear attack.
Moreover, he could use the system perfectly.
Using the emergency disaster system, he could see not only the government's systems but also the underground bunker's controls and external CCTV.
He could monitor all of the government's systems.
He could perfectly control the underground bunker itself.
He could check the external CCTV.
This Command and Control Center was perfect.
He booted the system and entered his ID and password, and the system began operating.
The first thing he did was check the CCTV.
Checking the CCTV, tanks had come not to the outskirts of Beijing, but near Zhongnanhai.
He had clearly said they were in training.
He had said they would withdraw.
Instead of withdrawing, he had driven tanks right up to Zhongnanhai.
The fact that tanks had come meant only one thing.
That Wei Zhonglin had lied.
That Wei Zhonglin had betrayed him.
Fury welled up.
That he had driven tanks all the way here meant he intended to subjugate Li Guoqing by force if necessary.
He had promoted that incompetent fool all the way to Minister of National Defense, and in the end he betrayed him.
Whether it was this one or that one, once you raised them up they drew their knives.
They were nothing but those who repaid grace with enmity.
This was a coup.
It was Wei Zhonglin's coup, attempting to drive out Li Guoqing by military force and seize power.
He could not know why a coup had suddenly occurred.
There had been no problems whatsoever until yesterday; he could not know why this was happening today.
But that wasn't important either.
What good was knowing the reason?
What was important was resolving this matter and making sure it never happened again.
He had to regain control of the regime and stand before the people again.
There had been a military coup, but he had to show the strength of having overcome it safely.
Li Guoqing picked up the phone.
He had to make a call to resolve the problem.
But he worried about who to contact.
Who was on his side? Who had betrayed him—he could not know.
The Central Guard Bureau chief? The Chief of Staff? The Chief Aide?
Many people came to mind, but he could not easily reach out to any of them.
They could all be on his side,
or they could all be traitors.
He could not get a read on the situation at all.
He had no certainty.
"Why are you hesitating so much? Don't you have anyone to contact?"
Chairman Li Guoqing jumped in surprise at the sudden voice.
He looked for where the voice was coming from.
A corner of the Command and Control Center.
In a dark place where no light entered, Zhou Zhiming stood holding a gun.
In that instant, Li Guoqing realized.
That it had been a grand trap.
The expression on Zhou Zhiming's face said that he already knew—if tanks came and it grew noisy outside, Li Guoqing would hide.
The place closest to the office, the safest, and where all information could be checked.
The expression said that he had known Li Guoqing would come right here, to the Command and Control Center.
He had left the MSS and come here.
He had been waiting here to capture Li Guoqing.
No wonder they couldn't find him no matter how hard they searched for him at the MSS.
"You knew I would come here?"
"Yeah. You've got good instincts. If you really sensed danger, you hide faster than anyone, and you know how to lie low. And this place was perfect for taking shelter."
"Now isn't the time for this. Wei Zhonglin has driven tanks right into Zhongnanhai right now. Let's resolve that problem first, and then we can talk."
"Don't worry. I'll speak well with Wei Zhonglin. We've already talked it over beforehand, so there won't be any problems."
"So you're going to kill me and become the new Chairman? Do you think it will be that easy? To become Chairman, you need the Party's approval, and that's no simple matter. If you spare me, I'll help you."
"It doesn't matter even if you don't help. It doesn't matter if I don't become Chairman."
"Then why on earth are you doing this? I told you that even if you just stayed still, I would hand over power to you. You just had to wait. So why the hell are you doing this?"
Li Guoqing shouted as if he truly could not understand Zhou Zhiming's actions, as if making a plea.
In contrast, Zhou Zhiming responded lightly, smiling.
"Ahahaha. You did. But it seems you've forgotten that you said that over ten years ago?"
"Huh? Has it already been ten years? I have always thought of you as my successor, so..."
"That's what you said back then. Five more years. You said you would hand everything over to me in five years, so you asked me to help you only until then. But once five years passed, you pretended not to know. You had forgotten even now too, hadn't you? That you would hand it over to me? When? In five more years? Ten more? No, perhaps it could go on forever. If you don't step down, that is. But will our China be alright until then? I don't think so. I cannot stand by and watch a great country like our China crumble because of you alone. Just you. Just you. If only you disappeared, our China would become great again."
"What are you talking about? China grows prosperous and strong because of me."
"No. You're the problem. You've ruined everything."
"That's not true. I am China. China exists because I exist. China becomes great because of me. You should know what you're talking about."
"Your last words are long. Then go on ahead and wait. I'll follow soon too. After I make China great."
"No. That's—"
Bang!
Zhou Zhiming pulled the trigger without hesitation.
A brief report rang out, and Li Guoqing collapsed.
With a hole in his head, Li Guoqing collapsed onto the cold floor of the Command and Control Center.
Looking at the collapsed Li Guoqing, his heart was conflicted.
Though they had parted ways now, this was a man he had been comrades with for thirty years.
Such a man was lying collapsed on the floor.
But it could not be helped.
It was something done for China.
For China to grow stronger, Li Guoqing could not be allowed to stand in the way.
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Zhiming picked up the phone and contacted Wei Zhonglin.
Wei Zhonglin answered before the ringtone even finished.
"How did it go?"
"The situation here is resolved."
"That is truly fortunate."
"I'm in the underground bunker. Come so we can resolve the situation."
"Understood. I'll be right there."
Wei Zhonglin, who had been waiting, came down to the underground bunker alone.
Without telling anyone.
Zhou Zhiming looked at Wei Zhonglin entering alone with strange eyes.
He should have brought his subordinates to clean up and resolve the situation.
Wei Zhonglin who appeared suddenly alone.
Only then did Zhou Zhiming see Wei Zhonglin's eyes.
Eyes filled with greed.
He saw the desperate eyes craving something.
He realized he was not the only one who had dreamed.
It was bitter.
But it was already too late.
Wei Zhonglin was aiming a gun.
But Zhou Zhiming did not act rashly.
He tried to persuade Wei Zhonglin with a calm voice.
"Must it really come to this?"
"It can't be helped."
"Think again. We agreed to make a great China. Let's achieve that dream together. Chairman? I'm not interested in that. I truly only wanted to make a China where the people live well. Li Guoqing couldn't do it, but if it's with you, Wei Zhonglin, it's possible."
"Hehe. You're just like Li Guoqing. All smooth talk. I don't think you're in a position to say that, having killed a longtime comrade for your own ambition."
"It's not my ambition. It's for China's sake."
"Don't say you're doing it for China. It's disgusting. Do you think playing spy games can make you the world's strongest nation? Is that even possible? You have no eye for the world. The world runs on power. That's why power is needed. Not some spy game."
Zhou Zhiming tried to persuade him, but Wei Zhonglin was lost in perfect self-conviction.
He did not look like he would change his mind.
But Zhou Zhiming could not give up.
He had to change Wei Zhonglin's thinking somehow.
Zhou Zhiming was desperate.
"Don't do this, one more time—"
Bang!
Once again, a gunshot rang through the Command and Control Center of the underground bunker.
Zhou Zhiming collapsed limply like a doll with its strings cut.
Wei Zhonglin looked at the two collapsed people and muttered in a low voice.
"Let's say the two of you fought and killed each other. Our people must have someone to rely on."
When he came out of the Command and Control Center, Wei Zhonglin's subordinates were waiting.
"I came here and found the two of them already collapsed. Seems the fight was fierce. Announce the deaths of both, and immediately enact emergency martial law. In such chaotic times, the military must rule."
Wei Zhonglin declared emergency martial law.
Wei Zhonglin made himself the martial law commander.
The military controlled everything.
To make his work easier, Wei Zhonglin placed his people in key positions.
The military occupied all key posts.
The first thing Wei Zhonglin did was to calm and stabilize society.
The news of Chairman Li Guocheng and Zhou Qiming’s deaths was enough to plunge China into chaos.
Stability had to be restored quickly.
But it was no easy task.
The confusion continued.
The most chaotic of all was the Party.
China was structured so that the Communist Party decided everything.
But as the military seized control of everything, the structure in which the Party commanded the army collapsed.
Instead, the military was threatening the Party at gunpoint.
Key Party secretaries either pledged loyalty or went into hiding somewhere to prepare resistance.
The shockwaves within the military were also immense.
There were factions opposed to martial law, and factions preparing another coup, insisting that this was not right.
But before they could make any proper preparations, they were all arrested.
No one knew where they had disappeared to.
But the greatest and most tangible impact was social and economic.
Stocks plunged, and people formed long lines at banks to withdraw their savings.
Because of the political instability, foreign companies temporarily shut down their factories and left China.
Even among the Chinese people, lines of those trying to leave China stretched on.
The military controlled every logistics network.
Major cities were blockaded, and strict supervision and crackdowns began at export and import ports.
Imports and exports did not run smoothly.
Food and fuel were in short supply.
As a result, prices rose, and unrest among the people began.
To prevent the people from growing agitated, VPNs and social media were blocked.
Even so, people were shaken.
They began protesting and rioting.
In the end, the government took hardline measures: a curfew after 10 p.m.
Tighter inspections and searches.
Immediate arrest of protesters and resistance forces.
Many citizens were arrested.
Violence ran rampant.
Media outlets that voiced negative opinions about the military were shut down, and upright politicians disappeared.
The military was deployed at all hours.
It was a total disaster.
But there were also people who accepted the situation positively.
They were people who belonged to the same China, yet dreamed an entirely different dream.
They were ethnic minorities who had long dreamed of independence,
who had fought for independence.
They thought this was the moment.
They declared independence.
The Tibet Autonomous Region.
The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Guangxi Zhuang, and so on.
In many places, independence was declared or being prepared.
But China did not stand idly by either.
It took an immediate and ultra-hardline stance.
It announced that the regions in question were, historically and legally, clearly Chinese territory, and that any act asserting independence was a challenge to national sovereignty.
The People’s Liberation Army would take all necessary measures to safeguard national unity and social stability.
It declared that it would mobilize every means available, including comprehensive law enforcement and military response.
But unlike its words, there were not many cards it could play.
Right now, it did not even have enough strength to control the interior.
It had no room to spare for catching those breaking away.