“Error margin ±10 seconds... If we go over this, we won’t know what might happen, so let’s consider this the maximum limit.”

"Let’s make things a bit more uncomfortable for the Artemis people. The coastal artillery has a range of about 600 km, so a few shots will reach Savannah. If we load railgun rounds with cruise missile cartridges, we could make high-speed deliveries. This will help reduce the pressure on the rescue team."

"That should be a last resort. Wouldn’t it be better to carry out electronic warfare with an EC-130H instead?"

"We can't just throw everything at them like in the old days. We need to maximize the effect with minimal resources."

A heated debate followed.

When everyone has all the tools, resources, and strategies available, the issue isn’t always about which tools to use—it’s about the cost. If every decision made drains resources bit by bit, the situation changes. Not long ago, anything you threw at the problem was guaranteed to work, but those days were gone now.

Cutting down on resources was necessary. That’s why the simulation center existed. While it was impossible to simulate every possible scenario perfectly, the goal was to at least approximate the best solution.

Over and over, variables were added and subtracted. The simulation that began around 5 AM stretched on until 12 PM with no end in sight. It wasn’t until about 5 PM, 5 hours later, that the approximations started to become useful enough to apply to the actual mission.

After more than 24 hours of continuous operations, the many personnel at Central Park HQ finally got a chance to rest. By 6 AM the next day, everyone was back in action, and everything was running smoothly again.

But that was not the end.

“Set the timer! This mission depends on timing! Minimize the error as much as possible!”

“Synchronization complete. All units participating in the operation will now share the same timer.”

Once the operation was planned, it was time for the field officers to take over.

For a covert assault, it was decided that air support would take off from Central Park HQ, located some distance away from Savannah. The Air Force was in a full emergency mode. Software updates and synchronization were the basic steps, and every precaution was taken to avoid unexpected issues.

The price for this was that maintenance personnel were worked to the limit, but that was unavoidable. Even in the "Evelebeb" country of the US, when the job needs to be done, it needs to be done.

The planners and actual field officers finished their tasks and went for some well-deserved rest, while thousands of personnel continued to work tirelessly at the base and JFK Military Airport to ensure the operation went smoothly.

Thirty hours after Jin and Rain started their analysis, at 11:20 AM, everyone woke up, some heading to the operation control room. The operation’s execution time, set for 12 PM, was fast approaching. Even though the coordination was complete, the last checks on the remote-controlled pods continued as the transport plane carrying them had taken off about two hours ago.

Logan, Lorentina, Owens, Sirkins, and Chester stood before the remote-controlled pods (referred to as RCEs, the Remote-Controlled Eugene Pods) at Central Park HQ. Meanwhile, I was sitting in the empty lounge with Olivia, having a conversation.

“The shark and polar bear can’t join, but since I’m part of the operation, I guess they’ll be pretty envious.”

“Probably. I never know when I’ll need help. But when the time is right, I just ask for help from whoever’s around. That’s how it works.”

“You’re right about that.”

What should I say?

It’s becoming a bit predictable now, but the reason Olivia felt regret was due to the fact that she wasn’t there for the important moments. And truthfully, it wasn’t entirely wrong. So much had happened in the past year, after all.

The reason I brought Olivia here this time was exactly for that—because it had a real positive effect. Just a few days ago, her expression was full of hesitation, but now, she was much more settled.

Her regret about not being there during important moments was a natural extension of the fact that special forces operators were trained for the most critical, dangerous moments—like the Dark Winter scenario. These were weapons forged through experience to break through difficult situations.

I was the one who helped fill that gap, and Olivia was satisfied with that.

“If this mission ends successfully, it still won’t be the end. China and Russia are still out there, across the sea.”

“I’m not sure if China can still be called stable… but you're not wrong.”

“Whether it’s infantry or operators, we’ll gradually be replaced by things like the RCE… But at least as long as those two countries in Asia don’t vanish completely, there will still be a place for operators like us to make a living. When that time comes, call me again, Eugene.”

“I get the gist of what you’re saying.”

This conversation continued, but the reality was clear: things weren’t over yet. Just because many battles had been fought didn’t mean peace had truly come.

What was clear, however, was that Olivia likely had more free time than the others, particularly the two who would probably be unreachable during their training. Olivia was a proper civilian, unlike those two.

With that thought aside, Olivia, now mentally at peace, started to show more interest in the fashion work she had previously been passionate about.

Indeed, peace of mind was the simplest way to expand one’s horizons.

“Since we're in Korea, after this mission ends, maybe we should go out and explore. Our rookie, don’t you want to hear people say you dress well?”

“Well, if I need clothes, I’ll just buy them…”

“Oh no, Eugene. The best things won’t ever show up on regular online stores. The luxury goods that the upper class buys, things you’ve probably never even heard of, they’re only available after a lot of legwork. If you want something like that…”

“Well, I’d much rather stick to old, worn-out military uniforms.”

“You just made a huge scratch on my job pride with that comment…”

Not too long ago, Olivia had been considering switching back to military work, but now… that was a different story.

In any case, as time passed, the moment to depart grew closer. The LED clock displayed 11:40 AM, and the pressure mounted.

I ran a quick mental review of what had to be done. Honestly, there wasn’t much to do. I would land with the RCE, take out all nearby enemies, and that would be it. Since I was a shadow, I wouldn’t even need to be recovered with the full-tone system afterward.

The operators didn’t have to worry about precise timing; that responsibility fell to the aircraft and drone pilots transporting and recovering us. A fair distribution of risk, I thought.

As I stared up at the ceiling, the next words followed.

“If the events here are reflected in the Dark Zone, will they be in the same situation? Omega has switched to an ally before the new raid, and if the remaining ones are wiped out or recovered by drones… this could get awkward.”

“Right.”

A brief pause.

But agreeing with this wasn’t the same as saying it would happen, and I knew that. Olivia likely asked because she wanted an answer about how adjustments would be made.

The response was simple:

“While the Dark Zone was created to help what’s happening here, at the end of the day, it's still a game.”

“If that's the case?”

“Well, here we’re planning to rescue Omega before anything starts, but on the other side, Omega will appear as the final boss as planned. It’s a game, after all. As long as we give Omega a reason to come back later, no one will complain when she exits, but if we just take her out, no one will be disappointed.”

Ultimately, the important thing was to choose the favorable facts. Olivia thought for a moment, then nodded, agreeing with the logic.

It was time to go. The operation was scheduled for 12 PM, and it was already 11:50 AM. It was finally time to head home, connect to the Dark Zone, and join the transport plane as the RCE pods were deployed.

The cruise missiles that had been slumbering in their silos were now slowly heading toward Savannah, crossing over the skies of the mainland. Just moments before, UAV relay drones had already been deployed from a transport plane. The railguns on the beach, located 480-550 km east, began to emit a strange sound as they fired several cruise missile warheads at speeds exceeding ten kilometers per second. Within a minute, they had turned the western part of Savannah into rubble.

Meanwhile, the EC-130H, floating in the air, continued its interference with missile pods and intercept lasers amidst the smoke and debris.

“Let’s meet inside the transport plane. This time, the pods won’t be dropped together. It's likely that we’ll have to jump without any landing gear, just like you guys did last time.”

“…Didn’t you say we’d have large foam for shock absorption? It’ll be fine. Let’s meet again within five minutes.”

“Roger. When we come back, there’ll be one more member. Make sure there’s room for them.”

The members of the Dagger Team, except for Jin and Rain, quickly exchanged greetings with the remote-controlled Eugene pod operators (RCE) before heading to the transport plane. Meanwhile, I sat in the empty break room with Olivia, having a conversation.

“Well, the shark and polar bear can’t join, but since I’m part of the operation, I guess they’ll be pretty envious.”

“Probably. I never know when I’ll need help. But when the time is right, I just ask for help from whoever’s around. That’s how it works.”

“You’re right about that.”

At this point, Olivia had begun to feel more comfortable. It had been a year full of significant events, and during that time, I had been the one to help fill the gap, and she had been satisfied with that. Now, she was more at peace, and her attention had returned to her fashion work.

“Since we’re in Korea, after this operation ends, maybe we should go out and explore. Our rookie, don’t you want to hear people say you dress well?”

“Well, if I need clothes, I’ll just buy them…”

“Oh no, Eugene. The best things won’t ever show up on regular online stores. The luxury goods that the upper class buys, things you’ve probably never even heard of, they’re only available after a lot of legwork. If you want something like that…”

“Well, I’d much rather stick to old, worn-out military uniforms.”

“You just made a huge scratch on my job pride with that comment…”

Olivia was at peace with the situation, and now she was thinking about her previous passion. The mental relaxation had opened her up to other aspects of life.

“We should go around and enjoy the sights after the mission. Do you want to hear that you dress well, Eugene?”

“Well, if I need clothes, I’ll buy them.”

“That’s not how it works. Some things you’ll never find online. The good stuff is only available with a lot of effort, things you can’t buy at a store. If you want those…”

“I’m fine with my old military uniforms.”

The mood was lighter as we shared these moments, but the reality of the situation remained. The mission was just moments away, and the pressure of what lay ahead hung in the air. The time was quickly approaching for the operation to begin.

“Alright, let’s head out. The mission will start at 12 PM, and it’s already 11:50 AM. It’s time to head home and get ready for the Dark Zone connection. The transport with the RCE pods will be arriving soon.”

The plan was clear: everything needed to happen within a strict timeframe. The mission had been set, and the next steps were in motion. We were about to head to Savannah, where things were about to heat up, and the operation was ready to begin.