Flames of Illusion

The sunlight shone brightly on the main road, its warmth making people momentarily forget the years of bloody winds and rain. The sky was clear, the clouds light, as if foretelling bright changes ahead.

That day, Pyongyang was awash in a bright red hue. The red struck the eyes, dazzling. Red flags hung from windows. Red flags covered the tall buildings. Singing echoed loudly. Troops of entertainers and the massive military paraded through the streets, dancing and singing songs praising Chairman Kim as if the war had long ended.

Their dream of reunification seemed about to be realized.

Lee Jae Woo joyfully walked along the road, humming:

’Seventy years of sorrow sung upon the earth

Panmunjom separates the North and South

Does anyone in the South understand my heart?

The North never ceases to long for our old mother...′

A jeep approached. A young soldier quickly got out and saluted Lee:

‘General Lee, the Chairman wishes to meet you.’

In the soldier’s eyes was deep reverence for Lee. He was not surprised. In this country, the higher the military rank, the closer one came to the position of a saint. But he was not a saint, nor was he a soldier.

He was a comic book artist.

Lee Jae Woo was once a washed-up comic book artist in South Korea. Many years ago, he had achieved great success with a series about "Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms" (the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla). It was his debut work, full of the passion of youth. The series was filled with intricate schemes, political maneuvers as intense as warfare, deep grudges, unrequited love, and a robust PR team. All the elements seemed to be in place to create a legend in the publishing industry. Lee had secretly planned to turn it into an endless series until he ran out of creative juice. However, the series was forced to stop after only 17 volumes. At the time, he didn’t understand why they had made such a decision. From then on, he could only produce mediocre stories or cheap, erotic webtoons. Gradually, readers forgot about Lee Jae Woo amidst the countless comic artists emerging every day.

Jae Woo became a frustrated man with no stable income. He had to constantly change his residence to dodge rent payments. He eventually ended up in a small room just large enough to fit a desk where he could work during the day and crawl underneath to sleep at night.

Like every main character, Lee Jae Woo suddenly encountered a benefactor.

He often remembered that story. It was a drizzly late autumn afternoon. Jae Woo came home soaking wet. He was startled to see a chubby young man sitting at his desk, eating instant noodles.

"Don't be scared. I was starving, and it took quite a lot of time and effort to get here," the young man said, turning around gently. Lee Jae Woo couldn’t say a word. He looked at the man more closely; there was something familiar about him. He must have met this guy somewhere before.

"I am Kim Jong-un, the son of Kim Jong-il, the grandson of Kim Il-sung."

The moment he heard that name, all the blood in Lee Jae Woo's body rushed to his face. He screamed, "I'm doomed!" and collapsed, fainting on the floor.

When he woke up, Lee sprang up and quickly retreated to the corner of the room, trying to stay as far away from Kim Jong-un as possible.

"I don't know any secrets! I have nothing to do with politics! I'm just a comic book artist."

"Calm down, Mr. Lee. Can you hear me out?"

He was terrified. As a man with an overactive imagination, he envisioned various torture methods from South Korean secret agents and American advisors, grilling him on why he had any connection with the leader of North Korea. In that case, there had to be a reason, even if it was absurd. It was better to listen to what Kim Jong-un had to say. Lee Jae Woo nodded.

" I am a loyal reader of your ‘Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms.’ I bought a set when I had just returned from Switzerland. I was astounded by the knowledge and the intricate layers of schemes in your story. It’s a pity that it was discontinued a bit too early. Perhaps South Korea found out that the North Korean government had purchased it and decided to intervene. "

Lee Jae Woo calmed down a little; he understood everything now. It was so good that it had to be canceled. He had never felt so happy in his life. A special fan had crossed the line between life and death to meet him. There was no reason not to act a bit haughty.

"Oh, so it's your fault I couldn't continue my work. You've ruined my life."

"That's right. I've come here to meet you and apologize. Secondly, I have two proposals."

This was getting tricky.

"First, I want you to continue writing 'Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms.' With a reward you couldn't possibly imagine."

"Agreed."

Too easy. Lee Jae Woo already had twenty drafts for the upcoming volumes of the story.

"Secondly, I want you to move to North Korea. Because, within a few hours, our meeting will no longer be a secret. You will become an enemy of the world if you don't provide a satisfactory explanation. And a comic book deal proposed by the leader of North Korea is hardly a convincing answer. So, this seems like the only option."

"Uh... Agreed."

"In truth, I'm not impulsive. I sought you out, Mr. Lee, because your comic has shown that you are a person of strategic vision and cunning. You will be useful for the unification of our country."

Lee Jae Woo liked these flattering words. People in the entertainment industry, don’t they live for vanity? Lee missed the days of proudly boasting to the world, defiantly yelling at his editors.

Who knows? In North Korea, he might even have the chance to become a Colonel. Who knows how the world might turn?

They continued talking for a while. Mr. Kim showed himself to be a shrewd and perceptive person. He was also lively and charismatic, speaking with a dynamic tone, varying his pitch from low to high, and using subtle, well-timed gestures. His face, always eager to inspire others, made Lee even more interested. Mr. Kim proposed an unprecedented strategy for the unification of North and South Korea, claiming that he had learned it from Lee’s comics. There have been countless comic readers throughout the world, but those who can draw inspiration from them to create a new path are rare. It is often said that comics first reflect the author’s imagination and then mirror reality. But those who take the author’s imagination, apply it to reality, transform it into something real, and make comics a reality—only they can be called gods among men.

This was the final grand opportunity that Lee Jae-woo could seize.

… On the cheap, civilian-disguised plane, Lee looked down at South Korea for the last time. He was now able to finish his dream project.

It was rumored that life in North Korea was full of hardship, but it wasn’t until he saw it for himself that Lee realized the people there were just like people in any other country. They were women sweeping the streets, shirtless men playing volleyball, staff at pizza shops, young soldiers dedicated to serving in the North Korean military—simple and very human. But deep in their hearts was a great desire to see the two Koreas united.

In contrast, for most South Koreans, the dream of unification had faded somewhat. The chaos of the Korean War nearly 70 years ago had become a distant memory. People only thought about developing the country, K-pop, Korean culture, and the glamor of modern life, which gradually created a scene of tranquility and peace.

And so...

Beyond all expectations, Lee Jae-woo was made a general by Kim Jong-un. This initial appointment faced a lot of opposition. The entire North Korean military was unhappy with Chairman Kim’s decision. Lee Jae-woo had to stand before a council of generals for questioning. He had to present his knowledge of international relations with South Korea, the United States, China, and Japan, as well as the strategies and tactics he had accumulated throughout his youth. He answered slowly, concisely, yet profoundly, sparking interest among the listeners and greatly pleasing the council.

In the end, Lee Jae-woo proudly became a god-like figure beside Kim Jong-un.

Thus, the duo of Kim and Lee entered history.

On that day, the Korean Battlefield Communication Bureau under the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) was secretly established under Lee’s direct command. His main task was to create speculative information and controversial photos for the global community to hide a much more sinister objective.

After that, North Korea made a series of bold provocations against the U.S.-South Korea alliance. International critics laughed at Kim, claiming that he was overestimating his strength and only playing childish games. On the contrary, Lee and Kim laughed at the entire world because no one could guess what they were planning or how they were leading everyone by the nose.

“General Lee, what if we stage a grand deception involving a ridiculously leaked plan to attack the U.S.?”

“That would be wonderful, Chairman. I will arrange one or two utterly absurd photos.”

On September 28, two photos titled “Strategic Forces’ Plan to Attack the U.S. Mainland” were published, both showing leader Kim Jong-un sitting at a table in what appeared to be a military operations room, with a fake strategic map. A top-secret military map being posted on the Internet – people continued to mock North Korea, unaware that this act of feigned stupidity was orchestrated by Lee.

“Mr. Lee, I need information suggesting that we are completely isolated in this war.”

“Yes, Chairman, I will contact the Chinese side immediately.”

… And China warned North Korea to remain calm…

“Chairman Kim, I’ve just thought of another piece of information, even more special.”

“Wonderful, do as you wish, General Lee.”

… and Chairman Fidel Castro advised North Korea to stay away from nuclear war. North Korea was becoming increasingly isolated.

The entire country of North Korea was brimming with fervor, preparing for battle, as messages escalating the conflict were released daily. Meanwhile, North Korean leaders were delighted at how easily they were deceiving the entire world. As Chairman Kim had said:

“The world thinks we are limited in communication and that we are fools in the war of media technology. Let’s show them what they want to see. That is the greatest deception.”

Then, a series of sensational tabloid news stories were released: “North Korean Chairman Happy to Use American Computer,” “North Korea Delays Missile Launch Due to Windows 8 Error,“...

General Lee proved to be the one who understood Chairman Kim better than anyone. Once, during a visit to an agricultural cooperative, Chairman Kim pointed at Generals Park and Kwan and said:

“Look at this field; it appears lush, but there are too many weeds at the roots.”

Hearing this, that very night, Lee Jae-woo had people break into the homes of Park and Kwan, beheading both of them and presenting their heads to the Chairman.

“Why did you do this, General?” Chairman Kim asked.

“I heard you praise the field for being good but full of weeds, and you pointed at those two generals. I knew you meant to imply that they were dangerous. So, I arranged for their elimination to spare you any future concerns.”

The entire council of generals praised him, saying, “You are truly wise; you understand the Chairman’s innermost thoughts.”

Before long, everything was in place, and North Korea seemed to become the enemy of the entire world. A massive allied force surrounded the country, where even the slightest careless move could ignite a catastrophic war, engulfing the nation in flames. Chairman Kim Jong-un rubbed his hands together and chuckled:

“The time must be ripe now.”

“Chairman, this phone call is the greatest honor. Please, enjoy it,” Lee Jae-woo said, handing the phone to Kim.

“No one understands me like General Lee,” Kim Jong-un replied as he picked up the phone.

And that was the beginning of World War III.

On October 24, 2013, Americans were at home celebrating Thanksgiving. No one anticipated the horrifying end that was about to befall them. None of the information system monitoring personnel detected the faint signals at first. By the time they realized it, it was too late; hundreds of secret missiles were already heading toward strategic targets in the United States.

Because it was Thanksgiving, President Obama couldn’t fully assemble his advisory team and could only knock over the turkey before issuing the order to launch interceptor missiles, hoping to minimize the damage. However, the system could not handle so many missiles at once, and 60% of them managed to reach their targets. The entire United States shook.

Advisors confirmed that it couldn’t be North Korea, as their missiles could not have breached the allied forces’ blockade, and the launch direction did not make sense either. Who was behind these missiles? At that moment, only a few people in the world knew the answer for certain.

Within thirty minutes, the entire U.S. was engulfed in flames. The evacuation order had little effect; most of the U.S. military bases on the ground and air force were annihilated. A few minutes later, U.S. forces in Europe were also suddenly attacked by Iran and Turkey.

At 7 PM, the United States had nearly lost complete control. The large force surrounding North Korea had to split into smaller groups to address issues around the world, but it seemed too late.

North Korea remained completely silent; that day was strange, as they made no provocative moves.

The surviving experts had to resort to an old thermal detection system to trace the missile trajectories. It took a few hours to recognize that the United States had just been attacked by South American countries led by Mexico and Venezuela. Kim Jong-un and Lee Jae-woo had created an unprecedented miracle. As masters of deception, the duo had secretly forged an alliance with South American nations. The U.S. had been attacked right from its own backyard.

Meanwhile, North Korea remained completely silent. Kim Jong-un had not disclosed the entire plan to China until the last moment, as North Korea did not want China to cause any interference. However, the new Chinese leadership had guessed something was amiss and quickly implemented their own plan: attacking Southeast Asia and, one month later, Japan.

And so, World War III began.

The next two years were the most intense for Lee Jae-woo, as he and Kim laid out the steps of their earth-shattering plan. For these two young men, this was the most meaningful time of their lives.

During the two years of world war, North Korea seemed completely indifferent to the outside world, showing no provocative actions amidst the horrifying global conflict. They were waiting for the world to be exhausted so they could achieve their ultimate goal: the unification of the Korean Peninsula.

“When we capture Seoul, how much destruction do I need to inflict to make the people submit?”

General Lee turned pale at the question.

“Sir, the people down there are our kin. If the Chairman can win them over without using the force of a conqueror, that will show true wisdom and strength.”

Lee Jae-woo leaped out of the Jeep and boldly walked into the Chairman Palace. However, it wasn’t Kim Jong-un waiting for him in the Strategy Room, but someone else.

“Greetings, General. Are you well?”

“And who might you be?”

“I am Park Kim Do, the Chairman’s new advisor. In the coming time, Comrade Chairman will be very busy. I will be the one directly in contact with you.”

“Oh, did the Chairman have any message for me?”

“The Chairman would like to ask if you have completed ‘Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms’?”

“It was completed three months ago.”

The young advisor smiled.

“Excellent. The Chairman will be pleased if all the plans for the unification of North and South are secretly embedded into the story’s content.”

“Of course, including all the sophisticated strategies we have discussed.”

“Oh, Comrade, you are truly a genius.”

Lee absentmindedly looked out the window, hearing the buzzing of bees nearby. The conversation drifted on with a few more scattered words. Outside, people bustled back and forth with their tasks. For the next three months, Lee Jae-woo did not meet Kim Jong-un again, and his influence in the political scene gradually faded.

A few months later, the North Korean military finally made a real move. They flooded southward like a torrential stream, leveling everything in their path. Lee Jae-woo drifted along like flotsam in the current, following the army without knowing who he was anymore, consumed by sorrow and alienation.

Not long after, soldiers burst into his house, knocked him down, and confiscated all of his ‘Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms’ manuscripts.

General Lee, furious, stormed into the Chairman Palace barefoot. Kim Jong-un sat in the center, exuding an aura that dominated the world, flanked on both sides by men brimming with hostility.

“Why did you have my manuscripts confiscated, Comrade?”

“General, you should speak carefully. I confiscated them because there are too many secrets of this war embedded within them.”

“Didn’t I do that on your orders?”

“Yes! But in the end, they are state secrets.”

Lee said nothing more. He turned around and walked away.

Lee lay bedridden with a fever for several days, his complexion pale and emaciated, and his once dark hair turned white. One day, he suddenly jolted awake to find the house ablaze. Lee screamed for help, but no one appeared. He tried to kick down the door to escape, but it had been locked with a heavy chain that he couldn’t break. Lee quickly jumped out of the window. Suddenly, Lee saw the advisor, Park Kim Do, who had previously greeted him; Lee Jae-woo leaped onto him, punching and hitting. The advisor died, his neck nearly severed. Lee panted heavily as soldiers came rushing in, shoulder to shoulder, shouting and cursing.

“General Lee, you dare to kill a man in broad daylight. That’s a violation of military law. What now?”

“Ha, you dare speak such dog-like words? Who made you soldiers? If you want to kill, then kill! I fear nothing.”

“Well said. Who made us soldiers? Who made you a general? Do you want to sit there without any soldiers? Sit tight. Men! Kill him.”

The soldiers hesitated; after all, Lee was a general, and their awkwardness was evident. Seeing this, the brash soldier from earlier picked up a stone from the ground and struck Lee hard on the temple. Lee fell like a banana tree chopped down by a sharp knife, blood spurting out.

The soldiers cheered and rushed forward, punching and kicking. Lee Jae-woo’s body was beaten to a pulp, his heart and liver ripped out and eaten raw.

The soldiers, now satisfied, left arm in arm. From then on, the sounds of their joyous celebration never ceased.