Somewhere in the Ruthenia Empire, 250 meters deep underground, two officers were chatting with one another, sharing stories about their days in the military school where they spent blood, sweat, and tears just to get to where they are now and as well their personal stories.
"That's ridiculous! So she rejected you because of your face?" the Ruthenian officer cackled after saying that. "Oh my…my stomach, shit,"
The man who just told him the story simply rolled his eyes in irritation. He thought that his partner in this underground would sympathize with him or support him. But it turns out to be the opposite.
"I expected better from you man, you disappoint me. I hope you get rejected by the girl you are hitting on to experience what I feel," he cursed.
"Ha! Too bad for you I'm already engaged!" His partner showed him the ring on his finger, flexing it to him.
The man's facial expression fell, and his eyes widened. "No fucking way! You already have a girl!"
"Right? On top of that, she's a beauty, probably even more beautiful than the Queen and the Grand Duchesses of the Ruthenian Empire!" his partner declared haughty, looking down at him as if he was an ant.
The man huffed, "There's no way that's true. Indeed our Queen and the Grand Duchesses are beautiful and that's a fact. But are you saying that your fiance is even more beautiful than them? That's utter disrespect!"
"Beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, they say," his partner quoted, looking all the more boastful.
Suddenly, there was an ear-piercing alarm that startled both of them. A red light began to illuminate the room as the blaring alarm ensued.
"What the hell?" His partner cocked his head to the side. "We are getting orders from St. Petersburg."
"We got confirmation, I repeat we got confirmation," the man repeated with a stern expression. "Get your keys, things are about to get real."
"Okay I got mine," his partner notified him and inserted the key.
"On the count of three, we turn the keys together at the same time. Are you ready?"
"I am trained for this," His partner nodded determinedly.
"One, two, three, go!"
As soon as the word 'three' left his mouth, the two of them turned the key at the same time and opened the lid that was covering the master key with the sole function of launching the minuteman missile.
They returned to their monitors and looked at their screens.
"Target confirmed, Beijing."
"Why are they launching missiles at the Han Dynasty? Are we at war with them? Looks like Ruthenian wanted to expand into the mainland."
"We don't need to know why, our job is to execute the orders of His Majesty," his partner said coldly.
"Missile silo is open," he informed.
"Acknowledge, push the button in three, two, one!"
Upon pushing the red button, the rocket ignited, lifting off into the sky as it left the silo, and went straight up toward space.
Once it reached a certain altitude of 65 kilometers, the first stage of the rocket shut off and the explosive bolts built along the rim detonated, releasing the first stage and starting falling down back on the earth. Shortly after, the second-stage rocket booster went online.
It took about five minutes before the second stage went offline, and the moment it did, it decoupled in a similar fashion to the third stage.
Now the rocket has been moving in a parabolic arc, the last stage is the final step for the rocket's reentry.
The tip of the missile began to burn up due to the friction from the air, but the rocket is well-insulated so it won't damage the rocket as well as detonate the warhead.
In Beijing, everyone in the International Legation Quarter noticed a bright orange object descending from the sky.
There are not the only ones who saw it, the Boxers saw too. They stopped in their tracks as they gaped in at the glowing object that was going straight for the ground at high speed.
"A meteor?"
"Am I the only one who is noticing that it's getting closer and closer to our position?" said one of the soldiers.
Run!" yelled someone from the other side of their ranks when suddenly, they felt a shockwave pushing them hard on the chest and sending them flying.
A violent explosion akin to a volcano erupted. A huge blazing fireball emerged from where the rocket landed in seconds, completely enveloping the entire area. The shockwave was powerful enough to topple wooden houses with weak foundations nearby and caused the mirrors and glasses in the windows to shatter.
Everyone inside the Legation Quarter panicked and ran around wildly trying to find the safest place to hide while still, the earth buckled beneath their feet.
A thick dark smoke billowed from the epicenter, heralding the arrival of a new weapon that only the Ruthenia Empire possessed.
Well, no one knows who actually did that, not even Mikhail.
What felt like an eternity passed in just ten seconds. After that, everything calmed down.
***
Back at the Command Ops.
"Your Majesty, it was a direct hit! The bridge has been destroyed," Alexei reported. "I'm sure that the explosion alone will deter the Boxer's attempts to besiege the International Legation Quarter."
"We can't rest easy," Alexander said. "The threat is still out there and we can't say for sure that the explosion scared them off. Now, send those helicopters and bring our countrymen home."
"The Petropavlovsk Aircraft Carrier in the Yellow Sea is on standby, awaiting orders for the strike package. The helicopters will be coming from there."
"What about the Special Forces that we planned to help the International Legation Quarter?"
"We just pulled them out from the awarding ceremony in Hanseong. The men that we will be sending are the ones we sent to help train the Righteous Army during the Rutho-Yamato War."
"Ah, I am familiar with the squad. They are receiving awards from the Emperor himself huh? Speaking of which, when have I ever given awards to the troops ever since the war ended?"
"Uhm...no sir, you haven't…yet,"
"Shit. In that case, compile a list of soldiers who have done admirably during the Rutho-Yamato War. I will hold an award ceremony on future dates. It is one of my duties after all and I almost forgot about it."
"Yes Your Majesty, I will prepare that right away."
"Good. It seems like my duty is done here. Inform me if there is a sudden development along the operation," he yawned. "I'm going to take my afternoon nap."
"Rest well, Your Majesty."
