"How could you even think of gambling when we're staring the apocalypse in the face?" Dong-Joo's voice sliced through the tension like a knife. His eyes bore into Sang-Jin's with unbridled disappointment.
But Sang-Jin, instead of looking contrite, smirked lazily. "Do you really believe the world's going to end? Come on, it's not like this is the first doomsday prophecy we've ever heard. It's always the same old boring story about the end of the world."
Dong-Joo shook his head, his face flushed with frustration. "This time is different, Sang-Jin. It's not some nonsense spouted by cults or random crackpot predictions. This… this feels real."
Their heated exchange was interrupted by the rising commotion around them. The atmosphere in the crematorium's waiting room had shifted, tense and brittle. People were stirring, moving as one toward the large television mounted in the corner. The clock had just struck 1 PM—the moment the government had promised an official announcement.
"Let's go," Dong-Joo urged, grabbing Dong-a by the arm. Reluctantly, Sang-Jin followed, dragging Hyung-kyu along with him.
The television flickered to life, its screen filling with the image of a man in full military uniform. Major General Ha Dong-Gi stood straight and tall, his expression stern yet commanding.
"Citizens of Korea," he began, his voice steady and resonant.
"I am Major General Ha Dong-Gi, speaking on behalf of the government to deliver this critical announcement. Over the past few days, the government has worked closely with the international organization Code One and allied nations. We are moving as swiftly as possible to address this threat."
He paused, drawing a deep breath, then continued. "NASA and Code One have planned the first space mission launch from the Guiana Space Center in South America, scheduled for April 8. Subsequent launches will follow from key strategic locations, including the Kennedy Space Center in the United States, Yasny Cosmodrome in Russia, and the Taiyuan Space Center in China.
"In addition, private companies such as SpaceY and Virgin Galaxy are preparing to deploy nuclear missiles into space to neutralize this threat. As part of the international collaboration, South Korea will send ten of its top scientists from the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and the Naro Space Center to NASA."
The room was silent, save for the commanding voice of the Major General.
"We are also aware of the growing panic among citizens, evident in the surge of grocery hoarding across markets. To maintain stability, the Military Emergency Command has implemented a family-based rationing system. Based on registered data, each household will be allowed to purchase basic necessities for one week, and only once a week.
"We must remind everyone that hoarding goods during this state of emergency will result in severe penalties under military law. That is all we can share at this time. We will now take three questions."
A young journalist sprang to his feet, his hand shooting into the air. A microphone was quickly passed to him.
"I'm Choi Jin-su from Donggang Daily. In a previous statement, the government mentioned an alternative survival plan in case the mission to destroy the planet fails. Why was that not addressed today?"
Major General Ha Dong-Gi fixed the camera with a hard stare, his jaw tight. "Thank you for your question. After extensive discussions that continued until this morning, the National Security Emergency Committee decided to focus solely on providing information regarding the plan to neutralize the threat. Details of alternative measures will not be disclosed at this time."
Dong-Joo turned to Sang-Jin, his gaze sharp and meaningful. "Still think this is just a boring story?" he asked quietly.
For once, Sang-Jin didn't have a snappy reply. The smirk that usually adorned his face had vanished, leaving only a shadow of unease in its place.
***
During a tense briefing session, an announcement was made that if the effort to destroy the asteroid failed, an alternative plan would be prepared to ensure humanity's survival. However, within mere hours, the tone of that declaration shifted dramatically. The decision left many stunned, eliciting murmurs of unease that echoed from the press conference room to the sterile waiting areas of the crematorium.
The atmosphere grew even graver as a government official stepped onto the podium, his face bearing an expression more somber than before.
"The latest simulation results from the expert team are in," Major General Ha Dong-Gi began, his voice laden with a weight that silenced the restless crowd.
"If we fail to destroy the asteroid, I must convey a bitter truth: there is no place on Earth truly safe for evacuation. Distant regions like Western Europe or South America might offer temporary refuge, being farther from the impact site. But within hours, shockwaves and tsunamis will reach those areas, followed by earthquakes and inevitable climate upheaval. Even if we relocate there, survival cannot be guaranteed. For this reason, we have not prepared a mass evacuation plan. All we can do is pray and give our utmost effort. With that, we will now open the floor to questions."
A journalist, who had been waiting impatiently for his turn, shot up from his seat.
"I'm Choi Seok-won from Gangju Daily," he announced, his voice steady but laced with a faint tremor.
"The plan to destroy the asteroid by the Code One team still feels abstract. How many nuclear missiles are being used for this mission? When exactly will they be launched? Additionally, some have compared this to trying to crack a boulder with an egg. Honestly, how realistic are the chances of success? The public deserves a clearer explanation."
The official took a deep breath, as though weighing each word carefully before responding.
"Thank you for your question," Major General Ha Dong-Gi began, his tone firm but carrying a subtle undercurrent of hesitation.
"Our experts are running continuous simulations to identify the best possible scenario. According to the plan, a fleet of spacecraft will carry a total of 20 nuclear missiles. The launch is scheduled for April 8th. This fleet will head toward the asteroid Apophis, reaching it approximately 60 hours later, at which point the missiles will be fired simultaneously. The spacecraft will then immediately return to Earth. It is estimated that the missiles will strike the asteroid about an hour after launch. As of now, the projected success rate stands at over 70%. Further details will be shared during the next briefing, where our experts will provide more insights."