Chapter 125
[Many nations around the world saw their armies collapse after the Great Cataclysm. The Republic of Korea was no exception, and a Gate appeared near an Air Force Base, causing significant damage. However, five years ago, in September 2049, the Hunter Air Force was established under the leadership of the Hunter Association.]
Hunter Air Force? That's quite something, isn't it? The novel didn't mention it, so there are a lot of settings I didn't know about.
I don't think they were used even when we caught the Yellow Dragon in China.
Not that it was our country's business back then.
Are there any fighter jets left?
[At the time, the advancement of Magic Engineering already made anything possible with magic stones as power. Thus, by simply creating the shape and modifying and inserting a magic stone circuit, anything from tanks to fighter jets could be moved. Choi Cheolsik of the Hunter Association, along with Cheonsan, spearheaded this project, creating a total of 150 'Crow' fighter jets. Support personnel were selected from C-rank or higher Hunters skilled in magic operation. However, due to concerns from the Hunter Association, magic stone supply issues, and other problems, President Ha Jeongseok prohibited and disbanded them. The Crows are still in the Hangar.]
Does that mean they can still be used?
“They can still be used, right?”
[Fighter jets that use magic stones can be used at any time simply by replacing the magic stones. The 130 Hunters selected during the Air Force's establishment are still active, and there are unused Magic Missiles in the Hangar.]
Then it's possible.
My head hurts thinking beyond this. This much should be enough.
It'll at least block the Yellow Dragon coming over the West Sea.
“Kate. Open a Gate to the President's Secret Room.”
“Yes.”
The coordinates were already registered, so we moved without difficulty.
In the President's Secret Room, just as I expected, Ha Jeongseok was drowning his sorrows in alcohol, steeped in a sense of defeat.
The President of this world really has it easy.
“What is it? You've come to mock me again, haven't you? You killed all the Hunters, so what are we supposed to stop it with?”
Why blame me for that? It was a preemptive war.
In the original story, the characters were used in the war, so it made some sense. Anyway, I had to do this to weaken Ha Jeongseok.
And it's also a way to stop Ha Jeongseok from acting out.
“This time, I've come with a proposal.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You know the power of the Yellow Dragon well, don't you? If the Chinese Army comes down from the north, tying up Korea's main forces, and the Yellow Dragon, controlled by Zhang Xueti, directly targets Seoul—no, it will definitely target it. It's the Yellow Dragon that burned down an area larger than the Korean Peninsula, after all.”
“So?”
'So?' he says. I have something else to say.
“Your eyes were trembling during your speech, weren't they? Are you scared?”
“Ha. Me, scared?”
Ha Jeongseok reeked of alcohol, wearing an incredulous expression.
What else could drinking and whining be, if not being scared?
“Don't run away. If you want to continue your dictatorship and claim Korea as yours, you need to act like a leader.”
“What does a young brat like you know!”
*If I were really young, I'd be offended.
But even if I look like this, I'm already over a hundred years old.
Ah, but I'm still the eternal 17-year-old Yongyong-i. , not a grandma.*
“The Hunter Forces coming down from China number at least 300,000. The ROK Armed Forces will probably only be able to buy time. If we gather all the Hunters, it's 50,000. To that, we'll add our Mutant Unit of 50,000. It would be good to stop them at the Amnok River, but they're prepared for war. We'll probably have to hold them at Pyeongyang.”
“What? You'll provide Mutants? Are you planning to stab us in the back?”
*What does he take me for?
Even if I'm a Villain, my homeland is better than China.*
“Excuse me, Mr. Ha Jeongseok. Mutants are Koreans too. They're not doing this for you, but rather because it will be more dangerous if China comes in; so they'll join forces with the Hunters to defeat them.”
*Do you think I'm like you?*
“Alright. Let's grasp at straws then. What will you use to catch the Yellow Dragon?”
“For the Yellow Dragon, please have the Hunter Air Force buy some time. It's disbanded now, but the Air Force still exists. The Yellow Dragon is ridiculously huge, so whether you use missiles or draw its aggro, it should work. Revive them.”
*In the meantime, I'll bring the Four Dragons. If the Four Dragons can't do it, I'll stop it myself.*
“...How long do you think the Hunter Air Force, which was already disbanded once, will last?”
*Asking me that means you really feel how screwed you are, don't you?*
“Just hit and run. Don't needlessly charge in and increase casualties.”
*They'll be ground down on land too. I can't let the Air Force die as well.*
“Then will you face the Yellow Dragon?”
“I will bring another dragon to fight the Yellow Dragon as an ally. It's a creature that can be reasoned with, so it should be possible.”
“Hmph. How can I trust a villain? Even if it's true, you'll have many demands, won't you?”
*Yes. I knew you'd say that.
It's not that there are no demands.
We need Ha Jeongseok's permission to intervene in the war.*
“The demands are simple. You will recognize the land ruled by the Baekhwa Cult as autonomous, and you will not treat the Baekhwa Cult as villains, but as a militia organization. Then, under the Taegeukgi, we will help the ROK Armed Forces and Hunters fight against the Chinese Army.”
*If we just participated as Villains, people would obviously be confused.*
“Do you trust me, you wench?”
*As a human, he wouldn't trust me. But I trust something else about Ha Jeongseok.*
“I trust your desire to dictate Korea and your lust for power.”
*If we lose the war, there will be no Korea, nothing.
Ha Jeongseok wants power as the Master of Korea. He wouldn't want to be defeated by Zhang Xueti and become a Puppet or a Slave.*
“Ha. A Villain with nothing but a sharp tongue.”
“I also hate making such a proposal to a *fucking* human like you, but since you've brought things to this state, just this once, try to do something for the Nation.”
At my words, Ha Jeongseok sighed.
He must have thought he needed to do something too.
“Alright. Let's do it. But we must win. For you, and for your esteemed Villain Legion.”
“Of course.”
*As long as they buy me time, I'll somehow deal with the Yellow Dragon.
All they need to do is hold out until then.*
* * *
World Hunter Alliance
The world was shocked by China's Declaration of War against Korea.
Immediately, Korea's allies, the United States and the United Kingdom, convened representatives of the Hunter Alliance, and Japan also participated.
Alex, the representative of the United States, the chair nation of the Alliance, pointed his finger at the Chinese representative.
“What in the world is this? While humanity is uniting, China attacks Korea to revive its old glory? Chinese representative, if you have something to say, speak!”
“Do you think we are the China of old? Isn't it natural for us to reclaim our rightful place?”
*I'm dumbfounded.* “Our rightful place,” he says. Attacking Korea, obsessed with hegemony at a time like this? Have they forgotten that Korea saved them from the Yellow Dragon?
“If you call yourself a great nation, you shouldn't repay kindness with enmity.”
“How dare you, a *small Japan*! It is the rule for small nations to aid great nations!”
Hiroshi, the representative of Japan, was dumbfounded.
Is Korea a vassal state? It's been a long time since the presidential system began and it became the Republic of Korea. Are they still steeped in such absurd ideology?
It was truly pathetic.
“Late Imperialism, how pathetic.”
“What? You bastards who oppressed our great China during the Japanese colonial era!”
I don't know what era they're even talking about.
“I don't know what you hope to achieve by digging up the past. There are many people in Japan, including me, who don't think highly of Korea, but at least we're not as barbaric as China.”
The Japanese representative said that he felt deeply sorry for Korea's situation.
Even with their constant bickering, wasn't Korea at least a nation with similar national power and capable of dialogue? Moreover, he felt a strange concern, perhaps a 'love-hate' bond, for the Hunter named Kim Cheolsu.
But he couldn't express a willingness to provide aid.
Shinohara Yuzuki had given strict orders to maintain a stance of observation, nothing more.
“Hmph! When Korea falls, your Japan will be finished too! Who knows what will happen to Shinohara Yuzuki then.”
“So you'll attack Korea with the Yellow Dragon? Do you think the West will stand by?”
Due to the Chinese representative's continuous pride, Alex, not Hiroshi, pressured the Chinese representative.
“Go ahead and send reinforcements. They'll only die. *Kwahahaha!* Are those Goryeo people too busy preparing for war? They didn't show up, did they? I wanted to mock them, *Kwahahaha!*”
With the Yellow Dragon, their Pride became boundless.
But it wasn't wrong.
Sending Hunters where the Yellow Dragon is would only lead to death. Regular armies would be even less helpful, ultimately leading to the depletion of their own national power.
Aside from loyalty to Korea, deploying Hunters to protect another country would make it impossible to manage their own Gates.
At least this time, there's Yu Eunha, who is even more anticipated than Yu Jinseok.
There's also the second Divine Sword User.
Of course, the problem is that during the previous Yellow Dragon incident, Yu Jinseok was already quite experienced and strong. Perhaps Korea might stop it on its own.
No, they had to believe that.
Because there's no guarantee that China, after consuming Korea, wouldn't target the United States or Europe.
“As of today, China is expelled from the World Hunter Alliance. The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and other European nations, along with the United States, will sever diplomatic ties with China.”
“Hmph! Who do you think is scared?”
In the end, what emerged was merely diplomatic retaliation. As the Chinese representative scoffed and left the meeting room, each nation began to seek ways to support Korea.
* * *
I decided to leave for the Elf Kingdom again.
It's definitely not for fun. I need to find the Four Dragons somewhere on the Lotus Continent.
“For now, I'll leave the Mutants to Elise.”
Rachel had, after all, led the Resistance.
“Isn't it better to leave them to Mom?”
“I thought about it at first. But Rachel doesn't know the situation here well. She's just started learning the culture, so I can't involve her in a war. More importantly, she needs to come with me to the Elf Kingdom.”
“Hmm. Then we... No, that won't work.”
Choi Siwoo shook her head mid-sentence.
“Yeah. We're Saengdo members. We don't know when we might be called out. At least the Villain side has the excuse of going to find the Four Dragons. That's why I'm leaving them to Elise.”
Looking at the Internet Broadcast Community right now, there is a lot of debate about whether Baekhwa would help in this war or stay hidden.
Some said, 'She's still Korean, would she abandon them?' Others said, “Baekhwa is a Mutant, so she”s just a savage who will only satisfy her own desires and stay holed up in the Erosion Zone.'
I made a promise to Ha Jeongseok, so I intend to keep it. And to be precise, it's not some grand talk of patriotism.
I intend to create an ending beyond the original story and protect the world my Heroines will live in.
Even if I disappear to prepare reinforcements against the Yellow Dragon, leaving behind a Mutant Legion of 50,000, people will believe that Baekhwa is helping.
“That's better.”
“Rachel. Where are the Four Dragons?”
“Records indicate they are in the northwest of the Elf Kingdom, so we need to go there.”
*I'll have to go there to find out.
First, asking Mama would be best.
There might be differences between Rachel's original world and the Elf Kingdom that hasn't been destroyed yet.*
“Should we go too?”
“You guys stay and protect Songdo, as we don't know what might happen. I'll probably be back before the war, but if anyone calls for me, make some excuses.”
“Okay. Got it.”
Many members remained, including Choi Siwoo and Han Suji.
Just in case, I also sent a text to Seo Jiyeon telling her not to worry.
Protecting Songdo probably wouldn't be difficult.
“No, I want to go too.”
“Then just Reina. I'll take the others later.”
And so, we took a Portal through the Elf Ruins back to the Elf Kingdom.
Kate really goes through a lot.
It was a fantasy world I hadn't seen in a long time: the Elf Kingdom.
It looked like a place one might see if reincarnated into an Otherworld.
However, one of the beings who ruled this world was my Female.
The place we arrived at via Portal was the Queen's Bedroom.
"It's been a while here too."
Thanks to Kate's proficiency with Gate abilities, coming here wasn't difficult.
I wished she had been asleep. Mama was awake.
Her sitting in a chair reading a book, rather than looking elegant, made me feel mischievous because of her massive chest.
“Oh my. It's been a while, my love.”
“Mama!”
Having somehow lost my objective, I forgot my purpose and plunged into Mama's colossal mountains.