Chapter 132
For Ha Jeongseok, who was confident of victory in the war with the Yellow Dragon submerged in the West Sea and successive victories coming from Pyeongyang, it couldn’t have been anything but an unpleasant call.
With the Yellow Dragon already submerged, what could they possibly want to say, calling via Magic Gear?
“Isn’t this President Zhang Xueti? Did you call to ask how we caught the Yellow Dragon? If it’s about that, I’ll tell you after the war, when we discuss reparations, so why don’t you hang up?” [“You’re mistaken about something, Ha Jeongseok. We still possess nuclear weapons. Hundreds of them, in fact. What do you think would happen if we unleashed them on Pyeongyang and Seoul? Nuclear weapons don’t work on Monsters, but they certainly work on Humans, don’t they?”]
What a petty barbarian bastard! He was hiding them?!
I never imagined they’d be hiding nuclear weapons.
“Aren’t you afraid of the International Community? I hear you were a pariah back in your cadet days, just like now.”
At a time when humanity should be united, fighting Monsters together, China waged war to swallow Korea. Naturally, the world condemned China, and China found itself isolated. With China’s market no longer necessary, there was no longer any reason to maintain diplomatic relations with China, so China’s future path would surely be a sad one.
“It won’t matter once we’ve dealt with you, will it? Bringing up the International Community suggests you have no countermeasure for nuclear weapons. If you surrender now, we’ll let your country remain as the Joseon Autonomous Region. Of course, all your prominent Hunters will have to be executed as war criminals.”
Soon after, via Magic Gear, many videos arrived, showing Nuclear Bunkers and secret nuclear tests. They were real, not fake. They probably weren’t doctored. Zhang Xueti was a scoundrel who flaunted his power, but he wasn’t one to bluff.
This trashy bastard dares. Who does he think he’s threatening?
Ha Jeongseok briefly put down the Magic Gear and called Choi Jisu.
“Hey, Chief of Staff.”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
If the opponent is coming with nuclear weapons, we also need to make our own preparations.
“How many missiles do we currently possess? Didn’t I tell you to keep a tight grip on my military personnel? You’d know that much, wouldn’t you?” “At most, we have fewer than 400 Hyunmoo missiles left. Even those are old models. We’re no match for China, which prepared nuclear weapons in advance.”
Can’t even compete? Well, the opponent is nuclear, after all. Even if our missiles could reach mainland China, it’s a vast country unlike the Korean Peninsula, so it’s not a fair fight.
But bowing our heads like this is also a matter of pride.
Then, something suddenly echoed in his ears.
If you’ve brought things to this state, try to do something for the country at least once.
It was something Baekhwa, the Villain, had said once. Do something for the country, just once. Until now, he had lived solely to seize power in Korea. That was why Ha Jeongseok was a man who considered Korea itself to be his own being. He couldn’t give in to such threats here. The moment he surrendered to such a scoundrel, the nation of Korea would disappear. Ha Jeongseok would disappear.
Right, since the Yellow Dragon has been caught, I should do my part too.
Normally, he would have considered it arrogant talk, but now, he found courage.
Ha Jeongseok picked up the Magic Gear again.
[“If you don’t want to be nuked, right now…”]
“Hey, Zhang Xueti. The bastard who used to get beaten by me has really grown, hasn’t he? Hey, you thick-headed bastard. Didn’t you learn anything about me while you were under me?”
Nuked, he says. The guy who used to get thrashed during his cadet days is incredibly arrogant just because he got hold of a chunk like China.
“How dare you bring up the past!” “You are Zhang Xueti, and I am Ha Jeongseok. What’s the difference? Nuked? You motherfucker, shoot if you’re going to shoot! Do you think I wouldn’t have hidden missiles, dealing with black-hearted bastards like you? I have thousands of missiles, stashed away before the Pre-Cataclysm and secretly acquired from North Korea during the Pyeongyang Incident!” “What?!”
He was still no different from his cadet days. His voice still held anger, but it was also flustered. Just as I thought. What did he think would change just because he became the President of State?
“Even a brainless idiot like you would know that all these thousands of missiles could rain down across China. Since your territory has shrunk after the Great Cataclysm, we can hit you even harder.”
If there really had been Conventional Weapons left, it would have been so.
[“This bastard!”]
“So, shoot if you’re going to shoot! Even if Korea dies, I can make sure you’ll never rise again in your lifetime, so shoot! Or should I shoot first?!”
[“How dare you threaten someone!”]
Is this what they call Hypocrisy?
“Who are you calling a threat, you bastard who’s shitting his pants and launching nukes because the Yellow Dragon died and you’re afraid of losing already? Hey, Zhang Xueti! Do you really think you’re an emperor just because the bastard who used to get beaten by me is hiding in the Presidential Palace? I’ll give you a choice. Should I turn China into a half-corpse? Or will you end this war at the Hunter level? If you become a cripple, the world will try to eradicate China in retaliation for launching nukes, won’t it? In the end, if Korea dies, China is finished too, you bastard!” [“This son of a bitch!”] [“P-President Sir!”]
Click.
Hearing other voices from beyond the Magic Gear, the speakers were probably Public Security officers trying to restrain the President.
“What were you thinking, doing that? We don’t have that many missiles! You should have threatened them with Hunters instead!”
“Hey, Choi Jisu. You still have a long way to go.”
And he calls himself the President’s Chief of Staff.
“Huh?” “In international diplomacy, there are times when you have to bluff to survive. You have to make big things seem small, and small things seem big. What era do we live in that he would dare? That bastard can never use nuclear weapons.”
It was just as Ha Jeongseok said. A short while later, the Presidential Palace’s Hunter Public Security Department directly sent an email stating that the war’s outcome should be decided in Pyeongyang. As President, he had done all he could.
* * *
The Battle of Pyeongyang, which took place in Pyeongyang, ended with Pyeongyang unbreached by China’s Sin Hunter Legion, thanks to the Impenetrable Defense of the Korean Hunters and Villain Alliance Army.
Ultimately, the Chinese Hunter Army retreated from Pyeongyang.
In the now more relaxed Guild Alliance Command, the next operation was discussed.
I, a former cadet, was also included. It was natural, since I had saved Seo Jiyeon and blocked the enemy Hunter Alliance Army with White Flame.
Since they let me participate in the meeting, I offered my opinion.
By the way, Jiyeon found it bothersome, left it to me, and went outside.
It seems she was quite embarrassed that our relationship was exposed.
Well, we were officially recognized as a couple.
“Let’s counterattack now, before those bastards can regroup. A million of them might join up, so we need to thin them out a bit.”
“Counterattack?”
Yu Jinseok seemed surprised by my words. Honestly, he’d only heard rumors until now. He probably never imagined his sister, who used to just stay cooped up at home, would change this much. His jaw dropped when he saw me on the battlefield earlier. What more needs to be said?
“Yeah.”
“You’re not wrong. We caught the Yellow Dragon, but if a million of those bastards come again, it’ll be tough. We need to thin them out a bit now.”
Shin Jiun agreed with my opinion. As the consensus shifted to a counterattack, the Guild Alliance’s gaze turned to Elise, the Mutant Army commander.
“Shouldn’t Baekhwa be here then?”
Cha Jieun seemed disappointed that Baekhwa, the Leader of the Baekhwa Cult, wasn’t present. Or was she trying to tempt me? But I had no intention of getting involved yet.
“Lady Baekhwa entrusted me with command.”
Elise was surprisingly good at commanding. A woman who was originally American led the Mutant Army quite well.
“Where’s Baekhwa?”
“Due to her current injuries, it’s difficult for her to participate in battle right now.”
Elise made a plausible excuse. After all, Baekhwa and I couldn’t coexist in this place.
“The ROK Armed Forces are preserved, and the Baekhwa Cult even has Combat Golems, so we can win if we launch a surprise attack. What’s their position?” “They retreated to Pyeongseong.”
Pyeongseong is directly north of Pyeongyang on the map. They launched a fierce attack and then pulled back. Even so, the Chinese bastards must have realized that it would be difficult to win.
“Are the Baekhwa Cult’s Magic Weapons still usable?” “Yes. Is the Guild Alliance Hunters’ Magic Capacity also fine?” “It’s fine. Then let’s advance right now.”
The Baekhwa Cult’s weapons were perfect, and the Guild Alliance was perfect too. Thus, it was decided finally to advance north. As I stepped out of the Command Center, Yu Jinseok called me aside.
“Eunha.”
“Older Brother?”
“What are you even doing in this war? Sigh.”
For a moment, it seemed wrinkles appeared on Yu Jinseok’s face. If I were him, I’d find a sister like me pathetic too. Yu Jinseok had tried to protect me, but here I was, on the battlefield. Moreover, his sister was dating a woman. He must be shocked beyond words.
“What wouldn’t I do for the woman I love? Older Brother, you don’t mind me being with Jiyeon-i, do you?”
“If you’re happy, I don’t mind. Just take care of yourself. I barely managed to stop them from mobilizing the cadets at the Hunter Academy.”
Oh, he went that far? My, how kind.
“Oh, you’re finally acting like an older brother for once? Honestly, I have to protect my own woman, don’t I?”
“Haa. To think my sister was a lesbian.”
Yu Jinseok pressed a hand to his forehead, thought for a long time, then shook his head.
“So, do you want me to date a man instead?”
At my words, Yu Jinseok’s face twisted comically. Did he imagine me holding a boyfriend’s hand? But don’t worry.
“That’s even more horrible. A woman is better. Jiyeon-i isn’t a bad kid or anything. So, you’re going to Pyeongseong together?”
“Yeah.”
“When did you get so strong?”
“It just happened?”
I don’t need to explain properly, do I? This guy’s a siscon, not the type to grill his sister.
“Right. So, you’ve awakened or something, and your Constellation is the God of War?”
“Yeah.”
“The God of War, huh. Park Junhyeok, that bastard, has become pitiful.”
Yu Jinseok shook his head, lamenting the loss of a valuable talent.
“It’s his fault for being possessed by Sin.”
On June 30th, the ROK Armed Forces, Hunters, and Villain Alliance Army finally began their northward advance. Thanks to China’s war of attrition, most of North Korea’s Monsters had already been subjugated, so there was no damage caused by Monsters. From this point on, perhaps believing the situation in Korea had improved, even foreign war correspondents joined them.
“Alright! Let’s wipe out all these Chinese bastards who invaded our land!”
Even though they were imbued with Sin Fragments, China’s Hunters were of low caliber and were massacred by the Hunters and Villain Alliance Army, who advanced with Golems.The battle in Pyeongseong was a scene of the Allied Forces attacking and the Chinese Hunter Army defending, but with the participation of the masked Choi Siwoo, Dark Elf Reina, and the Four Dragons Magnute, Pyeongseong was devastated by Dragon’s Breath.The interesting thing was:
“It’s Beubmi Power!”
“Sister Beubmi. It’s embarrassing, so go fight by yourself over there.”
“Hmph, that’s too mean! Geumtaeyang, if you do this, you won’t get any soup!”
“Sigh.”
Beubmi and Geumtaeyang were together. I met them for a chat, but Beubmi tried to keep me by her side, so I left. I was catching Chinese Hunters with White Flame; in the midst of the chaos, I then joined the battlefield as Baekhwa.
“Everyone’s Idol Baekhwa has arrived!”
As I appeared on the battlefield in the form of the Fallen Nun Baekhwa, everyone cheered.
“It’s Baekhwa!”
“Baekhwa!”
“Hoo-wook. Hoo-wook, I want to lick Baekhwa’s feet.”
The last guy was a bit disgusting. Still, with the Yellow Dragon defeated by the Baekhwa Cult and the Chinese Hunter Army crushed by the Baekhwa Cult Mutant Army, my stock among Koreans must have soared.
So, I also made a grand entrance.
“Party time~!”
I said cheerfully, snapping my fingers.
Clack!
Even Sin Fragments couldn’t overcome my chaos. Those who tried to resist my Mental Attack began killing each other.
“Aaaargh!”
“What are these crazy bastards doing?! Cough!”
The Chinese Hunter Army, pushed back from Pyeongseong, was utterly annihilated and continuously driven north.
On July 1st, after a massive offensive by the Allied Forces, the Chinese Hunter Army was eventually driven back to the Amnok River, with fewer than 100 remaining by the time they crossed it.
On July 3rd, when the Allied Forces recaptured the Tumen River, Ha Jeongseok at Cheongwadae declared the Korean Peninsula fully recaptured after 105 years.
Doesn’t that make your heart swell just hearing it?
However, it was still too early to celebrate victory.
There were still Sin and a massive horde of enemies remaining.