ch 235
Became a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 235
"Oh, right. Teacher, this morning France and Italy requested to postpone the meeting schedule."
"At this point? The schedule has already been set."
"Both countries had scandals break out."
"...What kind of scandals?"
"The Italian president's son was briefly affiliated with Antas. For France, it was revealed during the investigation that the president's father-in-law sent funding to Antas."
Those who have something always do more.
Antas, which had spread across the world, was able to be dealt with in just 2 weeks thanks to Luciel's great performance.
What we caught were the bosses, and while subordinate remnants remain, countries around the world are interrogating the bosses we handed over to them and rooting them out on their own.
Even though Antas was a cell-based organization, figures like bosses and executives knew the entire subordinate organizational structure.
Countries like Korea, the United States, and Japan have already captured all the remnants completely.
However, several countries - South American, Middle Eastern, and African nations - are experiencing some difficulties.
It seems to be because public safety is poor and the established powers are so corrupt that there are quite a few figures among politicians and wealthy people who colluded with Antas.
But aren't France and Italy developed countries?
Well, being a developed country doesn't mean there are no corrupt people.
Originally, I heard that Russia and China, right next to Korea, while not directly related to their presidents, are quite heavily involved with their close associates, so the remnant sweeping operations are sluggish.
"There's no postponement, so tell them if they don't come, they'll have to handle the consequences themselves."
I thought about whether I should go pick them up, but that doesn't seem right either.
"Is... is it okay to be that aggressive?"
"If I say in an interview that countries that don't come seem to have no interest in their citizens' safety, they'll come."
"...What if they hold a grudge and don't cooperate?"
"Then they just don't."
"Excuse me?"
Over the past 2 weeks, by annihilating Antas spread across the world, I've proven the credibility of my words to some extent.
Of course, there are still people who don't believe my words and some who treat me like a doomsday theorist, but it doesn't matter.
Warning about the future Demon King advent incident was something I did purely out of goodwill.
It's an action taken from moral responsibility for a future that might become somewhat harsher due to me, not my duty or life's great task.
"I'm already busy taking care of countries that immediately believe and cooperate with me, so I have no intention of pleading and coaxing them to participate."
As I told Lee Ji-sung before, I have absolutely no intention of becoming a hero.
"..."
"Well, if they have sense, they'll surely participate. If they don't participate, will their citizens stay quiet? When all other countries are preparing, they'll be really happy if only their country is twiddling its thumbs."
"Politicians might manipulate and portray you as a strange person..."
"It doesn't matter. If they do that and an incident breaks out, they'll bear all the damage themselves."
Of course, that doesn't mean I plan to just watch completely.
"Um... then what about North Korea?"
Italy and France initially said they would participate, then asked for a postponement, while several countries refused cooperation and participation from the very beginning.
The representative country is North Korea.
Since it's a country where Antas doesn't exist, we didn't do any special cooperation when annihilating Antas this time, but we still sent a proposal through the UN for them to participate in the summit meeting.
The response was complete disregard.
'Our great People's Republic will not be played by the nonsense of South Korean reactionary elements.' Was that it?
This is beyond ignoring - it's practically an insult.
Originally, since they're a puppet group illegally occupying the Republic of Korea's territory from the very foundation, I didn't expect good words to come out.
They definitely crossed the line.
Until now, I left them alone because annihilating Antas was the priority, but now that Antas annihilation is over, I think it wouldn't be bad to clean things up.
At the press conference 3 weeks ago, I said I would exclude anything that interferes - whether countries, organizations, or individuals - without exception, but until now I haven't imposed sanctions on anything except Antas, so as an example.
Like in my previous life, I dislike North Korea in this life too.
Originally, anyone who properly served in the military in the Republic of Korea wouldn't like North Korea.
Still, this world isn't as severe as my previous life due to the existence of Hunters and monsters, but it's still a rogue nation that frequently picks fights with the world.
Developing nuclear weapons with the Republic of Korea's support is the same as in my previous life.
Honestly, if I put my mind to it, dealing with North Korea's leader would be simpler than eating cold porridge.
The aftermath is the problem.
I'm not worried about things like nuclear weapons.
I just need to not give them a chance to use nuclear weapons, and even if they go crazy and launch nuclear missiles, I can just teleport the missiles outside Earth the moment they're fired.
The part I'm worried about is North Korea without a leader.
When a leader disappears in a dictatorship, civil war might break out, and China and Russia, who have always been eyeing North Korea, might push down.
Even if Korea absorbs them, handling a rogue nation with more than double the GDP difference would inevitably cause economic and social chaos.
In the original work, when the Demon King descends and all portals are liberated, North Korea collapses.
The protagonists suffer tremendously trying to handle that.
It's stirring up trouble, but it might not be bad to clean up a country that will collapse later anyway.
Hmm, I think I need to think more about this part.
"Well, I'll need to talk with government officials about the North Korea issue. Are there any other special matters?"
"Um, ah! Earlier my father got a contact saying Hunter Seong Jin-cheol inquired about your contact information."
"Seong Jin-cheol, the Hwasung Guild Master?"
"Yes. I didn't know you were close with him..."
"I wonder. From what I remember, we weren't that close."
When I was serving as an honorary director of the Hunter Association, I saw him a few times so we're acquainted, and there were no particular troubles, but we weren't close either.
"Ah, he's close with my father."
"It seemed that way. When I did STB before, he looked at me with quite unfavorable eyes."
Though not after the duel ended and I became a director.
"So did you give him my contact information? I haven't gotten a call."
"No. I just said I'd talk to you separately."
"I see. Do you have his number?"
I received the number from Se-jin and immediately made the call.
—This is Seong Jin-cheol.
"Director Seong, it's been a while. I heard you inquired about my contact information from Director Kim, so I'm calling."
—Director Kang? My, how long has it been. I've been watching your activities well. Ah, you must be busy - is it okay to talk now?
"Yes. Antas is almost completely dealt with now."
I finished it today, but haven't made an official announcement yet.
—Oh, already, that's really amazing. I've been believing in Director Kang.
"Thank you for believing in me. I'm just doing what naturally needs to be done. But what did you want to see me about?"
—Well... actually, our daughter has been pleading so much for me to let her talk with Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok. Our daughter seems to be a huge fan of Director Kang.
Daughter would be Seong Ji-an?
I immediately got a sense of it upon hearing the story.
—Director Kang, I'm almost home now... would it be okay if I contact you again in a little while?
I said it was fine and hung up.
"Director Seong really asked that with how busy you are, yet he's bothering you just because his daughter is a fan."
Se-jin being wary when I'm not actually that busy, saying his daughter is a fan, is cute.
"You saw Ji-an during that play before. It doesn't seem like fan sentiment, but rather like she wants to ask a favor."
"Ah, what kind of favor?"
"She'll ask me to treat Chan-seong. That kid likes Min Chan-seong."
I haven't heard it yet, but I can see it without watching the video.
Following Lee Ji-sung and Choi Seo-ra, this is already the third time.
When I returned as Kang Shin-hyeok, I processed Min Chan-seong, whom I had been caring for, as having been discovered and taken to the hospital during rescue operations after I suppressed the terrorism.
Se-jin agreed to continue supporting the hospital bills.
"If it's brain death, isn't treatment impossible?"
"That's right..."
"But why..."
"She probably thinks I could do it."
With healing magic, it's naturally impossible, and even using regeneration magic, it's uncertain whether it's possible.
Arms and legs regenerate instantly, but the area is that area, after all.
The brain is an organ essential for maintaining life.
If it were a heart problem, there might be some possibility if it stops briefly, but the brain isn't like that.
Even I, who knows nothing about medicine, can understand this.
Moreover, even if it miraculously succeeds, could we call that Min Chan-seong?
The body is a high school student, but the mind might become that of a newborn.
"Teacher, if it's difficult for you, I'll call and talk to them. You already have many things to worry about."
"No. Saying no isn't a difficult task either."
A little later, I felt vibration in my pocket and checked - it was a text from Seong Jin-cheol.
He said his daughter wasn't home so he'd contact me later.
After helping Se-jin process some documents, I was about to take her home and go through a portal when I came to the hospital.
Since I kept hearing about it, I was concerned and came to see his face at least once, but what's this?
The hospital room hasn't changed, but the patient lying on the bed isn't Chan-seong.
Did Se-jin move him?
If so, she would have mentioned it earlier.
I immediately left the room and headed to the desk.
"Uh, how did you get in? Right now visiting isn't allowed here... Huh? Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok?"
It seems they recognized me.
"Yes. Where is the student Min Chan-seong who was in room 1501?"
"Ah, that patient was transferred elsewhere a while ago."
Transferred?
Since he's in a brain death state anyway and Se-jin is paying the hospital bills, how...
"Where did he go?"
"That's patient personal information, so..."
"I'm not the guardian, but that student has no family. I also provided hospital bill support through Ares Guild, but you're saying he was transferred? This is the first I'm hearing of it."
"Ah, wait a moment. He went to Seoul Hwasin Hospital."
Seoul Hwasin Hospital?
Did Lee Ji-sung move him?
...
Since I beat him up so much when I was living as Min Chan-seong, his feelings couldn't be good.
Honestly, when he asked me to treat Min Chan-seong last time, I thought it was purely for cleaning up his own image... but was he really thinking about Min Chan-seong?
Certainly, before that guy touched Eunseo, I was quite close with him too...
"Excuse me, Hunter Kang Shin-hyeok?"
"Yes."
"If it's okay, could you give me an autograph..."
"Yes. It's not a difficult task. Thank you for letting me know."
I gave the nurse an autograph and left the hospital.
I turned on my phone and searched - it's not that far from the hospital I'm at now.
It's ambiguous to move with teleportation magic, so I left the hospital and caught a taxi.
"Where shall I take you?"
"Please take me to Seoul Hwasin Hospital."
I changed my face slightly with magic in case I'd be recognized, but he didn't seem to care.
We arrived in 10 minutes and I immediately entered the hospital.
When I went to the desk and asked, they were initially wary and wouldn't tell me, so I released the magic.
The hospital room where Chan-seong is admitted is on the top floor.
Usually the top floor would be the VIP ward.
If it were for image cleaning, he would have just admitted him to any random room, but it seems he's paying a lot of attention.
I probably thought too negatively about Lee Ji-sung.
I took the elevator and came up to the top floor.
2011, room 10. Here it is.
I was about to enter immediately, but I could sense someone's presence inside.
Wondering if it might be Lee Ji-sung, I slightly opened the door and looked inside - it wasn't Lee Ji-sung, but a very familiar face: Seong Ji-an.