Chapter 103

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Translator: True Detective

Chapter: 103

Chapter Title: 101. Warning

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The guild masters let out a collective sigh upon hearing that Seo Ji-yeon wouldn't be showing up.

"She doesn't want to come out. That's why I let it slide. If that woman sticks her neck out for no reason, Songdo could get wiped off the map entirely."

"Smart choice."

The guild masters had the skills to stand up to Seo Ji-yeon's finger-snapping power, but terrain advantages weren't on their side.

If Seo Ji-yeon was forced by the association's orders to attack Songdo, Baekhwa might hold, but Songdo itself could be utterly destroyed.

"So the upshot is, the Blue House bastards can drop dead for all we care—we just pretend to attack and bail?"

Taehwa Guild's master, Shin Ji-woon, spat the words with a click of his tongue.

"Exactly."

"I thought the Blue House had slim hunter forces? Their main lineup is just the Heungbu and Nolbu brothers and a few others. Baekhwa overwhelmed Kim Ji-hye with speed alone, and even though Yoo Jin-seok went easy, she still clashed with him. Heard her swordsman buddy fought Heungbu too. And there's that mystery archer whose identity's still under wraps. You think Ha Jeong-seok's hunters can punch through that?"

Honestly, it was unthinkable. Right now, Ha Jeong-seok's hunters didn't even have the chops to take down the weakened Hunter Association.

"Ten thousand national troops are being mobilized."

"Ah, ten thousand national troops. What? Has that bastard Ha Jeong-seok lost his mind? Even if they win, facing a monster squad like that means massive casualties—it's obvious."

Ten thousand national troops? That meant an army of folks who couldn't even attend Hunter Academy, with barely a trickle of mana. Sure, some were failed academy cadets, but they were no different from civilians.

"Who knows what's rattling around in that guy's skull?"

"Probably mixed in his own hunters."

That would mean using the national troops as meat shields to somehow nab Baekhwa.

And if heavy losses hit the troops in the process, the public would naturally turn their ire on Baekhwa.

"They figured we wouldn't help."

Baek Cheong-gang clicked his tongue.

"Spot on."

The president was truly throwing his own people into the fire.

Yet he was scheming to tarnish the image Baekhwa had built up so far. What a venomous snake.

If the subjugation failed, he'd take the heat, but Baekhwa would just drop to plain villain status. Recruit some heavy hitters from anywhere and snag her—that'd be that.

In that case, the best move was for Baekhwa to evacuate.

She probably knew by now anyway.

Choi Cheol-sik and the guild masters could only hope Baekhwa wouldn't make a foolish choice.

While Songdo was heating up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with war prep, a message came from Seo Ji-yeon.

First time since handing over the magitech gear.

The vibe was turning ominous.

Tomorrow? Then war clouds would hang over Songdo in no time.

Good thing I'd sown tension among the people ahead of time.

Even in this mad world, the idea of national troops still held weight.

Not like the old days, though—they'd shrunk the army big-time, prioritizing hunters.

I hurriedly gathered the heroines.

"If Ha Jeong-seok pulls some human wave tactic with the national troops, we don't kill the enemy."

"What? Then how do we win?"

Han Su-ji furrowed one eyebrow, clearly baffled.

I pulled magitech rifles from my subspace.

About 1,000 of them—the ones I'd shown the heroines before.

Hadn't handed them to the monsters yet; just tuned the lethality down.

Even distributing to everyone combat-ready in Songdo, half would be left over.

"These magitech rifles from Cheonsan use mana stones super inefficiently, but you can dial the power."

"I know. You charge mana and tweak per-shot output. Lower power means less lethality."

Choi Si-woo chimed in with a solid factoid.

Right. These guns packed low punch.

Low enough you'd wonder why bother killing soldiers—they'd just sting and wound.

"I've set all the rifles for the monsters to non-lethal mana levels. So we endure."

"Until when?"

"That's where Reina and Han Su-ji come in. Reina, you need to wreck their supply depots. Same for you, Su-ji. National troops use mana-powered depots even in gates these days. Find 'em, and destroying's easy."

Cut supplies, and with the guild alliance stalled, the enemy would be pinned down hard.

"Where are the depots?"

Han Su-ji tilted her head. Ah, that was the snag.

As I pondered, Lee Yoo-jeong nudged my shoulder.

"I'll scout it."

"Can you, Yoo-jeong sunbae?"

"Magitech gears are scattered all over Baekhwa Church turf outside Songdo. Bound to snag something. But ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Seoul's right next door—think they'll retreat if supplies get hit?"

True. If they didn't pull back, other options existed.

"We could use demonic energy."

"That'd hit the guild alliance too. You know that, Eun-ha."

Choi Si-woo shook his head.

Everyone here was used to demonic energy. Yoo-jeong just needed to control the gears in Songdo—no issue. But the guild alliance? Humans. Execs might weather it, but low-rankers could drop dead from a mass release.

"And no guarantee Ha Jeong-seok folds. Worst president ever. Might push even if the army retreats. Even to the death."

Yeah. Couldn't bank on wishful thinking.

Needed another way.

"We ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠really need Rozaria."

Rozaria was a healer. Could patch monsters or humans, no discrimination.

Bring her here to treat wounded monsters? Perfect. Especially against 10,000 troops—you'd have to fight for real.

"As a meat shield?"

Reina jabbed at me.

She knew me too well. Not exactly.

"No, no, not just that."

She'd be handy, though.

Anyway, if Shinohara moved, what then?

Shinsengumi were a pain. Tricky.

Ways existed. Sow chaos in the army, and they'd slaughter each other.

But then we'd have fewer troops prepped for the sins later.

"Wait. Hold up."

Ways to neutralize 10,000 troops? Plenty if you looked.

Not even neutralization—could just make 'em retreat.

"What if we strike first?"

"Strike first? We got an image to uphold. And hitting Seoul first? Winnable?"

Preemptive win chances? I was me—what was there to worry about?

"Who am I?"

"Ah."

"Forgot whose bitches you are?"

"So what's the plan?"

Seoul had walls ringing it. Major roads connected east, west, south, north—huge gates locked normally, opened only with clearance from gate-guarding hunters.

From inside, sure. Attacking from outside without Azidahaka's power? Tough.

Cheonsan Group's monster-defense turrets were no joke. If they fired up, it'd be a hassle.

Of course, Kate would handle entry.

Straight charge to the Blue House. That idiot Ha Jeong-seok was probably hunkered in his underground bunker.

Such a slimy creep.

"Just trash the Blue House."

"Just the Blue House?"

"Yeah. Only Baekhwa Church and you girls."

Elite few on our side anyway.

Infiltrate monsters straight into the Blue House—done.

The moron would think guild alliance plus Heungbu-Nolbu brothers sealed the deal.

"Whoa, you telling us to die?"

Han Su-ji hugged herself like some fragile little girl, playing weak.

Did she forget she was top-tier here?

Acted dainty for my comfort, huh.

"It's a smash-and-grab on an empty house—what's the issue? And Su-ji, you're plenty strong already. Blue House leftovers? Just Ha Jeong-seok's dogs."

Ha Jeong-seok's hunters were scum with dirty histories.

Criminals. Brainwashed since kids. Whatever.

Endgame? Mind-broken, not even human anymore.

Loyal to Ha Jeong-seok only.

So, kill 'em—no big loss.

Public wouldn't mind. Everyone knew they were shady. Bust 'em, and opinion wouldn't swing against us.

They'd be tough, sure. But way below us.

"Using Kate then?"

"Yep. Gonna sprinkle some bait first."

"Huh?"

"If we just hit the Blue House out of nowhere, we'd look like total villains."

Villains we were, but the "beautiful villain with a backstory" vibe mattered.

Like always, I fired up the stream today.

But today was for a warning.

"Hey everyone. Baekhwa here. Streaming today to warn the Blue House."

Sure enough, our shady hunter pals—holed up in their dens all day—flooded in by the hundreds, waiting for my stream.

Chats scrolling by were all like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that.

Twitty not banning my villain ID was a shocker.

Thanks to it, I had a stage to set for trashing the Blue House.

We had to play defense, striking back after their first move.

I faced the camera, dead serious.

"Guess I've been looking like a pushover."

Almost dropped a pussy joke here, but held back.

"Lurking by the walls, sending hunters nonstop—you planning to subjugate us soon? Warning to the president: if I see any sign of crossing the wall to hit us, we'll hit back."

Clear warning: invade our turf, get wrecked.

Nice balance. Viewers bickering among themselves.

Perfect chaos. More mess, bigger our community clout.

Public reaction? Curious how it'd land.

"Old geezer might not have heard through wax-clogged ears, so warning again: don't fuck with us chilling here. Unless you want the Blue House smashed. Getting wrecked by a young girl whose blood hasn't even cooled? Kinda pathetic, no?"

I'd warned them clear.

Reactions hot as expected. Fights were prime entertainment anywhere.

Lowbie hunter viewers? Obvious.

"Viewers, wanna see the Blue House get smashed? Cheer for Ha Jeong-seok to attack Songdo."

With that, I ended the stream.