Chapter 140
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 140
Chapter Title: 139. Epilogue
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Ha Jung-seok has now fully reclaimed the Korean Peninsula, secured the new territory of Dongbuk Samsung, and even snatched up those golden fishing grounds. Naturally, he'll want to sweep away the pesky White Flower Cult that's still in his way.
The old saying "discard the dogs after the rabbits are caught" didn't come from nowhere.
We took heavy losses in this war too, and on top of that, we've got weapons of mass destruction. Didn't we capture a million of those Chinese hunter monstrosities?
We've drawn a line saying there are no more of those weapons, so that topic's closed for good.
The world already views the White Flower Cult not as villains, but as the autonomous region—or even a sovereign nation—established in southern Korea.
Using force is one option, but Ha Jung-seok's approval ratings have shot back up thanks to his negotiations with China this time around.
The White Flower has all the public's adoration, but there's still a gap between being a villain leader and the head of a nation like him.
I can't just abandon my subordinates like this.
So, time to end it.
"Kate. Let's go."
"Yes."
And so, I used Kate to slip back into the president's private office.
But damn, Ha Jung-seok really seems like the type who never learns.
"What the hell are we gonna do with those White Flower Cult bastards? How about using the cadet war heroes from this conflict?"
Still spouting childish nonsense like he hasn't learned a damn thing.
When he dealt with the Chinese leadership, he at least had some style to him, didn't he?
"That's a solid idea, but we'd have to mobilize the guilds too, and the casualties would be huge, right?"
"We'll try swaying the monstrosities over to our side."
He doesn't even understand the nature of those monsters.
"Hmm, that could work. But the White Flower Cult could strike the Blue House anytime, anywhere."
"What an utter fool. While the guilds and Yoo Eun-ha hit the White Flower Cult, I just head to Japan for a summit. Shinohara Yuzuki will welcome me with open arms. Those guys are dying to get even a toehold in our golden fishing grounds."
Sure enough, he's already scheming to take us out.
And this idiot's picked Yoo Eun-ha as the tool to do it.
How hilarious.
I quietly stepped back.
Then Choi Ji-su, the president's chief of staff, locked eyes with me, and her face drained to a ghostly pale.
Isn't it a bit much to make that face even at a beauty like me?
"Uh, um. Your Excellency."
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost or something?"
Before Choi Ji-su could stop me, I darted forward and grabbed Ha Jung-seok by the hair.
Rip!
I yanked out a satisfying chunk of the hair he'd barely managed to grow back.
Casually tossing the strands to the floor, I looked at him clutching the back of his head and gave a meaningful smile.
"Gaaah!"
"Can't you just get it together? Huh? You know if we go all-out, Korea drops from hunter powerhouse to the weakest link, right?"
We've already lost over 20,000 in total—military, hunters, and monstrosities combined.
That's light compared to the original story, and right now, the White Flower Cult is covering for Korea's hunter shortages.
And in that situation, mobilizing the guilds and military against the White Flower Cult again? Insane.
Mutual destruction would just make the Chinese leadership and Japan's prime minister laugh their asses off.
Of course, this guy's no total fool. He'll probably scheme to use the hero cadet Yoo Eun-ha to secretly take us down. But since I'm Yoo Eun-ha and the White Flower, his plan's already in ruins.
"Urgh. How do you know when you'll betray us? You're a damn cult from the start! Even if we take some losses, we need to—"
That's the problem—it's not "some" losses.
This moron wants to keep absolute power without giving the monstrosities their autonomous zone. Impossible.
"You know there are hundreds of thousands of monstrosities in the erosion zones alone, right? You think suppressing them is realistic? Of course they'd fight to the death. The public would suffer huge casualties, and your approval ratings would tank."
"Hah. Are you threatening me right now?"
Threat? Obviously.
I grabbed Ha Jung-seok by the collar and locked eyes with him, speaking in a chilling tone.
"It's not a threat. You're misunderstanding something. I'm a villain. If you go to Japan, I could follow and kill you."
"So? You gonna do it right here?"
I could, but I let go of his collar.
Now this fool gets it. He won't dare push that stupid plan anymore.
Time to negotiate properly.
"If I'd wanted to, you'd be dead already. Anyway, you've officially approved our autonomous zone on paper, right?"
"Yeah."
"What if a single hunter takes charge of the White Flower Cult?"
"In other words, put the cult under hunter control to prove we won't betray Korea?"
Exactly. He's got some political savvy after all; he picks up on that much.
Koreans' view of us has changed too.
Not as villains, but with warm gazes.
"Yes."
"Got someone in mind?"
Of course.
"...The White Flower Cult is the successor to the Black God Cult. Sure, when I rebranded it, the old fanatics mostly left. But there are still plenty of believers who love Yoo Eun-ha for wielding white flames like Azidahaka. She's a cadet, but her position's already too ambiguous to keep her there."
"Hmm."
Who would've thought I'd end up nominating myself as the White Flower Cult's leader. It's my own plan, but it feels like a total farce.
Still, Ha Jung-seok can swallow this.
"She's a war hero, good enough for you to consider tasking her with taking us down. I like it too. If you refuse, Korea ends up as fucked as your scalp. Got it?"
"..."
Ha Jung-seok had no real choice.
His life and hair mean more to him than anything.
Plus, my proposal cuts hunter casualties and keeps his ratings steady—smart enough to see the win, like when he threatened the Chinese leadership.
In the end, this idiot president accepted my offer.
Blue House
After Yoo Eun-ha—acting as the White Flower—came to the Blue House, yanked out his hair, and left, Ha Jung-seok trembled with rage, lips quivering.
He looked utterly humiliated, but Choi Ji-su just stayed silent.
"That fox bitch. She knew about it all along."
"What will you do, sir?"
She's right. It is beneficial. With our plan exposed, executing it would be tough anyway, and we've already left them as a semi-independent autonomous zone.
No other options.
"Can't be helped. Makes sense. If a hunter controls the White Flower Cult, that changes everything. We could even use them. But of all people, Yoo Eun-ha."
"Worried she'll grow too big later?"
Choi Ji-su asked Ha Jung-seok, who furrowed his brow in thought.
"Yeah. She's the star of this war. Hell, she beat a Deadly Sin on global broadcast. I want to milk her for all she's worth, but she's a liability."
She helped the country for sure, but the future's uncertain.
She's got her brother Yoo Jin-seok's halo, perfect setup for a meteoric rise later.
Association girl too, and a threat to my long-term rule.
Can't underestimate a kid in this era.
Better clip her wings before she flies.
Choi Ji-su, who'd been watching him carefully, spoke up.
"Why not use this chance to assign the White Flower Cult while creating a new hunter rank? A special hunter class that doesn't fit any existing grade."
"Hm?"
"It fits the narrative—a hunter managing a villain group. Plants a firm stake. She'd dip into both hunter and villain worlds, so even association or government orders would tie her down as a dual agent, making excessive promotions tough."
Ha Jung-seok nodded vigorously at Choi Ji-su's suggestion.
"Ho, like putting brakes on her."
Pretty clever. No grounds for the association to object.
"Yes."
"Choi Si-woo's an issue too, but this sidelines her before she tastes real power. Heh heh heh. They say even a dog from the schoolhouse recites poetry after three years—you've got the chops."
Ha Jung-seok rubbed his bald spot and laughed heartily.
Fine. Hair's just hair. This gives me a shot at sidelining Yoo Eun-ha.
He had no idea.
That he was dancing in the palm of Yoo Eun-ha's hand.
[X-Rank White Flower Cult Special Hunter Yoo Eun-ha]
This is an official position appointed by the Hunter Association and the government. The above hunter is in charge of the White Flower Cult.
I stared at the special hunter appointment certificate and let out an exasperated laugh.
Yoo Eun-ha has been officially named a special hunter under the association, tasked with the White Flower Cult. Naturally, straddling villain and hunter worlds makes guild membership impossible.
It's so absurd it makes me chuckle.
"Scheming right up to the end."
Among next-gen hunters, the strongest and dubbed a war hero—Yoo Eun-ha could threaten Ha Jung-seok's power down the line.
Can a mere hunter challenge the president's authority?
Sorry, but yes.
War heroes always capture the people's hearts, no matter the era. They saved the nation, after all. So he's forcing her into both roles by putting her in charge of the cult.
Sorry. You're a war hero, but Ha Jung-seok, you pathetic fool. Jealous of a kid?
Whatever. If I rise like Oppa, it'd just get annoying. I got close to the White Flower Cult folks during the war anyway.
Won't get brainwashed?
Nope.
Choi Cheol-sik looked worried, but for me, it's a relief.
"Well, at least now I can come to Songdo openly under the pretext of monitoring the White Flower Cult without hiding."
My heroines can join the White Flower Cult too, since they're close to me.
I had no plans for a hunter career anyway, so nuking that path and openly leading the cult? Can't ask for better.
"By the way, with me taking Lust and you Gluttony, that leaves the other five sins? Still a ways to go."
Naked Choi Si-woo snuggled into me as he said that.
This naughty girl. Alone in my room, and she pulls this.
What can I do? She found out about my outdoor fun with Ji-yeon in Pyongyang, so no dodging Rachel's wrath without this.
Ji-yeon too.
"And since I'm still alive, new enemies might pop up beyond the sins."
I said that while nibbling her sweet-scented breast.
Five sins left ahead, and plenty of heroines I haven't tasted yet.
Just now I dreamed you biting another woman's tit. Come over later.
— Ji-yeon
I was slurping away at Choi Si-woo's breasts like a dog when a message pinged on my magic communicator.
Ji-yeon's text.
Damn. Looks like my holes won't be drying out anytime soon.