Spring in Zhonghua
Saturday was supposed to be a day off. Right? It's the weekend. One of the most important events in my life, the Pussy Association meeting, is always on Saturdays too. So usually, I spend it in a total debauchery fest. But today, against my better judgment, I kicked things off with work.
Since I'd already started, I began taking reports from various departments, and holy shit, they just wouldn't end.
"Ugh. Just spin off the AV management department into its own corporation... Yeah, that makes sense."
I signed off on the final proposal Im Sua had put together and submitted.
"Hedge against the Shanghai Index crash ahead of time? Yeah, it's about time to invest... Transfer about 10 trillion won to Mu-yeol Finance and invest as per the proposal. Ignore the regulatory warnings. If anything actually materializes later, report it to me separately."
I also signed off on the investment proposal that Seung-hee had compiled from the strategy team.
"Namdong District Prosecutors' Office security got updated six months ago? Then they won't budge for a while."
"It seems changing it outright would likely trigger their audits."
"Then make a reason for it. A reason why the security needs changing."
"We'll proceed that way."
I gave instructions to Baekseol, now CEO of White Snow Princess. Just that took a good one or two hours. And of course, it wasn't the end.
"Incheon Chief Prosecutor's replacement plan..."
The order I'd given earlier had come back as a pretty aggressive plan. Just like with those side-branch brothers I'd beaten to death before, it was straight-up assassinate the Chief Prosecutor and pin it on some randoms.
Timing was perfect since we'd just bulldozed Namdong Industrial Complex. Spin some propaganda, and it becomes "a criminal who escaped Namdong Industrial Complex came back seeking revenge and killed the Chief Prosecutor." Piece of cake.
But whether that guy had done anything that bad to deserve death? It still made me tilt my head a bit. Even though I'd ordered the prep myself, actually pulling the trigger felt a little pitiful.
"Hm."
I spun my pen while pondering. Before, it was just "he's a nuisance, kill him." But after meeting the Namdong District Prosecutor—who'd dared crash my pussy party without knowing his place—my evaluation of the Chief had gone up relatively.
He'd resisted at first, sure, but eventually bowed his head a bit. I'd even created a whole department, appointed Inaeun as chief prosecutor, and dumped the entire thing into Namdong Prosecutors' Office. He'd bent the knee to me.
Should I give him one more chance?
If he were a clear enemy, no mercy. But wasting someone who listens well is a bad habit. Incheon Chief Prosecutors' Office still had plenty of spots to slot people into, even if not the top seat. The more people obeying my orders, the better.
Plus, this Chief I'd prepped was ultimately slated for the Permanent Special Prosecutors' Office anyway. The seat would open up again regardless. To control both the prosecutors and the special office, I needed way more bodies under me.
Going through the Chief first then shunting him to specials looks better optics-wise...
Didn't matter if not. What counted was how firmly I gripped the Permanent Special Prosecutors' Office and the rest.
I just wanted to tweak the details a bit more. Tap, tap. I drummed my fingers on the desk and gave the order.
"Go to the Chief and relay this: tell him to dig into the Namdong District Prosecutor's dirt, or use his junior prosecutors to comb through like lice. Clean it up."
"...Then what about the current Chief Prosecutor candidate you've scouted, my lord?"
"Who was it again?"
"Yang Soyu, deputy chief prosecutor at Incheon Chief Prosecutors' Office. She's head of the Planning Division."
"Hand it over."
I took the documents Seung-hee offered and flipped through. There was a printed photo of a woman in her twenties who looked like a college student, standing ramrod straight. Even in her most prim and proper pose, an undeniable slutty vibe seeped through. The type who'd partied hard in school. Big-sis vibe, kinda like Emilia?
"You've obviously talked to her already, right?"
"Yes. She said she'd obey any order you give."
"Good girl. Haven't even spoken to her once. Did you let her know I need a Chief Prosecutor?"
"I hinted at it, but didn't say outright. She probably suspects. Oh, and there's one unusual note."
"Unusual note?"
I found the item.
'High school classmates with Do Yun-jeong...?'
Do Yun-jeong was Namdong Police Chief. The one who gave killer fellatio and loved getting fucked...
"Close?"
"Two calls in the past week. Doesn't seem like a bad relationship."
"Nice connections. Perfect."
I closed the file and handed it back. Seung-hee approached, took it politely, and withdrew.
"Keep her on hold for now. Test her loyalty... under the guise of a trial. Don't say it outright. Let her figure it out."
"Yes."
"For the Chief... relay as discussed. If he refuses, shows bad attitude, or fails, proceed with the original plan."
"Yes."
There was plenty more to handle. Finalizing the articles of incorporation for Mu-yeol Land management corp, or drawing up design plans for the unified headquarters. Of course, the secretaries handled the grunt work. But the final decisions were mine, so the tasks never ended.
"Whoa... fuck."
I'd planned quick taps, but before I knew it, evening had flown by. This the life of a corporate bigshot...? Headache...
I get Min-ji's feelings now.
Reality checks hit sometimes. I could coast from here, indulging in whatever I wanted, so why bust my ass like this? But every time, I recalled that first day of possession, gazing down from the Pyongyang hotel.
The endless forest of skyscrapers beyond the window. The moment I felt the ambition to seize it all in my grasp.
Recalling that hope and thrill chased away the fleeting doubt.
Quibbling over a measly 16 trillion? Even 16 quadrillion might not cut it.
What I had was a drop compared to Goryeo Group. Way too pathetic to settle for.
With possession and cheat recipes in my pocket, settling for this would make me a retard.
"Let's eat and continue."
"Yes."
+++
Over dinner, the Republic of Korea government issued a statement. The gist matched what Kang Hye-young had told me, but the tone was scorching.
The Zhonghua Summit hosted unilaterally by the Shanghai Economic Alliance without international consensus is utterly unacceptable, and any statements or endorsements from it hold no international weight.
Moreover, the 'One China' remarks from the summit are profoundly inappropriate. It's akin to the war criminal Democratic Republic of Deutschland and Communist Berlin tearing down the wall without permission and plotting a Nazi resurgence. Such nostalgia for imperialism is absolutely intolerable.
The vicious portrayal of war reparations we and the world are rightfully owed reaches absurd heights. In 2027, Zhonghua invaded foreign territory without cause, inflicting incalculable damage. Framing the reparations—meant to atone for infinite guilt—as our nation's tyranny is utterly improper.
They hammered that line, then dangled a carrot: massively hiking the principal repayment rate on the annual reparations.
Why a carrot? Simple logic: 'Don't you wanna get out from under these reparations quick? Pay up faster. Done.'
The Shanghai Economic Alliance had been paying ~10% of GDP annually to the Republic of Korea and ~5% to Goryeo Prestige, Goryeo Group's holding company. Now they jacked it to 15% for Korea and 10% for Goryeo Group.
Other Zhonghua states were similar—or worse. Their weaker economies meant even higher burdens. Basically inducing national bankruptcy, like not just killing the golden goose but hacking it to bits.
Even I was like, is this okay?
Naturally, Shanghai and the Zhonghua side flipped out. Calling it excessive, they summoned the Korean ambassador, lodged fierce diplomatic protests, and requested UN mediation.
"What can toothless UN even do?"
The problem? The UN lost all power ages ago... largely because of China 50 years back.
Back then, as a permanent Security Council member, China sparked WW3, exposing the UN's uselessness. Post-war, the world was chaos—no time for cleanup. It splintered into continental blocs and power spheres, forcibly respecting territories.
In Asia, Goryeo Group's Korea wielded vast, ironclad dominance.
And now UN mediation? Korea was a member, sure, but I doubted it'd hold water.