Chapter 295
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 295
Chapter Title: What the Hell is Going On?
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Han Jeongguk's stomach was in knots.
Lately, everything had been going wrong, piling up stress like a mountain.
Of course, that was the unavoidable fate of any office worker, and at his age, most people either got used to it or quit because they couldn't hack it.
But he was the exception.
No matter how badly things went.
No matter how much stress built up.
His job wasn't something he could just walk away from on a whim—or should.
Because...
"Mr. President, your approval ratings have been plummeting lately."
"I know."
...he was the president of the country.
Han Jeongguk, reviewing documents in his Blue House office, furrowed his brow at his chief of staff's words.
It was a phrase he'd grown all too familiar with these days.
Including the follow-up opinion.
"I think you need to take some kind of action."
"What kind of action?"
"Maybe roll out a new promise under your Approval Promise to boost those ratings..."
"You want me to make more promises? Have you lost your mind?"
Han Jeongguk glared at his chief of staff with a murderous look.
The Approval Promise—the unique skill that had propelled him to the presidency—required him to fulfill every pledge he made to gain support.
Failure came with risks.
Loss of muscle mass.
Declining virility.
Increased wrinkles were the least of it.
In the worst cases, he could end up with something like [I'm impotent?!], [Shit on the wall], or even [You have breathed your last.].
That's why he'd spent his entire term so far working to realize the promises he'd made during the campaign.
And yet he hadn't even fulfilled half of them. Adding more now would be suicide.
"But the political situation is dire. If this continues, lame duck syndrome will accelerate."
"That's..."
Han Jeongguk groaned.
The political climate was so severe that even his chief of staff was offering such advice.
Having to worry about lame duck status just two years into his term proved it.
'Damn it, if only that hostage crisis hadn't happened!'
It all traced back to one incident.
Rimon had stormed the Blue House, taken him hostage, and broadcast it live nationwide.
They'd later cleaned it up by claiming it was all a training exercise, but few bought it.
Those who did just criticized them for turning the Blue House into a warzone for "training."
Dealing with the backlash.
Rebuilding the ruined Blue House.
For months, he'd been hounded by public opinion and pressure from both his party and the opposition.
And those weren't even the only problems on his plate.
"Approval ratings aside, there are real issues we need to address."
"Like what?"
"Internally, the dismantling of the PAB has weakened public security, and the loss of numerous high-level players has caused economic damage."
Han Jeongguk's face hardened at his chief of staff's serious counsel.
The 909 Unit.
PAB elites.
Stardust and Cheonjong guilds, among others.
Over 70 high-level players dead at Rimon's hands, plus 50 state-of-the-art weapons destroyed—it was a catastrophe.
Even two grand dukes had perished.
Considering the stature of high-level players as one-man corporations, the losses were immense.
Economically, it was like dozens of companies vanishing. Militarily, entire armored divisions and fleets gone.
And they'd lost these vital assets trying to eliminate Rimon, the so-called National Savior Hero.
If word got out, the stock market would crash, and his political standing would shatter.
To cover it up—ruling them all as missing, silencing those involved—Han Jeongguk had poured in massive slush funds.
The problem was, the crisis still wasn't contained.
"We're filling that gap by cooperating with other major guilds, right?"
"Dungeon byproducts are being supplemented to some extent, but public security is deteriorating further."
"That bad?"
"General guilds stepping in for the PAB was a stretch from the start."
His chief of staff pointed out sharply.
The PAB was the dedicated agency for high-level players.
Its agents were elites skilled in combat and crisis resolution.
Major guilds handling security, though? Problems galore.
Excessive force under the guise of capturing player criminals was minor.
Favoritism, bribery, even guild-wide abuse of authority—it was rampant.
"We can't just reinstate the PAB overnight."
"Not immediately, but you need to establish a replacement agency. Otherwise, we'll end up like Africa."
"Ugh..."
Already overwhelmed by the hostage cleanup, Han Jeongguk groaned at the mounting crises.
But his chief of staff wasn't done.
"And there are external issues too."
"You mean the tariff hikes from the Zhonghua Seventy-Seven Federation?"
"It's not just them. Haven't you noticed our diplomatic standing worsening across the board?"
"...You think that's from the hostage incident too?"
"At the very least, the international mood shifted oddly right after."
"Hm."
Han Jeongguk's expression grew troubled.
They weren't superpowers like America or the Russia-Khan Nation, but they were a storied power in their own right.
They'd always received subtle deference worldwide, and as president, he'd taken it for granted.
The issue was, as his chief of staff said, that respect had sharply declined lately.
Invitations drying up.
Traditional perks vanishing.
Diplomat attitudes turning arrogant.
Any one might be shrugged off, but together? Even a politician had to notice.
Their global status was tanking.
"No, that has to be your imagination."
Still, Han Jeongguk shook his head.
And stated firmly.
"We have the Infinite Monarch. Who would dare look down on us?"
"The Infinite Monarch himself has gone completely radio silent since then."
"That's probably why everything feels off. Once Lee Cheongi steps back up, it'll all sort itself out."
"You really think so?"
"...Of course."
Despite his words, Han Jeongguk couldn't shake his unease.
In this Iron Age, a monarch was an unmatched absolute.
Active or hidden, the Infinite Monarch Lee Cheongi and Infinity Guild alone wielded massive influence.
Yet problems kept piling up diplomatically, economically, security-wise.
It was bizarre.
Like an invisible pillar yanked out, leaving the palace trembling on the verge of collapse.
'If I'd known it'd be like this, I never should've listened to that bastard Park Hyeon-gun!'
He'd granted the request from Infinity Guild's shadow power broker to build ties with Lee Cheongi.
But Park had vanished without a trace, Infinity distanced itself, and things worsened.
Han Jeongguk couldn't help regretting it inwardly.
'Rimon Asfelder, that son of a bitch!'
On the other hand, he cursed Rimon.
This was all fallout from failing to kill him.
'If you're the National Savior Hero, die for the country! Taking the president hostage?'
A true patriot would've shouldered the blame and died.
That he'd thrown a fit just to save his own skin—it infuriated him that he'd ever called such a man a hero.
But he couldn't voice that rage.
He wasn't fool enough to provoke someone who'd stormed the Blue House and taken him hostage again.
Not nationally.
Nor personally.
As Han Jeongguk racked his brains amid layered internal and external crises,
Ring.
His chief of staff's smartphone buzzed.
With permission, he checked the message and lit up.
"Mr. President, good news from the Foreign Ministry. Countess Rose has scheduled a visit."
"Countess Rose... You mean Great Britain's Rose Serpent Countess?"
"Yes."
"Why would that princess suddenly come here? Aren't they swamped with London reconstruction?"
"Not sure, but maybe she's seeking cooperation on that."
"Right, that's definitely good news."
Han Jeongguk's face brightened.
Countess Rose—Yormungand's chairwoman, wielding more power in Great Britain than the royals.
A deal with her, business or state-wise, could ease these crises.
"Make sure we treat her like head of state—no slip-ups. Adjust schedules for as many meetings and dinners as possible."
"Yes, understo..."
Rare good news amid the bad had Han Jeongguk beaming.
Ring.
His chief of staff's phone buzzed again.
"What now? Don't tell me Rose's visit got canceled."
"No worries. This is from the Ministry of Culture."
"Culture?"
"Yes, the message says..."
Reading it, his chief of staff froze.
Then, with an ambiguous expression—joy? Alarm?—he said,
"High Priestess Ainsha is visiting our country."
"What? Why her too?"
"Purpose unknown. With Ainsha, it might be a performance, so they suggest national support..."
"Yeah, good idea."
His brief unease faded.
Han Jeongguk saw the upside.
Ainsha—Tiamat's chairwoman, influential high priestess in the Holy Alliance.
World's top singer too—one show from her would rake in economic and cultural gains.
"Ainsha visiting right when Rose schedules hers. What a coincidence."
"Indeed."
"Can't hurt. Might even arrange a dinner with both princesses..."
That was as far as his optimism went.
Vrrr, vrrring.
"...Something else?"
"...Health Ministry. Says Maia chairwoman is coming—prepare accordingly."
"..."
Han Jeongguk's face stiffened.
Two? Coincidence.
But three from Seven Dragon Group sending visit notices on the same day?
Coincidence?
And would it end there?
His grim premonition came true.
Rrrring!
This time, not the smartphone.
The direct line in the presidential office rang. Han Jeongguk swallowed dryly and picked up.
His face froze.
[Y-Your Excellency! Disaster! The Pacific Fleet's deployed off the East Sea!]
"What?"
[Russia-Khan's gone to wartime status—troops moving to the border!]
The Defense Minister's scream was just the start.
National Intelligence: Missiles positioned in Moscow, aimed here.
Finance Minister, panicked: U.S. cutting deals, pulling investments.
Foreign Minister: All African diplomats detained.
Minister of Trade: Apophis power plants shut down.
Via chief of staff.
Direct lines.
Or bursting in personally.
Bombarded by frantic reports, Han Jeongguk stood dazed for a long while.
Then muttered blankly,
"What the hell is going on?"