The King's Edicts and the Meteor Purge
It wasn't surprising at all.
It was a foregone conclusion.
Instead, the hotly debated topic even before the ascension was something else entirely.
Opinions were wildly divided.
But one thing was certain.
The decree would not only spark fierce score competition but shake the entire international community.
As the world held its breath in anticipation.
The First Decree has been enacted.
All individuals affiliated with China who harbor malice toward Korea are prohibited from entering or residing in Korea.
The decree's effects were immediately visible.
Countless Chinese staying in Korea were forcibly summoned to towers near their homeland.
Most of them to...
—Gaaah!
—S-Save me! I don't wanna die!
...the front of towers in infested zones.
The world's collective intelligence quickly pieced it together via unmanned camera footage.
Fierce condemnation poured in.
Chinese Awakener crime syndicates had been a global headache for ages.
And then...
That was exactly right.
The System's autonomous judgment.
But as the saying goes, once momentum builds, even heaven lends a hand?
World opinion flowed seamlessly into admiration for Hitchhiker.
Of course, some nations threw fits.
China, slapped out of nowhere.
Furious reports flooded in.
One article caught the eye.
The mechanics of Royal Authority were already known worldwide via announcements.
People's praise rose and fell accordingly.
In other words: Could he handle 1.4 billion citizens' fury?
Indeed, Chinese public opinion was boiling.
Ironic, coming from the originators of ideological vetting.
But the unfolding situation was the complete opposite of China's expectations.
Royal Authority wasn't plummeting—it was skyrocketing like mad.
Two main reasons.
First, Chinese gratitude toward Hitchhiker was already rock bottom.
Second, Hitchhiker had begun holy-water conversion on major rivers worldwide.
Fulfilling his campaign promise.
A massive crowd rushed to the rivers of light.
Proof poured in.
The world buzzed in festive excitement.
Governments launched projects to utilize the holy-water rivers.
Not all, though.
The US, China, Japan trio, plus Russia and the South American alliance that broke promises to Korea.
Public outrage blazed.
Then, another event seized global attention.
Korea's second strike on China.
Not a decree this time.
The Korean government dropped a bomb.
A hit list of successful assassinations targeting famous Awakeners worldwide.
Cases built on suspicion solidified into hard evidence.
And on top of that...
Chinese Government Assassin List
(...)
The world, learning the truth, unleashed furious public opinion.
Chinese government denials?
Agents' opinion manipulation attempts?
Meaningless against a global tidal wave.
Meanwhile, China's top brass, the world's punching bag, were in heated debate.
"We must respond! We need a response!"
"First, identify those responsible—!"
Venue: China's provisional government building.
Surprisingly, in Beijing.
Thanks to US aid in Tartarus subjugation and partial land regeneration.
Still barren, but authorities couldn't abandon the symbolism and pride.
And that reflected in...
"This is a declaration of total war!"
"We must show Korea what we're made of!"
...the officials' vein-popping fury.
Chairman Bin Hao's head throbbed.
Just pointless repetition?
Driving him mad.
Everyone knew the truth.
China was branded an international war criminal with no escape.
Korea had leaped to an untouchable height, making checks impossible.
What was left for China?
Inevitable downfall and ruin.
So they barked like frightened dogs hiding fear.
National reparations to the world.
Score competition. The US-China-Japan alliance's future.
Innumerable factors.
'No answer at all.'
There was one final gamble, but that was...
Intense gazes turned.
Director Ma Chingdong.
"......"
"......"
Their eyes said it all.
Same thought.
Yeah, ex-military like him.
'Solution: war, nuclear strike.'
World calls us war criminals?
Become real ones.
Rules mean nothing before power.
Invade Korea, turn the world to chaos—maybe a way out.
Current Korea: militarily weak.
Hitchhiker's moves suggested long Meteor Fall cooldown.
Would Chinese forces raze narrow Korea first?
Or Hitchhiker turn vast China to ash?
Ma Chingdong whispered.
"Your Excellency, you must decide."
"......"
"Time is short."
"...I know."
Truly urgent.
Golden hour before Korea's second decree.
"Launch recon squadrons near Korean airspace to monitor."
"Arm them for potential show of force."
"Understood."
Ma Chingdong left the chamber.
Left in pointless shouting, Chairman Bin Hao wrestled with dilemma.
How much time passed?
'Fine.'
Give flesh to take bone.
"Contact the military immediately—"
The Second Decree has been enacted.
Korea's territory, airspace, and territorial waters are absolutely protected from all modern weaponry.
That instant.
BOOM—!
China's recon squadrons, grazing Korean airspace, smashed into an invisible barrier and plummeted into the sea.
KABOOM────!
Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do.
Two meteors crashed in succession.
The world watched live via satellite.
In the shock, a message rang out.
I pledge to use my skills solely for reclaiming global territories from monsters and contributing to international peace.
The sole exception.
That is, when any nation threatens another with force.
Translation: Watch nations—don't wanna get meteor'd? Behave. Not just Korea; leave weak countries alone too?
Prior statement implied reclaiming territories worldwide.
As the world rocked.
The Third Decree has been enacted.
All nations except the following will receive 1.5x tower score gains. (...)
Chairman Bin Hao realized.
Korea had shifted leagues.
China's only path: grovel desperately.
*
Knowledge, Wisdom x3. (30 min)
KABOOM────!
First meteor: entire Gyeongsangnam-do.
KABOOM────!
Second: entire Jeollanam-do.
Using Spatial Manipulation to zip between tower tops, I unleashed the meteors.
Circular blast radius far exceeded the regions, but no worries.
Damage Design 2 - Meteor Fall
Freely limit this skill's damage radius.
Bought that trait.
Cost: whopping 300,000 Tower Coins.
"Worth every penny, though."
"Right! Expensive means top-tier!"
Not expensive—cheap.
Anyway.
Meteor shockwaves spread magically to the Jeolla-Gyeongsang border and fizzled.
From now on, no fretting over surroundings when dropping meteors.
"Spam! Boom! Spam spam! Kaboom!"
"Meteors are ecstatic every time."
—Drop one on my homeland too!
Amid the audience's fervor, I purified Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do towers.
Towers turned white, light spreading.
"Tomorrow Gangwon-do and Busan? Holy Leader?"
"Yeah. Basically reclaiming all pre-war Korean Peninsula."
Current Awakener level: 48.
Actually, extra purifiable tower list unlocked at 45.
But I'd focused meteors on tower climbs for score comp.
Now, though.
"Boosting Royal Authority takes priority."
Meteor usable twice daily.
Redirect to territory reclamation.
First South Korea and old North. After Manchuria, the whole world.
From tower tops, I admired reviving Jeolla and Gyeongsang, then returned to my room.
Sat to review plans.
Whoosh!
Yulia yanked the chair.
"Holy Leader, now you're king—time for a seat worthy of your station, no?"
"Right! Demon King! Peeling table chair's level mismatch!"
What's with the sudden drama?
As I opened my mouth to call it fuss...
"What the hell is that?"
"A chair?"
"No, I mean, what."
"Ah! It's a throne."
"Wasn't asking the type. Why's it from sub-space?"
Well.
"I commissioned Lumentia craftsmen earlier and stashed it?"
Yulia pulled a grandiose throne from sub-space.
Platinum gleaming all over.
Wing-shaped back wide open.
Gonna lose my mind.
"Hehe, details: armrests feature our order's divine beast Hati's tail as motif. Back shape symbolizes dopamine pursuit—letter D stylized."
A bit—no, very dizzying.
"Design aside, too huge? Fills the whole room."
Seeing my reluctance.
"Your Majesty, please sit."
"Demon King, sitty-sit."
Two allies tugged my arms.
"Sigh, I'm not really king yet. Kinda childish, but since you made it, I'll try si—"
Squish.
Hm? Uh, hmm?
Custom fit?
My face instantly smug.
"Ho there! Bring matters for my inspection."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Here."
Yulia handed a binder.
Cha Minhyuk's approval docs.
"Demon King, take~"
"Krrrng?"
Hati in my lap, grape tray.
Fed grapes one by one, arrogantly flipped papers.
Flip.
"First: handling one nation and its cronies getting flak from all sides internationally."
Yulia briefed beside me.
Core: how to deal with US-China-Japan alliance and traitors.
For now, US, China, Japan.
Less reason to pour full effort as before.
Why?
Korea gained transcendent power via decrees, plus...
'My mission's scale shifted.'
Beyond mere score comp,
to planetary management level.
Wasting resources obsessing over US-China-Japan now.
"Keep under strict watch as Earth's villains to deploy when needed. Their score production ain't negligible either."
No forgiveness planned.
They're perfect public enemies.
China's example seen; US and Japan'll stay quiet awhile.
Stir trouble?
Immediate hard response.
And.
"Russia and South America—"
"No forgiveness ever!"
"How 'bout a chance for atonement?"
Dilemma here.
Borrowing Cha Minhyuk's words.
"A king can't be only kind or only cruel."
Master the tightrope.
For public sentiment management.
International image needs strength control too.
Tough, so tough.
"King become! Endure crown's weight!"
"Yulia, crown possible?"
"Already commissioned. In progress."
Decision postponed.
Next item.
Flip.
"Proposal: using order divine beast's skill for high-grade gear duplication and global ranker score-boost industry."
"Krrrng?"
All eyes on Hati.
Totally a blessing fox, huh?
End