Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Washington's Unexpected Blackout
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The day Washington suffered an unexpected blackout.
As the morning sun rose, the power outage was resolved—and at the same time, Washington erupted in chaos.
No, the entire United States did.
This alone was a massive scandal.
Senator Parks had been a seven-term congressman, reigning as a pillar of the Labor Party for decades.
Though his popular support had waned, keeping the presidency out of reach, he remained one of the party's most powerful kingmakers.
He was the one orchestrating President Jonathan's impeachment from the shadows.
For a man like that to be assassinated?
But there was even more shocking breaking news attached.
The Labor Party leader had been committing child-related crimes!
Every country took such crimes seriously, but America was especially sensitive to them.
If you didn't get caught, fine—but once exposed, destruction was inevitable.
Of course, Senator Parks was already dead, so he wouldn't face trial for his sins.
Do-hyun had killed everyone else in the mansion at the time.
They were all accomplices to the crimes.
Not a single innocent among them.
No one criticized his heavy hand.
A few Labor Party congressmen tried raising their voices, only to get carpet-bombed with accusations of being in the same gang—and they quickly vanished.
The Hero Police on scene especially defended and praised Do-hyun fervently.
The police had tried to stop Do-hyun when he first drew blood.
They'd unintentionally ended up protecting the criminal, Senator Parks.
After all, the local precinct had provided the senator with all sorts of favors over the years—mess up now, and they could be labeled accomplices.
"I understand your position, officers. Let me handle the explanation."
Do-hyun had reassured them like that, moving the police to tears of emotion—and now they defended and praised him fervently.
'Truth be told, I slipped them a little suggestion. To testify in my favor.'
Do-hyun logged into an American bulletin board.
As the world's top Awakener nation, the U.S. had boards segmented by region—East, West, South, Midwest—and every one was buzzing about the incident.
But didn't they say Kim is Korea's villain Genocider?
The point is, Kim is more respectable than any American hero. Without him, Pearl Harbor and this Parks mess wouldn't have been solved.
Users across the U.S. East, Midwest, and South boards were all thrilled with what Do-hyun had accomplished.
Only the West board was quiet.
Time zone differences meant they were still asleep—and lately, the West Coast felt like a completely separate country from the East.
'I've gained a lot.'
First, Blood Magic proficiency.
Even by vampire standards, it had reached a considerable level.
Of course, nothing compared to true "noble-class" elites, but he didn't need to worry about them yet.
'Mind Control proficiency ticked up a bit too.'
Mind domination was one of vampires' signature tricks.
All his base stats had surged as well.
He was nearly at the stat cap for a Level 7 Upper.
'I could hit Level 8 right now, but per my plan, staying as the underdog is better for now. Plus, there's a hidden piece.'
Push past the Level 7 Upper cap by accumulating more stats, and you unlock a hidden perk.
Anyway, Do-hyun's gains from this weren't just fame or power boosts. Those were minor compared to his "real" rewards.
Right on cue, Smith arrived.
"Ready?"
Smith's eyes brimmed with genuine respect for Do-hyun.
Not from the prior Mind Control nudge—this was heartfelt admiration.
A stranger stood beside Smith.
"White House Chief of Security McConnell. His Excellency requests your presence."
Do-hyun had become the president's savior through this incident.
Why did catching Senator Parks save the president?
The impeachment fizzled out.
Thanks to Do-hyun, President Jonathan had survived his worst crisis.
'Though politically, recovery is impossible.'
Drugs, slush funds, affairs—
The president's misdeeds were real.
He'd fallen victim to vampire schemes, but crimes committed didn't vanish.
Re-election was off the table.
'Still, a president is a president.'
"Thank you. You saved me. No, not just me—you saved America. Without you, whoever sat here would end up the same under their thumb."
President Jonathan thanked Do-hyun sincerely.
(For the record, the vampire matter was quietly buried by bipartisan agreement.
It would've shattered trust in the U.S. government root and branch—not just Labor Party, but plenty in the Liberty Party were in bed with vampires too.)
"Any plans going forward? Staying in Washington? Whatever you do in America, I'll help however I can."
"I'm heading to California."
"California?"
Do-hyun revealed his destination for the first time, leaving the president puzzled.
"Joining the Gold Rush?"
California.
America's number one state, hands down.
Top in population, unrivaled in economic size.
Even standalone, its economy outranked Japan for world number four.
The Cataclysm only boosted its status further.
Gate spawn rates there dwarfed the globe.
"I thought California would fall to monsters at first. Never imagined it'd become a golden goose."
As mentioned before, gates were no longer humanity's threat.
They were the new era's source of wealth.
Awakener hordes flocked to raid California's overflowing gates, turning it into America's most developed region.
"Not interested in the Gold Rush."
"Then are you going to take down California's villains? I know you're a great hero, but reconsider. It's the most dangerous place in America right now."
The influx of Awakeners brought massive side effects.
It became villain heaven.
"LA and San Francisco half-occupied by villains isn't hyperbole. Know why the National Guard isn't deployed? They don't think they can wipe them out."
Do-hyun knew this well.
'Not 'don't think they can'—they'd get totally annihilated.'
No wonder the feds were on the verge of exiling their top economic state.
"Not going to catch villains. Well, I will, but that's not the goal."
"... Then why California?"
Reasons abounded.
Its chaotic state was a massive opportunity for Do-hyun.
Fame, power, money, strength—all within reach.
No need to spell out details here.
Do-hyun said only what mattered.
"Thinking of becoming LA's mayor, for starters."
President Jonathan fell silent for a moment.
He'd never seen it coming.
"... Mayor? Of LA, no less?"
Los Angeles.
Familiar even to Koreans.
Home to Korean baseball stars, site of America's biggest Koreatown.
Everyone knew it as America's second city, but few grasped its true underbelly.
Among major U.S. cities, it boasted the worst public safety.
Even pre-Cataclysm; now, unspeakable.
'Mayor, of all things?'
No naturalized Awakener sought politics.
"... Why mayor?"
"To serve America."
A pat answer.
'Easiest way to get what I want.'
He wasn't planning a lifelong mayoral stint.
Just a temporary seat to grab his prize.
"You know what LA's like, so I won't belabor it. But you becoming mayor? Impossible. Not because you're an immigrant. LA's Labor Party absolute stronghold."
Do-hyun had crossed the Labor Party over Parks.
They hadn't shown hostility—guilty conscience meant they'd stay in line.
But they wouldn't let him become LA mayor.
"LA mayor, California governor, California senator—reserved for Labor Party elites. It's the path to the presidency."
"Not running as Labor, so no issue."
"... Then?"
"Planning to run as Liberty Party. Your Excellency, use your influence to make me their candidate in the next LA mayoral."
"!!"
'Not planning to actually join Liberty Party, but use what's available.'
Do-hyun aimed to transcend both parties eventually, but for now, with no U.S. political base, Liberty Party would do.
"LA mayor race is a throwaway for Liberty anyway, right?"
"... Fair point."
"By-election coming soon—pull strings in the party then."
"... Huh?"
President Jonathan tilted his head.
"LA's independent election system means over three years till a new vote?"
"Normally, yes. But LA City Code Section 409 mandates a by-election if the mayor dies or can't perform duties."
"True, but that's if something happens to the mayor."
"LA's mayor won't be able to perform duties soon."
"How do you...?"
The president snapped his mouth shut.
He'd realized he'd asked something he shouldn't.
Do-hyun pretended not to hear, just smiling.
"I think you get what I mean. I'll be in your debt often—looking forward to working with you, Your Excellency."
President Jonathan shivered at the smile, swallowing hard.
'Is Kim a hero... or a devil?'
He knew Do-hyun was likely Genocider.
But Do-hyun was no mere vigilante.
Hero or devil, one thing was clear:
The moment Do-hyun arrived, California would flip upside down.
Do-hyun didn't head to California right away.
The "settling of accounts" from this wasn't over.
Next, he met the CIA Director, FBI Director, and Immigration Director.
Already powerhouse feds pre-Cataclysm, their authority had skyrocketed in the Awakener era.
"I know you took orders from Senator Parks to frame me."