Chapter 496: Emergency Meeting (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 496: Emergency Meeting (3)
The stage was set.
The word "rebellion," carrying a heavy and undeniable weight, instantly seized everyone's attention. Jo Dal-su took a step back, just as planned.
"Inspector Moon Tae-jun, explain the situation."
"Understood."
Screech.
Moon Tae-jun pushed back his chair and stood up.
His battered face had received only basic first aid. He swept his gaze across the assemblymen, his eyes burning with a thirst for revenge. He had been waiting for this exact moment. In all his years of living a smooth, successful life as an inspector for the Central Government, he had never suffered a day as humiliating as today. Roman Dmitry had grabbed him by the hair and smashed his face into a table, and then Assemblyman Jo Dal-su—the man he considered his most reliable backer—had slapped him.
All of it.
It was all Roman Dmitry's fault.
If only to regain Assemblyman Jo Dal-su's trust, Moon Tae-jun vowed again and again that his revenge would succeed.
"I will explain the details of the incident," Moon Tae-jun began. "It all started a month ago during the Ant Cave Subjugation that shook South Korea. At the time, I discovered that Roman Dmitry was the culprit behind the 'Red Moon Massacre Incident.' I offered him a pardon in exchange for joining the Central Government. No matter how severe his crimes, an individual with A-rank strength or higher is a necessary asset to South Korea. However, the Incheon Government and Roman Dmitry reacted with shameless audacity. They claimed that slaughtering those people was mere self-defense, and spewed treasonous remarks, declaring they would operate independently from the Central Government moving forward."
A clear fact mixed with a shred of a lie.
He had blended them perfectly.
Moon Tae-jun spun the narrative to make himself look like a paragon of duty, framing the Incheon Government and Roman Dmitry as the sole instigators of the conflict.
"And then came today's incident. Hunters belonging to the Incheon Government underwent a promotion exam, and in the process, Jo Min-woo, an A-rank hunter, was killed. From our perspective, we had no choice but to question the brutal methods that led to the death of such a valuable asset. Yet, the Incheon Government and Roman Dmitry once again refused to admit any wrongdoing. They claimed they were not at fault in the slightest, and declared that they would view our questioning as an act of hostility."
As his explanation continued, the assemblymen's expressions hardened.
They had attended this meeting with light hearts, expecting a routine briefing. But just as Jo Dal-su and Moon Tae-jun intended, this painted picture of Incheon left them with no choice but to view the situation as an outright rebellion.
Furthermore...
Rustle.
Moon Tae-jun pointed to his battered features. "Look at my face. Roman Dmitry did this to me. They used violence against me, an official acting strictly by the manual, and even threatened to wage war if we took issue with it. Assemblymen, Incheon has crossed the line. Roman Dmitry is a walking disaster seeking to tear down all of South Korea. If we leave such a seed of discord unchecked right before the Great Disaster, what do you think will happen? The long history of South Korea—no, the entire world—proves that internal conflict is more fatal than any external threat."
The wounds on his face were raw and vivid. He had deliberately avoided using a healing potion, opting for basic first aid just to present this undeniable proof to the assemblymen.
His intention worked flawlessly.
Bam!
"Those crazy bastards dare to start a rebellion?!"
It was Assemblyman Myeong Seong-ho of Yongsan-gu. He slammed his fist on the table, exploding in rage.
* * *
"This is absurd," Myeong Seong-ho continued. "In the decade or so since I took office, I have never heard of anyone daring to lay a hand on a representative of the Central Government. And rightly so! The Central Government is the shield that protects South Korea. Unless they intend to rebel, why on earth would they touch us? We must make an example out of them to warn a hundred others. This is absolutely unacceptable."
He had ignited the spark.
Other assemblymen quickly chimed in.
"I agree. Whatever circumstances Incheon might have, attacking a member of the Central Government without due process is a severe crime. If we leave the Incheon Government and Roman Dmitry alone, the prestige of the Central Government will plummet."
"Perhaps this is the work of a foreign nation harboring ill will toward South Korea. Isn't the whole situation strange? A powerhouse like Roman Dmitry suddenly appears and settles down in Incheon, a place that offers him no benefit whatsoever. Incheon doesn't have the strength to rebel against the Central Government. To make sense of their irrational behavior, we have to assume there's a hidden backer."
"Let's punish them. Before the Great Disaster begins, we must mobilize our forces and wipe them out."
Everyone vented their anger.
Moon Tae-jun's battered face was the perfect catalyst. At the thought that they, too, could be assaulted just like him, the assemblymen bared their teeth in hostility.
However...
Not everyone was in favor of unconditional punishment.
Assemblyman Lee Jae-sik of Seongdong-gu spoke up. "I understand your sentiments. This is certainly a matter where we must punish one to warn a hundred. But from what we know, Roman Dmitry is an S-rank hunter. Furthermore, the strength of the Incheon hunters who passed the promotion exam is considerable. How exactly do you plan to punish them? Of course, if we mobilize the full power of the Central Government, we can wipe them out. But we will inevitably suffer massive casualties just to conquer a single city. The Great Disaster is right around the corner. As the President said, now is the time for us to lie low and conserve our strength."
It was a dilemma.
Even if the rebellion was obvious, the true threat they had to guard against was not Incheon, but the Great Disaster.
If it struck while they were fighting a civil war, the consequences would be catastrophic. Naturally, Lee Jae-sik's cautious argument resonated with many in the room.
Jo Dal-su, who had been quietly observing the situation, finally stepped in.
"Yes, I agree with Assemblyman Lee Jae-sik's concerns. It is a matter of timing. Roman Dmitry knows this. He provoked us intentionally, likely banking on the fact that we need to preserve our forces for the Great Disaster. But the Central Government must not set such a weak precedent. To punish the Incheon Government and Roman Dmitry without sacrificing our own strength, we only need the help of one person."
Instantly, as if by unspoken agreement, every eye in the room turned toward a single figure.
In the corner of the meeting room sat a middle-aged man draped in a pristine white robe.
"If the Mage in White lends us his strength, we can wipe out the traitors of Incheon in a single blow."
* * *
The Mage in White.
He was a mysterious figure. Twenty years ago, when South Korea teetered on the brink of destruction during the first Great Disaster, a man clad in a fluttering white robe had appeared before the masses. Back then, the concept of "Awakening" was still unfamiliar. In an era before classifications like S-rank or A-rank even existed, he had saved South Korea from ruin with his overwhelming magic.
Later, he was officially classified as South Korea's very first S-rank hunter.
The public widely believed that the nation had only survived to this day thanks to his contributions.
"The Mage in White is the hope of South Korea."
A national hero.
That was his reputation.
Whenever a Great Disaster struck, he fought on the front lines to protect the country, earning the absolute reverence of the public. Even now, with the Central Government wielding absolute power under the President, they wouldn't dare touch the Mage in White. His public influence was immense, and his personal strength was unimaginably vast.
S-rank.
It was a realm beyond the heavens. He wasn't classified as an S-rank simply because he was stronger than an A-rank; he was placed in that category because his power could not be measured by ordinary standards. And even among S-ranks, the gap in power could be vast. The Mage in White was considered one of the absolute apex powerhouses, making him the only individual in South Korea capable of establishing an independent faction outside the Central Government's control.
Baek-il.
That was the organization that followed the Mage in White. Since a significant number of highly skilled mages belonged to Baek-il, the Mage in White was truly a one-man force comparable to an entire nation.
Therefore, he was absolutely essential to Jo Dal-su's plan.
'The Mage in White is the very embodiment of justice. He does not tolerate villains who plunge South Korea into the abyss. To someone like him, Roman Dmitry will undoubtedly be classified as a villain. Suddenly appearing out of nowhere to cause chaos, acting hostile toward the Central Government right before the Great Disaster—such actions are clearly detrimental to the nation. It's simple. If the Mage in White agrees to help, we can wipe out Incheon and Roman Dmitry without expending our own strength.'
It was a perfect plan.
The Mage in White was synonymous with justice. Jo Dal-su judged that a man who had dedicated the past twenty years to righteous causes would be the perfect weapon to bring down Roman Dmitry.
'Roman Dmitry. You messed with the wrong people.'
Jo Dal-su spoke with grave sincerity. "Roman Dmitry is clearly an evil existence. We cannot allow such evil to run rampant in this chaotic world. Please help us. If the Mage in White lends his aid, the Central Government will back you with our full support."
Inwardly, he swallowed a laugh. He didn't doubt for a second that everything would go exactly according to plan.
Under the intense focus of everyone's gaze, the Mage in White remained silent.
It wasn't out of solemnity.
Pure, unadulterated irritation was boiling up inside him. He could absolutely never accept Jo Dal-su's request.
To understand the hidden truth that the public didn't know, one had to go back a few days.
* * *
A few days ago.
Having recently returned from a magic exchange program in the USA, the Mage in White received an absurd report from his subordinate.
"Say that again. His name is Roman Dmitry?"
"Yes, sir. The man currently presumed to be a new S-rank hunter is named Roman Dmitry. As soon as he appeared in South Korea, he destroyed Red Moon and resolved the omen phenomenon. Currently, his relationship with the Central Government is deteriorating rapidly due to a conflict with Inspector Moon Tae-jun. What should we do? With the Great Disaster approaching, we cannot leave Roman Dmitry and Incheon unchecked."
Baek-il's purpose was the protection of South Korea. More precisely, it was built on enacting justice, which meant a rogue element like Roman Dmitry should naturally be a thorn in their side.
"……Fuck."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
The subordinate's eyes widened.
Fuck?
He doubted his own ears. Had the gentle, always-serene Mage in White actually just sworn? It was so unbelievable that he had asked for clarification, but the Mage in White just waved his hand dismissively, as if he had never uttered the curse.
In truth, the mage couldn't care less about the saintly image he had carefully cultivated over the past twenty years. From the moment he heard the name 'Roman Dmitry,' his heart had been pounding like crazy. He felt so dizzy he wanted to throw up.
'Surely, it can't be.'
He immediately set out.
It could just be a coincidence. Because of the unique abilities possessed by 'Inheritors,' the people of this modern world knew that the name 'Dmitry' held special significance. Therefore, it was entirely possible for someone to adopt the name Roman Dmitry. Even though the general public didn't know it was the name of the Emperor, nothing that happened in this world would be surprising anymore.
'Perhaps he is an Inheritor of Roman Dmitry. Now that people who inherited the abilities of the Dmitry family are appearing one after another, there's no law saying someone couldn't inherit Roman Dmitry's personal power. If so, I must recruit him at all costs. If he has inherited even a fraction—even a tiny sliver—of Roman Dmitry's power, he will be strong enough to shatter all existing standards.'
He headed straight for Incheon.
He had to confirm it with his own eyes. The true identity of this Roman Dmitry.
He heard that Roman had entered a blacksmith's forge, so he stayed in Incheon and waited for him to come out. He was anxious. The very fact that Roman was inside a blacksmith's forge weighed heavily on his mind, stirring up old memories.
A few days passed like that.
And when he finally saw Roman Dmitry emerge from the forge and head toward Seoul, the Mage in White felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
"Ah..."
Shiver.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
It was unmistakable.
It was Roman Dmitry.
He didn't know how it was possible, but Roman Dmitry existed in this world with the exact same appearance he remembered.
But how on earth did the Mage in White know what Roman Dmitry looked like? An Inheritor only received a fragmented portion of memories; they couldn't possibly know as many concrete facts as the Mage in White did.
The answer was simple.
He was not an Inheritor.
The reason he remembered Roman Dmitry so vividly wasn't due to some awakened inheritance ability. It was because he had experienced the man firsthand in his past life.
His past life.
His true name was none other than Alexander.