Chapter 36. Going to Smash It Now
Chapter 36. Going to Smash It Now
"Ah, you're off the phone, Hero?"
"Yeah, it was nothing."
[What was the call about?]
[Commission or something?]
The viewers were tossing out their own guesses—a commission, a guild invitation, that sort of thing.
I told them the truth, calm as could be.
"The Blue House called."
But they didn't believe me.
[Bullshit lol]
[The Blue House, my ass lol]
[What, is the president your buddy or something?]
'...I tell them the truth and they lose their minds.'
"It's getting late, so I'm going to end the stream here."
I ended the broadcast and explained the whole call to Laila.
She tilted her head, looking puzzled.
"But I didn't really do anything during the subjugation, though?"
I could see why she'd think that, but since Laila and I were essentially a party, I figured they'd called us both for that reason.
"So when is it?"
"Well, I told them the sooner the better and to contact me anytime."
"Hmm... it's just a pretext for the commendation anyway, so I suppose it doesn't really matter, does it?"
"Right."
I called the Chief of Staff right away.
---
We hurriedly got ready to head to the Blue House.
As always, this suit was suffocating.
They obviously took my measurements precisely and tailored it to fit...
'I felt like it'll burst if I flex even a little...'
"Hero, are you dressed?"
"Yeah, just a second..."
Laila was in a sharp office outfit.
She grinned and walked up to me.
"Let me do that."
With that, she stood on her tiptoes and started tying my necktie.
A pleasant scent drifted over, and I kept noticing it despite myself.
I squeezed my eyes shut and thought about other things.
"Oh my, are you feeling warm?"
"..."
I was flushed.
In more ways than one.
"Let's go..."
Either aware of my feelings or not, Laila linked her arm through mine as we headed out.
She was really troublesome in so many ways.
After various twists and turns, I drove us to the Blue House.
There weren't many reporters, maybe because the Blue House had been considerate ahead of time.
We went inside, shook hands, received the commendation, and took a few formal photos.
Only after all the reporters had left did the president properly greet us.
"A pleasure to meet you. I am Min Seok-woo, President of the Republic of Korea."
"Ah, a pleasure..."
Once we'd exchanged greetings, the president let out a sigh of relief and chuckled.
"I apologize for putting you through such an unnecessary process... but I needed a pretext, you see, to keep people from talking."
He explained that once the reporters who took the photos published their articles, our meeting would have the official 'justification' of the award ceremony.
We headed to his private office with the president.
"You seem to dislike beating around the bush, so I'll get straight to the point."
That was a first.
I nodded at his words.
"China's economic sanctions have begun in earnest."
"Ah... why are you telling me this?"
"It's not your fault, Hunter. I'm simply establishing a clear picture of the facts."
His tone genuinely didn't blame me; it was just a matter-of-fact voice conveying the situation.
"They're probably striking at our Korea because they're afraid to touch you directly."
"But the news still..."
"Breaking news about the economic sanctions will likely go out soon. I wanted to have this conversation in advance, you see."
Loss of tourism revenue due to controls on Chinese tourists.
Targeted crackdowns on Korean companies operating in China.
Retaliatory tariffs on imports and exports.
"What a bunch of complete bastards..."
"Pfft... you're refreshingly direct, just as I heard."
The president also mentioned that China had already been demanding the corpse and related research data through unofficial hotlines.
It looked like I'd have to move up the Forbidden City demolition content.
If you sit quietly and do nothing, people really do treat you like a damn doormat.
"Given that you called us all the way here, I imagine you didn't just want to tell us that?"
"Correct. I'd like you to show them what's what."
The president's eyes turned fierce.
"Now, please ruthlessly demolish the Forbidden City—now your property—right before their eyes."
The justification was rock solid.
I was destroying my own property, so what could they do about it?
The president then asked for one other thing: a declaration that anyone holding Chinese nationality would be absolutely barred from participating in the auction.
"Won't people say that's too discriminatory..."
"The world doesn't run on kindness alone. If China, which rivals us for first and second place, cannot obtain Hunter's future goods, they will fall far, far behind."
And the neighboring countries would gleefully sit back and watch.
No matter how friendly they pretend to be, they were ultimately competitors.
Because weakening a rival's power directly benefits their own nation.
"Our government's analysis is that if things go wrong, they will put forward the State Council Premier as a scapegoat."
"State Council Premier?"
"Simply put, the second most powerful figure in China."
If things go south, they'd throw someone like that out as a sacrificial lamb?
Was that even possible?
"Because, surprisingly enough, they are political rivals."
"..."
"For our Korea, the response is constrained. Because they offered up the State Council Premier as a scapegoat."
He was right.
Since they showed sincerity, since they punished the person responsible, Korea had to back down to some extent.
we had to accept a measure of their sincerity while gauging the reactions of other nations.
"But you, Hunter, are different. You are a strictly private individual."
A walking strategic weapon on par with an entire nation.
When two such S-rank Hunters express their fury.
"It would suffice to publicly spin it as you, Hunter, being unable to bear the persecution of your homeland and venting your rage. In any case, doesn't the Forbidden City now belong to you?"
Demolishing a historic building of an entire nation...?
This was going to give the people an enormous dopamine rush.
'Building demolition content plus a dogeza show from an enemy commander...?'
My mouth was watering.
The corners of my lips rose, and I couldn't suppress my laughter.
"Destroy it to your heart's content. We will handle the aftermath."
'You guys were so fucking screwed!'
---
On the way home after a very productive conversation with the president.
Sure enough, breaking news started popping up immediately.
[China, Sudden Tariff Bombs and Visa Restrictions Enforced]
[China Imposes High Tariffs on South Korean Products... 'Strangling the Korean Economy' Begins in Earnest]
[All Flight Routes to Korea Suspended—Why?]
The talk was everywhere, not just on the major networks.
Apparently, South Korean companies' factories in China were already facing sanctions from public security forces.
The official stated reason was 'unavoidable sanctions' against a threat of territorial violation.
I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from lifting.
"Hero, are you that pleased?"
"Of course I am. They're stoking the fire themselves."
Destroying the landmark of a country that picks a fight with you at every turn.
Just thinking about the dopamine rush that would deliver got my adrenaline pumping.
"But I'm not sure if we can just go and break it without any issues..."
"Well, as the president said, it's not a problem aside from the Cultural Heritage Protection Act and international backlash."
"True. The legal owner on paper is me, after all."
The Cultural Heritage Protection Act was effectively meaningless, and the international backlash could be smoothed over with the fact that 'they started the economic sanctions first.'
Anyone could see the sanctions were filled with malicious intent.
I wrote up a quick community notice for my Nutube channel saying that something big was coming.
The moment I posted it, my phone started buzzing with notifications.
The alerts didn't stop until I got home.
[ World's Strongest Hero : Big thing coming ]
A lot of people jumped in the moment I turned on the stream, as if they'd been waiting.
They expressed confusion at the sight of me and Laila on screen.
[Why are you dressed like that?]
[Saintess's stockings are insane]
[Are you selling the clothes you wore?]
"I'm going to make a very important announcement today."
[Now that you mention it, why is this guy dressed like a construction worker?]
[Where are you off to do day labor?]
[I still can't get used to that club he's holding lol]
Laila was still in her office look, and I was wearing a helmet and a high-visibility vest like a construction worker.
Why a construction worker look?
Because obviously, I had to go demolish a building...
[Why are you doing that yourself?]
[A rich bastard like you should hire some people]
[But he'd probably demolish it way faster lol]
"I'm planning to personally demolish a building and build a villa in its place."
[But is that normally an important announcement?]
[Idk? That's a little bewildering]
"Of course, a streamer buying a house and building a home isn't that important... but you'll be surprised when you find out which building I'm demolishing."
[What, you gonna demolish the 63 Building or something?]
[Demolishing Lotte Tower?]
"You all know about the economic sanctions from China, right?"
[If you don't, you're a spy]
[There are no spies anymore, right? lol]
[No matter how plausible their excuse sounds, they're doing this just because they're pissy]
"I'm going to demolish the Forbidden City."
[????]
[Suddenly???]
[What was coming has come lol]
[Let's goooooo~]
I had warned them several times.
I told them if they pulled any shit, I'd really go wreck it.
If you ignored that warning and did this, you've got to take responsibility, don't you?
"Do you guys know about Entrance Blocking?"
[What's that all of a sudden?]
[Lol, suddenly a Korean custom game?]
[Beginners only (veterans-only room) lol]
A custom game where you join forces to block monsters from breaking through the entrance.
"I'm departing now, so try and stop me."
[Lol Irasshaimase!!!]
[Let's go!!!!!]
[Fuck, go just a little slowly so I can order some chicken]
[Super emergency!!!!!]
"See you all in China."
I ended the stream and immediately got up from my seat.
Then I leisurely had a cup of coffee with Laila.
Waiting was the unwritten rule before a transformation, after all.
"Where should I demolish to really make a name for myself?"
"Hmm... wouldn't it be best to destroy the building where the emperor lived?"
"Yeah, Laila's become a pro streamer now, too."
"Hehe."
Meanwhile, my statement had become a massive hot topic, spreading all over Weibo and WeChat.
A halo of light formed above my head, and my body started to float into the air.
"Alright, let's go!"
A tough Monday for everyone.
For the sake of dopamine, Korea's bulldozer was blazing a trail toward China.
For the demolition of a building.