Chapter 38. Even a Dried Squid Yields Essence If Squeezed
Chapter 38. Even a Dried Squid Yields Essence If Squeezed
The other S-ranks bristled at the sight of him groveling and calling him "sir."
They were outright humiliated by Chen Longwei, who was bowing his head as if to some small nation.
"Why should I?"
"Please, just this once, show us mercy."
"I made it perfectly clear I wouldn't let it slide if you pulled any nonsense, didn't I?"
Someone, apparently unable to stomach Chen Longwei's debasing words any longer, leaped forward.
"Chen Longwei, bowing to such a barbarian—I'm ashamed I ever respected you, even for a second!"
Viscous mana began oozing from the sword he had drawn.
The mana then took the shape of a blade and sheathed his weapon.
"For the crime of baring your fangs at a great nation, pay the price!!!"
The mana-wreathed sword now boasted a colossal blade exceeding two meters.
He leapt and swung at my left shoulder.
─ Clang!
A sound that should never come from a human body rang out.
The blade didn't budge in the slightest after striking my shoulder.
"Grrrrk...!"
His hands trembled as he struggled to drive it even a fraction deeper.
"A bit different from what you imagined, huh?"
I grabbed the blade resting against my shoulder and pulled it straight toward me.
Naturally, the man holding the sword was yanked closer.
─ Crunch!
If they had any common sense at all, they would have watched my raid footage.
Not only that, they would have seen how Yang Tenjin got smashed to pieces. I didn’t know why they're still so reckless.
"Did you think you'd be any different from that Yang what's-his-name?"
I grabbed his head with one hand and looked at the Chinese hunters behind him.
They hadn't expected the man in my clutches to be handled so helplessly, and they were at a total loss.
"I definitely said..."
─ Kwang!
"...not to pull any..."
─ Kwang!
"...stupid stunts!"
─ Kwaaang!
"...didn't I?"
─ Kwaaang!!!!
He smashed right through the marble, his upper body driven upside down into the floor.
The sight of only his lower half sticking up filled them with terror.
"Do I look easy just because I've been using words?"
At that, Chen Longwei, judging that things could not be allowed to continue, drew his own sword.
But as expected, I felt no fighting spirit from him.
"Sir, I beg you, please stop this here."
"Even so..."
I grabbed the ankle of the man still embedded in the ground, his body twitching intermittently.
"Gotta finish what I started, right?"
─ Bwoong!
Still holding him, I hurled him into the building opposite.
He crashed through several pillars and was buried deep inside.
And then the building collapsed on top of the fallen man.
"..."
Chen Longwei's eyebrow twitched slightly.
"Sir, please, allow the remaining structures to be preserved. They are the pride of the Chinese people and—"
I pressed a finger to my lips and gestured for him to be quiet.
"If you want what's left intact... then your boss should come here and bow his head, shouldn't he?"
"..."
"It seemed like he's just been watching all this time, even as things have gotten this bad, huh?"
This whole situation was being broadcast live.
And yet he had just been sitting back and watching while it escalated to that point?
'That meant his neck was still stiff.'
If he was still being stubborn, I just needed to show him that this time it might actually break.
In the end, I completely demolished the three most historically and culturally important halls and pavilions in the Forbidden City.
In the face of such destructive action, the Chinese hunters could do nothing but watch.
"I hear a lot of tourists come here. I could just destroy the rest and put a parking lot on top. Right?"
"..."
I destroyed them thoroughly, one by one, as if chewing every last bite.
'If he doesn't show by the end, I was destroying it all...'
At the thought of tearing everything down, my grip tightened.
But just then, the soldiers who had cleared the debris outside began marching in with orderly movements.
"?"
Through the ranks of soldiers, a man walked out.
"If this is more weird bullshit..."
Just as I was about to wave a hand in irritation and tell him to get lost, the man cautiously bowed.
"Please... I hope you will put an end to this matter here."
With his head bowed, he silently awaited my reaction.
So without a word, I quietly watched him in return.
"...You're not the face of the President I know."
"I serve as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. In truth, the President wished to come personally. However..."
He bit his lip once, then continued.
If this was an act, his control over his expression was superb.
"He has been busy... dealing with the Premier of the State Council, who initiated the economic sanctions against Korea."
"Dealing with?"
So even at this point, the man couldn't be bothered to show his face and sent a subordinate instead? I was so dumbfounded I let out a scoff.
"Ah, so he's planning to quickly cut off the tail, is he?"
The Chairman said nothing.
He simply kept his head bowed in silence.
"All of this occurred under the leadership of the Premier. We knew nothing."
"You knew nothing?"
"..."
There's no way they didn't know. This was China, where power was concentrated into a single point, and they're saying they didn't know?
"Fine. I'll head back now."
"Thank you for your mercy."
"But..."
"...?"
"Since we suffered damage from your economic sanctions, you'll need to compensate us for that, won't you?"
Taking the spoils was the natural right of the victor.
"B-But our hunters also suffered considerable damage...!"
"You attacked first, so isn't this self-defense? Besides, I know the scope of self-defense in disputes between hunters is interpreted rather broadly."
"...!"
"We can discuss the compensation slowly, later."
"Yes..."
"Oh, right. If you take down that banner hanging outside, then next time it won't be the Forbidden City that gets destroyed—it'll be something else."
I grinned at him.
Isn't planting a flag(?) in conquered territory the unwritten rule?
As I returned to Korea with Laila, I assessed the situation. At first, I'd thought it was simply about destroying cultural properties. So I'd half figured that making the President come and bow his head was a bit of an overreach.
'It was a little strange to tell the head of a country to bow just because you wrecked some cultural properties.'
"But it turns out it wasn't just that..."
"No. Even within China right now, there's criticism that 'the government failed to protect the nation's historical legitimacy.' Citizens are genuinely on the verge of rising up."
On top of that, political instability was being highlighted, foreign investors were pulling funds, and the yuan was plummeting.
Western countries were already treating this seriously and hurriedly pulling their assets out.
"Hero, but are you really going back like this? From what I saw last time, the President seemed to want you to push a bit harder?"
"Laila."
"Yes?"
"You know how you can still squeeze juice out of a dried squid?"
I haven't squeezed them dry yet.
---
While Laila and Song Hoon were en route back to Korea, a press conference was underway at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Amid a barrage of camera flashes, the spokesperson for China's State Council took the podium. His expression was rigid, the atmosphere taut.
"The People's Republic of China is a nation that regards international cooperation and stable economic exchange as its highest priority."
As he began to speak, every reporter held their breath and listened intently.
"The recent economic measures were interpreted differently from their original intent, resulting in unnecessary misunderstandings and conflict. We extend our deepest condolences to Korea for the damage incurred and pledge to provide full compensation."
The spokesperson paused to collect himself, then continued in a firm voice.
"The fundamental cause of this entire situation was the erroneous judgment and policy decisions made within the State Council at the time. The Premier's arbitrary measures provoked diplomatic friction and were contrary to our government's official position."
Murmurs spread among the reporters.
Words that openly targeted the Premier.
In effect, it was no different from the Chinese government shifting all responsibility for this incident squarely onto the Premier.
Yet even in the face of such reactions, the spokesperson's expression didn't change one bit as he continued.
"Our government regards this situation with the utmost gravity and will thoroughly investigate those responsible, taking corresponding measures. Accordingly, we will reexamine certain economic measures currently in place and undertake diplomatic efforts to ease unnecessary tensions."
In other words, a declaration of sanctions withdrawal.
Yet even in this moment, China cultivated an atmosphere not of having surrendered, but of having reached the decision independently.
Still, the reporters' questions were sharp.
"You said it was the Premier's arbitrary decision. Does that mean the central government was entirely unaware of it until now?"
"You stated you would investigate those responsible. What disciplinary measures has the Premier actually been subjected to?"
"Doesn't lifting the economic sanctions essentially mean you've succumbed to pressure?"
As the questions poured in, the spokesperson gave an answer that sounded prepared in advance.
"The matter regarding the Premier will be thoroughly deliberated within the party, and relevant details will be announced at a later date."
Reporters tried to fire follow-up questions, but the spokesperson raised a hand to block them.
"I will take no further questions. This concludes the conference."
He gave a short bow and left the podium. But he couldn't stop the hall from erupting in commotion as reporters busily drafted their articles.
[ China Ultimately Withdraws Sanctions... Yet Shifts Blame to Premier? ]
[ China Could Not Even Exert Control Over a Single Individual. ]
The President preserved his own face by making the Premier a scapegoat.
The Premier's political footing would be shaken, and in the worst case, he could be purged.
Nevertheless, in the end, China had knelt.
For all the appearance of the press conference, the actual defeat was undeniable.
---
- I am scheduled to have an unofficial meeting with the President.
"You may demand anything you wish."
- ...
"By the way, while facing China's S-ranks, a question occurred to me."
- I am listening.
"Why on earth do they cooperate so obediently with the state when they have that kind of power? With strength like that, they could easily..."
- Oppression, tyranny, despotism, dictatorship...
"No, even so, if you're an S-rank..."
- They already failed once in the past. In the process, countless civilians were killed.
"Not the hunters...?"
- It was an incident that occurred while suppressing rioters, and it was announced that citizens died because of those rioters.
"So in effect... they held the people hostage."
- The party keeps hunters with potential under close surveillance in advance, and even takes their distant in-laws hostage...
"Is that possible? In the 21st century?"
- China is a place where that is possible. And there are S-ranks who, promised great privileges, directly participate in the oppression.
My brow furrowed.
If that's the case, revolution was obviously impossible.
Because you have to contend not only with the state but also with S-ranks akin to yourself.
"So they're like total collaborators...?"
- Pfft... a very apt description. The mindset that they just need to fill their own stomachs, regardless of the country's safety.
"Ah... I see."
- Yes, in any case, when there are important discussions to share, I will inform you first.
"Well, the people handling state affairs will manage that just fine on their own."
- Hoo-hoo, thanks to you, Hunter, Korea stands to gain a great deal. It's only natural that I contact you.
We chatted idly for a while like that, then hung up.
After ending the call, I was lost in thought for a moment.
I'd had a vague idea they were bastards... but specifically, they were utter bastards.