Doctor, Patriot, and Terrorist (15)

By the time Liu Linfei had finished her shower and sated her hunger with some delivery food, she'd completely shaken off the fear she'd felt at the octagonal pavilion on the mountaintop at dusk. The Chinese woman, clad only in a white bathrobe over her freshly washed naked body, picked at her meal absentmindedly while stealing glances at me.

"I love doing it with you, oppa, but... every time, I pass out, and that kinda bothers me. It makes me think I'm not satisfying my man enough...."

It had to weigh on her mind. I tossed out some unvarnished honesty.

"Don't worry about it. I like women who pass out."

I meant it literally—that having her collapse like a dead rat was more convenient—but she took it another way, her eyes widening as blood rushed through her body.

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean? You're such a perv, oppa."

"Does that bother you?"

"...No."

Her gaze dropped to her toes, wiggling them shyly, a bashful smile lingering on her lips. Not a bad improv act as a normal guy this time around. If this prey lost her confidence, Gao Xusen would start scrambling for other safeguards. I could adapt to that too, of course, but it'd be a hassle.

The TV news we'd left on provided fodder for conversation late into the night. Linfei, who was studying Korean but could barely manage self-introductions yet, listened to my summaries and offered her takes on each topic.

"I heard Korea was a safe country, but I didn't know crime was this bad. Watching the news, it feels even worse than China? To keep Awakened Ability Users' crimes in check, you really need strong controls."

It was only natural that Korea's news seemed messier than China's censored feed. Same as North Korean defectors watching TV and gasping at the horrors of South Korea. But instead of pointing that out, I nodded along, showing my apathy and skepticism toward the country called Korea.

When the news mentioned the US military, Linfei smirked openly with a sense of superiority.

"That's ridiculous. The Chinese military's so disciplined—nothing like that would ever happen."

"Maybe."

"Why do Koreans put up with it? Plenty of US soldiers are uneducated thugs or ex-cons who cause all sorts of trouble. Wouldn't it be way better to station Chinese troops instead?"

"Just because the soldiers are better educated?"

"Well, yeah, but... We've got bases in other countries through the Belt and Road too, and I never heard we pay them. Actually, don't we give them money? Anyway, all those countries love China now. Korea should join—get the cash, secure peace with North Korea. And—"

"And?"

"Korea's keeping USFK because they're scared of China, right?"

"To some extent."

"Then they should take in Chinese troops! If they clearly side with us, we'd have no reason to attack. Why keep the Americans and live in fear?"

The typical post-90s Chinese worldview made me chuckle. Belt and Road countries loving China? Funnier than any stand-up routine.

Misreading my laugh, Linfei grew more confident in her spiel.

"See? China's the big brother who saved Joseon in the Imjin War, and the benefactor who rescued Korea from America in the Korean War. Why would we conquer it now? It's because Koreans side with the US for no reason."

"For no reason?"

"Yeah, no reason. I think it's the limits of Western liberal democracy. Too much freedom leads to chaos they can't control. People end up not knowing what's best for them."

"So Chinese people's democracy and collective leadership are better?"

"Of course. Look at America and Europe suffering from this novel coronavirus. Oh, there it is."

Linfei pointed at the TV, showing Americans burning masks in anti-lockdown ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠protests. The goal was obvious even without the reporter. One protester held up a sign high:

Reading the English, Linfei showed light contempt.

"Same as last year—no progress. And they accuse us of exporting the plague? Turns out Italy might've been the origin. Europe and the US are just desperate to blame us...."

She shook her head pityingly.

"It's jealousy in the end. They see us pulling ahead and panic, trying to trip us up."

High education, and this was her worldview. Playing normal again, I traced her curves with my fingertips as I replied.

"Even if you're right about everything, Chinese troops in this country would be a problem. It'd mess with my business."

"Oh, right...."

Just agreeing with everything would erode the trust in the "me" she'd observed. Eyes rolling, wondering if she'd upset me, Linfei relaxed at my calm and hugged me tight with both arms.

"Then I'll oppose it too."

"Changing sides too easily?"

"China's fine without Korea, but I can't be without you, oppa. Hehe."

The news kept fueling Chinese superiority and biases against Western liberal democracy.

Crowds gathered in front of the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration, each group distinctly divided by age. Some were ones I'd ordered funded. Cameras from local and foreign media captured it all as a young man with a mic raised his voice sternly.

Against this backdrop, a young passerby gave a cynical response to a reporter asking his thoughts.

A jab at the DMZ landmine incident and its botched aftermath. The military might gripe that a private firm funded the frostbite treatment, but the poor handling was undeniable. Linfei, puzzled by "ankle frostbite," gaped at my explanation.

"Disgusting. Unimaginable in China.... Is this how fancy Western liberal democracy works?"

Of course it was—China's People's Liberation Army was the Party's army, a core power base. Control the military and police, and you hold power even in the worst crises. But even there, veterans got the scraps. Used-up hounds to the Party. Service injuries were rare enough for good PR value, but suicides in service often weren't deemed duty-related. Reality over principles.

Blissfully ignorant, Linfei beamed with national pride.

"No wonder Koreans hate the draft while we beg to serve. Who'd go with treatment like that?"

She had her own revelation.

"Korea really needs the US military.... A conscript army of unwilling draftees wouldn't fight well in war."

She nodded to herself, chattering on.

"Now I get why they accept USFK. Can't trust their own forces. Small country, big army—unavoidable...."

She turned to me.

"Did you serve, oppa? All Korean guys do, right?"

"Exempt."

"Huh? Why?"

"No parents."

"Oh."

Pity filled her gaze.

"Koreans are so pitiful. No wonder they all want to go to America. But over that barbarian run by a thug like Trump? Better to come to civilized China. We've got Korean-Chinese who speak the language."

America's ongoing poach of Korean hunters continued. They'd just declared unlimited refugee status for those dodging service or hunter restrictions due to abilities. The White House madman's off-the-cuff rant without Congress, but given their Awakened shortage, formal policy was coming. Korean talent beat Mexicans or Venezuelans—better educated, more orderly.

That's why Korean politicians griped about allies stealing their future. It halted moves to limit hunter licenses to veterans—welcome news for me. The government, addicted to forced national labor, and the public, fine as long as it wasn't them, might find it dull.

Onscreen, a middle-aged man clutching the Taegukgi bellowed.

Not patriotism—just self-preservation. Felt like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠watching a comedy show, not news.