Chapter 47
The White House in Washington D.C. erupted into pandemonium, teetering on the edge of explosion. It was all because of the shocking report from the U.S. National Security Advisor to President Chris Miller.
“China’s trying to occupy the Korean Peninsula?”
“Yes, they’re already infiltrating across the North Korean-Chinese border.”
Chris Miller pressed a hand to his forehead. The United States and South Korea were blood-sworn allies bound by the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty. Under normal circumstances, he would have mobilized every available unit—from Indo-Pacific Command forces to the full might of the military—to sweep away the insolent hordes all the way to mainland China.
But things were different now. America was no longer the world’s hegemon. The overwhelming military tech accumulated over past eras had faded into irrelevance in this drastically changed world. Only nations with the most Players could claim military supremacy. And right now, China—the country with the largest number of Players in the world—was brazenly revealing its ambitions to seize global hegemony.
What the hell are we going to do...
Chris agonized. South Korea was a geopolitically vital strategic hub. It was essential for checking China’s power. If China occupied the peninsula, Japan—home to U.S. forces stationed there—would be next. Lose Japan, and America would hand over half the Pacific to China, forfeiting all influence in East Asia.
The mere thought was horrifying. He had to stop it, no matter what.
But how?
America was too busy dealing with its own problems to catch its breath. There was no spare capacity to meddle in another country’s military affairs.
As Chris bit his lip in torment, the office door burst open.
“You guys hear the news too?”
A tall man with ostentatious blond hair strode in with carefree steps. He was a handsome devil, sculpted like a fine piece of art. A strange tension rippled through the Oval Office.
President Chris Miller glanced briefly outside. Secret Service agents stood there, but none stopped him. And why would they? The man before them was the number two ranked guild in the U.S.—Logan, leader of the Vanguard Guild and head of the United States Player Alliance. Ever since the Reality Manifestation, he’d risen as one of America’s real power players, right behind the top-ranked Damien.
“If you mean the Korea-China situation, we were just about to discuss countermeasures.”
“Ah, yeah, figured as much.”
Logan plopped onto the sofa without asking, crossing his arms and slouching back. Chris eyed him, thinking, Of course, the report reached their side too.
Logan had lines everywhere. If he wanted intel, nothing was out of reach.
In the heavy silence, Logan spoke up.
“But do we really need to bother discussing countermeasures?”
“Pardon...?”
President Chris raised an eyebrow, as if questioning what he’d just heard.
“What exactly are you saying—”
“Just let ’em fight it out among themselves.”
Chris doubted his own ears for a moment.
“International issues aren’t that simple.”
“Look, Mr. President, I’m not an idiot.”
Logan swung his crossed legs up onto the desk with a thud. Chris’s brow furrowed slightly.
Where the hell did this clown come from?
He gripped his pen tightly, then released it. Infuriating, but Logan held no formal command authority here. Chris swallowed his anger, closing his eyes briefly before reopening them.
“...Go on.”
“You seriously think we can beat China right now?”
“...”
Chris had no retort to that.
“So what’s China doing? Attacking Korea, right? And who’s in Korea?”
Logan drew out the answer like he was quizzing a child.
President Chris bit his lip hard, masking his displeasure.
“...Sertina?”
“Bingo! Still not getting it? Those commie bastards need to tangle with Korea if their numbers are gonna thin out!”
“You’re suggesting we let them fight until one side is decimated.”
“Finally, some sense.”
Logan grinned, satisfied, and smacked his fist into his palm.
“Sertina’s a loose cannon anyway. Commies get wiped or she does—what’s bad about that for us?”
Think about it. Think.
Logan tapped his temple with a finger. The cabinet members’ faces soured.
Logan tsked, adding with a contemptuous glare,
“This is why old-school politicians are useless.”
Muffled gasps echoed around the room. The National Security Advisor’s vein throbbed on his forehead.
Growing bored, Logan stood and sauntered toward the door, waving lazily over his shoulder without looking back.
“Alright, I’m out. Good luck with that strategy I handed you.”
Asshole!
The moment Logan left, Chris clenched his fist in pent-up rage. He wanted to throw the bastard in jail right then, but he couldn’t.
What a fine state the country’s in.
With no choice, President Chris Miller revised the response policy to align with Logan’s words.
Choi Ah-rin shouted into the receiver, her voice laced with bewilderment.
“What do you mean? Under the ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty, you have an obligation to intervene in Korea during wartime!”
“Well... the White House has decided not to intervene in this incident at all.”
Choi Ah-rin felt the blood rush to her face.
“Aren’t we allies? Why change your stance now?”
“It’s the President’s decision. We’re sorry.”
“H-Hey!”
Beep beep beep—the line went dead.
Choi Ah-rin stared at the receiver, mouth agape, her face blank with disbelief. Fine, they couldn’t send troops. America was dealing with its own monster headaches. But still.
“Even so, refusing to issue so much as a condemnation statement?”
Were alliances this flimsy?
Choi Ah-rin was dumbfounded.
“Hoo...”
She exhaled sharply, reining in her fury, then calmly picked up the receiver and dialed the next contact.
“I’ll just have to shop it around as much as possible.”
China had deployed ten million Players near the Military Demarcation Line. It was a powder-keg crisis where war could erupt any second. Sure, most were low-tier scrubs, but ten million was still an unstoppable horde.
Sertina’s never oppressed Korean citizens. She’s never killed innocents.
Choi Ah-rin laid out these points clearly to other heads of state. But the responses were lukewarm at best.
“Doesn’t look like it’s working...”
She bit her lip hard. They feared Sertina’s overwhelming combat power. Some even seemed to hope China would eliminate her.
Clenching her fists, Choi Ah-rin squeezed her eyes shut.
“That’s not it... Sertina’s definitely on our side!”
Frustration boiled over at her presidential powerlessness.
To Choi Ah-rin, Sertina was just an adorable girl. Human, with occasional ditzy moments—someone you wanted to protect.
“No, it’s too early to give up. Plenty of countries I haven’t called yet.”
In this Korea on the brink of war, who else but the president would defend Sertina?
“Yeah, let’s do this!”
Clutching her last hope, Choi Ah-rin gripped the receiver with renewed determination.
Was it a miracle? After several calls, one country finally responded positively.
I headed to the National Assembly to meet Choi Ah-rin. We had matters to discuss regarding the China situation.
No need to bring the guild members. Now that my power was back, I could handle it alone.
Plus, some of it they can’t hear...
Especially Cha Eun-joo—she’d never let me off if she knew. So, I’d tell them later. Just a bit later...
I kicked off the ground, soared into the sky, and landed at the National Assembly’s main gate. Suit-clad security escorted me politely inside.
They led me to the same conference room as last time. A staffer who looked like an aide bowed slightly and asked,
“The President is quite busy right now... Would you mind waiting a moment?”
I nodded silently. Waiting was no big deal.
She handed me an iced chocolate, which I held in both hands as I glanced around.
They’re still using the National Assembly as the presidential office. Nothing’s changed since last time.
Wallpaper, chairs—everything the same. You’d think grabbing power would mean some extravagance. Guess Choi Ah-rin’s been living breathlessly too.
About ten minutes passed like that. Sipping my iced chocolate, I looked up to see Choi Ah-rin arriving.
My eyes widened, and I instinctively leaned back.
Who’s this?!
Hollow cheeks, dark circles. Where was the cheerful ponytail girl? Some gloomy hikikomori had appeared instead. Slumped shoulders, vacant pupils—like half-zombified. I straightened up rigidly without thinking.
...Can a person even look like that?
“H-Hello...”
Choi Ah-rin gave a weary smile and a hoarse greeting.
“Uh, hi.”
I set down the iced chocolate and neatly folded my hands on my lap.
...Somehow, the mood turned solemn.
Even in her wrecked state, Choi Ah-rin started the meeting. I cut straight to the chase with the topic I couldn’t share with the guild.
“I’ll be direct.”
My next words delivered a massive shock.