Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: The Azelan Style of Politics
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The atmosphere in the conference room was heavy.
Ha Jeong-in had told them everything she knew, but the Chinese man they'd captured with her was a different story.
His name was Jin So-myeong.
He was an official in the Chinese Communist Party and a member of the Heavenly Guild.
This meant it was clear who was behind this incident.
The Chinese government and the Heavenly Guild.
“You're saying there are other problems besides this one? Tell me everything.”
Until now, he had focused on growing stronger and on the Azelan Continent, so he hadn't involved himself in Earth's affairs.
That was because Kang Il-seop and Han Young-im had held the fort admirably.
But with the Royal Club now making its move, their resources were bound to be stretched thin.
“We need to sort things out before moving forward. Tell me everything, no matter how trivial.”
At his words, Han Young-im's expression was the darkest.
She felt guilty that one of her employees had been a spy. Seeing this, Wang-sik offered not comfort, but a cold assessment of reality.
“The support team is our team too. That means it's not any single person's fault. And the ones who should be suffering aren't you, Director, but the bastards who started this. I'll make sure of it, so just watch.”
“Thank you.”
“I'm just stating the facts. Now, tell me everything that's been happening on Earth.”
From that point on, Kang Il-seop, the Chief of Staff, and Han Young-im explained the current situation without holding anything back.
It seemed they could handle the minor issues with their own strength; the main problem boiled down to one thing.
The Royal Club's interference.
“Yesterday, an order came down from China to revoke our business license. It came with an order to withdraw within six months.”
The Guseong Group was already taking a significant hit.
China had been the first to draw its sword, but similar movements were being seen everywhere except for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
“If we solve this problem, the other issues should resolve themselves naturally.”
Kang Il-seop responded to Wang-sik's words.
“There are other things that could become problems, but we have the capacity to handle them.”
The reality was that they couldn't afford to deal with other matters due to the Royal Club's pressure.
“Alright. Then let's solve it.”
“What do you have in mind?”
“First, please file a formal protest with China. About the spy.”
“Isn't it obvious how they'll respond?”
China's way was to deny everything, claiming any clear evidence was fabricated.
“That's the point. Protest as strongly as possible. Once we have their response, we'll go to China ourselves.”
“Yourselves?”
“Yes. It's time to let them know we're not just enduring this—we're letting them off easy. And to remind them what happens when they mess with our family.”
Everyone there could guess what Wang-sik was planning to do.
“I'll show you how good I am at politics.”
“Is what you're planning to do really politics?”
“It is. Just the Azelan style, which is a bit different.”
A somewhat cruel smile appeared on Wang-sik's face.
China's response was just as expected.
—This matter has nothing to do with us. Immediately release the high-ranking Chinese official you have illegally abducted.
—Mad Castle has no authority to detain a Chinese citizen.
—If you do not release him immediately and offer a responsible apology and compensation, the Chinese government will respond with all its might.
The official rebuttal arrived as if they had been waiting for it.
They must have prepared their response as soon as they heard their spy had been captured.
“This isn't a response, it's a threat.”
This was how a powerful nation dealt with a weaker one.
Wang-sik, having anticipated this, didn't seem particularly displeased.
“Well then, we're off.”
“Be careful.”
“They're the ones who should be careful.”
“How do you plan to get there?”
Wang-sik smiled as he answered Kang Il-seop's question.
“We're going to fly there openly, as tourists.”
“So it's just that kind of job, huh?”
“Please take care of the aftermath, Bureau Director.”
“Don't you worry. I'll prepare things the Earth way.”
“I'm looking forward to it.”
With Wang-sik in the lead, Min Ha-na, Sa Seon-gi, and Gong Yeong-ji followed.
The combat agents of Mad Castle.
After a long time, they had gathered on Earth, and their destination was China.
A special residential district on the outskirts of Beijing.
A large residential area formed along a river, with the river flowing to the east. Armed soldiers were stationed at the three roads leading into the district.
A total of 2,500 high-end single-family homes.
Each house had a spacious garden and parking lot, and the district was equipped with schools for all levels, a hospital, and even an airstrip with light aircraft and helicopters on standby.
A place where unauthorized individuals couldn't even enter.
The Heavenly Guild Residential District.
It was a special city for the over 2,000 members of the Heavenly Guild.
It was also a representation of their status in China.
—The master of China is E Suo-lin.
The Heavenly Guild's leader, E Suo-lin, had already surpassed the power of the Chinese president. The reality was that without her support, it was difficult for the president to even maintain his position.
E Suo-lin's residence was also in the Heavenly District, a traditional Chinese-style house occupying the largest plot of land in the center.
“The Mad Castle combat agents have arrived in China.”
In an office-cum-living room lavishly decorated with red cloth, a man was reporting with his head bowed.
“What are your orders?”
“Leave them be. I'm curious to see what they'll try.”
“Understood.”
The subordinate bowed and retreated, but one person remained.
The man looking at E Suo-lin, who was seated on an excessively large wooden chair, was Wang Jin-chun, China's other S-rank Awakened and the vice leader of the Heavenly Guild.
“We could have just kicked them out at immigration. Why did you let them in?”
E Suo-lin had little desire to talk to him.
The media always spoke of them as a pair, but personally, she saw him as a necessary evil—a nuisance she had to put up with.
Not to mention his debauched private life, he acted arrogantly wherever he went. If he weren't an S-rank, she would have kicked him out long ago.
Still, he listened to her to some extent, so she endured him.
“Imagine if those bastards came to work for us.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Just a moment ago, Wang Jin-chun had been spewing blatant insults about Mad Castle.
“What use are a few vermin like them? They'll end up under the Royal Club eventually.”
E Suo-lin frowned as she replied.
“How long do you think the Royal Club will last? And even if it does, are you satisfied with that?”
“What?”
“I have no intention of sharing Earth with anyone. It all has to be mine. If we can get those Mad Castle guys on our side, we can swallow the Royal Club whole.”
Wang Jin-chun mulled over her words for a moment, then nodded.
Indeed, a Super Tanker and an S-rank fire mage would be a great help. And an assassin whose full power was still unknown, plus an A-rank healer, wasn't bad either.
“As expected of the Guild Leader! To think of something like that, you're amazing!”
“Isn't the problem you, for not being able to think of that much?”
“You do what you're good at. I do what I'm good at. Isn't that why we're together?”
“Go meet those women you like so much. That's what you're good at.”
“Hehe. Are you jealous? I'd give them up anytime if you wanted. That is, if you were willing to take their place.”
“Shut up before I kill you.”
As E Suo-lin's gaze turned icy, Wang Jin-chun showed his palms and shrugged.
“Well, Mad Castle has a pretty decent woman too. The Flame Witch. I bet she's fiery in bed, right?”
“Don't run your mouth until they're under our command. After that, you can do whatever you want.”
“Fine. I can wait that long. Hehe. But are you confident?”
“They have no choice. They wouldn't dare stand against all of China. The Guseong Group's overseas businesses will lose power one by one. Then Mad Castle will no longer have the resources to operate. In the end, they'll have no choice but to take our hand.”
“What if they put up a final struggle?”
“Then they'll just kneel before us that much sooner. In fact, that's what I'm hoping for the most.”
“Hahaha. Good. I might get to taste some blood for the first time in a while.”
The image Wang Jin-chun projected to the public was one of arrogance and selfishness.
But in reality, even that was him holding back a lot.
“If you screw this up, I'll kill you with my own hands. Stay quiet for the time being.”
“Of course. The women who will become my playthings are on their way. It wouldn't do for their master to be anywhere else.”
Wang Jin-chun stood up with a laugh.
Left alone, E Suo-lin let out a long sigh to calm her emotions and fell into thought.
“Super Tanker. There's nothing you can do in China. You will eventually take my hand.”
A smug smile appeared on E Suo-lin's face.
After leaving the airport, Wang-sik met with an employee from the Guseong Gate Exchange who had not yet withdrawn.
A vehicle had been prepared for them.
But as they were about to get into the vehicle, public security officers approached them.
“Show me your identification.”
They demanded identification from Wang-sik's entire group. Then, they said something unexpected.
“You're coming with us.”
“What's this about?”
“You don't need to come with us.”
The officer ignored the Gate employee and gestured, and men who had been waiting appeared.
There were five of them in total, and they tried to put handcuffs on Wang-sik's party.
“If they resist, you have permission to kill.”
They said it so blatantly.
“What's our crime?”
“We'll explain that when we get there.”
Anyone could see this was just harassment.
“No wonder they let us through immigration so easily.”
Just as Min Ha-na said, they had passed through immigration without a hitch, contrary to their expectations.
“They're going to harass us once we're inside China? Well, I guess they put some thought into it.”
As Wang-sik spoke, an officer grabbed his wrist. Just as he was about to naturally cuff him, Wang-sik smiled and said.
“Let's go.”
Wang-sik simply ignored him. The officer who had grabbed his wrist was dragged along before collapsing to the ground.
“Stop!”
The officer who had first checked their IDs shouted, and Wang-sik turned around. He walked straight toward him.
“I forgot my passport.”
“What...?”
“You need to give it back.”
Wang-sik held out his hand.
In the meantime, the other members had also refused the handcuffs, leading to a situation where the officers aimed their guns at them.
Of course, the four of them felt no threat from it.
It wasn't that the guns were weak, but they couldn't penetrate Gong Yeong-ji's shield.
And of course, Wang-sik could withstand them with his body even without a shield.
In the end, China's goal was to intimidate them, but Wang-sik was in no mood to play along.
“I'm a bit busy. I don't have time to waste on childish games like this.”
Wang-sik finished speaking as he snatched the passport from the hand of the officer, who was overwhelmed by his presence.
“I have to protect the Earth, you see. So I'm here to take care of some pests getting in the way.”
With those words, Wang-sik opened the door of the prepared vehicle.
“If you shoot, I'll consider it an act of aggression and kill you all. Whoever fires first will be responsible for their comrades' deaths as well. Go ahead, if you can.”
In the end, the officers couldn't make a move until all the members were in the vehicle.
“S-stop!”
By the time the car started moving, the officer finally came to his senses, but Wang-sik was already pulling away.
The incident at the airport was immediately reported to E Suo-lin in the Heavenly District.
“So they still have some pride left?”
Of course, she hadn't thought she could do much to them with just this.
“Alright. Just follow them and leave them be.”
Currently, twenty public security vehicles were tailing their car, and three helicopters were monitoring them from the sky.
It wasn't as if they could do anything to the Mad Castle members with that. Knowing this, they were only following.
‘I'm just playing with them for a bit.’
Showcasing her power and getting on their nerves. This was just a game E Suo-lin had prepared.
Just as she was feeling satisfied with the stage she had set, E Suo-lin's smartphone lit up. Seeing it, E Suo-lin smiled.
“Calling me yourself. I'm honored, Super Tanker.”
The caller was Wang-sik.
From the noise coming through the smartphone, she could guess the atmosphere over there.
“When you come to China, you should follow China's laws. Isn't that basic?”
E Suo-lin taunted him with a sneer. But the response she got was not what she expected.
—I have something to ask you.
“What are you curious about?”
—Will you be helpful in protecting the Earth?
E Suo-lin didn't quite understand at first.
When she didn't answer right away, Wang-sik's voice came again.
—Because if you're not helpful in protecting the Earth, there's no reason to keep you alive.