WeTried Translations

Translator: Yasi

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Precious Demon King

Chapter 36: It Must Be Stopped

A scenario was drawn up to predict Taiwan's response and countermeasures in the event of Ryu Jai's death.

"Twenty-three percent chance of war, ninety percent chance of UN Security Council sanctions?"

This meant that international sanctions were virtually guaranteed, though the likelihood of war was surprisingly low.

"It depends on whether China intervenes. Most of the war scenarios assume that China would take an active role."

"True, war isn't easy to start..."

There were many internationally entangled issues. South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan had a peace treaty centered on the United States. But if a dispute broke out between South Korea and Taiwan, with the United States taking a passive stance, pro-China forces gaining power in Taiwan, and the Chinese government stepping in...War. The odds: twenty-three percent.

"We should prepare. Bureau Director, report to the president immediately. They'll handle the response better than we can."

They had briefly summarized the scenarios, but this was clearly a matter for the Ministry of National Defense. Preparation should be left to the government. The Hunter Management Bureau had its own work to do.

"I'll have to stop it myself."

It had to be prevented from escalating into the worst possible situation. The mere thought of facing Kim Junyong again made Choi Hyunju's heart race, sweat break out, and made her feel as if she might faint. However, she bit her lip and steeled her resolve.

At this rate, it's the Mad Monarch's return.

South Korea would face diplomatic isolation and international condemnation, which would be bad enough. But what she feared most was the blame and resentment that would fall upon Kim Junyong himself.

She worried his fury might turn against the entire world. To prevent Earth from ending up like Belhaim, he had to be stopped.

Damn it, which bastard made the request?

How dare they! To goad their Special Advisor into taking an assassination request. It was malicious and underhanded to the core.

Choi Hyunju shuddered. If it was a high-ranking entity wishing for Earth's destruction, only one thing came to mind.

The Demon King? Or a high-ranking demon?

Whoever it was, they were an utterly devious bastard. She was furious! Why goad a man who just wanted to live quietly?!

"Deputy Bureau Director! Breathe!"

"Ah, hahh, hahh."

She must have been holding her breath without realizing it.

"I-I have to go."

"Breathe! Breathe!"

"Hoo, hoo, hoo!"

A bit of color returned to her face. With oxygen flowing to her brain, she could think a little more rationally.

The conclusion was the same. She had to stop it. But who in South Korea could actually do that right now?

I have to.

Driven by duty and responsibility, South Korea's top hunter, Choi Hyunju, rose to her feet.

"Get ready."

"...Yes."

Lee Chilsung and Park Somi. Her team readied the vehicle.

Their goal was to prevent the assassination. She had to stop Kim Junyong from becoming an international criminal. To save the world...

* * *

President Kim Seungtae had been in high spirits lately.

Conquering the A-rank dungeon in Daejeon. Eliminating the necromancer at Osong Station. Defeating the A-rank demon in Yeouido.

These were crises that had arisen within the past week, and overcoming them brilliantly had become his accomplishments.

The public praised the work of the Hunter Management Bureau, consequently raising the president's approval rating. If things continued at this pace, he might surpass his inauguration record.

Authorizing the Special Advisor appointment back then had been a stroke of genius.

As the bureau director said, two hundred billion won was worth every penny.

Bringing the returnee Kim Junyong under South Korea's wing would be his crowning achievement.

"So, Bureau Director Park, you said it was urgent?"

Kim Seungtae looked at Park Taejun, who had requested an urgent report, with a face full of pride.

"President, we need to prepare for war."

"...? Hahaha, what big request are you about to make that you're starting off so grimly?"

"I mean it literally. The Special Advisor is going to kill Ryu Jai."

Huh? What? Kim Seungtae blinked.

"We'll do our utmost to stop him, but we need to be ready for the worst."

"..."

Seeing Park Taejun's serious expression, Kim Seungtae's face darkened in turn. A sharp throb of pain began in his head.

"Chief Manager Kim, give me a cigarette."

"Yes, President."

The chief of security, who had been waiting behind him, handed him a cigarette.

"Fwooo..."

His head ached. How to deal with this? The Hunter Management Bureau would do its best?

"You mean you can't stop him?"

"The chances are high that we can't."

"..."

Right, the bureau director had once likened Kim Junyong to a nuclear weapon. And now, no one could control him...

It was as if a valuable asset had suddenly become a bomb.

"But why kill Ryu Jai all of a sudden?"

"It's said someone put him up to it."

"...!"

Kim Seungtae flinched. This was serious.

"...Are you saying there's a force behind the Special Advisor?"

"I doubt it's that. It's more likely that some force approached him and made a 'request.'"

"...Damn. We were complacent."

"Agreed. We should have been more cautious about outside contact..."

"We should have put in a request first!"

"...Excuse me?"

"Ah, what a waste!"

South Korea now had the world's best black ops asset, yet they hadn't considered using him. The idea of trying to "use" him had never occurred to them...

And now to think an outside party had contacted the Special Advisor and put in a request! Kim Seungtae asked casually.

"By any chance, in the Special Advisor appointment contract, is there any clause restricting relations with foreign states?"

Upon hearing Kim Seungtae's question, Park Taejun's face turned pale.

"Even if there were, we couldn't enforce it. No–we mustn't."

Trying to bind and monopolize Kim Junyong with a contract? Even for a country with the highest suicide rate, putting a noose around its own neck was out of the question.

"Damn! Have we found out who it is?"

"We're still investigating."

"Hoo."

Kim Seungtae exhaled a long stream of smoke. An assassination contract on Ryu Jai. It wouldn't be cheap. Only a major corporation or a country could afford it.

"China or the United States. No, it's China."

"..."

Who stood to gain the most from Ryu Jai's death? Worsening relations between Taiwan and South Korea wouldn't benefit the United States. The ones who would reap the rewards were China and Japan.

"It's China."

"...The likelihood is very high..."

"That's right. It's those bastards."

Kim Seungtae was nearly certain.

"Please calm down, President..."

"Hahh, damn bastards. All right, let's give it a try."

"No, President, hold on. The war hasn't even broken out yet, has it? We can still stop it."

"How?"

"Huh?"

"If the Special Advisor says he'll do it, he will. You said yourself he's not one for idle talk. And in Belhaim, the Mad Monarch toppled one empire and twelve kingdoms, didn't he?"

"..."

"Let's just assume Ryu Jai will die and plan accordingly."

"..."

Kim Seungtae wasn't wrong, but he seemed a bit too excited...

"How dare they press the launch button even we can't touch?"

They had cherished the Special Advisor, and someone else had hurried to put in a request?

"If those guys lob a missile at Seoul, won't that make the Special Advisor really mad?"

"...Wouldn't it?"

Kim Seungtae grinned.

"If we endure, we win."

"...?"

"If we wipe out the entire Chinese leadership..."

How did Kim Seungtae arrive at that calculation? Watching Kim Seungtae's imagination run wild left Park Taejun feeling a little daunted.

We absolutely have to stop this assassination.

The moment Ryu Jai died, it would be war. Judging by Kim Seungtae's temperament, if Taiwan declared war, he would jump at the chance to strike China–probably.

"Oh, right! Can't we put in a request too?"

"A request?"

"Why wait to get hit first? If we strike first, it'll be easier..."

"..."

"That's right! That'll work!"

Kim Seungtae looked as delighted as when humanity first discovered fire.

"Find out what they offered him. I doubt it's just money."

"I-I'll do my utmost to dissuade him from the assassination."

"Sure, do that."

After sending Kim Seungtae away, Park Taejun urgently summoned the Minister of National Defense, the head of the National Intelligence Service, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

South Korea began preparing for a war that might possibly break out.

* * *

While simulated war scenarios were being run after the bombshell announcement, on the rooftop of Kim Junyong's home in Hansan 2-dong...Seated on a stylishly furnished rooftop, Kim Junyong popped open a can of beer.

Crack, pssshh.

"Ahhh, that's the stuff."

"Special Advisor, let's toast."

"Yeah. Good work today."

"Kuhp, thank you."

Cheon Yubeom and Kim Junyong clinked their cans and took a long, refreshing drink of beer.

"Ah, that's the taste."

Kim Junyong shivered at the tingling carbonation. Belhaim's beer had a rich, deep flavor, but nothing beat Earth's fizzy beer. That throat-punching sensation!

"By the way, aren't you guys going home?"

"Haha, well, would it be all right if I stayed over tonight? I've had a bit to drink, so I can't drive."

Kim Junyong tilted his head, spotting Lee Mina just then coming up the rooftop stairs.

"Oh boy, I'm thirsty."

Lee Mina quickly downed one of the highballs she had been carrying in both hands.

"Haha, so Deputy Director Lee has been drinking too. Drunk driving is a really bad thing, you know? It can't be helped. We'll have to impose on Special Advisor at your place just for tonight."

"Well, suit yourself."

Kim Junyong smirked and took another sip of beer. After all, the dungeon was for his summons–his "underlings"–anyway.

With a sigh of relief at his genuine consent, Lee Mina handed the highball she had brought to Remi.

"Hmm."

Seeing Remi's satisfied expression, she exhaled again in relief.

Because the house was built on a sloped hill, the city lights could be seen in full. Kim Junyong sipped his beer and gazed at the night view with a wistful expression.

Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina dared not speak, instead exchanging glances.

It looks like he's not going anywhere tonight.

Right. If he hasn't brought it up, maybe killing her was just talk.

Should we ask?

And risk him going right now if we remind him?!

Let's just keep him distracted as much as possible from thinking about Ryu Jai.

As Kim Junyong enjoyed his beer and the view, the emotions radiating from the two began to grate on him. The ability to sense others' emotions was a nuisance at times like this.

"What? What is it?"

"Pardon?"

"Why are you so restless and nervous?"

"Haha, me?"

"I'm fine, though?"

Kim Junyong frowned sharply.

"Wow, so you're comfortable enough to lie to me now?"

Cheon Yubeom blurted out in surprise.

"Ah! It's just that when you said you would kill Ryu Jai earlier, I got worried."

At Cheon Yubeom's frank confession, Lee Mina covered her face. She thought they were screwed, but Kim Junyong's reaction was unexpected.

"Ryu Jai? Me?"

"D-Didn't you say so?"

Kim Junyong let out a brief laugh.

"Ohhh!"

He laughed again.

"Someone just asked me to kill a G-rank, that's all. Did I say I would kill Ryu Jai specifically?"

"Oh!"

The divine orbs he needed to give to God Earth numbered three. But he wasn't some schoolkid rushing to finish homework before a deadline.

If he had them, he would hand them over. If not, then not. He wasn't God Earth's subordinate.

A chill went down Cheon Yubeom's spine.

We jumped to conclusions. The Special Advisor received an assassination request, but he has no intent to carry it out.

"Maybe Ryu Jai's a really bad one? Then, since she's in Korea anyway, I'll just kill her."

Remi's ears perked up, and both Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina, startled, waved their hands in denial.

"Ah, no, not at all."

"Absolutely not. She's done so much for East Asia's defense."

"Really?"

Even if God Earth asked, he couldn't just kill anyone. If possible, he should deal with someone truly useless and harmful to Earth.

If not, I'll just get the three divine orbs from the scale.

The seven G-ranks handled all the world's A-rank dungeons.

He wasn't stupid enough to kill a good watchdog just because he fancied the meat. Unless it was a "dog" that didn't work and only bit people.

"Wow, Team Leader Cheon, I didn't think you were so aggressive."

"Oh, not at all. I really misunderstood."

And because of that misunderstanding, South Korea was now on high alert. Cheon Yubeom subtly picked up his phone and quickly typed a message.

Tap, tap–

[ Special Advisor Support Division Group Chat ]

Team Leader Cheon: It is confirmed that the Special Advisor received an assassination request for a G-rank hunter. Target not specified. No expressed intent to actively accept the request.

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