WeTried Translations

Translator: Yasi

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Precious Demon King

Chapter 58: A Curious Victory

[ We deeply appreciate South Korea's assistance in this matter. ]

"Yes, it's very regrettable...What?"

Kim Seungtae thought the interpretation over the receiver was wrong. He covered the receiver with his mouth and looked at the interpreter.

"Is the AI interpreter broken?"

"No, sir. It was translated correctly."

Kim Seungtae took his hand off the receiver and asked.

"Appreciate?"

[ Haha, yes. We thank South Korea for helping us begin Japan's long-cherished operation to wipe out the yakuza. ]

"...Ah, the yakuza."

Kim Seungtae wasn't president for nothing. He instantly caught the intentions and hidden emotions in the other person's tone.

"Just accept it, please."

The other side was truly desperate. This was an unscripted performance.

Our Special Advisor just made quite a scene in Japan.

From Masanobu Mishima's response, it seemed he wanted to steer it as if it were something agreed upon in advance.

Should I mess with him a bit?

For some reason, Kim Seungtae had a sudden, brazen thought.

"I was told that our Hunter Management Bureau agent massacred Japanese civilians."

[ Th-That's utterly absurd! A massacre? He merely disposed of heinous criminals! ]

"And without a trial, at that."

What democratic country in the world executes criminals without a trial? Japan was grasping at straws.

[ Given the circumstances on the scene, it was unavoidable. ]

"Hmm, we thought we would at least hear a declaration of war from Japan."

[ Yappari souka... ]

The voice over the receiver was so faint that even the AI couldn't interpret it properly.

"What? I can't hear you clearly."

[ Ah, my apologies. Japan is a friendly country to South Korea. There's no way Japan would do anything to break the United States–Japan–South Korea alliance that stands against China. ]

"..."

No, wasn't it South Korea that started this? Yet it was Japan's prime minister who was left to handle the trouble stirred up by their Special Advisor.

"So, what is it you're trying to say?"

[ We will comply with anything. ]

"What?"

[ Please treat this only as a joint South Korea–Japan operation against organized crime. ]

"Heh. Why should we unilaterally accept Japan's demands?"

[ We are prepared to make any concession. ]

Would you look at them? South Korea threw the first punch, yet Japan insists they were never even hit.

As Kim Seungtae listened to Japan claim that they hadn't fought at all, he somehow felt a strange thrill.

"Then fine. The matter of Dokdo."

[ As expected...Understood. We will issue a statement recognizing Dokdo as wholly South Korea's territory. ]

"Huh?"

Masanobu Mishima's immediate acceptance left not only Kim Seungtae but also the ministers present bewildered.

"You haven't forgotten the comfort women issue, have you?"

[ We will issue a proper apology and devote our full efforts to compensating the victims. ]

Huh? What was with them?

"And the labeling of the East Sea."

[ We will recognize the East Sea under international naming conventions. ]

What? They agreed to that too?

Kim Seungtae began to go out of control.

* * *

Prime Minister's residence, Japan. After ending the call, Masanobu Mishima hung his head in defeat and covered his face with his hands.

How had it come to this?

"Sir, it was merely an unavoidable choice."

"We lost, but it was not a defeat."

The ministers' consolation did nothing to soothe him. Not even sighs could drive away the deep sense of exhaustion.

"Hahh...It may not look like a defeat to the public, but we were defeated in a war with South Korea today."

"..."

No one could refute Masanobu Mishima's statement.

"Commissioner."

"Yes, sir."

"Expand the surveillance network over South Korea."

"It will be done."

"We cannot repeat today's mistake."

Yunosuke Kuroda fell to his knees.

"I have committed a sin deserving of death."

"Who could have predicted this? That South Korea had meticulously completed its preparations for war and devised such schemes."

They had nearly fallen into South Korea's scheme. The Special Advisor's visit to Japan and the chaos he caused were no coincidence.

This became clear during the first call with Kim Seungtae.

South Korea is hoping for war.

Only then did everything fall into place. Sinister South Korea had devised a scheme.

They used the existence of the Special Advisor–the uncontrollable superhuman known as the Mad Monarch, who they pretended they couldn't control–as a blade to stab Japan's heart.

What if Japan had fallen for their scheme and expressed regret or lodged a protest with South Korea?

It would have been war.

South Korea would have waged war as if they had been waiting for it. Just as Japan once did, South Korea's army would have thoroughly ravaged the Japanese islands! Cruel bastards!

The opening battle would, unfortunately, have been here.

Looking back and analyzing now, the Special Advisor's every action was a message.

Strutting through Ginza pretending to be a tourist while enjoying Japanese cuisine and culture was an outright message that he would invade Japan.

Hearing the on-site situation from the additional report of Yoichi Sasaki, who had now been taken to South Korea practically as a hostage, made them shudder all the more.

They are demanding Dokdo.

They forced Kenchi Takahashi to sing the Dokdo song. The meaning was obvious.

In the end, they drained his life force until he died, turning him into a mummy.

Trembling.

Wasn't this a threat to squeeze the Japanese archipelago dry and suck away all its lifeblood?

As a final warning, they slaughtered Orochi-gumi's boss and hunters underground. Wasn't the message that the result of such a war would be corpses in an underground grave?

Along with that cruel message, what was chilling was that they had planted measures here and there to induce Japan's voluntary surrender.

Not a single civilian casualty.

Eerily, all of the deceased were Orochi-gumi members. As with most yakuza, each of them had at least one criminal record, and many were even fugitives.

Japan's strategists interpreted the meaning. They uncovered South Korea's demands and found a way to prevent war.

And finally, in the call with Kim Seungtae, everything chillingly fell into place.

Why had it come to this? All the misjudgment stemmed from the Hunter Management Bureau's meticulous and insidious request for cooperation. The Psychic Awakening Agency should not have taken the request at face value.

Their claim that they cannot control the Special Advisor is a lie.

South Korea was in close cooperation with the Special Advisor. In the worst case, he might even be actively serving as an agent of the Korean government.

For South Korea to employ the Mad Monarch as an agent...Wasn't that horrifying?

That was why Masanobu Mishima's gaze toward Yunosuke Kuroda was far from kind.

"Think positively, sir. Had war broken out, the first battlefield would have been this very residence."

"..."

Upon hearing the defense minister's words, Masanobu Mishima nodded.

The moment war broke out, with Japan caught in South Korea's scheme, at the very least the Japanese leadership gathered here would all be killed the instant Kim Junyong appeared.

"Regrettably, South Korea has now become a country that cannot be defeated."

"...It is something beyond our control."

Terrifying. No one could stop them.

Why did they stage a show of force in Japan of all places? They openly displayed their teleportation ability.

On top of that, Kim Junyong handled three G-ranks as if they were children in front of Yoichi Sasaki from the Psychic Awakening Agency.

It was a proclamation to the world that teleportation was possible and that no security could stop him.

Would any national leader not fear this fact? Who would dare pick a quarrel with South Korea?

"We must take this opportunity to firmly establish our relationship as South Korea's ally."

"Indeed. If we cannot go against it, we must quickly follow the prevailing tide."

"But before that, let's handle this incident properly."

"It would be disastrous if anti-Korean sentiment were to arise."

While Japan's cabinet moved swiftly after overcoming a major crisis, South Korea's president, who had somehow scored a curious victory, was left utterly bewildered.

Click–

Kim Seungtae set down the phone, dumbfounded.

"Wow, this actually worked?"

"C-Could Japan have had some weakness exposed?"

"How on earth did this..."

The cabinet members were equally bewildered.

All the disputes that had been obstructing South Korea–Japan relations had just been resolved.

"C-Congratulations, sir!"

"Yes, congratulations, President!"

"I didn't do anything..."

Kim Seungtae was puzzled.

"Didn't you boldly negotiate with the Japanese prime minister?"

"To call that a negotiation is a bit..."

All he did was make demands. It was almost like a child asking for snacks and soda.

"Regardless, it's a great accomplishment!"

"Yes! Congratulations!"

"Hehe, well then..."

In return for everything Japan promised, South Korea permitted only one thing: that the incident in Japan be regarded as a joint operation prepared and carried out by the two countries in advance.

This proposal brought great benefit not only to Japan but also to South Korea.

There won't be any negative public opinion against the Special Advisor.

Murder became a merit. It was now seen as though South Korea's Special Advisor had been dispatched to the yakuza sweep operation and had played an important role.

Could things have gone any better?

"Bureau Director. You know you're the only one I trust, don't you?"

"Yes, President."

"Hehehe, if your bureau ever lacks budget, just take what you need! No–don't even ask, just use it!"

"Haha, just hearing that makes me full."

"I don't mean fill your own belly. Make sure our Special Advisor gets plenty of support."

"It's our top priority. Don't worry."

"Hehe. By the way, why did he even go to Japan?"

"Ah...just to eat sushi..."

"Oh!"

Kim Seungtae stroked his chin. After pondering for a while, he asked Park Taejun in a subtle tone.

"Does the Special Advisor not like Chinese food?"

"...I don't know."

"Hahaha, then ask him."

A quiet expectation lingered on Kim Seungtae's face.

* * *

The only base on Earth, and Kim Junyong's dungeon: Jun Dragon Kitchen.

"Wow! Chef Neko-chan's skills are amazing!"

"Nyaa, it's nothing, nya."

"Wahaha! There were times I missed Belhaim's food, but to eat it again here–what a moving experience! Truly moving!"

Yoichi Sasaki was speaking fluent Korean.

"Neko-chan, your talents are incredible! Thank you for teaching me Korean as well!"

"Hoho, since you're Master's guest, of course I would, nya."

"Haha, Hyungnim, I'll come visit often."

"Oh, sure."

By some chance, Yoichi Sasaki had even been allowed to register at the base. Now, he could visit Kim Junyong's home in South Korea whenever he wanted.

"I would like to stay longer, but it's time I went home. My mother doesn't like it if I stay overnight."

"Wow."

Kim Junyong was left speechless at the audacity of this pure soul.

They crossed from Japan to South Korea in the middle of the night and held a drinking party with snacks Edmond had prepared. Now, dawn was beginning to break.

They had been drinking all night, yet it supposedly wasn't an overnight stay?

"All right, get home safe."

"Hehe, I'll come again, Hyungnim."

Kim Junyong pulled out his hunter phone, set up a party, and sent Yoichi Sasaki to a dungeon near Tokyo.

"Wow, it works even if I don't go."

He had just tried it in case it might work, but who would have thought it was possible. After sending Yoichi Sasaki away, a deep sense of regret welled up.

"Ugh, such a pity."

"Master has bad taste."

"Well, try telling me you wouldn't be tempted if a blood-eyed swordsman charged straight at you."

"..."

Remi's silence somehow left Kim Junyong feeling distressed.

Yoichi Sasaki was like a blank sheet of paper, as pure as untouched snow.

For Kim Junyong, whose character had been broken to the point of being called the Mad Monarch, the temptation was unbearable.

"Ugh, should I just corrupt him?"

If they met again, he might not be able to resist. Should he...or should he not? As Kim Junyong struggled with his inner torment, a familiar voice came from outside.

"Uncle!"

"Hm?"

Kim Junyong poked his head out from the terrace and saw Yu Jihun waving with a bright smile.

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