Chapter 274: Episode 274

[Disaster Cataclysm, Disaster Red Gate approaching.]

[All citizens are advised to evacuate to designated protection zones immediately.]

As specific details about the disasters were released to the public, a long procession of evacuees began. As planned by Association President Hong Yeon, the main force of the hunter world was heading toward the Red Gate. Her strategy was to compensate for the resulting gap in domestic forces by gathering people in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas, thereby narrowing the defensive perimeter and minimizing casualties.

However, there were naturally those who opposed this policy.

“What about our homes if we go up there? Are you going to compensate us?”

“I’d rather die here than abandon the land my ancestors have cultivated for generations!”

“The government must protect the people’s land and property!”

A flood of protests poured in from across the nation. Anti-Association media outlets, as if they had been waiting for this moment, churned out a deluge of negative articles.

[Estimated Damages: 3,000 Trillion Won.]

[Even if the Red Gate is stopped, the Republic of Korea will be annihilated.]

[Unilateral Evacuation Notice with No Promise of Property Compensation. An Incompetent Government and Association.]

This news, of course, reached the ears of the disaster’s supreme commander.

“President, public opinion is turning against us,” Im Namjin, head of the Enforcement Bureau, reported inside the command tent in Paju, the expected location of the Red Gate.

Hong Yeon, who had been sitting in a chair sipping hot coffee, opened her eyes. “Martial law has been declared, and the highest level of combat readiness is in effect. Ignore public opinion and proceed with the operation. The evacuation order is mandatory, and you may use force if they do not comply.”

Im Namjin’s expression hardened. “Execute the evacuation by force? People are already resentful enough as it is.”

“This is wartime. If we cater to every single complaint, we cannot fight a war. We must stop this disaster, even if it means restricting the basic rights of the people. I will take full responsibility.”

“…Understood. We will proceed as ordered.”

Im Namjin withdrew from the tent. Hong Yeon let out a small sigh and turned on her phone. She skillfully navigated to her photo album and brought up an image on the screen. Against the backdrop of the dazzling Alps, Yusin was smiling awkwardly. On either side of him, Hong Yeon and Han Yoonjeong were clinging to his arms, posing for the camera. A small smile touched her cold, winter-like face. She traced the screen with a slender finger.

’What should I do, Sunbae?’

“President! Are you in there? Coming in!”

As someone entered the tent, Hong Yeon flipped her phone over with the speed of light and said in a low voice, “Good work on the mission, hunter Kim Seunghyun.”

The man in the metal suit chuckled. It was Kim Seunghyun, who had once served as her loyal head of general affairs during her time as student council president at the academy. Now, he was a certified rank-3 hunter directly under the Association. The five swords on his back clanked with every step.

“What are you hiding in such a hurry?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, really?” a new voice chimed in from the side. A female hunter, perched like a cat on the desk, was holding Hong Yeon’s phone. It was Yoon Seulah, another certified rank-3 hunter who had been the head of operations. “Staring at this guy’s picture again? You’re really something else…”

“Give that back!” Hong Yeon lunged for it.

Yoon Seulah dodged her arm with a light tumble in mid-air. “There’s a limit to how much you can miss someone. You know you’re a little obsessive, right, Yeon?”

“G-give it back, now! That’s an order!”

“Hmph, no way! If you want it, come and get it!”

As she said that, Yoon Seulah suddenly felt the world spin. She found herself flat on her back, with Hong Yeon’s knee pressing on her chest and a fingertip aimed at her throat.

“…Hand it over.”

“H-here you go,” Yoon Seulah stammered, trembling.

Hong Yeon snatched the phone back and returned to her seat, fanning her flushed face. “Ahem. Hmm.” After a few embarrassed coughs, her golden eyes, now calm again, met Kim Seunghyun’s. “Report on the reconnaissance, hunter Kim Seunghyun.”

“Ah, it’s really a shame I’m the only one who gets to see this,” Kim Seunghyun snickered. “The world needs to know about this new side of the Association President.”

“Our Yeon is so cute!” Yoon Seulah, who had been pinned down, instantly reappeared behind Hong Yeon, hugging her shoulders tightly.

Hong Yeon shot her a glare. “Please distinguish between your public and private life, Rank-3 Yoon Seulah.”

“If no one’s watching, it’s a private setting!”

“Were you bothering the President again?” A man with a massive build returned to the tent. It was Oh Hoseung, a certified rank-3 hunter who had once been the 4th-year head of the physical education department. He gave his juniors a light glare before snapping to attention and saluting Hong Yeon with perfect military discipline. “The firepower team has completed all preparations! We are ready to move at any time.”

“Good work.”

Kim Seunghyun, Yoon Seulah, and Oh Hoseung. Their bond from the academy had carried over to the Association, and they were now among the few hunters Hong Yeon truly trusted. They were also the ones who had shared her vibrant school days.

“Yeon, Yeon,” Yoon Seulah said, resting her chin on Hong Yeon’s table. “Let’s go on a blind date after this disaster is over. Huh? They say the best way to get over a man is with another man.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m not interested.”

“Aww, don’t be like that! You don’t have to follow in your sister’s footsteps! If you go on the forums, some people are saying being a spinster runs in the Hong family!”

Hong Yeon pressed her hand to her forehead. “Hunter Oh Hoseung. Please grab this thing and throw it out.”

“Yes, ma’am! You, come here!”

“Catch me if you can!”

As they laughed and joked, the sound of someone running toward the tent grew louder.

“President. We have a problem!” It was Im Namjin.

The three who had been fooling around instantly snapped back to their positions and saluted. Hong Yeon’s face turned serious as she asked, “What is it?”

“…President Lee Deokbae has stirred up trouble.” Im Namjin placed a screen pad in front of Hong Yeon and played a video.

“My fellow citizens! I stand before you today with a heavy heart.”

The location was Gwanghwamun. Protests against Hong Yeon’s disaster policy were ongoing. Cries of “Save the provinces!” and “Protect my home!” erupted from all sides.

“Do not worry, everyone! I, Lee Deokbae, will never betray you!” He clenched his fist and spread his arms wide. “The land you have cultivated your entire lives! The workplaces where you earned every penny to send your children to college! I cannot stand by and watch as everything you’ve poured your blood and sweat into disappears! Even if the whole world turns its back on us, I believe our government must not turn its back on its people!”

Fervent cheers erupted.

“I, Lee Deokbae, demand it.” He looked into the camera and shouted. “The Disaster Emergency Countermeasure Committee must devise a plan to protect the precious homes of our people. This is not just an order from the commander-in-chief of the armed forces; it is the solemn command of the entire nation.”

“That’s right! Lee Deokbae! Lee Deokbae!”

The cheers were deafening.

“All power of the Association comes from the people! If you do not heed the will of the people, I, Lee Deokbae, as the representative of the people, will not hesitate to demand the resignation of Association President Hong Yeon!”

Another wave of cheers broke out, mixed with the confused murmurs of some.

“Rest assured, everyone! The Republic of Korea has overcome countless crises before. As a member of the M10, a global leader that now guides the world, we will proudly break through this crisis! We will reclaim peace and prosperity with our own hands!”

“Lee Deokbae! Lee Deokbae! Lee Deokbae!”

Hong Yeon scowled and turned her head away. Her three confidants were also smiling in disbelief.

“That old man really is crazy,” Kim Seunghyun grumbled.

Yoon Seulah added her two cents. “They’re saying there’s over a 70% chance of Korea being destroyed, and his political image is more important? Is that it?”

Oh Hoseung shot her a warning look. “Seulah. You’re an Association hunter. Watch your mouth…”

“Oh, did I say something wrong?”

“Both of you, stop,” Hong Yeon said in an icy voice.

The two froze, their backs ramrod straight. Hong Yeon turned her head to look at Im Namjin. “What are your thoughts, senior?”

Im Namjin closed his eyes, supporting his chin with his hand. “If he’s going to come out like this, we’ll have to compromise. The President is asking us to save his face. It would be best to pull a portion of the Red Gate forces and move them to the Cataclysm, and designate about thirty more provincial protection zones.”

Oh Hoseung, who had been listening quietly, looked alarmed. “I-isn’t that too many?”

“Don’t worry. It’s just for show, with no real substance. It’s better to at least pretend to be flexible than to have the country divided and in chaos. If we drastically increase the number of protection zones, the President will be satisfied, and the people will calm down.”

Hong Yeon let out a small sigh. “If I had my way, I’d get rid of them all and seize real power.”

“You can’t,” Im Namjin said, shaking his head. “I know you have more than enough strength and ability to do so. But if you lose politically and the people turn their backs on you, you lose your justification and purpose. You’d be no different from a demonkin.”

At the word “demonkin,” Hong Yeon gritted her teeth.

“In her prime, your sister had the power to take on all of Korea by herself, but she bowed her head before the people. You, too, must learn to bend. To be a person at the top means being a person who can compromise.”

Hong Yeon covered her forehead and thought for a long time before answering. “Understood. I will send a portion of the Red Gate’s defense forces to the Cataclysm. Please compile a list of guilds with high mobility and report back to me.”

“…Yeon,” Yoon Seulah said, her voice laced with worry.

“It’s not a problem. Since our forces are compromised, I’ll just have to push myself harder.” Hong Yeon grabbed her sword and stood up. “I will protect this land from the disaster. No matter what.”

* * *

I opened my eyes to a familiar cave. The humid heat of my regular jjimjilbang felt pleasant.

’What time is it?’

A glance at the time showed it was still 8 a.m. Time for more sleep. I tried to roll over onto my side, but I couldn’t. Something was clinging to my body. I turned my head to look.

’Gah!’

A woman was sleeping, wrapped around me. I scrambled backward in shock. Looking closer…

“…S-Sol?”

Eunsol sat up, rubbing her eyes. She was wearing the same shabby orange sauna clothes as me.

“Ah, Oppa! You’re awake?” She smiled brightly despite her sleepy face and hugged me. “Hehe, you smell nice, Oppa.”

I froze. People who had been looking around for an empty sleeping cave saw us, scowled, and turned away.

“…Sol.”

“Yeah?”

“Let me be clear. We can’t just hug and kiss like we used to. It’ll cause big trouble. Or, more accurately, I’ll be the one getting arrested.”

She blinked. “Why?”

“You’re still a minor, and I’m an adult. And besides, in a relationship between a man and a woman…”

“Oppa. Are you embarrassed?” she asked, her eyes wide and innocent.

For a moment, I was speechless.

“Hehe! I love it when you’re embarrassed, Oppa!” She snuggled back into my arms, rubbing her cheek against me.

I realized I couldn’t reason with her.

“Anyway, how did you even get into the sauna without an ID? And what about school…?”

“I came in this morning! School’s out because of the disaster!”

Damn it, I shouldn’t have told her where I was. My secret hideout, my paradise…

“Oppa! I want baked eggs! And sikhye!”

“Alright, alright.”

At her insistence, I crawled out of the sleeping cave. Stretching, I opened my eyes and was startled by the scene before me.

“…What is all this?”

* * *

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