Chapter 109: Chapter 108

Before joining the dispatch mission, there was something that needed to be done first: warn the South Korean government of the impending crisis and propose countermeasures. Ryu Seo-ha had already submitted a written report to the Blue House Secretary’s Office and had been invited to attend a disaster response meeting chaired by the president.

“So... you're saying that this organization caused natural disasters artificially?”

The prime minister, whose disbelief was evident, tapped the documents on the table, rephrasing what he had just heard. The expressions of the other government officials filling the large conference room weren’t much different.

“And on top of that, they plan to spread a zombie virus mixed into various potions?”

“The virus spread through potions and the zombie outbreak caused by necromancers are separate issues,” Ryu Seo-ha calmly corrected.

The prime minister muttered “Anyway...” and furrowed his brow before continuing.

“Regardless of how it’s possible... didn’t you say this group has global influence and advanced technology?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“What would they gain from doing something like this? They have everything to lose... It’s not like they’re trying to destroy the world.”

It was only natural for such an illogical reaction to come when trying to understand this from a common-sense perspective. After all, those who start such a global upheaval aren’t exactly rational.

“Their goal is to create extreme chaos itself.”

To be precise, their objective was to provoke humanity’s anxiety to its maximum.

“All for the sake of their object of worship.”

These higher beings feed on the desires and mental energy flowing from the lower dimensions attached to the dimension core they oversee. It’s not the simple desires humans typically experience, but highly concentrated and intense spiritual energy.

As civilizations advance, spiritual matters are often dismissed as primitive or irrational, and people increasingly seek solutions through effort and will, rather than through prayer. This is why the black-winged faction eventually spreads disaster under the guise of “cleansing.”

Before wiping away the records of scientific civilization and resetting human development, they aim to extract the highest possible level of desperate prayers and desires from people trapped in chaos and fear. When humans find themselves in situations they cannot solve with their own strength, they unconsciously reach out to transcendent beings for salvation.

“...”

The government officials remained silent for a while after hearing the brief explanation. The scale of the issue was so vast that it was hard for them to grasp its seriousness.

“We’re not here to beg you to believe us.”

Choi Gang-hu, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.

“If you ignore this warning and the country collapses, I don’t know who will take responsibility, but it won’t be our problem.”

His indifferent tone, implying they wouldn’t care if things went south, read as a subtle threat, causing a few members of parliament to frown.

“We can’t discuss your proposed measures unless we first understand the problem,” the president, who had been deep in thought, finally broke the awkward silence hanging over the room.

“What I’m saying is, you can come to your conclusions on your own. We’re not here to convince you.”

“What... How dare you speak like that here—!”

One of the members of parliament, unable to hold back, stood up to raise his voice, but the president quickly intervened, cutting off the outburst.

“Our esteemed S-rank healer has quite a bit of concern for humanity.”

Choi Gang-hu raised a corner of his mouth in a smirk, casually draping an arm around his lover's shoulders. Ryu Seo-ha quietly thought, I didn’t ask for this this time..., but nevertheless allowed himself to relax into the embrace.

“Surely, a talent like Hunter Ryu Seo-ha wouldn’t gather us here to lie.”

The president, looking unsure of how to react, sighed and nodded. He was signaling that they should first evaluate whether the proposed solution was feasible, rather than debating the truth of the situation.

“I oppose installing amplification items that react only to the healer’s magic across the country,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff immediately voiced his objections in a firm tone as soon as he was given the floor. He argued that such items, if misused, could pose a significant threat to national security.

“Even if the scenario you’ve predicted comes to pass, our military forces will be able to handle it.”

“Like you did 10 years ago when you declared martial law and unilaterally sealed off the regions?”

Choi Gang-hu’s sharp retort, nearly mocking, cut through the confident assertion, and the chairman pressed his lips together tightly. Although the general who commanded martial law back then had long since retired and the administration had changed, the chairman’s expression showed that he still felt the weight of responsibility.

“This time... we’ll work to ensure that doesn’t happen,” the president, gazing solemnly at Ryu Seo-ha sitting quietly across from him, answered on behalf of the chairman. The issue of the Chinatown survivors had always been a headache for the government.

Right after the lockdown was lifted, there had been plans to enact special laws to provide relief and support for the survivors. If not for the violent behavior displayed by some of them during discussions over compensation, they might have received psychological counseling and employment support for their physical, mental, and economic hardships.

“We are truly grateful to Hunter Ryu Seo-ha, who has stepped up for the country despite the unfair discrimination he has faced.”

The president solemnly bowed his head, apologizing for the government’s failure to care for innocent survivors who had been stigmatized as potential criminals along with the violent ones from the lawless zone. He also promised to correct the unjust system.

Ryu Seo-ha, bowing his head in return, glanced sideways at Choi Gang-hu, who sat calmly beside him. It was clear now that he had timed his interruption deliberately, making sure Ryu Seo-ha would receive an official apology from the government.

“The installation of amplification items is unavoidable if we are to respond effectively to the situation after it occurs,” Ryu Seo-ha brought the discussion back to the main issue. There was still much work to be done, and they didn’t have time to waste.

“The range I can cover with my ability is limited.”

Corpses worldwide would reanimate as zombies, and people who consumed potions tainted with the virus would mutate and become violent. As impressive as Ryu Seo-ha’s Sanctification ability was, he couldn’t handle such a large-scale disaster alone.@@novelbin@@

“To make those amplification items, rare monsters need to be captured... that might be difficult,” the head of the Disaster Management Agency, who had been whispering with Director Hwang Munseok, raised a practical concern with a worried expression. His gaze toward the U.S. Forces Korea commander sitting across the table added an unspoken explanation.

The implication was clear: once the U.S. government found out, they would prioritize securing their own safety. With resources already scarce, how would they even obtain the materials needed to craft the items?

“I would like to request a video conference with the White House about this issue,” Choi Gang-hu, scanning the room with indifferent eyes, finally locked his gaze on the commander, who had been discussing something with his chief of staff.

“Is that possible?”

He then turned to the president, his expression as disinterested as ever, as though he didn’t care if the world fell apart, but was begrudgingly offering to help.

The president, caught off guard by the audacity of requesting a personal audience with the president of the world’s strongest nation, stared at Choi Gang-hu for a moment before conducting a brief formal discussion with his ministers. He then approved the request.

“This concerns national security. Is there room for negotiation?” the president asked cautiously after moving to a secret meeting room prepared for sensitive matters. His voice, now freed from the constraints of public decorum, revealed the unease he hadn’t shown in front of his ministers.

Ryu Seo-ha handed over a report detailing the negotiation scenario he had prepared in advance. After reviewing it with his closest advisors, the president nodded, agreeing to trust them for now.

About an hour later, they were able to meet with U.S. officials via hologram. It wasn’t just the U.S. president; senators, congressmen, and even the governor of New York were in attendance.

“So... you’re asking us to sell you the right to freely raid all dungeons within U.S. territory for a certain period of time?”

Thanks to the prior delivery of the report, negotiations quickly moved forward.

“For information that hasn’t even been confirmed, isn’t this a bit expensive?”

“How about proving your worth by playing the role of the world’s police?”

To the U.S. president’s question, Choi Gang-hu casually responded, implying that after solving all the global disasters, they would be willing to give interviews crediting the success to the U.S. government's strong leadership.