Chapter 181 – Outlook [Outlook for]

Saturday, August 13, 2033, early morning.

An urgent report from Beijing secretly flew to the foreign ministries of countries around the world.

<Coup d’État by the Communist Party Beijing Faction>

Governments of various countries urgently convened meetings of ministers in charge of foreign affairs and security, regardless of their time zones, and discussed countermeasures while receiving real-time intelligence from Beijing.

“There’s nothing we can do. With Liu Yaofang, who supported Chairman Li Kebao’s faction, dead and the China Superhuman Association weakened, this was already a foretold event. The most we can do is block any potential refugee influx.”

Ivan Ivanov, who had left Moscow empty to clear the B-Rank Dungeon that appeared in Murmansk, hastily convened a video conference to issue instructions to Prime Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and Interior Minister.

Russia’s decision was to observe and strengthen border security along the Russia-China border.

The same went for neighboring countries.

“It seems the Shanghai Faction and the Beijing Faction have finally clashed.”

“What’s the situation?”

“First, Chairman Li Kebao and the leadership are said to have fled to Shanghai.”

“What part can we control?”

“Only checking the safety of our citizens staying in China through our embassy in Beijing and consulates in major cities.”

“What is the U.S. response?”

“The White House is currently holding a National Security Council meeting chaired by President Smith, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

“The 7th Fleet?”

“They are only on standby for emergency dispatch.”

“That’s strange… Please report once the U.S. takes action.”

Japan decided to wait for the U.S. decision.

“Mr. President. We must immediately move the Pacific Fleet toward the Taiwan Strait.”

“Why are you thinking so urgently?”

“Because it’s an urgent matter, I’m thinking urgently.”

“Wait and see. If we move the military recklessly and Russia intervenes, won’t there be problems?”

“Russia currently lacks the capacity to intervene in East Asian affairs.”

“Is that confirmed?”

“It’s confirmed. Right now, Russia is suffering from the Dungeon that appeared in Murmansk. They don’t have the capacity for military intervention overseas.”

At the Defense Minister’s words, Jonathan Smith crossed his arms.

“Then do we have the capacity?”

At those words, a wrinkle formed on the Defense Minister’s brow.

The Secretary of State and the CIA Director, who had been sparing their words, also flinched and looked at Jonathan Smith.

“What do you mean, Mr. President?”

In response to the Defense Minister’s question, Jonathan Smith crossed his legs and spoke.

“Literally. I’m asking if we currently have the capacity to intervene in China’s situation.”

“We’re not waging a full-scale or localized war with China. It’s to prepare for any unforeseen emergency situations…”

“What emergency situations are you talking about?”

“An attack by the Chinese navy on Taiwan or the Senkaku Islands.”

Jonathan Smith chuckled.

“The whole world is shaking from the aftermath of the African Liberation War. Just as the Defense Minister said Russia lacks the capacity to intervene in Asia, we also lack the capacity to intervene in China. Likewise, China has no reason to launch an attack on Taiwan or Japan while they are internally chaotic right now. They likely don’t have the capacity either.”

“……”

“In such a situation, forcibly moving the Pacific Fleet to the East China Sea risks being perceived as a military provocation.”

“……”

“Perhaps the coup forces and Chairman Li Kebao might quickly join hands and deal with us.”

Jonathan Smith took a long sip of water.

“So you’re saying we should just watch? Let the Beijing Faction and Shanghai Faction fight and let China deplete its national strength on its own?”

At the Defense Minister’s words, Jonathan Smith nodded.

The Defense Minister bit his lip.

For a while, silence fell inside the conference room.

“…Understood. I will follow the President’s will.”

As the Defense Minister conceded, Jonathan Smith smiled and nodded.

He finished his water and stood up.

“What we must do now is closely monitor China’s movements. We must not show any rash military moves. Keep this in mind and focus solely on gathering information from your respective positions for the time being.”

With the President standing up, the cabinet-level officials couldn’t remain seated.

The Defense Minister, Secretary of State, and CIA Director could only watch Jonathan Smith’s retreating back as he left the conference room, their faces filled with dissatisfaction.

After leaving the conference room, Jonathan Smith headed straight to his office.

Sitting in his chair and drinking the coffee his secretary had prepared, he expressed his wish to be alone in the office.

The secretary and bodyguards bowed lightly to him and left the office.

“…What did the Chairman say?”

Jonathan Smith said to the empty air with his eyes closed.

At that moment, the Chairman’s Secretary smoothly revealed herself as if she had been there from the beginning.

She lightly took Jonathan Smith’s coffee cup, took a sip, made a slight face, and added two more sugar cubes to it.

“Drink it sweet. The position of President of the United States requires a lot of patience.”

“……”

“The Chairman hopes China becomes a little more chaotic. Only then will that energy strengthen him.”

Jonathan Smith silently crossed his legs, folded his arms, and looked at the Chairman’s Secretary.

“I’ve been curious for a while… What kind of person is the Chairman… exactly?”

At that question, the corner of the Chairman’s Secretary’s mouth twitched upward.

“A very beautiful and splendid person, an ideal Messiah-like figure who guides us all to the path of salvation? I think I mentioned it before.”

“For a Messiah… he seems to be plunging the world into too much cha… gasp!”

Jonathan Smith’s eyes widened as he clutched his chest.

His steadily beating heart momentarily stopped functioning.

It was a very brief, fleeting moment, but it was enough for him to suffer.

The Chairman’s Secretary looked at Jonathan Smith with a cold, hardened expression and eyes blazing with anger.

“Mr. President. If you have decided to follow the Chairman’s will, and since the Chairman has designated you as the future highest administrative officer of the Empire, show the appropriate respect.”

“Gasp… huh… gasp…”

Feeling his heartbeat start again, Jonathan Smith looked up at the Chairman’s Secretary.

Seeing her cold yet blazing dual appearance, Jonathan Smith nodded with difficulty.

“Leave China as it is. For the time being. Soon, when the time comes, the Chairman will take care of it himself.”

“I will keep that in mind… My earlier slip of the tongue… I apologize…”

“Apologize directly to the Chairman later.”

“Hoh?”

As Ganghwa Island came into view in the distance, an exclamation burst from Siguk’s mouth.

Caw-!

The crow also resonated with Siguk’s reaction, letting out a short cry.

“It looks more like a military base than a village…”

Like a military base, sandbag and wire barriers, trenches behind them, and beyond them, barracks, armories, anti-aircraft guns, etc., were all very well-maintained even from a distance.

And in the fields spread out several kilometers beyond the barriers, people were laboring under the soldiers’ supervision.

“That seems like the most favorable level of civilization encla…”

Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!

Three cannon roars sounded.

The epicenter was the three anti-aircraft guns deployed inside the military base.

Caw-!

The crow let out a scream-like cry and performed evasive maneuvers.

Fortunately, the distance between the crow and the base was considerable, so no unfortunate incidents like being hit by shells occurred.

“…These bastards!”

Siguk jumped straight down from the crow’s back.

Boom-! Boom-! Boom-!

Three more cannon roars echoed.

At that moment, Siguk’s Combat Sense became extremely active, and the trajectories of the shells were captured by his senses.

Siguk stepped on one shell with his foot, leaped, and then descended vertically to a position as close as possible to the anti-aircraft guns.

“Intercept! Intercept!”

“Descent! Descent!”

The soldiers shouted noisily.

Thud-!

Amidst them, Siguk fell down.

Clack-!

Instantly, the soldiers surrounded Siguk and pointed their gun muzzles at him.

“Infrared detectors On!”

Following the commander’s order, the soldiers turned on their infrared detectors to see through the dust.

And at that moment,

Thump-!

“Gasp!”

With a dull impact sound, the soldiers began to fall.

“Assault! Assault! Assault!”

The commander shouted loudly.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeng-!

Soon, an emergency air raid alarm echoed throughout the entire base.

Meanwhile, all the soldiers surrounding the anti-aircraft guns were subdued and collapsed on the ground.

“Assault! Assault! Assa… gasp!”

Siguk grabbed the commander’s neck with one hand as he kept shouting ‘assault.’

The commander’s and Siguk’s eyes met.

Siguk slowly lifted the commander.

The commander’s eyes were being eroded by the fear of death.

“Are you insane?”

The words Siguk spat at such a commander were not very long.

“Gasp… assa… gasp…”

Soon, the commander lost consciousness from lack of oxygen.

After throwing the commander’s limp body to the ground, Siguk looked around.

Looking at the figures of what seemed like at least 15 soldiers collapsed in the gradually clearing dust, Siguk spat on the ground.

“Making me start with punches right from the beginning.”

Siguk frowned and looked around.

To his ears and eyes came the sounds of soldiers’ boots and gun clips moving busily.

‘Atomization.’

Siguk hid his form with the Atomization Skill and left the spot.

A short while later, when the soldiers arrived there, all they saw were the fallen members of the 3rd Anti-Aircraft Gun Platoon.

“They are alive. No one is dead.”

Watching from the surroundings as the soldiers reported the survival of the 3rd Anti-Aircraft Gun Platoon members to the commander, Siguk quietly floated into the air and looked around.

While the soldiers moved busily, those who appeared to be officers were also moving busily.

After analyzing their movement patterns, Siguk immediately moved to the large barracks located in the center of the base.

“A person fell from a crow?”

“We haven’t confirmed if it’s exactly a person. But it’s certainly a being close to a person.”

“And it wiped out the 3rd Anti-Aircraft Gun Platoon?”

“Yes. Fortunately, all platoon members survived.”

“Where is it?”

“Currently searching.”

“Alright, go check. I need to contact the Division Commander.”

The young officer saluted the old officer and went outside the barracks.

The old officer called a communications soldier to try to contact somewhere.

“To the Division Commander…”

But the old officer couldn’t continue his words.

“Are you the person in charge here?”

With his hand on the communications soldier’s shoulder, Siguk looked at the old officer and asked.

“…Is it you? The identity of the thing that fell from the crow?”

“I asked if you’re the person in charge here.”

“…What on earth is your identity?”

At that moment, Siguk climbed over the communications soldier’s shoulder and came right up to the old officer’s nose.

Just like that, Siguk grabbed the old officer by the collar.

But the old officer only flinched slightly; he wasn’t terrified or anything.

Seeing that, Siguk chuckled.

“Judging by the rank insignia, it looks like Lieutenant Colonel… Are the old military rank systems still in use?”

“You… what kind of person are you?”

“Me?”

The corner of Siguk’s mouth twisted upward.

He slowly looked back and forth between the communications soldier who was trying to operate the radio and the old officer with a hardened expression.

“Speak. What on earth is your identity!”

As if resolved to die, the old officer shouted once more in a desperate tone.

Looking at him, Siguk answered.

“Who else? The person you guys hit with anti-aircraft guns out of the blue.”

His voice was full of mischief.

The old officer’s expression hardened further.

“So. Are you the person in charge here? I think I’m asking for the third time. Or the fourth?”

And Siguk’s expression also began to gradually turn cold.