Chapter 77

EP 13 - International Hunter's Perspective (4)

As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

Li Zhongbin chuckled lightly as he discussed war.

"Of course, if things get serious, it could turn into an actual full-scale war."

China's second-in-command laughed lightly while talking about war.

"The last part was half a joke, so don't take it too seriously."

But it was also half serious, which meant he was somewhat concerned.

* * *

After a long silence, I finally replied.

"......Hmm. Is that so?"

"That's right. We plan to arrest all spies within the country soon, and our elite forces in the eastern theater will surround the Diaoyudao."

"I see."

"If necessary, we might even go as far as the U.S. base in Okinawa."

Wow, that's a bold show of force.

I didn't reveal my surprise, as I was suspicious. None of what was said here would affect me.

I calmly sipped my tea and looked into General Li Zhongbin's eyes. He was looking at me with interest.

"Mr. Han, if this information leaks out of this room, do you have any idea how many people might die?"

"The intelligence agency will need to hire more people next quarter."

"Then, do you think one death is a great price to pay to prevent so many deaths?"

He was still talking about the death of an interpreter.

I didn't answer.

"I am not someone who devalues life. Especially in these times."

"......"

"Of course, Mr. Han, you understand this as well."

I was slightly saddened because I could now understand his point. The reason I had guessed was soon confirmed by his words.

"I know the value of life better than ordinary people, and I cherish it in my profession, whether as a soldier or a politician."

"......"

"Our job ultimately involves deciding who will be sacrificed. I believe Mr. Han can understand this."

"I somewhat understand."

"We know that all lives are precious, but ultimately, some lives must be sacrificed for others. That is the essence of politics and strategy."

Exploiting the poor for the rich, or exploiting the rich for the poor. To inflict more damage, we send in the unit that will suffer the least.

Indeed, that was the essence of politics and strategy.

Li Zhongbin spoke rapidly and without hesitation, but each word and tone seemed to pierce my eardrums and embed itself in my mind.

I not only understood his words but also empathized with them.

"Then, what is the duty of a ruler in this blind spot of respect? It is to see the forest, not the trees, and to adjust losses and gains to increase the total."

"Are you talking about utilitarianism?"

"If all lives are of equal weight, the number is the determining factor. I know that utilitarianism can imply an immoral society, but that is precisely why we must bear this burden."

Li Zhongbin paused to take a sip of tea.

During this time, I looked at this man who might be a utilitarian.

I don't know if his words are true or false. Sorry, but politicians don't trust people.

And while I understand and empathize deeply,

I don't think I will be convinced.

I have weathered too many harsh storms to be swayed.

Pragmatism and utilitarianism.

There's no need to think about such things.

I don't know how many will survive in a world created by a madman who has killed over a million, but at least it won't be heaven.

So,

"......"

I also lifted my teacup to take a sip. I didn't want to boast about my meager philosophy.

I also didn't want to waste energy on idle talk.

What's important is that Li Zhongbin talked about ideology but not policy. This meeting was about policy, and I haven't heard his proposal yet.

So, everything that has been said so far is just an introduction.

That's why I asked him for the first time.

"Why are you here?"

He answered.

"The introduction was long. In short, why did this old man cross the sea to lecture Mr. Han on outdated political philosophy......"

General Li Zhongbin laughed heartily.

"Because I truly respect you, Mr. Han, from this perspective!"

*

"Regarding the 200 nuclear warheads of the U.S. Federation, I understand that the Japanese side made contact. What did they say?"

I answered honestly, as I thought he already knew.

"The Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force seized 200 nuclear warheads from the U.S. forces in Japan and offered 100 to South Korea to jointly stop China's tyranny. We suspect that Japan and the U.S. are working together."

"You are wise. It sounds very favorable to the U.S., doesn't it? Given that the powerful 7th Fleet is based in Japan, they had no choice but to comply..."

Li Zhongbin clicked his tongue a few times and shook his head.

"261. That's the number of strategic nuclear warheads China possesses. It's a top secret, so please be careful with your words."

"It seems to counter the 200 from the U.S."

"261, not 200. And they were already deployed on the Japanese mainland. Every time we secretly developed a nuclear warhead, they placed one in front of our territory. It was a very effective deterrent. It meant they were monitoring our nuclear development in real time. As a result, we often halted our nuclear development."

General Li Zhongbin fearlessly exposed the underbelly of the international community.

"The 200 nuclear warheads deployed on the Japanese mainland, of course, violate the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency. I won't criticize the weapon that can destroy China in six hours. That's how the international community works. Especially, it's absurd for us to talk about compliance with regulations."

"......"

"The question is why they took out those nuclear bombs."

He smiled with a fierce look in his eyes.

"To save people? To prevent war? Or to defeat the monster?"

"......"

"Just to protect their own interests. Did China claim it would massacre Jews for world domination? Or did they pressure us with nuclear warheads to promote unity in East Asia? The actual peace in East Asia doesn't matter; they just used South Korea and Japan as cannon fodder to stop us. That's what it means."

Li Zhongbin said calmly.

"This is commonly known as 'borrowing a knife to kill someone.'"

And he added firmly.

"The U.S. merely used the evil means of nuclear weapons to stop China's expansion. They stood back and induced fratricide. It's truly ineffective and terrifying."

His tone gradually lost its political edge.

"As Li Zhongbin, a person, a former commander of the Shenyang Military Region, and the second father of 1.3 billion Chinese people, I will not tolerate this."

He had become a soldier again.

"In the name of China, I will drive the U.S. back across the Pacific."

And,

he returned to being a politician.

"To do that, I need South Korea's help."

He began to persuade me in a gentle tone.

"Do you know what is most terrifying for a country? It's the people's distrust. I have already suppressed seven large-scale rebellions within China. The same principle applies to Russia's split into the Eastern and Western armies. The Russian Tsar sacrificed a few to save the majority but ended up dividing the country in half.

What about South Korea? The people trust the government. Didn't a people's representative enter the heart of Seoul and rescue 1,200 people?"

The Gangnam Line escape operation.

"The U.S. lost 30% of its territory due to the zombie plague. Politicians argued over whether to kill zombies and ended up creating 20 million infected. What about South Korea? A cure was distributed as the plague spread, and they successfully rescued millions of people from Uijeongbu."

The Uijeongbu incident.

"Noah Lumières. I assume you've heard of her. The European hero who leads many superheroes. But even she couldn't fully mobilize the superheroes. Conflicts among PMCs are becoming more intense. What about South Korea? Guilds, associations, and special forces. The heroes of Seoul united to close the gate."

The Seoul rampage.

"South Korea solved the problems that stumped the world. Do you know what these events have in common?"

He recited the modern history of South Korea.

"Mr. Han Seungmoon, the people's representative, was there."

Li Zhongbin pointed at me with his withered, twisted finger.

"There are no coincidences in this world. This cannot be seen as just a coincidence. South Korea and Mr. Han have the strength to overcome these challenges. In the current era, this is the first true force for peace and coexistence in East Asia."

The finger that pointed at me turned into a hand offering a handshake.

"What do you think, Mr. Han?"

I knew a handshake had no real power, so I willingly shook his hand and smiled. It was a hollow smile, and that was the expression I wanted to show Li Zhongbin.

I asked him.

So, what do you want me to do?

"What do you want, sir?"

"Zhonghua!"

The answer was quick and decisive. My question was the same.

"Then, what is your Zhonghua?"

His vision poured out without hesitation, as if he had been waiting for this moment.

The tones, the pitch, the volume of his Chinese, the strength of his grip on my hand, the gleam in his eyes between his wrinkles, all expressed his passion and joy.

"To form a northern front to stop the many monsters advancing from Siberia by combining the forces of China, South Korea, and the Russian Eastern Military District!"

A northern defense line connecting China, South Korea, and Russia.

"To revitalize emergency trade in East Asia. Using Chinese rice to solve South Korea's food crisis, South Korean superheroes defending Japan, and Japanese technology benefiting China. How can this not be beneficial?"

Reactivating trade.

"To pursue solutions to this unique phenomenon through exchanges and joint research among superhero societies. If we can work together to stop it, it will truly mean something for East Asia."

A superhero united front.

"The will is the mandate of heaven. Only East Asia has the power to change this miserable world. If we can do it, it is our duty. After overcoming this trial, East Asia will become the center of the world."

Li Zhongbin declared.

"This is my Zhonghua!"

And he asked me.

"Will you join me?"

*

Li Zhongbin got into the car. The interpreter who had fled earlier was in the driver's seat.

"Ah, did it go well? Commander?"

Li Zhongbin shot a sharp glance through the rearview mirror.

"......!"

The interpreter swallowed hard at the old man's sharp gaze through the rearview mirror.

He had served this man for 26 years, but that gaze, unchanged from his youth, was something he could never get used to.

"......It's fine. Let's go home."

"You have a dinner with the acting president."

"I told him I had to return urgently due to a worsening illness, so I'm sorry."

"I understand."

The old man is angry again. The secretary, who had served the old man for 26 years, carefully pressed the accelerator to avoid upsetting him.

Today's meeting didn't go well.

The secretary sighed lightly. No matter how high the rank, the behavior remains the same. He gets so sulky when things don't go his way.

"......So, how did it go?"

"How could it go? He said let's meet again after the election, once the coalition is formed."

Li Zhongbin's face, which looked ten years older, was wiped by the secretary, who cautiously asked.

"Didn't you say you were going to build a relationship today?"

"I suggested we have dinner together, but he refused."

"What a cheeky punk...!"

The secretary spent a long time criticizing Han Seungmoon to soothe Li Zhongbin's temper. Li Zhongbin, as always, smiled contentedly at the performance and waved his hand.

"Enough. It's all my fault."

"Give the order! I'll give him a piece of my mind...!"

"Just one bow."

"Understood."

The car fell silent again.

The secretary, being perceptive, turned on Li Zhongbin's 18th song, Deng Lijun's "Mei Hua Cai."

As the sweet and melancholic voice flowed, Li Zhongbin's furrowed brows finally relaxed.

He looked like any other old man.

The secretary asked casually, as usual. Li Zhongbin answered.

"I heard Korean jajangmyeon is very delicious. Should we try it?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Should I order it for myself?"

"Just a bite."

"You'll end up eating the whole bowl."

"I can't hear the song."

"Understood."

The secretary asked casually, as usual. The army general answered.

"We received intelligence from the western front. The Panchen Lama is holding a Dalai Lama reincarnation ceremony with superheroes—"

"Is he still alive?"

"Yes."

The secretary asked casually, as usual. The vice chairman answered.

"The U.S. 7th Fleet is prowling in front of Taiwan. We received a protest letter demanding the release of the ROC president."

"What did the chairman say?"

"He said they killed too many in Taiwan. He wants to release him."

"Release him and then let the security forces loose. Start with the organizations trying to approach the president."

The secretary asked casually, as usual.

"You weren't really trying to kill him, were you?"

"You brat. I just scared him a bit because he was being too slow. Were you worried?"

"Then it's fine."

The secretary put on a serious face, and Li Zhongbin laughed.

"He didn't even flinch, but the guy next to him was trembling."

"Didn't Han Seungmoon get scared?"

"He didn't budge."

The secretary was impressed. Even after such a long time, he could still do that.

"He seems to have some backbone."

"......I didn't get that feeling. It was like talking to a wall."

"Huh?"

"He wasn't even listening with his ears."

Li Zhongbin leaned back in his seat, turned his head weakly to look out the window. The scenery of Busan, which seemed perfectly normal, was enviable.

It wasn't the intact buildings he envied. The expressions of the people walking on the streets were intriguing. Some were setting up stalls on the street to sell miscellaneous items, and couples were wandering in and out of cosmetics stores.

The foundation of a country is the people, and the foundation of the people is their spirit. A country that keeps the people's thoughts from straying is like paradise in such troubled times.

It was obvious who had created such a world.

"Mr. Han is quite remarkable."

"What do you mean?"

"......"

Li Zhongbin put a cigarette in his mouth.

"......Tsk."

It was too vague to put into words, but too clear to ignore.

He couldn't call him an enemy, and he was too cold to be a friend.

The old man could only calm his complex feelings with a cigarette.

...Feeling a strange sense of defeat.

*

Han Seungmoon said to the interpreter waiting outside the room.

"Translate it."

Bae Chae-won replied.

"......They suspect that Ji Yun is an artificially created human weapon. They consider her more dangerous than U.S. nuclear weapons. China is worried about the mass production of Ji Yun.

So, he wants to obtain the formula for the awakening stimulant. To do this, he wants to bring our hunters to mainland China to extract information, get some hair or blood, and if necessary, naturally......

Everything else is a smokescreen."

*

While everyone was preparing daggers in the smokescreen.

Noah Lumières visited South Korea the next day.