101. Warning

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The guild masters sighed at news of Seo Ji-yeon’s absence.

“She doesn’t want to participate. I allowed it – if she intervened, Songdo might vanish entirely.”

“Wise choice.”

While the masters could withstand Ji-yeon’s finger beams, the terrain couldn’t. If forced to attack Songdo, the city itself might be destroyed.

“So we’re supposed to pretend to attack while ignoring the Blue House bastards?” Taehwa Guild Master Shin Jiwon clicked his tongue.

“Exactly.”

“But the Blue House has few hunter forces. Their main fighters are just the Heungbu-Nolbu brothers, while Baekhwa outspeeds Kim Ji-hye and fought Yoo Jin-seok to a standstill. That swordsman companion battled Heungbu too. Plus an unidentified archer monster. You think Ha’s hunters can break through?”

Frankly unimaginable. Ha’s forces couldn’t even subdue the weakened Association now.

“10,000 national troops will be mobilized.”

“10,000? Is Ha insane? Even if they win, casualties against monster forces will be catastrophic!”

These would be soldiers with minimal magic training – barely different from civilians.

“Who knows what that bastard’s thinking?”

“Probably mixing in his hunters too.” Meaning using troops as cannon fodder to capture Baekhwa. Heavy military casualties would turn public opinion against her.

“They anticipated we wouldn’t help.” Baek Cheong-gang tsked.

“Precisely.”

Their president was sacrificing his own people while trying to tarnish Baekhwa’s image. What a stubborn bastard.

The guild masters could only hope Baekhwa wouldn’t make foolish choices.

* * *

As Songdo prepared for war, Ji-yeon contacted me via magic gear for the first time:

[10k troops + Ha’s hunters + guild alliance attacking Baekhwa tomorrow. I’m sitting out – handle it.]

The situation was deteriorating. Tomorrow, war would come to Songdo. Good thing I’d prepared the citizens.

The concept of national military persisted despite the changed world, though hunter-focused policies had drastically reduced their numbers.

I urgently gathered my heroines.

“If Ha employs human wave tactics, we won’t kill them.”

“Then how do we win?” Han Suji frowned.

I produced 1,000 magic guns from subspace – the same ones shown before, now adjusted for non-lethality.

“Cheonsan’s magic guns are inefficient but adjustable.”

“Lower magic charge equals less lethality,” Choi Si-woo added.

Exactly. These would only inflict stinging wounds, not deaths.

“I’ve set all distributed guns to non-lethal. We’ll hold out.”

“For how long?”

“That’s where Leina and Suji come in – destroy enemy supply depots. Modern military uses magic-operated depots near gates – easy targets once located.”

“But their locations?” Suji asked.

Yu-jeong touched my shoulder. “I’ll find out. Baekhwa’s network covers areas near Songdo. But will they retreat just because supplies are hit?”

Unlikely. We needed alternatives.

“We could use dark magic”””

“That would harm guild forces too,” Si-woo objected. While we’re accustomed to dark energy, most guild hunters would perish if exposed.

“And Ha might push forward regardless. He’s the worst president ever – might sacrifice his entire army.”

We needed another approach.

“Rosaria’s healing could help.” Her abilities work on humans and monsters alike.

“As backup?” Leina teased, knowing me too well.

“Not just that!” Though having her would be nice.

Perhaps Shinohara could assist, though dealing with the Shinsengumi would be troublesome. Chaos magic could make the troops turn on each other, but we’d need those forces later against the Sins.

“Wait.” There were ways to neutralize 10,000 troops without fighting.

“What if we strike first?”

“Our image? Could we even attack Seoul successfully?”

With me here? What’s there to worry about?

“Who am I?”

“Ah.”

“Don’t forget whose women you are.”

“So what’s the plan?”

Seoul’s walls had massive gates guarded by hunters. Normally impassable, but…

“We just destroy the Blue House.”

“Just that?”

“Yes. Only Baekhwa and you girls.” A small elite force infiltrating the Blue House would suffice. That idiot Ha would be hiding in his underground bunker anyway.

“Wait, you’re sending us to die?” Suji pretended vulnerability, hugging herself. Ridiculous – she’s among our strongest.

“It’s basically burglary. And Suji, you’re strong enough to handle Ha’s remaining hunters.” His forces consisted of brainwashed criminals – acceptable losses.

“Using Kate then?”

“Yes. But first, we’ll plant some bait.”

“Huh?”

“Attacking outright makes us look like villains.” Villainous beauties with cause, that is.

* * *

I started my usual broadcast with a warning:

“Hello, this is Baekhwa. Today I warn the Blue House.”

Viewers flooded in immediately:

[??]
[What’s happening?]
[Terror attack?]

Surprisingly, Twitter hadn’t banned my villain account, allowing this stage for our performance.

“Apparently I seemed like an easy target.” Almost made a pussy joke but restrained myself.

“Recent troop movements suggest an impending attack. President Ha, consider this warning: any encroachment beyond the walls will be met with retaliation.”

Viewers reacted heatedly:

[Guild mobilization was for Baekhwa?]
[War??]
[Why provoke those keeping to themselves?]
[Villains deserve purging!]
[How many villains has quarantine actually caught?]

Perfect chaos. The more confusion, the better the propaganda.

“Elderly sir, since your ears might not hear well: Don’t provoke us unless you want the Blue House destroyed. How would it look getting wrecked by a girl half your age?”

[Can Baekhwa really retaliate?]
[Her place looked barely furnished]
[Can she break Ha’s skull?]

“Viewers, if you want to see the Blue House destroyed, please encourage Ha to attack Songdo.” With that, I ended the broadcast.