109. Yongyong’s Little Dream

Choi Cheol-sik stroked his gleaming scalp, choosing his words carefully. “Is your refusal to join Seoul a matter of ‘won’t’ or ‘can’t’?”

Ah, cutting straight to the heart. The distinction mattered-especially regarding the monsterized citizens.

“Frankly? The latter.” I leaned back as Rachel’s online store notifications pinged in the background. “Thousands would face discrimination. Better they stay under my protection.”

His eyebrows rose. “You’re building an army.”

“An acknowledged one. Unlike those hypocrites pretending monsters don’t exist.”

The atmosphere shifted when Cha Ji-eun bristled at our casual dismissal of her defeat. Choi intervened before she could summon another ice spear. “Enough. The Ice Empress learned humility today-a rare gift.”

As the guild forces retreated, the internet exploded:

[HOLY SHIT SHE BEAT THE ICE EMPRESS]

[Govt got styled on by villain waifus]

[China’s gonna smell blood in the water]

Back at the penthouse, Rachel proudly showed her latest venture-an elven liquor store selling “Rainbow Serpent Wine” (male enhancement) and “Royal Bee Mead” (female fertility). The absurd markup made even me blush.

“You’ve been busy,” I deadpanned as Reina sniffed a honeyed bottle.

“Someone had to fund your villainy,” Rachel smirked. “Speaking of-what now?”

I gathered my exhausted harem. “Expansion. We’re claiming Chungcheong Province next.”

Si-woo nearly choked. “You want to carve out a kingdom?”

“Why not?” The numbers danced in my head-600,000 potential monster citizens from the Great Flood zones. “With Seoul’s forces decimated, who’ll stop us?”

Meanwhile, in the Blue House’s secret chamber:

Japanese faction leader Shinohara Yuzuki hid a smirk behind her sleeve as President Ha-now bald as an egg-ranted about her “betrayal.”

“Had we intervened,” she coolly explained, “your approval ratings would’ve cratered further.” The unspoken truth hung between them: Yoo Jin-seok had personally warned her against confronting Baekhwa.

As Yuzuki departed through a portal, her lieutenant giggled. “The bald look suits him.”

“Indeed.” Yuzuki’s fingers absently traced her lower abdomen. A certain white-haired swordsman’s image flashed in her mind-those serpentine golden eyes, that impossible allure…

“My lady?”

“Nothing.” She straightened her kimono. “Let’s go home.”

Far away, a dragon-girl stretched contentedly on her looted throne, already drafting territorial claims. The age of monsters had begun.