Ch.60US Forces Korea Withdrawal Plan

Donzo Mykree.

The “project” he established with his political party to withdraw U.S. Forces from Korea was as follows:

The so-called “Korea Can Do Well Alone!” project.

This project had two main objectives.

First was literally withdrawing all U.S. troops stationed in Korea back to American soil.

Second was to “renew” the Mutual Defense Treaty between the U.S. and Korea after the withdrawal had weakened Korea’s defense capabilities.

They would station “New USFK” in Korea with defense costs at least 30 times higher than before.

If successful, it would be killing two birds with one stone.

It was a grand scheme that would allow them to keep China, North Korea, and Russia in check while maintaining friendly relations with advanced East Asian countries.

But, But!

Naturally, this project had slim chances of success in the current situation.

Although in a ceasefire with North Korea, South Korea was still technically at war, and Koreans had a strong image of the U.S. military as “extremely powerful and reliable allies.”

If such troops suddenly announced a complete withdrawal, Koreans would surely do everything possible to keep them.

And for the United States, the Korean Peninsula was the best strategic point to keep the two communist countries in check.

‘If we make a mistake, we might end up allowing China and Russia access to the Pacific.’

Above all, this project severely lacked a “justification” to withdraw U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula.

That’s why it had remained just a plan without implementation until now.

But, however!

What if that justification came from within Korea, not America?

What if Korea was the side wanting to expel USFK?

What if the country needing protection wanted to send away its protectors?

America had finally found that method.

And naturally, the expelled Americans wouldn’t have to take responsibility.

“The project details are as follows.”

Donzo Mykree began explaining to Lee Jin-ah.

First, they would release a controllable monster right in the middle of a USFK base.

Through that monster, the USFK base would be annihilated without being able to counterattack.

Upon hearing that USFK, which was supposed to protect Korea together, had been annihilated, Korea would naturally send its own military and hunters to the USFK base where the monster appeared.

And right there, they would stage the monster that destroyed USFK being easily subjugated by Korean forces!

“A monster that even USFK couldn’t handle was easily defeated by Korean soldiers and hunters! How does that sound? Pretty good picture, right?”

“…And then?”

“This is where you come in, Ms. Lee Jin-ah. It’s your turn to stir things up!”

The useless USFK.

If this frame was mentioned by none other than the branch director representing Korean hunters, how would people react?

In the Korea of the 70s and 80s, when bullets flew constantly and spies crossed the 38th parallel at every opportunity, such statements would have fallen on deaf ears.

But now?

Would today’s Korean youth, who hear about war as if it’s a story from a distant country, protest to keep USFK stationed even after this incident?

“Absolutely not. At most, they might voice opposition on social media, but hardly anyone would organize protests or petition drives.”

Add to that the annual cost Korea pays for USFK.

A whopping “1 trillion won”!

…Actually quite cheap for stationing foreign troops, but if Jin-ah, as the representative of Korean hunters, framed it as extremely expensive?

“1 trillion… Wow! If we frame them as tax thieves, everyone will hate the American troops, right?”

The USFK, which couldn’t inflict any significant damage on a National Disaster-level monster that Korean hunters and soldiers captured with minimal casualties, yet still extorted 1 trillion won annually from Korea.

Just framing it this way would make them the ultimate villains.

“But would people really respond to such one-dimensional propaganda?”

Theoretically, the project seemed feasible.

However, theory aside, numerous incidents would occur during the process—would people really be fooled as expected?

Jin-ah asked this, but Donzo Mykree shook his finger and began to smirk.

“Ms. Lee Jin-ah. You’re overestimating the citizens too much. Especially Korea’s citizens.”

“…Pardon?”

He confidently explained.

“Whether they’re fooled or not isn’t important. What matters most is creating a ‘target’ for the citizens to direct their pent-up anger toward.”

“…You mean creating a scapegoat?”

“Yes! Facts aren’t important! What’s more important is creating a ‘villain’ with a negative image!”

In Korean, they called it “narak” (rock bottom).

In Korea, once someone hits rock bottom, regardless of their past actions or history, they get thoroughly stripped to the bone.

And Donzo Mykree planned to “legally” withdraw USFK during that brief interval before the “truth” came out and misunderstandings were cleared.

“Korean dramas are very entertaining. How many countries in this world can create works that touch the heartstrings like Korea?”

However.

“But do you know something? All Korean masterpieces may be ’emotional,’ but they’re never ‘moral.’ It’s as if they were made by injecting the essence of this country itself.”

Because it was Korea, this project would definitely succeed.

That was Donzo Mykree’s opinion.

Jin-ah’s lips itched to mock his statement in every possible way, but.

‘…Perhaps?’

She suddenly saw another possibility in Donzo Mykree’s project.

“Alright. I’ll cooperate with you.”

“R-really?!”

“Yes. But in return, you must facilitate my entry into the United States.”

Jin-ah smiled and shook hands with Donzo.

“Of course! I always keep my promises!”

Having secured Jin-ah, one of the most influential Koreans he had recruited before coming to Korea, meant he could finally implement the USFK withdrawal project he had been longing for.

“Haha, hahaha…!”

The U.S. congressman, Donzo Mykree, gulped down the whiskey Jin-ah offered straight from the bottle, overjoyed.

The smile seemed unlikely to leave his face anytime soon.

Just then.

“Um, Branch Director?”

“Yes?”

“There’s… a visitor downstairs.”

“A visitor?”

She had instructed not to be disturbed during this important meeting unless absolutely necessary.

Who could it be?

“Well…”

“Ah, go ahead! I was about to leave anyway, so don’t worry about it.”

Fortunately, Donzo Mykree was in a good mood, so there was no problem.

Knowing it was impolite, Jin-ah still excused herself to Donzo and left the office first.

Then, wondering who could be as important as Donzo, she went down to the first-floor lobby.

“Oh, Mom…”

“…?! Eve?”

In the middle of the lobby, covered in dirt and grime, stood Eve.

“I… I came back…”

Eve had brought the lower half of her monster mother to reconcile with her human mother.

After a moment of silence.

“Hic… hic…!”

Having experienced too many things in one day for the first time in her life, Eve tried to smile but burst into tears instead.

She ran straight to her human mother, hugged her tightly, and pleaded.

“I did well, right?! If I did well, please don’t abandon me…! I want to stay with you, Mom…!”

“…Let’s get you cleaned up first, Eve.”

***

I thought I’d be fine up to the point of kaijufication.

But as soon as I returned to the VIP hospital room and lay down on the bed after reverting from monster form.

“Arrrggghhhh…!”

“D-Doctor! What’s happening to my son…?!”

“I-I’m not sure myself. He shouldn’t be able to do strenuous exercise in this condition, so why is he suddenly having such severe muscle pain…?”

My body twisted like a pretzel from the delayed onset muscle pain.

The doctor was visibly perplexed by my condition.

Beside me, Rolling was crying out of worry, and I was just frustrated with my current state.

‘No matter how weak I am as a human, this is really just like an ordinary person…’

It’s already been three days since Princess Kurumi’s escort mission.

It was about time for the next main scenario, the “Lee Heejeong’s American Expedition” episode, to begin.

And I needed to stop it quickly.

If Heejeong proceeded with her American expedition, it would create a permanent rift in Korean-American relations.

“Doctor.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Instead of what’s next, I’d really like to just go home now…”

“What?!”

I wanted to at least get out of the hospital room.

So I asked the doctor, hoping against hope.

“How can you leave in this condition?!”

As expected, the doctor firmly shook his head, saying it was out of the question.

“You need to stay in the hospital for at least another week.”

“That’s right, Shinwoo. I understand you’re frustrated, but let’s stay here until your body recovers somewhat. Okay?”

With even Rolling saying that, I couldn’t argue anymore.

“Mister Monster, let me off around there.”

‘This is troublesome…’

Besides the main quest, I had so much to check on—like Lia’s little sister’s situation and whether the Villain’s Troupe had successfully left Korea.

As I was pondering what to do.

Slide.

“Huh?”

“Oh?”

The door to the VIP hospital room, which not just anyone could enter, opened, and I met her eyes.

The woman who had hated everything in the world so much that she wore a blindfold, voluntarily giving up her sight.

However, she had thrown away that blindfold and met my eyes for the first time.

“Mr. Shinwoo. I’ve come to get you!”

“Princess Kurumi?!”

This was a hospital room full of people.

Could it be that she came to find me as soon as her body recovered, despite having to endure all this?

I was an ill-fated extra who had retired from the story after a brief mention in the early plot.

I was dumbfounded at the reappearance of Princess Kurumi, who could now smile brightly, incomparable to when I first met her—to hell with maintaining the original story.