Part 1 Chapter 9-3

At the moment Xiaolin detonated the bombs in succession.

James Lee, an executive of the Azure Syndicate and Architect, had accepted Eun Yuha’s invitation and was discussing the construction of the Ability User Academy at the New Seoul Yuseong Mansion with Ryu Cheon-seong of Haneulseong.

“Wow.”

Naturally, their reason was also blown away by the bombs Xiaolin detonated. Since they were humans, not monstrous humans, in charge of Seoul’s internal affairs, they had only heard rumors about Xiaolin’s identity but had never seen her in person.

“The boss has incredibly high standards. Didn’t they just pick and ‘eat’ all the beauties in the world?”

“No way, to that extent. Ugh.”

What surprised the two was Xiaolin’s beauty. Xiaolin’s features were so outstanding that they were comparable to those of Cheon Gaeul, who was a celebrity, or Seok Harang, who was known for her beauty. With a face that looked like it came straight out of an East Asian painting of a beauty, Xiaolin was wearing a traditional coat.

“…….”

Eun Yuha, sitting opposite the two, did not hide her discomfort. As Eun Yuha became the sponsor of the Azure Syndicate, she had revealed her true identity to the executives, and the three were discussing the Academy after a simple dinner.

“It’s a relief that the situation in China has been settled, but.”

Eun Yuha glared at the smiling Xiaolin with a voice that reeked of coldness.

“I didn’t actually mean for you to go and seduce your past life’s wife…. Hehe….”

The two men averted their gazes in their own ways. It was clearly their superior’s fault, but they felt as if they were being punished. Haneulseong cleared his throat and tried to calm Eun Yuha.

“You should get used to it soon. Wasn’t this what you prepared for?”

“That’s true. Phew. I’m a good person, so I’ll just have to endure it.”

Eun Yuha decided to put aside her feelings about Xiaolin and Phoenix and analyze the repercussions of their actions.

“Xiaolin-ssi volunteered to be a bodyguard. …This wasn’t in the plan, but from the looks of it, she seems to intend to follow all the way to Seoul.”

“It’s good to have a bodyguard, but that will draw a lot of attention.”

“Since the Black Flame Dragon is dead, the fear of monsters will also decrease. A lot of people will probably come to Seoul, won’t they?”

“They’ll probably come up to Seoul via Gimhae, passing through New Seoul. Since virtually all the monsters are dead now.”

There were still monsters scattered in various mountain foothills and abandoned islands, but they were being quietly swept away by the members of the Azure Syndicate and the monstrous human unit.

“Architect. Can you also lay roads, by any chance?”

“If it’s just restoration, then anytime. If it’s building new ones, it’ll take some time.”

“Then we’ll have to discuss it when they return later. Sigh.”

Eun Yuha drank her coffee and smiled bitterly.

“Since when did I start running a business while caring about others? Tsk.”

“Um, Chairman Eun Yuha.”

Haneulseong asked cautiously.

“You, by any chance, to our leader….”

“Are you asking if I like them?”

Eun Yuha snorted and picked up her coffee cup.

“Hehe. I am Eun Yuha, the Chairman of Yuseong and Doll Master. Yes. Of course, I like them. How much financial profit do my clients bring me? Haah, just thinking about the S-rank Core I’ll receive this time, worth an airplane, makes me not even think about coffee.”

“……Haneulseong.”

Architect lowered his voice.

“I bet five Cores that they’re still a kid and haven’t realized it yet.”

“I’ll take that bet and raise it to ten, on them being a money-grubbing demon.”

While the two men were making small bets, the video on the TV quickly changed. Xiaolin designated only a few of the more docile reporters and moved them to a special hospital room, where they captured the blue girl-Cheonghwa-who was presumed to be under the protection of an association official, on their camera lenses.

[……Hello.]

Cheonghwa politely bowed her head and greeted them. Her face was pale, and there were blue bruises under her eyes, as if she had suffered terribly from being kidnapped.

[I, I’m sorry for causing you concern-]

[Did you see who the culprit was?!]

One reporter loudly spoke in Chinese, and Cheonghwa briefly closed her eyes. The three quickly realized the truth behind that act.

“She got pissed off because her words were cut off.”

“Indeed.”

“If she gets cut off one more time, the boss will immediately reveal their true colors, won’t they?”

The three were anxious, wondering if Phoenix might reveal their true form to the entire world.

Although it was awkward to see them feigning innocence with a ‘I don’t know anything’ face, they certainly didn’t want to see a psycho who regarded human lives as flies decapitate a reporter just for interrupting them.

[I… I don’t remember well after getting on the plane.]

Phoenix lowered their head with an expression that seemed to say, ‘I’m sorry I can’t remember anything.’ Xiaolin and the association official glared at the reporter with fierce eyes, as if scolding them.

“Aha.”

Eun Yuha snapped her fingers, realizing the identity of the association official.

“It’s Phantom’s transformation.”

“How did you know?”

“By intuition.”

Eun Yuha vaguely said it was intuition, but Cheon Gaeul, who had transformed into the association’s supervisor, was standing right beside Phoenix, guarding them. He cleared his throat and pointed to the exit for the reporters.

[They still need to rest. For now, please listen to what Cheonghwa-yang wants to say, and how about conducting a separate interview later?]

Even though it was live, the conversation inside the hospital room was broadcast without alteration. Xiaolin let in only the most docile-looking reporter as a representative into the room and chased the rest out.

[So, Beast Tamer Cheonghwa-yang. Do you have anything to say…?]

[Ah, yes.]

Phoenix spoke with a faint smile, looking as if they might collapse at any moment.

[I… I’m still okay, so if there are any monsters, I’ll rush there anytime. That’s the mission given to me.]

[Ah.]

The reporter gasped. When Phoenix turned their head, it seemed as if tears were welling up. Phoenix barely managed to lift the corners of their mouth. The trembling seemed to indicate they were enduring the pain on their face, which was full of torture marks, to speak.

[Saving the world… that’s my role.]

“Ugh.”

Architect spat out the tea he was drinking. Haneulseong was no different. Eun Yuha, with a stiff expression, was staring at the black orb placed on the table next to Phoenix.

“Is that, by any chance…?”

Was the flame pattern drawn on it an illusion? When Phoenix saw the camera pointing at the black orb, they were startled and quickly took the orb.

[Th-this is, well…! ]

[This concludes the interview.]

[W-wait a minute! What is that- ]

Chichijik! The video transmission ended as Xiaolin forcefully swung something. It was a reasonable suspicion that she had probably cut the camera with a weapon, and the broadcasting station quickly switched the screen to the desk.

[So… what was that orb just now? ]

[It looked like a Core…]

“Oh my. I can’t believe they’d pull a stunt like that.”

Eun Yuha barely managed to stop the laughter that was about to burst out. The two men frowned, as if they didn’t understand.

“I get that it’s a Core, but what kind of-“

“It’s probably just a show. Hehe, now various countries will probably offer S-rank Cores on their own.”

Eun Yuha immediately moved her dolls to check the network’s reaction. People were angered by Cheonghwa’s injury and moved by their sense of mission, but they seemed quite curious about what that Core was.

And Eun Yuha found it. The reaction Phoenix probably wanted to elicit, and the reaction Eun Yuha had anticipated.

-If they just have that Core, can’t they revive monsters??

“Their value will skyrocket now.”

Eun Yuha clicked her tongue at Phoenix’s wicked scheme.

“How much money would it be if we distributed one Black Flame Dragon per household?”

“I… I really don’t understand what you’re talking about at all.”

“……Tsk.”

Eun Yuha sighed at the two men’s slow comprehension, unable to follow her train of thought. She wanted to quickly discuss the future business with Phoenix.

“I’ll explain it slowly, so listen carefully.”

Eun Yuha began to tell the two men the story.

** ***

“You’re really terrible at acting, aren’t you?”

“……Be quiet.”

The hospital room after everyone had left. There were no humans here, only monstrous humans remained.

“Then appear now.”

Seureuk. As soon as I spoke, a shimmering haze wavered in the space next to Xiaolin. Bonghyo, who had been coaching him next to Xiaolin, and Hwanryong, who had been carried on Bonghyo’s back and then immediately got down to trot over to Cheon Gaeul’s side.

The Illusion-attribute monstrous human and the Illusion-attribute Spirit had entered the hospital room as spirit bodies. The moment Xiaolin led the reporters and burst into my hospital room, they secretly entered amidst the chaos.

“That was disgusting.”

“What are you talking about? World peace is something I’m serious about, you know? So, Bonghyo. I pulled a trick just as you wanted. Go on, keep talking.”

“Yes.”

Bonghyo stepped forward. It was Bonghyo’s strategy to subtly let it be known that monsters could be revived by placing the Black Flame Dragon’s Core nearby.

“First, the fact that the Black Flame Dragon is alive will throw Mao Zeping into anxiety. As long as Xiaolin has completely escaped his grasp, the Black Flame Dragon will become an immense pressure. The Black Flame Dragon’s threat? On the contrary, it won’t be a threat at all. Why?”

“The Black Flame Dragon’s attack on Beijing was a desperate struggle to save its kidnapped master.”

“Exactly. No, you had such a plan from the beginning, didn’t you?”

I nodded in affirmation. It was Bonghyo who had expanded my plan.

“The mechanism for controlling monsters is revival through Cores. With this, our liege will also be able to step forward publicly.”

“So you’re planning to create multiple Beast Tamers.”

“Yes. Phoenix-nim cannot personally go around the entire world, can they?”

Bonghyo winked. I realized the hidden intention in his words. Division of labor. He seemed intent on teaching Hwanryong the true joy of labor.

“That’s true.”

“That’s how it is.”

I commended his efforts with my eyes, and Bonghyo smiled calmly, expressing his gratitude. Hwanryong, unaware of the labor trap being set for him, was clinging to Gaeul and attempting physical contact. I wondered if he was just a leech.

“Then, second. Is there a way to depose Mao Zeping? Corruption probably won’t be a big issue.”

“It will probably be difficult. Most of his assets are divided among his children, and people don’t know that they are Mao Zeping’s illegitimate children. He will cut off his tails, threatening them with solitude to send them to prison instead.”

In short, Mao Zeping was someone who couldn’t be caught. Two questions came to my mind.

“Does Mao Zeping also have a Cheongsong?”

“Huh?”

“Ah. Correction. Does Mao Zeping have an ability user who handles solitude?”

“……Yes. He did.”

Bonghyo raised a finger and pointed. At himself.

“It was me. One Yang-Gu and numerous Yin-Gu. Those with a Yin-Gu embedded in their heart must obey the commands of the one with the Yang-Gu.”

“…My goodness. How could you live being used like that by Mao Zeping?”

“Even so, he was my father. …I never imagined he would use my ability to make his own daughter’s heart burst. In that sense, I am always grateful to my liege.”

Bonghyo bowed to Hwanryong. Hwanryong, seemingly embarrassed, hid behind Gaeul.

“……You seem to be a truly capable person.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Only now did I realize why he didn’t appear in the original story. Bonghyo might have been eliminated because he was too capable. By his father, Mao Zeping. Perhaps saying something like, ‘You’ve lost your usefulness.’

“Hwanryong.”

“Why.”

“If you do gacha, you won’t need to reroll.”

“…What strange things are you saying?”

No one seemed to understand my words. Deokbae would understand perfectly. Or perhaps I should talk to the bird inside my body, who shares my memories.

“Ah.”

When would be a good time? While I was briefly pondering, Xiaolin mentioned an event I had forgotten.

“So, what are your thoughts on the Chairman’s invitation?”

“……About that.”

I recalled the schedule from when the plane hadn’t been hijacked.

“Aren’t they just pushing ahead with the welcoming party? Accepting the invitation even in this situation…”

“I recommend not attending.”

Bonghyo recommended accepting the invitation. I was curious about the reason.

“Why?”

“Phoenix-nim, that is, Cheonghwa-nim, is publicly a victim of the party. It’s not desirable to participate in an event less than a day later. More importantly, aren’t Phoenix-nim the ‘gap’ (superior)? For a man’s date proposal, playing hard to get once would be more attractive.”

“I’m not playing push-and-pull with the Son of Heaven, so why?”

I retorted at Bonghyo’s suggestive choice of words. Gaeul and Xiaolin glared at Bonghyo, and for some reason, even Hwanryong reprimanded Bonghyo with his eyes.

“……That was a slip of the tongue.”

Bonghyo quickly admitted the imprudence of his remark and retracted it.

“Ahem. So, please rest for today. Give people time to think calmly, and look forward to tomorrow.”

“Alright. Xiaolin, then please explain it well through the association. Tell them the Beast Tamer fainted and needs absolute rest.”

“Understood. I will also inform Seolhwaryeong.”

“…So we’re just leaving Mao Zeping alone?”

Gaeul expressed her discomfort with a displeased look. He was indeed someone who caused concern in many ways to just leave alone.

“Don’t worry.”

I waved my hand towards the window.

“Because we’re monitoring his every move right now. Right, Emperor-nim?”

“Yes. He’s currently brought a woman into his bedroom and is roughly performing the Yin-Yang Union.”

The Black Scorpion monstrous human, who had been lowering the screen, reported on Mao Zeping’s movements. Those in the hospital room, including myself, suddenly felt awkward due to the uncomfortable knowledge they had unexpectedly gained.

“Uh, um.”

“…What peculiar tastes.”

“Leave him be. People need to relieve stress somehow, even like that. No matter if he’s an enemy, one’s private life is-“

“The woman being ridden looks quite like you. …He even put a blue wig on her? Is this a modern Terracotta Army? A steel doll, how amazing.”

I vowed to split Jjo in half and turn him into two pieces.