Chapter 659

〈Chapter 659〉 Part 2, Chapter 3, Section 24

March 1, 2025.

The Seoul Recovery Operation appeared to be succeeding, but the nation plunged into terror with the appearance of an S+ Rank Monster near midnight.

What everyone had been whispering about—the monster from Baekdusan’s Heaven Lake or the <Seoul City Hall Snake>—emerged and nested atop Namsan Tower. Its offspring, numbering a staggering twenty thousand monsters, settled from Gangseo to Gangdong. These smaller snakes, dubbed “Ssambalry” because their original name was too obscene, seemed poised to march south toward New Seoul at any moment.

A certain minister claimed these monsters crossing the Han River were from North Korea, sparking controversy, but the creatures’ scandalous appearances made Seoul not just a national concern but an international spectacle.

While South Korea scrambled to recover heroes lost or missing due to the snake’s rampage, foreign nations marveled that the twenty thousand monsters remained confined to a specific area.

– Isn’t this like a bonanza of twenty thousand cores?

And the mastermind behind trapping the ssambalries south of Seoul, Seok Harang, performed a miracle by freezing the entire Han River. If it weren’t for magical exhaustion, many thought he might have been SS Rank, given his awe-inspiring display of power.

– No, you’re supposed to freeze Gwanaksan to stop them from coming down, not freeze the Han River! What are you thinking?

Some hasty individuals criticized the placement of Seok Harang’s ice barrier, but upon observing the ssambalries’ behavior, they soon realized the opportunity.

– They disintegrate once they leave Seoul!

Testimonies from barely surviving heroes quietly spread, and the Hero Association officially announced the ssambalries’ trait: for some reason, as if an invisible barrier surrounded Seoul, the ssambalries couldn’t leave the city. Their tendency to climb over the frozen Han River suggested they could only operate within Seoul.

Thus, twenty thousand C~A Rank Monsters found themselves trapped in Seoul.

Even assuming each monster was worth ten million won, their collective value reached two hundred billion won. With A Rank monsters among them, the total monetary value likely reached trillions.

March 2nd.

It was a day when the world’s dynamics shifted.

* * *

<March 2nd, 7:00 AM, Anyang City, Hero Association [Temporary Forward Base]>.

“Who would’ve thought? Lucky thing. Two hours ago, I thought those little bastards were going to march south.”

“Don’t call them that. It’s ‘ssambalry.’ Don’t use vulgar names.”

“Ah, so if the Association bigwigs named it that way, should we also call them ‘little penis bugs’?”

“Rather call them PenisSnakes. If I had to choose between the two, I’d go with the English version.”

<Nightmare>, Hero Association President Seol Ji-young, sighed repeatedly while monitoring radar inside the frontline control room set up in Anyang City. The expected wave of monsters heading toward New Seoul suddenly U-turned along Seoul’s administrative boundary line.

“New Seoul Hunter Guild wants permission to hunt the ssambalries.”

“No. That means entering Seoul.”

“No, no… They say they’ll kill the ones lingering outside the boundaries, like around Gyeonggi-do.”

“…Stop saying stupid things. Ssambalries can attack from a distance. Unless you want to get showered with monster semen, forget that idea immediately.”

“But President, you told me not to call them ‘ssambalry,’ right? How can you then use such language yourself?”

“…If you’re annoyed, why don’t you become the president?”

Seol Ji-young suppressed grievances with authoritarianism. Nobody wanted the position she was forced into, especially since her male Vice President had played a significant role in her ascension, keeping silent now.

“Haha, I wouldn’t dare think of taking your place… But, President, may I ask one question?”

The Vice President glanced around carefully before pulling out a list from his magical gear.

[Seoul Recovery Operation Damage Report]

…Seriously injured: 29, Missing: 13…

“Wow, it’s amazing how all those who got hurt or went missing turned out to be those little bastards, or people notorious for spreading rumors.”

“They didn’t follow orders.”

Seol Ji-young responded calmly.

“The President and Princess Snow personally issued orders, right? Yet, those guys moved so unpredictably, it was suspicious. They wandered aimlessly and ended up getting beaten by monsters and villains.”

“Heh, divine justice?”

“If they followed proper and efficient instructions, they would’ve survived easily. Those who listened lived; those who didn’t, perished.”

“So what you’re saying is even more astonishing. Everyone who followed orders survived, and those who didn’t were wiped out?”

“Not dead. Missing.”

“Whatever. Anyway, I understand your point, President. I’ll make sure not to talk carelessly elsewhere.”

The Vice President’s sly smile made Seol Ji-young smirk slightly. He was perceptive enough to sense something fishy about the Seoul Recovery Operation.

“But President, you know I keep my mouth shut well, right? So, could you give me a hint? Whose influence was behind this operation? Why did the chosen ones take such a beating? Was it the money-grubbing types? Or the faction leaders? Or maybe someone from the White House on the hill?”

“…”

Seol Ji-young whispered softly, her face slightly red.

“Heaven.”

“Huh?”

“…Someone sent down from Heaven. Yeah, a divine mandate.”

“……Wow.”

The Vice President chuckled nervously, scratching his ear.

“President, seriously, don’t say stuff like that when you’re with my younger brother. You might accidentally reveal your fake ID!”

“Ahhh…! Y-you! This is an order! Block incoming calls appropriately! I’m going to inspect the field!”

“Hooh.”

Seol Ji-young rushed out of the situation room. Alone, the Vice President chuckled.

“…I haven’t even told my own twin brother my age yet, and you expect me to share this? If it’s really that important and serious, I get it.”

His mind raced furiously after cleverly avoiding the presidency.

“F***, could it be the Commander’s word is true?”

Snap. He slapped his cheek and shook his head.

“I don’t know anything, I don’t know anything~”

Long and thin.

“Oh dear, our poor friends in the Vigilante Squad. They blindly followed orders without knowing poop from soybean paste and got hurt—what can you do? I know nothing~~ …Eh?”

Ding-dong.

A phone call came through in the situation room. The Vice President cleared his expression and picked up the receiver.

“Yes, this is the Vice President of the Hero Association. President Seol is currently investigating unusual phenomena near Gwanaksan. Yes, understood. I will relay the message immediately upon her return. Huh, surely that won’t happen, right?”

The Vice President frowned deeply, lowering his tone.

“Youth Heroes are also Korean heroes. On what grounds are you accusing us of sending Youth Heroes to their deaths? Is this the stance of the Monster Countermeasures Bureau? We will consult President Seol regarding this matter—Hey! …Damn, they hung up. That kid has sharp instincts. Tch.”

Back to his usual casual tone, the Vice President shrugged and yawned.

“I don’t know anything. It’s always like this in Hell-Korea, isn’t it? Surely, there’s no way a Commander would come here and lead us, right? Hehehe.”

Hero Association.

They decided to simply act as an association.

* * *

<Meanwhile, Yu-Sung Group Hunter Guild Seminar Room.>

Leaders of various hunter groups gathered urgently in Yu-Sung’s office early in the morning. Not because they were employees of Yu-Sung, but because the largest hunter organization in Korea, US Guild, invited all hunters.

“Damn, we’re not Yu-Sung lackeys. Do they think they can just order us around?”

“Yeah, notice your magical gear is branded Yu-Sung. Can’t you see government officials aren’t here? This place is technically Yu-Sung, but it’s actually a gathering of all New Seoul hunters.”

“The Chairman is arriving.”

As a familiar female voice echoed, all hunters fell silent. There was only one person called “Chairman” in the Yu-Sung Group.

Thud, thud.

An old man dressed in a simple black suit stepped onto the podium and gripped the microphone. Behind him stood the de facto owner of Yu-Sung Group, Eun Jae-min, assisting the elderly man respectfully.

“What, is that guy useless or what?”

“Whoa, seems kinda sleek in that suit, doesn’t he?”

By Eun Jae-min’s side stood the youngest of the Yu family, Yun Yuhwa, assisting the old man alongside him. As the old man, Chairman Eun Ha-su of Yu-Sung Group, surveyed the crowd with fierce golden eyes,

“Esteemed hunters, it’s nice to meet you. Skipping formalities, let’s jump straight into the main topic.”

Murmurs rippled through the hunters. The old man, known for droning on with introductions for over half an hour, skipped straight to business. Hunters who had come expecting pleasantries began to feel tense.

Ping. Holoscreens popped up on everyone’s magical gears, displaying real-time satellite radar footage of grotesque ssambalries swarming in Seoul.

“As you can see, we are facing an unprecedented hunting ground. Crisis brings opportunity. Thanks to Princess Snow’s efforts, we now have a golden chance to collect twenty thousand cores.”

Gulp. Hunters’ mouths began to dry. True to his reputation as the Emperor of the Republic of Yu-Sung, Chairman Eun Ha-su saw the massive number of monsters in Seoul not as a crisis leading to the downfall of New Seoul, but as a hunting ground for mass core collection.

“Seoul was our land. No one knows its battlefield and terrain better than us. Even with a count of twenty thousand, if we unite our strength, we can handle them. However, wiping them out all at once would be challenging. Therefore, esteemed hunters, allow me to humbly request your cooperation.”

The word “request” from Chairman Eun Ha-su caused the hunters to stiffen again. Surveying the crowd, the chairman pleaded earnestly.

“For this occasion, let’s put aside greed and work together. Let’s not slit the belly of the goose that lays golden eggs out of selfishness.”

The most greedy entity took a step back first. Hunters, secretly worried that Yu-Sung might seize the hunting grounds, nodded in agreement with the chairman’s magnanimous proposal.

“Chairman, I have a question. The Association won’t sit idly by, right?”

“<Dreamer>. Don’t worry. This matter has already been coordinated with both the Association and the government. Yuha, send it.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

After reviewing the data sent by Yun Yuhwa via magical gear, the hunters’ lips curled.

“From Gangseo-gu to Gangdong-gu. Let’s fairly draw lots for hunting grounds by guild. Under official recognition from the Association and the government, we will determine the hunting grounds under fair conditions. And furthermore…”

The chairman threw down the gauntlet.

“Yu-Sung will choose whatever remains last.”

Hunter Guilds.

Impressed by the charisma of the tycoon known as the President of the Business World, they decided to divide the vast hunting ground of Seoul relatively fairly.

* * *

“Yes, customer. There is some resistance, but we’ve agreed to hold a lottery.”

“…But, is it really okay without manipulation or bribes?”

“No, it’s not that I usually do such things. But if you end up with a terrible spot, won’t you hate me, customer? Dividing it according to the number of participating hunter guilds doesn’t mean we lose twenty thousand cores. Originally, I could’ve monopolized everything, but I’m following your advice.”

“Huh? …Ah, you should’ve mentioned that earlier!”

“Ho ho ho, yes yes. Got it. Public image management sounds good, doesn’t it?”

“Yes. The Association gets Yeouido, and we’ll take Dongjak.”

“But what’s so special about Dongjak that you’re asking me to bribe someone to secure it? Face off against the City Hall Snake?”

“…Huh? Underground Monster Empire? …Just kidding, right?”

* * *

“Phewtchi!”

“Uncle, do you have a cold? Please step aside.”

“Cough. Sorry, Queen Winter. I don’t get along with snakes. I have an allergy.”

“That doesn’t stop you from catching and eating them pretty well, though.”

“Because I grow stronger by eating monsters. But Queen, what about our deal regarding the consort?”

“W-Wait…! I didn’t think you’d do absolutely nothing, did I?”

Underground Monster Empire. Current queen in mental breakdown.

“Why is the Commander helping us…?”

“Thanks to you, we all survived. The trash got eaten by the snake and turned into ssambalries. Hahahaha!”

“…I’ll come back later. I can’t stay away from my post for long.”

“Yes, yes. Queen, bring the consort with you next time. Hahaha!!”

In the underground cavern, amidst hundreds of phallic weapon corpses, echoed the conversation between a toad-like man and a woman resembling someone.

* * *