Chapter 658

〈 Chapter 658 〉 Part 2, Chapter 3, Section 23

The City Hall Snake (S+).

This monster, which can evolve into the SS Rank <Great Hidden Dragon> under certain conditions, is another case of a human turned into a monster, just like the Yeouido Tentacle Toad.

It’s incredibly common for heroines’ family members, acquaintances, or associates to become monsters or villains. Just as in Seok Harang’s storyline where Light Blade Heo Yoon-hwan appears as the boss, there’s also one such existence tied to political heroine Baek Hee-a.

“It’s none other than the City Hall Snake, that is, Baek Hee-a’s father.”

Not her biological father but legally recognized as her father on the family registry. And by implication, this also means he’s the biological father of protagonist Baek Cheong-hwa.

“Of course, at the moment, he’s merely an S+ rank monster.”

Once someone becomes a monster, they cannot revert back to being human. You could extract his core using your subordinates and turn him into a villain, but even if you resurrect him as a villain, he’ll likely betray you during the final battle due to Seongju’s influence.

A useless villain ally for the final battle.

An opportunity to obtain an S Rank core during gameplay, which each nation can secure only about two of.

Even if you were to recruit the City Hall Snake as an ally, it wouldn’t significantly help with courting Baek Hee-a, so it’s far more advantageous as a player to simply harvest its core.

“And we can’t settle for just an S Rank core, right? Aren’t there plenty of subordinate monsters?”

The 22,222 monsters spawned by the City Hall Snake, the <Penis Weapon>.

“While they’re known by various names like ‘barri’ or ‘saba barri,’ their official designation is <Penis Weapon>. They’re all male.”

With heads resembling glans and tentacles dangling like centipede legs, anyone would recognize these as monsters specifically designed to sexually violate humans—especially women—and they regularly appear in bad endings to torment heroines and allies alike. This continues until the Seoul Recovery Operation, persisting until you confront the City Hall Snake.

“High risk, high return. From C Rank to A Rank, essentially they are precious entities assisting the protagonist team’s core supply until the recapture of Seoul. Since the City Hall Snake devours incoming monsters from the North and spawns eggs using their cores, creating Penis Weapons.”

You could consider them middlemen. Most of the monsters crossing the 38th parallel end up being consumed by the City Hall Snake, becoming nutrients for Penis Weapons. Thus, D Rank monsters effectively synthesize into C Rank ones.

“Maximum count: 22,222. Why only two? Because he’s always second place.”

Why is the Great Hidden Dragon called “hidden”? Because he never ascends to the presidency. Due to the presence of someone who has secured the lifetime presidency, the City Hall Snake will forever remain unable to achieve that position.

“This is similar logic to ‘Mr. Third Place.'”

A monster destined to die. Hence, it’s much better to kill it, sell its core, and transform it into a soft mattress for our team.

“A golden chance to score points with the heroines.”

For some, it’s an opportunity to shine brilliantly.

For others, it’s over twenty thousand massive cores.

For yet others, it’s the failure of the Seoul Recovery Operation.

“All for the greater good.”

* * *

<Meanwhile, Above Gangnam.>

“What a flashy bastard. They say it looks like a dick, and damn, it really does.”

Seok Harang gritted her teeth and channeled magic power. The City Hall Snake glaring at her from the Namsan Tower seemed ready to unleash its breath attack any second, but it remained still, observing carefully without making hasty moves.

“Hmph, I guess this bastard knows I’m stronger.”

SS Rank. With the power of Baek Cheong-hwa and the strength granted by the <Commander>, Seok Harang had become a perfect being. Ascending to SS Rank, a level attained by fewer than ten people worldwide, filled her with mixed emotions—both pride and the need to conceal her true power for the upcoming ‘Promised Day.’

“So this is what supreme power feels like?”

Already at SS Rank, she was now among the strongest beings on Earth, yet pretending to be merely S+ was exhausting. She currently spread her magic power equivalent to S+, the stage she’d been stuck at for over twelve years, leaving her drained.

“Ugh, I want to unleash my ultimate move.”

Suppressing this overwhelming power was driving her insane. She wanted to release it all, freezing the entire Namsan Tower along with that grotesque monster leering at her, turning it into Seoul’s new landmark.

“No, no. I must endure.”

Heroes follow the commander’s orders. As a commander herself, Seok Harang had decided to reward Princess Seol Hwa generously if she followed instructions perfectly. Though she had a vague idea of what the reward might be, she swallowed her thoughts along with saliva and focused on channeling her magic power.

“Time to act.”

Maintain a standoff with the City Hall Snake.

And when all the penis monsters cross the Han River, unleash all your S+ magic power as if deploying a last resort.

“…Ahem.”

Seok Harang composed herself. For the perfect performance, she adopted a desperate and solemn expression while tapping her magical gear.

“Headquarters, please respond.”

[Princess Seol Hwa! Is there any way out?! At this rate, the monsters will reach New Seoul!]

One of the officials in the underground shelter beneath New Seoul shouted anxiously. While some heroes were fleeing from the penis monsters, the bureaucrat’s concern about New Seoul’s safety infuriated Seok Harang.

“There is a way. However, after this, I’ll have to retire. I won’t be able to continue fighting.”

[Does this mean…the operation has failed?]

“This wasn’t foreseen. There are too many large-scale monsters in Seoul. Tactical retreat.”

[…There’s nothing else we can do. Please proceed.]

As Sun Icheol’s gloomy voice came through, Seok Harang secretly rejoiced. If she had used her technique unilaterally, he would’ve likely ignored the heroes’ retreat, believing they could win.

[Contact the Association to issue the retreat order.]

[Yes sir. But…isn’t it already too late?]

[We’ve issued the command.]

“Hmph.”

Seok Harang discreetly checked the <Minimap> on her magical gear. On the 3D map of Seoul provided by Baek Cheong-hwa, heroes were already retreating, but on the magic radar supplied by the Association to the government, they appeared to still be fighting at the front lines.

They are indeed fighting—the patriotic youth heroes—but Baek Cheong-hwa considered them all akin to villains and decided to take this chance to eliminate them. Still, Seok Harang couldn’t bear the thought of them being torn apart and eaten by monsters.

– Ugh, aaaah!! Something touched my back! They’re coming, aaaah!!

At least she didn’t want them to be caught and devoured from behind by the penis monsters. Though aware of their serious crimes, a sliver of conscience within Seok Harang prevented her from turning a blind eye.

– Can I save them?

She passed the judgment onto someone else. In the past, she might’ve acted impulsively, but Seok Harang’s judgment criteria now included not just conscience and righteousness but something additional. Preparing to release her magic power at any moment, she awaited contact from Baek Cheong-hwa.

Beep.

The message arrived, and Seok Harang couldn’t help but smirk.

– Harang is too kind. Go ahead. If you’re going to do it, do it thoroughly.

“…Hmph.”

[Princess Seol Hwa?]

“I’m starting.”

With a stern expression, Seok Harang raised her hand high into the sky.

“First, I shall seal off Seoul.”

As Seok Harang raised her hand, vast ice wings unfurled.

Gurgle-gurgle-gurgle—–

The entire Han River surged into the sky, forming an ice barrier dozens of meters tall. The ice wall, nearly several meters thick, left the City Hall Snake visibly confused as it let out a monstrous roar.

Kiaaaaah!!

The City Hall Snake fired a breath attack at the barrier, but it held firm.

[Wooohh!!]

[Indeed, Princess Seol Hwa! We trusted you!]

[With such power…!]

“Headquarters, and contact the Association.”

Seok Harang’s ice wings suddenly crumbled into pieces.

“Princess Seol Hwa, retiring.”

Seok Harang plummeted downward.

* * *

<4 AM, Temporary Hero Camp for the Seoul Recovery Operation, Pangyo.>

“Wow, <Nightmare>! You’re quite popular. Catching the falling Princess Seol Hwa literally like a princess was impressive.”

[Thanks to you, I’ve caused unnecessary problems, Commander.]

Setteung, dark circles under her eyes, pleaded with me weakly.

[Do you know what my parents texted me asking about? Whether I’m romantically involved with Princess Seol Hwa.]

“I think you two look quite good together.”

[I’m not into that sort of thing.]

“Is that so? Well, having a normal boyfriend while being involved with someone else isn’t quite proper, is it?”

Setteung’s expression hardened, clearly shocked that I knew she was hiding her identity while maintaining a sweet relationship with an ordinary office worker.

[Exactly how much do you know?]

“Everything except the things I don’t. That’s why I’m covering for you, Nightshade. You’re probably tossing and turning all night worrying about this. Send her a subtle text message in the morning.”

I ended communication with Setteung. Watching people react to spoilers always gave me a strange sense of pleasure.

“Your jokes are cruel, Customer.”

“If he doesn’t catch her soon, she’ll be unmarried by forty.”

“…That’s pitiful, so I’ll overlook it. So, Customer, is this the ‘stalemate’ you desired?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

Seoul was split in two by the Han River. The ice barrier created by Seok Harang’s full strength (S+) cleanly divided Seoul in half, isolating the penis monsters controlled by the City Hall Snake.

“They can’t escape Seoul. Even monsters instinctively know that. To return to their nest in Jongno, they’d have to climb over the ice barrier towering dozens of meters—it won’t be easy.”

Some penis monsters had attempted to climb the barrier like mountaineers but froze halfway and fell to the ground.

“The ice wall was made by Princess Seol Hwa pouring all her available magic power. It’s an impenetrable barrier unless countered by an SS Rank technique.”

“Anyway, it’s causing quite a stir now. Could Princess Seol Hwa have reached SS Rank?”

“She fainted from magic exhaustion after using one technique, right? If she were SS Rank, she’d be flying around fine afterward.”

It’s not time yet. We ordered Seok Harang to act to hide the fact that she’s SS Rank. It appears as though she collapsed from expending all her strength creating the Han River barrier.

“So now we have two options. One is to establish a base south of the Han River. That’s ideal for us.”

“From Gangseo to Gangdong, it’s like setting up a hunting ground.”

“Exactly. We’ve cultivated a field where we can leisurely harvest 20,000 cores. If foreign forces try to intervene, someone will surely step up and cause a fuss.”

“That’s Sun Icheol’s specialty. …Hehe, imagine how great it would be to distribute all 20,000 cores through Yu-Sung.”

Yuha was so excited she casually mentioned giving everyone a bonus, lost in dreams.

“So what will you do next, Customer? Reveal yourself?”

“Nope. Why would I do that? I’m super busy right now.”

“Why so busy? Oh, maybe you recruited someone from the people you saved?”

“Something like that. But aside from that, I have other pressing matters. Leave the isolated penis monsters south of the Han River to the heroes; instead of lingering here, I need to return to New Seoul immediately.”

“Huh? Why? There’s so much to do here!”

“Well…”

I pressed my thumb between my index and middle finger. Far away, three women in civilian clothes, having returned their battle suits, waved and ran toward me.

“Now that I’ve finished my tasks, it’s time for a 4P.”

“……”

“Sorry! My dick’s kinda busy.”

4P is a major event.