Chapter 957

EP.957 Part 2 Chapter 9 Section 14 – After the Battle (1) Neo Yeouido

July 4th.

Though the sun had only been up for a mere five hours, this day would go down in history for this nation.

The Commander appeared.

Monsters and civilians alike bore witness.

Five S-Rank heroes made their entrance.

All monsters south of the Han River were annihilated.

To the north, the S-Rank monster ‘Ymir’ was defeated.

The arrival of Light Blade.

And most impressively…

“Zero casualties.”

In all previous attempts to reclaim Seoul, countless lives had been lost. No one had succeeded until now.

Former President Sun Icheol’s Seoul Recovery Operations always resulted in Special Ability User fatalities. Each time, the commanding general or director of the Central Giant Countermeasures Headquarters would be forced to resign.

But things are different this time.

With perfect coordination between the Commander and Seoul citizens, not a single person perished.

The only real injury reported? A civilian startled by an unexpected monster appearance fell over and bruised their tailbone.

Seoul has been retaken without losing a single life—a miraculous feat that defies imagination. The results of “Seoul’s Night” were nothing short of overwhelming.

And now…

All eyes are on Seoul.

Hero of Seoul, Hero of the Nation: The Commander.

Yet as soon as dawn broke, they vanished without a trace.

* * *

July 4th, 10:00 AM

Yeouido, Former National Assembly Site

“I can’t be treated like some damsel-in-distress type character.”

I sat in one of the few intact chairs within the National Assembly building, avoiding everyone’s gaze.

As the sun rose, my current appearance mirrors Xian Shin-ra’s transformation into a blonde with piercing eyes.

I’m fully aware of the chaos that erupted when Light Blade’s gender change was revealed to the world.

Even in a game setting, the attention directed at attractive women can be incredibly bothersome.

As a married woman, it’s my duty to protect myself.

Back then, I might’ve taken pride in such attention, but now I’m cherished by someone I deeply love.

Therefore, despite people clamoring about wanting to “nestle close” to the Commander, I have no intention of revealing my current form.

While the public believes the Commander to be male, there’s no need to disclose my true identity during the day.

“So, everyone please be careful. I’m cursed.”

There are three people in the room:

The representative of Seoul’s monsters, Master Tentacle.


The representative of Seoul’s citizens, Sun Gyeoul.


And Architect.

“Our team members already know my situation. We’re extra cautious during the day. Since all of the Commander’s activities can be handled through magical gear and text instructions, please contact me via text or wait until nighttime.”

“But don’t you supply magic power at night?”

“There are breaks in between. I’ll respond briefly during those times. If it’s urgent, I’ll halt the magic power supply.”

“Hehe, doing so might get you killed by S-Rank magical girls.”

Master Tentacle joked, but some individuals—especially officers—are truly capable of such actions.

Just as one wouldn’t disturb someone eating or police entering homes unshod, interfering with the Commander during magic power supply is akin to a grave sin.

“So if anyone wants to meet me officially, the Commander is busy supplying magic power both day and night. Let’s set specific meeting times, preferably between 8 PM and 10 PM.”

“What about after that?”

“I have… marital duties.”

“Does the Commander not sleep?”

“I stay up until dawn, sleep in until noon—it works.”

It’s a flawless plan.

“Already, there are people eager to meet.”

“…Yes. From national assembly members to potential presidential candidates, corporate executives, and media directors—they’re waiting in Gyeonggi Province.”

Currently, access to Seoul is strictly controlled by its citizens.

Officially, it’s to eliminate remaining monster remnants, but in reality, we’re still collecting cores to reward virtuous individuals and construct new buildings to support Seoul’s future.

“Architect, can we start immediately?”

“The Neo Hanyang Project?”

“Yes. Starting with Yeouido.”

“Leave it to me! Although… right now…”

“That can be fixed.”

Snap.

At my signal, a nearby monster entered and roughly placed a tray in front of Architect.

“Here, eat up!”

“Wait, could this be… Grandma Scold? And this soup… chicken blood soup?!?”

“While sexual intercourse is the most efficient method of magic power transfer, other methods exist.”

“In this 19+ romantic fantasy, it’s sex—but in all-age versions, blood or saliva works too.”

Ultimately, what matters is “the Commander’s essence-infused bodily fluids.”

“I’ve mixed a bit of our blood into this. It looks like soybean sprout soup with rice, though there’s just enough blood to give it a slight aroma.”

“Commander, surely this isn’t…”

“Yes, exactly. S-Rank Chicken Blood Soup.”

“Can it really work this way?”

“Why would I waste my time having a magic transfer session with you when I could be insane?”

“Even if you offered while in your current form, I’d decline!”

“…Hmm?”

That’s crossing a line.

“Even though I have this face and figure, you’d refuse if I suggested intimacy?”

“Because I know there’s a middle-aged man inside you.”

“…!!”

I realized something.

“I’m not gay, and sleeping with a man-turned-woman makes one gay.”

“…So you see. What if I were entirely female?”

“Are you seriously asking that?”

“Alright then. Go ahead and pick up the spoon.”

Architect picked up the spoon and began eating the soup.

As soon as he took a large bite, brown magical energy began emanating from his body.

“Wow… it actually works with soup.”

“Of course. Someone even awakened using semen candy.”

“…”

Architect froze mid-bite with an egg in his mouth.

“Don’t worry; there’s no semen intended for you. We barely have enough for the magical girls.”

“Haha, good thing too—I might’ve committed suicide otherwise.”

“Exactly. Though sometimes ingredients like cuttlefish or conger eel appear in similar dishes, none are present here today.”

“Are you encouraging me to eat or teasing me?”

“Both? Hehe.”

“Observing the Commander during the day reveals quite the playful side.”

Sun Gyeoul, who had remained silent, finally spoke.

“You said not to bother someone while they’re eating.”

“Woof woof.”

“No, I mean…”

“Hehe, everyone seems tense. Relax. Our job is simply to do ours well.”

I pointed to the TV screen in front of us.

“The martial law in Seoul, former President Sun Icheol’s situation, the citizen torchlight revolution, high school girls’ tank retrieval, Light Blade’s feminization and memory loss, core distribution from slain monsters in Seoul, property rights issues regarding destroyed Seoul, infrastructure recovery, lingering monster reactions north of the Han River, societal perceptions of citizens turned monsters, reviving deceased residents’ registrations, numerous private jets and foreign planes seeking entry, A-Rank monsters fleeing to the DMZ, and the sudden influx of refugees at dawn—all these will be resolved!”

“We have more than a few issues to tackle.”

“Exactly. Let’s address them step by step. Should we alone bear the burden? This is a challenge for everyone to solve together—not just the Commander acting as mayor.”

Through reclaiming Seoul, the Commander has already achieved great deeds.

What follows is a matter for society as a whole, not solely the Commander’s responsibility.

Still, the Commander can contribute to Seoul’s reconstruction.

Right now, for example.

“Sigh…”

Architect exhaled deeply.

He finished every last drop of the soup infused with mine and Hydra’s power, then took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Goo-o-oh!

Architect’s hair transformed into a gold-brown hue.

Different from his original blonde image, yet fitting given his actor-like appearance.

“Truly, this is the power of S-Rank.”

Given his strange mutterings, Architect has undoubtedly reached S-Rank.

Though he had previously increased his power subtly through Hydra, he’s the first man to ascend through the Commander.

Of course, Architect will never publicly be recognized as S-Rank.

“If people discover I awakened you with my blood, they’ll try to extract it from me. Honestly, the thought of leeches clinging to me is exhausting.”

“Indeed.”

“The public believes only sex with the Commander increases power. But if they see you? What assumptions would they make?”

“That Architect helped out with his rear end.”

“Correct. If you publicly declare your S-Rank status, you’ll be labeled gay. Since I must conceal my identity as the Commander, remember: Xi-an.w.Hibiscus only enhances power in women. Understood?”

“Naturally. I have no wish to be mistaken for gay nor any intention of becoming so. I…”

Architect fanned himself with a folding fan and smirked.

“Love traditional Korean houses.”

Clatter clatter.

Soon after,

Countless hanoks began rising from the ground across Yeouido.