BXBX NOVEL Chapter 649 - Eve of Disaster
The situation worsened as China and Japan joined forces against South Korea, worsening the President\'s embarrassment.
Calls from the leaders of conglomerates like Samsung were even more unpleasant, treating him like a dog and threatening him if he failed to resolve the situation.
The President felt panic rising, considering the fate of previous South Korean leaders who had ended up in prison.
Knowing that he would likely be the scapegoat for the current crisis, the President regretted not taking the proper action the moment the government gained knowledge of Lee Uijin\'s activities. If Seoul suffered significant losses, he would be the one held accountable.
Earlier, he had mocked Japan and the United States for the chaos in Tokyo caused by supernatural forces. Now, the tables had turned, and South Korea was facing a crisis.
"We must find a way to survive; we must find a solution," the President thought urgently.
He panicked as sweat drenched his face. He understood that other countries wouldn\'t allow South Korea to be completely destroyed by these monsters. If the creatures left South Korean borders and headed elsewhere, it would become a global calamity, and other nations wouldn\'t stand by idly.
However, he knew that foreign rescue teams wouldn\'t arrive immediately. They would likely study the weaknesses of these monsters, devise strategies, and perhaps extort South Korea before intervening.
Before receiving foreign aid, South Korea had to endure the initial fierce attacks.
"Our descendants have been trained for so long! It\'s time for them to fulfill their roles!"
The President clenched his fists. Since the war with North Korea, South Korea had not experienced warfare. Even though the military was under the command of the United States, the South Korean forces were not to be underestimated. Particularly the army, which could rank among the top eight in the world.
Since the army had been training for so long, it was now necessary to deploy them for battle. Additionally, South Korea had mandatory military service, so people of eligible age had almost all undergone basic military training. In crucial moments, they would be able to play a role.
With a total of 750,000 active-duty military personnel in South Korea and approximately 30,000 U.S. troops stationed, the President knew that the American forces wouldn\'t launch an offensive for South Korea. In the previous Tokyo incident, the mysterious powers had just emerged, and the U.S. forces had assisted Japan due to limited knowledge. Now, with a better understanding of these supernatural phenomena, the U.S. forces wouldn\'t sacrifice themselves for South Korea.
The President quickly issued orders, instructing all three branches of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces to defend Seoul collectively. At the same time, elite special forces, including the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, were dispatched to search for Lee Uijin and locate the original copy of the ‘Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan’. The President believed that capturing Lee Uijin and finding the original text could offer a chance to resolve the crisis.
After a series of commands, the President finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Right, there should be a traitor in the Blue House!"
The sudden realization struck the President. There had to be a traitor within their ranks, as Lee Uijin couldn\'t have escaped so quickly. The President thought about the timeline from issuing the orders to their execution. It was less than two hours, and only a few people knew the specific details of the mission. The traitor had to be among the few high-ranking officials in the South Korean government.
The President felt cold sweat forming on his forehead, realizing that the government\'s internal structure was like a sieve.
"Mr. President, this is intelligence from the United States regarding the possible creatures summoned by the \'Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan’.”
The President\'s assistant entered, carrying a stack of documents.
Revitalized, the President urged, "Summarize the information for me!"
"Yes, according to U.S. experts\' analysis of the hand-copied version of the \'Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan\', they believe the book is related to ancient China and Taoism. The author is recorded as \'Hsan\', with unknown birth and death dates. Originally documenting various Taoist secrets, the book was somehow corrupted by an evil god, transforming it into a forbidden text."
"The book consists of seven chapters, with no detailed information on the first one, considered unimportant. The sixth chapter describes the method to summon the \'Gate of Kadath\', implying the opening of a gateway to otherworldly dimensions, although the specifics are unclear."
"The other five chapters detail the summoning of creatures from the Cthulhu Mythos. One is the Ghoul, possessing steel-reinforced bones. Another is the Byakhee, capable of flying through space. The third is the Hound of Tindalos, a creature capable of traversing time and space. The fourth is the Burrower Beneath, a creature that caused earthquakes. According to the information, the United States suspects that this creature could potentially destroy the entire Seoul."
"The last is the ritual to summon the evil god of chaos. If summoned...," the assistant hesitated.
"If the evil god is summoned, the fate of Earth is uncertain. But South Korea will undoubtedly be doomed."
Listening to the assistant\'s briefing, the President compared the information with the descriptions and images of the creatures from the front lines. Everything matched, providing some relief for South Korea.
The thick stack of documents likely contained more detailed information on the creatures\' attack methods, special abilities, and weaknesses—an unexpected piece of good news.
"Immediately send this information to all military units on the front lines!"
The President made a decisive decision.
Immediately, he leaned back in his chair, pressing his temples, and said, "We absolutely cannot allow Lee Uijin to summon the evil god. No, it\'s not about the evil god now. We must first deal with the Burrower Beneath. The front lines reported a mysterious earthquake, but our seismological bureau had no response. This indicates that the Burrower Beneath exists!"
"Beneath our capital, Seoul, there is a monster capable of causing the entire city to collapse. We must deal with this creature first!"
Like Holmes, the South Korean President identified a blind spot. Whether it was the Ghoul, Byakhee, or the Hound of Tindalos, these creatures caused relatively minor harm, mainly killing individuals one by one. However, the Burrower Beneath was different. It had the potential to cause natural disasters!