Damn Necromancer-Chapter 310

Chapter 310: Development (3)

United States, White House Oval Office. Emergency staff meeting.

“God damn it!”

President Robert slammed his desk.

Clatter, the coffee cup overturned, and the black liquid soaked the classified documents.

“A toll? A data toll? Kim Minwoo, this fucking crazy bastard seriously!”

He grabbed his head with both hands.

The report in front of his eyes was disastrous.

It contained the fact that the IT industry, the pride and heart of the United States, was completely subordinated to the infrastructure of the South Korean company ‘Ilsung’.

“Your Excellency, please calm down.”

“Do I look like I can calm down! It’s like ripping out the country's spine and sending it to South Korea!”

The Chief of Staff reported with a gloomy expression.

“Silicon Valley's reaction is…… ‘It is humiliating, but there is no alternative’. Instead, we are being bombarded with lobbying for the White House to step in and help them receive the supplies faster.”

“Haa…….”

Robert slumped back in his chair.

It had only been a few months since he succeeded in his re-election. He had recovered his approval ratings with Kim Minwoo's help and was just about to start his second term splendidly. But that partner was suddenly choking America's windpipe.

“Secretary of Defense.”

Robert asked while rubbing his face in distress.

“I’m asking just in case, but what about military options? Ah, I mean just in case. It’s not that I intend to use force. However…… we do need to know our combat power. Speaking purely theoretically.”

“…….”

The Secretary of Defense's face turned the color of dirt. Instead of answering, he pulled up his tablet PC.

“It is difficult. No, it is impossible.”

“In a single word?”

“Your Excellency, do you remember the Shanghai incident?”

The Secretary flipped through the data screens.

“Spider Queen Magenta, which was an SS+ rank entity at the time. Who went to catch that thing? It was World Rank 27, ‘Thunder Emperor’ Chen. China's top-tier combat force.”

On the screen, starting with that Thunder Emperor Chen, the Chinese world rankers could be seen getting smashed to pieces.

“That monster was something even they couldn't stand against. But Kim Minwoo…… tore that monster to shreds single-handedly, and utterly disastrously at that.”

The Secretary of Defense swallowed hard.

“Even by simple calculations, Kim Minwoo's martial power is within the top three of the world rankings. Currently, there is likely not a single Awakened in the United States who could mark him one-on-one.”

“……What about nukes? If, in the worst-case scenario, we even use tactical nukes.”

“In the middle of Seoul? Firing a nuke at an ally's capital is an act of self-destruction.”

The Secretary shook his head and added.

“Besides, even if we do fire one, it's a problem. Would he die?”

“……What?”

“He is a Necromancer. On top of that, a top-tier Awakened. There are far too many variables that would allow him to survive even in the midst of a nuclear explosion. Right now, even his summons Merhen, Cedric, and Vulcan…… every single one of them is a terrifying combat force.”

The Secretary's voice dropped low.

“What if we attack, but he survives…… and then appears right in the middle of Washington D.C.?”

Robert’s spine ran cold.

The imagination painted a picture right before his eyes.

The scene of black shadows wavering in the White House's front yard, and Kim Minwoo walking out from within them alongside a legion of thousands of undead.

“Who would stop him? Pentagon troops? Or our Awakened units? I assure you, the White House would be scorched earth within 10 minutes. In a few hours, the entire United States would go up in flames.”

“…….”

“Furthermore, China won't sit still either. Liang Xiaojun is practically no different from Kim Minwoo's subordinate. The moment we touch him, we will have to wage war against the entire Awakened combat force of Northeast Asia.”

Irrefutable.

Robert bit his lip.

Grasping energy hegemony with the slime battery, and now even data hegemony.

On top of that, an individual equipped with martial power transcending nations.

This was not a mere company or individual. It was simply, a single massive Empire.

“Then what about economic sanctions? Department of Commerce!”

This time, the Secretary of Commerce let out a sigh.

“Your Excellency, if the battery supply is cut off, our electric vehicles, aircraft carriers, and drones all stop. On top of that, sanctioning this data module too? Only the American IT companies would return to the Stone Age. The moment Europe or China uses Ilsung's technology, the US economy will be relegated to third-rate.”

‘Just when did he grow this big…….’

When they first met, it was absolutely not to this extent.

Just a few months ago, he was just one of the Awakened haggling over whether to sell top-grade elixirs to China or not.

Now it was different.

He had become a monster to the point where they would have to mobilize all the top-tier Awakened in the US to stop him.

Silence flowed.

At that moment, the Chief Advisor opened his mouth carefully.

“Your Excellency, how about…… trying to change your perspective a little.”

“Change it? How?”

“It is a constant that we cannot control Kim Minwoo. If so, wouldn't it be better to choose strategic acquiescence instead.”

The aide pointed at the list of big tech companies.

“Aren't those Silicon Valley bastards the ones who didn't even pay their taxes properly and tried to reign above the government anyway? Googol, Omazon, Zeta…… They grew so bloated that even the White House had a hard time controlling them.”

“So……?”

“Just throw them as sacrifices instead.”

Robert's eyebrows twitched.

“Let them pay the ‘toll’ to Kim Minwoo. The companies' profits will just decrease a bit, it's not like the national system of the United States itself will collapse.”

“Hah.”

Robert burst into a hollow laugh.

“So, we shake down the big tech bastards to fill Kim Minwoo's belly, and we just keep ourselves alive?”

“……The expression is rough, but realistically, that is the best option. If…… truly if…… we are to deal with him, we must make a move right now. If not…… as time passes, just as Your Excellency said, a situation where we only keep ourselves alive…… might unfold.”

Robert's face hardened stiffly.

‘……It's the truth.’

He returned as a monster in just one year.

What if another year passes from here?

By then, even the United States wouldn't dare be able to handle him.

“……Truly what if…… we start a war…….”

At those words, the Secretary of Defense was appalled.

“Against an ally? Even if we wanted to, we would have to get ratification from Congress, and the consent of the citizens is also needed but…… the current public sentiment will absolutely not want a war. The situation isn't good either.”

“Ugh…….”

Robert put a hand to his forehead.

Earth 2.0 Update.

Because of that, gates are bursting open everywhere.

In a global situation where it's hard to even manage one's own country right now, if they said they were starting a war, how would public opinion flow?

He might cement his position as one of the worst presidents in US history.

Furthermore, Kim Minwoo was the administrator of the Caesar Continent.

Let's say they attacked and got rid of him somehow.

Then wouldn't trade with the Caesar Continent be cut off too?

It was obvious that all the resentment would pour toward him.

“This is really…… a headache. So realistically, it's not easy to restrict him, and it's obvious that problems will arise even if we do restrict him. Time isn't on our side either.”

“……Yes.”

“Huuu.”

Robert roughly loosened his tie.

The decision was made.

If he is an enemy they cannot fight, they must remain friends.

Even if that friend recklessly empties out my wallet.

Besides, didn't he help with the re-election anyway.

He decided to try to think positively.

For now, that is.

“……Connect me.”

“To whom?”

“Who else! His Majesty the Emperor residing in Seoul!”

Robert smiled bitterly. He managed his facial expression.

Erasing the anger, he put on the mask of the most friendly and cheerful ‘business partner’.

“I have to call and butter him up, congratulating him and saying it's a truly excellent technology.”

He looked out the window.

The lawn of the White House looked particularly narrow today.

“That way, at least some crumbs will fall our way. And…….”

Robert's eyes sank.

“I have to make it clear. You can take as much money as you want. But don't cross the line.”

‘I'll handle the politics, so you earn the money.’

This was the final bit of pride and the compromise that the president of a hegemonic nation could offer.

[Ring―!]

[This is a video call request from President Robert.]

Kim Minwoo smirked while looking at his phone.

“He's tucking his tail faster than I thought.”

Is it because he's a re-elected president, as expected?

His calculations are fast.

The intention to secure at least some crumbs instead of wasting energy on an unwinnable fight.

“Answer it.”

The screen turned on.

Robert's face popped up as large as a front gate.

The anger of slamming the desk just a moment ago was nowhere to be found, and he was wearing the most good-natured smile in the world.

[Oh! Mr. Kim! My friend!]

“Pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency. My congratulations on your re-election are a bit late.”

[Haha, isn't it all thanks to you! By the way, I saw the news. Truly amazing! I heard it's a technology that will change the future of humanity?]

“You flatter me. We just made a slightly more convenient air conditioner.”

[An air conditioner! Too much humility is arrogance. Our friends in Silicon Valley are in an absolute uproar. They are on the verge of tears, saying they will all have to close their doors without your technology.]

Robert subtly brought up the main point.

[So about that…… I'm thinking of having our government level issue a guideline to those friends telling them to ‘cooperate with Ilsung’. To make it easier for you to do business.]

Kim Minwoo's eyes narrowed.

‘A guideline, huh. The government will step up and urge the companies to surrender?’

In exchange, it meant to save the government's face.

‘Not bad.’

There was nothing good about intentionally making an enemy out of the US government.

He could just squeeze the money out of the big tech companies, and give the justification to Robert.

Right now, he was busy enough just copying believers in East Asia.

“I appreciate that. I also don't want the President to end up in a difficult position.”

[Oh, you're a reasonable man as expected! Then…… regarding issues like data sovereignty or security, could you put on the appearance of ‘consulting closely’ with our Department of Homeland Security?]

“If it's just a formal procedure, I can do it as much as you want.”

[Perfect! That's exactly it!]

Robert's expression brightened noticeably.

He was relieved.

Because Kim Minwoo hadn't denied the ruling system of the United States itself.

“Then, Your Excellency, I will send you a gift.”

[A gift?]

“A dedicated server room for the White House. We will replace it with our module for free. With the highest grade of security.”

Robert paused.

The White House servers with Ilsung equipment?

Wouldn't it be dangerous for security?

But he soon nodded.

Because he knew that even if he refused, Kim Minwoo could breach everything if he just made up his mind.

Besides, since he had decided to become a ‘friend’, it was better to just openly lay everything out.

[……Haha. Thank you. I will use it well.]

The call ended.

Kim Minwoo leaned deep into the sofa.

Big tech paid their money, and the US President chose silence.

All obstacles had disappeared.

“Now, then…….”

Kim Minwoo's gaze turned toward the system window floating in the air.

“Shall we play for real.”

Earth is too narrow now.

His eyes were already looking toward the next stage.

Heavenly City admission ticket.

Going beyond District 9 and crossing over to the next district.

He had to meet Medea, one of the Seven Lords.

‘If things go well, we might form a cooperative relationship.’

Lilith of the Shadow Guild.

And even Medea.

If that happens, it means bringing two of the Seven Lords to his side.

The moment he used the invitation ticket.

His figure blurred in an instant.