NOVEL NEXT Chapter 885
People interested in national defense often refer to the Republic of Korea as a country akin to a wasp, with its venom primed and ready.
A strategy of stingers.
The core of South Korea’s defense strategy is a water ghost-like principle: “I’d rather die than allow the attacker to escape unscathed.”
This was a choice they had no option but to make. Surrounded by powerful and ill-tempered neighbors, South Korea had to figure out ways to survive. Some might suggest relying on the U.S. as Europe does, but South Korea has a painful history of depending on foreign powers and has thus maintained a strong alliance with America, while also consistently sending the message, “Touch us, and you’ll suffer too.”
However, isn’t it when you haven’t drawn your sword that you’re at your most useful, and when you haven’t used your stingers that you’re the most terrifying?
No matter how many ABC Weapons South Korea secretly salvaged after North Korea’s destruction, or how many shells and missiles they developed by pouring in defense budgets, or how powerful the asymmetrical weapons they’ve secretly enhanced outside of treaties—ideally, these should just serve as cards in diplomacy or negotiation, and not actually be used.
This “common-sense” rationale allowed China and Russia to pressure South Korea without hesitation.
And indeed, this judgment was not incorrect. In normal circumstances, South Korea would hear the pressures from China and Russia and think, “Those red team bastards are at it again. It’s just the Korean Peninsula. My neighbors keep getting crappier—it feels like a new day every day.” They would vent once and then pursue moderate negotiations.
However… sadly, this time was slightly different.
With tensions so high that they were on the brink of war with Japan, and seeing the once-reliable ally, the U.S., falling apart as if under some sort of drug influence—South Korea was understandably on edge.
And that wasn’t all, was it? Just recently, one of China’s cities got blown away due to terrorism, and those damn Japanese monsters keep popping up all over the territory causing chaos… One incident after another was ramping up the anxiety levels.
In such a situation, South Korea was bound to react differently than usual.
They were bound to be more daring and more aggressive in their response.
Thus, South Korea began laying explosives. They dusted off one of their scenarios for when provocations or wars break out at the land border.
Destruction of barriers.
The explosives laid throughout the barriers would explode in a tremendous blast the moment South Korea decided to act, after which the ghosts secluded in North Korea would be unleashed to roam freely across the land—killing people with the accumulated evil from their jars of horrific solitude, devouring the dead to grow stronger… and thus become the calamity that torments other nations.
That was the venom.
More lethal, horrifying, repulsive, and tenacious than any ABC Weapons.
[ Are you out of your mind?! Do you think ghosts won’t attack your country?! You think the 38th parallel will save you, huh? Those things can go to sea! They can board ships and cling to airplanes! ]
China and Russia went into a frenzy, protesting to Korea via hotline. How insane could they be, needing to act in such an absurd manner even if it was merely a protest?
Their protests were valid.
Ghosts don’t operate on a clockwork system. And we’re talking about the infamous, vicious ghosts of North Korea.
Even necromancers, possession sorcerers, and powerful spiritual capable persons would struggle to control them properly… so you’re just going to let them run free?
Those malevolent ghosts would find every conceivable way into South Korea and cause torment for countless people, enough to paralyze a densely populated country like South Korea.
Thus, logically, such actions should never have been taken.
“It doesn’t matter. We can overcome this.”
But conversely speaking, if you’re unbound by logic, then anything is possible.
Upon hearing China and Russia’s protests, South Korea replied.
You can think whatever you want, but we are prepared to execute this.
After all, compared to the losses you would incur, our damages are minimal, making it more than worthwhile to carry this out.
China and Russia envisioned the image at that reply.
A wasp.
An insect that can kill people with its venom.
They sensed it:
The South Korean President’s eyes were half-crazed.
No, no. It wasn’t just the President’s outburst.
Would it make sense for just the President to go rogue and lay explosives at the borders?
From the top down, everyone seemed to be in a half-crazed state.
Or maybe the entire population was half out of their minds.
They decided to take a step back.
There was nothing good that could come from provoking such a state.
If they truly blew up the borders together, who would deal with the aftermath?
From Northeast Asia to Russia would end up suffering due to ghosts.
[ It seems there was some misunderstanding. What we wanted to convey was… you might know that the current state of the U.S. isn’t good? In such a time, wouldn’t it be wise to forge reliable alliances? It’s not something grand; we’ve never had bad relations, so expanding that would suffice. ]
[ It’s inevitable that neighboring countries don’t always get along. However, during times like these, it’s essential to strengthen friendships. Historically, our relationship with Korea wasn’t bad, so think of it as a request to improve relations to overcome these chaotic times together. ]
They insisted that they merely wanted to improve relations, seizing the opportunity to strengthen ties while the U.S. was acting strangely, increasing diplomatic influence, and ensuring that they had no intentions of disrupting peace in Northeast Asia.
“Complete nonsense.”
But would Korea and Japan really fall for that?
Creating a thug-like, menacing atmosphere and then backing down slightly while putting forth demands that sounded somewhat threatening is hardly sincere.
They would have preferred a more gentlemanly approach from the start, even if it meant being skeptical.
To anyone’s ear, it simply sounded like an attempt to backtrack after things turned awkward.
Korea and Japan firmly rejected China and Russia’s proposal and began significantly increasing the budget allocated to their joint projects.
“Seeing those bastards flipping out like that, we definitely have to go through with this. The Prime Minister thinks so too, right?”
[ Of course. Their panic makes it look like they would suffer greatly if we proceed… heh heh. Just the fact that we can gain an advantage by jointly fighting back is already a significant benefit, and if we can even inflict loss on those bastards, it would be foolish not to act. ]
They were convinced.
Just by pushing through with their plan, they could stick it to those bastards.
They believed they could gain some sort of advantage substantial enough to make those bastards flip out.
What exactly would that be?
They didn’t know.
But those details mattered less than they originally thought.
Originally intended to be carried out, and now with the addition of “something substantial to gain,” it would be foolish not to hasten the execution.
And so, the plans of South Korea and Japan began to unfold rapidly.
* * *
China and Russia’s plans failed.
Their scheme to meddle between Korea and Japan floundered before it even began, only serving to strengthen the bond between Korea and Japan.
The Korean and Japanese governments didn’t even need to take significant action; the common sentiment grew, “We’re just trying to purify the ghost den, why are those bastards getting agitated?” and the opposition against China and Russia took root broadly, even swaying those who had hesitated in support of the plan to lean towards at least a neutral or passive acceptance.
Some said it.
The arrogance of China and Russia ruined the picture they envisioned.
It was no different from carelessly reaching out to a riled-up cobra and almost getting bitten.
So they said.
If China and Russia’s plans truly were related to North Korea, it could genuinely be called a failure.
However, curiously, China and Russia remained quiet.
Despite experiencing such diplomatic fiascos, no one was dismissed, purged, or turned over; no seismic shifts occurred.
While the diplomatic officials received minor disciplinary actions, it barely amounted to token gestures.
Considering that Russia and China give their leaders unchecked power, it was uniquely bizarre.
Such a loud failure would generally warrant a heavier penalty for a dictator, so why the silence?
There could only be one reason for this silence.
“Truly, to understand something, it’s best to foment chaos…”
That’s only true when failure isn’t genuine failure.
Yes.
China and Russia succeeded.
They got what they wanted.
“South Korea and Japan are… highly likely to remain unaware of the very existence of the Gebura Archive… not bad…”