Chapter 66: Federation General Assembly (2)
—It’s been a while since we spoke directly like this, Deputy Director Jeong-hoon.
The English voice came through the wireless earphones.
It was a woman’s voice—restrained yet brimming with confidence.
“It’s been a while, Director Lily.”
Jeong-hoon felt a slight tension at the sudden call from Lily Dalton, Director of the CIA’s Awakener Intelligence Division.
In every way, the CIA’s Awakener Intelligence Division was a step above the National Intelligence Service’s Awakener Intelligence Department.
Whenever joint operations occurred overseas, the CIA’s intelligence division always took the lead—always held the upper hand.
In departments composed of awakeners, hunter rank was power, so it was only natural.
Lily Dalton, the director, was an elite who had recently reached 1st-grade.
—Let’s get straight to the point. In response to the growing threat of GODS, the CIA wishes to establish a close cooperative relationship with the NIS.
“A cooperative relationship?”
Jeong-hoon hadn’t expected the U.S. side to make such a proposal first.
An organization that valued secrecy would naturally be cautious about interacting too closely with others.
Conversely, it also meant the CIA had information they wanted from the NIS—enough to reach out proactively.
—We’ll discuss the details in person during a meeting three days from now. It would be best if you came to Washington, D.C.
“You’re telling me to come to Washington, D.C. in three days?”
Jeong-hoon was dumbfounded by the outrageous demand.
—With the threat of GODS growing by the day… this was an unavoidable decision.
“Huu… I’ll hold an internal meeting first and get back to you. Three days is too sudden.”
Jeong-hoon ended the call with Lily and rubbed his dry face.
In the past, he wouldn’t have even considered pushing back against such an unreasonable demand from the CIA—he would have simply accepted it.
He realized just how much he had changed.
More importantly—what had suddenly prompted the CIA to propose cooperation?
As he reflected on the major incidents that had occurred in Korea recently, one figure kept surfacing in his mind.
The secret agent, Psycho.
‘Could the CIA be focusing on Chae Jin-young?’
While Jeong-hoon was lost in thought—
Knock knock.
A knock brought him back.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and none other than Chae Jin-young stepped inside.
“Good morning, Director.”
“Since when do you knock? What brings you here?”
“That’s not how you return a morning greeting.”
Chae Jin-young casually walked over and started the coffee machine.
Watching his back, Jeong-hoon spoke up.
“I just got a call from Lily Dalton, Director of the CIA’s Awakener Intelligence Division.”
Chae Jin-young, watching the coffee pour, replied.
“Oh? What for?”
“She proposed cooperation between the NIS and CIA—and told me to come to Washington, D.C.”
“They’re the ones who want cooperation, so shouldn’t they come here?”
Jeong-hoon fully agreed with Chae Jin-young’s sentiment, but the other side’s weight class was the problem.
“I’d love to say that, but realistically it’s not that simple. If we act too stubborn, who knows what kind of retaliation we might face.”
“Retaliation? From the U.S.?”
Chae Jin-young turned with the coffee cup in hand and met Jeong-hoon’s eyes.
The moment he saw the faint madness glinting in Chae Jin-young’s gaze, a wave of unease washed over him.
“Of course, I’m just considering the worst-case scenario.”
“Well… if they really want to cooperate, tell them to come to Korea. The Chairwoman and the U.S. Association President are going to have to come here anyway.”
Jeong-hoon was about to relax at Chae Jin-young’s now-gentle tone when he doubted his own ears.
“The Chairwoman and the U.S. Association President are coming to Korea? Why? The Chairwoman already came and left.”
“Association President Yoon Soo-ho is going to host a Federation General Assembly here in Korea.”
“…Suddenly?”
“You’re really out of the loop, Director. Your info’s lagging. Yoon Soo-ho is now a Zero-grade hunter.”
The shocking revelation left Jeong-hoon speechless.
Yoon Soo-ho—a Zero-grade?
“By any chance… did you and Yoon Soo-ho purify the Hongcheon Contaminated Zone last night?”
“Pretty much. Though honestly, I did most of the work.”
Jeong-hoon had received the urgent report last night that Hongcheon had been purified and vaguely assumed Chae Jin-young was responsible.
But he had never imagined Yoon Soo-ho had been there too.
“Let’s say Yoon Soo-ho really is Zero-grade now. Even so, suddenly convening a general assembly is strange. Is there more to it?”
“A Prophet from GODS appeared in the Hongcheon Contaminated Zone. They were planning to move the Black Knight and bring disaster to Korea.”
“Hah.”
Jeong-hoon let out a hollow laugh.
The fact that a GODS Prophet had tried to mobilize a disaster was shocking enough—but when on earth had they infiltrated Korea?
He couldn’t even begin to guess.
It was impossible to perfectly screen every foreigner entering or leaving Korea, but naturally, powerful entities like GODS had to be identified.
Even if they appeared through spatial movement, any suspicious mana flow should have triggered an investigation.
The intelligence department had failed to detect even that, leaving Korea completely exposed to GODS’s threat.
‘Just as the CIA said, we can’t handle the growing threat of GODS alone. Of course, thanks to Chae Jin-young, we’ve managed to catch our breath.’
Jeong-hoon realized he couldn’t rely on Chae Jin-young forever.
Cooperating with the CIA would expand their intelligence network and strengthen national security.
The problem was what exactly they wanted in return.
“Yoon Soo-ho plans to hold a press conference after absorbing manastones and fully reaching Zero-grade.”
“It’ll be about purifying the Hongcheon Contaminated Zone and achieving Zero-grade, right?”
“Yes. And he’ll also announce GODS’s plan to mobilize disasters around the world, giving even more justification for convening the general assembly.”
Jeong-hoon nodded involuntarily at Chae Jin-young’s flawless plan.
“We’re the first in the world to stop a disaster, so any nation directly threatened by one will come even if they aren’t invited.”
“The U.S. is in the same boat, so the CIA coming here makes sense, doesn’t it? Show them who’s in charge, Director.”
At Chae Jin-young’s words, Jeong-hoon felt his heart pound for the first time in a long while.
To think the day would come when he could act superior toward the CIA.
If everything went according to Chae Jin-young’s plan, no matter what the CIA wanted, the NIS could steer negotiations in their favor.
Jeong-hoon wasn’t the type to normally throw his weight around.
But recalling his earlier call with Lily, his hand moved almost on its own.
***
A man sat cross-legged on a bench, eyes closed in meditation.
It was Liu Qinglong—China’s Zero-grade hunter, who had now even stepped down from his position as Minister of National Defense for the Communist Party.
He had never been particularly interested in Chinese politics to begin with, but after meeting Chae Jin-young in Taiwan, he had completely withdrawn from it.
Now, he devoted himself solely to training in order to eliminate GODS.
Knock knock.
While he was deeply focused, a knock came at the door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s the Association President, Advisor Liu.”
“Come in.”
The door opened, revealing a man in his early thirties.
Wang Lei—1st-grade hunter and President of the Chinese Awakener Association.
He approached Liu Qinglong with utmost respect and bowed.
“What is it?”
“It’s nothing else but… Association President Yoon Soo-ho of Korea has announced he will host a Federation General Assembly. In Korea, no less.”
“······.”
Liu Qinglong kept his eyes closed, only his eyebrows twitching slightly.
“They say he subjugated Korea’s disaster-grade monster and became a Zero-grade hunter. It’s suspicious. How could that rusty Yoon Soo-ho possibly…”
Liu Qinglong ignored Wang Lei’s rambling and sank into thought.
‘Yoon Soo-ho is Korean. Korea is Master’s country. Naturally, it was Master who eliminated the disaster. Whatever Yoon Soo-ho says must reflect Master’s will.’
“How about we crush the arrogance of that insignificant little country? Someone like Yoon Soo-ho, I could handle lightly—”
“Shut your filthy mouth.”
“…Pardon?”
Wang Lei blinked in shock at the sudden profanity.
Liu Qinglong opened his closed eyes and rose from his seat.
A gust of wind surged toward Wang Lei.
Whoooo— BOOM!
“Gah!”
Wang Lei was sent flying and slammed into the wall.
Barefoot, Liu Qinglong headed toward the entrance and spoke.
“The Chinese Association will officially attend the general assembly. I’m going to Korea as well.”
***
“Yoon Soo-ho reached Zero-grade? And subjugated a disaster? That’s impossible. Even if Korea’s secret agent intervened, is that really possible?”
Kyle Anderson, President of the U.S. Awakener Association, muttered while replaying Yoon Soo-ho’s press conference footage multiple times.
Lily Dalton, Director of the Awakener Intelligence Division, who was in the conference room with him, responded.
“According to agents infiltrated in Korea, the Hongcheon Contaminated Zone has indeed been purified.”
“And Yoon Soo-ho? Are they confirming he’s Zero-grade?”
“That part is still difficult to verify.”
Kyle had once gone on a raid with Yoon Soo-ho long ago.
As Korea’s youngest 1st-grade hunter with exceptional combat ability befitting his reputation, he had been an outstanding talent active worldwide.
Kyle had envied the young, powerful man—yet at the same time felt jealous.
While his own skills would eventually decline with age, Yoon Soo-ho would only continue to soar.
Even though they were both 1st-grade, the age difference was undeniable.
Then one day, Yoon Soo-ho suddenly halted all hunter activities and went into seclusion.
When Kyle heard the news, he outwardly expressed regret while secretly rejoicing.
Korea’s hope had been about to take flight—only to have its wings clipped spectacularly.
And yet now, out of nowhere, he had returned by dealing with GODS and was now said to have reached Zero-grade.
Kyle, who had inwardly wished for Yoon Soo-ho’s downfall, now felt a sharp pain in his gut.
“Even if Korea really did subjugate a disaster and Yoon Soo-ho became Zero-grade, isn’t suddenly hosting the Federation General Assembly in Korea far too unilateral a decision?”
Seeing Kyle display more hostility toward Korea and Yoon Soo-ho than necessary, Lily let out an inward sigh.
As Association President, Kyle wielded immense influence over U.S. government agencies—and the CIA was no exception.
The decision to summon the NIS to the United States out of the blue had been Kyle’s doing, after he pressured the CIA Director.
“If it’s true that they subjugated a disaster and reached Zero-grade, then holding the general assembly in Korea wouldn’t be strange at all.”
Lily already regretted following the Director’s orders and contacting Jeong-hoon.
But the water had already been spilled.
If Yoon Soo-ho truly had reached Zero-grade, stepping back now was the right move.
Moreover, the mysterious secret agent was also presumed to be Zero-grade.
Convincing Kyle—whose American pride soared to the heavens—wouldn’t be easy.
“But the hegemon is the United States, and the Federation Chair is American too. Even if we concede and let Korea host, the venue should still be in the U.S., shouldn’t it?”
“If that’s really how you feel, I’ll talk to the Chairwoman.”
“She’ll probably agree.”
Kyle folded his arms confidently.
Just then, the conference room door opened, and a blonde beauty entered.
Federation Chair Hannah Adams.
Kyle was about to greet her warmly when he froze at the sight of the person behind her.
A woman with long, flowing red hair and a black eyepatch over her left eye.
Lily Dalton, too, looked greatly shocked at the woman who followed.
“M-Michelle? What brings you here…?”
Kyle stammered involuntarily upon seeing Prophet Michelle.
Michelle looked alternately at Kyle and Lily with her intact right eye, then spoke in a low voice.
“If you don’t want to get burned, it’s best to go to Korea without complaint.”
“What does that…?”
Kyle felt himself shrinking the moment he saw Michelle.
She was the hunter who had once caused an enormous stir in the United States alongside Hannah Adams.
Of course, after losing her left eye and facing constant assassination threats from GODS, she had officially retired and gone into seclusion.
Yet Hannah Adams still relied on Michelle’s help—her influence had never truly faded.
“Prophet, could you explain in detail?”
Unlike Kyle, Lily looked at Michelle with firm determination and asked.
“We’ll talk on the way.”
“On the way? You don’t mean…”
As Kyle trailed off, Michelle nodded.
“Yes. I’m going to Korea too.”
***
Inside a grand conference room that perfectly preserved the architectural style of modern Japan.
Through the windows, a garden planted with bamboo could be seen.
A tall man stood gazing outside.
It was Tachibana Yutaro—Japan’s Zero-grade hunter and Association President.
As people gradually gathered in the conference room, he walked toward the wide table.
The masters of various guilds affiliated with the Japanese Awakener Association were already assembled around it.
None of them sat; they remained standing, waiting for Yutaro.
“Is everyone here?”
“Yes, President.”
At Yutaro’s words, the guild masters bowed in unison.
It felt less like greeting an association president and more like paying respects to a yakuza oyabun.
Only after Yutaro finally took his seat did the masters sit down as well.
After scanning the guild masters once, Yutaro tapped the table a few times with his fingers before speaking.
“Has it been verified that Yoon has reached Zero-grade?”
“Only an announcement was made during the press conference. There are no records of rank measurement or any other proof yet.”
“Hmm… very suspicious. Subjugating a disaster out of nowhere is too convenient. GODS isn’t stupid.”
“Perhaps they’re conducting some secret deal with GODS behind the scenes.”
“There’s no proof he defeated a disaster either… that theory actually seems more plausible. If he’s connected to GODS…”
Yutaro suddenly recalled the mysterious Korean hunter he had encountered in Taiwan.
The one who had survived against a Prophet and a bizarre flower—and even purified the contaminated zone.
From their very first meeting, there had been more than a few suspicious points.
Most of all—that hunter was absolutely not Zero-grade.
Not even close—best case, he was barely 5th-grade.
Hunters could usually gauge each other’s level just by sensing mana.
He hadn’t understood why Chairwoman Hannah Adams was so cautious around that hunter, but Yutaro couldn’t ignore the instincts of the world’s number one.
That was why he hadn’t touched the hunter back then.
But now, with a general assembly gathering the world’s top hunters, Yutaro saw an opportunity.
“It seems I’ll have to go to Korea after all. Time to put that arrogant Yoon in his place—and uncover the identity of the hunter behind him.”
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