Chapter 341: A War Is Coming After All

After wrapping up his visit to South Korea, Bush’s delegation flew to China.

As I watched the scene on TV, I dialed Putin to relay the details of the negotiations we had yesterday.

— Ha ha! Excellent, excellent. Just as I expected from you, Mu-hyeok. Let’s be honest—if the compensation had been half-hearted, I wouldn’t have liked it either. The fact that the U.S. isn’t exercising a veto is a tremendous weapon for me.

Putin expressed his feelings openly. Aside from Medvedev, I was the only one with whom he shared his emotions.

He was always someone who concealed his feelings, acting instead.

“As expected, the U.S. has shown a negative attitude towards the Eurasian railway that starts from South Korea and connects to Russia and Europe.”

— Indeed…

Putin seemed to anticipate this, his voice laced with irritation.

— Still, that’s something we have to make happen. It’s a long-cherished endeavor of mine.

“Yes. The U.S. can’t oppose everything without a reason.”

— Do you think so?

“Absolutely. Within ten years, China will rise dramatically. When that time comes, the U.S. will be eager to keep them in check. Meanwhile, Russia may gradually be sidelined. Putin, you need to look towards the future and prepare yourself for it.”

I could hear Putin sighing through the receiver.

For Putin, the notion of Russia being overshadowed by China was undoubtedly an affront to his pride.

— Hmph… Mu-hyeok, are you intentionally trying to wound my pride with your words?

“You must look at the reality, Putin. With low labor costs and the Chinese government’s benefits, money from around the world will flow into China. Of course, Russia will also experience economic growth, but on a different scale. China will undoubtedly outperform expectations.”

— Hmm. I’m not too keen on China’s rise.

Neither was I. But no matter how much I tried to intervene, I couldn’t halt China’s progress.

Thus, the best strategy was enhancing Russia at the same growth rate where I could exert influence.

Taking complete control of Korea and aligning with Russia to definitively outmaneuver the U.S. in its containment efforts.

That was my goal. It would take time and a significant amount of money, but I had to view it as an investment.

“It’s the flow of the times. It won’t be a bad thing for Russia either. The rise of emerging nations will lead to a drastic rise in international oil prices. This will positively affect Russia’s economy, which holds significant reserves of oil and natural gas. But they must not focus solely on energy. Investments in national infrastructure and future technologies, like IT, must also be made.”

— …I understand. There’s a lot to consider. Let’s discuss this in detail when we meet.

Putin hung up first, and I set my phone down.

* * *

In a villa on the outskirts of Seoul.

“Chairman, welcome!”

As Yoon Chang-ho stepped inside, many people gathered within rose from their seats.

He passed them by and naturally took his place at the head of the table.

“Alright, no need to stand. Everyone, please take a seat.”

“Yes! Chairman!”

Even those his age or much older immediately obeyed Yoon Chang-ho’s command.

He calmly scanned their faces one by one before speaking.

“So, esteemed members gathered here, what’s this meeting about?”

Though he had been called here, Yoon Chang-ho had no idea about the purpose of this gathering of the party’s key figures.

Perhaps that’s why a subtle anger tinged his voice.

The Leader of the Opposition, Ahn Kyu-cheol, was the first to speak.

“Chairman, it’s Ahn Kyu-cheol speaking.”

Yoon Chang-ho turned his head towards Ahn Kyu-cheol as he started to speak.

“Yes, Ahn Kyu-cheol. Go ahead and explain.”

“We’re those gathered here with the mission of making you President. The various members present here, along with many elder statesmen from outside the party, are united in their cause with you.”

Yoon Chang-ho looked at him incredulously.

“Are you implying that I can’t become President without others’ help?”

“No, not at all. My intention isn’t that. It’s purely a meeting to ensure your stable rule. Everyone here is gathered out of heartfelt loyalty to you, Chairman Yoon.”

Yoon Chang-ho scrutinized those gathered once more.

Most were prominent figures holding key positions in the central party, with many seasoned politicians who had been re-elected or had extensive experience.

What’s going on with these guys?

They were the veteran politicians who had switched from the Conservative and Progressive parties when forming the Moderate Party.

They were politicians who acted based on their interests rather than ideology.

What in the world are they planning to do together?

“Loyalty, huh… The fact that you gathered here without informing me doesn’t suggest any loyalty towards me.”

“I assure you, we are here for your presidency and the ascendance of the Moderate Party…”

Yoon Chang-ho interrupted Ahn Kyu-cheol with a cold expression.

“So what do you want me to do about it?”

At that moment, Yoon Chang-ho was profoundly displeased with everything. He was not thrilled about a situation beyond his control.

Just then, the door opened again, and several people entered.

Yoon Chang-ho stood up in surprise.

“Wait, why are the advisors here?”

Among those who stepped inside were more than half of the advisory committee of the Moderate Party.

Though no longer active, they still wielded significant influence, being living relics of Korean politics capable of mobilizing numerous organizations.

Among them, the former National Assembly Speaker, Lee In-tae, spoke up.

“Chairman Yoon, sit down for a moment. It’s tiring to stand at our age, anyway. How long do you plan on keeping these old folks standing?”

“Oh, please take a seat.”

Yoon Chang-ho took a step aside to make space for them.

Lee In-tae smiled kindly and shook his head lightly.

“Heh, Chairman Yoon, you’re the representative here. We’re merely support to you. Please sit down. We’ll take seats close by.”

The lawmakers seated nearby all stood up to accommodate the advisors.

After they settled down, Yoon Chang-ho took his seat again.

“What is this all about?”

“Chairman Yoon, what’s the hurry? It was quite exhausting to get here. Let us catch our breath first.”

As Lee In-tae brought a teacup to his nose to smell, Yoon Chang-ho felt frustration rising, but he didn’t dare to voice it.

After sipping silently for a while, Lee In-tae finally spoke up.

“I heard an interesting rumor recently.”

“A rumor, you say?”

“I heard you’re merely a puppet for someone else. Is that true?”

“What are you talking about…”

“That can’t be right, can it? A person set to become the president mustn’t be a puppet. It must be some baseless gossip.”

Though his tone was smooth, Lee In-tae’s eyes glimmered with an icy gleam.

“…That’s correct. Don’t you know? I didn’t want to be a hunting dog for the regime; I did what I wanted as a prosecutor, and I only entered politics to respond to the people’s call. So how could I be a puppet for someone? No way.”

“I believe you, but others might not. That’s why I braved the trouble to come here to set things straight.”

Though he smiled, an unsettling atmosphere surrounded Lee In-tae. Yoon Chang-ho gulped.

“That person is coming soon. Hold his hand and help him become our president.”

“…”

Lee In-tae addressed the current lawmakers around them.

“You all can leave now. Set down your papers. We’ll be in touch soon.”

“Yes, Mr. Chairman.”

They stood up even without a directive from the Chairman.

After Ahn Kyu-cheol handed over the documents to Lee In-tae, he bowed his head and exited.

Yoon Chang-ho felt a sense of unease as he realized that the lawmakers he thought he had firmly under control had all been thinking differently.

“Take a look at this.”

Lee In-tae handed the documents to Yoon Chang-ho. He took it and opened it.

There were names listed belonging to nearly half of the National Assembly members from the Moderate Party. Moreover, many names of district chairpersons from outside the party were recorded as well.

“Do you see? These are all the people gathered to make you president.”

“What is this…? Since when?”

“What’s it to you? Did you think you were maintaining the Moderate Party solely through your own efforts? How arrogant do you think you are?”

A sardonic smile appeared on Lee In-tae’s face as he watched Yoon Chang-ho’s blank expression while looking at the list.

Having rolled around in the political arena for decades, this old snake was once again gearing up to make his name known.

And then the door opened once more, and a man stepped in.

Yoon Chang-ho tore his gaze away from the document and turned towards the opened door.

To his surprise, someone stood there whom he never expected.

“Oh, no. You are…”

Yoon Chang-ho’s eyes widened in shock.

* * *

Time passed swiftly once more.

The covert dealings between Russia and the U.S. progressed smoothly, and not long ago, a resolution was passed at the Security Council.

The world was in shock when the resolution, which passed with the support of the U.S., Europe, and France, and the abstentions from China and Russia, was announced.

The resolution authorized the use of force by the U.S.

Now, the U.S. can engage in military action against Iraq without anyone able to stop them.

Based on this resolution, the U.S. has stated that Iraq must accept UN inspections for weapons of mass destruction and has issued a final ultimatum for Hussein to leave Iraq after resigning.

Although the U.S. was preparing a multinational force, many Middle Eastern and European countries opposed it despite the resolution passing.

Initially, Bush seemed uninterested in the multinational forces.

Instead, he prepared for war separately with allies like the U.S., the U.K., and Australia.

But Iraq simply brushed off the U.S. ultimatum.

Thus, the U.S.’s invasion of Iraq was slowly being set in motion.

It was a war that was bound to happen, but unlike the last life, the only changes were the accelerated timing of the war and the passage of the UN resolution.

In the end, it seems a war is upon us.

“Yes, boss.”

I shook my head as I turned off the TV broadcasting Bush’s speech.

The Iraq war was just the beginning of turning the Middle East into a hell.

Of course, that extreme chaos would eventually present opportunities for me.

“By the way, Yoon Chang-ho’s movements are quite strange, you say?”

Manager Ma brought this report to me.

He said he had received word from the intelligence team monitoring Yoon Chang-ho that his movements were odd.

“The atmosphere in the Moderate Party seems odd too. Senior members have been subtly sidelining the secretary-general at various meetings.”

“Myeong-su didn’t mention anything like that…”

“It might be wise to investigate further before taking action.”

Did Yoon Chang-ho start having other ideas? He was quite an important figure for me.

I had prepared him as a cornerstone to maneuver Korea as I wished.

“There are only about nine months until the election. It will be hard to cultivate another candidate to replace Yoon Chang-ho and set things up again as we desire in that time. For now, find out who Yoon Chang-ho is meeting with and get solid information.”

With that, Manager Ma bowed and left, and I pulled out my phone.

— Hey, Mu-hyeok.

“Are you busy?”

— Just about. I can take a call.

“How’s the atmosphere in the party these days?”

— Not much different. Soon, Chairman Yoon will be nominated as a candidate for president. Your plan is about to kick off.

I wondered if Myeong-su was unaware that he was being sidelined or if he just didn’t think it was a big deal.

His tone was as calm as usual, leaving me uncertain.

“I heard rumors that you’ve been sidelined in party meetings?”

— Haven’t old folks been disliking me for days? It’s the same. After the election, they’re eager to secure their shares.

“Is that so? Are you sure?”

— That’s right. Do you not trust me? We need to gear up for the election now; I can’t afford to bicker with the elders. I’m holding firmly to the junior lawmakers, and with Chairman Yoon on my side, what can the old folks do to me?

Myeong-su’s words reflected a sense of trust in Yoon Chang-ho.

I’d told him not to trust politicians. No, it was probably trust directed at me behind Yoon Chang-ho.

“What if Chairman Yoon turns against you?”

— No way. Chairman Yoon is on my team. With you around, it’s impossible!?

“Still, what if Chairman Yoon starts thinking differently?”

— You’ve sown money and have leverage over him; there’s no way he’ll act recklessly. Why? Have you heard something?

“No, just making sure no variables arise. Just give me a call if you learn anything. Don’t try to solve it alone.”

— Got it!

After hanging up with Myeong-su, I leaned back against the sofa and closed my eyes.

Yeah, Chairman Yoon can’t be foolish.

By now, I already had the means to bring Chairman Yoon down in an instant.