The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 80

#80. The Negotiation (1)

The main gate was bustling from morning.

The guards were removing the barricades, preparing to welcome someone.

The youthful monarch, Park Ji-soo, had arrived.

I walked with the department head and deputy heads to greet her.

The residents were already starting to stir, causing a commotion.

The central market was filled with jeers and curses.

Dressed neatly and with my hands behind my back, I waited for her arrival.

Soon, her figure came into view.

My aim with this entire operation?

To capture the attention of the youthful Queen Park Ji-soo.

Currently, Dong-an is at war with Uiwang.

Some might wonder why I’d bother avoiding a full-scale war with Dong-an, especially since their forces are split.

But I haven’t spent the past year preparing solely for a war with Dong-an.

My goal is to unify Anyang and win this league.

Engaging in a full-scale war with Dong-an right now would inflict considerable damage on our side, perhaps irreparable damage.

This negotiation is to minimize future war damage while securing strategic locations.

The strategic locations we obtain will serve as a bridgehead for our next campaign.

“…….”

The procession of Dong-an’s monarch, Park Ji-soo, was magnificent.

Warriors riding deer led the way, followed by a red sports car.

Since gasoline was scarce, the deer were pulling the car, but its clean, vibrant red color made it hard to believe this was a post-apocalyptic world.

Park Ji-soo sat in that luxurious seat, wearing sunglasses.

Even amidst the jeers from the residents of Mangyeong, her expression remained unchanged.

Her vehicle stopped directly in front of me.

As her subordinate opened the car door, Park Ji-soo stepped out. Standing before me, she slightly lowered her sunglasses and met my eyes.

Her dark eyes were both alluring and captivating.

She opened her lips, painted with red lipstick.

“Hi?”

Park Ji-soo immediately put her sunglasses back on and raised the corners of her mouth.

* * *

The scent of perfume.

The sound of clicking shoes.

The fluttering of a fur coat.

Her sunglasses moved from side to side, constantly scanning the building’s interior.

Park Ji-soo said as she strolled through the hallway, “It’s warm inside. Did your lord also acquire the boiler manufacturing method?”

“……Yes.”

The boiler manufacturing method had been commercialized by Sion, and almost all factions were using boilers.

Thanks to that, Sion earned an amount of gold that was incomparable to other lords.

With the gold, he bought daily necessities and inventions from other factions to build up the city.

Mangyeong’s rapid growth was all thanks to Sion’s gold.

Of course, Park Ji-soo had no idea that Kang Sion was the first lord to create that boiler.

The boiler remained a steady seller.

Park Ji-soo looked around the building, thinking, ‘Structure, inventions, weapons, residents’ loyalty… it’s only smaller than us in scale, but it’s overwhelming in every other field.’

Even the residents’ clothes looked different – clean, as if they had been washed.

Everything she saw surpassed Dong-an.

Dong-an’s advantages over Mangyeong were, at best, military power and territory.

Kang Sion followed behind Park Ji-soo.

Jin Jae-hee and Dong-an’s escort walked alongside them.

Park Ji-soo walked forward silently for a while, then suddenly stopped and looked back at Sion.

Sion also stopped, matching her pace.

She took off her sunglasses, tucked them into her clothes, and smiled at Sion.

“The scenery here is romantic.”

The words ‘the scenery is romantic’ were ambiguous – a compliment, or something more?

Sion didn’t care.

He silently pointed forward and replied, “Let’s go.”

Sion began to walk ahead of her.

Park Ji-soo stared at Sion’s back as he walked.

Outside the building, the residents of Mangyeong were still shouting jeers and curses at Park Ji-soo.

* * *

Since the summit between the leaders was an official event, the employees of Mangyeong rushed to prepare for the meeting.

While the monarch of Dong-an was touring the territory, the cooks of Mangyeong were working frantically.

Thump-! Thud, thud, thud.

The white-haired grandmother cursed as she minced rat meat, bones and all. “Ugh-! Damn woman. Why did she suddenly come like this?”

“That’s seasoning. Yes. Do you have any leftover garlic? Bring as much as you have.”

Kim Kyung-sook, the cooking department head (Grandma Kim), and Lee Ho-sun, the hotel’s head chef, rushed to prepare the meal with their respective cooks.

Kim Kyung-sook, who had been making pork and rice soup for 45 years, primarily cooked apocalyptic cuisine.

Lee Ho-sun, a hotel chef for 20 years, created the best dishes using all sorts of luxury items.

Both were top officials in the culinary department, appointed by the head of the Order Department.

Both were chefs who made the best dishes, but they were always bickering.

“Grandma, give me some chopsticks over there.”

“Get them yourself, you rotten bastard!”

“Aish! Seriously.”

It wasn’t just the culinary department that was busy.

The security department, the records department, the protocol department, the higher-level Order Department, and most of the workers affiliated with Mangyeong were preparing to welcome guests.

Thump-!

At that moment, the head of the Order Department entered the dining hall and hurriedly asked, “Is the food ready yet?”

“Ah, yes! It’s almost ready.”

The hotel chef answered obsequiously to his superior, but the grandmother muttered, “What do you mean it’s ready?! Huh? Suddenly making us prepare! Seriously, these young ones these days.”

The foul-mouthed grandmother cursed, regardless of whether the other person was the head of the Order Department or not.

The head of the Order Department frowned and scolded the grandmother. “Please hang in there a little longer. It’s the lord’s decision, and even if it’s unpleasant, she’s the monarch of Dong-an. This negotiation must go well.”

“Who said our precious lord did anything wrong? It’s a problem because you’re nagging, you bitch!”

“Ah, I understand. I won’t nag. But please hurry.”

“Ugh-! Tsk, tsk. You said you wouldn’t nag, but you’re already nagging, huh?”

The protocol preparations proceeded steadily.

* * *

The negotiation room in Mangyeong.

Kang Sion and Park Ji-soo sat facing each other at either end of a long table.

Everyone except the minimum number of people had left the negotiation room.

The dishes were placed on the table one after another.

The grandmother placed a rat stew with plenty of meat in front of Sion, a clear contrast to Park Ji-soo’s, which had only a few pieces of meat.

“Eat a lot. Put plenty of this seasoning in and eat it while it’s warm.”

“Thank you.”

“Tell me if you need anything else. You’re working hard, huh?”

“Yes.”

The grandmother cherished Sion dearly.

Park Ji-soo looked at her meat stew with a spoon and said to the grandmother, “Grandma~ Give me some more meat too. Is this the Han River [a Korean river, implying the stew is mostly broth]?”

“Shut up, you bitch. Ugh… damn woman.”

The grandmother refused outright and left the protocol room.

Thump-!

“……What? Crazy old woman.”

Park Ji-soo glanced at the grandmother.

Regardless, Sion took a spoonful of the stew.

He could feel the savory aroma of the well-boiled rat meat.

As the grandmother said, he put plenty of seasoning in and ate the stew.

The deep meat flavor and the seasoning blended well, creating a good taste.

Next came the hotel chef’s pasta.

“Oh-. Aglio e olio. Wow. It seems your lord has a pretty skilled chef?”

Park Ji-soo put the stew aside and immediately started eating the pasta.

Everything else was served by the head of the Order Department.

Only after the dessert was served properly did the meal between the leaders come to an end.

Now, all that remained was the negotiation.

The reason why Park Ji-soo suddenly came to Mangyeong was something even Sion hadn’t expected.

He’d anticipated at least a week, maybe even a month.

But Park Ji-soo came to Mangyeong in just three days, and in person.

Of course, it was the most perfect outcome, since the goal was to lure her to the negotiation table.

Now, her intentions had to be understood.

“Phew-.”

Park Ji-soo smoked a cigarette.

Sion spoke first. “So, what brings you here? So suddenly.”

Park Ji-soo’s expression changed subtly at that voice.

Was she smiling?

Or was she angry?

It was still unclear, but she seemed to have something on her mind.

“Okay. Whatever. Let’s get to the point. You’ve been up to some interesting things, haven’t you?”

The negotiation had begun.

* * *

“You’ve been up to some interesting things, haven’t you? Bisan and the Third Faction, too.”

Park Ji-soo said, sipping green tea.

As expected, she knew that I was the one who orchestrated all of this.

But there was nothing I could do.

In reality, it was the Third Faction, not me, who started the war, and Mangyeong hadn’t done anything externally.

It was just returning the favor.

Dong-an’s warriors had also been harassing our workers within their territory, using those who weren’t part of Dong-an’s faction.

If Park Ji-soo tried to blame me here, I would bring up the human hunters she had unleashed.

Then she would eventually have to admit the machinations she had been carrying out against my faction all along.

Perhaps she wouldn’t start a pointless argument with a predictable outcome.

‘There’s no way.’

I picked up my teacup.

Dong-an is currently at war.

It is quite unusual for a monarch to come to another faction during a war.

She wouldn’t have come here just to argue.

“The league has been going on for quite some time, but the second round hasn’t ended yet. It was probably said that it would end when two factions remain within Anyang City, so the subjugation of the Third Faction may be important.”

Clack-.

Park Ji-soo put down her cup.

She didn’t look that old, maybe in her early twenties.

Nevertheless, there was power in every word she uttered.

“I have one proposal. Stop all military actions in the Anyang Stream area. Also, withdraw your troops from the Third Faction.”

“…….”

“To be honest, I could end the war with Uiwang right now and subjugate Manan. But I didn’t. Why?”

“…….”

“According to the rules of the second round, there’s no need to do that. As a result, two factions can survive in Anyang City, so there’s no need for me to put in the effort to take over Manan-gu, is there? Besides, you sent me a gift, Lord. Ah……! I really liked that.”

She was probably referring to the incident of taking the necks of the police officers and sending them to Dong-an-gu.

That was truly a gift – a political gift to prevent Dong-an-gu’s military actions.

Judging from that reaction, the gift operation was a success.

It was enough to sway Park Ji-soo.

Why she had such animosity towards the police was still unknown.

“If our faction and Mangyeong wage war right now, both factions will suffer considerable damage. Of course, we will win, though. You don’t want that, do you?”

She nonchalantly brought up the theory of mutually assured destruction.

Well, that was an undeniable fact.

At this point, no matter who wins, if the two factions clash, both will not be able to survive in the upcoming rounds.

It wouldn’t matter if the unit of combat troops was only a few dozen, but between factions that have grown to tens of thousands, like mine and hers, there is much to lose for both sides.

In the end, it’s a matter of doing preliminary work to prevent that loss.

“…….”

I induced Park Ji-soo to continue speaking.

If you remain silent, the other party will naturally start telling their story.

Needing information, I quietly waited for her words.

“So, what I’m trying to say is, stop all military hostile acts against Dong-an-gu. Then, as compensation, I will grant you a non-aggression pact between our two factions, established by the system. How about it? Is that satisfactory enough?”

Park Ji-soo shrugged her shoulders and leaned back in her chair.

But I couldn’t help but frown.

Grant? As in, not a request?

I couldn’t help but show my discomfort.

She didn’t know who had the upper hand in this conversation.

She still thought that Dong-an’s warriors were the core force dominating Anyang City.

She was sorely mistaken.

If I didn’t correct that misunderstanding, I might not get what I wanted.

I looked at her and said, “First, the battle that took place in the Bisan area is not our faction’s doing. Second, we are currently fighting the Third Faction to take over Manan-gu. In other words, the Third Faction and we have no relationship whatsoever. If you want to stop military actions in this situation, you should have gone to the Third Faction’s lord, not me.”

To Park Ji-soo, my operation may only seem that way circumstantially, but there will be no concrete evidence.

If I deny it, what can she say?

She can only frown like that, and there’s nothing else she can do.

I looked at her frowning face and continued. “As you said, we have no reason to fight Dong-an-gu right now. That’s why I’m waging war with the Third Faction to finish the round, and all the responsibility for this lies with my faction. I don’t know what you’re talking about in this situation. What do you want to talk about?”

Of course, I already knew what she wanted to talk to me about, but I pretended not to know.

I glared at her and finished, “And isn’t it you who should be asking for a non-aggression pact? Even if you fight me, if you hastily end the all-out war with Uiwang… the damage will be considerable.”

The moment my faction engages in an all-out war with Dong-an, Dong-an would have to hastily end the war with Uiwang.

In that clear relationship of the strong and the weak, Dong-an would have to sign an unequal treaty with Uiwang, along with enormous war reparations to end the war hastily.

Currently, Dong-an must thoroughly defend against having two fronts, so they have no choice but to politically check our faction in Manan.

That’s why she came so urgently.

The advantage is on my side.

Park Ji-soo was trying to play tricks from the start, and there was no way I would just let that slide.

Even if Dong-an-gu is ahead in terms of military power alone, I could also bring up the theory of mutually assured destruction.

“I agree that if your faction and our faction clash, we will both suffer considerable damage. But… that goes for you too, doesn’t it?”

The theory of mutually assured destruction is not limited to one country but applies to both sides.

As I pointed this out accurately, Park Ji-soo’s expression hardened.

“…….”

Now, there was no emotion to be read on Park Ji-soo’s face.

I don’t know if she had been threatening numerous weak factions with her power until now, but it wouldn’t work on me.

I had already analyzed all of her thoughts, actions, and directions.

Through this negotiation, I will completely make my position equal to Park Ji-soo, or even one step more superior.

It’s safe to say that the second round is already over.

Because I have already put ‘him’ on standby today.

In the end, Manan’s Third Faction will become my colony, and after this negotiation, all military actions will stop, no matter what.

But the problem is what comes next.

The third round.

I was planning the game with the third round in mind.

I know what the third round is from Jin Jae-hee.

To properly prepare for the third round, the war with Dong-an must be postponed, because that is more beneficial.

But I wouldn’t postpone the war for nothing.

I will get a considerable price from Park Ji-soo for it.

“Unfortunately, I will reject that offer.”

The atmosphere of the negotiation room had now completely shifted to my side.

She remained silent, and I glared at her without a word.

“Is there anything else you want to say?”

But Park Ji-soo hadn’t come just to say those words.

Smirk-.

The corners of her mouth slightly lifted as she heard my words.

I frowned.

What on earth was she trusting to show such a smile?

I could tell from the next words – her true intentions.

(To be continued in the next episode)