Closed Beta That Only I Played - Chapter 524: Juyoung Hong (51)

The typhoon emitted huge ice and powerful gusts of wind just a little while ago. The huge gust of wind was still there, but the huge chunks of ice that had inflicted direct damage on the Japanese naval fleet until a moment ago disappeared as if it were an illusion.

When that happened, the Japanese battleships were no longer being crushed and sinking into the cold sea.

After I defused the crisis, I turned my eyes to Prime Minister Abezo, and said in a low voice, “I hope you are serious about surrendering. Seriously. If you are not being sincere, and try to trick me, you will see the end of Japan.”

I decided that I had better stop here if I didn’t want to destroy Japan completely, let alone Prime Minister Abezo.

To be honest, it’s not that I didn’t understand Japan’s actions toward the Seventh Mining Area. If I had been in their shoes, I would have done the same thing because in a few years, the agreement on their joint development of the Seventh Mining Area with South Korea would expire, allowing them to take control of the area legitimately. Besides, the mining area in question was no ordinary one, but a huge oilfield with oil reserves as big as those in Saudi Arabia.

When I made my threat, the prime minister rep[lied right away, kowtowing with his head touching the floor, as if he wanted to prove he was sincere about surrender.

“Of course, I’ll do it! I’m serious!”

Given his submissive attitude, I felt he would help solve other matters if I mentioned them, such as the territorial dispute of Dokdo Island, the apologies for the comfort women issue and their forced occupation of the Korean peninsula during the early 20st century.

But I didn’t bring them up because I believed he clearly realized that any further provocations by Japan would not work.

In other words, I believed that Japan would solve such problems in due course through their own initiative by offering apologies and the appropriate compensation.

So I said to Abezo in a low voice, “Alright, let me see if you can keep your promise. Somebody will come and see you sooner or later. My part is now over. By the way, the typhoon will move beyond Japan before it disappears.”

As soon as I said that, I exited the Prime Minister’s Office using Blink with zero cooldown because I really didn’t have anything to do.

***

At the headquarters of the National Intelligence Service in Naegok-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea at the time.

“…”

“…”

“…”

Since its deputy director made the proposal about the Seventh Mining Area to Juyoung Hong, they kept a close eye on his movements.

With their jaws dropping at the enormous power of the typhoon created by Juyoung Hong, the top leaders blankly watched the screen showing the typhoon that landed off the coast of Tokyo.

The NIS Director said in a low voice, “Wasn’t he supposed to only be able to use ice? What the heck is that typhoon accompanied by powerful gusts? I just can’t believe their battleships that cost a few trillion won were just crushed and sunk helpeless like that. I really have nothing to say. Does anybody want to comment?”

But nobody responded.

Even Deputy Director Sojong Han, who maintained close contact with Juyoung Hong, didn’t say anything because the typhoon accompanied by the powerful gusts and destructive ice were far beyond her predictions.

Ring- ring-

A cell phone rang to break the silence of the NIS meeting room.

Normally, the Director would rebuke the person whose cell phone rang during this kind of important meeting, but even the Director could not say anything right now because the ring was coming from Deputy Director Han’s cell phone.

Even now she was in constant contact with Juyoung Hong.

After checking the screen of her cellphone, she nodded slightly at other people at the meeting to ask them to keep quiet while she was talking.

She answered the phone right away. It was a call from Juyoung Hong.

Juyoung said, [I have secured Prime Minister Abezo’s promise to completely renounce the Seventh Mining Area. All you have to do is send somebody to Japan to conclude a new agreement with them.]

“Thank you. We will take care of the rest.”

“Alright. You haven’t forgotten that promise of yours, right?”

“Of course.”

Although she gave him such a brief reply, she almost spilled out, ‘You showed me you were powerful enough to destroy Japan. How can I break my promise to you?’

But she didn’t say that because she didn’t have to.

After she hung up the phone, she looked at the Director right away.

Since he already heard their conversation, he said quickly, “I will go to the Blue House tomorrow. Maybe someone from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will go negotiate. Deputy Director Han, attend the meeting with me tomorrow.”

Anyway, Deputy Manager Han successfully negotiated with Juyoung Hong, so she had a direct communication channel with him.

So the Director immediately promoted her to the chief of the 3rd Division dealing with external affairs. And it was no wonder other deputy directors didn’t object to his decision because they confirmed how brilliant Juyong Hong’s performance was this time in dealing with Japan.

They ended the meeting in a pretty good mood.

***

A few days later, all the media reported extensively about the Seventh Mining Area.

[The Seventh Mining Area returned to the care of South Korea!]

[Japan returns the Seventh Mining Area?]

[How was the Seventh Mining Area returned to South Korea?]

[Who is the hero who forced Japan to give up the Seventh Mining Area?]

They provided various background stories about the potential value of the Seventh Mining Area. Some even reported on the rosy future when Korea finally laid the groundwork for becoming an oil producing country.

A few days later, the President addressed the people and revealed who it was that deserved the credit for the important deal about the Seventh Mining Area.

“My fellow citizens! I’m so happy about standing here for a very good cause. Until now, my government has made ceaseless efforts to regain the ownership of the Seventh Mining Area from Japan, and our efforts have finally paid off. Of course, my government alone could not do it. Even though we had full support from people in various walks of life, we could bring out the successful results thanks to your help. First of all, I will order an investigation into the Seventh Mining Area starting tomorrow with my executive order as the President. And the Myongjin Group will lead the investigation. It was actually the Myongjin Group that first did the survey into this mining area by spending their own money about 40 years ago. At the same time, it’s again the Myongjin Group that decisively helped us to retake the mining area from Japan. As a Korean citizen myself, I would like to thank the Myongjin Group for their great effort to return the Seventh Mining Area to our country.”

After that, the President went on to explain the strategic importance of the mining area with huge crude oil reserves among other things, but the people mainly paid their attention to the Myongjin Group.

The President mentioned he would order his cabinet to prepare a special presidential act to develop the Seventh Mining Area, but he already designated the Myongjin Group as the lead participant. The Myongjin Group has Myongjin Oil Refinery among its subsidiaries.

Is there any possibility that the President excludes Myongjin Oil Refinery from the project of drilling crude oil in the Seventh Mining Area when he guaranteed Myongjin the right to lead the investigation into the area under the special presidential act?

Of course, there is little possibility that he will do so.

Because of that, lots of traders at the Korean stock market were once again crazy about buying the stocks related to the Myongjin Group.

“Myongjin! Buy all the stocks related to the Myongjin Group right now!”

“The stock price of Myongjin Oil Refinery has not yet hit its all-time high! Now is the time to start buying them!”

“Myongjin Oil Refinery, Myongjin Construction! Myongjin Electronics! Myongjin Trading! You have to buy all the stocks with the name Myongjin!”

The craze for Myongjin stocks was already high since traders bought and sold its stocks crazily at the recent news that Myongjin Oil Refinery would import crude oil from ExxonMobil and Chevron.