Chapter 236: Only Kindness, Please

There was a strange sense of déjà vu in Bush's words.

While he's known to have a frosty relationship with Wall Street, who could he be referring to? Though it was just a rumor, the source was reliable enough that I didn't doubt its truth.

But what if Bush and the shadowy figures running Wall Street were part of the same group? My mind instantly spun into a tangle of thoughts.

Breaking the oppressive silence, I spoke up.

"You said this was a warning?"

"Yes, a warning. And also advice. Don't go against our will."

"Our… Surely, you're not talking about Wall Street. Are you involved with the European aristocracy?"

"European aristocracy?"

Bush raised an eyebrow, surprise flickering across his face as if he had never heard that term before. Yet, it was only for a moment.

"Are you talking about 'Baltice'? I'm impressed you know of that group. Knowing Putin, I suppose you might."

I knew that the forces restraining me were tied to a European aristocratic coalition, but it was the very name 'Baltice' that was news to me.

Bush, initially taken aback by my question, burst into loud laughter.

"Ha ha, don't compare me to those outdated, ridiculous nobility. It offends me."

After a long fit of laughter, he wiped the smile from his face and spoke with a serious demeanor. His tone was heavy, revealing open discontent.

'Ridiculous nobility?'

Bush exuded confidence, enough to label the powerful elites shaping the global economy as ridiculous nobility.

"Of course, I'm aware their influence over the American economy is substantial. I even kept an eye on Dream High's movements, which dealt them a blow. But now that I'm president, I won't let the American economy be manipulated freely. You should know that, too, Charlie."

Despite Bush's grand aspirations, the reality was that their capital had already penetrated too deep into America.

Most of the largest shareholders in the FED were Jewish capitalists, and behind those banks stood the European aristocracy.

I opted to pose another question rather than point out that fact.

"Then who exactly are we? Are you talking about the Republican Party?"

"Of course. I'm referring to all Americans who protect democracy from the barbarians."

Bush was expounding on the philosophy of neoconservatism, based on Leo Strauss's ideas. Just as I suspected, he was indeed a member of the neocon faction.

The group that pushed American exceptionalism and shaped the direction of the Bush administration.

Those who believed power is synonymous with justice, wishing for America to rise as the world's hegemon based on military might—that is the neocon agenda.

"I have never acted against your interests. Not a single time have I harmed American interests. In fact, when the American economy was in jeopardy, I was the first to lend a hand."

After Russia declared bankruptcy, I utilized Dream High's capital to quell the chaos in Wall Street.

Just like Eric had threatened Rumsfeld, Black Bear often collaborated with the U.S. military on missions.

Yet here he was, issuing me a warning.

"Right now, there's nothing to worry about. So, Charlie, just focus on business. Stop trying to involve yourself in politics."

Was this an elaborate threat disguised as a warning to keep me out of politics?

"I'm more than willing to assist with investments and businesses. But that's where my support ends. Today's topic has already strayed too far into North Korea. That's not a businessman's concern, right?"

"I understand. Thank you for the warning and the advice. Do you have any final words?"

It seemed resolving North Korean issues with him would prove difficult. Noticing my tense demeanor, Bush softened his tone.

"Please, don't take it personally. I'm not trying to oppress you, Charlie. As long as you stick to your boundaries, you shouldn't have major issues conducting business in America. Have you ever considered acquiring U.S. citizenship?"

"U.S. citizenship? Not at the moment."

Gaining citizenship would likely intensify scrutiny over me. My ties with Russia would become even more complicated.

"Just let me know if you change your mind. For you, I'd expedite the process of obtaining special citizenship."

At this point, American citizenship held little significance for me.

"Only kindness, please."

"Well, I won't force citizenship upon you since you don't want it."

Bush playfully raised his hands in surrender as I repeated my refusal.

"Thank you for the campaign donations. They yielded good results. In the early election stages, I worried if I could even win."

After a back-and-forth of threats and warnings, I finally received Bush's thanks. I felt a strange mix of accomplishment and irritation.

"A re-election for the Democratic Party would not have been good for me either. Toward the end of the Clinton Administration, there were increasing checks on Dream High."

"I know. The Democratic Party is heavily influenced by the 'Baltice' group."

"I suspect the Republican Party isn't much different."

Bush shook his head firmly.

"Ha ha, unlike those Democrats, we support free-market economics. We won't impose any restrictions on legitimate profits."

Though he said that, they were undoubtedly investigating Dream High, trying to find grounds to attack them in secret.

After Rubin's departure from the Treasury, there had been intense pressure from Wall Street against Dream High.

However, even if they turned the place upside-down, nothing would come of it since Dream High severed connections with all tax havens beforehand.

Additionally, they had signed contracts with the top accounting firms in the U.S. and managed affairs thoroughly, allowing them to pass through unscathed.

Even if an audit were to occur, I've dealt with one before and was confident in my response.

Having seemingly finished his thoughts, Bush checked his watch.

"It's time for me to head to the White House. I'll make sure to invite you to a good seat at the inauguration. Please do come."

"Understood."

As if the chilly atmosphere never existed, Bush beamed a warm smile and extended his hand.

After shaking his outstretched hand a couple of times, he withdrew it, though his smile faded away.

As we stepped outside, Han Gyeong-yeong appeared awkwardly smiling while merely listening to the conversation, and I noticed Eric and Rumsfeld taking the lead in discussions.

"Let's get going. I've taken up enough of your time, busy men."

As I called for the two, Eric and Han Gyeong-yeong stood up.

"It was a pleasant conversation. Let's meet again soon."

With that, Eric and Rumsfeld shook hands, finally ending their meeting.

"Let's move together."

The limousine carrying us slowly pulled away from the building. The air inside was frigid.

My expression had hardened in contemplation, contributing to the stiff atmosphere.

"Eric, what's the mood in the Republican Party?"

Breaking the silence, I finally asked, and Eric shot back with a question.

"What mood are you referring to?"

"The party line regarding the Korean Peninsula and the policies for Northeast Asia."

"Hmm… Nothing has changed. They still want to curb the expansion of Russia and China. Why do you ask?"

Upon sharing the news of the failed denuclearization talks with Bush, Eric looked visibly shocked.

"Even if it were proposed to the Republicans instead of the Democrats, they would have rejected it outright."

"The Clinton Administration and the Democratic Party supported discussions between North and South. They even promised to build light-water reactors conditional on freezing nuclear activity."

"That's where it stops. Both Republicans and Democrats would prefer maintaining a reasonable tension between the North and South while the United States controls the dynamics in East Asia."

Eric replied firmly, confidence laced within his words.

"Is that so? It seems there's no way forward then?"

"…I'll look into it, Boss. But don't hold your breath for anything substantial."

"Alright. Keep this to yourself, Eric. Don't mention it to anyone else."

Clearly, this issue wouldn't be resolved easily. Given the stakes, I decided to approach the North Korean situation slowly.

Priority number one was finding out who orchestrated the attack on Eva.

"I've heard the cabinet intelligence agency was involved in the attack in Japan."

"The cabinet intelligence agency?"

"According to Bush, the Prime Minister had no knowledge of that incident."

Eric nodded slightly. As a former military personnel, he had connections with intelligence personnel and consequently was knowledgeable about these matters.

"That's possible. The CIA sometimes operates independently without presidential approval. If it's illegal, they tend to report even less."

If the cabinet intelligence agency engaged in illegal activities, it was highly likely that all information would be suppressed.

"Has Eric found anything?"

"We're exchanging information closely with the Russians, but catching the tails has proven challenging."

It seemed finding the culprits within a short time frame would be unlikely. However, I couldn't afford to wait passively either.

That meant compelling the Japanese government to take action and hunt down the perpetrator.

"You need to take charge of this."

"Me?"

Han Gyeong-yeong, who had been silently listening to the conversation, pointed at himself with a puzzled expression.

If they acted illegally, we could certainly push them within legal boundaries.

"We must pressure the Japanese government to find the culprits."

"How?"

"I need to think this through… But my best weapon is money, so I'll utilize that."

After pondering briefly, Han Gyeong-yeong frowned and added.

"Even using money, getting help from Wall Street won't be easy. Besides, that would contradict Bush and the Republican agenda. Ultimately, the cornerstone of U.S. policy in Northeast Asia is the alliance with Japan."

The Republicans prioritized their alliance with Japan above all else.

This is likely why he laughed at my statement about not going easy on Japan.

"Bush warned me too. Just let it go quietly. Yet I have no intention of doing so. I plan to demolish everyone involved."

"Boss, are you sure about this? Bush issued a warning directly, and you're still making that decision…"

Eric's voice was laden with genuine concern as he asked timidly.

"Of course, I'm not going to initiate any attacks on Japan or pursue revenge. I'm going to do everything within my power."

When I replied coldly, Eric remained silent, seemingly understanding the weight of my words.

Once we arrived at the hotel where we were staying, I sent Eric back with specific instructions.

"Eric, coordinate closely with the Russians and gather as much information as possible."

"Yes, understood."

After Eric left, I entered my room with Han Gyeong-yeong, relaying the conversation I'd had with Bush.

"It seems Bush wants to manipulate me for his ends."

Having listened intently, Han Gyeong-yeong nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense. Dick Cheney and Rumsfeld also ignored me, only addressing Eric. They likely intend to train me as they wish. The atmosphere was noticeably different compared to before the election."

They were sure to pressure both Han Gyeong-yeong and myself using several means.

"The ones who initiated the fight were them. I need to fight back with the war they seek with money. Even if the contracts with Japanese banks owned by Eva become nothing more than scraps of paper."

Even I felt the coldness in my tone.

"You're quite angry, aren't you? Your eyes are serious."

"Once you're trapped, there's no choice but to be dragged along by them. This time, I need you to intervene directly. Eva seems too shaken to remain in Japan now."

Seeing my icy smile, Han Gyeong-yeong nodded.

"If that is your desire."

Engaging in senseless acts of terrorism would be foolish.

With the culprit still unidentifiable, and with the Japanese government deliberately obstructing information, I'd make them find and present those involved directly before me.

"First, I'll start by purchasing Japanese bonds."

I planned to make a lasting impression, even if it meant risking half of my assets.

With that in mind, I began detailing the steps for Han Gyeong-yeong moving forward.

First, we'd start by aggressively buying government bonds issued by Japan to elevate bond yields.

"Once we accumulate enough bonds, I'll launch an attack on the Yen. Although in the past, we had help from Wall Street, this time it has to be entirely on our strength. Can you manage that?"

Han Gyeong-yeong appeared to contemplate my words carefully, recalling Dream High's situation. After a moment, he replied.

"If we're willing to risk losses, we can indeed drive the Japanese economy into despair in a short timeframe. However, the funds Dream High currently possesses are insufficient."

"Then invest every penny in Dream High towards purchasing bonds. Direct the Bermuda accounts towards foreign exchange attacks."

If Dream High's funds fall short, we could utilize one of the offshore accounts as a temporary reserve.

"Since we might face attacks regarding Dream High, let's keep the Bermuda account under Korean operations. Let's head to Korea together."

"Okay."

Though I anticipated a fruitful meeting with Bush, it ultimately resulted in nothing of significance.

Shaking off negative memories, I departed the U.S. and arrived in Korea.

Upon reaching the Myeong-dong office for crisis discussions, an unexpected visitor arrived.

"Good day, President Kim Mu-hyeok."

It was Shinjiro Kimura, the Japanese ambassador to South Korea.

He arrived just as I was preparing to move against Japan, which oddly left a bad taste in my mouth.

"What business do you have here, Ambassador?"

"You must already be aware, but I'll be direct. Our government has no involvement in the attack on Representative Eva."

Ambassador Kim, visiting the office, outright distanced the Japanese government from the incident.

"I've heard the Cabinet Intelligence Agency was involved in the terrorism. But are you claiming ignorance? You can't think I'll believe that so easily."

Upon seeing my eyes filled with enmity, the Japanese ambassador looked somewhat unsettled, his gaze faltering.

However, he maintained a brave facade, steadfastly affirming his innocence.

"Yes, that is the case. Our government has no connections to it."

"You need to make sense. Ambassador, listen closely. Either bring the perpetrator or hand over those related to him."

As I unleashed my verbal assault, Kimura cleared his throat. It seemed his anxiety prompted him to gulp nervously.

"Cough… The Japanese police are conducting a thorough investigation."

"How can I trust the Japanese police? I seek nothing but the truth."

Sharply glaring at Kimura, I felt the suffocating tension oscillate between us.