Hostage Negotiation

-Immediately disarm yourself of all weapons and cease all life activity. This is a very humane and compassionate gesture.

"------"

"------"

The North Korean military and the hostage workers froze at Yappy's advice.

For a moment, they wondered if they had misheard.

Disarm? Yes, of course, if they're going to take them prisoner.

But what, shutting down their vital functions? That's the most humane, compassionate thing to do?

"You're a nutcase------"

-I say again.

Whether he did or not, Yappy pressed the North Koreans with a cold, eerie mechanical voice.

-You prospective serfs, non-citizens, are not a class with immunity from such lawlessness. You mere organisms have committed the grave offense of insulting the Holy Knights.

-Disarm immediately and cease your own vital activity. If you wish, I can introduce you to the humane protocols of life-suppression. First, cut off the electrical signals to your brain....

"You, you madman, what nonsense are you talking about!"

-Don't interrupt my advice, organism. Organisms tend to prefer to keep their bodies intact, which I have taken into consideration. If you prefer immediate termination of life, I will dispatch an execution drone.

"I'm not dying! I'm not going to die, you crazy robot, what the hell are you talking about!"

-If you refuse my advice, I will have no choice but to enforce the just sanctions of the laws of the Lionheart Kingdom.

-That justice will be swift and painful.

Yappy, with his unchanging expression and cold, mechanical voice, was an enigma to the North Koreans.

His inorganic gaze and voice lent him an uncanny credibility, cultivating a fear that what he said would happen.

-Those monsters could take a big TANK rocket and still be fine------

-These monsters can flip a tank with their bare hands. What the hell will they do to you if they catch you------?

Fear left room for negotiation, and that room for negotiation was in the direction of acceptance.

"Well, what we want is our safety and eviction from the cities of North Korea. We demand a temporary ceasefire until we receive instructions from the Party."

-You do not have the right to announce a ceasefire on behalf of your country. You have no rights other than surrender or suspension of life.

-State that the serfdom of your officers is a lawful measure, and that the persecution of free men will only increase the punishment.

"No, not the Geneva Conventions, not human rights!"

-No. Inform them that the Lionheart Kingdom is not a member of the United Nations and is therefore not bound by the international humanitarian laws of Geneva and The Hague. Your human rights are not recognized.

"I've never heard of the Lionheart Kingdom! Aren't you South Korean soldiers? You're subject to South Korean law!"

-No. We abide by the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, but we are not bound by it. You are not dealing with the Republic of Korea's armed forces, but with the Holy Knights, who are authorized by the Lionheart King of the Lionheart Kingdom and the representative of the TTG Temple.

-The Holy Knights exists above the barbaric constitution of organisms.

-The Holy Knights exists above the uncivilized constitution of the organism.

"What if we release the hostages?"

-You'll be granted a special exception by his authority if a neural re-socialization control chip is inserted through head surgery. I will guarantee you survival for ten years after their serfdom.

"Alternative negotiations or no negotiations!"

-There are no negotiations with illegal organisms. This is international common sense.

"Where is that common sense?"

Enraged by Yappy's bizarre ramblings with no breakthrough in sight, the North Koreans opened fire with anti-tank rockets and machine guns.

Yappy's armor deflected them, of course, and he conceded that the negotiations had failed and retreated.

-Many illegal acts by non-citizens scheduled for serfdom. Notified of extenuating circumstances.

-We will prepare a protocol for your enslavement.

With a final, eerie roar, the Killing Machine disappeared back toward the camp.

* * * * *

"Let's defeat the unmade invaders!!!"

-Tudadadadadadadadadadadadad!!!

The hostage-taking North Korean soldiers fired guns and bombs with a determination to win.

They were on the brink of death, but they were determined to do whatever it took.

"Oh, my God, they're going to get killed!"

Ha-ri's voice is filled with anxiety, but the Holy Knights remain calm.

"Foolish creatures. How merciful of us not to destroy your souls."

-Acknowledgment. Requires re-socialization via brain surgery after suppression.

Vulcanus and Yappy are only thinking about what to cook after subduing the rampaging North Koreans.

"Well, don't worry about that, Lord Han Ha-ri. I'll burn this city to the ground with the flames of my war if I have to──"

[No, you bastard! No way!]

How much power do you think it would take to burn a city to the ground? Petos, the god of war and flame, interrupted Vulcanus.

"My God, Petos. Your prayer meetings and wars have increased your worshipers and increased your power. If you've earned it so hard, shouldn't you know how to spend it like a king?"

[You crazy barbarian!]

Petos cries out in opposition to Vulcanus' use of force, and, surprisingly, Yappy joins him.

-Holy Knight Vulcanus needs to reserve his strength.

-The current enemy forces are only a fraction of what they are. It would be strategically disadvantageous to waste our power on non-citizens.

"Hmmm--- that's one thing."

So, among the Holy Knights, will Yappy, who has the ability to suppress a large number of people without using holy power, step forward?

-Possibly. At full strength, I can save 73% of civilians.

"Well, then the other 27% is------"

-The main unit's firepower is geared toward high-ranked entities such as monsters and demons. Estimated damage is collateral damage from close range.

"Ugh------"

Such damage was too politically risky for the government to accept. Of course, if they decided to do it, they could cite wartime conditions------

"But we have to do it in a way that does as little damage as possible."

It was her duty as a government official. Few would be willing to risk civilian casualties, not even in the face of a confronting army.

"Is there anything the Queen can do?"

Ha-ri's gaze fell on Beatrice, the only Holy Knight in this hostage crisis who was willing to minimize civilian casualties.

Besides, if she was a magician queen, shouldn't there be some other way?

"Hmm~ Still, I, a royalty by birth, don't think I should be bowing down and talking to serf candidates------"

'That's right, she was medieval royalty too!'

They were a class who cared for their people, but only from the overlooking gaze of 'royalty'.

Beatrice had no intention of compromising her dignity and authority by speaking directly to them.

"Hoo-hoo, don't worry too much, Miss Ha-ri."

Beatrice said, patting Ha-ri on the shoulder as if to reassure her.

"I'll put the entire region to sleep if I have to. If I had my way, I could put an entire industrial park to sleep."

"Alas, yes, there is such a method!"

It's a common practice in places like Russia and mainland China. The idea is to set off sleeping gas at the location of the hostage-taking, put the hostages to sleep, and then let the police in.

Of course, the problem with sleeping gas is that it's supposed to be instantaneous, so it kills a lot of people, but Beatrice is a priestess of dreams and death.

Her control over the power of concepts gave her the ability to put thousands to sleep without a single fatality.

"But it also uses up a great deal of her power, so I'll save it for last, at least if Grand Duchess Karina's method doesn't work."

"What? The Grand Duchess?"

She realized that the Man-At-Arms and the knights are nowhere to be seen. Where are So-yeon, Soo-ho, and Jae-hyuk?

Ha-ri looked around.

-Aigo!

-Igo!

-Don't do this!

-Please don't do this!

The chanting came from all over the city. Ha-ri ran out of the camp in a panic and found Leon.

"Hoo-hoo, my daughter, you're so wise."

Unlike Leon's smiling face, the faces of the soldiers watching were stony.

* * * * *

North Korean soldiers were holding the employees of the Kaesong Industrial Complex hostage.

A stern warning from the top: Stall for time, or pay the price.

The North Korean commander was terrified by his orders, but secretly hoped for common sense from the South Korean soldiers.

Unlike the North Koreans, they had a lot to protect. Civilians, human rights, Geneva Conventions, blah blah blah.

If they say they were forced to take hostages by order, at least they won't kill them.

At least they're human beings, unlike the monsters that have taken over Pyongyang.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Well, it looks like those crazies are planning to kill us all!"

The soldiers were relying on the common sense of the South Korean soldiers to do this, but the attitude of the Holy Knights of the Ten Thousand Gods Temple at the negotiating table was too overbearing.

This was not a negotiation, but a warning.

They never imagined that the idea of burning only one out of ten people to death by lottery would be a benevolent negotiation.

The North Korean military's political officer, Lieutenant General Ri, who led the effort, was equally baffled.

"Don't worry, the whole world is watching this war, and if they let the hostages die, they'll be highly criticized!"

Other than that, the international community is apathetic. They called for a full-scale UN force at a time when North Korea was working with the demons.

Even Russia, a trusted ally, abstained from vetoing the UN force, leaving Pakistan and Iran as the only countries that sided with North Korea.

Neither of which are helpful, of course.

"Surely they're not really going to use force? It's a few hundred hostage factory workers, and there's no way the South Korean government would give up that many lives!

But they were still stuck in their preconceived notions.

They realized that they were sitting at the negotiating table, not with the South Korean government, which had to worry about human rights, common sense, and political interests, but with the absolute monarchy of a naked kingship.

"Comrade Zhu, look at that!"

A North Korean soldier rushed toward the panicked Li, his voice cracking as he exclaimed,

"No, they're---! They're crazy!"

Li and his cadres, now leading the hostage-taking, rushed toward the entrance of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and saw something they could not believe.

-Stay still!

-Do you want to die!

Hundreds of people were being forcibly dragged by knights and soldiers.

Their tattered clothes and blistered faces, many of which had been beaten to a pulp, gave away their treatment.

"Uh, Mom?"

"Hwa-young!"

North Korean soldiers everywhere recognized them. As if in response, a chorus of songs came from the kneeling men.

-Ah, Sang-hyuk!

-Dad! Dad! Please help me!

-I don't want to die! I don't want to die!

They were in terror--especially those who had been drawn to the evil hand of the Knights of the Burning Sword.

Honorable knights of the Lionheart Kingdom, they seemed like emotionless killing machines to the people of North Korea.

Just as Li was beginning to feel a sense of dread, a woman on a black horse stepped forward from the distance.

"I am Grand Duchess Karina Dragonia, Holy Knight of Vengeance and Darkness, the rightful successor to King Lionheart and Holy Knight of Gold and Covenant."

Karina spoke in a clerical voice.

"From now until the hostages are freed, I will execute ten of you every ten seconds."

Hostage-taking is hostage-taking. Holding the North Koreans' family hostage, Archduchess Karina began to count briskly.

* * * * *

[Well done]

Reynold barely caught himself from shuddering at the Archdemon's chilling voice.

"Go, thank you!"

This is the demon's domain and he feels like his internal organs are rotting just by breathing in the air.

It's an otherworldly place, where the weight of the air is obviously different.

He was an archmage, a Hunter, the highest of all mankind, but he kept in mind that he could die at any moment at their whim.

"Well, then, I shall retire for now──"

[Pause.]

Reynold tightened his grip on the Archdemon's restraint again. He was more at ease when he was dealing with the Archdemons of Wisdom and Exploration through the Wisdom Orb.

"Ha, even if you're going to command------"

[The Orb. Show me.]

"Ah, yes!"

Reynold held out the Orb of Wisdom in his arms.

[What--- is it for------]

The Archdemon beyond the Wisdom Orb replied in a gruff voice.

Though of different lineages, in the midst of the crisis between the U.S. and China, the Archdemons of Wisdom and Exploration have agreed to aid the Legion of Chaos.

And in the meantime, the youngest of them, Wisdom's Orb, is in the process of punishing them.

He was competent, to say the least and lucky.

'Oh, I can't wait to get out.'

Aside from that, Wisdom Orb wanted to leave this cursed land right away, because it's war and shit and the Lionheart King is here.

But what the Chaos Archdemon said next was shocking.

[The Lord needs your assistance. I have prepared a summoning ritual in the north, and you will initiate it there.]

[------what?]

He was screwed.