ALL NOVEL "Ladies and gentlemen we’re reporting live from the frontline in Seoul, South Korea. Currently, the city is awash with monsters of numerous kinds; both in the streets and the skies. We spotted numerous flying creatures moving from building to building."
" Multiple fires have broken out. Once a hub for peace and prosperity, Seoul is now a war zone. Civilians are being killed but the military is powerless to resist."
The reporter and cameraman huddled in a corner. She spoke in hushed tones for fear of the creatures outside hearing her. Meanwhile, the cameraman carefully surveyed the area in front of the building's floor-to-ceiling windows, broadcasting the entire situation in Seoul to the camera. These journalists dared not venture onto the main roads for fear of meeting any of the creatures..
Suddenly, just less than a hundred meters away from the building, an explosion rang out, frightening the reporters to their core.
"Oh God, did everyone hear that intense noise just now? We don't know what exploded or how many people died. May God bless South Korea!"
The reporter made the sign of the cross, praying for South Korea. Although she wasn't Korean, facing such human tragedy, anyone witnessing these scenes would feel sorrow. Of course, not everyone felt this way; there were always some who took pleasure in the misfortunes of others.
……
At the same time, in Washington, D.C., a White House press conference was underway.
"Mr. President, will the 30,000 American troops stationed in South Korea be sent to help South Korea resist these monsters?"
Several journalists crowded together and among them, a South Korean reporter asked the most important question to the American president. Currently, the quickest military assistance South Korea could receive would undoubtedly be from the United States, as they already had troops stationed there.
"Help South Korea fight against the monsters? No, I will not issue such an order. Those 30,000 American soldiers are living, breathing human beings. They have parents, wives, and children. I will not send them to their deaths. If I issued such an order, I would be a criminal in the United States. Don't talk to me about political correctness. That's just crap!"
"…Moreover, the South Koreans are not angels. Why should we save them?"
The American president declared loudly.
Many people watched the live broadcast online. Some Americans thought the president's decision was correct, while others, especially those on the liberal side, believed that the United States should fulfill humanitarian principles and provide assistance.
The ruling president's faction loudly proclaims that these "white leftists" were merely keyboard warriors, always asking others to act while they do nothing themselves, showing no regard for the lives of soldiers. Meanwhile, the leftist forces were positioned on various moral high grounds, countering the accusations. The two sides argue fiercely, making the online war look no different from a quarrel, resembling a replica of the infamous internet trolls.
"Mr. President, have you forgotten what you said last year? You said South Korea is the most important strategic partner of the United States in East Asia. Is this how you treat a strategic partner?"
The South Korean reporter shouted in frustration.
"Did I say that?"
The American president shamelessly shrugged, then looked around at the people present. The White House staff kept their heads down, not daring to show their faces. They felt the president was ridiculous. However, the reporters below found it amusing and burst into laughter. They thought the president was quite the internet sensation, with his exaggerated and insincere expressions.
"Mr. President, even if you forgot that statement, surely you remember the 'U.S.-ROK Mutual Defense Treaty,' right? The United States military has an obligation to help South Korea resist external enemies!"
The South Korean reporter shouted angrily.
"Of course, the United States keeps its word. We will certainly acknowledge that treaty. But have you read the treaty? It states that the United States will only intervene when South Korea is invaded by an enemy nation. However, this time, the invaders in South Korea are not from a foreign country. They are mysterious creatures with supernatural powers. Therefore, we do not need to comply with the treaty!"
Seeing the American president starting to play word games, the South Korean reporter and the South Korean ambassador in the United States were frustrated but helpless.
"South Korea is a land that breeds evil. According to our think tank's investigation, there are thousands of small and large religions in South Korea, and the vast majority of these religions are cults without true gods. Among them, those who believe in these cults are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Like the previous shipwreck incident, it was actually related to cult sacrifices. This was originally classified information, but today I'm announcing it directly in front of so many reporters!"
The American president grandly announced, causing an uproar among the reporters below.
"And not long ago, there was a vicious serial killing in New York, perpetrated by a South Korean using dark magic. It is highly likely that it is related to the Seoul incident. If it weren't for our S.H.I.E.L.D. agency's full efforts to apprehend the criminal, it could have resulted in even more heinous crimes. What happened in Seoul could happen in New York!"
"This invasion of monsters in South Korea is self-inflicted. No one knows South Korea better than me!"
The American president almost completely dissociated the relationship between the United States and South Korea. It could be said that this day would be remembered in history, not only for the invasion of supernatural creatures in Seoul but also for the complete withdrawal of American influence in East Asia.
Having lost Japan and South Korea, America had lost all its deployments in East Asia.
But for the American side, this was considered worthwhile because, after the emergence of supernatural powers, Russia and China were no longer America's biggest competitors. The threat of China's rise was no longer as significant, and various countries with supernatural powers were now America's main concerns.
For example, Japan, which used to be America's subordinate, China, which has always been seen as an adversary, and the Nordic countries. England could only barely be considered one, while Scotland and Ireland were even more dangerous because they were the birthplaces of Celtic culture.
Russia, on the other hand, was currently the least threatening country because it hadn't produced any supernatural beings yet. It was said that the Russian czar was currently searching for his country's cultural heritage.
The American think tanks were not idiots. They had ruled the world in the past, so they knew that these think tank personnel were elites. The current American leadership had already reached a unified consensus. The entire American national policy was to shrink its frontlines and adopt a conservative stance.
How could there be any idiots among these people who could govern a country?
But America's choice was the worst news South Korea could have hoped for. Didn't this mean South Korea was done for?!