Chapter 256: Alliance
Hero comics.
What’s different about the world of superhero comics, besides the fact that they have superpowers?
If I had to pick one, I’d say the news is interesting, every time. You turn on the TV, and you see all these superpowered terrorist attacks, and how can that not be entertaining?
[Today, a villain in the United Arab Emirates is in the news for chopping up a building with a scythe. Luckily, it was an abandoned building, so there were only a few casualties...]
Yeah. Like that one, for example. Look at Arab scythe slayer Muskda al-Misned.
“....”
I feel like I could read a month’s worth of superhero comics just from the terrorist attacks around the world in one day.
In fact, this was not the case at the beginning when I fell into this world, but the frequency of terrorism is increasing.
Just yesterday, there was a villain dropping stars on Israel and a villain shooting bananas out of a gun in Indonesia.
Of course, these outlandish abilities are usually foiled by plain old, purely powerful heroes. They were caught in their first terrorist attempt by an S-class hero who can manipulate gravity and a hero with lasers coming out of his eyes.
Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that there’s a lot of terrorism and unrest these days. In addition, there are wars going on at the national level.
[(BREAKING NEWS) France’s S-class Villain Plots Another UK Attack. Londoners are ‘nervous’. British association says ‘there will be clear retaliation if the French don’t stop it.’]
[(BREAKING NEWS)] South American Villains organize uprising in California, USA...Ended prematurely by the S-class Villains Union Aetheria before the Association could arrive. Controversy erupts as South American government says, “American Villains killed our people, pay them back.”]
[Maelstroms of war sweep through the Middle East...All Iraqi Heroes deployed to the border (total 1 report)]
[Italy’s A-list hero Neywiz arrested in Germany for disturbing the peace; Italy’s ‘repatriate him’ vs. Germany’s ‘explain him’.]
Yeah.
When it’s not enough for them to join forces to face the increasingly powerful villains, they fight amongst themselves. This is why I can only think that everything is ruined in the original.
Of course, it’s also funny that there’s no news of the turmoil in East Asia at all. Korea is busy hunting down burgeoning villains, Japan is busy with Katana taking over the government, and China is busy crushing rebels.
Everyone has a lot on their plate, so they don’t have time to worry about each other.
The Chinese, in particular, are not doing so well.
[The Chinese government has offered a ceasefire to the “Fire Dragon,” the continent’s largest alliance of villains and rebels... A former Chinese military officer reveals. The government calls it “delusional nonsense.” Outrage.]
China, whose territory is being carved up by the Fire Dragon, a rogue organization led by our own Li Xiaofeng and a de facto anti-government force, has finally offered a ceasefire to the rebels. Of course, they’re calling it a big fat lie, but I know it’s real.
‘It happened sooner than I thought.’
And the funny thing is, it’s earlier than the original.
Originally, the story came out right before the Moonlight Gate disaster, but now that it’s here, it seems like the information I gave Li Xiaofeng was valid.
‘Anyway...’
There’s only one conclusion I want to draw.
The world is becoming more chaotic, and the more allies we have, the better.
***
“Hahaha, Egostic. Welcome.”
The office of Li Xiaofeng, the leader of the villainous organization Fire Dragon was at the top of a large purple-tiled pagoda in China.
I meet Li Xiaofeng, who wears his hair coolly in a bun, and am welcomed into his office and seated.
“Thanks to your help, Egostic, our organization is really booming these days. I don’t know what to say to thank you.”
“Haha, no, it was just a little something.”
So here we go again... No, why do villainous leaders like tea so much? Anyway, over another cup of tea with green leaves, I said hello and he thanked me.
Li Xiaofeng thanked me for my help. As a man so obsessed with righteousness and harmony, he would not forget the favor he had received, but would rather exaggerate it. This is why I gave it to Li Xiaofeng.
Anyway, after I said that, I proposed an alliance and of course...
“Haha, that’s a good idea.”
He smiled and said yes.
I knew Xiaofeng would accept right away. It would have been easy for him to say no, given the favor he’d received from me, but his calculating mind would have done the math and made a judgment call in an instant.
“A collaboration between the three powers... Hmm. It’s like the Chou dynasty’s chief of staff...”
He smiled wryly to himself and muttered something in Chinese, but it was hard to hear. He’s probably running another profit and loss calculation, and only I know if that innocent expression is an act.
“Very well, then, if you’re free in a few days, me, Mr. Li Xiaofeng, and Miss Katana will meet to discuss this further.”
“Haha, that sounds good.”
He nodded, and that was that.
A few days later, I found everyone’s free time and set up a meeting.
Soon enough, the three of us were meeting together in South Korea for an alliance formation meeting.
“Hello, Ms. Katana.”
“...Hello, Mr. Li Xiaofeng.”
...Of course, there was the small matter of Katana and Li Xiaofeng being awkward with each other, and both of them staring at me, but we managed to coordinate all the details for the day.
“So, let’s toast to the birth of the Tri-State Villain Alliance.”
“Cheers.”
“Cheers!”
At the small round table, the three of us clinked our glasses simultaneously.
The Tri-State Villain Alliance was officially launched.
“Haha! Isn’t this the spirit of unity?”
...Leaving aside the lone drunk Li Xiaofeng I took another drink, and prepared to go home and continue working.
Ego Stream, SamHyupPa and Fire Dragon prepared to announce the alliance between the three largest villain organizations in the three countries to everyone.