Chapter 36 : If it’s strange, it’s strange _

The Russian Soviet Socialist Federation.

Also known as the USSR, or the New USSR.

The New USSR is the successor state to the Russian Federation.

To be precise, it’s the nation formed after Putin’s death.

After Vladimir Putin’s death, Russia experienced a power struggle akin to a civil war. Because the Russian authorities had clearly seen what a dictator at the peak of his power could do.

Putin invaded Ukraine.

Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China did something similar.

But both were fine!

Both Putin and Xi Jinping died peacefully in their beds!

Instead, only their adversaries died miserably.

Hu Jintao was dragged away and imprisoned in Beijing’s Tiancheng Prison, and the coward who sold hot dogs crashed with his plane.

To achieve a comfortable death after starting a war, one must reach the pinnacle! If you don’t reach the pinnacle, you die!

That was the only thought dominating the minds of Russia’s potential next dictators.

However.

China collapsed.

More than 10 million demonstrators gathered across Beijing, including Tiananmen Square. This time, they couldn’t be pushed back with tanks.

Xi Jinping’s son, Xi Mingling, who ‘inherited’ power as his successor, couldn’t escape the endless stream of protesters, was captured by the citizens, and dismembered.

A cold shiver ran down the spines of the Russian power players who were engrossed in the power struggle to seize the top spot.

“…Aren’t we in danger too?”

“I heard the citizens cut off Xi Jinping’s embalmed head.”

“I don’t want to die like that.”

But they couldn’t stop.

What if they stopped and another guy went crazy and seized power?

Wouldn’t they all die too?

“Anyway, we also have accumulated dissatisfaction from the citizens. Let’s solve it in a different way.”

They followed the precedent of ancient China.

[Collective Leadership System]
[One-Party Dictatorship]

“Let’s just collude and do everything ourselves.”

“Let’s make some concessions to each other…”

“We need to live long to enjoy it for a long time.”

They also injected some nationalistic fervor.

[The Russian Federation is no more? The USSR is revived!]

“There are many people who say the Soviet era was good, right? Then let’s actually change the name of the country to the USSR.”

“Are you suggesting we go to a communist system now? Are you crazy?”

“No, I mean like China. Don’t you know ‘Black cat, white cat’?”

That’s how the country was formed.

The Russian Soviet Socialist Federation.

One-party dictatorship, collective leadership system, introduction of capitalism.

…Well, it’s essentially a new, ice-attribute China.

*

“You’re not going to make me go to the USSR or anything, right?”

I don’t want to go to a commie country. I’ll get stabbed with a pitchfork.

At my question, Representative Cha shook his head.

“Oh, no. Not yet.”

Not yet?

I looked at Representative Cha with suspicion, but he didn’t seem to notice my gaze and continued his explanation.

“It’s an outsourcing company anyway. Just send and receive files. That’s it. Well, there might be occasional meetings, but they’ll be done through video calls. You, as the chairman, won’t have to do anything at all.”

“Hmm. But won’t the rumor that I outsourced to them still spread?”

“That… is true.”

Great. Another win for the commie AI.

It might take some time for ordinary people to know, but the rumors will eventually spread. I’m still the AI holding the red flag. When will this concept disappear?

‘…It won’t stick forever, will it?’

The thought of being treated as a Soviet stooge even after becoming the world’s number one internet broadcaster makes me shiver. Maybe the melon bar I ate earlier was too cold.

“Alright, I understand. They’re number one, right?”

“Yes. Their virtual reality editing technology is the best in the world. Even Hollywood is already outsourcing to the USSR.”

“If even the US uses them, it’s probably a bit better.”

I clapped my hands lightly.

“Okay. If they’re number one, I have no choice but to use them.”

As I signed the document, Representative Cha laughed gleefully.

“You won’t be disappointed. I mean it.”

Well, we’ll see about that.

‘Just you wait.’

I’ll temporarily move Representative Cha’s office next to the bathroom… no, that’s too harsh. Instead, I’ll have to attach a device that makes squeaking noises to his shoes.

Every time he walks, it’ll make squeaky ‘bbyok bbyok ddubang ddubang’ sounds.

Imagining Representative Cha, his face red, making ‘ddubang ddubang bbyok bbyok’ sounds but unable to take them off because it’s the chairman’s order, I chuckled. Feeling a chill, Representative Cha rubbed his arms and shuddered.

“It’s a bit eerie. Maybe I’m low on energy…”

“It’s just your imagination.”

“Yes? What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing.”

I left Representative Cha behind and got up. Miley followed me with clicking steps and opened the door.

“Chairman? Excuse me, Chairman? Did you just…”

-Thud!

The door closed, and it became quiet.

I’ll leave the noisy Representative Cha in the broadcasting room.

“Where’s the data?”

[I just sent it.]

“Hey, I found another one. Why are there so many people sexually harassing you when you haven’t even revealed your face yet?”

[Isn’t it because of the body?]

“…Body?”

[The chairman is here. Shut up.]

The company outside the broadcasting room was bustling today as well. Noisy, passionate, and sometimes strange sounds could be heard.

But it felt like people were living.

‘Hmm, yes. This is the taste of bustle.’

With a satisfied face, I said to Miley.

[This is where people really smell like people. Right?]

Perhaps because I hadn’t used the otherworld language in a while, Miley’s blue eyes widened. She hesitated for a moment, then answered with a bright smile.

[Well, didn’t the Order also start to smell like people after Your Excellency executed all the vermin?]

[No, that’s not it.]

I frowned.

Honestly, the Order didn’t feel like a place where people lived.

They would always come and say things like, ‘You must not enter the sacred place with blood-stained clothes,’ or, ‘Even if he committed an unholy act, you must not cut off a noble’s head in the sacred place,’ or, ‘Your Excellency, the person you just slapped is the Third Prince who donates the most to the Order!’ and then cry.

It was just an annoying place.

Well, that’s why I mostly stayed on the battlefield. It was just annoying to go back to the Order.

[It wasn’t like this, it was like a monastery.]

[That’s true. That’s what the Order is like.]

[The more I think about it, the more rigid it was. Only people who nagged all the time. How did you survive when I wasn’t there, Miley?]

At that question, Miley was silent for a moment, then answered.

[Well. It’s not a past I want to remember.]

[Then it’s okay. I won’t ask.]

There’s no need to ask about something she doesn’t want to reveal.

If she wants to talk, she will, if not, then not.

It’s not something I need to pry into, is it?

Just then, I heard a voice from somewhere.

“Hey, the chairman is here.”

“Is, is that the chairman?”

“Yeah. Let’s greet her.”

I turned my head, and it was Team Leader Park, or was it Team Leader Yoon?

Anyway, one of the content team leaders approached me.

Come to think of it, I had ordered them to introduce new employees to me last time. Since it’s a company where they need to know my existence to do their work, anyway.

“Good day, Chairman. This is the new content team intern we recently hired, Kawasaki Shigure.”

“Good day! I’m Kawasaki! Ni, nice to meet you!”

Hmm, this intern is unique.

“Japanese?”

“Yes, she used to work in the VTuber industry in Japan.”

“Oh, VTuber.”

I heard it was popular a long time ago.

Commonly known as ‘pan-tteok’, it’s a type of internet broadcast where a virtual character is presented and controlled by recognizing the user’s movements… something like that.

I heard it was popular in the past, but after the virtual machine came out, it was overtaken by virtual reality’s technology, character expression, and various other reasons, and it died out.

The team leader, whose last name I still couldn’t remember, smiled at me and answered.

“I thought it would be good to collect some people who worked in the internet broadcasting industry when considering future content. I recruited Kawasaki because I was told she has a lot of related knowledge. Thanks to the Korean Wave, she also speaks Korean well.”

“Hmm, I see.”

I was about to nod, but then I tilted my head.

“But hasn’t VTubing been declining for quite some time?”

This, Kawasaki Shigure, doesn’t look very old… Isn’t she about my age?

Then Kawasaki smiled sheepishly and said.

“I, I’ve been watching Vtubers since elementary school. Actually, my dream was to be a VTuber, but since that industry collapsed, I couldn’t bring myself to do it directly, so I just helped…”

Hmm, she dreamed of internet broadcasting since she was young.

“What about virtual reality broadcasting?”

“He, hehe. I don’t have any talent for physical activities…”

That’s unfortunate. The lack of talent.

But Kawasaki is also a person who is working hard by utilizing her aptitude and finding employment in a different direction.

As I nodded, the team leader added.

“She was being exploited at a VTuber black company. I heard her salary was delayed several times, maybe because Japan’s economy hasn’t been good since the second bubble burst.”

Oh my god. Delayed salary.

There’s nothing more terrible than a delayed salary. When the salary is delayed, the family collapses and the household is ruined.

I looked at Kawasaki with pity, then patted her on the shoulder.

“Employee Kawasaki. As you know, there’s no need to worry about delayed salaries here. Don’t worry.”

At my words, the team leader with the unknown last name laughed awkwardly.

“Yes, well, that’s right.”

Thanks to the National Tax Service document the other day, my wealth has already spread to the people of TS Media. There wasn’t any particular change. Rather, everyone seemed to feel more at ease. Maybe because there’s an inexhaustible amount of money.

“So, let’s work hard in the future.”

Perhaps too impressed by the chairman patting her on the shoulder, Kawasaki trembled.

“Ye, yes!”

I praised Kawasaki, whose eyes were spinning, again and left. Tonight’s dinner is beef, beef.

Beef is a serious matter.

“Miley, so where did you say the restaurant we reserved was?”

“…”

“Miley?”

I turned around because there was no answer for some reason, and Miley was staring intently at Kawasaki Shigure with narrowed eyes.

“What?”

“Something, I feel a strange sense of rejection towards her.”

“Why do you feel rejection? Towards a new employee.”

“Something, um. I don’t know. Somehow, I feel like I’m sensing a familiar energy…”

Miley muttered like that and stared intently at Kawasaki Shigure. But I didn’t understand.

[What familiar energy? Is she also, like, from another world?]

[That’s, definitely not it…]

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s go eat beef.”

I said that and left.

When beef is waiting, is a new employee a problem?