The President moved his heavy steps and left the office.

The guards and aides moved while following behind him.

'For Al-Jahad to really kidnap. On Christmas Eve of all times....'

He muttered to himself while clenching his teeth.

If a tragedy occurred in America on a day when the whole world prayed for blessings, it meant that over and above a simple hostage drama, the efforts of several years toward world peace would come to naught.

The face of Lim Hyunjun, who spoke boldly enough to be thick-skinned before him until a moment ago, came to his mind.

'How did that fellow know this fact in advance? I called it nonsense rumors, but....'

Beyond displeasure, an unknown eerie feeling brushed past.

What if it were really true?

Well, that kind of thing.

In fact, the President was already in a state of having secretly given instructions after feeling bothered by hearing the words Hyunjun delivered.

He requested confirmation secretly from the CIA and the Department of Defense.

He told them to investigate if Al-Jahad was actually moving and if there were any strange signs captured in the US military intelligence network.

However, a report came in just a moment ago from the military command stationed in the Middle East. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

It was right before they, who were already tracking Al-Jahad, captured the hideout.

And at that moment, when Al-Jahad moved first to send the hostage video, Hyunjun had informed of this fact first.

The President entered the situation room.

Before the giant screen, high-ranking military officials and intelligence agency agents were gathered.

Everyone greeted the President with stiff expressions.

“What is the current situation?”

The Secretary of Defense came forward and began the briefing.

“Yes, Mr. President. Currently, Al-Jahad has been operating in a ruined village near the Iraqi border. The hostage kidnapped this time has been confirmed as one of the personnel from the US military advisory group. The identity of the person in the video just transmitted also matches.”

Deep wrinkles were etched into the President's forehead.

“What about the local forces?”

“US Special Forces stationed in Iraq were already tracking them and have identified the location of the hideout through drones. However, immediate suppression is difficult as the rebels are using civilians as shields.”

The President let out a heavy breath.

Now it has become certain.

That everything I said was the truth.

But at the same time, a new spark flickered inside his chest.

Perhaps using this incident as a trigger, America could throw a powerful message toward the world.

Not as a weak pacifist, but as a leader who does not succumb to any threat.

The President watched the current situation while wearing a stiff expression and said.

“Convene the National Security Council immediately. And we must prepare countermeasures.”

He paused for a moment then opened his mouth.

“We must put all our effort into protecting our own citizens within the bounds of not provoking them as much as possible.”

The President stood up from his seat with a determined expression.

He looked very joyful for someone who had a troublesome matter occur.

***

Returning to the office again, the President's expression was very bright.

“You seem to be happy even in a situation where your own citizen has been kidnapped.”

Looking at me, as I sarcastically spoke to the fullest, Director Choi Seo-jun turned deathly pale and almost blocked my mouth.

“I cannot help it even if you are sarcastic. How did you know?”

The President looked at me with a face that looked like he was dying of curiosity.

However, I did not want to inform him easily.

“Well. I do not know if I should inform you of even that. Who was the one that even urged for a bet while saying I was telling lies?”

“Hahahaha!”

The President laughed heartily.

Since he acted like a crazy person because he alone was in a good mood, he received everyone's gaze on himself.

However, he was not constrained by such things.

“Yes, fine. Since your words were not wrong, it is correct that I lost. Still, you must tell me what I am curious about. Otherwise, you, who are clever, would not be unaware of what kind of things I might do. For instance....”

“What, are you going to lock me up?”

I shook my head.

“That is too obvious.”

The President's gaze grew even sharper.

He opened his mouth while leaning his body comfortably against the chair.

“Right, locking up is too cliché. But I know numerous ways. So it will be wise to solve my curiosity.”

At that moment, the air in the room froze tensely.

Everyone swallowed their breath and watched for reactions.

However, I, the party concerned, was composed.

Rather, I raised the corners of my mouth and wore a playful smile.

“If you are that curious, I shall answer you. It is because I see the future.”

Instantly, one of the President's eyebrows shot up.

An absurd look also spread across the face of the aide who was by his side.

The President burst out laughing as if it were ridiculous.

“Haha! You say you see the future?”

I continued speaking as if it were the truth.

“I cannot help it even if it is hard to believe. Because that is the truth. Sometimes it is seen very clearly, and there are times it is exactly correct like today. That is why I could know about this matter in advance as well.”

The President stopped laughing and glared at me again.

He wore a suspicious gaze as if it were hard to believe.

“Are you telling me to believe that?”

I shrugged my shoulders and retorted composedly.

“I cannot help it if you think of it as a joke. However, one certain thing is that the President lost the bet.”

At my words, he once again burst out in a loud laugh.

“Hahahaha! You are quite something.”

The President leaned his body forward and asked persistently again.

“Then it means you know everything that will happen in the future in advance. Do you also know what I will do?”

In his voice, curiosity was significantly mixed in.

Depending on my answer, the atmosphere of the room would change.

The moment I was about to say something, the aide by the President's side hurriedly leaned his body and whispered.

“Mr. President, a new report has come in. You must check it right now.”

Instantly, his expression stiffened.

He closed his eyes briefly then slowly stood up from his seat.

“You are lucky. We shall stop here for today. But I have no intention of ending it like this. Let us meet again soon and have a proper talk.”

I answered composedly.

“Please just say the word anytime. However, it will be troublesome if it becomes too late. Since I am also a busy person.”

He laughed lowly as if my answer were satisfactory, then he left the office.

After silence flowed for a while, the remaining aide said to my group.

“The President will contact you again. It would be best to return to the hotel for now.”

At those words, the complexions of Choi Seo-jun and Hong Jang-gun brightened.

I stood up from the seat with regret.

“I must be returning now.”

The three people who came out of the office took the limousine again and headed to the hotel.

Outside the car window, the city was still shining due to the festival.

As soon as we entered the hotel, the three of us sat down with a thud in our respective seats as if the tension had been released.

Silence flowed for a moment, but it did not last long.

It was because Choi Seo-jun could not hold back his curiosity and asked me.

“Representative, just how did you know that? Do you really see the future?”

At Director Choi’s serious gaze, I picked up a water glass and spoke while holding back the laughter that was about to burst.

“From some point on, I started seeing ghosts. Strange things just appeared before my eyes... thanks to that, I could know about today's matter as well.”

Instantly, Choi Seo-jun’s face stiffened white.

He swallowed his dry saliva with his eyes wide open.

“Gho... Ghosts? Is that true?”

I took a sip of water composedly and nodded as if it were nothing.

At that time, Hong Jang-gun covered his face with his hand and let out a sigh.

“Goodness, Director, you were fooled again. The Representative's talent for teasing people is truly amazing.”

Choi Seo-jun asked me with a dazed face.

“Ah, it was a joke.”

I wore a meaningful smile.

“Well, it could be a joke and it could not be.”

At those words, Choi Seo-jun became more confused.

Hong Jang-gun clicked his tongue and shook his head.

The next morning, the dawn air of Washington D.C. was cold, but the area around the White House was already bustling with numerous reporters and broadcast cameras.

It was because of the emergency briefing convened in the middle of the night.

The President's face, standing at the podium after finishing the National Security Council, was solemn, but at the same time, it was stiffened with anger.

He declared more resolutely than ever.

“This act of kidnapping an innocent citizen of America is not a simple crime. It is a challenge to all of humanity and an anti-humanitarian atrocity that directly denies world peace.”

The shutter sounds of reporters burst out in succession.

The President caught his breath for a moment then raised his voice.

“We will resolutely face these despicable terrorists. America never succumbs to blackmail. Today, from this moment, America enters into an all-out war with Al-Jahad!”

It was the moment his voice echoed through the conference hall.

Immediately, major broadcasting stations flashed emergency breaking news.

[Tragedy of Christmas Eve. American hostage situation.]

[America declares all-out war with Al-Jahad.]

On the screen, a part of the hostage video sent by Al-Jahad was blurred with a mosaic and played repeatedly.

The hostage's face full of fear and the appearance of the armed forces standing while aiming gun barrels were etched into people's minds as anger.

The scene of the President's speech was also broadcast in real-time on the New York Times Square electronic billboard.

Numerous citizens who were enjoying Christmas could not hide their astonishment while clutching their cellphones at the shocking news.

“Of all days, on a day like today....”

Voices mixed with anger and fear flowed out one after another from among the crowd.

Meanwhile, European and Asian countries also reacted immediately.

Korea was the same.

Covering all of this as major content, they delivered the news of 'America's declaration of all-out war' in real-time.

Watching the news on the television screen in the hotel room, my group merely looked at the screen quietly in the heavy air.

While the President's declaration continued to flow out, Choi Seo-jun bit his lip and muttered.

“I wonder if a war is really going to break out.”

While looking at the screen, I almost answered unintentionally.

I momentarily inhaled and clenched my teeth.

'I almost said it without knowing.'

In my head, in what way America would respond from now on.

In what direction the whole world would flow.

All of that was already situated in my memory.

However, that was a secret that must not be caught by anyone.

Thinking about it, the moment this ability is known, a terrible thing might occur.

I picked up the water glass placed on the table and slowly moistened my throat.

While doing so, I decided to judge coldly and rationally on the inside.

This would be a disaster for someone, but it is also an opportunity.

America has declared an all-out war.

If so, they will never just leave Al-Jahad alone.

My gaze grew one step deeper.

Even if it takes time, Al-Jahad has no choice but to eventually crumble.

Because America will surely dig in until they see the end.

And I judged that in that process, the illegal fund flow connected with Al-Jahad would also be revealed.

The stem of black money that was supporting the rebels.

If the end of that secret passage were revealed to the world, I was prepared to seize it before anyone else.