Chapter 23
Lee Hyuna sighed as she reviewed the numerous reports submitted by Jung Dong-gun.
The contents of the reports were about the newly developed weapons.
Initially, when she read the reports on these new weapons, Lee Hyuna seriously wondered if she had received the wrong documents.
However, all of Jung Dong-gun’s reports were indeed about the coins issued by Bahamut.
“Are all of these weapons made from coins minted by Lord Bahamut?”
“Yes. Since there were only a few prototype coins, the current report covers everything. The coins can have various magic engraved on weapons or armour, so the potential uses are endless, as stated in the report.”
Flame Rounds. Lightning Rounds. Water Rounds. Various other elemental magic-engraved special bullets.
Or vests with protection magic applied.
Even knives with cutting magic or magical weapons that can engrave specific spells like the special rounds.
The power and effects were sufficiently proven through experiments conducted at the Gyeongju Foundry, and there were video records of the tests as well.
“Wow, it feels like a wizard is casting magic directly.”
“Since the quantity of prototype coins we received was very limited, we haven’t yet moved to full-scale deployment or mass production of the weapons. But it is certain that these coins have high potential. They possess the power to allow even ordinary people or Awakened who cannot use magic to utilize magic.”
“I can see that. The value is much higher than I expected.”
Lee Hyuna was impressed by the weapons developed by the Gyeongju Foundry, following the report filled with Jung Dong-gun’s excitement.
The new weapons crafted from the melted coins had tremendous potential.
‘It’s just a prototype. If we conduct proper research, truly extraordinary weapons could be born! If we could regain control of the steelworks in Pohang, we could develop even more powerful weapons!’
Yes, the potential was overflowing.
Currently, they were only creating temporary weapons to test the value of the coins, and Lee Hyuna believed that the Gyeongju Foundry hadn’t even uncovered half of the coins’ potential.
If they could use the Pohang Steelworks, one of the top three steel mills in South Korea, located near Gyeongju, they believed the potential could be increased further.
Jung Dong-gun imagined hunting down the hateful mutant zombies with the magical weapons developed from melted coins, and he felt a surge of excitement.
“With this, we can also begin rebuilding the currency economy.”
For Lee Hyuna, this was an opportunity to prove the value of the coins issued by the Balhut Cult to the citizens of Gyeongju.
Bahamut had already guaranteed the coins’ credibility.
The next step was to revive the currency economy using these coins.
They could efficiently pay wages to workers, and transactions of goods through the currency economy could become active.
The citizens of Gyeongju could sell items they didn’t need to the cult to earn coins and use those coins to purchase necessary items.
Even that alone would lead to numerous efficiencies and benefits, as proven by economic history.
“What’s more, the fact that these coins can continue to be consumed is a great advantage.”
“Does that mean it would be difficult for inflation to occur?”
“Yes, since the coins can be melted down and used to create magical weapons. The coins themselves hold a high value. However, the opposite could also occur, leading to deflation due to a lack of currency in circulation.”
The most significant advantage was that the issued coins could be consumed as weapons.
In this era of apocalypse, weapons to protect oneself were crucial, and these coins could be used to craft or enhance such weapons.
In other words, the coins issued by the Balhut Cult had utility and could be consumed in some way or another.
It had the advantage of preventing inflation caused by an excess of currency in circulation.
“Of course, there could be more severe side effects. Deflation, and continuous incidents and accidents caused by these coins. Many people could die.”
“But we don’t have the luxury of time to avoid those side effects.”
However, the fact that deflation could occur was an unavoidable double-edged sword.
Moreover, as Jung Dong-gun warned, the misuse of these coins could lead to numerous incidents and accidents, which was already anticipated.
Nevertheless, Lee Hyuna emphasized that the Balhut Cult did not have the time to avoid such side effects, and Jung Dong-gun nodded solemnly in agreement.
“At least, the fact that only Awakened with blacksmithing and crafting skills can create these weapons is the final safety measure. In Gyeongju, we have a monopoly on craftsmen with such skills.”
“They say the power of bullets made by non-Awakened is significantly weaker.”
“…That’s enough for now. It will take time for the manufacturing methods to become public. The latecomers did not start with the hints from Lord Bahamut like we did, so I’m looking forward to this.”
The safety measure was that the showcased weapons were all crafted using the skills of Awakened individuals.
Fortunately, all the craftsmen in southern Gyeongju capable of creating Bahamut Rounds were under the control of the Balhut Cult.
While there might be craftsmen capable of making Bahamut Rounds in northern Gyeongju, where the cult’s influence was weak, the coins themselves were initially planned to be used only in southern Gyeongju.
It would take a considerable amount of time for the coins to be acquired or the manufacturing methods to be discovered, and by then, the Balhut Cult could fully capitalize on the intangible benefits of pioneering the bullet-making technology.
Lee Hyuna, filled with the intention of leveraging the privileges of being the first mover and leaving the latecomers behind, looked forward with satisfaction to the issuance of the coins.
“…Ho, this is much more valuable than I expected. I’m tempted to use this as building material.”
“Is that you, Yoo Soo-sung? How do you know about this?”
Then, someone interrupted the discussion about the newly issued coins.
Yoo Soo-sung, who had been appointed as the head of the Gyeongju Reconstruction Project, entered the meeting room where Jung Dong-gun and Lee Hyuna were discussing.
Entering the room, Yoo Soo-sung mentioned the coins as if he had already heard the rumours, and Jung Dong-gun asked how he knew about them.
“Hey, Jung. I heard about it from Mr. Choi’s foundry, so I came right over.”
“You heard about it too?”
“Of course, of course. Mr. Choi was bragging about it.”
Just as Jung Dong-gun frequently visited Mr. Choi’s foundry for weapons for his troops, Yoo Soo-sung also visited often to secure construction materials for the city’s reconstruction.
Thus, he had heard about the new weapons and coins through Mr. Choi and was curious if the coins could be used as construction materials, leading him to visit Lee Hyuna.
“Using these as construction materials is a matter for the future. For now, we need to reach a compromise on the housing situation.”
“That’s a pity. Well, mutant zombies are coming from outside Gyeongju, after all.”
Lee Hyuna stated that using the coins as building materials was a matter for the distant future.
Yoo Soo-sung made a regretful expression but nodded understandingly.
For now, it was more important to deal with the zombies attacking from outside Gyeongju than to focus on housing.
It was a time when they had to endure some discomfort in their living conditions.
“So, will this be paid as daily wages from now on?”
“Yes, we plan to pay it as daily wages for this month, and starting next month, it will be given as a monthly salary.”
In response to Jung Dong-gun’s question, Lee Hyuna nodded and explained that they plan to pay the members of the Balhut Cult daily wages for a month and then switch to monthly salaries from the following month.
“So, this coin will be our salary from now on, huh? Haha, it feels like we’re going back to the old days.”
“We can’t even dream of the electronic transaction methods we used before the apocalypse.”
“I understand.”
Compared to the time before the apocalypse when transactions were conveniently made using electronic currency, this was still lacking in many ways, but this level of inconvenience could be endured.
“It feels like going back about 10 or 20 years, though my age has stayed the same.”
“Hahaha.”
Thinking of it as a return to the days when cash transactions were common about 10 or 20 years ago, it was something they could more or less accept.
“Hmm. So, this means we can buy various things at the authorized shop with it, right?”
“Yes, of course. Depending on the value of the coins, products have already been prepared for purchase at the authorized shop. As soon as Lord Bahamut mass-produces the coins, it will mark the beginning of a currency economy.”
In response to Yoo Soo-sung’s question, Lee Hyuna nodded, explaining that they had already prepared the authorized shop so that members could purchase products. She looked forward to the beginning of a currency-based economy as soon as the coins were produced.
“If it settles well, even small merchants and self-employed businesses that disappeared in Gyeongju may reappear.”
“…And we can outcompete other survivor camps in Gyeongju that still rely on bartering.”
“I’m aware.”
“How could I not know? If the coin settles well, people will no longer bother with bartering. Camps that have no way of earning coins through regular work will have no choice but to join us or be left behind, right?”
What Lee Hyuna looked forward to the most was that they could outcompete other survivor camps that still relied on bartering through a currency economy.
For camps that depended on bartering to obtain survival essentials, it would be devastating if they could no longer acquire items through bartering and could only obtain necessary goods with the coins from the Balhut Cult.
“Isn’t there also the option of selling supplies to our cult in exchange for coins?”
“Of course, we also plan to purchase supplies from other survivor camps, but at prices lower than what we consider fair.”
Moreover, the coins being issued this time could only be earned by working for the Balhut Cult.
In other words, if a survivor camp wanted to earn coins from now on, they would have to work for the Balhut Cult or sell their supplies at a lower price than the market rate.
“Will people recognize the value of these coins?”
Of course, this entire conversation hinged on people recognizing the value of the coins and using them as currency.
If people failed to recognize the value of the coins and continued to rely on bartering, the currency economy would ultimately fail.
Would the citizens of Gyeongju readily accept the value of the currency distributed by the Balhut Cult, in a world where the value of all other currencies except the dollar had disappeared?
“I plan to edit the video files I received from Jung Dong-gun to create advertisements. I also plan to explain the value of the coins in detail on the Balhut Cult’s website. Above all…”
Understanding this concern, Lee Hyuna explained that she intended to edit the video files sent by Jung Dong-gun to create advertisements.
She also planned to post detailed explanations about the coin’s value on the Balhut Cult’s website, which all cult members were subscribed to.
“Since Lord Bahamut personally guarantees its credibility, the members of the Balhut Cult will all trust and use it.”
“So, it’s all ‘Hail Lord Bahamut,’ then? Haha, if he’s personally guaranteeing it, everyone in the cult would have no choice but to trust it.”
Additionally, the fact that Bahamut, who had saved the city, guaranteed the coins’ credibility meant that the citizens of Gyeongju would be willing to trust it at least once.
Yoo Soo-sung gave a bitter smile at the mention of Bahamut’s name, acknowledging that if it was from him, they could trust it.
“By the way, is there any issue with the quantity?”
“No. I was told that Lord Bahamut could mint as many as we need. Of course, we will still need to procure copper and nickel to make the coins.”
“That will be a bit of a hassle.”
Quantity was not an issue.
As soon as Lee Hyuna gave the green light, a large number of coins would be produced. The real concern was the potential shortage of copper and nickel needed to mint the coins.
“Oh, and we plan to start collecting taxes from cult members starting next month.”
Lastly, taxes!
Lee Hyuna declared that the Balhut Cult would begin collecting taxes from its residents.
“Will it be for electricity and water bills, as expected?”
Currently, residents could use electricity and water in their housing units for free.
While they allowed this for free during the disaster period, once the reconstruction reached a certain stage, they planned to collect usage fees as taxes for the infrastructure.
“Yes. After all, it’s not truly free. The energy resources that Lord Bahamut endlessly supplies are not without limit. As the city stabilizes, it is only right for the cult to collect fees from those who use the infrastructure.”
Above all, the electricity and purified water used by the Balhut Cult were provided freely by Bahamut’s energy.
They couldn’t rely on Bahamut forever, so the cult needed to prepare for the residents’ self-sufficiency.
“We will reactivate the water and power facilities in Gyeongju and collect taxes under the pretense of operating costs.”
“That makes perfect sense. We can’t do everything for free.”
If they could restart the water and power facilities that had stopped operating, the residents of Gyeongju would have access to electricity and water.
And as Jung Dong-gun listened to this conversation, he smiled and muttered.
“There is hope.”
There is hope.
“Pardon?”
“Oh, it’s just that it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to think about the future.”
“That’s true. Normally, we would be cowering in fear of the zombies, relying on sturdy barricades to barely scrape by each day.”
If Bahamut hadn’t descended and the Balhut Cult hadn’t been born, they would not have been able to discuss the future so seriously.
They would have spent their days fighting for survival against the zombies, barely making it through each struggle, and either surviving or perishing.
“Did you just realize? We have been part of this wave of change for a while, Yoo.”
“Old age makes one worry too much, doesn’t it, Jung?”
Jung Dong-gun confidently declared that they were already riding the wave of change in response to Yoo Soo-sung’s words.
Yoo Soo-sung could only lament that aging brought more worries, unable to refute Jung Dong-gun’s words.
“Now, I can put all my skills to use, but before the cult formed, I too was just a weak Awakened, barely getting by day by day.”
As if joking among friends, the two exchanged light-hearted remarks, and Lee Hyuna admitted that she wasn’t much different from them.
“So, I don’t ever want to see the order created by Yuna and Lord Bahamut be destroyed.”
Thus, she resolved to protect the order established by Bahamut.
“Yes, we must protect it.”
Jung Dong-gun also expressed his determination to protect it.
“But what should we do after the reconstruction of Gyeongju is complete?”
Yoo Soo-sung wondered about the future beyond the reconstruction.
“That… would be up to Lord Bahamut and Yuna.”
“Yes, that’s their responsibility.”
“Then, it’s our turn to do what we must.”
The choice of what would come next was not theirs to make; it belonged to Bahamut and Yuna.
“””Under the name of Bahamut. “””
All of this would be accomplished under the name of Bahamut.
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