Chapter 35
Do Josoon’s followers and all his collaborators could not escape from Gyeongju and were captured by the Balhut Cult.
Although they failed to flee outside of Gyeongju, a small remnant of his forces remains hidden underground in Gyeongju, but the Balhut Cult had no capacity to deal with them at this time.
More importantly, the issue of Do Josoon and his followers’ heinous acts was giving the entire leadership of the Cult headaches.
“Beyond expectations… It seems Do Josoon committed numerous crimes in Northern Gyeongju.”
“I sincerely hope that the evil deeds I witnessed were all false. How could someone in human form do such things?”
War correspondent Kang Jaewan had gathered various testimonies and interviews from many citizens, and there were even video recordings and audio files in front of the leadership.
These all detailed the atrocities committed by Do Josoon and his followers in Northern Gyeongju.
“In other regions, it’s common for powerful Awakened individuals to exploit the weak, but…”
This could be seen as a system known as the ‘Rule of the Strong Exploiting the Weak.’
Centralized around Do Josoon and his followers, all resources and supplies were concentrated, and the rest were oppressed and exploited, allowing Do Josoon to become the strongest Awakened in Gyeongju.
Of course, if that were the extent of it, Yuna or the other leaders wouldn’t have been so outraged.
“Typically, someone who calls themselves a king doesn’t pillage their own land. But Do Josoon did just that.”
“…It’s the end times.”
Yes, it was looting.
Do Josoon, who claimed to be a king, had no intention of ruling or governing Gyeongju. Instead, he treated it as his personal domain.
He had his followers and collaborators seize all the resources in Northern Gyeongju for himself, and the accumulated wealth was enough to leave even Yuna and Jung Dong-gun speechless.
The immense stockpile in Do Josoon’s storage, according to Lee Hyuna’s calculations, was so vast that it could replenish the supplies used by the Balhut Cult during this war, with a significant surplus remaining.
For the Cult, which operated under a currency-based economy, Do Josoon’s treasure trove was a valuable resource—both as a means to solidify their ongoing monetary system and as a stockpile of tangible goods with immense value.
“It’s a great victory.”
“That’s right, we seized Do Josoon’s storage.”
Undeniably, the Balhut Cult had achieved a major victory over Do Josoon.
They had captured the self-proclaimed King of Northern Gyeongju, seized most of his followers, and taken control of his treasure trove. It was not an exaggeration to call it a decisive win.
However, a grim reality was now looming.
“But how do we govern Northern Gyeongju…?”
“It’s difficult if you’re asking us for an answer.”
Now, the Balhut Cult had to address the numerous issues and challenges left behind by Do Josoon.
Starting with the refugee crisis, the reckless policies and mistakes of Do Josoon, and even the remnants of his followers who had fled into the underworld, now all of this was the Cult’s responsibility.
“They say there’s even information that drugs are being distributed.”
To make matters worse, ordinary citizen Yuna was shocked to learn that drugs were being circulated, thanks to the active involvement of Do Josoon’s followers in Northern Gyeongju. She covered her face with her hands in disbelief.
The leadership turned away from Yuna’s lament.
“Additionally, there are drug addicts. Yes, that’s also something Do Josoon spread.”
“Damn it!”
According to reports, Northern Gyeongju now also had the added problem of drug addicts, a side effect of Do Josoon’s actions.
When Park Cheol-gon conveyed this information, Han Geunchul couldn’t hold back his frustration and cursed under his breath.
Yet, that curse reflected the current state of the Balhut Cult’s collective emotions, so no one rebuked him for it.
“Well, if there’s one positive aspect, it’s that Do Josoon took care of all his competition, I suppose? Haha.”
“On the other hand, it means that the only strong Awakened individuals left in Northern Gyeongju are those who followed Do Josoon or his collaborators.”
“…Sigh.”
Thanks to Do Josoon eliminating those who might challenge his claim to kingship, only small survivor camps and those loyal to him remained in Northern Gyeongju. This meant that there were no remaining factions that could influence the power dynamics of Gyeongju.
The Cult’s remaining task was to stabilize Northern Gyeongju, which they had now taken, and unify Gyeongju as a whole.
In truth, there were not only downsides; this war had also incidentally resolved the Cult’s long-standing issue of unemployment, as Yoo Soo-sung led the reconstruction workers in rebuilding Northern Gyeongju.
The Balhut Cult evaluated this battle as one with clear gains and losses.
“How are the citizens of Northern Gyeongju doing?”
“I’ll handle that report.”
When Yuna asked about the condition of the Northern Gyeongju citizens, Han Junwoo, the head of the Cult’s hospital, raised his hand, indicating that he would explain.
As the director of the only large hospital in Southern Gyeongju, he was fully supported by the Cult and, along with his medical staff, was responsible for the health of the Cult members.
While Yuna took care of the health of the expedition team, Han Junwoo and his team handled the well-being of the general citizens of Southern Gyeongju, earning Yuna’s deep trust.
“They cannot immediately return to their daily lives. They all need at least a month of rest. Psychological therapy must be combined with physical recovery as well. They have all suffered wounds that cannot easily be healed.”
Due to Do Josoon’s tyranny and exploitation, most citizens of Northern Gyeongju could not immediately return to their daily lives.
They suffered from malnutrition, severe physical and emotional trauma from harsh labor exploitation and sexual abuse, leaving them in a weakened state.
According to the doctor, they needed at least a month of rest along with psychological treatment to recover.
“A month… In a peaceful time, that would be short, but in times like this, it feels too long.”
“Normally, they would need prolonged intensive care. A month is already a concession, considering the disaster circumstances.”
“What on earth did Do Josoon do in Northern Gyeongju?”
Jung Dong-gun remarked that the time frame of a month felt both long and short depending on the perspective.
Han Junwoo responded, emphasizing that even this time frame was adjusted for the apocalyptic conditions, delivering the news with a serious expression.
Indeed, as Jung Dong-gun said, a month seemed long during this disaster, but at the same time, it was the bare minimum needed for recovery due to the dire state the citizens were in.
“Even now, many citizens of Northern Gyeongju are crying out for help and heading to the hospital. The emergency rooms and hospital beds are severely lacking.”
“That’s a serious problem.”
Additionally, a medical crisis was unfolding.
The only large hospital in Southern Gyeongju couldn’t accommodate the influx of patients from Northern Gyeongju, as nearly all the citizens from the region were in need of medical attention.
This situation could result in patients from Northern Gyeongju dying due to the inability to receive timely treatment, which could greatly damage the reputation of the Balhut Cult.
“Any remaining patients who cannot be accommodated in the hospital will be housed at the Balhut Cult’s main headquarters.”
“Are you sure about this?”
So, Yuna’s decision came swiftly.
She declared that she would take responsibility for all patients that the hospital could not accommodate.
Upon hearing Yuna’s words, Han Junwoo, who had a troubled expression, was relieved and asked her if she was certain.
“Yes. I will treat them whenever I can. Of course, this will place a significant burden on the expedition team, so for the time being, we will suspend external expeditions and assign any available members of the expedition team to the security forces.”
“Of course. Restoring order in Northern Gyeongju takes priority.”
“I’m counting on you.”
Naturally, this decision placed a burden on the expedition team members who received treatment from Yuna, and she announced a temporary halt to their expeditions for this task.
Instead, Yuna declared that the expedition team would be deployed to maintain order in Northern Gyeongju, a statement met with agreement from Jung Dong-gun, who stood beside her.
“By the way, how is the security situation in Northern Gyeongju? Is it dire enough to require the deployment of the expedition team?”
“…It is complete chaos. Among the refugees, there are those hiding from Do Josoon’s gang, and even underground organizations loyal to him. To deal with all of them properly, the Cult will need to put in a great deal of effort.”
“Wow, can we really handle this?”
“We must endure it.”
With the fall of the King of Northern Gyeongju, wolves emerged to seize the vacant throne.
Deploying the expedition team to restore order might have been an inevitable decision.
After hearing Jung Dong-gun’s response, Yuna turned her gaze toward Hwang Seung-man.
“Mr. Hwang Seung-man, when can we hold Do Josoon’s trial?”
“How about 15 days from now? By then, the citizens of Northern Gyeongju who will testify can recover somewhat. Additionally…”
A pile of handwritten letters lay before them.
These were testimonies and accusations from the citizens of Northern Gyeongju, detailing the evil deeds of Do Josoon.
Not only that, but there were also video recordings and photographs, which meant that Hwang Seung-man and the others would have to see the atrocities of Do Josoon with their own eyes.
“Moreover, considering the evidence gathered by War Correspondent Kang Jaewan, even organizing it all with limited manpower is a tremendous task. Seriously, is Do Josoon truly a human like us?”
Even after viewing only a portion, Hwang Seung-man’s face turned pale, and he let out a deep sigh, as if nauseated.
And that was only a fraction; there were still more evidence videos and interviews collected by Kang Jaewan, the war correspondent.
Reviewing all of this was the responsibility of Hwang Seung-man and the tribunal members who followed him.
“It was such a disaster that I found myself questioning whether this could be real. It’s heartbreaking to think that perhaps such things were inevitable given the circumstances…”
“But since this is the Balhut Cult’s first trial, please do your best.”
Conversely, it was heartbreaking for Hwang Seung-man to consider that he might have acted similarly if he were pushed to the brink like Do Josoon.
Although now he worked with the support of the Balhut Cult, carrying out his duties related to law—his area of expertise—he couldn’t help but think that without the Cult, he might not have been so different from Do Josoon.
‘But still, not to this extent.’
Even so, Hwang Seung-man believed that what Do Josoon had done crossed a line, and as a human, he felt obligated to condemn his actions.
So…
“…Just in case, could we ask God Bahamut to serve as the judge in the trial?”
“And why would that be?”
“Rather than presenting this as a case of judicial execution by us, I would prefer to show the public that a fair judgment is being rendered by the majestic God Bahamut. Of course, it’s not a judicial execution but a legitimate legal process, and we’re not fabricating any charges.”
For this trial, it was crucial that Do Josoon be judged not by humans like himself, but by the deity of the Cult, Bahamut.
Even if the Cult executed proper legal proceedings and provided valid reasons for their actions, Do Josoon himself, as well as those who sympathized with him, would likely resist the trial heavily, and the Balhut Cult would constantly have to contend with such opposition.
“If we make a mistake, it could set a bad precedent. This time, even if we use extreme measures, we must ensure that Do Josoon pays for his crimes.”
Failing to do so could result in public backlash, potentially nullifying the judgment against Do Josoon.
To prevent such a precedent, Hwang Seung-man advised that in this instance, they use the extreme measure of involving Bahamut to ensure that Do Josoon was held accountable for his sins.
Hwang Seung-man resolved that this time, it was imperative for Bahamut, not the Cult, to pass judgment on Do Josoon.
“I understand. I will ask the god then.”
With those words, Yuna nodded without hesitation, accepting the suggestion.
Moreover, it presented an opportunity to demonstrate the dignity and mercy of Bahamut to the public, so there was no reason to refuse.
With the discussion about Do Josoon concluded, the Cult’s meeting came to an end, and as always, Yuna reached out to God Bahamut to relay the current news.
“So many things have happened.”
[Indeed. But greater challenges lie ahead.]
“I know. Oh, and Mr. Hwang Seung-man has requested that God Bahamut serve as the judge in the trial.”
[What? Oh… um… What’s the reason?]
“He wishes to show the public the image of a fair deity delivering a solemn judgment upon a sinner.”
‘Well, that sounds… pretty cool, actually.’
Yuna’s words struck a chord with Bahamut.
For some reason, Bahamut found the idea appealing and responded to Yuna with a somewhat excited tone.
[Ahem. Well, considering this is the first trial for the Balhut Cult, it might indeed be meaningful for me to attend and bring honor to the proceedings.]
It was a sentiment that simply sounded impressive, prompting his participation.
In truth, this foolish dragon didn’t have any deeper thoughts behind it.
[I will attend the trial.]
It’s a chilling thought.
A sense of unease settled in his chest, like a dagger to the heart.
Is this truly the right decision for this trial?
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment