Chapter 151
Despite the severe internal chaos, the fact that they succeeded in stabilizing the Han River Defense Line meant that unless some major disaster occurred, things would no longer deteriorate further.
However, looking at it differently—
“The moment the Han River Defense Line collapses, that means Seoul will fall.”
Yes, the Han River Defense Line was, in fact, Gangnam’s final bastion.
If someone asked whether there was a backup plan in case the Han River Defense Line collapsed, Kim Suho could confidently declare there was none, to the extent that even considering a backup plan was impossible due to the sheer internal disorder.
There were now dozens—no, hundreds—of factions no longer under Kim Suho’s control.
And these factions had only ever accepted support from Kim Suho. They had no intention of acting proactively.
They were like hyenas, simply watching Kim Suho, waiting for his downfall.
Were they still unaware of the apocalypse, or were they pretending not to know in their hunger for power?
From Kim Suho’s perspective, it was a pitiful behavior that offered no return on investment.
“…Still, aren’t they forming factions just to survive?”
“That’s the issue—they’re not our forces. If they were part of our usable forces, I wouldn’t be complaining.”
Frankly, the Han River Defense Line didn’t consist only of Kim Suho’s faction. Within his faction, there were numerous sub-factions.
Kim Suho didn’t complain up to that point.
The real problem was that, while growing their power, these factions were actively ignoring Kim Suho’s authority and trying to absorb his forces.
‘Patience. Yes, patience. They say three moments of patience can prevent a murder.’
Rather than offering help, they were trying to seize Kim Suho’s power—he found himself thinking dozens of times a day whether he should purge them.
“Ministers and so-called lawmakers telling people to follow them. How comfortable they must be. And those citizens, too.”
Thinking of the upper-class figures who had consistently obstructed him, Kim Suho reflected on why the citizens kept believing and following their words.
He felt deeply that people could be led through legitimacy and status alone.
But if anyone was thinking clearly, wasn’t this behavior far too irrational for an apocalypse?
Still, why did citizens follow their baseless incitement so easily, why did they believe their every word so firmly?
Kim Suho felt his own sense of common sense beginning to crumble.
‘I’m the one who’s been struggling to this point. Then why is the praise going to them? Did I wrong them in some way?’
He was the one who had maintained the Han River Defense Line and accepted refugees, and yet people were following those who only had empty claims of legitimacy.
“Then, how about referencing the policies of the Balhut Cult, Your Excellency?”
“The Balhut Cult, you say?”
If there was any good news for Kim Suho, it was that a piece of news unpleasant to the military leaders building power under the name of the Republic of Korea had reached Seoul.
“Yes. An interim government called the Balhut Cult has appeared in Gyeongju.”
It was Gyeongju’s declaration of independence.
An organization called the Balhut Cult had retaken Gyeongju from the zombies, and rather than returning it to the Republic of Korea, they boldly declared independence.
In other words, they had blatantly cut ties with the Republic of Korea, and they were proving their declaration of independence wasn’t just words by establishing their own laws and system suited for the apocalypse.
It wasn’t an attempt to inherit the Republic of Korea but an effort to build a new nation disconnected from existing powers.
And for the military lords who claimed to inherit the Republic of Korea, this was something they could never accept.
“It’s betrayal! It’s rebellion! They’re trying to establish a theocracy in times like these?”
“They’re a cult! The Balhut Cult is a doomsday cult! They are the evil that will destroy our Republic of Korea!”
“I never approved of this! The member of the National Assembly acted on their own without consulting me! This is a rebellion in Gyeongju!”
No one felt more displeased about Gyeongju’s independence than the self-proclaimed National Assembly member whose electoral district was that very area.
He angrily declared they had acted without his permission.
“Well, that’s because the Korean government couldn’t do anything. In order to survive, they had no choice.”
However, Kim Suho’s reaction was different. Outside of the Han River Defense Line and Gangnam, Seoul and the government weren’t doing anything at all—so wasn’t a declaration of independence a natural choice for survival?
Honestly, if someone asked what Seoul had done for local cities, just thinking about what Kim Suho had witnessed during the recent cleanup was enough to conclude that the capital had never helped.
If anything, it had only brought chaos and burden.
Rather than providing real support, Seoul merely pushed empty claims that “the Republic of Korea is not over.”
But in truth, the government had already collapsed, and these meaningless declarations only worsened the confusion in local cities.
Kim Suho even felt thankful that Gyeongju hadn’t declared war on Seoul out of anger at its selfishness.
“What’s the public opinion on our side?”
“The factions based in Gangnam are all outraged by the emergence of the Balhut Cult. They are loudly accusing it of a coup, rebellion, or treason against the Republic of Korea. But at their core, they seem more shaken than angry.”
“Is independence really something that warrants anger or confusion? They just made a decision in order to survive.”
The National Intelligence Service agent reporting to Kim Suho explained that the factions under the Republic of Korea’s authority had all reacted with unified anger or confusion.
They were calling the group a rebellious organization that had staged a coup during an apocalypse or a traitorous cult trying to bring down the Republic.
But now, with only the name of the Republic of Korea remaining, those accusations didn’t hold much weight.
Kim Suho also knew that the Republic of Korea was practically on the verge of collapse. So, he fully understood that Gyeongju had no choice but to form an interim government to survive.
‘The problem is this Balhut Cult… A cult I’ve never heard of.’
The concerning part was that the organization forming the interim government was called a “cult.”
There was a high chance it was a dangerous group surrendering itself to the madness of religion, and Kim Suho felt a bit uneasy hearing the rumors labeling them a doomsday cult.
‘But it’s not like we can interfere anyway.’
Realizing they had no means to act immediately, he understood that worrying about it was pointless.
Not only was the distance too great, but the Han River Defense Line didn’t have the capacity to dispatch forces to the provinces from Seoul.
‘If they were to lend me troops right now, then sure—I could send a force to Gyeongju. But…’
Of course, if the military lords under Kim Suho’s protection were to lend troops, then deployment would certainly be possible.
Seoul’s power was now scattered among multiple factions. But if that fragmented power could be united, sending forces to a city wouldn’t be difficult.
‘As if that would happen. They’re just giving lip service.’
But the only thing he could feel was bleakness—there was no way they would actually help.
Kim Suho sighed at the reality that he could do nothing.
“Well, from their perspective, isn’t this a serious matter, Your Excellency?”
“What do you mean by serious?”
The National Intelligence Service (NIS) agent advised that this incident was more serious than expected.
Seeing the agent’s serious expression, Kim Suho looked at him desperately and demanded an explanation.
“From the establishment process of the Balhut Cult to its founding… it all signifies a complete break from the existing Republic of Korea. In other words, the authority of the Republic no longer holds sway over them.”
“Is that a serious matter?”
“Yes, it is serious. Especially for members of the National Assembly or ministers who relied on the authority of the Republic of Korea as their support base—they’ve effectively lost that foundation overnight.”
Indeed, declaring a break from the Republic of Korea also meant severing ties with its authority.
This implied that any administrative orders or parliamentary authority from the Republic would be ineffective, and those who had built their power base on the Republic’s authority—like National Assembly members and ministers—had their prestige diminished overnight.
If this news spread throughout Seoul, people would question the ministers and National Assembly members about why Gyeongju declared independence.
“Furthermore, the logic that only the Republic of Korea can overcome the apocalypse that struck the Korean Peninsula no longer holds.”
“Indeed. From the perspective of local cities, the Republic of Korea hasn’t been helpful. Declaring independence is advantageous for them.”
“They dislike that. The more local cities declare independence, the more the prestige of the Republic of Korea diminishes.”
That wasn’t all.
Many living on the Korean Peninsula could now recognize that the Republic of Korea wasn’t the only way to survive the apocalypse.
With the emergence of the Balhut Cult, other local cities might follow suit, abandoning the Republic and declaring independence.
The Balhut Cult had already set a precedent, and if given the opportunity, others would declare independence without hesitation.
For those who had been smiling, thinking they would retake Seoul and govern an empty Republic, the declaration of independence by local cities would feel like their envisioned world crumbling instantly.
“If there’s another way to survive, they would form their own interim governments rather than rely on the disappointing Republic of Korea. Moreover, with no interference from Seoul, declaring an interim government is easier and more straightforward now.”
“So that’s why they’re angry. I understand.”
Therefore, they had to deny the Balhut Cult more than anyone else.
Otherwise, over time, their reasons to govern or dominate citizens would disappear, and their charisma as leaders would inevitably erode.
They had become National Assembly members based on the authority and capabilities of the former Republic of Korea, but in this apocalypse, unlike Kim Suho, they had never truly proven their abilities.
And if they were now asked to prove their capabilities…
“That’s not a problem for me.”
“Exactly. Your Excellency has already proven your capabilities. In fact, this might be a good thing for you.”
For the others, it was questionable whether they could genuinely prove their abilities to the citizens.
Thus, they began appealing to their supporters in local areas through communities, asking for support and simultaneously started undermining the achievements of the Balhut Cult.
Many still followed the pre-apocalypse parties in local cities, and inciting them to demonize or label the Balhut Cult as terrorists was an easy task for these individuals.
After all, weren’t they the ones who had gained power and influence by manipulating public opinion?
They were a force that knew better than anyone how to exploit public opinion negatively.
“But what kind of organization is the Balhut Cult that appeared in Gyeongju?”
“According to community reports, it’s known as a religious organization, but in reality, it’s a coalition government formed by various survivor camps. They’ve already established laws and organizational structures suitable for the apocalypse, reaching a level that can be rightfully called an interim government.”
“That’s a better evaluation than I expected.”
The NIS’s assessment was more favorable than Kim Suho had anticipated.
“Well, they were the first to reclaim a city on the Korean Peninsula. Even if the Republic of Korea wants to ignore them, attention naturally gravitates toward them. After all, the Balhut Cult is a successful example of surviving the apocalypse.”
“A successful example…”
Indeed, they were a success story.
It might be hard to notice just from community posts, but they had reclaimed a city and formed an interim government—a clear victory.
This meant that by emulating their methods, others could also hope for success.
“…If we were to use the methods employed by the Balhut Cult, what do you think?”
Kim Suho, seemingly not much different, asked if they could adopt the Balhut Cult’s methods.
“It would be very difficult. The Balhut Cult experienced civil war with opposing forces, so Gangnam would inevitably be swept into the tragedy of civil war as well.”
“…I’d like to know more details. Can we dispatch an agent to gather information?”
“Coincidentally, the NIS agent stationed in Gyeongju is still alive. If we can connect with the agent, we might be able to learn about the internal situation.”
Fortunately, the agent dispatched to Gyeongju was still alive, allowing Kim Suho to receive detailed reports on the Balhut Cult’s activities from its inception to the present.
After thoroughly understanding the Balhut Cult, Kim Suho concluded:
“If we adopt the Balhut Cult’s methods, we can’t avoid civil war.”
The Balhut Cult’s methods were undoubtedly radical, but they also had a sense of realism.
Currently suffering from internal conflicts, it would be beneficial for both sides to eliminate these elements and form entirely separate entities.
In essence, the Balhut Cult’s methods highlighted the chronic issues of the current Han River Defense Line and simultaneously proposed solutions.
However, Kim Suho noted that these decisions were made through internal agreements before the cult’s establishment.
If Kim Suho had identified and managed this issue early during the initial recovery phase, things might not have turned out so tragically.
“Is this all my fault?”
Thus, Kim Suho cleanly acknowledged his failure.
And having failed, the way to address these side effects was:
“Like the Balhut Cult, we must sever all ties between the Han River Defense Line and Gangnam with the Republic of Korea and start anew.”
Moreover, new laws tailored to the apocalypse were necessary instead of the existing ones.
Since the Republic of Korea was already in a state of collapse, it was about formally acknowledging its downfall.
Kim Suho realized that although this might lead to significant bloodshed in Gangnam, only thorough internal reforms could overcome this crisis.
“I know we have to abandon the Republic of Korea!”
However, at the crucial moment, Kim Suho couldn’t bring himself to choose that path.
Above all, it was already too late.
Even if he now declared the Republic of Korea defunct, would the established forces allow it?
On the contrary, they would be more enraged than anyone else, turning Kim Suho into an enemy and forming a grand coalition against him.
“But can I do that?”
Moreover, Kim Suho, a citizen of the Republic of Korea, had to be the one to close its doors.
Imagining the dreadful consequences of this decision, Kim Suho’s complexion turned pale, and the psychological pressure gradually tightened around his heart.
—
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