Chapter 16
Hwang Seung-man raised his voice and remained on guard, but Choi Yuna brought her finger to her lips with a composed expression.
She made a gesture for silence and spoke to Hwang Seung-man in a low voice.
“There’s no need to raise your voice like that, Mr. Hwang Seung-man.”
Under normal circumstances, Yuna’s words would have been a natural warning, as noise could provoke the zombies.
However, now, due to Bahamut’s descent, all the zombies within the city had disappeared.
Even if one raised their voice loudly, there were no longer any zombies to be drawn to the sound.
“You… You even know my name.”
But Hwang Seung-man wasn’t in a position to point that fact out to Yuna, and instead, he couldn’t hide the surprise he felt at her knowing his name.
Who on earth had told this girl his name?
On the surface, it looked like a conversation between a seasoned middle-aged man and a young girl, but the initiative in the conversation had long since shifted to Choi Yuna.
“Yes, someone who used to be associated with our cult had been here. Thanks to their help, I heard about you, Mr. Hwang Seung-man.”
“…I see.”
When he learned that those who had left this place had revealed his information, Hwang Seung-man resented those who had left the Gyeongju branch.
Of course, those people had their reasons, and it seemed they sold him out to prove their loyalty to the cult they had joined.
Either way, the fact that the person in front of him knew a lot about him only made Hwang Seung-man even more wary of Yuna.
“Haha. There’s no need to be so openly wary, Mr. Hwang Seung-man. I came here to make you a proposal. Let me assure you, I have no intention of fighting with the Gyeongju branch.”
“A proposal, you say?”
She claimed to have no intention of fighting.
Those words brought a sense of relief to Hwang Seung-man.
If a conflict were to occur, he believed that the Gyeongju branch would inevitably be the one to lose, so Yuna’s promise provided him with relief while also raising questions.
Why was she even making a proposal to him?
With their current momentum and power, she could easily have forced the Gyeongju branch into submission.
“Yes, Mr. Hwang Seung-man. Would you and the Gyeongju branch be interested in helping our Balhut Cult establish new laws and regulations?”
“What? Please, say that again.”
It was a truly unexpected proposal.
It was such an unexpected offer that he pretended not to hear it and asked her to repeat it once more.
“Laws and regulations. Isn’t that your specialty? So, couldn’t you use that knowledge to create new laws?”
“…It is possible. But.”
In reality, creating laws is a task for the legislative branch, and it wasn’t exactly related to his work in the judiciary.
However, as Yuna mentioned, since he had been working in the field of law, the logic that he could draft new laws wasn’t entirely wrong either.
But that proposal…
“Are you asking us to… betray the judiciary… and in a larger sense, the Republic of Korea?”
It meant betraying the judiciary of the nation—in a broader sense, it meant betraying South Korea.
Hwang Seung-man interpreted her suggestion to create new laws and regulations as a plan to establish a new state in Gyeongju.
“If that’s what needs to be done.”
However, Yuna expressed her willingness to do whatever was necessary.
Thus, he should refuse.
The zombie apocalypse will soon be stabilized…
‘No. Will it really return to normal, just as I think? This apocalypse?’
Hwang Seung-man, who had believed that the situation would stabilize, soon showed a dark expression.
It was a harsh thought, but the government and the president had already lost the trust of the people.
‘It’s already been a month. A month has passed, yet there’s been no response from the government.’
Over a month had passed, and the government had yet to resolve the crisis.
There had been communication from the outside, but those messages were always filled with the same reassurances.
If the government were capable, they would have rescued people or retaken cities, but such news had yet to arrive.
Was there even a government left in South Korea?
The numerous questions and worries swirling in his mind tormented Hwang Seung-man.
“At first, I also trusted the government and waited for rescue.”
It was as if the girl before him took advantage of his doubts, her sweet voice whispering to him.
“But no matter how many times I prayed and how earnestly I wished, the hope I sought never came.”
Yuna conveyed that she, too, wasn’t much different from Hwang Seung-man, as if she understood his turmoil.
Indeed, as she said, Hwang Seung-man had prayed countless times and earnestly wished for the government’s aid.
However, the South Korean government failed to fulfil his desires.
“Instead, the largest survivor camp in Gyeongju was swept away by the horde of zombies.”
Hwang Seung-man had also witnessed that tragic scene with his own eyes.
He was well aware of the news that the camp where Choi Yuna had been affiliated was overrun by a horde of zombies.
Her claim that she understood Hwang Seung-man’s situation was no empty statement; it was based on her own experience.
“Mr. Hwang Seung-man, for now, our god has wiped out all the zombies in Gyeongju. But do you think the crisis ends here?”
“Not… not the end!?”
Moreover, she suggested that the zombie crisis was far from over.
“The remaining regions and cities outside of Gyeongju are still occupied by zombies.”
“Then, if we flee to the mountains…”
“It’s impossible. There are ferocious creatures known as monsters in the mountains near Gyeongju. I’ve been chased by one of those monsters myself.”
Not only zombies, but also vicious creatures called monsters were said to inhabit the nearby mountains.
Yuna exaggeratedly shivered as if she were frightened by the memory of that encounter, and the sight of her trembling filled Hwang Seung-man with fear.
If this isn’t the end and there’s more to come…
Can they endure it with their current strength?
“It’s too late to continue hoping and waiting for the government.”
Yuna’s argument was not wrong.
If they kept waiting, there was a high chance they’d be devoured by another threat.
Listening to Yuna, Hwang Seung-man’s mind became overwhelmed with thoughts about which path to choose.
“So, I will make a promise to you, Mr. Hwang Seung-man, and to the Gyeongju branch.”
And as if to help Hwang Seung-man make a choice, Yuna replaced the expression of empathy she had just shown with a benevolent demeanour and made her declaration.
“My god, Lord Bahamut, will protect you.”
It was a statement that the dragon, who had exterminated the horde of zombies, would protect the Gyeongju branch.
Having witnessed the power of the dragon firsthand, Hwang Seung-man asked Yuna, as if grasping at a lifeline.
“Are you saying that the dragon will protect us?”
“Yes. In fact, he desires you. He desires you who will complete the laws and regulations that we must uphold.”
The idea that the dragon wanted them filled Hwang Seung-man with immense joy and a sense of relief.
“He… wanted us?”
“Yes. It is a command directly from the god.”
The dragon had expressed a need for them and was willing to step in to protect them.
However, Hwang Seung-man’s conscience as the head of a district court in South Korea still lingered.
‘It’s a tempting offer. So sweet. If I don’t accept it right away, I might regret it. But I am part of the judiciary of this country. The judiciary… In a broader sense, it would be a betrayal to South Korea. Is that okay? Wouldn’t this make me and my followers traitors to the nation?’
The fear arose that he might not only be betraying himself but also branding those who followed him as traitors to the nation.
Traitors!
The thought that this derogatory label could be directed at him and those who followed him made him hesitate before making his decision.
Even if the South Korean government had been silent, he wondered if the Republic of Korea had truly ceased to exist.
“If it’s not too much trouble… before we make a decision, could we meet the dragon directly?”
That was the greatest compromise he could make as the head of a district court.
***
For Hwang Seung-man’s compromise, Yuna didn’t respond immediately but said she would consult Bahamut regarding the compromise and then give her answer.
The negotiation was temporarily paused, and Yuna immediately took out the Mirror of Perspective to contact Bahamut.
“…It is said that meeting the god is a condition of joining.”
[That’s fine.]
Yuna relayed Hwang Seung-man’s condition, and Bahamut responded that it was acceptable.
‘It’s not bad. This negotiation is turning out well.’
It wasn’t a bad outcome.
In fact, it was a favourable development.
From Bahamut’s perspective, the negotiation was going better than expected.
To be honest, this foolish dragon was worried that Yuna and the Balhut Cult might cause trouble with their extreme actions.
“It’s disrespectful! How dare they… to the presence of a god…!”
[Enough. I have granted permission, so say no more.]
Instead, it wasn’t Bahamut but Yuna who was displeased with the condition put forth by Hwang Seung-man.
Bahamut had declared his protection, yet how dare they hesitate to accept that goodwill? It was a complaint born out of frustration.
Bahamut, alarmed by Yuna’s dissatisfaction, sternly commanded her to stop voicing her complaints.
“Yes, understood!”
[Good. That’s settled.]
Yuna, looking sullen after Bahamut’s reprimand, soon responded cheerfully, believing that there must be a reason for his scolding.
‘But meeting directly… that means… I guess it’s an invitation to meet at the shrine?’
And Bahamut, considering the conditions of accepting the compromise, began to ponder the meeting place.
Meeting within the city would be difficult due to the size of Bahamut himself.
So, it likely meant meeting at the shrine where Bahamut resided.
‘Wait, meeting at the shrine?’
Here, a problem arose.
Bahamut quickly withdrew his gaze from the Mirror of Perspective and looked around himself.
No matter how he looked, it was the interior of a shrine, suited for a shut-in lord.
[…Wait a moment.]
“Is something wrong, Lord?”
The statues he hadn’t managed were already covered in dust, and the ceiling he resided under was filled with cobwebs.
It was practically an abandoned shrine, and he couldn’t deny it even if it were ridiculed as such, so Bahamut halted Yuna, who was about to conclude the negotiation.
What he needed right now was time!
[It is not a problem to meet with them. However, if I meet with one group after another separately, it will take considerable time.]
“That’s true, isn’t it?”
This foolish dragon, with the nerve to buy time with any reasonable excuse, was none other than Bahamut!
This time, he would buy time with a plausible excuse!
[So, I think it would be better to also propose joining to the other survivor camps in Gyeongju and arrange for those who wish to meet me to be selected and organized together.]
“Indeed! So, while recruiting the Gyeongju branch, you’re suggesting that we make a proposal to all the survivor camps in Gyeongju!”
[Yes.]
There was nothing strange about Bahamut’s statement.
In reality, if he were to meet each group separately, it would indeed take a considerable amount of time.
In this apocalyptic situation, time was worth its weight in gold, making Bahamut’s argument highly persuasive.
‘It’s too embarrassing to show the shrine in its current state…!’
But in reality, the problem arose because his shrine was too dirty to be ready to receive guests.
‘And besides, the path to this place is rough. It’s located in a place where no one can come by car, so I’ll need to create a road that’s accessible by vehicles!’
The path to this place was rough, situated in a secluded location.
Once he reached that conclusion, Bahamut realized that he definitely needed time to tidy up his abode.
[Let’s first set a date for the meeting. Inform the legal experts that I have agreed to their proposal. However, the exact date will be decided after negotiating with the other factions.]
“Yes, Lord. I will convey your message as such.”
For now, accepting Hwang Seung-min’s proposal and discussing the timing with other factions would buy some time in the negotiation process.
‘Phew…’
He managed to buy some time, somehow.
The rest depended on his magic skills, architectural abilities, and cleaning prowess.
‘First, I need to clean. I’ll have to scrub thoroughly and oil everything up!’
With dust accumulating, cleaning was essential!
‘And the road… It’s a hassle, but maybe I’ll use magic to handle that.’
He was tired of doing things manually by now!
So, he would construct a road using magic for those who would come to this place!
‘Oh, and I’ll need a rehearsal. This is essentially my first meeting and negotiation with people, so I can’t show a half-hearted image!’
Then, he prepared for a rehearsal on how to communicate with the visitors.
‘I must present a dignified and impressive appearance to the public!’
This foolish being thought of nothing else.
How terrifying and dreadful these thoughts were!
—
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