Chapter 28
“The assignment of positions, ranks, and duties within the cult is now complete. The legal aspects are still pending. Now, we should be able to allocate the cult’s internal staff more precisely.”
The roles, ranks, and responsibilities within the Balhut Cult were overseen by Park Cheol-gon and Han Geun-chul, who had backgrounds as politicians.
They were each affiliated with the Democratic Party and the Conservative Party, but they were not representatives of Gyeongju Community in the city council.
They were not elected through proportional representation, and to be blunt, they were simply unknown politicians affiliated with a party. Neither of them possessed the prestige or influence to call themselves representatives of South Korea’s major political parties.
However, the reason why these two were able to use the names of major political parties in South Korea without facing any backlash was simple.
“Thank you for your efforts. So, you were politicians from the Democratic and Conservative parties?”
The Apocalypse was a disaster that not only shattered South Korea’s national fortunes but also obliterated the political arena, which had been rife with extreme conflicts.
The two unknown politicians, who had been mere members of political parties, were now elected as leaders of the cult, showing how completely the system had collapsed.
The internal communication systems of the parties had crumbled, and the status of many elected representatives was unknown, whether alive or dead.
In a situation where survival came first, there was no room for political maneuvering or extreme left-right conflicts, and Park Cheol-gon and Han Geun-chul were well aware that such behavior would be self-destructive and foolish.
“There’s no need to mention our party names. After all, those parties are already defunct.”
“Just call us advisors or secretaries.”
“Understood.”
Thus, when Bahamut questioned them, they referred to themselves as advisors and secretaries, saying that their former parties were no longer relevant.
“We vow to continuously offer our counsel on state affairs for the sake of the Balhut Cult from now on.”
“I also make the same vow.”
These two had pledged their loyalty to the Balhut Cult for survival and for their own advancement.
To them, the Balhut Cult was a newly rising power that could rekindle the dying flames of South Korea, a group with a promising future.
Though it slightly bothered them that it was a religious organization led not by a person but by a Dragon, they reasoned that religious groups had never been entirely absent from South Korean politics anyway.
Remembering how many cult leaders had eagerly sought political participation from outside, the two found the current situation not particularly problematic.
“…I have a question, based on this trust.”
“What is it?”
“There are those who have not surrendered even though the tide has turned. Why do you think that is?”
Park Cheol-gon and Han Geun-chul immediately grasped the nature of Bahamut’s concern at those words.
After all, hadn’t he hinted at it quite plainly?
What Bahamut was worried about.
‘This must be about Northern Gyeongju.’
‘Well, I’ve also heard that the raiders have become more active recently. It’s only natural to be concerned.’
Of course, they were not particularly afraid of the Northern Gyeongju faction anymore.
The Balhut Cult’s growth was unrivaled in Gyeongju, and its numerous expeditions had already liberated many towns and villages around Gyeongju, proving their strength.
Even if Do Josoon and his raiding group attempted to resist the dominant force now, they could not overcome the momentum that was already reaching its peak.
Most importantly, the Balhut Cult had the God Bahamut to follow.
Defeat was practically impossible.
“It’s a simple matter. It’s because they can’t abandon the power they’ve gained.”
“They can’t abandon it?”
“Yes, power, wealth, or some other desire. People do not easily give up what stimulates their inner cravings. And in this Zombie Apocalypse, if one has strength, they can obtain as much wealth and power as they want. As I understand it, Do Josoon has made Northern Gyeongju his own kingdom.”
Thus, Han Geun-chul explained Do Josoon’s actions as being driven by fundamental human desires.
He stated that the reason for resisting the Balhut Cult despite the clear shift in power was due to the desire to cling to the wealth and power they currently possessed.
He pointed out that people would rather think of ways to protect their rights than to relinquish them.
“…You’re not wrong.”
Bahamut wholeheartedly agreed with Han Geun-chul’s opinion.
Reflecting on it himself, if he suddenly came into possession of immense wealth or power, he would prioritize finding ways to keep it rather than returning it.
Do Josoon, who ruled Northern Gyeongju, likely thought no differently.
Seeing Bahamut nod in agreement, Park Cheol-gon followed up on Han Geun-chul’s explanation.
“The reason Northern Gyeongju hasn’t accepted the offer of surrender is very simple. They don’t want to give up the power they’ve just acquired. If anything, they must have done everything in their power to hold onto it. Am I wrong?”
“As you said. According to Jung Dong-gun’s report, Northern Gyeongju engaged in raiding activities against the Balhut Cult or attempted to destabilize the economy by issuing counterfeit coins in the Gyeongju market.”
Northern Gyeongju and Southern Gyeongju were so close that a single bridge separated them.
Naturally, if they wanted, they could easily cross the bridge and raid the Balhut Cult or flood the market with counterfeit coins produced in Northern Gyeongju.
The counterfeit currency, especially targeting ordinary people’s inability to detect it, was an economic attack that threatened the stability of Gyeongju.
“That’s just the desperate struggle of second or third-rankers jealous of the first-ranker. Honestly, despite their aggression, isn’t the Balhut Cult still overwhelmingly in the top position in Gyeongju?”
“…Yes.”
Park Cheol-gon dismissed it as a trivial jealousy.
At first glance, he seemed to be underestimating the threat posed by the incoming danger, but he had reasonable grounds for his stance.
Bahamut also nodded earnestly, acknowledging that he couldn’t deny those words.
“Since we’ve secured the southern part of Gyeongju, we can now liberate the farmlands there and secure enough food supplies. Although there are still some internal issues within the cult, we’re gradually obtaining the means to resolve them.”
“You seem to have everything under control. If we were to conquer Northern Gyeongju, how much force would the cult need?”
“…Excluding Do Josoon himself, Jung Dong-gun’s expedition team would be sufficient.”
“Wow.”
“It would be sufficient to conquer Northern Gyeongju with just the forces led by Jung Dong-gun.”
Park Cheol-gon and Han Geun-chul looked at Bahamut with expressions of surprise at those words.
Though he appeared this way, he still claimed to be the king of Gyeongju, and it was true that he had the power and authority to back it up.
To hear that such a force could be dealt with using only the Expedition Team led by Jung Dong-gun made them truly realize the strength of the Balhut Cult.
‘In the current world, the most important thing is power.’
‘And the cult is the strongest in Southern Gyeongju!’
Recognizing once more the strength of Southern Gyeongju’s forces, Park Cheol-gon and Han Geun-chul continued with eager expressions.
“Then, our forces are the strongest in the Gyeongju region.”
“Now, I understand why God Bahamut asked such a question.”
If they wished, they could suppress Do Josoon, the ruler of Northern Gyeongju, and the rampaging Raiders.
Yet despite that, Bahamut hesitated to act.
‘Is it because of beliefs? Or…’
‘Was it the answer from the discussion last time?’
Before the Balhut Cult was formed by uniting the Survivor Camps in Gyeongju, Han Geun-chul and Park Cheol-gon had witnessed a scene where the Survivor Camp leaders gathered to have a dialogue with Bahamut.
Bahamut wanted to resolve situations through dialogue rather than combat whenever possible.
Back then, they had thought it was merely lip service to reassure the Survivor Camps, but they didn’t realize he would genuinely keep that promise.
The two politicians looked at Bahamut with expressions of admiration.
‘Huh? So, subduing them was the obvious choice. I thought persuading them without fighting was the best approach.’
Of course, the truth was that there were no grand thoughts at all.
It would be a grave mistake to expect political beliefs or ideology from this foolish Dragon.
His timid nature remained the same, giving him a significant pause to avoid potential risks—especially the path of being humanity’s enemy—yet, to be frank, he hadn’t entirely dismissed the idea of subjugating Do Josoon.
But at the very least, he wasn’t foolish enough to attempt negotiations with an opponent who wasn’t worth negotiating with.
“If we are that strong, then there are three reasons why they have not surrendered.”
“First, as I just mentioned, no one easily gives up power. A person who clings stubbornly to what they have gained—that’s what humans are.”
However, since the two did not know Bahamut’s true feelings, they offered their advice in line with the ideals and beliefs that Bahamut seemed to exhibit on the surface.
There is a saying that something can appear as a comedy from afar and a tragedy up close, and it fit this situation perfectly.
“Second, there are those who have completed their cost-benefit analysis. They may be more malicious than Do Josoon. A sort of kingmaker. Or a lowly attempt to inflate their value for a faction willing to pay a higher price for them.”
“Lastly, there are those who hate God Bahamut’s insistence on peace and wish to fight, though this has a lesser or greater possibility.”
Unlike the foolish Bahamut, Park Cheol-gon and Han Geun-chul, who had experience in social and political life, provided three plausible reasons that seemed reasonable despite Bahamut’s incompetence.
While he thought all the reasons made sense, Bahamut tilted his head as if unable to understand the last one.
“I can understand the first and second reasons, but the last one is difficult to comprehend.”
“It’s the same story. To some, this disaster, which is hell for us, is heaven to them.”
“There are people who think of this disaster as heaven? What is the reason?”
They regarded the Zombie Apocalypse disaster as a paradise.
He shivered inwardly, thinking how insane that was, but Bahamut maintained a detached expression as he awaited their explanation.
Seeing his gaze, they smiled and continued with the explanation Bahamut sought.
“You seem surprised. It is hard to understand, after all. Even for me. However, there are people who think what is hell for others is heaven for them. Because, to them, the former peace was hell.”
“Social status, job issues, financial problems, or family matters—there were numerous hardships in reality. And all of that was swept away by the unprecedented disaster of the Apocalypse. Unlike before, as long as you have strength, you can gain as much wealth and power as you want. If you have power, you can obtain anything, so for those people, this disaster might as well be paradise, right?”
“As long as they are human, it’s hard to resist desires right in front of them. Especially in an Apocalypse where all morals and restrictions have been lifted, they would abandon their conscience and pursue their immediate desires even more.”
This could be considered a dark side of modern society.
Even in a developed country like South Korea, there were still plenty of social underdogs and modern tragedies.
To those who were poor, dissatisfied with the current system, or caused social trouble, this national disaster might not have been a disaster at all, but rather an opportunity.
It was a great chance for them to exploit the situation for a big gain or to seize the power and status they had dreamed of.
“That’s… terrifying.”
For Bahamut, an ordinary shut-in, it was both a distant tale from a foreign land and a terrifying and brutal reality.
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