Chapter 75
Thus, this was only the benefit that the U.S. could gain, while the benefit for the Balhut Cult had yet to be mentioned.
Diplomacy exists to pursue mutual interests, and if only the U.S. benefits without any gain for the Balhut Cult, there would be no reason for the Cult to accept this deal.
Of course, the U.S. had many ways to satisfy the Balhut Cult.
“First of all, we can recognize the legitimacy of the Balhut Cult. While, in these apocalyptic times, the intangible benefits we offer may not be guaranteed as a solid gain for the Cult, let’s consider it a kind of service.”
“Yes. After all, even if the U.S. doesn’t recognize us as a government, we live in an era where we can prove it by force.”
“Survival of the fittest! Sadly, what needs to be acknowledged, must be acknowledged.”
Through this deal, the Balhut Cult would gain recognition from the U.S. as the legitimate government ruling the Korean Peninsula.
But as Steven mentioned, the Cult could not solely pursue such intangible benefits, and he nodded in response to Yuna’s following remark.
Even without U.S. recognition, the Balhut Cult could still prove its power to the public, and more people would acknowledge the Cult as a government.
In these times of survival of the fittest, if one has power, they can obtain anything.
“Ah! It is truly a cruel world. Yet, there are even those who consider this apocalypse to be a good era. Haha.”
“That… I can understand.”
While lamenting this reality, Steven did not deny it.
Steven also realized that the times were changing drastically, and he understood that the U.S. now had to compete for survival just like any other country.
“Then, what can you offer us, the Balhut Cult?”
“We can offer many things. First would be food supplies.”
“Food, you say.”
The U.S. claimed they could supply food to the Balhut Cult. Although it seemed somewhat sudden, Yuna understood the importance of food during the apocalypse and realized through the capture of Pohang that food could be used as a weapon or bargaining tool.
“There’s a saying in this country that goes, ‘The more, the better.’ Isn’t food also better the more of it there is?”
“I can’t deny that.”
The more food, the better.
The Balhut Cult had reclaimed farms around the Hyeongsan River, known as the breadbasket of the Korean Peninsula, but it was currently December.
It was not the season for farming, and moreover, time would be required to restore the farmlands that had been devastated and occupied by zombies.
Considering the food that would be consumed during this time, the Balhut Cult needed a new means to obtain supplies, and one such means was the fishing industry in Pohang.
“However, it’s unrealistic to eat only fish for the half-year until farming can resume, isn’t it? Isn’t it only natural to pursue happiness by eating delicious food?”
“Yes, that’s… true.”
But if they kept eating the same food, it could quickly become unappealing due to the Garcia effect.
To prevent this, it was necessary to pursue a variety of foods rather than a single type, and good food significantly impacted the Cult’s morale.
In fact, Kim Taehyun made substantial profits from the soldiers of the Balhut Cult because he sold delicious food and refreshing drinks that satisfied primal pleasures and instincts on the spot.
The pursuit of delicious food is a fundamental human desire.
“To start with, we can freely provide soybeans.”
“Soybeans? You mean beans?”
“Yes, beans. We currently have such an excess that providing them as free aid to you wouldn’t be an issue. Besides, soybeans aren’t particularly popular in the United States.”
Beans are a staple ingredient that Koreans enjoy in various forms.
Starting from bean sprouts, fermented soy sauces like doenjang and ganjang, which Koreans love, are also made by fermenting beans.
While they couldn’t produce gochujang, the signature Korean chili paste, tofu—a staple that would be missed at the table—was also made from beans.
Soybean oil and livestock feed could also be derived from beans, allowing various Korean dishes to be created from a single bean.
At this, Park Cheol-gon finally realized what Steven was offering and spoke up as though he had just figured it out.
“Wait, aren’t those soybeans you were planning to export to China this year?”
“You’re well-informed. Yes, these soybeans were originally meant for export to China. But as you know, China, too, is in complete disarray due to the apocalypse.”
In other words, the soybeans that Steven had just mentioned were originally intended for export to China.
China was a major consumer, consuming over 100 million tons of soybeans, and the U.S. was a supplier to meet China’s needs.
Koreans also enjoyed soybeans, and aside from the mentioned foods, there were other recipes like soy milk, so a stable soybean supply would have a positive impact on the Cult’s dining tables.
Hearing the proposal for such a valuable resource as free aid made the Cult members’ mouths water. There’s a Korean saying about “rice power,” and this was a golden opportunity to satisfy it.
‘My stomach is growling. Are they planning to win us over through a stomach assault!?’
It seemed Yuna felt the same way, as she too was salivating just like the other members of the Cult.
Having effectively won over the stomachs of the Balhut Cult, Steven could now take a degree of initiative in the negotiations.
‘Damn Midwesterners, they declared independence only to toss out the bitter and keep the sweet.’
In truth, Steven had not wanted to openly suggest soybeans this way.
Bluntly speaking, this was less a proposal from a Special Envoy and more akin to a common traveling sales pitch.
Though he tried to package this as a benefit for the United States, the reality was that it was closer to a demand from the rebellious Midwestern states that had declared independence against the White House.
‘Yes, it’s an issue of surplus. We have so much that it’s piling up in warehouses.’
The U.S. Midwest is known as the nation’s breadbasket, and the soybeans Steven mentioned were produced there.
Known as the Farm Belt or Corn Belt, its massive grain production also bolstered the livestock industry, with grains from this region consumed domestically or exported.
In the post-apocalypse, domestic food consumption was not an issue given the importance of food self-sufficiency.
‘The biggest issue is that the grain produced in the Corn Belt is too much for Americans alone to consume.’
The problem was that the quantity produced here was so vast that Americans alone could not consume it all.
Before the apocalypse, surplus agricultural products like this were typically exported, and much of the production was absorbed by exports to China.
But now, with China—the largest grain importer—gone, there was no outlet for soybeans and other grains produced here, leaving them as unwanted inventory in warehouses.
As it’s a perishable commodity, storing it incurs maintenance costs, and unfortunately, the Midwest had no way to deal with the grain piling up in warehouses.
‘Refusing to bear the storage cost and begging us to buy it… Do they have no shame?’
The Midwestern states, which had once declared independence in the name of freedom, shamelessly contacted the White House as if nothing had happened, demanding a strong intervention.
Sighing at the unseemly actions of the Midwest, the White House scrambled to find a way to consume the grain stored in warehouses.
During this time, the White House noticed the Balhut Cult, which had established a stable government on the Korean Peninsula, and sought a powerful alliance to reinforce the central government’s authority.
Thus, the White House promised to purchase large quantities of Midwestern grain at a fair price and offer it as free aid to the Cult.
“Anyway, since there’s a limit to using it as livestock feed and storing it all costs money, those damn folks can’t complain about this deal.”
Even though the grain piling up in warehouses couldn’t fully resolve the issues and frustrations of the Midwestern states, this was none of Steven’s concern.
After all, they were defiant enough to declare independence against the White House, and Steven felt he had done enough for them with this much goodwill.
Additionally, the White House had also promised to purchase soybeans to aid in solving the Midwest’s problems, making it even harder for them to voice any objections.
Through this deal, the U.S. planned to gradually rein in the defiant Midwest and bring it under the White House’s influence.
“So please, accept this. We can give you everything you want!”
Thus, they couldn’t afford to ruin the first step.
The White House intended to slowly train the Midwest by opening export channels bit by bit, so first, the Balhut Cult had to accept this deal to open up a way forward.
“Moreover, the coming year’s apocalypse will be even harsher. It’s not enough to rely on the food supplies within the cities. You can’t solely depend on the grain produced in Hyeongsan River’s breadbasket region, can you? Not just the soybeans I mentioned earlier, but we also have corn and other crops readily available.”
“Haha.”
It was the overwhelming abundance of resources and power that the U.S., famously nicknamed the ‘Cheat Map of the World,’ could offer.
The mention of soybeans, as well as other grains, left the mouths of the Balhut Cult’s leader and executives watering.
However, it was still a diplomatic negotiation, and it was Yuna’s turn to respond to Steven’s words.
“Certainly, that would be a benefit to us. But it doesn’t seem like a benefit to the U.S., does it? If it’s a free donation, that means you’re essentially giving it to us for free.”
“Haha, that’s correct. But for the White House, it’s an action that brings its own benefits. If you wish to hear more, may I consider that you’re accepting our offer?”
At Steven’s words, Yuna paused to consider.
Thinking it wasn’t a decision she could make alone, Yuna discreetly looked away from Steven to consult the Mirror of Perspective.
And within the Mirror of Perspective, God Bahamut appeared.
[It shouldn’t be an issue, let’s form an alliance.]
Determining that Steven bore no ill intent, God Bahamut assessed the alliance proposal as favorable.
The surrounding Balhut Cult executives also looked at Yuna with expectant expressions, delighted by the prospect of an alliance with the U.S.
“Yes, we accept the White House’s offer.”
“A wise decision; thank you very much. We’ll finalize the details of this treaty with the officials, but…yes, I believe I should answer Yuna’s earlier question.”
Yuna agreed to an alliance with the United States.
Upon hearing her acceptance, Steven praised her choice as wise and proposed that they would settle the remaining conditions through a treaty that both sides could agree upon with their respective officials.
And as a small gesture of goodwill, he offered to answer the question Yuna had just asked.
“My question? Do I have permission to ask it now?”
“Haha, consider this my personal favor. Let’s see it as a minor indulgence for an alliance that will continue to trade with us.”
Having already accepted, there was no obligation to disclose it, but Steven said it was a gesture of goodwill to an ally and asked her to view it as a minor indulgence.
“The reason we’re offering free aid to form an alliance with the Balhut Cult is simple. The United States is divided, and we needed a powerful ally to help resolve that division.”
“Is it okay to say that?”
“This information is easily accessible with some research on international websites. It’s not well-known in Korea, but in Western Europe, it’s widely known information.”
Though he was openly revealing the U.S.’s vulnerabilities, Steven explained as if it were no big deal.
In any case, there was no force capable of directly intervening in U.S. affairs amidst this apocalypse, and even if the Balhut Cult knew this, they could not actively leverage it.
Moreover, Steven implied that this information, being easily discoverable, held little real value.
“The authority of our central government has diminished significantly, more than you might think. We needed a powerful alliance that could guarantee that authority through mutual cooperation. Ideally, if our ally could directly join America’s battles, it would be even better.”
The United States had abundant resources, but its central government’s authority had weakened.
Therefore, a strong alliance was necessary to ensure its authority and prestige, and it would be even better if the alliance willingly joined U.S. battles.
“Let me say this now, but the Balhut Cult wasn’t the only one we approached. We’ve already sent delegations to other countries with strong awakened entities who have established governments like yours.”
“I see, now I understand.”
Moreover, upon hearing that the Balhut Cult wasn’t the only one chosen and that similar delegations had been dispatched to other countries, Yuna nodded in agreement.
In the end, it wasn’t that the Balhut Cult was particularly special; the United States was also taking every measure necessary for its survival.
The other Cult members seemed to feel the same way, as their excitement dimmed slightly upon realizing the reality of the situation.
“Then let us pursue our mutual interests and strive to survive this apocalypse together as allies.”
“Of course.”
With that, Steven extended his hand for a handshake, and Yuna accepted it.
With this, the alliance between the United States and the Balhut Cult was solidified.
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