Chapter 77
Alliance between the Balhut Cult and the United States!
The Balhut Cult has agreed to trade weapons made with Bahamut coins in exchange for America’s vast food resources and materials needed for reconstruction.
However, one question may arise here.
Despite having the world’s greatest military power and nuclear weapons, known as humanity’s most powerful weapon, why would America seek weapons made from Bahamut coins as a form of trade?
To be frank, the Cult’s weapons excel due to their limited resource efficiency. But with American weapons, the power of a Bahamut round could easily be replicated.
“With America’s proud weapons, is there really a need to make Bahamut rounds the currency of trade?”
“We can’t use those proud weapons on our own cities.”
“Ah.”
The reason was simple.
America’s proud weapons could not be used on American cities.
One of the reasons democratic governments had delayed addressing the apocalypse was that they couldn’t destroy their own cities, particularly the capital where all infrastructure is concentrated.
If South Korea had sacrificed to use the powerful weapons it had developed, it might have been able to quell the zombie crisis by turning Seoul into a firestorm, but they couldn’t bring themselves to do it.
“No different from suicide. It’s a retreat for the nation—or rather, a retreat of civilization. How can a government call itself a government if it aims weapons at its own citizens and cities? The essence of democratic government would vanish, and its accumulated authority would crumble.”
As Steven explained, a democratic government cannot make such a choice.
It would not even have considered it in the first place.
For a government based on democratic ideals, this would mean relinquishing its right to rule with its own hands.
If a government abandons its reason for existing, it collapses by contradiction.
‘Yes. That would lead to the loss of central government authority and accelerate state independence.’
Yet precisely because it had not displayed overwhelming force and violence, America was facing the great trial of division.
With the White House showing no signs of strong authority, state governments were slipping from its control, with some shamelessly declaring independence but then returning to the White House when foreign exports were cut off, like prodigals.
If the White House could secure authority and prestige through this and other government negotiations, it could send a strong warning message to the independent and seceding state governments.
“I can understand that. But couldn’t you use personal firearms instead of those powerful weapons?”
“Haha. In times like these, let’s say we’re curious about the weapons developed in this apocalypse.”
Moreover, America was interested in the weapons used by the Balhut Cult.
“We are particularly curious about weapons specifically crafted for the Awakened by a blacksmith Awakened. It has piqued our interest.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. In fact, there have been unique enemies in America that can only be affected by magic attacks. Some conventional weapons are no longer effective.”
“That sounds frightening.”
Not only were they interested in weapons crafted by the Awakened, but Steven also revealed that unique enemies immune to conventional weapons had appeared in America.
Hearing this, Lee Hyuna looked at Steven with a slightly fearful expression.
More and more, enemies were appearing that conventional human-made weapons could not defeat.
While magical attacks could still affect them, the realization that their trusted weapons were useless must have planted some unease even in America.
“That is terrifying. So, you need magic-infused weapons to fight those enemies?”
“Yes. It’s a matter of expectation back home as well. Regarding the weapons made by the Balhut Cult, is a demonstration possible?”
“Yes. I’ll guide you.”
For Lee Hyuna, who had to sell the Cult’s weapons to acquire America’s abundant resources, providing quality assurance and performance tests was only natural.
If Steven was satisfied with the Cult’s weapons, the amount of resources the Balhut Cult could purchase would grow even more.
Following Steven’s request for a performance test, Lee Hyuna led him to Mr. Choi’s foundry—now known as the Balhut Research Lab, the Balhut Cult’s weapons research lab.
“Wow. Are so many artisans really crafting these by hand instead of using machines?”
Inside the foundry, Steven witnessed an artisan meticulously working on a single bullet.
Seeing this, he looked at Lee Hyuna as if to ask if each bullet was truly made by hand.
“Yes. If not crafted by an Awakened, the weapon’s full potential is difficult to achieve. Of course, if their skill level or level increases, more features may unlock, but for now, the artisans here are handcrafting each item.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
Lee Hyuna nodded in response.
However, she left out the fact that the artisans didn’t handcraft every single aspect of the bullet.
Naturally, the casing and other standard parts were made with machine assistance, and the artisans’ work was to engrave and finish each bullet with magical inscriptions.
But from the outside, it looked as if the artisans were crafting each bullet by hand, creating a misunderstanding.
‘Hmm. Labor costs must be substantial. Isn’t this akin to labor exploitation you’d find in a black company? Even in an apocalypse.’
The misunderstanding only grew.
As Steven’s eyes narrowed, Lee Hyuna noticed and quickly clarified.
“Actually, most of the process is aided by machines. This final step is the enchantment engraving, which endows the bullets with magical effects.”
“Aha! I see. I nearly misunderstood something odd!”
To avoid any potential misunderstandings, she explained that machine assistance was used for bullet production and that this was just the finishing step.
Steven finally understood, chuckling awkwardly at the close misunderstanding.
“Would you like to try the demonstration test? This is freshly made.”
“Yes. Let’s give it a try.”
Thus, Steven and Lee Hyuna arrived at a spacious field where they could test the Bahamut rounds. Taking the rifle Lee Hyuna handed him, Steven aimed at the target.
The target was large, prepared in advance, and with a sense of anticipation, Steven fired, hitting the target with a booming explosion that caused it to burst into flames, reducing it to white ash.
“WOW. It feels like firing a cannon with a rifle. With firepower like this… Anna, what do you think?”
“It seems like a powerful magical explosion upon impact. Even a tank that could withstand a machine gun might not stand a chance against that.”
“That’s scary. So, it’s like firing a rocket from a rifle.”
Steven, curious about the bullet’s power, asked Anna for her thoughts, and she described it as a bullet causing a powerful magical explosion, which even a tank might not withstand.
With that unsettling answer, Steven broke into a cold sweat and commented that it felt like launching a rocket from a rifle.
Even after obliterating the target, the magical flames continued to burn intensely.
Assuming that any survivor of the explosion would still be scorched by the lingering flames, Steven turned to Lee Hyuna and asked,
“When will that fire go out?”
“When the magic inscribed on the bullet dissipates, it will disappear on its own.”
Lee Hyuna glanced at the still-burning flames and, with a nonchalant expression, said that they would disappear once the magic was depleted.
“How long does that take?”
“In a real battle, it lasts about ten seconds.”
“Ten seconds… that’s both short and long.”
Steven, considering this answer, noted that ten seconds was relatively brief, yet could also feel like a long time. He realized the fire lasted longer than he had initially thought.
“In a fight between Awakened, a single second can mean life or death. If you’re engulfed in flames for ten seconds, it’s essentially a death sentence.”
Even if someone survived being hit by the bullet, they would have to endure the agony of being engulfed in flames for ten seconds while still fighting.
Steven thought that no one would be insane enough to withstand that, and the real question was whether they could even survive the initial impact.
The initial explosion alone would be overwhelming, even for most Awakened.
“On the other hand, if used cautiously in urban areas, it could be a trump card.”
If even an Awakened couldn’t withstand this level of firepower, monsters certainly wouldn’t be able to endure it either.
From the standpoint of the U.S. military, which had to conduct urban warfare in hellish cityscapes without deploying tanks, missiles, or drones, being able to wield this kind of firepower with a rifle was incredibly advantageous.
The Bahamut rounds, which could unleash devastating power with a simple rifle, were highly appealing to the White House, which needed to balance political attacks from state governments.
“Yes, they’re primarily used against powerful mutant zombies. Other rounds are used otherwise, as this round is so powerful it could destroy a city.”
“They’re effective against ‘Named’ targets, then.”
Lee Hyuna explained that the Balhut Cult also used them specifically against powerful mutant zombies.
She noted that the Cult conducted urban battles and used these rounds to prevent the collapse of city buildings when dealing with particularly strong mutant zombies.
“So, what do you use against Awakened normally?”
“This.”
The next item she showed was a bullet with a lightning symbol engraved on it.
When Steven loaded it into his rifle, they presented a human-like mannequin as the target.
Steven grimaced briefly at the human shape but, realizing it was just a dummy for target practice, shot without hesitation.
As soon as the bullet hit, the mannequin began to convulse uncontrollably before collapsing.
“The mannequin is convulsing.”
“This is a bullet meant for subduing Awakened. It’s used against rogue Awakened raiders, known as villains in your country. We call it the ‘Lightning Round’ in the military.”
“So, raiders are what you call villains here.”
Steven noted that the term “villain” in America referred to what the Balhut Cult called “raiders.”
“I’ve heard that in America, Awakened are held in high esteem and called heroes. Yes, we refer to Awakened criminals as raiders, so villain does fit from an American perspective.”
“Indeed. Since our understanding is aligned, let’s proceed with the explanation.”
“Yes.”
Lee Hyuna nodded, acknowledging that America held the Awakened in high regard as heroes, while the Balhut Cult labeled criminal Awakened as raiders.
Steven confirmed their shared understanding and urged them to continue.
“This weapon induces a powerful electrical charge inside the target, paralyzing their nervous system. Most Awakened hit by it would have their insides burned. It can be considered a stunning round for subduing Awakened criminals, who are more resilient than ordinary people.”
“The Lightning Round seems really useful. It’s perfect for eliminating villains who cause trouble within the U.S.”
Satisfied, Steven nodded, commenting that it was an ideal weapon for dealing with villains.
Hearing Steven’s intention to use it against villains, Lee Hyuna cautiously asked a question.
“Is crime really that severe?”
“Yes. Awakened criminals are extremely dangerous. They are enemies of America, disrupting society with their newfound power.”
Steven spoke with a strong tone, calling these villains “enemies of America” who disrupted the nation’s efforts to overcome the apocalypse.
“And I’d love to deliver a blow to those who insist on human rights for monsters.”
“Are there protest groups like that?”
The most exasperating part was the existence of groups advocating for monster rights.
It could be seen as a form of anti-war protest, but from the White House’s perspective, they were a thorn in the side, especially considering that monsters were seizing cities.
Lee Hyuna, clearly surprised, asked if such protest groups actually existed.
“Yes. America is a land of freedom. We even have extreme ideologists who believe America should protect the rights of monsters.”
“Even when people are dying at the hands of those monsters?”
“Yes.”
The response was that America’s freedom allowed for such voices.
Hearing that there were extremists insisting America should protect monsters’ rights, Lee Hyuna couldn’t hide her shock.
While the Balhut Cult’s main enemy was zombies, they had often found monsters hiding in the mountains to be equally threatening.
Since monsters and zombies were hostile toward each other, a three-way struggle involving the Balhut Cult, zombies, and monsters was possible…
“I’ve heard that America, unlike here, has no zombies but plenty of monsters, and that many civilians have been victims.”
“Haha, from the White House’s perspective, such statements aren’t worth listening to. If they’re just protesting, we can pretend to listen. The real issue is that some extremists are committing acts of terrorism. And it’s unfortunate that those committing these terrorist acts are Awakened, which makes it difficult for regular police to subdue them. But with the bullets you’ve shown, ordinary people might have a fighting chance against the Awakened.”
Steven dismissed such statements as irrelevant to the White House.
Unfortunately, America did have Awakened extremists espousing such views, and the standard equipment of regular police made it challenging to subdue Awakened committing acts of terrorism.
However, with the rounds the Balhut Cult demonstrated, even ordinary people could possibly subdue an Awakened.
“Do not use it on ordinary people under any circumstances. This is exclusively for use against Awakened.”
“I understand.”
With a concerned expression, Lee Hyuna sternly warned against using it on regular people, and Steven nodded, agreeing to heed her advice.
“Then there’s nothing more to see. Each one is an excellent piece. These are perfect for urban warfare, aren’t they, Anna?”
“Yes. The bullets made by the Balhut Cult are precisely what America needs.”
Steven clapped his hands, calling each item a masterpiece and showing appreciation.
Initially, he had doubts, but after witnessing their performance, he fully accepted their effectiveness and asked Anna, who was observing, for her thoughts. She closed her eyes and confirmed that they were indeed what America needed.
“Though we have an Awakened blacksmith in America, their creations aren’t nearly this powerful. Is there perhaps a secret technique?”
“That’s classified as a top-level secret of the Balhut Cult.”
However, one point of curiosity was that America also had an Awakened with a blacksmith skill.
Yet, their products weren’t as impressive and didn’t achieve such powerful effects.
Steven, with some curiosity, probed Lee Hyuna for the production method, but she casually stated that it was classified as top secret, refusing to disclose it.
“I see. You’re not willing to share it freely.”
“Yes. We must ensure copyright protection, after all.”
“Haha. You drive a hard bargain.”
Although the coin itself was created by Bahamut, the development of the rounds was the result of efforts by Mr. Choi’s Foundry, now the Balhut Weapons Research Lab.
Therefore, Lee Hyuna insisted that copyright protections were necessary to honor those efforts, leaving Steven looking slightly troubled.
It was a clear refusal to offer the technique freely, and Steven, realizing this, responded with a resigned expression.
“Then let’s negotiate an additional trade.”
“Is that possible?”
“I’m the special ambassador with full authority. If this technology benefits our homeland, I believe it’s worth purchasing, no matter the cost. Isn’t that right, Anna?”
“…Yes.”
With his authority as the ambassador, if this technology proved beneficial for America, Steven was empowered to arrange additional trade.
Since the Balhut Cult had met America’s demands, America would reciprocate by purchasing the Cult’s products.
Given that the weapons were powerful enough to tempt America, he judged there would be no problem from his homeland’s perspective.
Anna, Steven’s escort, displayed no reaction, merely observing the upcoming negotiation.
—
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