Chapter 91
The overdue taxes were completely collected, and even Kim Ha-yeon was arrested on charges of tax evasion by the Internal Revenue Service.
In truth, while it wasn’t surprising for low-ranking members of her group to yield, it wouldn’t have been out of place for the boss, Kim Ha-yeon, to fiercely resist the IRS agents conducting the forced collection.
“I—I surrender! I surrender! Please, just spare my life!”
“Tsk.”
However, there was no resistance from Kim Ha-yeon.
The moment she realized her opponent was the Balhut Internal Revenue Service, she lost all will to fight.
“Am I insane enough to resist the IRS? I’d rather go to prison and repent peacefully!”
‘She’s a criminal, but… how pitiful.’
She considered Lee Hyuna, who led the IRS, to be far more ruthless than Jung Dong-gun’s security unit.
The IRS had already gained a notorious reputation, creating numerous victims and spreading its name like a badge of honor. Furthermore, it publicized the fate of those who dared oppose it through various channels, instilling fear and terror into tax evaders who hid in the shadows.
Indeed, as each criminal organization that stood against the IRS fell, others trembled in fear, thinking they were next.
In fact, being caught by the IRS and quietly sent to prison on tax evasion charges might have been psychologically easier.
They say there is no paradise in the places one flees to, but at least here, there seemed to be a mental refuge.
“With this, their businesses and name now belong to us.”
‘This isn’t tax collection; it’s practically conquest.’
Through this operation, the businesses and organizational identity of Kim Ha-yeon’s group fell into Lee Hyuna’s hands.
From now on, Kim Ha-yeon’s organization and its name would be used as Lee Hyuna saw fit.
Inspecting the chaotic state of the business left in shambles by the IRS raid, Lee Hyuna smiled brightly and made a request to Jung Dong-gun, who had been silently observing the situation.
“Mr. Jung, can you relocate the surveillance posts along the Daekyeong route so that they are hidden from Daegu’s perspective?”
The Daekyeong route she referred to was a road west of Gyeongju, connected to Taejong Road in the region.
It was a key route leading from Gyeongju to Daegu, providing access to the Gyeongbu Expressway and even reaching the heart of Daegu Metropolitan City.
In other words, for Gyeongju, the Daekyeong route was a critical transportation hub connecting it to Daegu. However, it was also through this road that zombies from Daegu often traveled to Gyeongju.
“It’s possible. It’s a matter of dismantling the current posts and reinstalling them elsewhere.”
Recognizing its importance, Jung Dong-gun had set up monitoring posts and gates along this route to track and control zombie movements toward Gyeongju.
Since this request didn’t involve outright removal but rather repositioning the posts to keep them hidden from Daegu’s view, it was an annoying but manageable task for the personnel on site.
“But is this really necessary? The surveillance posts are functioning perfectly fine as they are.”
Why should they reposition posts that were working effectively?
After all, moving them required labor and resources.
“Because we need to ensure Daegu believes there’s a path they can use undetected by the Balhut Cult.”
“Are you saying… a smuggling route to Daegu?”
Sensing her intent, Jung Dong-gun asked if she meant a smuggling route. Smiling brightly, Lee Hyuna confirmed his guess.
“Yes. We are creating a smuggling route to Daegu ourselves.”
Calmly, she stated that the Balhut Cult would deliberately establish and manage this route as needed. While it might look like a smuggling route, it was nothing more than a facade.
“I understand, but is this truly necessary?”
Above all, Jung Dong-gun was skeptical of the value of such an effort for Daegu.
Daegu was indeed a major city with solid industrial infrastructure. However, as long as the city hadn’t been fully reclaimed, that infrastructure was practically useless.
While an interim government had been formed, Daegu still relied on external supplies, given the ongoing war against zombies. It wasn’t a region capable of exporting resources externally.
Instead, it was a region that would drain the cult’s resources, not contribute to them. During previous meetings, no one had considered Daegu particularly appealing.
“We need the narrative that Kim Ha-yeon’s organization facilitated the movement of Gyeongju’s resources to Daegu.”
However, Lee Hyuna’s objective wasn’t to profit from a smuggling route but to craft a story—a narrative Daegu could accept.
Daegu needed a plausible backstory to justify the events, and for that, Lee Hyuna required Jung Dong-gun’s cooperation in managing the route.
With his control over the area, he could enable the narrative manipulation necessary for her plan.
“So, this is all for the sake of a story. Whatever your aim is, can I at least trust that this isn’t for personal gain but for the cult?”
“Yes, I swear under the name of God Bahamut.”
The meticulous groundwork she was laying for the narrative made Jung Dong-gun wonder what her ultimate goal was.
No matter how much he racked his brain, he couldn’t figure out Lee Hyuna’s grand design. Nevertheless, as a soldier of the Balhut Cult, he issued her a warning.
If what she was doing wasn’t for personal gain but for the cult’s benefit, he demanded absolute clarity. Without hesitation, Lee Hyuna swore under the name of God Bahamut.
Given the weight of such an oath within the cult, Jung Dong-gun believed her and sighed deeply.
“Tell me everything you need.”
“Please establish a specific route that allows us to discreetly reach Daegu.”
“That’s a simple task.”
Asking for her true request, Lee Hyuna explained that they needed a covert route to reach Daegu.
It wasn’t a particularly difficult task since the surveillance posts and gates were under Jung Dong-gun’s control. As long as they coordinated the timing and actions internally, they could ensure the route would remain unnoticed and avoid suspicion.
After wrapping up her collaboration with Jung Dong-gun, the next person Lee Hyuna sought out was…
“Sua, I have a favor to ask. It’s important.”
“Sure. What is it, sister?”
It was Administrative Official Lee Sua, responsible for handling the cult’s internal affairs.
Busy resolving the constant stream of complaints reaching the administrative office, Lee Sua asked her sister what had brought her to the office so suddenly.
“Find someone in the Daegu community we can collaborate with.”
“That’s an easy task. Didn’t we say during the last meeting that we’re heading to Ulsan? Has God Bahamut changed His mind?”
“No, that’s not it. The operation in Ulsan is still planned.”
When Lee Hyuna mentioned finding someone to collaborate with in the Daegu community, Lee Sua initially responded that it was an easy task. However, she brought up the previous meeting’s conclusion to advance into Ulsan and wondered why Daegu was being mentioned now.
Assuming it was impossible for Lee Hyuna to overturn a decision already made by higher-ups, she asked if perhaps the mighty God Bahamut had changed His mind. Lee Hyuna shook her head and reassured her that wasn’t the case.
“Still, Daegu is near Gyeongju, isn’t it? It’s better for us to prepare in advance.”
“That’s true. Alright.”
When Hyuna reasoned that Daegu’s proximity to Gyeongju required prior preparations, Lee Sua readily accepted the request without any objections.
Lee Sua wasn’t the type to heartlessly refuse, and the justification Lee Hyuna gave was convincing enough for her to accept without question.
From Lee Sua’s perspective, even if the cult focused all its efforts on Ulsan, it was only natural to be prepared for contingencies involving Daegu, given its proximity.
Thus, Lee Hyuna’s plans gradually came together, piece by piece, forming a larger picture.
“From Daegu’s point of view, the surveillance network now appears to be loose, with the visible posts hidden as much as possible.”
“This is perfect. So, when we pass through here…”
“We’ll pretend we didn’t see anything.”
“Excellent.”
With Jung Dong-gun’s help, a hidden route to Daegu was created.
Though it was a known path within the cult and essentially an orchestrated ploy, they decided to label it as a smuggling route.
In reality, only one organization would use this route, and chances were high that no one would even realize it existed later.
Securing this path to Daegu, Lee Hyuna also…
“I’ve compiled a list. It includes internal community members and people we can collaborate with in Daegu.”
“Perfect. Thanks to you, Sua, we’ll be able to choose the first person to contact once we reach Daegu.”
“Contact…?”
Using Lee Sua’s efforts, they gathered internal information about the Daegu community and identified organizations the cult could cooperate with.
As Lee Hyuna began reviewing the resumes provided by Sua, the younger sister couldn’t help but be curious about her sister’s sudden interest in Daegu and decided to ask.
“You’re showing a lot of interest in Daegu all of a sudden. Are you pre-selecting collaborators there?”
“Something like that.”
“Then, who are you thinking of? Maybe Mr. Heo Jin-ho, a key figure in the Daegu interim government?”
Lee Sua recommended Heo Jin-ho, someone she deemed an excellent candidate for collaboration.
He was a well-respected Awakener and a major player in the interim government formed in Daegu.
With a decent reputation in the Daegu community and his significant power, Sua believed his collaboration would speed up their operations in Daegu.
“He’s not a bad choice. But… hmm. Is there someone greedy or interested in power, like Do Josoon?”
For some reason, Lee Hyuna wasn’t satisfied with Heo Jin-ho and instead expressed interest in someone more like Do Josoon—a figure driven by greed and power.
Dumbfounded by the suggestion, Lee Sua questioned her sister.
“Huh? Well, there’s someone like that, but they weren’t included in the list because they’re not worth collaborating with.”
“Bring it to me.”
“Ugh, alright.”
The cult didn’t typically work with such individuals, and in fact, the cult leader, Choi Yuna, despised people like Do Josoon.
Naturally, such individuals hadn’t made it onto the collaboration list. Despite that, Lee Hyuna seemed intent on finding someone with such qualities.
‘There’s no way my sister, who believes in God Bahamut more than anyone, would betray us.’
Although a sense of unease crept in, Lee Sua ultimately complied, trusting in her sister’s loyalty to the Balhut Cult and God Bahamut.
“Ko Joon-woo, age 19. Established a camp representing Daegu at a young age. However, due to personality issues, the camp has dissolved or disbanded several times. He joined the interim government but isn’t satisfied with his current position. Perfect.”
Fulfilling her task diligently, Lee Sua retrieved the information Lee Hyuna wanted.
Still, even though she had found and selected the candidate herself, Sua couldn’t hide her discomfort and questioned her sister.
“Wh-what’s so perfect about him?”
“He’s easy to exploit. He’s reasonably strong and ambitious for power. But he lacks social skills and is sure to cause trouble internally, isn’t he?”
It wasn’t a wrong assessment.
If they intended to use him as an internal disruptor, he was an ideal candidate.
But why did they need someone to create chaos within Daegu?
“That’s true, but…”
“I don’t want Daegu to grow into a true government. I want everyone on the Korean Peninsula to recognize the Balhut Cult as the sole legitimate government.”
It was a straightforward plan.
The Balhut Cult—or rather, Lee Hyuna—did not want a competitor to emerge.
Thus, she aimed to restrain Daegu, a city with significant potential as a major urban center.
“Didn’t even the United States recognize us?”
“Yes, but there are still those who don’t understand that recognition. Especially the ones declaring they’ll form interim governments. They need a taste of reality.”
When Sua questioned the need to target Daegu despite the cult already being recognized by the United States, Lee Hyuna revealed her disdain for Daegu’s interim government.
She implied she intended to crush their ambitions and disrupt their progress.
“After what happened in Pohang, we’ve already learned how terrifying internal conflicts can be. It’s time to let them struggle with a meddlesome brat.”
“But… people in Daegu might get hurt or killed.”
A lot of bloodshed could occur.
Given that Pohang had almost descended into civil war, Sua’s concerns were entirely valid.
“They won’t die. They won’t. I don’t want Daegu to collapse. Instead, I plan to send plenty of resources to Daegu through Ko Joon-woo.”
“Wait, resources?”
Surprisingly, Lee Hyuna claimed she intended to send abundant supplies to Daegu, ensuring its stability.
“Yes, we’ll send plenty of resources. They won’t collapse easily.”
“…But couldn’t those resources be used to manipulate them?”
However, Sua wasn’t convinced. She caught onto the phrase “through Ko Joon-woo” and questioned the motives.
As someone who had provided the information, she already understood what kind of person Ko Joon-woo was.
Would he share the resources fairly, or hoard them for himself?
Sua was certain it would be the latter.
“That’s up to Ko Joon-woo. Besides, we’ll act not as the Balhut Cult but under the guise of an anti-establishment group.”
“You’re ruthless, sister.”
Moreover, all of this would be carried out under the name of a resistance group opposing the cult.
This way, the Balhut Cult could distance itself from the events entirely.
It was an undeniably ruthless tactic.
“It’s the Apocalypse.”
But in the age of the Apocalypse, a single word was enough to justify anything.
—
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