33. Opening the Gate

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“Area suppression complete. Even deploying only a battalion-level force in strategic locations will ensure absolute defense.”

 

 

At the adjutant’s report, Han Sarang, who had been engrossed in a book, nodded.

It had only been a few days since she started her conquest.

But those few days had provided her with a new base of operations and countless territories, including an absolute defense line for protection.

 

 

A power that the civilization of this world could not possibly resist.

The merciless conquest driven by that power had already captured territory equivalent to a nation.

 

 

The number of prisoners captured as manpower alone reached hundreds of thousands, and those left behind for various production activities exceeded a million.

And the number of those massacred was equally high.

 

 

 

A large-scale disaster unprecedented in the history of the continent.

Through conquest and massacre, Han Sarang rapidly increased her stats, which immediately led to an increase in combat power.

 

 

The summoning of new troops immediately led to additional conquests, and the resources obtained from the conquered lands were brought back to the base and stockpiled as various categorized resources.

 

Thanks to this, the population of Timujin’s capital, which had been around 200,000, quickly transformed into a metropolis with a population of hundreds of thousands.

 

Of course, it wasn’t proper accommodation. They were only being treated as prisoners, and free movement was impossible.

And even then, once enough uniforms and personal firearms could be produced in the factory, they would gradually become trainees and undergo harsh training.

 

 

 

 

“We will end the first phase of occupation here. Divide the administrative districts into ‘Provinces,’ ‘Cities,’ ‘Districts,’ and ‘Neighborhoods’ for efficient management, and report after selecting those in charge.”

“Won’t you continue? The army still has plenty of capacity.”

 

At Shirley’s question, she shook her head.

 

The army’s capacity was more than enough; it was overflowing.

She had acquired a proper base, and her stats had increased significantly. The troop strength, which was far less than 2,000 at the start of the conquest, was now approaching 4,000, and a munitions factory capable of producing military equipment such as tanks and armored vehicles was also being built here.

 

 

Moreover, supplies were steadily being transported from the Empire territory of Larnar in the Leiziel Kingdom, so she could spread out as much as she wanted if she wished.

 

 

But she thought she should stop here for now.

She had already occupied an area comparable to South Korea in just a few days, and this alone consumed a considerable amount of administrative power. And she was a well-trained ‘soldier,’ not a ‘leader.’

 

 

“The army’s capacity is sufficient, but administrative power is lacking. Divide the administrative districts as quickly as possible, deploy one battalion to each ‘City’-level administrative district to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, and deploy the remaining troops in Hanyang.”

“Shall we also issue a surrender recommendation to the enemy king?”

“There’s no need to go that far. They’ll come.”

“Understood.”

 

 

She turned her attention to internal affairs.

Well, even so, it wouldn’t last more than a month.

 

 

 

 

“By the way, what will the nation’s name be? Everyone is curious… Seeing as you named this place ‘Hanyang,’ will it be ‘New Joseon’ or something?”

 

 

At Shirley’s jokingly thrown words, Han Sarang thought for a moment and then nodded.

 

 

“That’s an important matter, so a meeting will be necessary. We’ll decide at the senior staff meeting tonight.”

“Then I’ll tell them to think about things related to the nation’s name.”

“Okay.”

 

 

 

 

Shirley left, and Han Sarang lay down on the bed.

 

When she had to decide on a ‘nation’s name,’ a strange feeling stirred within her.

A feeling she herself couldn’t understand.

 

 

‘What is this feeling…?’

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Staff Meeting.

 

 

A crucial meeting where the stars of Han Sarang-gun gather to decide the future direction of the army.

 

 

 

“A nation’s name is like a symbol representing the ruling ideology of the people. As the Commander and all of us here are pursuing the greatest happiness for the greatest number of the Korean people, I believe we need a nation’s name that is fitting. And since we plan to return to Earth someday and succeed the Republic of Korea, I think it would be good to inherit the name ‘Republic of Korea’ as is.”

 

 

“I am against inheriting the nation’s name. The existing Republic of Korea and the nation we will build in the future are very different in character. Democracy and the free economic system will remain the same, but many things will change due to our superior technology, industry, military power, and our ruling ideology of the greatest happiness for the greatest number. So-”

 

 

“I-.”

 

“I-.”

 

 

 

The officers expressed their respective opinions.

 

Using what Han Sarang had been thinking about and the conversations she had with the President, various nation names poured out.

Nation names based on the names of old Korean peninsula states were mentioned, and later, even the name ‘Provisional Government’ came up.

 

 

“Hmm.”

 

 

As she listened to all the opinions one by one, Shirley opened her mouth.

 

 

She cautiously looked at Han Sarang’s face and then spoke with a face of immense determination.

 

 

 

 

“I would like to ask the Commander-nim first.”

“Huh?”

“Do you have a nation name in mind separately?”

“Hmm.”

 

 

At her question, Han Sarang leaned back.

 

“I personally think it would be good to inherit the Republic of Korea as is.”

“Are you planning to implement democracy?”

“That’s right. Aren’t democracy, human rights, and a free economy the most important things for modern people?”

“Then we would have to step down in four or five years after the founding of the nation?”

“…?”

“Will you also step down, Commander-nim? Will you disband the entire army, leave politics, and retreat somewhere in seclusion?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

 

 

Shirley continued with a rare stern face.

 

 

“We are the Commander-nim’s army. We do not listen to the orders of anyone else. We will not listen to the orders of the South Korean President, nor will we listen to the orders of the Harem Palace Emperor. We are soldiers who only listen to the Commander-nim’s orders. No modern nation allows private armies, so what will happen after the Commander-nim relinquishes the position of head of state?”

 

 

“I am just a soldier. I have no intention of becoming the leader of a nation.”

 

 

To build up military power here, cross dimensions, overthrow the Republic of Korea, and then govern until things are ‘stable’ and a system is in place to prevent the Harem Palace and the people from clashing.

 

 

That is the operation that Han Sarang and the President planned.

 

She would temporarily become the leader of the nation in the process, but she had no intention of dragging it out forever. The President didn’t plan for that either.

 

 

 

But…

 

 

 

 

“It’s the same even then. Even if you remain a general and not a leader, you will eventually retire, and then you will have to either disband the army or transfer command to the state. But as I said, we do not listen to the orders of anyone other than the Commander-nim.”

 

It seems that Shirley and the other subordinates don’t think so.

Not only she, but even the officer who had argued for the succession of the ‘democracy’-based Republic of Korea nodded.

 

 

“What are you trying to say?”

“We want to build the Commander-nim’s country, regardless of its form. We hope that the nation’s name will also be fitting.”

 

Han Sarang let out a hollow laugh.

 

 

“Are you telling me to become a king and have a long-term reign or something?”

 

A king.

It’s a method that directly violates her values.

 

 

 

The greatest happiness for the greatest number.

 

 

To achieve this, monarchy and empire must be avoided as much as possible.

What king, what emperor, thinks of the people first and always thinks only of them?

 

 

Even if a very few do, the nation’s system, the ruling ideology, is structured to squeeze them.

 

 

 

So it’s out of the question from the start.

It’s not even worth thinking about.

 

 

 

“A king is a symbol of greed. I’m not moving to fulfill my desires, but to uplift our people. So that proposal is…”

 

 

She was about to refuse.

It was something she hadn’t even thought about in the first place, so she was going to cut it off cleanly.

 

 

But what was it?

 

An unknown, strange feeling put a stop to her words.

 

 

 

Is it really okay?

 

 

 

Is the result of shedding the blood of my army, using resources, and finally sacrificing while even earning the hatred of the entire nation, really just the prosperity of the people?

 

 

Do I have no desires?

 

Do I have no wishes to fulfill and no wealth to possess?

Do I have no desire to build my own permanent country?

 

 

 

At the crossroads of history, hesitation arose.

 

 

 

She doesn’t know yet what kind of desire it is.

But what is certain is that the values of the greatest happiness for the greatest number, which she had firmly believed in and tried to practice, are wavering.

 

 

To be precise, it is being consumed by something.

 

 

 

“Honestly, I don’t like the South Korean President’s proposal either. Isn’t he just setting up the Commander-nim as a scapegoat and backing away himself! Why should we be swayed and used by such a person’s plan? If the Commander-nim takes all the responsibility and endures all the hatred, then the Commander-nim should rightfully take the spoils of war as well. Not the people.”

 

 

“…I didn’t know you had such thoughts.”

 

 

As if she had a headache, she pressed her forehead.

After thinking silently for a long time, she finally dismissed the meeting and called only Shirley out separately.

 

 

“You called for me?”