27. Commander.

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“We need a new foundation, a new order.”

“Excuse me?”

 

 

That was the President’s opening line after summoning Han Sarang to the Blue House.

 

 

Han Sarang questioned him, taken aback by the unexpected statement, and he continued with a gaze that belied his relaxed demeanor.

 

 

“People today often think that democracy and human rights are natural and will last forever.”

“?”

 

Still an irrelevant statement.

 

 

“But that’s a scary thought. Everything humanity has achieved comes at a price. Lightly, starting with money, and even the lives of individuals or communities.”

 

He took a sip of the prepared coffee, pausing for a moment as if about to say something quite heavy.

 

“It’s been quite some time since democracy and human rights emerged. And we’ve paid the price for them. So… now it seems difficult to maintain them.”

“What do you mean by that?”

 

An almost reflexive question.

But the President didn’t answer, instead posing another question.

 

 

“How long do you think the current order will last, Colonel?”

“…I’m not sure I understand the intent of your question.”

“No, you do. You’re a smart person.”

“….”

“Five years… no, it’s almost six years now. The concept of Dungeons appeared, and countless communities and societies collapsed. If it weren’t for advanced countries like us, and even then, only countries with strong national power, they would have crumbled without resolving this situation.”

“Are you trying to talk about the dangers of Dungeons? If that’s the case…”

“If that were the case, I wouldn’t be talking to Colonel Han. Dungeons are just a prelude.”

 

He continued his explanation.

 

“Since the appearance of Dungeons, individuals with powerful abilities have emerged, and they’ve banded together to form Guilds. They’re called Guilds, but they’re essentially private armed groups. From the state’s perspective, that’s not a welcome development. And finally… that person has appeared as well.”

“You’re talking about Yu Eun-ssi.”

“Yes. In fact, his appearance has rendered everything before him meaningless.”

 

 

He seemed a little afraid.

A trembling gaze hidden beneath a relaxed expression.

But it wasn’t the expression of someone running away either.

 

 

“I thought I knew him to some extent, but the past few months have severely rebuked me for that. He’s a much stronger and more dangerous person than I thought. Even if he didn’t exist.”

 

 

He seemed to be thinking about Harem Palace independently subduing China.

It was inevitable, considering the hundreds of thousands of People’s Liberation Army soldiers who were massacred.

Moreover, the Vozhinians he obtained as a result, and the women who were kidnapped and turned into maids, have firmly established themselves as belonging to the Palace.

 

 

“It’s not a movie… a grotesque creature born from a person and reproducing. The thought of such a thing being released in the middle of Seoul keeps me up at night.”

“I’m sure.”

“Since the Chinese army was massacred without even putting up a fight, it’s impossible for our military to face him either.”

 

Han Sarang also nodded.

Even she, who was in the military, could see that they were no match.

 

“Anyway… that’s the situation. We’ve entered an era where we can’t guarantee whether the nation, let alone humanity, can subdue him even if we combine our strength. And probably soon…”

 

 

He paused to wet his throat.

He smacked his lips several times.

 

 

“The current order will collapse. He doesn’t fit in a world with democracy or human rights. He wants to own everything, do whatever he wants, and doesn’t want to take responsibility. It feels like looking at a middle schooler with chuunibyou.”

“….”

“It would be fortunate if there was someone who could control him… but it doesn’t seem like there is anyone like that.”

“…I agree.”

“If things go wrong, we can’t guarantee the survival of this country either. As long as I’m in office, I can try to accommodate him as much as possible… but who knows. This isn’t a monarchy, and the president changes every five years, so I don’t know how long we can last at this point when a new order is being established.”

 

Silence persisted for a while after those words.

The President was thinking in his own way, and Han Sarang was also contemplating her own concerns.

 

 

In the few months that Yu Eun was gone, the world had undergone rapid changes, and the order that had been maintained until then was shaking.

And when he returns, it will only get worse, not better.

 

 

“Do you remember what I said earlier?”

“Are you talking about how everything humanity has achieved comes at a price?”

“Yes. Establishing a new order also comes at a price, of course. Usually… extreme chaos. Let’s say, for example. What if Yu Eun grabbed an innocent woman passing by and made her his woman, and the entire nation found out?”

“That would be…”

 

The President shrugged and spread his palms.

 

 

“It’s destruction no matter what you choose. A dilemma. If we issue a warrant and try to arrest him in the name of upholding democracy and the rule of law, the people might cheer. And that would align with the current definition of justice. But the Palace will resist. A group that is insensitive to murder and feels no remorse for dismantling communities will resist. They might even carry out a nuclear reactor terror attack like they did in Japan, or a biochemical terror attack like they did in China, in Seoul Plaza. We might become like Colombia or Mexico during the era of drug lords. Because we have no means to stop their resistance.

 

But if we ignore his crimes, the people will rise up this time. Although the punishment for various heinous crimes is blurred, and corruption is rampant, people will still not tolerate it. Because it’s a matter of pride for the community they belong to. They cannot live as citizens of a country where the state yields to a single criminal.

 

 

So we can’t choose either.”

 

 

It’s a truly bleak future.

The problem is that it’s not a movie scenario, but something that is very likely to become reality.

 

 

“So… what exactly are you trying to say to me?”

“It’s simple. Let’s resolve this dilemma in advance.”

“?”

“You obtained a hidden job, right? I’ve heard roughly about its function as well. You can summon soldiers.”

“That’s right. From the state’s perspective, it might be a bit uncomfortable, but you can think of it as simple private soldier training.”

“That’s why I’m having this conversation with Colonel Han.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know how long it will take… but we need to raise at least five divisions.”

“Five divisions? That’s a lot, isn’t it? Of course, they are summoned regardless of my will as my stats increase… but I can’t possibly take care of them all by myself. They eat, drink, and enjoy entertainment too.”

“I’m sure. But if you seize the power of the state, you can easily clothe and feed five divisions. Don’t you think?”

“Excuse me?”

 

She let out a somewhat dazed voice.

It was inevitable. Anyone would make such a sound if they suddenly heard grand talk about ‘the power of the state’.

 

 

“What do you think is the way to solve that dilemma earlier?”

“Didn’t you say there wasn’t one?”

“There is. Of course, it’s a sophistical method that destroys the premise.”

 

 

He tapped his head with his index finger.

 

 

“We just need to make sure the incident doesn’t happen.”

“?”

“Whether he kidnaps a woman or a man, we just need to not know about it. Then the state’s choice becomes much simpler.”

“…Do you think that makes sense?”

 

 

He seemed to be talking about controlling the media.

It would have been entirely possible in the past, and it was actually being controlled, but now? I don’t know.

 

“It’s not possible. That’s why we need Colonel Han’s power. A massive power that can destroy the current order in an instant and rebuild it.”

“Ha… Don’t tell me… are you telling me to stage a coup… is that what you’re saying?”

 

 

Her tone was a little agitated.

 

“No.”

“Then what the hell!”

“A coup? It’s just a revolution for survival.”

“…Isn’t that just playing with words!”

“Then do you think this country, under its current system, can control all the media so that not even an ant can get out? This country, which claims to be a democracy?”

“Why do you think that’s the only way?”

“Then Colonel Han, let me ask you. If that person commits a crime, what do you want to happen to him?”

“…Why are you asking me that?”

“You are both his lover and a utilitarian. Neither of you would want him to be arrested or at odds with the state. Right?”

“….”

 

She didn’t answer, just bit her lip tightly.

 

 

“Then how should the state and its institutions respond in that situation? Should we widely publicize this fact to the people, and announce that even though he committed a crime, he is too strong for us to dare arrest, indict, or punish him? What, should we announce something like that?”

“That’s…”

 

 

“The country will collapse! It can’t be just once or twice! Is it just the country that will collapse? What about its people? What about our Korean people? It was the Korean people who always rose up and drew their swords when the state couldn’t resist. When they draw their swords against him, what will happen? Can you guarantee that they won’t end their lives as the mother of monsters, their bodies exploding horribly? Can you be sure that they won’t be riddled with radiation from a nuclear reactor terror attack, their bodies melting away in pain for the rest of their lives before dying?”

 

“…Even if I stage a revolution or a coup, it will be the same anyway. The public’s animosity towards military dictatorship hasn’t cooled down even now.”

“I’m sure. There will definitely be backlash. There will be protests. But that! You will handle it, won’t you? You and those soldiers will handle it, won’t you? There’s no need to kill them, no need to torture them, and no need to impose unnecessarily high sentences. Because the purpose is to protect them.

But what if Harem Palace clashes with the protesters? Don’t you see the difference even now? Don’t you understand why I’m making this proposal?”

“….”

“Because you are someone who is loyal to the country, cherishes the people, and has the will to serve the nation, and because you have the power, and because you want to face the protesters and the fierce revolutionary movements that will arise in the future instead of Harem Palace, that’s why I’m saying these things.”

 

He, who had been agitated, took a breath and composed himself.

 

“……The order has already changed. From the moment a monster like him appeared. We can’t resist. Then we should at least survive.”

“Let me ask you one thing. Even if we have a military dictatorship, information will leak out anyway. You know that we can’t block it perfectly, don’t you? And even though this country claims to be a democracy, there are still many parts that are controlled. Do we still have to resort to such extreme measures?”

“As I said earlier, this country’s leader changes every five years without fail. Among them, there may be a righteous person with a firm will and conviction. Someone who hates crime, and especially someone who hates that person. If we clash with him like that, this country itself could be erased.”

“…You’re very afraid.”

“Because I’ve seen that power.”

 

 

If we continue like this, we will inevitably clash with Harem Palace. So, before that happens, we will stage a revolution, establish a new order in a new country, and create a country that does not conflict with the Palace. And we will control the people so that they also do not clash with the Palace. As a result, we will minimize the damage.

 

 

That is the President’s plan.

 

Han Sarang felt displeasure at it, but at the same time, she found herself nodding.

 

 

Since we can’t resist, we’ll just submit from the beginning and even establish a new order.

Isn’t this like being a traitor? Isn’t this the same as those who are usually in history who face an external enemy that they cannot dare to oppose, choose to surrender instead of fighting, and then console themselves by saying that they protected the people?

 

 

Of course, there isn’t really any other way.

Not only Yu Eun, but even the Palace without him has power that the world cannot handle. That Varcana, who turned Incheon into a wasteland as soon as he appeared and treated all modern weapons like toys, collapsed with just two intruders, and hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers were swept away by just one clone of Ah-Heuk.

 

 

An opponent that is qualitatively and quantitatively different from any great power or external enemy that appears in history.

Perhaps surrender is the real answer.

 

“To add, technology is constantly developing. If we create the relevant legal provisions appropriately, controlling the country is a piece of cake. Of course, this country can’t do it now. It’s already too democratic.”

 

He tapped the desk with his fingers and leaned forward.

Unlike before, his eyes were firm and unwavering.

 

 

“Destroy the world, and create the world. That’s what you have to do. Colonel Han Sarang.”