Ch.187187. Slave Contract Starting from Zero (1)

Kim Su-ho didn’t monopolize the information he had obtained this time.

Of course, there were many ways his faction could benefit from keeping the information to themselves, but since it was a precursor to a massive event that would affect the entire Korean peninsula, Kim Su-ho shared the detailed information on his faction’s website as a warning to all warlords in Korea.

“Spread this news widely on our website. This problem seems too big for us to solve alone.”

“As you command.”

Thus, through Kim Su-ho, news that North Korea was gradually collapsing began to spread throughout the Korean peninsula, and the reactions from the various factions could be divided into two categories.

“This is insane!”

Those close to North Korea—especially Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Gangwon provinces—couldn’t help but be terrified by the news.

If the North Korean regime collapsed, these would be the first regions affected, and they would have to deal with the undead hordes that the North Korean regime had been holding back.

“The 38th parallel! The landmines at the 38th parallel will stop the undead!”

Did they seriously believe that the 38th parallel, its gates, or the buried landmines would block the border?

What nonsense.

“Undead don’t need to fear landmines! Landmines are only effective against humans!”

A year after the apocalypse, there was no way the border defenses were properly maintained, and the border was essentially nonexistent.

Landmines wouldn’t effectively delay the advance of the undead, and if an army of immortal beings that didn’t fear death started coming down…

“Shouldn’t we prevent the North Korean regime from collapsing?”

Some factions that had imagined the worst-case scenario even thought they needed to keep the North Korean regime alive.

That’s how much everyone anticipated that the collapse of the North Korean regime would bring an unimaginable aftermath.

“Kim Su-ho! What is Kim Su-ho doing?!”

“Act quickly! We’ll help this time! We’ll support you! Please take the lead!”

They were waiting for Kim Su-ho, the ruler of Seoul, to take action, and if he asked for their cooperation, they were willing to participate voluntarily.

Despite their differences, preventing the North Korean regime’s collapse or mitigating its aftermath was a disaster so large that public opinion was unified.

As for the other reaction…

“What does that have to do with us?”

“It’s a disaster that will end in Gyeonggi or Gangwon anyway.”

Honam and Yeongnam regions dismissed it as something completely unrelated to them and immediately lost interest.

After all, if North Korea collapsed, Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, and Gangwon would be hit first, and they would serve as buffer zones, so there was no need to worry about the disaster caused by the North Korean regime’s collapse.

Rather…

“I hope it collapses soon.”

“I agree.”

These were the ones who wanted the North Korean forces to collapse more than anyone.

They were aiming for a strategy of “using two tigers to fight each other,” hoping to weaken rival factions with the undead from North Korea’s collapse, and then take over those weakened factions themselves.

Of course, those targeted by this strategy were well aware of it, and realizing they were the targets…

“So, shall we open the path for them?”

“Are you crazy?!”

They threatened to open the way for the undead.

It was a mindset of “if we’re going to die anyway, let’s all die together,” and when faced with this genuine madness born from a life-threatening crisis, the fake madness pursuing petty interests began to subside.

And Seorabeol, which had established a nation on the Korean peninsula…

“In this situation, we need to reinforce our troops.”

“I know. I know all too well. I want to solve this somehow.”

Jeong Dong-geon, who had returned to Seorabeol from the Ulsan front, proposed military reinforcement to Hwang Geun-chul.

When Jeong Dong-geon, the military representative, said this, Hwang Geun-chul nodded with a heavy expression, agreeing that Jeong Dong-geon was right.

In fact, in this situation, military reinforcement was no longer an option but a necessity, and Hwang Geun-chul was well aware of this.

He had been trying to draft everyone who opposed him to supplement the military personnel, but…

“Those trying to avoid it are twice as many.”

The problem was that despite Hwang Geun-chul’s cooperation with the Constitutional Democratic Party, citizens were trying to avoid the conscription led by the Dragon Priest Association.

People were deliberately self-harming to fail military examinations, and tearful stories of people trying to escape by any means were occurring throughout Seorabeol.

“…The treatment isn’t bad though.”

“There are better ways to make money than that.”

“I can’t deny that.”

Jeong Dong-geon replied that the military treatment wasn’t bad, but Hwang Geun-chul answered that there were better ways to make money, and sighed.

Jeong Dong-geon couldn’t deny this and closed his eyes.

After all, if someone awakened as an Awakened, there were plenty of ways to pursue wealth outside the military.

But conversely…

“But if Seorabeol falls, all those good money-making opportunities will disappear.”

The moment Seorabeol collapsed, all that accumulated wealth would be in vain.

However…

“They believe it won’t collapse. That’s why they’re relaxed.”

“True, it’s hard to collapse. We no longer need to fear external invasions.”

Citizens didn’t respond to the cabinet’s calls because they didn’t believe Seorabeol was in crisis.

After all, it was extremely difficult for Seorabeol to collapse right now.

Seorabeol was a newly established country, and it was under the protection of the Dragon God Bahamut.

Even if Seorabeol faced a national crisis, they believed that if Dragon God Bahamut stepped in, the problem would be solved.

Trust in Dragon God Bahamut had eliminated their sense of crisis.

“If worst comes to worst, Lord Bahamut will step in and solve it. He has intervened at the most critical moments and has proven his power.”

“Is there nothing we can do about this?”

Hwang Geun-chul explained the reason for the stagnant situation, and Jeong Dong-geon, thinking the matter was urgent and needed quick resolution, asked Hwang Geun-chul how to solve it.

Of course, Hwang Geun-chul couldn’t provide an immediate solution…

“I’ll consult with Lord Bahamut.”

In the end, his choice was to rely on Bahamut.

“Military issues…”

“Yes. Due to the shortage of military personnel, it’s difficult to respond to the current disasters.”

Numerous disasters were occurring throughout the Korean peninsula.

To solve these disasters, military reinforcement was not an option but a necessity.

Currently, the cabinet was struggling to resolve the situation, but since citizens didn’t feel any sense of crisis, the cabinet had essentially lost any immediate solutions.

“Then, let’s inform Seorabeol of this. A divine beast comparable to Bahamut has appeared on the European continent.”

“Eh? Did something happen in Europe?”

And what Bahamut chose was…

“Yes. The Saint of Orleans has contracted with the phoenix. It’s an entity equal to me.”

“An entity equal to Lord Bahamut… I see. Unity through a powerful external threat?”

To use the Phoenix.

Bahamut personally felt sorry for using Phoenix politically, but considering their activity areas, Bahamut operated in Asia and Phoenix in Western Europe, so the possibility of conflict was very low.

Of course, there could be conflict with Alicia, but that was Alicia, not the Balhut Cult, right?

Therefore, Bahamut advised Hwang Geun-chul to inform the citizens of Seorabeol about Phoenix as a formidable external threat and its power.

“So what does that have to do with anything? That’s Europe, isn’t it?”

“Is there anyone in Korea who could defeat Lord Bahamut?”

Hwang Geun-chul, thinking that a powerful external threat would unify the internal factions, immediately began spreading this news to the citizens of Seorabeol.

At first, the citizens of Seorabeol dismissed it as a light rumor.

Given the distance, they assumed that Phoenix wouldn’t be able to invade Seorabeol, which was protected by the Dragon God.

“Wait. If an entity equal to Lord Bahamut has appeared in Europe, doesn’t that mean similar entities could appear elsewhere?”

But when the claim that “there isn’t just one entity equal to Dragon God Bahamut in Europe” reached Seorabeol, the story changed rapidly.

“Huh.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?”

“…It is dangerous.”

There was Phoenix, an entity equal to Bahamut, and there was even evidence that they had clashed once and were evenly matched.

This meant that they couldn’t be certain that there were no entities equal to Dragon God Bahamut in Korea, which could become the seed for those claiming a crisis for Seorabeol, along with growing anxiety.

As the crisis theory began to spread among Seorabeol citizens, Hwang Geun-chul began to inform them of the current situation on the Korean peninsula through a national address.

“Currently, the collapse of the North Korean regime is bringing a crisis to the entire Korean peninsula! The 38th parallel that blocked the path to North Korea is a flimsy wall that cannot be our barrier!”

The information disclosed in the national address was factual, somewhat exaggerated, but the crisis on the Korean peninsula was real.

As the cabinet also stimulated the Seorabeol crisis theory, the civil society couldn’t help but respond.

“We must unite in crisis!”

“I’ll enlist right now!”

Some citizens began to voluntarily enlist in response to the claim that Seorabeol was in crisis, but…

“But I don’t want to join the army as a regular soldier!”

“What do you want then?!”

Conversely, many Awakened didn’t want to join the army as regular soldiers.

In response, the cabinet… no, the Dragon Priestess had prepared a position for them.

“Hwarang?”

“Warriors of the dragon chosen by the Dragon Priestess? Is this like knights in Europe?”

“Knights! It’s like a knighthood!”

The organization called Hwarang began to attract them with phrases that stimulated men’s fantasies.

Fighting to elevate Seorabeol’s honor more than anyone else, warriors of the dragon who follow the orders of the Dragon Priestess chosen by the Dragon God!

This single line could evoke numerous fantasies for men.

“Elite unit… special equipment bestowed by the Dragon God… the Dragon Priestess’s personal guard… this is possible! It’s a shortcut to the center of power!”

Even from a practical perspective, it was a golden opportunity to become a close aide to the Dragon Priestess at the center of power, rather than going to the front lines as a regular soldier.

Opportunists… no, precisely because they were opportunists, they couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“Now I can prove my loyalty to Seorabeol!”

“Me! I’m first!”

As the path to the center of power opened, they rushed in desperately.

Thus, the number of those applying to become Hwarang increased significantly, but…

“Sir.”

“What is it this time?”

“Jo Sun-do’s remaining forces are again…”

Conversely, there were also those who genuinely believed this situation was a crisis for Seorabeol.

From Hwang Geun-chul’s perspective, he had requested WWE, but they misunderstood and performed UFC, and naturally, Hwang Geun-chul was dumbfounded by this report.

“It’s them again! How long do they plan to defy us! Jo Sun-do has been permanently imprisoned for a long time!”

He mentioned that their leader, Jo Sun-do, had long been permanently imprisoned in the Pohang Correctional Facility, which had been renovated for Awakened, and lamented that his remnants were still around.

Of course, the solution to this was simple.

“How about issuing an amnesty? After all, they’re acting out because they haven’t been forgiven.”

Amnesty!

In the end, these people were acting out to survive a little longer because they hadn’t been forgiven by the Balhut Cult, or rather, Seorabeol.

So the aide’s suggestion to issue an amnesty to commemorate the founding of the nation and make concessions to them wasn’t wrong.

But if they were ordinary criminals who committed crimes for survival, Hwang Geun-chul would have seriously considered the aide’s advice.

“Are you crazy?”

“Eh?”

“Would those plunderers who’ve tasted blood voluntarily return to society if we granted them amnesty? Or would they see our concession as weakness and act out even more?”

The problem was that they were powerful plunderers… essentially warlords.

Naturally, far from being grateful for Seorabeol’s concession, they were more likely to see it as weakness and act out even more—a hopeless group.

After Hwang Geun-chul’s harsh response, the aide thought for a moment and then…

“…I suppose the latter is more likely.”

“That’s right. That’s why I can’t easily issue an amnesty.”

He agreed with Hwang Geun-chul’s opinion, thinking the latter was more likely.

Given this reality, Hwang Geun-chul couldn’t comfortably issue an amnesty until Seorabeol was firmly established.

“How do you plan to handle Gyeon Gwan-im, the warlord captured during the Daegu recapture operation?”

“What’s Gyeon Gwan-im’s status?”

“He’s cooperating voluntarily. It seems he intends to surrender.”

After the bitter current situation, the aide asked about the treatment of Gyeon Gwan-im, the warlord who had usurped the Daegu interim government.

Hwang Geun-chul asked about Gyeon Gwan-im’s status, and the aide informed him that Gyeon Gwan-im was already voluntarily cooperating with Seorabeol and intended to surrender.

This meant that unlike the rampaging thuggish warlords, Gyeon Gwan-im was a relatively gentlemanly warlord.

“Gyeon Gwan-im is an outstanding warlord who recaptured Daegu. In principle, punishment should be discussed through trial, but…”

Thus, Hwang Geun-chul was hesitant to punish Gyeon Gwan-im as a warlord.

After all, the talent of Gyeon Gwan-im, who had usurped the Daegu interim government, was certainly valuable.

He wasn’t stubborn like Jo Sun-do, and he was smart enough to know his position better than anyone.

Of course, Hwang Geun-chul was well aware that because he knew his position so well, he was a dangerous warlord who could potentially betray Seorabeol.

“First, let’s ask for the opinion of Daegu Governor Heo Jin-ho.”

“Understood, sir.”

Since Seorabeol had a special contract that could leash such talented individuals, Hwang Geun-chul decided to first ask for Heo Jin-ho’s opinion.