Ch.2828. Plunderer (2)

“The assignment of duties for the cult’s positions, ranks, and responsibilities has been completed. The legal aspects are still pending, but now we can distribute the internal staff more precisely.”

The positions, ranks, and responsibilities within the Balhut Cult were being handled by Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul, both former politicians.

Each had belonged to the Democratic Party and Conservative Party respectively, though they weren’t actually representatives of Gyeongju City Council. They weren’t proportional representatives either—frankly speaking, they were just unknown politicians affiliated with parties, without the fame or power to claim they represented the major parties of South Korea.

However, the reason they could use the names of Korea’s representative parties without any pushback was simple.

“Good work. So, you were politicians from the Democratic Party and Conservative Party?”

The Apocalypse disaster had completely shattered not only South Korea’s national fortune but also its already extremely polarized politics.

Things had collapsed so thoroughly that these two unknown party politicians had been elected as party representatives within the cult.

With the party’s internal communication systems broken and the survival status of numerous elected officials unknown, survival took priority over political maneuvering or extreme left-right conflicts. Both Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul knew well that such infighting would be self-destructive foolishness.

“There’s no need to mention our party names. They’re failed parties anyway.”

“Just call us advisors or secretaries.”

“I understand.”

So when Bahamut asked, they simply said their parties had failed and referred to themselves as advisors and secretaries.

“I swear to provide endless advice on state affairs for the Balhut Cult going forward.”

“I swear the same.”

They were two men who had pledged loyalty to the Balhut Cult for survival and advancement.

To them, the Balhut Cult was an emerging power that could rekindle the dying embers of South Korea—an organization with a promising future.

The fact that it was a religious group and that its leader was a dragon rather than a human slightly bothered them, but frankly speaking, when had religious groups ever not meddled in Korean politics?

Remembering how many cult leaders had gritted their teeth trying to participate in politics from outside the system, these two men accepted the current situation as relatively unproblematic.

“…Based on that trust, there’s something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Why are there those who refuse to surrender even though the outcome is already decided?”

Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul immediately understood what was troubling Bahamut.

After all, hadn’t he explicitly hinted at what was worrying him?

‘He’s talking about North Gyeongju.’

‘Well, there have been rumors about the raiders gaining momentum recently. It’s natural to be concerned.’

Of course, there was no reason to fear North Gyeongju’s momentum now.

The Balhut Cult’s growth could proudly be called the best in Gyeongju, proven by numerous expeditions liberating many towns and villages around Gyeongju.

Even if Jo Sun-do and his raiders tried to resist the trend now, they couldn’t reverse the momentum that had already reached its peak.

Above all, the Balhut Cult had its god Bahamut whom the cult followed.

Defeat was virtually impossible.

“That’s simple. They can’t give up the rights they’ve gained.”

“Can’t give them up?”

“Yes, power or wealth. Or something else. People don’t easily give up whatever stimulates their inner desires. And in this zombie apocalypse disaster, with enough strength, one can obtain wealth and power easily. From what I know, Jo Sun-do has made North Gyeongju his personal kingdom.”

Hwang Geun-chul explained Jo Sun-do’s behavior as a primal human desire.

He said the reason Jo Sun-do refused to give up resisting the Balhut Cult despite the obvious trend was his greed for the wealth and power he currently held.

Any person would think of protecting such rights rather than surrendering them.

“…You’re not wrong.”

Bahamut actively agreed with Hwang Geun-chul’s opinion.

Even he thought that if he suddenly gained enormous wealth or power, he would think about protecting it rather than giving it up.

Jo Sun-do, who ruled North Gyeongju, probably thought the same way.

As Bahamut nodded in agreement, Park Cheol-gon began explaining after Hwang Geun-chul.

“The reason North Gyeongju hasn’t accepted the offer to surrender is really simple. They don’t want to give up the power they’ve just obtained. Rather, they’ve done various things to protect this power. Am I wrong?”

“That’s right. Jeong Dong-geon reported to me that they’ve been raiding the Balhut Cult and issuing counterfeit coins in the Gyeongju market to try to collapse our economy.”

The border between North and South Gyeongju was just a bridge away—too close.

Naturally, if they wanted, they could cross the bridge to attack and raid the Balhut Cult, or release counterfeit coins made in North Gyeongju into the market.

Especially the counterfeit currency, which exploited the fact that ordinary people couldn’t identify fakes, was an attack threatening Gyeongju’s economy.

“That’s just the desperate struggle of second and third-place contenders envying the top spot. Honestly, isn’t the Balhut Cult maintaining its overwhelming first place in Gyeongju despite their offensives?”

“…Yes.”

Park Cheol-gon advised that it was merely trivial jealousy.

At first glance, he seemed to be underestimating the approaching threat, but he could make such claims because there were valid reasons.

Bahamut nodded solemnly, unable to deny his words.

“Having gained the southern part of Gyeongju, we’ve liberated the farmlands there and can harvest enough crops to secure sufficient food supplies. Though internal issues remain in the cult, we’re gradually acquiring the means to solve them.”

“You’re thorough. If we could conquer North Gyeongju, how much military power would the cult need?”

“…Excluding Jo Sun-do himself, the expedition force led by Jeong Dong-geon would be enough.”

“Wow.”

Just Jeong Dong-geon’s forces would be enough to conquer North Gyeongju.

At these words, Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul looked at Bahamut with surprised expressions.

Despite appearances, Jo Sun-do called himself the king of Gyeongju and actually had the power and authority to back it up.

The fact that just Jeong Dong-geon’s expedition force would be enough to defeat such a power made them truly realize the Balhut Cult’s strength.

‘The most important thing in today’s world is power.’

‘And the cult is the strongest in South Gyeongju!’

Having reaffirmed that South Gyeongju’s army was strong, Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul continued with expectant expressions.

“Then our army is the strongest force in the Gyeongju region.”

“Now I understand why Bahamut asked such a question.”

If they wanted to, they could subjugate North Gyeongju’s ruler Jo Sun-do and eliminate the rampaging raiders.

Yet Bahamut hesitated to take action because…

‘Is it his belief? Or…’

‘Is it the answer to the question he asked before?’

Before the survivor camps of Gyeongju united to launch the Balhut Cult.

Hwang Geun-chul and Park Cheol-gon had been able to witness the scene where the survivor camp leaders gathered to question Bahamut.

Bahamut preferred to resolve situations through dialogue rather than fighting whenever possible.

At the time, they thought it was just lip service to reassure the survivor camps, but they didn’t expect him to actually keep that promise.

The two politicians looked at Bahamut with impressed expressions, but…

‘Oh? So subjugation was the right answer. I thought persuasion without fighting would be the best option.’

In reality, the truth was that he hadn’t given it much thought at all.

Anyone expecting political beliefs or ideology from this foolish dragon would be greatly disappointed.

His cowardly nature remained unchanged, and he had simply been delaying due to caution about potential dangers… especially being wary of the “enemy of humanity” route. It wasn’t that he had no intention of subjugating Jo Sun-do.

But at least he wasn’t foolish enough to attempt negotiations with someone not worth negotiating with.

“If we’re that strong, there are three reasons why they continue to refuse surrender.”

“First, as I just said, no one can easily give up power. Humans cling disgracefully to what they’ve gained.”

However, these two didn’t know Bahamut’s true thoughts, so they offered advice based on what appeared to be Bahamut’s ideology and beliefs.

There’s a saying that from a distance it’s comedy, but up close it’s tragedy—a perfect description for this situation.

“Second are those who have finished their cost-benefit analysis. They might be even more vicious than Jo Sun-do. A kind of kingmaker, or a base attempt to inflate their value to the highest bidder.”

“Finally, there are those who hate Bahamut for forcing peace and want to fight. This possibility could be small or large.”

Unlike the foolish Bahamut, Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul, with their extensive social and political experience, explained three plausible reasons despite Bahamut’s naivety.

While finding all of them reasonable, Bahamut tilted his head in confusion at the last one.

“I can fully understand the first and second, but the last one is incomprehensible.”

“It’s the same story. For some people, this disaster that is hell for us is perceived as heaven.”

“Someone thinks this disaster is heaven? Why?”

Thinking of the zombie apocalypse as heaven.

‘Isn’t that person insane?’ Bahamut trembled inwardly, but maintained an expressionless face as he stared at Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul, demanding an explanation.

Under his gaze, they smiled and continued with the explanation Bahamut had requested.

“You look surprised. Understandably so. I find it hard to comprehend too. But what’s hell for some can be heaven for others. Because the previous peace might have been hell for them.”

“Social status, jobs, money problems, or family issues. There were many adversities in reality, and all of them disappeared with this unprecedented apocalyptic disaster. And unlike the past, with enough strength, one can obtain whatever money and power they desire. If strength alone can get you everything, isn’t this disaster practically heaven for them?”

“As humans, it’s difficult to resist immediate desires. Especially in an apocalyptic disaster where all morality and constraints are removed, they’re more likely to abandon conscience and pursue their immediate desires.”

That could be considered a dark aspect of modern society.

Even in South Korea, which could be called a developed country, there were plenty of social vulnerabilities and modern tragedies.

The poor, those dissatisfied with the current system, those causing social controversy.

For such people, this national disaster might not have been a disaster but rather an opportunity.

A chance to make a quick profit from the situation or seize the power they had dreamed of.

“That’s frightening.”

For Bahamut, an ordinary armchair warrior, this was both a distant tale and a terrifying reality.