Ch.299299. Rewards and Recognition (2)

In reality, this situation was structured in a way that made it inevitable for civilians to frequently discuss it, beyond just being an issue between Bahamut and the political sphere.

Civilians, exhausted from the long apocalypse, were starving for entertainment. After the Seoul Allied Forces successfully reclaimed Seoul, people in relatively safe areas began to breathe sighs of relief and search for diversions.

For such people, the debate over who should be ranked first in the merit-based rewards became entertaining content, essentially a “versus game.” Those interested began to bite at the tidbits of information related to the merit rewards, and in tea houses in Gyeongju or roadside bars where Seoul reconstruction workers gathered, this topic was constantly on people’s lips.

“Who should be ranked first in the merit rewards!”

This interesting topic that captured people’s attention quickly became content worth focusing on, and YouTube channels and major broadcasting studios were already producing content on this subject.

“Obviously it should be General Jeong Dong-geon! Kim Su-ho is just a rolling stone that happened to come along!”

Citizens of Seorabeol who had joined the Balhut Cult from the beginning consistently supported Jeong Dong-geon. Most of his supporters were either people who owed their lives to him or soldiers who had received his favor while serving in the military. Police Chief Han Seong-geun, a notable example, had officially announced his support, showing that Jeong Dong-geon was a general with surprisingly high public trust and moral standing.

“Seorabeol began in Gyeongju. While it’s true that Seoul was reclaimed thanks to Seoul’s hero, it was General Jeong Dong-geon who ensured supplies reached the front lines without issue, allowing Seoul to be recaptured. Considering both the value of his loyalty and the importance of logistics throughout history, General Jeong Dong-geon should be ranked first!”

The debater supporting Jeong Dong-geon pressed his opponent with reasonable logic, but the supporter of Kim Su-ho counterattacked strongly, as if having anticipated this argument.

“But General Jeong Dong-geon ultimately didn’t participate in the battle for Seoul. In that final battle where the Dark Lord and Dragon Lord Bahamut participated, if Kim Su-ho hadn’t been there, the capital would clearly still be hell! Even Dragon Lord Bahamut and Ms. Yu-na have acknowledged this fact.”

The debate grew fierce, with participants looking ready to grab each other’s collars, but this was actually quite civil compared to what was happening elsewhere.

Anonymous communities and comment sections were being virtually scorched earth over this issue.

[Honestly, without Kim Su-ho, everyone in Seoul would be dead. That’s the real truth lol]

[Without Jeong Dong-geon, there wouldn’t even be a Seorabeol system, you ungrateful bastards lol]

[Can’t they just give it to both? Why do they have to choose? (genuinely curious)]

[Bring the alcohol and meat! It’s time for heroes! Coins to the moon!]

Even internet communities had begun discussing the merit rewards, and since these communities had joined the conversation, citizens sensitive to information were fiercely debating who should be ranked first.

“Bro, if Kim Su-ho doesn’t get first place, I really can’t trust Seorabeol. He’s the one who can guarantee our rights.”

“Hey, don’t talk like that. It’s thanks to Jeong Dong-geon that we can eat our fill and drink alcohol now, isn’t it?”

Young people who admired heroes or those originally from Seoul openly supported Kim Su-ho.

“Seoul people think Seoul is the whole world. Without us pacifying the area, they wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“I acknowledge Kim Su-ho too… but thinking about the essence of Seorabeol, it should be Jeong Dong-geon.”

Middle-aged and elderly people in Gyeongju’s local tea shops began supporting Jeong Dong-geon, perhaps due to a sense of shared identity. The memory of risking their lives to create Seorabeol from the days of the Balhut Cult until now served as the driving force behind their steadfast support for Jeong Dong-geon.

And beyond internet communities, broadcast content, and citizen debates:

[Breaking News: Merit Reward Controversy Becomes National Interest]

[Editorial: Kim Su-ho or Jeong Dong-geon, Testing Seorabeol’s Legitimacy]

The media had already made this their headline news.

Many journalists affiliated with Seorabeol used this provocative topic to draw citizens’ attention, and even foreign media outlets had begun to take interest and report on this issue.

[Dragon Lord’s Decision to Shape the Korean Peninsula’s Future, World Watching!]

Feeling anxious, some civic groups gathered at Gwanghwamun, where the Seoul Reconstruction Headquarters was located, and began holding voluntary citizen forums.

This wasn’t a trivial matter but a debate that would determine South Korea’s future, and everyone had the unwavering determination not to back down.

“We must support Jeong Dong-geon! Only then can Seorabeol be legitimate!”

“Remember the blood of Seoul’s citizens! We can’t trust anyone but Kim Su-ho!”

People’s voices were divided, sometimes breaking into tears.

Who ranked first would determine what kind of nation Seorabeol would become, and everyone understood the weight of this decision.

That’s why they deliberated so seriously and debated passionately, desperately praying that their opinions would reach the Dragon Lord’s ears.

This wasn’t just an evaluation of one individual’s achievements but a national debate about how to establish the foundation of a newly founded country.

“The Yeongnam region supports Jeong Dong-geon. They’re saying it’s a decision to emphasize the legitimacy of the Seorabeol system. Seoul naturally supports Kim Su-ho. There are also moderate voices calling for reconciliation of the conflict.”

“The media and political circles are already divided. I still think we need unity… Sigh. I feel like shooting Yu-na’s death beam.”

“Now that we’ve completed the pacification of South Korea except for Busan, some loosening up is inevitable. By the way, it seems the international community is also showing great interest in these merit rewards.”

Bahamut and Yu-na couldn’t help but be cautious about these civilian movements.

Bahamut began to consider the public opinion more carefully, while Yu-na sighed at the sight of Seorabeol dividing. However, Bahamut consoled her that it was inevitable and mentioned that even foreign countries were showing great interest in these merit rewards.

“The problem is that Kim Su-ho himself is so carefree about all this.”

What was truly frustrating was that Kim Su-ho, the cause of all this trouble, was calmly eating his meal.

Kim Su-ho, now an SSS-class worker of Seoul rather than Seoul’s hero, was once again enjoying his packed lunch and post-meal coffee leisurely in front of the two who were worrying about the merit rewards.

Despite facing what should be the most important merit reward of his life, he showed not just composure but complete disinterest in the matter.

“I can accept whoever gets first place.”

“B-but isn’t it an honorable position? Didn’t your adjutant advise you to aim for first place?”

“He did.”

Yu-na sighed at Kim Su-ho’s nonchalant attitude, saying he would accept whoever got first place, and carefully asked if his adjutant hadn’t advised him to aim for first place.

Kim Su-ho confirmed that was indeed the advice he received.

“But I’m still not interested. Jeong Dong-geon is also an acceptable candidate. In fact, it was thanks to his efforts that we were able to recapture Seoul so quickly. He risked his life to protect the train against the bandit groups so we could fight.”

“That’s… true.”

He smiled faintly, saying General Jeong Dong-geon was fully qualified for first place.

He was utterly calm, and his eyes showed no trace of greed.

To be frank, if Kim Su-ho had even a shred of desire for honor or power, he wouldn’t have been called Seoul’s hero, and all his achievements would have been solely actions to protect Seoul.

“I’ve never met him in person. I didn’t expect you to hold him in such high regard.”

“I’ve spent a long time on the Seoul front lines, so I understand the importance of supplies. There’s no glamour in it, but in war, logistics is everything.”

Yu-na responded with a surprised expression, but Kim Su-ho genuinely believed this.

“And right now, I don’t want that power or honor. To be honest, I saved a city just to save one person, but what I heard from that person in power…”

“Ah. I’m sorry.”

“So, even first place feels overwhelming to me. Why should I worry about who ranks where? It’s best to just accept what’s given and be done with it.”

It was something close to resignation, but also felt like finally putting down a burden that had been on his shoulders.

Yu-na thought it was the latter, and believed that this unpretentious quality was precisely why Kim Su-ho was a hero.

In contrast, Jeong Dong-geon, still in Gyeongju, had a somewhat different reaction.

“…How shameful.”

Jeong Dong-geon sat at his desk, unable to lift his head.

On his desk lay various merit reward evaluation reports.

There were also documents related to “Requests to Support Jeong Dong-geon for First Place” that had arrived from all regions, but Jeong Dong-geon couldn’t bring himself to respond to his supporters’ hearts.

Rather, he began to suffer as if ashamed that the matter had grown so large.

“Do I really deserve to be first?”

Jeong Dong-geon had been more loyal to Seorabeol than anyone else and had risked his life before anyone else.

That’s why Jeong Dong-geon knew.

The real hero, the one who protected Seoul, was Kim Su-ho.

In this war, all Jeong Dong-geon had done was carry supplies for such a hero.

Moreover, in terms of abilities as an Awakened and overall achievements, Jeong Dong-geon couldn’t even compare to Kim Su-ho.

The achievements Jeong Dong-geon had built were mostly possible because of the foundation of Seorabeol and the cheat-like advantage of the Dragon Lord, but Kim Su-ho’s achievements transcended human limitations—they were truly heroic accomplishments that had to be acknowledged as such.

“Without Kim Su-ho, Seoul wouldn’t exist now, and Seorabeol would have been forced into an even more disadvantageous fight or become isolated…”

Jeong Dong-geon’s hands trembled slowly on the desk.

Despite such an overwhelming difference, he was ashamed to be compared, and yet he was surprised at the small desire that had taken root within him.

“Why am I so foolishly greedy? This problem could be solved immediately if I just resigned.”

Deep down, he wanted to be first.

It wasn’t that he had no such feelings at all, and he couldn’t guarantee that he didn’t feel that Seoul Allied Forces had been able to succeed because of his efforts.

A shameful pride and desire that he couldn’t admit even to Dragon Lord Bahamut was weighing him down.

“If only this hadn’t become such a big issue. If it had just passed quietly… that would have been fine.”

Jeong Dong-geon remained a loyal servant of Seorabeol until the end, and he was indeed more loyal and stronger than anyone else, but he was also more human than anyone else.

That was both Jeong Dong-geon’s strength and weakness.

And this temperature difference between the two men reflected the overall atmosphere of the nation of Seorabeol.