Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: 39. Campaign (2)
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When we entered the monster-controlled zone with Je Phong-ho, Park Sang-min's presence had been impressive.
He rode in an official car, had a driver, and was accompanied by aides who shouted on his behalf and grabbed people by the collar.
Now, he was alone, driving a gasoline car on its last legs.
The exhaust spewed thick, acrid smoke like a forest fire, suggesting it wasn't running on proper fuel.
"People really look down on proportional representatives, don't they?"
It was the topic he finally managed to spit out after swallowing hard several times.
I silently checked the direction the car was heading.
Toward Yeouido.
"But proportional representatives are legitimate national representatives chosen by law and the will of the people. It's an advanced system first adopted by countries like Germany and Nordic nations, promoting policy diversity and protecting minority interests."
"Where are we headed?"
"Ah, toward the National Assembly building."
"Just the two of us?"
"No. There'll be support troops in front of the Assembly."
As soon as the brief exchange ended, I turned my head to the window.
Park Sang-min was perceptive enough, at least. He knew I didn't want to talk and kept his mouth shut.
In front of the half-collapsed Assembly building, a group including soldiers had gathered.
They seemed to have arrived by bus, parked nearby.
"Assemblyman!"
"Assemblyman~!"
Middle-aged men and women greeted Park Sang-min with broad smiles.
They looked like his followers.
Notably, there were more middle-aged women than men.
Park Sang-min approached one woman and bowed excessively, but I didn't pay much attention.
Someone far more important was here.
"Long time no see."
My senior from the same academy cohort, Baek Seung-hyeon.
My blood had already run as cold as a reptile's during the ride in Park Sang-min's car, but seeing his face dropped my temperature to freezing.
I pondered briefly during our curt nod.
How to deal with this guy.
"..."
First, keep my house hidden.
Yeah, that seemed best.
"Ah, Senior Baek. Long time no see. How've you been?"
"Senior? Don't say that."
He offered me a cigarette.
A pre-war one with a filter.
I held it in my mouth before he lit it, and nausea hit me for some reason.
I'm no non-smoker.
I'd smoked plenty.
The revulsion came from the faint stench of corpses seeping through the filter into my mouth from the unlit cigarette.
"Nice. Old-school smokes."
I thanked him as the nicotine-laced smoke chased away the corpse smell lingering in my mouth.
"Hard to come by."
Baek Seung-hyeon smiled faintly.
I wanted to ask how he got it but didn't.
We stood side by side, smoking and watching Park Sang-min.
He wasn't here for monster extermination—he was truly campaigning, shaking hands and hugging each supporter who'd come this far.
Baek Seung-hyeon watched him with a bored expression, then exhaled white smoke.
"You get dragged into this too?"
"Yeah. I've got some connections."
"I see. Still in the bunker?"
"No. Moved to Incheon."
"Ah, I'm in Incheon too. Michuhol side."
"Gyeyang."
"Gyeyang?"
Baek Seung-hyeon looked at me in surprise.
"Heard it's a total warzone. Didn't a colossal show up right there?"
"Evacuated south at the time."
"Got it. House intact?"
"Gotta check. Not much worth losing anyway. More importantly, what's the play here?"
I smoothly changed the subject.
Baek Seung-hyeon didn't suspect a thing.
He even smiled faintly, as if the new topic suited him, and answered.
"Just a show, in one word."
Baek Seung-hyeon looked up at the sky.
A single indifferent cloud drifted lazily across the blue expanse.
"That Park guy wants to play national representative but has nothing to show, so he's staging a vote at the Assembly. Turns out there's a capsule inside."
"Remove the capsule for some achievements?"
"That's the story."
"Heard it was a monster."
"Officially, yeah. It's a capsule."
Baek Seung-hyeon spat on the ground.
He glanced at the ragged kids huddled in the corner of the crowd.
"Maybe he planted it himself."
"Cult leader bullshit."
"You in?"
Baek Seung-hyeon eyed the Assembly.
"Who knows."
He grinned slyly.
Several vehicles soon pulled up in front of the Assembly.
< 9th Pioneer Unit >
The flag fluttering on the cars told who they were.
"I'll head out. Wasn't Park Sang-min who called me—the Pioneers did."
Baek Seung-hyeon had ties to the Pioneer Unit.
Not just ties—he was one of them.
Next to those bandit-like guys in plain clothes, his laughter sounded more genuine and hearty than when he was with me.
"Then, Assemblyman. I'll scout."
Moments later, Baek Seung-hyeon entered the Assembly with the Pioneer group.
As we waited for them to return, Park Sang-min approached.
"Hunter Park."
"Yes."
"You know Hunter Baek?"
"Same school."
"Ah~."
"Not an academy grad yourself, Assemblyman?"
I knew he wasn't.
"From the Evaluation Center."
"I see."
"We're about to start the op."
"I'll listen to the briefing."
I had no intention of playing along with Park Sang-min's game.
Wu Min-hee asked me for campaign support, not election victory.
So, just go through the motions.
Even if everyone here voted for him?
I doubted it.
Blissfully unaware of my thoughts, Park Sang-min beamed innocently as he laid out his plan.
"Simple plan. You and I enter the Assembly together. There's a capsule inside. We deal with it. Not hard at all. Honestly, nothing compared to the Je Phong-ho gig."
"Assemblyman. Got any combat experience?"
I asked him directly.
He looked surprised, then shook his head.
"I won't be fighting."
"Why not?"
"You handle it, Hunter Park. Heard you can solo capsules easy."
Doubt crept in.
What kind of life lets you smirk and demand sacrifice from others like it's natural?
"Hunter Park?"
He tilted his head, pressing for an answer.
I sighed.
"That's old news. These days..."
I was about to make excuses and bail.
"It's for the people."
Park Sang-min cut me off.
"Pardon?"
I didn't want to show emotion to this guy, but that line slipped my true feelings out.
"What bullshit is that?"
It came out sharp.
But Park Sang-min didn't flinch.
"Not bullshit. For the people."
For a moment, I strongly suspected his "people" was just a twisted first-person form of himself.
"No, how is this for the people? Isn't it for your election?"
"Even that's for the people."
"Pardon?"
"Right now..."
Looks like today was my lucky day.
No need to snap at Park Sang-min—something else shut him up.
"No way!"
Baek Seung-hyeon and the Pioneers stormed out of the Assembly.
Their voices were so loud and furious that Park Sang-min and I paused and turned.
"Too dangerous. A capsule? We'd need hunter gear at least, but you don't have that?"
Baek Seung-hyeon's voice.
He was yelling.
From talking with him before, I knew this wasn't for his nearby comrades.
He spoke softly and clearly, rarely swearing like an academy grad.
"What the fuck is this? Telling us to die?"
So, he was yelling at Park Sang-min.
"Hunter gear? You got one set."
A Pioneer smirked and shouted too.
Pre-rehearsed, probably.
"What we've got is for mutations. Need stronger stuff. Capsules aren't eggs—they're summon beacons. Without close-combat gear, stock up on reflex rounds or assign two intimidating snipers. Lots of conditions."
Baek Seung-hyeon passed me, shooting a meaningful glance and winking.
"Jumping in without that is suicide."
A bit confusing.
Last time he showed up near my turf, he reeked of raider, but now he was opposing Park Sang-min for me.
A Pioneer glanced our way.
"What if that guy makes a claim?"
He said it loud, even with Park Sang-min right there.
His supporters protested, but the Pioneer just scoffed.
Then Baek Seung-hyeon landed the killer blow.
"What can that bootlicking worm do?"
I looked at Park Sang-min's face.
The man who'd shamelessly tried shoving me into the fire pit went pale.
"No district, just connections—a total newbie. He'll shit himself. His backers are saving their own skins, and he has no real supporters anyway. Look at these faces gathered. That's all he scraped up, soul and all."
Baek Seung-hyeon lit a cigarette and turned away.
Park Sang-min was speechless.
The Pioneers trailed him, flattering like sycophants while enjoying his impotence.
"Bro Baek, fact-bomb a bit much?"
"Yeah, not beating him to death with facts."
Sneers followed, but Park Sang-min was powerless.
Not even a peep of protest.
That was the reality of the arrogant man.
Soon, a young guy who seemed the Pioneer leader approached.
"Ah, Assemblyman."
Cocky attitude, challenging eyes—no respect.
"Our hunters say no. Need more support."
I glanced at Park Sang-min.
He feigned stoicism, but his flushed face betrayed him.
"...Just go."
Park Sang-min muttered, voice strained.
The Pioneer didn't reply and turned.
"Yo, we're done. Let's roll!"
Vehicles revved competitively.
Vroom—
The crude flag fluttered pathetically in the engine rumble.
Baek Seung-hyeon rode up on his signature vintage motorcycle, German helmet and goggles on.
"Hunter Park!"
"Yes."
"Got a PID? Drinks sometime?"
"No. Lost mine."
"Had one?"
"Yeah, but shit happened."
Park Sang-min eyed me oddly mid-chaos, but it passed.
"Too bad."
"You?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. Your PID, Senior Baek. Might contact if I get one."
As far as I knew, Baek Seung-hyeon, unlike me, hadn't gotten a PID.
Seemed he had one now.
Emphasizing it so boldly.
I expected an answer.
Sure enough, Baek Seung-hyeon smiled with a mature-yet-childish face.
"DARAM."
"Daram?"
"Ah, I like squirrels."
"Pardon?"
I glared seriously.
He scanned my face, smile fading.
"...Actually, from Hunter Kim Daram."
Bullshit.
That possessive woman wouldn't give it up.
"Ah, got it."
"Drinks next time. Gyeyang, right? I'll drop by."
Plenty I wanted to ask, but he had friends—armed ones, a dozen strong.
Still, one thing to check.
"Committee Member Kim Daram. Any news?"
I stared hard.
"Who knows."
Baek Seung-hyeon revved the throttle, engine roaring.
"Heard she went Legion faction."
He met my gaze.
"Bad bet."
Really?
Kim Daram was sharp.
Smartest around me.
I was sure she was alive.
His motorcycle roared off with him aboard.
Park Sang-min approached with an awkward smile.
"Haha... Hunter Park."
Now, I was all he had left.
Supporters, power, loyal aides who grabbed collars—all gone.
Just a handful of helpless fans.
"Park Sang-min fighting!"
One auntie shouted obliviously, others joining.
"Park Sang-min fighting!"
"Assemblyman Park, hang in there!"
"We. Love. You. Park Sang-min!"
Mixing in outdated chants.
"..."
Park Sang-min stood before me amid the lukewarm cheers, more tepid than hot.
"Hunter Park."
"Sorry, but I won't take any risks."
Planning a polite exit.
Unlikely he'd give me a ride; I'd wait for Wu Min-hee's people.
But Park Sang-min clung to me, unlike with Baek.
Glancing at his supporters, he whispered urgently.
"Je Phong-ho was my mistake. Not academy, limited network. Didn't recognize talent like you."
"I'm not what I was. Four years on the front lines. Gotta go."
He blocked my path.
"Can't you, for the people?"
"Pardon?"
This guy.
"For the people."
Why?
"Please, just to the Assembly entrance?"
He glanced back theatrically.
His scant supporters stared at his back.
"No."
Park Sang-min suddenly whimpered like a punished kid.
"My mom's here too..."
A middle-aged woman in the crowd bellowed hoarsely.
"Sang-min! Quit it and come here!"
The one he'd bowed to excessively earlier.
His mother, apparently.
"Come on!"
Tragic, but our valiant defender of the constitution, Assemblyman Park Sang-min, never returned to his mother's arms.