The Boundary of Paradise (2)
“Hurk... guh...”
Heo Kyung-tae spat blood from his mouth, letting out a groan laced with agony.
“Lift your head.”
Im Jui grabbed the back of Heo Kyung-tae's head and forced it up.
His left face was practically pulverized, the orbital bone around his left eye completely caved in. Even with surgery, that eye was beyond saving. Not that it mattered—I was going to kill him anyway.
“I've got some questions for you, but first, let's get one thing straight. And if you use informal speech one more time, your right eye gets smashed too. Got it?”
“Yes... I under... guh... stand.”
Heo Kyung-tae dropped his gaze, his face twisted in terror as he replied.
“Good. First off, just to be clear: you didn't surrender. You got beaten like a dog and captured.”
“Yes...”
“Now we're getting somewhere. I'll ask my questions, and if you want to live, answer truthfully—no lies. Hesitate even a little or contradict yourself, and you'll join Gwak Dae-hoon and O Jung-ryeong.”
Heo Kyung-tae nodded silently.
“Looks like you're ready to talk. Don't want to end up at an orphanage reunion? Then keep your head straight from here on out.”
I told him to spill everything the Reconstruction Government knew about my house.
The Han sisters had come from the Reconstruction Government too, and they knew some internal info, but there was a world of difference between what a general-grade officer like him knew and what some lieutenants could tell me.
Naturally, Heo Kyung-tae had gotten the house's info from the Crossroads faction. I'd planned to cut him some slack if fear of death made him talk, but this bastard said as soon as he revealed he was from the Reconstruction Government, they welcomed him inside, brewed him coffee, and even asked if he had any questions first.
The group clearing the roads was a fairly large merchant faction doing business with the Seonghun Merchant Association. They only cleared roads to run their vehicles and claimed ignorance about my house—even under intimidation—so he'd judged they really didn't know and just gotten road usage rights before leaving.
Currently, the Reconstruction Government was split between hardliners and reconstructionists, locked in deepening conflict on the brink of civil war. The reconstructionists had collapsed in the first winter, letting the hardliners seize power. But this time, the reconstructionists focused on farming and trade, solidifying internal affairs enough to secure supplies for winter without plundering.
The citizens had followed the hardliners out of hunger, but they'd grown sick of their soldier-first politics, military-backed rule of terror with no regard for law.
Even officers within the hardliners were growing disillusioned and defecting to the reconstructionists. Cornered, the hardliners were plotting a loyalist coup as a last resort to cling to power.
Gwak Dae-hoon had already sent a mid-report document summarizing the intel to the Reconstruction Government capital via one subordinate on the way here. Naturally, the line about “rumors of a house with infinite electricity and water” was dismissed as half-joke. But with Gwak Dae-hoon missing and a deserter captured, things changed.
The deserter testified that the house was sealed by a glass barrier no one could enter, and given the owner's attitude, it might be the rumored place.
The hardliners saw this as their chance. By endlessly sending water tank trucks to distribute water generously to citizens and supply electricity, they'd silence opposition during their coup and secure indefinite rule with a pretext.
“Hmm... yeah, testimony about an unbreakable glass barrier must've been hard to swallow.”
“I... I'm sorry. We apologize once more for trespassing your domain without knowing our place.”
“Skip the flattery and just answer. Now that you and your men are missing, they'll send a real army here, right?”
“I don't know... The hardliner forces can't leave the capital empty right now, so they won't come immediately. Even if they do, it'll likely be a small investigation team like this.”
“Can't empty the army or the reconstructionists seize the capital, so even a brigadier general comes with just a few men on a 'small' op.”
“Yes...”
I probed about Seo Su-yeon too, but he seemed clueless she'd visited. When I asked if reconstructionist brass knew he'd taken men somewhere, he said they'd assume he was off building ties with nearby factions.
“Good. I got what I wanted. Jui, break the brigadier's limbs.”
“W-wait, I told you everything I kn—!”
Crack.
“Gaaah! Urgh... ugh!”
Heo Kyung-tae writhed on the ground like a dog.
This wasn't torture. I just wanted to test something.
“Issue citizenship.”
A citizenship card dropped in front of Heo Kyung-tae.
“Pick it up. Oh, right—you can't. Jui, put the citizenship in his mouth.”
Im Jui picked it up and shoved it between his teeth.
“Grrgh...”
“Drag him inside the barrier.”
Heo Kyung-tae was pulled into the barrier. I'd always wanted to test the “expel” function, but held off fearing it'd hurt residents if I experimented on them.
“Expel.”
Heo Kyung-tae vanished before my eyes.
“Oh.”
Outside the barrier, the card in his mouth was gone too, and he was rolling on the ground. Expulsion stripped issued rights and booted him out, but no physical harm.
“Jui, gather all the bodies in one spot. Kill any still alive.”
Im Jui nodded and started piling the corpses.
“Then... since I told you everything... please!”
“With all your limbs broken, how do you plan to get back to the Reconstruction Government? And honestly, with your rank, you knew the second I mentioned Seo Su-yeon and showed my powers—you're not leaving alive.”
“You promised you'd let me go if I answered honestly!”
“Lie. You lied too—said civilians wouldn't die as long as you dropped weapons the moment I lowered the barrier.”
The four drones approached him slowly, like reapers.
“You fucking dogshit bastard! Get away! Shit! Do you know who I am? The Reconstruction Governme—mmph!”
One drone clamped over his face, sealing his mouth.
“For the intel, I'll send you off painlessly in one go. Say hi to Gwak Dae-hoon and O Jung-ryeong.”
“Mmph! Mmm!”
Bzzzzt.
After it was done, we piled the bodies where the kids couldn't see. Tomorrow, once the dissolving liquid recharged, I'd melt them all at once.
We gathered supplies from Im Jui's group's house and decided they'd stay in ours until the neighbor's rebuild finished. They wanted to pitch tents in the yard, but I shut that down.
The four green drones rebuilding the neighbor's place were on track to finish within a month. Until then, protecting Im Jui's group inside the barrier made sense.
This time, luck was on our side—they were here for rations when the fight broke out. Imagining them caught outside as hostages was chilling.
After residents retired to rooms, late at night, Han Seol, Han Byeol, Im Jui, and I sat at the table discussing the Crossroads faction and what came next.
“Th... they probably wear gas masks in the house too?”
-If Your Excellency wishes, I will remove it.-
“No, stay comfortable.”
-Thank you, Your Excellency.-
“Alright, what about the Crossroads faction?”
I figured the Han sisters would say kill them and cut ties, but surprisingly, no one suggested it. Realistically, they were our only big-volume trading partner, so leverage it for massive compensation—that was the consensus.
Not a bad idea.
“How about this? From my black market trips, it felt like we've been providing water and laundry way too cheap compared to what we get. Use that as an excuse to raise prices.”
-As expected of Your Excellency.-
“Sounds good.”
“Master, don't you hate those guys?”
“Huh? Crossroads tried to kill me and take the house at first, then gave up for trade. No expectations, so no disappointment.”
More infuriating than hateful. They took 80 twenty-liter canisters weekly—that's 1,600 liters of water—plus laundry running washers five times (180 liters per load), so 900 liters more, totaling around 2,700 liters weekly, plus about fifty charged power banks, all dirt cheap.
For the next month until the neighbor finished, I told them to trade as usual without tipping off Crossroads.
We debated Reconstruction Government relations too, but no conclusion. Couldn't approach first; wait for Seo Su-yeon to return. Han Byeol suggested—risky but bold—spreading word about the house to build allies via trades. Too dangerous; tabled it.
Twenty-eight days after the Reconstruction Government clash.
“Whoa, Your Excellency!”
The house was finally done. Inside, sinks and toilets existed, but no other furniture—just an empty shell. Water, electricity, and heating all worked fine.
Gazing at the completed house, a message appeared before my eyes.
Housing / Hospital / Farm / Livestock Pen / ??? / ??? / ??? / ???
Selecting one sets this building's purpose. Honestly, livestock pen tempted me most—probably runs automatically too.
The four green drones started on another house right away.
I gathered all residents in the yard, stood before the rebuilt house, and said:
“Housing.”
The rebuilt house shimmered faintly, then settled.
“Shall we look inside?”
“Oh my!”
“Master!”
“Your Excellency! This is...!”
“My power, but it's amazing every time.”
The empty interior was now filled with furniture and appliances. Every room had beds; the kitchen, ovens, gas stoves, cookware; the bathroom, tubs and showers.
“Good. While we're at it, time to appoint a sector governor...”
Im Jui's group looked puzzled, but as Han sisters and I stared silently at Im Jui, she pointed at herself, then shook her head.
“No real authority anyway—don't refuse. I just want to try giving it.”
“Jui.”
Han Seol spoke, and Im Jui knelt silently before me.
“Alright, governor appointment starts now.”
We named the sector “West Sector”—left of our house from the front door. Lame naming from me, but my yes-man residents applauded.
“West Sector, appoint governor.”
As I spoke, a black bracelet clasped Im Jui's wrist. She staggered.
“Jui unnie!”
“You okay?”
-Your Excellency, something suddenly flowed into my mind.-
“No need to explain then. If issuing passes to outsiders, tell me first.”
Im Jui seemed to instinctively know she could issue West Sector passes.
-Your Excellency, please wait a moment.-
Like her first arrival, she pressed both hands to the ground, body trembling. No need if it hurt, but she wanted to show loyalty.
After thirty seconds, Im Jui cried out.
“Y-Your Ex...cellency! I-I offer my life!”