Yongsan Battle (1)
"Hmm... Was I too hasty?"
"Do-hyun, is something wrong?"
"It's not a big deal. I just think I was too sloppy with the city planning."
Jeong Su-hwan's group now had a place to stay. They still had to share rooms with multiple people, but at least Im Jui's house, which had been packed to the brim, felt a bit roomier now.
I'd considered giving Jeong Su-hwan his own private room, but he insisted on living in a tent to maintain smooth security operations and turned it down. I arranged for him to do paperwork in the room where his wife and daughter were staying.
I appointed Im Jui as the governor of the northwest sector. No new bracelet appeared or anything like that.
In the current 5x5 expanded sector, with houses at the center: the eastern sector was for livestock pens, the western for Governor Im's residence, the southwest for the First Hospital, and the northwest for Jeong Su-hwan's house.
After completing reconstruction in the northwest sector, I immediately started on the northeast. I'd originally planned to reconstruct westward first, but that had been too careless and shortsighted.
If we took in more citizens in the future, the sectors would expand, but I'd built the city without thinking it through. What was done was done; no changing it now.
I even agonized over renaming the sectors but decided to keep the current names and just add numbers. For example, what used to be "western sector" for Governor Im's house would now be "First Western Sector," and the new sector one block to its left would be "Second Western Sector." And so on—First, Second, Third, Fourth, etc.
We'd install hospitals and housing in the western sectors, production buildings in the eastern. I was still mulling over what to build in the empty northern and southern sectors.
Thinking ahead, Han Seol and Han Byeol suggested guest housing in the north for trusted visitors like Kim Dae-geon to stay in, and turning the south into government offices for civil servants. Solid idea.
What surprised me a bit was that the Han sisters, Im Jui, the First Guard Unit, and Lee Kyung-min all saw themselves as civil servants here. Well, given what they were doing, they pretty much were.
The day Jeong Su-hwan's house was finished, we threw a late New Year's celebration and completion party, pulling out massive amounts of meat, vegetables, and fruit. We went through canned goods without restraint too. Storage was getting tight, so we were stacking them on the warehouse roof and in empty rooms.
"Do-hyun! Do-hyun! You need to come out right now!"
"Huh?"
Han Seol, who usually waited sweetly outside my door until I woke up, burst in with a grave expression. A chill ran down my spine. Whatever it was, it wasn't good news.
"Raiders?"
"No, it's... Kim Dae-geon's here, but you should see for yourself."
I threw on some clothes and headed to the entrance. Im Jui, Han Byeol, and the entire First Guard Unit stood armed in front of the barrier, facing the visitors.
They were all in military uniforms but unarmed, standing solemnly.
"Excellency!"
The First Guard Unit spotted me and rushed over. Jeong Su-hwan positioned himself in front of me, three others on each side, escorting me to the barrier like bodyguards.
"Owner."
-Excellency.-
After greetings from the residents, I faced the uninvited guests. They had a bunch of subordinates in tow and several military trucks. Something seemed off—they weren't in matching uniforms and stood spaced apart.
Kim Dae-geon stood at the front, head bowed low.
"Kim Dae-geon, explain."
His face ashen, Kim Dae-geon stepped forward, dropped to his knees, and wailed dramatically.
"Excellency! I've committed a mortal sin!"
"Just calm down and explain what happened."
I already had a rough idea. No need to guess—these guys had probably strong-armed him into bringing them here after some incident.
"Excellency! Thank you for giving me a chance to explain! I'll tell you everything. First, let me introduce our guests!"
"They're introducing themselves, huh."
A white-haired man in military uniform stepped forward. Four stars gleamed on his epaulets.
"I am Hwang Dae-seon, leader of the National Reconstruction Army. Excellency is the proper address, yes?"
He bowed politely. Since he was being courteous, I returned a slight nod.
"Yes, Seo Do-hyun. Please introduce the others."
"Excellency, this is Park Do-sik, leader of the Guardian Defense Force."
"Excellency, Jo Young-ho, alliance leader of the Taeguk Alliance."
Then came the most out-of-place one: a refined man in a neat suit, exuding dignity with his well-groomed beard.
"An honor to meet you, Excellency. I am Ham Seong-hoon, chairman of the Seonghun Merchant Association."
"Nice to meet you. I heard you were military..."
Ham Seong-hoon laughed heartily.
"I switched to merchant life and hung up my uniform. My subordinates haven't shaken off their soldier habits yet, though."
The woman beside Ham Seong-hoon was a familiar face.
"Excellency, I..."
"I know you. Seo Su-yeon's subordinate, right?"
"Yes, Excellency."
She bowed and stepped back. Kim Dae-geon, still kneeling, looked up at me and nodded—as if pleading for understanding. I got it. Even if the other warlords didn't matter, refusing the chairman of the company he'd started would be tough.
More importantly, their demeanor didn't scream "here for war."
"So, why don't one of you representatives explain the reason for your visit."
All eyes from beyond the barrier turned to one man. They were looking at Ham Seong-hoon.
"Then allow me to speak for the group."
"Go ahead."
What came out of Ham Seong-hoon's mouth was exactly the kind of story I'd dreaded hearing.
The Reconstruction Government minister... in other words, Seo Su-yeon, had lost a power struggle. After inheriting the presidency, she'd boldly attempted a palace coup, but her guards—already bought off by hardliners—arrested her, ending it before it began.
"From what I hear, public and officer opinion in the Reconstruction Government shifted toward reconstruction after your successful farming."
"Yes, but the investigation into the president's assassination pointed to former President Seo Su-yeon as the prime suspect, flipping opinion. Even the ministers she'd blackmailed into resigning turned on her."
"Haa..."
"Seo Su-yeon was too impatient."
I had no idea how much more incompetence she'd show, but she'd been imprisoned. The hardliners who seized power declared martial law, reorganized around the martial law commander, and launched their long-desired "Seoul Pacification" in earnest.
They'd adopted a "take and supply" strategy reminiscent of WWII Japanese officers dubbed "dark independence forces," mobilizing for full-scale military action. Surprisingly, nearby warlords surrendered immediately upon declaration of war, letting the hardliners absorb them bloodlessly. Now they commanded 85,000 civilians, around 800 Awakeners, and 6,000 troops.
"What about the Republic of Korea government? Isn't this their golden chance to crush the Reconstruction Government? They've got the justification..."
"The ROK government's too busy with their own issues. With elections coming up, they won't risk dropping approval ratings."
"This is insane."
I hadn't even imagined they'd hold presidential elections amid all this. Even in a ruined world, humans clung to power, dividing the people and slinging mud. Utterly vile.
"Excellency, Reconstruction Government forces are marching with terrifying momentum."
"...Chairman, right?"
"Just call me Chairman."
"Chairman, what does their advance have to do with coming to me?"
"I'll be frank."
"Please."
Ham Seong-hoon spoke with grim resolve.
"We're uniting with nearby forces to intercept the Reconstruction army at Yongsan. We've come personally to invite you to join our alliance."
"I have no army."
"But you have power rivaling one. Isn't that right?"
"..."
Not a bad offer. Honestly, if 7,000 troops including Awakeners besieged my barrier and dragged it into a prolonged war, even I wasn't confident. Food aside, I wanted to avoid a war of unknown duration at all costs. And if mad dogs like the Reconstruction hardliners grew into a massive force, Seoul would truly become hell.
"I'll... at least hear you out."
"Thank you."
True to form as a merchant chairman, Ham Seong-hoon got straight to their demands.
First: join the alliance army. Numerous minor factions had already signed on, led by the heads of the largest groups.
The Council of Five
Ham Seong-hoon proposed I take one of the five leadership seats: Ham Seong-hoon of Seonghun Merchant Association, Hwang Dae-seon of National Reconstruction Army, Park Do-sik of Guardian Defense Force, Jo Young-ho of Taeguk Alliance, and Seo Do-hyun of Nakyuan—a pentarchy to lead the alliance.
Second: logistics. Truth be told, this was the main reason they offered me a seat despite my lack of troops. Ham Seong-hoon explained that nothing moved an army like supplies.
"Troops need to eat well, wash up, and sleep soundly to fight."
The hardliners were stripping civilian food for their advance, promising multiples back after victory—but that wouldn't happen. History showed looters like them never ended well.
They demanded clean water from me.
Third: deploy my rumored drones and Ragged Wanderer to the battlefield.
"Solve logistics, and this is a winnable war."
"But what do I gain by joining? It feels like you're just asking me to hand over supplies and manpower one-sidedly."
"I promise."
"Pardon?"
Ham Seong-hoon bowed his head.
"I know words alone are hard to trust... but join us, and I swear: after victory, we'll maintain the Council of Five, granting you commensurate benefits and privileges."
"I'll... discuss with my people first. Wait here an hour or two."
"Understood."
I left them and returned home for an executive meeting. Truth be told, I'd decided the moment Ham Seong-hoon spoke.
"We're joining the fight."
"Pardon? Excellency?"
"Owner?"
My area had been devastated early in the gate crisis, left as ruins with no nearby survivors—until now. If the Reconstruction Government took it all and dug in, it'd be a nightmare. Sit tight, and a siege with them starts. Fight and lose, same siege. Either way, prolonged war loomed—so striking now was the answer.
And the biggest reason for my decision... I wanted to end my bad blood with those incompetents here and now.