043 - Marquis (3)
After waiting about five seconds, the device registrations completed on both smartphones. When I turned them on, unfamiliar apps had been installed—one on each.
Opening the app revealed a new screen with a phone app, a messaging app, and, astonishingly, a store.
Nakyuan Store
Inside the Nakyuan Store were basic apps like Notepad, Paint, Excel, and Word—all available for free download. There were countless others, but they were all in English, so I had no clue what they did.
"Do-hyun, don't tell me..."
"Yeah. Check the serial numbers and add each other as friends."
The serial numbers on the two phones read #1 and #2. We added each other as friends and made a call. The phone in Han Seol's hand buzzed.
"..."
With trembling fingers, Han Seol touched the screen.
"Hello?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"This is really a call... right?"
"We're doing it right now."
Han Seol looked shocked. Messaging worked perfectly too, and even video calls were possible. The Server Room had unlocked a vastly superior version of the communication room's walkie-talkies.
Of course, it wasn't superior in every way. The communication room's walkie-talkies could be tossed into boiling water without a scratch and still work fine, with no need for batteries.
Currently, two servers in the Server Room are powered on. Each server can register up to 300 devices. Registered devices can make calls and send messages, just like Han Seol and I did.
And... you can download apps to access the internet. You can create websites or upload whatever you want to the cloud.
As long as the device is registered, has battery, and isn't broken, you can use all this indefinitely.
Of all the abilities I'd gained so far, this one was the most broken in terms of utility. Only all-in-one devices like laptops, smartphones, and tablets could be registered.
From now on, I could use this to revolutionize our primitive administrative processes.
Even if a registered device broke, it didn't matter. You could set it to auto-update all saved info to the cloud in real-time, deregister the broken one, and register a new one. All managed from the master PC in the palace's Server Room.
If the Union handled all administration through this, I'd become the god of Gangbuk's information world.
"For now... call in the developer residents."
Han Seol smiled and replied politely.
"Yes!"
The Server Room opened, and I ordered the developers to download apps and build useful internet sites. All apps needed my approval via the master PC before release in the store.
The developers pulled all-nighters for a week straight, and their efforts birthed the first app.
"Very satisfactory."
"Thank you!"
The developers, dark circles under their eyes, grinned.
"Go rest now. Take some booze and meat too."
"Yes! Call us anytime if there's an issue!"
"Sure."
The countless English apps in the store were app-building tools. I couldn't use them, so I registered 15 laptops and tasked the developers with creating apps for civil servants' work.
The two apps they churned out were Smart Nakyuan and Smart Union.
App for use in Nakyuan.
App for use in the Union. All Union admin tasks will be uploaded here from now on.
Smart Nakyuan was for Nakyuan, Smart Union for the Union. Logins required face recognition, ID, and password. All login faces and logs were recorded on the Server Room's master PC.
Membership applications let me approve or deny. Security levels restricted info access per user. I had unrestricted access to everything.
Showing it to the civil servant residents drew cheers. From today, they'd handle admin via the app.
A month after the Server Room opened, Gangbuk's administration had evolved revolutionarily.
Need Union info? Check the app. If not there, message them for documents—they arrive instantly.
We registered 452 laptops and 103 smartphones. Of those, 150 laptops and 30 phones went to the Union; 100 laptops and 20 phones to Hoeseong; 2 laptops and 3 phones to Namsan.
The remaining 200 laptops and 50 phones were for Nakyuan. Admin demand surged, so we recruited 100 more civil servants.
Union admin? One search, one click to view. Hoeseong handled everything the same. Every crop from Hoeseong's farm buildings—where it went, how much—one search.
Executives ensured even trivial details were uploaded. Developers updated apps relentlessly. It started prototype-y but now felt fully polished.
Nakyuan executives and the Union's top four could access Level 2 security docs. Other executives got Level 3. I had Level 1—everything, unrestricted.
Early days, so Level 3 covered most docs. I didn't tell civil servants I saw everything, but they probably guessed. Some chatted via work laptops anyway—dinner menus, tiredness from late nights, excitement for Culture Day. Human stuff.
I knew I shouldn't peek, but it warmed my heart. Fun, even. Han Seol warned them against chit-chat, and it stopped. Kinda sad.
Unlimited registrations? I'd make a gallery or anon board for old-school shitposting. But shortages for work made it regrettable.
Union and Nakyuan ran public "chatrooms" for civilians. Nakyuan's active thanks to 2 laptops per house. Union's sparse—mostly useful posts like potted soil farming.
"Haha, that's hilarious."
Even old-school thumbs-up emojis like "pissed-off like." The internet smell after so long? Pure joy.
Scholars and techs loved cloud-storing old tech knowledge for real-time access. CDs/USBs worked on laptops, so we made a Library app for all knowledge.
Union scholars/techs uploaded docs like it was humanity's last ark. Academic activity boomed. Someday, restore old universities.
"Haa..."
A crime in Hoeseong Domain: murder.
Minor fights/thefts happened, but fights were mutual, thefts punished by confiscation—no big deal for me. But murder...
Hoeseong's big population meant side economies beyond rations. Explorers, merchants. Two guys drinking late night, argument escalates—one dies.
Sober killer confessed fully, begged mercy. Sentenced to hanging. Assets confiscated to victim's family.
Problem: killer's family. I'd banned guilt-by-association, but Hoeseong teachers cautiously raised it.
"Your Excellency, they might take private revenge."
"That'd worsen things."
"Union garrison and local police maintain order, but personal fights will happen."
Teachers advised via video call. Law prof teacher said,
"Your Excellency, show the majesty of the law now."
"..."
We implemented guilt-by-association. No execution, but confiscated everything, stripped citizenship, exiled from Hoeseong. Death sentence in practice.
Heavy heart, but necessary. Felt lonely—like only I remembered the old world.
Nakyuan? Minor quarrels don't escalate to violence. Abundance means no need to steal; fear of exile deters force.
Over a month in Hoeseong, Im Jui, Han Byeol, Jeong Su-hwan, and teachers returned to Nakyuan.
"I'm back!"
"We've video-called and messaged daily."
Han Byeol waved from the truck bed. Daily calls made it feel not-that-long.
"Good work."
-You look healthy. Glad.-
"J-Jui unnie!"
Seo I-rang ran and hugged her.
"Thank you for the important mission."
"Security Chief, good work."
"Your Excellency, studies have been diligent..."
"Teachers... heavy talk later."
Total citizens: 14,372. No more intake. Trusted Seo Su-yeon enough for admin oversight. Even if disloyal, Union's troops controlled Hoeseong military—she couldn't do much alone.
"Do the civil servants listen?"
Han Byeol grinned playfully.
"Feed 'em rice, they crawl."
The six farms from 1,080P investment paying off.
-This place looks a bit different.-
"Yeah, touched up here and there."
Focused on Hoeseong, paused point farming. From 823P remaining: rebuilt restored houses to LV.2, fisheries/livestock to LV.3 (320P gone). Added LV.3 farm to Namsan.
Daily Namsan shipments inefficient on manpower/fuel. Stockpile excess, share with garrison.
500P spent total; +100P after 30 days. 423P left.
"Gone in a flash..."
Livestock/fisheries now 4-5 stories like farms. Livestock 1: all tenderloin from 20 vending machines. Livestock 2: pork belly. Fisheries: cod—meaty, cost-effective.
This meat output? Culture Day buffet incoming.
"Long time no see—what ya wanna do?"
"Just did my duty. No need for rewards."
-It's fine.-
"It's okay..."
They eyed one building: Nakyuan Spa Land. Hoeseong-desert to them after Nakyuan abundance.
I smiled.
"Then tonight, executives' spa banquet?"
"Yes!" Han Byeol cheered.
"Call I-rang, Na Hye-won, chefs. Oh, teachers too."
"Got it!"