Gangbuk Unification
Gangbuk was bustling with preparations for the year-end festival. We'd decided to hold it early, before the weather turned brutally cold. Two strengthening melons had finished production. I was pondering who to give them to. Im Jui had already eaten two, and the rest of the executives had each consumed one. After fighting through several monster battles, I'd realized that while having multiple strong Awakeners on average was good, the presence of one overwhelmingly powerful Awakener could completely turn the tide of battle.
If I fed another strengthening melon to someone who'd already eaten one, it would probably go to Han Seol or Han Byeol. Even if I couldn't cover all the executives, I wanted to boost the organization to at least 85% capacity. I didn't want another close call like last time, where Im Jui and Han Seol nearly died.
We'd fully paid off the Gangnam government. I told them we wouldn't be selling alcohol for a while, so they should make do with the 4,000 bottles they owned and tough it out. It wasn't about picking a fight; we were stockpiling every drop of liquor produced in Nakyuan for the upcoming year-end festival. Makgeolli could last up to 30 days if refrigerated properly, and with the cold weather outside acting as a natural fridge, we were sealing it tightly and shipping it to the alliance.
Honestly, we couldn't get every alliance citizen drunk to their heart's content, but I wanted to do as much as we could. Not just the brewery's output—we were even dipping into the thousands of bottles I'd stored away personally. The alliance executives were contributing their own stashes of liquor and food. As the first official festival since the alliance's formation, we planned to make it grand. Meat and fish from Nakyuan would play a key role. Good call choosing egg mass-production mode for the poultry farm. We could supply massive quantities of liquor and eggs for the festival. Eggs make any dish more bountiful. Even in poor folks' stew made from wild greens and grass, tossing in an egg turns it into a nutritious, satisfying meal.
I'd considered a special banquet in Nakyuan, but the executives said life here was already like a daily festival, so we might as well keep things as usual. Still, I ordered them to make it a bit more lavish than normal.
Festival reports were piling up, so I'd been holed up in my office lately as a routine. I'd left things to the executives and officials before, but the teachers gave me an earful about it. Administration runs fine under the executives, but when I step in personally, things process much faster. A few decisive calls from me on documents cuts down the time officials spend debating and voting.
As the teachers said, once I started overseeing politics directly, Nakyuan's administrative efficiency skyrocketed. Of course, their real point was that 'a leader who zealously handles affairs earns respect and authority from those below.'
"Do-hyun-ssi, may I come in?"
Han Seol's voice came with a knock.
"How's the festival prep going?"
"Yes, everything's proceeding smoothly without issues."
"What's the situation in Hoeseong?"
"They'd stockpiled plenty of food even before the Reconstruction Government disbanded, so they should be fine through next spring."
"Good to hear."
"More than that, the massive farm output from the Hoeseong farms is accumulating beyond what we can manage."
"Mm... yeah, that tracks."
It had been quite some time since rice started pouring out from the six LV.3 farms in Hoeseong.
"Then tell them to break out some stockpiles for a feast on festival day. On a good day, they should have white rice at least. I'll send meat too... tell them to make a communal meat stew or something."
"Yes, I'll handle it."
"Make sure no one's skimming off the top."
"Yes!"
Decisions like this wrap up with one word from me, but without my input, they go through officials' debates and reports, wasting days. Surprisingly, no corruption scandals had cropped up in Hoeseong despite the time passed. Citizen groups were watching like hawks, reporting any suspicious official moves. To boost morale and avoid resentment over perceived discrimination, we gave civil servants tiered monthly rations of rice and liquor based on rank.
"The Supreme Commander's address will now begin. Everyone, quiet down."
As Han Seol spoke, all residents fell silent, gazing up at the platform. It was less a platform now and more a throne—massive and elevated. Carpenters and architects had been working on it for a week. Ornate banners with intricate patterns draped around it. I ascended the steps.
"Oh... Supreme Commander."
"Supreme Commander!"
I cleared my throat a couple times and gave the address.
"It's still a bit early for New Year's, but I'll say it now. Everyone, you worked hard this year. Let's all stay healthy next year like we did this one. Don't get too wasted or cause any trouble..."
These speeches are best kept short.
"Hurray!"
"Hurray!"
"Long live the Alliance Supreme Commander!"
"Hurrah hurrah!"
"..."
Residents raised both hands, tears streaming, waving toward me. I said to Han Seol,
"I told them not to do that sort of thing..."
"I've told them multiple times not to..."
"..."
Today was festival day. With the barrier preventing us from going out, I'd invited all alliance executives to Nakyuan two weeks early for a lavish spa banquet. We sent them off with gifts of their choice—liquor or meat. The territory brimmed with food stalls and festival vendors. Urban renewal wasn't fully done, but streetlights and bonfires lit every corner, making the streets glow. It really felt like paradise.
"Whoa... is that it? I'd heard about it, but seeing it for real... damn, it's legit."
What caught my eye were two massive swings rocking back and forth. Viking rides. Nakyuan now had mobile Viking amusement rides. I'd worried if the two we'd acquired would even work, but after the technicians' magic, they looked brand new. Kids lined up excitedly in front of both.
"Some bigger folks too?"
Han Byeol noted.
"Looks like Im Jui-ssi..."
"Jui's an adult next year..."
"Yeah..."
"Well... no law saying only kids can ride."
Laughter echoed nonstop. Seo I-rang came running up, face alight with excitement.
"O-Oppa, I w-want to r-ride that too!"
Pointing at the Viking, she clearly wanted it bad.
"Go ride it."
"I-I... want to r-ride with you!"
"Yeah? Let's ride together then."
"Hee hee."
Seo I-rang beamed innocently. I told Han Seol and Han Byeol,
"I'm gonna hang with I-rang for a bit, so you two enjoy the festival too."
"Yes."
The 1st Guard Unit and security detail handled policing. No major crimes happen in Nakyuan, but on a day like today with free-flowing booze, accidents could occur.
I rode the Viking with I-rang.
"It's fun!"
"Yeah, it is."
Honestly, it was scarier than expected. I'd underestimated it because kids rode a smaller version, but this had real speed. When I joined the line, people tried to let me cut, but I refused. We waited normally and rode with everyone. If I'd just gone back to the mansion without looking around, I'd have regretted it—everything was here. Classic festival foods like chicken skewers and tteokbokki were baseline, but there were even cotton candy machines. Eating cotton candy after so long took me back to childhood. Shooting galleries, darts, trampolines, an outdoor screen theater. I'd read the reports and seen setup from the rooftop weeks ago, but up close, it was way more dazzling. You could feel how hard the residents worked for this festival.
Before I knew it, time flew past midnight. I-rang, exhausted, dozed off on my back. Han Eun-ji escorted us back to the mansion.
"Ah... that was fun."
I couldn't remember the last time I'd had this much fun without a drop of alcohol. The residents were still buzzing with festival energy.
"Time to brush your teeth."
"Mmm..."
I carried the half-asleep I-rang to the bathroom for brushing and washing up, then tucked her into bed. Stroking her bangs, I murmured softly,
"Sleep well."
Han Seol and Han Byeol were nowhere in sight. Na Hye-won said she was staying at the hospital after playing with the kids.
"Where'd those two go?"
Heading to the kitchen for water, I spotted a note on the table.
Come to the spa.
"..."
Part of me wanted to crash into bed tonight. But that wasn't an option. Whether residents or women, once I got involved, I saw things through to the end—that was my creed.
"Sigh..."
The festival wrapped up spectacularly. The alliance sent waves of thanks for the food and liquor. Our massive egg and meat shipments seemed fully consumed. Hoeseong held their own lavish event too. Satisfying.
"Han Seol here."
"Come in."
Han Seol bowed, then smiled—the expression she wore for good news.
"Something good?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
She handed me a report.
"All of Gangbuk's warlords have joined the alliance."
"All of them? Every last one? Why?"
It was so out of nowhere. Many Gangbuk warlords had joined the alliance, but not all. A few still held out, refusing affiliation. They weren't hostile, just clinging to independence. Some in the alliance suggested starving them out with blockades, but I'd vetoed it. No point forcing groups that weren't outright enemies and just wanted autonomy. They'd join grudgingly and cause problems later. Honestly, after the Tetora subjugation, I'd thought they'd fold, but they hadn't. I'd half-given up, so this sudden news caught me off guard.
"Why all of a sudden? Just to be sure—no threats like 'join or die,' right?"
Han Seol waved it off.
"Of course not! They came bowing first, asking to join."
"That makes even less sense..."
"Seems the festival changed their minds."
Honestly, I'd viewed them like 'high school me'—the type who isolates themselves even when classmates reach out. We'd invited them to the festival for meat stew at least, and apparently, they actually came. Enjoyed it, went home, and this morning, showed up at alliance HQ en masse declaring intent to join. They said seeing people laughing and celebrating shifted their perspective. Her explanation made it click a bit.
"So now..."
Han Seol smiled and bowed deeply.
"Congratulations on unifying Gangbuk. Supreme Commander."