146. Negotiation Review
In conclusion, the negotiations failed to secure the ceasefire, armistice, or peace that everyone desperately wanted. From the Allied Forces' perspective, this was their most fervent hope, so the talks could truly be seen as a profound disappointment for not achieving even a temporary halt to the fighting.
However, considering the crucial intelligence gained on the Immortal Cult, one could argue it was a partial success depending on one's viewpoint.
"A failure, all the same."
"Yes. We ultimately failed to pause the war, even briefly."
The Allied Forces' high command reviewed the negotiations as an outright failure. After all, none of the pressing issues facing the Allies had been resolved.
For the rank-and-file soldiers—not the leadership—the mere fact that this grueling war dragged on without end was enough to shatter morale.
"If we hadn't secured a decisive victory, things could have turned dangerous."
"The Battle of Ulsan Bridge was critical for us as well."
Fortunately, the decisive triumph at Ulsan Bridge had preserved the troops' trust in the command staff without a single crack. Above all, the soldiers could clearly see the leadership's tireless efforts to resolve the situation somehow, fostering a solid foundation of faith and obedience.
"At least our string of victories helps them forget the fatigue."
It wasn't as if defeats had piled up; minor defensive engagements had all ended in victory. These accumulating wins provided the momentum to push through the growing exhaustion among the troops.
"Still, we needed time to regroup. It's truly regrettable."
Regret was regret, plain and simple. The forces required maintenance, and the weary soldiers desperately needed rest.
"At the very least, we can report some good news to Lord Bahamut and the cabinet, who are away on diplomatic duties abroad. That's a real relief."
"So, you were feeling the pressure?"
"Indeed. The cabinet had me on edge."
Being able to deliver glad tidings to Bahamut, who was handling diplomatic negotiations overseas, eased Jeong Dong-gun's mind. No matter how deep Bahamut's trust ran, it wasn't eternal. If the Ulsan War dragged on interminably, cracks would inevitably form in that trust. This decisive victory offered a chance to rebuild and strengthen it, which was far from bad for Jeong Dong-gun personally.
"By the way, the intelligence we obtained... when you think about it, the Immortal Cult's influence extends farther than we'd imagined."
"Yes, remarkably so. Seoul, Incheon, Daejeon, Ulsan, and even Busan. They're wielding power in every major city on the peninsula."
Among the intel gained, the most intriguing was undoubtedly the scope of the Immortal Cult's influence. They'd played it cool during the talks, but learning they held sway not just in key cities but even the capital Seoul planted a nagging doubt: Could the Immortal Cult actually be stronger than the Balhut Cult?
"But they're not truly governing more than half of those places."
Yet if they were that powerful, they wouldn't fixate solely on the Ulsan front. They could strike at the Balhut Cult's heartland through other routes, and with Daejeon under their control, they could even flank Pohang.
"The cities they truly dominate are Ulsan... and Busan at a stretch."
"Seoul has Hero Kim Su-ho guarding it, doesn't it?"
Every reclaimed city had its standout hero, and Seoul's Kim Su-ho was the first on the peninsula to reach the superhuman realm. Han Seong-geun figured the Immortal Cult couldn't exert much influence there, given reports of Su-ho rescuing the remnants of the Korean government and fortifying the Han River defense line. He mentioned the name to Jeong Dong-gun on that basis.
"Precisely because Seoul is protected by Kim Su-ho—the very first to hit level 20 and become a superhuman—they claim influence there. That depth surprised me more than I expected."
On the flip side, wielding influence in Seoul despite Kim Su-ho's presence proved the Immortal Cult's formidable strength. Influence didn't just mean outright rule; it could mean infiltration, subversion, all sorts of things.
"It's not that surprising. It's not domination—more like partial sway through infiltration."
"I know. But the man in question is Kim Su-ho."
In that sense, the Balhut Cult already exerted influence in Daegu, so it wasn't shocking. But there was one fact Jeong Dong-gun didn't know.
"Speaking of Kim Su-ho, recent reports say he suffered a defeat in Myeongdong."
"He did?"
The hero once called invincible had tasted defeat. Jeong Dong-gun stared at Han Seong-geun in disbelief, and Han nodded gravely with a stoic expression.
"Yes."
Jeong Dong-gun pondered with a troubled look before asking gravely,
"That's... troubling. Did Kim Su-ho fall in battle?"
The answer would dictate the Balhut Cult's future strategies.
Fortunately...
"No, he survived. Community chatter says they lost almost no forces—just the territory they'd reclaimed on expedition."
"So the Han River defense line holds."
"Yes."
Kim Su-ho hadn't perished, nor had his unit suffered major losses. They'd simply relinquished recaptured land, but crucially, no word of the vital Han River line collapsing.
It was akin to one step forward, two steps back.
"Something's happened in Seoul."
Abandoning hard-won territory meant trouble brewing in the capital. Jeong Dong-gun could think of two possibilities.
'The emergence of a powerful undead. The simplest, quickest explanation.'
First: a mighty undead. With the banshee variant already spotted off the East Sea, the apocalypse had precedent for such horrors. Given the Immortal Cult's ties to the ghost fleet and their influence in Seoul, they might have unleashed a fearsome undead there. It was the most straightforward logic, a scenario justifying retreat—especially recalling how the East Sea fleet had struggled against the initial banshee encounter. Prioritizing his unit's safety would be the rational call for Kim Su-ho.
"...Or perhaps an internal crisis took priority."
"Commander?"
Second: internal issues—political ones. Jeong Dong-gun enjoyed Bahamut's favor and support from faction leaders Hwang Geun-chul and Park Cheol-gon, so he'd faced no such strife. Kim Su-ho's situation differed. If not undead, the only reason to abandon reclaimed land was politics—discord or failed cooperation between Su-ho and the Han River factions.
"...Let's set Kim Su-ho aside for now and continue. Next, their leader: the so-called Dark Lord."
"What a clichéd title for a villain."
"Tell me about it. 'Black Sorcerer' might've sounded more intimidating."
The grandiose name dulled its menace; something crisp and concise might have instilled real fear. A silly jest, nothing more.
"Yet unlike the generic title, he's treated as an absolute authority within the Immortal Cult."
"An absolute being... on par with Lord Bahamut?"
"Who knows? We have zero intel on his power. But in this apocalypse, where unimaginable things emerge... we must stay vigilant."
No room for complacency. Only the Immortal Cult knew his true nature, confirmed solely via Geas Scroll interrogation. Jeong Dong-gun's deepest worry?
"In this end times, I can't rule out another entity rivaling Dragon God Bahamut. Anything can happen."
If the foe matched Bahamut... how to counter? His concerns deepened.
"I see."
"You're not rattled."
Han Seong-geun replied calmly, unfazed. Jeong Dong-gun probed why.
"But consider: their 'Dark Lord' hasn't intervened personally. Doesn't that prove he fears Dragon God Bahamut's might?"
"Does it?"
With such power, he could end the Ulsan War himself—yet he operated through proxies. If the Cult acknowledged Bahamut, so did the Dark Lord, implying fear, argued Han.
"Yes. If absolute, he'd have conquered the peninsula by now. Instead, he lurks, merely directing the Cult from afar. Even as Lord Bahamut acts decisively when needed."
Evidence: the "absolute" being had never appeared on the front lines. Bahamut intervened directly if required, but the Dark Lord remained a phantom—unknown until these talks.
"Fair point. But no complacency. Next: the Immortal Cult and we can never share the same sky."
"As expected."
The following intel explained why endless war was inevitable—no ceasefire possible. Jeong Dong-gun wanted to demand if they truly sought mutual destruction.
"I hoped for talks, but they've resolved to annihilate the Balhut Cult. Their absolute authority decreed it. Our only option: destroy them first."
"A pity."
If they'd committed to our end, we must reciprocate. Jeong Dong-gun vowed the Immortal Cult's demise; Han lamented it but raised no objection. One must fall for the other to survive.
"Finally... the Ulsan civilians."
"...What of them?"
Jeong Dong-gun shook his head silently—a tacit admission of grim tidings. Han Seong-geun clamped his lips shut.
"They dodged the question. Best to hope they're still alive."
"In this apocalypse... false hope feels too cruel."
This end times was merciless; given the Cult's methods, survival seemed hopeless.
"Steel yourself."
"Understood, Commander."
They'd have to abandon half of Ulsan. Jeong Dong-gun's voice trembled with resolve; Han Seong-geun met it with somber eyes.
That wrapped the intel review, but something still nagged at Jeong Dong-gun.
"Before Lord Bahamut returns, we need intel on Seoul."
"Seoul?"
"Like it or not, it's Korea's heart. Kim Su-ho's defeat could ripple across the peninsula."
"Got it. I'll look into it."
Ready or not, Su-ho's fall demanded contingency plans.