159. Crime City (2)
"A police organization?"
"Yes. We've felt the need for a specialized department to maintain internal security and law and order. So we established a police force. It wasn't my decision alone. Starting with Prime Minister Hwang Geun-chul, even Administrative Minister Lee Su-ah emphasized the necessity. Seol-hwa did too, along with Seo Un-jae, who advised her. Everyone stressed the need for a police organization."
In truth, the establishment of the police itself had been handled under Yu-na and Prime Minister Hwang Geun-chul's authority, but naturally, all subsequent details had been reported to Bahamut in the form of after-action updates. Yu-na had visited Bahamut personally for her regular briefing, informing him of the police organization's creation. Bahamut had brushed it off lightly, thinking that any nation would naturally have police. After all, it wasn't Yu-na acting unilaterally; it had been set up on advice from Prime Minister Hwang Geun-chul, Administrative Minister Lee Su-ah, and even Baek Seol-hwa and Seo Un-jae in Pohang. From their perspective, it was a necessary step, and with the two heavyweights overseeing Gyeongju and Pohang agreeing, Bahamut had focused less on questioning the police and more on...
"I see. So internal security has become an issue. Understood. Is the situation dangerous?"
He turned his attention to the Balhut Cult's internal security. Had the cult's order deteriorated so much while he was briefly focused on his contractor Alicia? With a somewhat worried tone, he spoke to Yu-na.
"Yes. We're currently dealing with a social issue: refugees flooding in from outside, giving us headaches. If these refugees were truly innocent with no crimes on their records, it wouldn't be a big problem. But unfortunately, raiders are disguising themselves as refugees and slipping in, leaving small business owners near the borders and nearby citizens suffering."
Yu-na explained that they were still resolving it, noting how these social problems had caused pain to small merchants and local residents. Bahamut's expression grew troubled; he judged it wasn't something he could fix.
It's not something I can easily handle. From the outside, distinguishing genuine refugees from raiders is tricky for me.
Bahamut did patrol the cult's borders to uphold his vow of protecting the Balhut Cult, but if they infiltrated disguised as refugees, the criteria for judgment grew murky. If they were malicious raiders, he'd drive them out without hesitation. But if they were truly desperate people fleeing for survival, simply expelling them felt wrong. So, aside from alerting Yu-na via the cult about refugee groups spotted during patrols, there wasn't much he could do right now.
It's the downside of monitoring such a vast area. Can't check every detail.
Above all, the inability to scrutinize minutiae was the biggest drawback. Bahamut was single-handedly surveilling from Pohang through Gyeongju to Ulsan, so unless something blatant or suspicious caught his eye, he had to let it pass. Bluntly put, the Balhut Cult's main enemies were undead and monsters, not fellow humans.
"So, you established the police organization? A natural necessity for restoring order. Who leads it?"
To wrap up the report, Bahamut inquired about the head of this new police force. It wasn't objection to the decision already made—just asking for the name of the new minister he needed to remember.
"Yes. Han Seong-geun, who distinguished himself in the Ulsan battle, has been appointed police chief."
Whoa. With all the standout awakeners in our cult, he broke through to police chief? Impressive skills.
Hearing the name, Bahamut was inwardly stunned. From his perspective, he never imagined the resistance deputy leader who'd come for the Ulsan alliance would rise this far. Overseeing the awakener project, Bahamut had seen countless talented cult members and assumed one of them would take the role. But Han Seong-geun? It was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise.
"Han Seong-geun, the man I met before. He must be quite capable."
"He even served as deputy commander of the Ulsan front in Jeong Dong-gun's stead."
Hold on, that's real talent? Finding someone as reliable as Jeong Dong-gun is no easy feat.
Especially since Jeong Dong-gun, whom Bahamut trusted most, had endorsed him. Buoyed by Yu-na's high praise, Bahamut felt fortunate, figuring things had fallen into place more smoothly than expected. If Jeong Dong-gun praised him that highly, Han Seong-geun clearly had strengths worthy of notice. Confident they'd selected someone reliable, he was about to leave police matters to Han Seong-geun—
"And his deputy is Jin A-yeon unnie. Since it's still early days, the military and National Tax Service are assisting."
Jin A-yeon was a bit extreme, but her combat prowess made sense for such duties. Yet Yu-na's final words were impossible to overlook.
National Tax Service? Surely not that infamous one...?
"...Are you trying to make someone go insane?"
Bahamut asked with uncharacteristic seriousness! Just listing the names formed a combination primed for disaster! Jin A-yeon aside, the National Tax Service was the most ruthless organization in the Balhut Cult, willing to commit any atrocity for tax collection.
"Of course not."
"Good."
Unlike Bahamut's grim imaginings, she claimed no such intent.
"Well, there might be some overzealous suppression. But by awakener standards, it's not insane levels."
That's terrifying! Way too terrifying! Overkill suppression is the problem itself!
But Yu-na's follow-up only amplified his unease. Jin A-yeon alone was understandable, but the National Tax Service too? Having heard their notorious reputation often, Bahamut worried the firepower was excessive.
"It's an issue in Pohang too, though. Can't be helped if the force feels a bit heavy-handed."
"Problems in Pohang as well?"
It wasn't just Gyeongju; Pohang faced the same. Inevitably, deploying the decisive National Tax Service made sense for firm resolution, even if aggressive. Hearing it affected Pohang too, Bahamut asked gravely.
"Yes. Seol-hwa consulted not just her cabinet, but me directly over this."
"I see. And it's precisely the kind of problem I can't resolve myself."
To tackle it, Seol-hwa had met her own cabinet and even Yu-na personally. Bahamut stated flatly that even he couldn't fix it, sounding genuinely regretful.
I can't solve social issues! Monster hunts, tech development, magic research, distributing civilian tools—that's my limit!
He lacked the mind for it anyway, and handing sensitive social matters to the Balhut Cult was best.
Moreover, if a dragon mediated human disputes...
Sounds cool, but no. Better to redevelop Geas Scrolls for civilian use!
Cool or not, it wouldn't do.
"No choice. You've decreed that human issues should be handled by humans, Bahamut-nim. I understand."
"Disappointing?"
"Yes. It'd be a lie to say otherwise."
From Yu-na's view, it was a huge letdown. Bahamut stepping in would likely end it well. With the Dragon God's fearsome power and wisdom, he'd find solutions the cult hadn't considered...
Even I couldn't solve this in one go! As if! These social problems snowball if ignored—Bahamut knew that well. And he flat-out lacked the ability!
Plus, realistic limits meant nothing more he could do!
"But my involvement could spark bigger issues. Forgive me."
"That's too much, Bahamut-nim."
No helping it. To hide his incompetence, he had to leave social matters to Yu-na and the cabinet. That's what he'd created them for!
"Next item, then. Where are these refugees coming from?"
"We have intel from National Tax Service agents dispatched to Daegu."
Mentioning NTS agents in Daegu is... troubling, right?
Why NTS agents infiltrated Daegu? Good readers needn't know. As always, suspect NTS for odd happenings, and you'd be close. This incident likely stemmed from their exploits too.
"Daegu's interim government, led by Heo Jin-ho, has collapsed."
True to expectations, Daegu's interim government had fallen. Bahamut stared at Yu-na, dumbfounded. Daegu had secured order without outside help, even forming a provisional government—a sign of potent warlord potential. Yet it crumbled in a blink.
"...Did they secretly flood it with drugs behind my back?"
Unable to ignore it during his brief distraction, Bahamut eyed the NTS and Lee Hyun-ah suspiciously.
"No, not drugs. We've already coordinated on that."
"Then undead hordes overwhelmed them?"
Yu-na defended firmly—no drugs, as they'd agreed. Loyal Lee Hyun-ah wouldn't defy Bahamut's strict ban. She'd faithfully processed drugs into "medicine" with Lee Su-ah's coordination, aiding Daegu as a buffer zone. So, surely undead annihilation?
"No."
Not that either.
"...Refugees again?"
"Yes. Attacked by refugees from elsewhere. They seized power. Ironically, those ousted from Daegu became the refugees."
What? That's scary as hell.
Refugees toppled them. Daegu, riding high with its provisional government, fell to refugee hordes. Bahamut felt hollow, unsure whether to lament their incompetence or pity their truck-of-fate timing.
If those refugees were disguised raiders, it wasn't incompetence—just bad luck against superior foes.
"So, raiders have a warlord faction among them now."
"Seems so. The community forums are buzzing with headaches over these sudden refugees."
This confirmed a warlord-level force among disguised-raider refugees. Daegu's forces were battle-hardened from prolonged undead wars; toppling them swiftly meant a formidable attacker.
Details on how they won decisively were unclear, but the usurpers were evidently combat-savvy.
"What about other cities?"
"No issues yet, from community reactions—at least."
Usually, community buzz meant acceptance. But the Immortal Cult war taught the Balhut Cult one thing.
"We've learned community reactions aren't the full picture, even in Ulsan. Can't rely on it alone."
Community posts weren't gospel in this apocalypse—vulnerable to manipulation. Full control let them erase unfavorable opinions, flooding with favorable ones. Reference only, not blind faith.
The new Daegu interim government won't ally with us. Sudden coup means they'll likely choose war to legitimize rule.
Checking forums, Bahamut pondered the new Daegu regime. Negotiation? But it was like your neighbor being armed robbers—cooperation impossible. They'd know the original owners (you) and silence witnesses via murder. For usurpers, easiest legitimacy was force.
"...Then, we negotiate with those ousted by the coup."
"Negotiate?"
"Offer restoration in exchange for joining our fold."
Having lost everything, they'd find Bahamut's proposal appealing.