163. Vertical and Horizontal Alliances (2)
Numerically outnumbered and utterly drained from fighting the Balhut Cult, Heo Jin-ho and his group immediately chose to surrender. Baek Seol-hwa accepted their capitulation, and they were transported to Gyeongju.
Unlike the bloodthirsty raiders who had tasted slaughter, they were, after all, officials of the provisional government and its leader. They received VIP treatment. In particular, Heo Jin-ho, who had sustained severe injuries during his escape, was admitted to a major hospital, where he underwent free surgery and could focus solely on recovery.
Thanks to this, they were able to rest both body and mind in true comfort. Upon receiving Baek Seol-hwa's report of their capture, Choi Yu-na did not rush to meet them. Instead, she generously granted them two weeks to recuperate their exhausted bodies and sort out their thoughts.
For an Awakener, with proper treatment, regenerative abilities allowed a swift return to the battlefield. Indeed, when Yu-na visited Heo Jin-ho's hospital room two weeks later,
"You've come? I've been waiting so long I grew bored. You're more leisurely than I expected, Balhut Cult."
As if he'd been anticipating her arrival, she found Heo Jin-ho fully recovered in body and spirit. He couldn't stay cooped up in the room like a good patient; he was doing push-ups, honing his physique. It was clear he was the type born for the warrior's path.
At the sight of Heo Jin-ho like this, Choi Yu-na greeted him impassively, without a flicker of expression.
"Yes. Pleased to meet you, Heo Jin-ho."
"...That girl I saw before was a monster, but you're something beyond even that. Haha. Are all you kids these days such monsters?"
Rather than returning her greeting, Heo Jin-ho reacted to the overwhelming power emanating from Yu-na with a hint of fear, his face paling as he dubbed her a monster. He stopped his push-ups mid-rep and stared at her. It was the kind of remark that could have been called rude, but in truth, Heo Jin-ho wasn't wrong.
He seemed sensitive to mana detection, having sensed Yu-na's immense magical power. Most people meeting her for the first time blurted out something like "monster" or "are you even human?" It wasn't unique to him.
Recognizing him as a detection-type Awakener, Yu-na nodded in understanding and spoke.
"I had no intention of intimidating you unnecessarily, but if it makes you uneasy, I can suppress this power for a moment."
"No need. It provides just the right tension—better to keep it on show. Your usual state."
Even at her offer of courtesy, Heo Jin-ho brushed it off, saying it was fine since it gave him the proper edge. Without it, the girl before him would seem no more than a child not yet out of her teens, like Baek Seol-hwa he'd seen before.
For the negotiations ahead, this piercing mana that made his skin crawl could heighten his sense of crisis.
"Then, once more: hello, Heo Jin-ho. How's your body feeling?"
"Thanks to the Balhut Cult's sincerity, I'm fine. More than me, please look after my subordinates."
"Haha. The others are receiving similar treatment, so don't worry."
Yu-na greeted him warmly again, and Heo Jin-ho thanked the Balhut Cult for his recovery while requesting care for his men. Yu-na reassured him that the others were being treated the same, putting his mind at ease.
"Then that's a relief. They stuck with this incompetent leader to the end."
Heo Jin-ho bowed his head to Yu-na in gratitude, his expression lightening as if all his worries had lifted. Watching this, Yu-na anticipated smooth negotiations and cut to the chase.
"Glad you're reassured—that's truly fortunate. We have a lot to discuss moving forward. Stories about your future path, and propositions you might find tempting."
"What could you possibly have to say to a defeated loser like me?"
But Heo Jin-ho looked bewildered, responding as if a loser had no opportunities left. Before the apocalypse, as long as you survived, chances came endlessly. But in this brutal end times, it was notoriously hard for a once-defeated leader to rise again.
Even Kim Su-ho, Seoul's hero, had lost much of his prestige after one defeat in Myeongdong. Heo Jin-ho's logic wasn't off-base. He'd lost to refugees, had his regime usurped, and now survived as a refugee under Balhut Cult protection.
"In this apocalypse, new chances are miraculous. I lost in the end, driven from Daegu—our home—like refugees. Our value? At best, parasites leeching off the Balhut Cult as nominal officials, consuming food and resources."
His self-esteem seemed eroded during two weeks of treatment; Heo Jin-ho spoke with downcast eyes of being limited to hanger-on or freeloader. He looked like a man whose ideology had crumbled from betrayal by those he'd sheltered and trusted—a classic symptom of anxiety disorder.
For his followers' sake, he'd led them this far, but with their safety secured, he had little attachment to life left.
Yu-na knew this all too well.
This is just like me before meeting Lord Bahamut.
She'd suffered the same, plunged into confusion until contracting with the Dragon God. To revive his drive, she needed her own remedy.
"If we recapture Daegu, could you reestablish the government?"
"...You're saying you'd give us a chance? To us losers?"
Yu-na smiled brightly, offering Heo Jin-ho another shot. He fell silent briefly, a spark of interest in his eyes, then asked if they'd really give defeated men like him an opportunity. Sensing the hope in his voice, Yu-na nodded firmly, acknowledging his worth.
"Yes. For the plans we're envisioning, we'd like a Balhut-friendly powerhouse holding real power in Daegu."
"...About that vision of yours."
She explained his help was essential for the Balhut Cult's grand design, affirming his value. Heo Jin-ho pondered, then asked to hear the details first.
"It's alliances of union and hegemony. Or more precisely, founding a federation uniting Gyeongju, Pohang, Daegu, and Ulsan."
"A federation."
Indeed, vertical and horizontal alliances.
"We've essentially founded a nation already, but it's still lacking. To fill those gaps, with the Balhut Cult at the center, we'll unite all nearby factions into a new power. Pohang and North Ulsan are already ours; add Daegu, and this vision becomes fully realizable."
"In other words, properly founding a nation—and conveniently absorbing our talents without backlash."
"Yes. But what's wrong with that?"
"Nothing wrong. It's merciful beyond measure for us."
This would suppress internal dissent, integrate talents smoothly via mercy and tolerance—letting them choose voluntarily, unlike prior conquests that drained administration.
"Until now... honestly, our territory was just Gyeongju and Pohang. Too small to call a nation. Now we're truly declaring statehood."
"Haha. Should I be horrified there's a rebel against the Republic of Korea right next door? Or is it weirder that I'm accepting it calmly? This apocalypse-hardened self of mine is truly frightening."
At her sincere declaration of nation-building, Heo Jin-ho gave a wry smile, at a loss for words. Pre-apocalypse, it would have been unimaginable delusion from any sane person. But the Balhut Cult could now openly declare the Republic's end, undeniable.
"The Republic is done anyway. With Seoul's hero Kim Su-ho failing to retake the city, that tattered signboard won't last."
"True. This mess might stem from his defeat too. It convinced provincial cities the Republic fell—even if Seoul holds."
In the end, it all traced to Kim Su-ho's loss. Without it, the Balhut Cult couldn't so boldly claim nationhood. His failure convinced warlords everywhere the Republic was finished.
Kim Su-ho's Republic was just another warlord holding Seoul scraps; its laws and order were hollow pretenses, futile banners.
"Troublesome cult leader you are. To think such a person lived next door. World sure is scary. But we can't refuse. We owe you our lives—and more than that, these lives aren't just mine."
Yet others still honored the Republic, claiming its legacy. The Balhut Cult rejected it outright, forging anew. Heo Jin-ho smiled bitterly at having such neighbors, realizing escape was impossible now. To save his men, he'd become their accomplice.
Cooperation was wisest for his safety. Heo Jin-ho pledged allegiance to the Balhut Cult.
"Thank you for your decision."
"Fine, say I'm cooperating. So, what's next? Even with weapons or troops from you, retaking Daegu won't be instant. Two weeks gave us time to think—but also for them to master my defenses. Now you and I face the lines I built against zombies."
Even united with his remnants, options were limited. Even mobilizing now with borrowed forces, two weeks meant they'd fortified against counterattacks. A decapitation strike only removed command; inheriting Heo Jin-ho's system made them tough nuts.
"Once usurped, expect hordes shouting they could retake it from usurpers. Your cult surely has such fools too..."
"Of course. I just finished dealing with those idiots' challenges on my way here."
"...Ah, really?"
Heo Jin-ho's successful coup proved regimes could be toppled, tempting others elsewhere. The Balhut Cult wasn't immune; power-hungry beasts claiming they could do better than the priestess or cabinet were inevitable. Yu-na had met all challenges, crushing them.
"No confidence on your end?"
"Confidence? No fear of losing. We fell to surprise at first, but in open battle—with proper support—we'll win."
When she teased if he lacked faith in breaching his own lines, Heo Jin-ho shot back confidently.
"I'll prove it from here on out."