57. Meeting (3)
It was an outrageously arrogant statement. One could easily interpret it as treating Pohang like a joke and placing the Balhut Cult far above them, so it wouldn't have been surprising if the hard-won meeting shattered right then and there.
Yet from the perspective of Pohang's three major camps, there was no ground to refute Choi Yu-na's words. To counter that, they'd need to claim they'd reclaimed Pohang themselves—but if they'd already done that, there'd be no need for this meeting with the Balhut Cult to discuss reclaiming it in the first place.
"This isn't a negotiation. It's the Balhut Cult asserting overwhelming dominance and issuing a decree to all of you."
Choi Yu-na openly declared that the Balhut Cult held the reins of this meeting. But no one gathered here could refute the Balhut Cult's... no, Yu-na's bold move. After all, the cult had already demonstrated real results in Pohang and stood on the verge of launching a solo assault on Pohang Airport.
If not for this meeting, Jeong Dong-gun—here as Yu-na's escort—would have already stormed the airport.
"Then why drag us to this meeting hall? To flex your muscles?"
Of course, the Pohang Airport assault could still fail. But given their track record so far, failure would require divine intervention from the heavens. Seo Un-jae, who had just judged that Yu-na's declaration had stripped the three camps of initiative, began criticizing her, accusing them of mere showboating.
"Heh heh. How about I make you a splendid offer?"
"An offer?"
Instead, Yu-na seemed amused, deciding to extend a grand proposal to Pohang's three major factions. What could it be, that the Balhut Cult's pontiff would announce it personally?
"Why don't you witness the advent of Lord Bahamut as well?"
"Lord Bahamut?"
"Yes. Back when the internet was still up... Well, you could still check via Starlink if you really wanted. But do you remember that one video that spread through the Gyeongju community forums back then?"
Everyone in the meeting hall pondered for a moment but quickly arrived at the answer. In the days when Korea's online communities still functioned normally, a video had exploded at the heart of Gyeongju's forums. At first, people dismissed it as game CGI or a fake composite and scrolled past. Then the zombie outbreak hit, and no one had the luxury to care about random videos anymore.
"The video... You mean the one about the dragon that appeared in Gyeongju?"
Even back then, some had wondered if it was real, and it had left a strong impression regardless. Ha Jin-woo mentioned the Gyeongju dragon with a hint of hope, and Yu-na nodded with a beaming smile.
It was silent affirmation.
"Are you saying you'll show it to us?"
"Yes. If that's what you want."
Kim Tae-sik heard her say she'd show it herself if they desired, a clear yes.
"We've even found the perfect spot to summon His advent. I can show you definitively."
The Balhut Cult had indeed scouted suitable sites for deploying Bahamut and succeeded in selecting one. That's why Yu-na could boldly promise to unveil him to Pohang's three factions.
"Once He descends, will those stiff necks of yours stay so proud?"
"……"
No one responded to Yu-na's mad declaration. They were used to awakeners wielding mysteries and magic by now, but a colossal dragon appearing in Pohang? It was too absurd to believe—even after hearing it.
The dragon from the video had annihilated a zombie horde in Gyeongju with a single strike—a being of overwhelming might. Could a mere awakener truly command such a creature?
"Then let's end today's meeting here. No point dragging it out. Until we prove the cult's power to you, talks can't progress anyway."
In the end, the meeting concluded under the Balhut Cult's dominance. They'd at least exchanged contact networks, and Pohang's three camps could pat themselves on the back for connecting with a powerful external force—giving Pohang's reclamation a hopeful outlook.
"Should we trust the Balhut Cult?"
Ha Jin-woo, leader of the Pohang University camp, eyed the cult with deep skepticism. If Yu-na's escort, Jeong Dong-gun, had stepped up and vowed to reclaim Pohang himself, Ha Jin-woo might have believed it. Jeong and his unit had already secured up to Pohang Airport's vicinity, poised to strike before coming here.
But in the meeting, Jeong Dong-gun was just a mere bodyguard. The one leading was a young girl, claiming a dragon would solve everything. This was the apocalypse, yes—but that very apocalypse made Yu-na's claim smack of empty bravado, impossible to trust.
Did we jump into cooperation too hastily?
Ha Jin-woo, who had pushed for alliance with the cult based solely on Jeong Dong-gun, now deeply regretted it. But with cooperation already underway, he had no choice but to see it through.
At least we're the biggest winners from this deal, right?
Among the camps, Ha Jin-woo's Pohang University group had gained the most from the meeting. Thanks to the Balhut Cult, they'd benefited first and foremost, with the zombies threatening their perimeter nearly wiped out by the cult's efforts. The other camps wouldn't sympathize if they complained now—they'd profited more than anyone.
Thus, doubts about cooperating with the cult gnawed at him relentlessly.
Awakeners are strong, I'll grant that. But commanding a dragon? Is that even possible?
Meanwhile, Marine Division Commander Kim Tae-sik acknowledged awakeners' prowess but questioned whether they could truly summon a dragon like in the video. Since the zombie outbreak, he'd seen firsthand how awakeners doubled normal humans' strength and wielded unheard-of magic in combat.
But even awakeners had limits, and those limits had prevented Pohang's full reclamation. Kim Tae-sik's doubts about the cult were entirely natural.
If Jeong Dong-gun's awakener army led the charge, that'd be believable. They lack heavy armor support, but each soldier fights like ten men. And their specialized awakener gear stands out.
Still, there were credible elements. Kim Tae-sik had secretly observed the might of Jeong Dong-gun's awakener forces, especially during the push toward Pohang Airport. He'd envied their raw power and custom equipment.
Unlike us without a secure base, they have Gyeongju as backup. Constant resupply of special weapons. They might not even need the video's dragon—Jeong's army alone could reclaim Pohang.
With Gyeongju as their rear base—unlike Pohang—they could repel variant spider zombies and take the city with their geared-up forces. It wasn't hard to conclude. Any rational division commander would trust Jeong's steady army over some dragon descent.
The real issue is after reclamation. If they claim victor's rights, my position's at risk.
What worried him was the aftermath. The Balhut Cult would win, and if they exercised victor's privileges over Pohang, Kim Tae-sik's seat would be in jeopardy. That's why he hesitated to align with them.
It's fact they reclaimed up to Pohang Airport—that zombie-infested hellhole. So yeah, the cult could solo Pohang without lying.
Even Seo Un-jae, who had fiercely resisted Yu-na, now accepted the cult's strength without doubt. With proven results up to the airport, a Gyeongju base for supplies maximizing combat potential, they were Pohang's strongest group. The expedition penalty barely mattered—roads were clear, just a 20-minute drive.
So, who'll buy us out at a premium? The Balhut Cult? Or should I form a group claiming Pohang's rights outright?
Pohang would fall to the cult sooner or later. Thus, Pohang's three camps—no, Hyongsan River survivor camp leader Seo Un-jae—faced a choice. After reclamation, whom to follow? Sell out to whoever valued him highest? Or form a shadowy group asserting Pohang's rights against Gyeongju?
Normally, one would say follow the dominant Balhut Cult.
No. No need to volunteer as the dragon's tail. A snake's head is head enough.
Seo Un-jae chose the snake's head over the dragon's tail. Joining the cult now meant competing with other camps for high rank anyway. As a capable awakener and politician—former Pohang councilor pre-apocalypse—he had the chops.
It's feasible. Cooperate with other camps, and we can assert Pohang's rights against the cult.
To him, it was viable. Post-reclamation, the cult would need local factions' cooperation to govern. If Seo Un-jae led, championing Pohang's rights, he'd gain fame as the cult's local advocate—massive political capital in the apocalypse. Later, challenging the cult, Pohang's people would listen.
If the cult were blindly fanatic, impossible. But despite the name, they operate like a government.
Investigations showed they weren't irrational zealots but a functional state. He'd downplayed them as a "cult" in the meeting, but he'd probed deeper than anyone beforehand.
It's possible. Totally doable.
Crucially, his goal was building political assets within the cult's rules—not outright rebellion. Fight fair, but snipe weaknesses where he held advantage.
Someone will claim Pohang's rights eventually. I'll preempt it.
Eventually, anti-Gyeongju voices would rise. By claiming the role first and helping the cult control local sentiment, it'd benefit them too. Seo Un-jae thus reassured himself, looking forward to what lay ahead.
And...
"Mm-hmm! Looks like everyone's pinning hopes on Lord Bahamut's descent again!"
[That's not it.]
The very Choi Yu-na who had stunned Pohang's three camps with her bombshell thought nothing of it. While they stewed over her words, she beamed with serene bliss.
From her view, Bahamut's advent would convert Pohang's people to Dragon God faith. More concerned with expanding the cult than her own prestige, that was paramount to Yu-na.
Bahamut—who wanted no part in the cult's religious growth—awkwardly retorted that it wasn't so, but...
"No! If Lord Bahamut descends personally, all Pohang's misfortunes vanish! Yes—like Gyeongju, Pohang can be saved!"
Yu-na declared with unyielding fervor that a dragon's intervention would swiftly end the zombie crisis. She wouldn't tolerate doubt on this.
'It... makes sense...!'
The problem? It was pure fact. Even Bahamut couldn't refute her.