61. Negotiation (1)
They had successfully eradicated every last zombie inside Pohang, bringing the reclamation to a triumphant close. But now came the tasks they'd been putting off—the postwar reconstruction, and solidifying Pohang's power structure and governance once and for all.
"We intend to provide ample supplies for Pohang's reconstruction," the Balhut Cult representatives declared. "We'll dispatch specialized personnel, of course. And we'll supply clean, purified water and energy resources free of charge—exactly what Pohang needs most right now."
Reconstruction, at least, should proceed smoothly. The Balhut Cult had already pledged the necessary materials, personnel, and even free purified water and electrical fuel as essential postwar aid. This gave the cult a firm grip on Pohang's leadership, earning recognition from the three major camps.
"We're grateful, but we can't deny our own contributions to reclaiming Pohang, can we?"
"Of course. The cult acknowledges the blood you've all shed in the fight."
In turn, the three camps' negotiator, Seo Un-jae, pressed his case to Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul, the cult's representatives. He argued that the camps had made substantial contributions to the reclamation. Indeed, after Bahamut's descent, the three Pohang factions had voluntarily cooperated with the cult's rule, proving their worth in the internal sweeps. And considering they'd held off the mutant spider zombies in Pohang's streets before Gyeongju's forces arrived, the cult couldn't dismiss their role outright.
"We're asking only for rights befitting the blood shed by Pohang's citizens—rights for them alone."
"Rights, you say."
Even now, they pursued these through negotiation rather than reckless strife, leaving Park Cheol-gon and Hwang Geun-chul unable to bully Seo Un-jae without risking Pohang's stability. Bahamut himself favored peaceful dialogue, and the opposition had approached them first with talks in mind. Besides, their demands weren't excessive—what Seo called "rights for Pohang's citizens" sounded reasonable enough.
"Are you proposing local autonomy for Pohang?"
"Yes. We've contributed to the assault. In return, we seek proportional local self-governance."
It amounted to a form of local autonomy. Pohang would recognize the Balhut Cult as the central government, accept Gyeongju's superiority, and fall in line beneath it—while enjoying its own interests and self-rule.
"It shouldn't be a bad deal for the Balhut Cult. Negotiating one by one with our three factions and forcing compliance would be messier than earning voluntary cooperation—which would make governing Pohang far smoother."
And truthfully, Seo's proposal cost the cult nothing. Having seized Pohang, they needed local buy-in to rule effectively. Outsiders like the cult couldn't grasp the city's intricacies without on-the-ground help from Pohang natives.
"I control Pohang's administrative personnel."
"Hm."
Across the Hyongsan River, from his perch at Pohang City Hall, Seo Un-jae held a tight grip on the bureaucracy. In other words, the cult hadn't recruited a single insider with real knowledge of local admin. Hwang Geun-chul glanced at Park Cheol-gon, hoping otherwise, but the Speaker shook his head—no successes on his end either, even before the talks.
Right now, Seo alone knew Pohang's administration inside out. Without him, the cult couldn't wield real authority here.
"We're not here to dominate Pohang. We're a righteous army come to save our kin. The cult has no desire to trample local pride—we want to win hearts and minds for stable rule. To be frank, we want smooth access to Pohang's industries and steel mills. That's our true aim."
"Honest of you."
"No point hiding it—you already know."
"Naturally. In this apocalypse, Pohang's true treasures are its surviving industrial facilities and steelworks—nothing else comes close."
With no choice, Hwang laid bare the cult's intentions, appealing for voluntary cooperation. They weren't conquerors but benevolent rulers eager to utilize Pohang's steel production efficiently. Seo grinned broadly, praising the candor and nodding that yes, those assets were Pohang's sole valuables now.
"We know you're keen on our industries. So, plenty to discuss. You can't run the steel mills yourselves—you'll need technicians, right?"
"True. We'll need experts to operate the Pohang steelworks."
"Our three camps know where those technicians are. We even have professors who taught them."
Even after reclaiming the steelworks, skilled workers and engineers were essential. Amid the chaos, the cult couldn't track down the mill's veterans—but the three camps could. That alone made cooperation inevitable.
"If we can strike the right balance, the Balhut Cult wins, and so does Pohang."
"We know. Let's negotiate properly and find a way we all smile."
"Come on, we were in the same party before the end. Do we really need all this formal sparring?"
Seo called for balanced compromise, but Hwang insisted on firm, thorough talks. Seo feigned offense, reminding him they were both conservatives pre-apocalypse.
"South Korea's conservative party is finished."
"That'd be fighting words back then."
"But it's fact now."
Hwang drew a hard line: the old party was dead and gone. Seo bristled, calling it outrageous in the old world, but Hwang simply let facts stand.
"Haha! Facts are facts, though. Can't I invoke old party ties to smooth this negotiation?"
"If a defunct party from the past hinders talks, I'll quit it right here."
"It's been five months with no word from them anyway. If you quit, shall I declare my own resignation?"
Five months post-apocalypse, ideologies like conservatism offered zero survival value—everyone tilted their heads at the notion. Even Park Cheol-gon, the Democrat quietly observing, agreed.
"Then I'll resign right now too."
"Pardon, which party were you with pre-end?"
"The Democratic Party."
"What a sight in this era!"
In a world where mere survival against zombies consumed them, dredging up left-right divides or ideologies felt pointless—a luxury the Balhut Cult frowned on too. Survival was paramount; old factionalism was obsolete. So Hwang quit first, Seo followed suit competitively, and Park matched them. No one cared about extinct parties with no future power anyway—did such organizations even exist to accept resignations?
"Unlike us fresh quitters, you're no longer South Koreans anyway."
Seo eyed them with conviction: ditching their parties without hesitation to serve the Balhut Cult meant they weren't Korean anymore.
"Is that strange?"
"Not at all."
"If anything, I respect your swift resolve."
South Korea's authority had crumbled to nothing. Old statuses meant zilch. The missing president was either dead or dodging blame—no sign of him. Self-proclaimed governments popped up endlessly in Seoul. With no army, police, or government to protect citizens, "South Korean" rang hollow.
"They say Seoul has multiple 'South Koreas' claiming legitimacy. Compared to their antics, the Balhut Cult looks downright saintly."
"Even warlords calling themselves the Korean Empire."
"Ah, yes. Monarchism rearing its head in the modern age. But with awakeners' overwhelming power upending old laws, maybe it's inevitable."
A cult guarded by a Dragon God? Saintly indeed. Branded a cult outside, but witnessing Bahamut's descent firsthand flipped opinions. God or not, their voluntary protection of citizens made the title fitting for personal gain, Seo figured.
"But that's beside the point. Will Pohang's three camps—no, its new local government—follow the Balhut Cult? Or not?"
"Of course we'll follow. You're the dominant force now."
Hwang polled the new Pohang local government directly. Seo affirmed without hesitation.
"But Gyeongju is small. Pohang is big."
Still, Seo casually highlighted Gyeongju's innate weakness.
"Do you really think Gyeongju has the capacity to rule Pohang fully? You know it doesn't."
The camps weren't yielding their claim to Pohang's leadership. Gyeongju lacked the chops, Seo insisted.
"Yes. Unlike tourist-trap Gyeongju, industrial powerhouse Pohang will outstrip it once reconstruction succeeds."
Hwang's face darkened as he candidly admitted: by city scale, Gyeongju couldn't match Pohang's industrial might.