Sabotage (1)
Lee Hyun-ah had established a smuggling route to Daegu with Jeong Dong-gun's help. Through Lee Su-ah, she had also vetted a potential collaborator in Daegu. The next step was straightforward.
"Good. They've finally bitten."
Using Daegu's community site, she made contact online with the vetted collaborator. Anyone knew that survivor camps with some breathing room connected to internet communities for chit-chat. Especially half a year into the apocalypse, access to online forums was a luxury—a sign of stability—for established survivors. Of course, that was outsiders' perspective; it meant nothing in Gyeongju or Pohang, safely under Bahamut's protection.
"S-Sis? You're really going to contact Go Jun-woo?"
"Yes."
Lee Su-ah voiced her concern, but Lee Hyun-ah pressed on. Go Jun-woo was the key figure Lee Su-ah had first introduced—a flexible operator in Daegu who could work with the Balhut Cult. He enjoyed the trust of Daegu's citizens and recognition as a leader, so partnering with him would smooth things out ahead.
"Isn't it risky? I recommended him because you asked for someone like Jo Sun-do. I did it, but still..."
Lee Hyun-ah had specifically wanted someone dissatisfied with Daegu's power structure. If word got out that the Balhut Cult was contacting or aiding him, relations with Daegu would sour badly. Go Jun-woo's sabotage would cause internal collapse, but the new faction that emerged might not be friendly to the cult. Even if Go Jun-woo seized real power, would he stay favorable to them?
No way.
Lee Su-ah thought of Jo Sun-do's deeds and concluded it was impossible. So why was her sister reaching out to someone like that?
"Is it because of what happened in Pohang?"
Lee Su-ah hinted that Pohang had changed her sister, referencing those events. To stabilize Pohang back then, the cult had made major concessions. But even that mercy bred resentment—the three major camps schemed to meddle in the Dragon Priestess selection and install a puppet. Lee Hyun-ah knew all about it.
"Yeah. Even Dragon God Bahamut and the Balhut Cult approached negotiations mercifully, but those fools grumbled instead of submitting. Honestly, it's payback. I admit it."
Having witnessed it firsthand, Lee Hyun-ah distrusted Pohang's three camps deeply and plotted revenge. But before she could act, Baek Seol-hwa—selected as Dragon Priestess—ruled Pohang not as a puppet but as a true one, and she still did as Bahamut's priestess. Lee Hyun-ah wanted retribution against the camps that betrayed Bahamut's mercy, but purging them politically would taint Baek Seol-hwa. In the end, she shelved bloody revenge.
"But it worked out in the end. Pohang has Dragon Priestess Baek Seol-hwa now. They won't betray us again."
"True. Pohang can't betray us anymore. But outside Gyeongju and Pohang—do we really need to worry about cities not on our side?"
"Well..."
Coldly speaking, no. Daegu wasn't under Balhut Cult rule; it had its own provisional government. Responsibility lay with them, not the cult.
"Isn't it morally wrong?"
"It is. I know. That's why I'm doing it anyway."
But ethically? Lee Hyun-ah's actions would spill blood. Lee Su-ah pointed it out, and her sister acknowledged it without denial.
"But this is the apocalypse. The law of the jungle rules. Pre-apocalypse morals are long gone."
"..."
"The weak get devoured. We have to crush them with strength and prove our power across the peninsula. Weakening rival factions is just part of it."
The apocalypse amplified survival of the fittest. Running the tax agency, Lee Hyun-ah saw even the cult's internals grow lax on pulling triggers. Freelance awakeners rebelled with weapons, calling fair enforcement "property theft." It taught her: words and mercy meant nothing now—only force mattered. Lee Su-ah had no counter to that logic.
It's not wrong, but... isn't this problematic? When we rule, we'll have to clean up our own mess.
Lee Su-ah had enforced orders on-site too; she knew civilian stress in the apocalypse. But prolonging issues hurt the cult, so she tried to dissuade her sister.
"Our agents have the loaded trucks ready. We'll head to Daegu the moment it's time."
"Already!?"
Too late. Lee Hyun-ah declared the trucks prepped for Daegu, ready to roll.
Stunned by her sister's speed, Lee Su-ah stammered, "Wh-where'd the supplies come from?"
"Seized from Kim Ha-yeon's hideout."
"Ah."
No retort left, Lee Su-ah sighed.
"So you're negotiating personally? That's why you're getting makeup from the tax agent?"
"Of course. Who else can I trust? I started this—I finish it."
A tax agency specialist applied makeup—not for beauty, but disguise. Lee Hyun-ah's face morphed into criminal Kim Ha-yeon's shape.
To fool her contact completely, she disguised as Kim Ha-yeon.
"Ahh... uh... hmm. Lower the voice? How's this?"
"I don't hear Sis anymore."
"This pitch then."
She even modulated her voice to match. So thorough even her sister doubted: Is this really her? Post-makeup, Lee Hyun-ah was unrecognizable to Lee Su-ah herself.
"Alright. Let's move out."
"Yes."
Ignoring her sister's trembling stare, Lee Hyun-ah led her tax agents toward Daegu. Five trucks followed Jeong Dong-gun's route without issue, arriving safely. They headed to the community-agreed meetup spot, where Go Jun-woo waited personally, fidgeting nervously. Spotting the big trucks, he waved eagerly.
"You're the investor?"
"Yes. If you're the famous Go Jun-woo of Daegu, we're here to back you."
Go Jun-woo looked about 19, fresh-faced delinquent vibe. He strutted with bravado, but Lee Hyun-ah smirked inwardly at the farce. She bowed slowly, matching his pace, ready to fool and sway the naive youth.
"Unbelievable."
"I know—sudden investment sounds fishy. But we lost our righteous leader to that evil cult."
She'd prepped a convincing false backstory, tailored for this greedy fool.
"That fake cult?"
"Yes. We followed North Gyeongju's leader, Jo Sun-do. But the cult's puppets in South Gyeongju's schemes cost us him."
She introduced herself as Jo Sun-do's follower—technically true, as the ID she used belonged to one of his people.
"So?"
He knew of Jo Sun-do but skipped details, eyeing her suspiciously: Why's this thug's underling here? But Lee Hyun-ah caught the glint of expectation. She smiled faintly out of sight and fed him the words he craved.
"So, we're entrusting our fate to you—the future strong leader."
"Strong leader...!"
"Yes. This world needs young, powerful rulers, not old fogeys. Don't those geezers hogging thrones on 'seniority' piss you off?"
Flattering him as a "strong leader" and pledging loyalty, she hit his ego. He beamed, then her next line scratched his secret grudges perfectly. He shouted confidently, agreeing.
"Right! I can rule Daegu. Who do those old farts think they are, lording over me with their 'lived longer' bullshit?"
"Exactly. In this power-rules-all world, strength lets you do anything."
Dissatisfied with the status quo, he vented about Daegu. She egged him on, invoking the apocalypse's law of the jungle: with power, it was possible.
"Our leader tried building a better world with strength, but tragically... fell to that fake cult."
"I heard. Balhut Cult scum, right? Cults are all the same. Ha, you had it rough!"
She wove in relatable narrative; he sympathized, offering pity for her "cult troubles."
"Of course, we have conscience. We're not empty-handed—we brought Gyeongju supplies as goodwill!"
"S-Supplies...?"
To dodge suspicion, she revealed the cargo. Trucks brimmed with essentials—luxuries in apocalypse. Expiration dates were iffy, but ramen, scant canned tuna and ham (currency equivalents), cigarettes, booze. Irresistible to a young man; Go Jun-woo's eyes locked on.
Half-starved here, he imagined boiling that ramen—mouth watered.
"Th-this is..."
"Yes. Unlike Daegu, Gyeongju has granaries. Just a portion."
"This much is 'some'?"
For his faction, it meant a week's feasting and fun. He couldn't look away; desire filled his eyes. Lee Hyun-ah smiled slyly.
"With these, you'll seize Daegu's control, right, Go Jun-woo?"
"Of c-course! Totally possible—I can do it!"
"That's all we ask. Rule Daegu, oppose Balhut Cult, and we're happy."
Could these supplies let him conquer Daegu?
No chance.
Even bolstered, his underdog group couldn't. If they could, the cult would've taken Daegu already.
"Hahaha! Of course! Gyeongju's overflowing, huh?"
"Plenty."
"Then after Daegu, Gyeongju's mine."
Just what she wanted: internal chaos from these supplies. He'd already bought in, claiming Daegu as his and eyeing Gyeongju. She sneered inwardly at his blind greed.
"Great! Oh, right—what's your name?"
"Kim Ha-yeon, North Gyeongju Ha-yeon Gang boss."
She gave her alias. All this would trace back to Jo Sun-do's crew, not the Balhut Cult.