94. The Road to Ulsan (1)
Lee Su-ah had immediately associated "poppy" with opium because the drug was extracted and manufactured from poppies. Most people would think of narcotics upon hearing the word opium, and it was true that the substance Lee Hyun-ah had discovered was indeed opium used as a drug. It was highly addictive, perfect for wrecking bodies, and once hooked, it was notoriously hard to treat.
No wonder Lee Su-ah freaked out and scolded her sister.
"You're planning to release that in Daegu?"
"Even Gyeongju's short on medical supplies and treatments right now. Opium's a straight-up powerhouse as a painkiller."
"Well... that's... true..."
But while opium had strong side effects, in this apocalypse, it was in short supply—and far too many people suffered agonizing days without it. Beyond its potent anesthetic and analgesic effects, it also worked as a sedative and was highly effective against colds and diarrhea. Before it was classified as a narcotic, it was a common medicine. Even today, extracts like codeine and morphine were approved for medical use, its benefits well-known. In this end-times world with limited pharmaceuticals, it was practically a cure-all.
Bluntly put: In this apocalypse, was there an easier, more effective medicine to obtain than opium? High-tech side-effect-free drugs might be ideal, but sourcing opium was far cheaper and simpler.
"The Balhut Cult even approves limited use for Awakener painkillers and surgical anesthetics. Opium's bad if misused, but good intentions make it good."
"Th-that... uh... hmm? Wait, what?"
Even in the modern world, codeine and morphine were extracted from poppies for medical purposes. The Balhut Cult had Dragon Priestesses offering free healing magic in Gyeongju and Pohang, so opium was rarely needed except in emergencies. For external expeditions or patients beyond a Priestess's healing, it served as a restricted painkiller or anesthetic. Of course, as superhuman Awakeners, they could withstand the side effects—but doctors still prescribed it judiciously after assessments to prevent abuse.
It's... not wrong. Not wrong at all... but... huh? What's going on?
If even the Balhut Cult used opium medicinally... was declaring to distribute it truly evil? Wouldn't it help Daegu, desperate for treatments?
Lee Su-ah was starting to be swayed by her sister's logic.
"Even America's handing out narcotic painkillers like candy. Daegu must be dying for this stuff."
"We're not the bad guys here, sis! That's strictly medical—no plans to peddle it as a drug!"
"Which means they need it medically, right? You know how bad the injuries get from one zombie fight. Not just scratches either. A single painkiller's a godsend—especially against variants."
"Ugh!"
Lee Hyun-ah argued fiercely that even America unlimitedly approved narcotic painkillers for medical use, and Daegu desperately needed this medicine. But the two factions permitting it—Balhut Cult and America—did so strictly for treatment, with zero intent to create addicts.
At Lee Su-ah's sharp retort, Lee Hyun-ah seemed aware she'd gone too far.
"I get your concerns. We'll route it all through Kim Ha-yeon's name."
"That's your excuse?"
She swore no Balhut Cult ties, but Lee Su-ah sighed at the flimsy dodge. Lee Hyun-ah looked genuinely baffled—if even that failed.
"If I screw up, I'll stake my life on it."
"Don't say that for real. It's scary."
She vowed to stake her life on failure. Lee Su-ah pleaded she not throw it away, lamenting how terrifying her sister had become.
Understandable—her own sister casually proposing to play opium dealer. As family, it was absurd. Doubly so with the life-on-the-line declaration.
The problem is her argument's spot-on! Yeah, it's the apocalypse! Medicine's scarce as hell, so yeah, opium for pain or anesthesia is legit needed! That's why it's scarier!
Omit "opium," and her claims rang true—making it worse. With external ties severed, Daegu faced massive food and medicine shortages. Internal docs via Go Jun-woo confirmed it to Lee Su-ah, so her sister's pitch wasn't entirely off.
For those dying now, future side effects could wait. Pre-apocalypse qualms about narcotics might linger, but now, countless would crave it.
"I'm serious. If it fails, I'll offer my life."
"..."
Her enemy-of-a-sister shouted she'd throw away her life, twisting Lee Su-ah's gut. Realizing Daegu matters were out of her hands, she had to stop her sister from bolting.
"Any news on Ulsan?"
While the Lee sisters bickered over Daegu, Balhut Cult Pontiff Choi Yu-na prepared for the Ulsan offensive. She'd tasked Jeong Dong-gun's expedition with intel gathering; he leveraged executive and tax office support to scour Ulsan communities.
The final report:
"Yes. Ulsan's community is unnaturally quiet compared to others. Posts exist, but most feel detached from the apocalypse."
"Suspicious."
Suspicious. That summed it up.
The peninsula buzzed daily with zombie chaos—yet Ulsan seemed aloof. Some news trickled out, but versus others, it was eerily silent.
"Zero internal intel. Early apocalypse had tons of sources; now, nothing on local events or zombie sightings."
Internal info was bizarrely scarce. Ulsan's community once swapped survival tips like everywhere else. Now? No survival efforts, no exchanges—just chit-chat.
"Weird. Even we post occasional zombie sightings."
Under Dragon God protection, Balhut Cult still faced zombies. Outskirts had wild ones; spotting them triggered routine community alerts as unspoken rule.
No special defenses in Ulsan, yet this silence screamed suspicion.
"With the ghost fleet off Donghae... maybe Ulsan too?"
"No mentions."
Ulsan sat below Pohang, a key Donghae port. Ghost fleet news should dominate—yet nothing. Either they ignored the sea amid total chaos...
"If Ulsan fell, we'd see refugees. None have."
"No refugees."
Fall meant inevitable exodus. Escapees should've hit nearby Gyeongju roads. None sighted lately. Roads linked them; with Balhut patrols partway, desperate flights could've reached safety.
"Your thoughts?"
"Military predicts two scenarios."
Pondering Yu-na asked; Jeong Dong-gun, report-ready, stated without hesitation.
"First: A Jo Sun-do-like tyrant rules Ulsan."
Tyrant crushed mid-tier camps under iron info control, silencing the community. A dominant Awakener could've pulled it off.
"Wouldn't rebels or refugees emerge? Or anti-tyrant factions...?"
No Awakener controlled info perfectly. Resistance was inevitable; sans cheat like Bahamut, tyranny teetered. Balhut saw North Gyeongju's collapse firsthand—one defeat shook it all.
"Yes. North Gyeongju had collaborators-only camps, but our advance sparked internal revolt. Low probability."
Yu-na cited the example; Jeong agreed tyrant unlikely. Gravely, he voiced the second.
"Military assumes worst: Ulsan's total annihilation."
"Ulsan wiped out...?"
No posters left—apocalypse's grim end.
"Plausible."
Too plausible in this world.
"Donghae's zombies are undead now. New types could emerge. Banshee intel says tricky foes. One in Ulsan? Nightmare for disorganized camps."
New zombie—no, undead Banshee confirmed. Panic-inducing on non-magic-resistant Awakeners, devastatingly strong.
"Banshee terror births paranoia, fracturing cooperation."
"Yes. But zero internal news is odd. Independent action implies smarts—yet total citizen wipeout fits, but extremes demand refugee waves."
Overwhelming foes? Flee to other cities. Die here or there—human instinct favored slim survival odds.
"My adjutant Son Sang-hee fled Pohang as refugee initially."
She'd escaped variant spider zombies, luckily meeting Jeong.
"But no Ulsan-to-Gyeongju refugees."
"...Hmm."
No refugees deepened the mystery. As Yu-na stewed, Jeong gazed solemnly.
"Decide."
Proceed to advance.
"Bahamut-nim?"
Bahamut decided for conflicted Yu-na. Startled, Jeong awaited more; it came to both ears.
If things have come to this, something's happened inside Ulsan—and it might threaten us. Better to fight preemptively than watch passively.
Bahamut advocated preventive war. Unknown threat? Strike first.
"Agreed."
Attackers historically held advantage; foe likely zombies—no foul play complaints. Non-zombie? Jeong doubted a Daegu-style provisional gov.
Preparations for Ulsan are done, no? Canceling over suspicions wastes them.
"Yes."
Prep was extensive—canceling squandered time and manpower. Forward to salvage it.
No need full city capture. We want the port district—secure just that.
"Feasible."
No full conquest required. Secure vital port, reclaim rest later.
Head in, investigate thoroughly, set firm goals. Objections?
"None."
"All as the Dragon God's will."
Bahamut settled it; Jeong Dong-gun and Choi Yu-na bowed, affirming his decree.