Ulsan Airport (1)
"The process itself has been smooth as silk—no issues there."
In truth, the only problem had been the mounting suspicious signs. If you judged purely by the expedition's results and progress, it had been too smooth. They hadn't even run into zombies worth fighting, so the only resources expended were fuel and electricity for the vehicles—hardly a dent for the Balhut Cult, now supplied with Texas oil through American trade. The main force had simply dispersed for defense and surveillance, with no loss of precious Awakened manpower; everyone had been redeployed intact.
Jeong Dong-gun's vanguard had crossed Gyeongsangbuk-do without interference, arriving in the Ulsan metropolitan area and liberating countless villages and towns en route in a momentum that felt unstoppable.
"The problem is all these villages and towns. We haven't encountered a single proper engagement or survivor."
"Still no sign of them?"
"No, sir."
But that wasn't due to Jeong Dong-gun or his troops' prowess. To describe his current mood accurately, it felt less like liberation and more like they'd been handed these places.
Frankly, all he'd done was roll into empty villages, plant a flag, and call it done—simple as that.
"Liberating villages and towns without a single casualty should feel great. So why does it leave a bad taste?"
On paper, his record was heroic: he'd freed every settlement along the road to Ulsan, earning fame that could make him a legend. But in reality, the villages were hollow shells—no people, no supplies, nothing of value except farmland and nearby estates. Everything else was worthless.
Worse, dispersing troops to hold these ghosts made Jeong Dong-gun feel like a puppet on someone else's strings.
Even now, after "liberating" another village, he'd pulled men from the main body to garrison it.
"It's not that bad. Things are still going smoothly."
"I know. The situation's too good to be true."
But that didn't mean it was bad. With things unfolding this perfectly, the Cult stood to gain as many new liberated zones as all the previous ones combined—doubling their territory outside Pohang. Factor in the food resources these areas could produce, and it was hard to call it anything but a win.
In the apocalypse, territory meant resources. Intact infrastructure? This expedition was a resounding success.
"But in this end times, everything going this smoothly feels off. The suspicions keep piling up."
"Then how about halting the advance? Reorganize the troops and stabilize the new territory first?"
"Hm."
Son Sang-hee, sensing her commander's unease, suggested pausing to consolidate. Jeong Dong-gun pondered it.
"...But with no survivors or zombies in these villages, there's no real need to stabilize them."
"Ah."
No one to protect, no zombies to fight, not even raiders to suppress. Sending garrison troops for "security" in empty husks was nonsensical. Hell, if raiders had shown up, that could've justified reorganization.
"As long as we control the roads, the monsters in the surrounding mountains aren't a threat."
"True enough."
The hills flanking both sides teemed with monsters, but with road control, they posed no real danger to the Balhut Cult. They were pushing past it.
"Still, reorganizing while sorting the liberated territory isn't a bad idea."
With so much ground claimed, some downtime for regrouping made sense. Jeong Dong-gun agreed, halting the advance.
"Let's set up a checkpoint here at this interchange. If we fortify it, we can pull in some dispersed rear units."
He chose a spot near the interchange leading to Jungsan Interchange—a key nexus. He contacted Choi Yu-na at Cult HQ.
"...Wow, you're calling a lot, Commander Jeong. You're on a roll."
"Yes. As reported, the villages and towns we've liberated have no survivors or zombies."
"So they're basically worthless to hold, right?"
Even Choi Yu-na back at HQ agreed outright. No people, no zombies—why waste Awakened fighters on garrison duty?
Jeong Dong-gun closed his eyes at her point.
"Yes. No real need to defend them."
Harsh for any hypothetical residents, but from the Cult's view, empty meant expendable. Plant minimal road-control teams, staff the checkpoint, secure the vanguard's rear—that served the Cult best.
Conveniently, this interchange was prime for Ulsan ops: straight ahead to Ulsan Airport; via Airport Road to Ulsan University; via Auto Valley Road to Ulsan Port, aiding potential Marine links.
Multiple routes made Jungsan Interchange critical—just like Pohang, where they'd seized key paths, deploying forces across the city during Bahamut's descent. This spot was a transportation hub for multi-axis advances.
Bahamut's voice echoed in his mind.
"Lord Bahamut? My thanks for the approval."
Bahamut endorsed his choice. Touched, Jeong Dong-gun bowed in gratitude.
But the Dragon God pressed on undeterred.
Bahamut had heard the reports too, sensing the weirdness of zero combats en route. He pegged it as enemy intel on Cult movements.
For Jeong Dong-gun, this validated his nagging doubts. Eyes alight with anticipation, he asked, "Yes, we've sensed it too. What do you make of it, Dragon God?"
Bahamut would surely deliver wisdom. His guidance had never failed the Cult—Jeong Dong-gun's faith mirrored the faithful's.
And the answer came.
"A portent..."
Not easy to respond to, but from the Dragon God himself? Tension gripped Jeong Dong-gun and the vanguard. Bahamut was their god, his insight saving the Cult time and again. If he warned, there was reason.
"I get the first. But the second?"
Bahamut warned of a spirit summoner in Ulsan.
Jeong Dong-gun summed it up: "A necromancer, then."
Necromancers existed among Awakened—those who'd awakened to corpse-commanding talents. Used right?
'Could be a hero, saving people from zombie threats.'
Old tropes painted them evil, but modern media often showed neutrals or even good guys wielding spirits against undead. Control Ulsan's zombies? Instant hero worship.
'Abused? Catastrophe.'
Endless zombie hordes ruling by fear and despair. Brain-bashing legions in the hundreds of thousands, food-free forever...
"An undead army of hundreds of thousands. No logistics needed."
No combat prowess guaranteed, but elite variants? Unthinkable.
"So Ulsan's silence likely means Awakened control."
"Thank you, Lord Bahamut. Now I see a path forward."
Bahamut's insight lit the way where intel failed. Rough Ulsan sketch in hand, plans could form.
"Superweapons?"
While Jeong Dong-gun advanced, Bahamut had streamlined internals and begun weapon R&D—with early breakthroughs. Success meant undead victory; his confidence eased worries.
"I look forward to it."
Jeong Dong-gun's eyes sparkled with anticipation, but Bahamut tempered it.
"Understood."
He'd proceed cautiously—foes unconfirmed, no need to make enemies of the still. With resolve, they advanced toward Ulsan Airport, ever more vigilant.