Chapter 516: Conquest of Seoul (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 516: Conquest of Seoul (3)
The meeting concluded.
Once everyone else had left, Kim Jun-hyeok, who remained alone with Roman Dmitry, asked cautiously, "…Lord Roman Dmitry. I believed that choosing to exploit the unique circumstances of the Great Disaster was for practical benefit. If we resolve the situation quickly, even if it means violating international law, we can minimize the damage South Korea will suffer from a rebellion. But why are you deliberately excluding the local governments from the war against the Central Government? If we borrow their strength, Incheon can easily win this war."
Roman Dmitry's stance was a clear contradiction.
He was willing to violate international law to overthrow the Central Government—which he had designated as the enemy—yet he refused the help of the local governments, which could bolster their forces. It didn't add up. If his intention was to end the war quickly by risking a violation of international law, he should have mobilized the local governments. Conversely, if he was going to exclude them anyway, there was no reason to take on the risk of violating international law in the first place. Besides, the plan for rebellion had already been leaked during the process of trying to recruit those local governments. Although they still held the situational advantage of the Great Disaster, a surprise attack was now out of the question.
Kim Jun-hyeok believed in Roman Dmitry.
He was willing to lay down his life for him, but if Roman could not resolve this contradiction, Kim Jun-hyeok was prepared to speak up and tell him he was wrong.
Before he was Roman's subordinate, he was the Mayor of Incheon.
He could not simply overlook something he did not understand.
Roman Dmitry spoke.
"What kind of future do you think I desire?"
"I still don't know for sure. With your strength, Lord Roman, there must have been many better options than Incheon."
"As you say, Incheon did not hold any particularly special meaning to me. Even upon ruins where nothing existed, I could have built a new world. However, I have forged new bonds in Incheon, and I have set my goal to build a new world starting from here. Kim Jun-hyeok, I intend to rule over this world. Starting from Incheon, I will branch out, and I will make the entire world, beyond just South Korea, look up to me. To create the future I envision, there are certain conditions that must be met."
The Heavenly Demon.
The Emperor of Dmitry.
In both of his past lives, he had lived as a ruler.
His new life would be no different. Thus, Roman Dmitry pursued his own path.
"For those who follow me to remain unshaken against the Central Government, and eventually the entire world, they need blind faith. Faith in the person that I am. Not a story of succeeding in a rebellion by rallying local governments, but a clear precedent where Incheon—where I, Roman Dmitry—overwhelmingly swept away the Central Government and claimed South Korea. That premise is what matters. While it is only natural to exploit the enemy's difficulties on the battlefield, I want the achievements of this war to be a result that defines me entirely."
Kim Jun-hyeok's eyes wavered.
It was always a series of shocks.
Experiencing the man known as Roman Dmitry meant facing a world that ordinary people like Kim Jun-hyeok could never comprehend. What kind of life had he lived to speak of ruling so boldly? What kind of existence was he to casually declare that he would take on the entire world? Though the sheer height of Roman Dmitry's existence was beyond estimation, the Roman he had experienced so far was a man who made his words reality.
He believed him.
It wasn't a contradiction; it was simply beyond common sense.
Because he possessed overwhelming power, Roman Dmitry did not hesitate to step into the realm of what others deemed impossible.
Roman Dmitry smiled.
He knew what people like Kim Jun-hyeok needed.
"Do not worry. What I speak of will soon become reality."
* * *
The first target was Hanam.
In the process of organizing his forces, Roman Dmitry brought along only Park Min-woo, Baek-il's mages, and his Directly Controlled Unit.
Park Min-woo was brought for his Teleport magic.
Baek-il was there to follow Park Min-woo.
The Directly Controlled Unit was brought to prove that this was Incheon's achievement.
In truth, wiping out Hanam on his own would not have been a problem.
However, he knew that to rule this country as an outsider, he needed achievements accomplished alongside Incheon.
It was a matter of justification.
The process of establishing a base in Incheon and tearing down the Central Government.
Just as the eldest son of Dmitry had ascended to the throne step-by-step starting from Cairo, Roman Dmitry was creating the justification for people to accept him in their hearts. Not as an invader, but as a legitimate ruler. With the support of Incheon, Roman Dmitry would be reborn as the new leader of South Korea.
A short distance away from Hanam.
Roman Dmitry looked at the city walls.
Seeing the somewhat tense faces of his men preparing for battle, he spoke to them of the future ahead.
"Before we begin this war, there is something you must know. I do not regard the enemy as human. When we face the enemy on the battlefield, I take it as an implicit agreement that we may take each other's lives. This is not a matter of appealing to human emotion. If we do not kill the enemy, we will die. In fact, the Central Government has spared no means to crush Incheon. Though we have not physically killed each other yet, the war has already begun."
This operation.
It was another reason he had not mobilized the local governments.
This new world was slightly different from his past lives.
The Murim and the Salamander Continent were worlds where the strong preyed on the weak, and killing was a common occurrence. In his past lives, killing those who opposed him was only natural. However, the standards of this new world were ambiguous. Because the perception of modern society, which abhorred murder just twenty years ago, still lingered, people in this world often applied moral standards to killing, unlike in his past lives.
Take Red Moon, for instance.
They had committed acts that deserved death, yet the people of this current life excessively questioned whether executing them was justified.
The people's perception. Roman Dmitry did not care.
The world had changed, and he had to clearly show people like those in the Central Government that death followed their atrocities. If this were a peaceful world where killing was unnecessary, Roman Dmitry might have tried to adapt to it. But in this place, where slaughter occurred daily all over the world, he had absolutely no intention of showing mercy by clinging to the mindset of twenty years ago.
The Central Government had abandoned the people.
That in itself was an act of murder, yet the people of this world applied a special standard only to direct killing.
That was why he did not call upon the local governments.
A rebellion.
It was a fight between citizens of the same nation.
Roman Dmitry could not tolerate any mercy that might stay their hands.
"Through this war, I will demonstrate our way of dealing with enemies. Whether it is the Central Government or the great powers representing the world, anyone who opposes us in the future must be prepared to risk their lives. Those who think I am cruel may leave my side, even in the middle of the war. But if you wish to stand with me..."
He drew his sword.
He took a step toward the city walls.
"From this moment on, look only at my back and follow me."
* * *
On top of Hanam's city walls.
The sentries scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes.
Since the Great Disaster had not been completely resolved, they kept their guard up against monsters that could appear at any time or place.
It was then.
One of the sentries widened his eyes.
"Look over there!"
"Huh?"
In the distance, figures of people approaching could be seen.
If they were monsters, the sentries would have prepared for battle immediately, but because they were fellow humans, they hesitated to make a judgment. Suddenly, the command of Hanam's mayor, Jeong Mun-ho, came to mind. He had warned them that the rebel forces rallied around Incheon might attack at any moment, and ordered them to fire and kill immediately if they did.
However, their numbers were too small.
The group was so small it was almost embarrassing to react so sensitively, so the sentry moved with an unhurried expression.
"I'll report this first."
"Got it."
That was a mistake.
The moment the sentry checked his radio to report, the sky above distorted, and something appeared.
Whoosh!
Splat!
His head flew off.
The soldiers on the wall gasped in horror.
They had only just heard that humans had appeared, and before they could even properly prepare for battle, they were unilaterally slaughtered. There was no explanation, no warning. The man who had suddenly appeared swept across the top of the wall mercilessly, and in an instant, hundreds of soldiers were killed.
"Aaargh!"
"B-Block him!"
Screams echoed from all directions.
The soldiers struggled desperately.
Enraged by the sight of their comrades dying, they rushed forward. But whether they were caught by surprise or not, the outcome remained the same—their limbs were torn apart. Roman Dmitry showed no mercy. Thanks to the Teleport magic, the advantage of the city walls was completely lost. While Roman Dmitry slaughtered the soldiers of Hanam, his forces, including the Directly Controlled Unit, reached the walls.
"Fly."
They soared into the air.
Roman Dmitry had ordered only himself to be sent via Teleport.
He opened the path first, and only after a certain level of safety was secured did his forces, including the Directly Controlled Unit, arrive.
It was overwhelming.
A mere hundred or so men overwhelmed thousands of soldiers.
Wherever Roman Dmitry passed, blood sprayed like fountains, and the city walls, which had been neatly repaired after defending against monster attacks, were stained red. It was a situation where losing the will to fight was inevitable. The soldiers, who had initially tried to fight back, began to flee, and some fell to their knees to beg for their lives.
"P-Please spare me!"
"Please!"
It was the irony of the battlefield.
The people begging for their lives—did they not know this cruel reality?
They did.
Jeong Mun-ho had announced the rebellion, and Hanam had prepared for war against the rebel forces.
In fact, they would have tried to kill Roman Dmitry the moment they spotted him. But because they lacked the strength, they were now reduced to begging for their lives. Had the situation been reversed, they would not have shown any mercy to the rebels. Though they ultimately ended up as the weak, they had accepted Roman Dmitry as an enemy because they believed they would win.
This war.
He needed to show them the price.
That choosing to accept him as an enemy could never be resolved with half-hearted mercy.
Just like that.
Flash!
He sent the soldiers' heads flying.
* * *
Just a moment ago, Jeong Mun-ho had been enjoying a half-bath with a relaxed expression.
It was a luxury that only a ruler could enjoy amidst the Great Disaster. But as he stepped out with a refreshed face, thunderbolt-like news struck him.
"We have an emergency! The rebel forces have invaded! The walls have already been breached, and at this rate, it's only a matter of time before Hanam falls!"
"This is insane."
His eyes widened in shock.
An attack!
Although he had prepared for an attack by the rebel forces in advance, he never expected them to strike before the Great Disaster had even ended. Didn't international law strictly forbid human conflict for a month following a Great Disaster? Even the Central Government only planned to formally raise issues with Incheon's rebellion and attack later; they had absolutely no intention of making a hasty move and violating international law.
It was incredibly bold.
The opponent was an S-Rank Hunter.
Just as the soldier said, Hanam's collapse would happen in the blink of an eye.
Jeong Mun-ho hurriedly contacted the Central Government, hoping to get their help by reporting Hanam's situation.
However.
[We apologize, but we cannot help you at this moment.]
"What on earth do you mean by that?! The rebel forces have attacked Hanam! At this rate, Hanam will surely fall, and you're saying you'll just sit back and watch?"
[You know the principles of South Korea well. Since Seoul has not yet secured complete safety, no exceptions are allowed to mobilize forces outside of Seoul, regardless of what happens. Please hold out a little longer. As soon as Seoul's safety is secured, we will dispatch troops immediately.]
The official responded coldly.
In that instant, Cha Young-min's words flashed through Jeong Mun-ho's mind.
"Keep this in mind. Hanam is merely the highest priority among regions excluding Seoul. In the end, it will always be pushed aside for Seoul, and one day, that reality will lead Hanam to its ruin."
His heart sank.
Hanam had trusted the Central Government and rejected the rebel forces' proposal.
If the Central Government did not help, there was no way they could block Incheon's attack led by Roman Dmitry. Dizziness washed over him. Just as Cha Young-min had said, the fact that Hanam was the highest priority outside of Seoul didn't matter. The reality that they were inevitably secondary to Seoul threw his mind into utter chaos.
[I will report Hanam's situation to the President. I will hang up now.]
Click.
The call disconnected.
Hope vanished.
It was then.
Crash!
The door shattered.
Through the shattered doorway, a blood-drenched Roman Dmitry revealed himself.