Chapter 517: Conquest of Seoul (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 517: Conquest of Seoul (4)
Drip. Drip.
Blood dripped from the edge of the blade.
Jeong Mun-ho, the Mayor of Hanam, couldn't even begin to fathom how many lives that single sword had claimed.
"Are you the Mayor of Hanam?"
In that instant, Jeong Mun-ho's heart sank.
Roman Dmitry asked the question while sweeping back his blood-soaked hair. His chilling voice sent a violent shiver down Jeong Mun-ho's spine. It was the voice of a grim reaper heralding death.
Jeong Mun-ho trembled uncontrollably. When Cha Young-min had first mentioned a rebellion, he had scoffed at the absurdity of it. But now, standing face-to-face with Roman Dmitry, the man's overwhelming presence crushed the very breath out of him.
If this continues, I'm going to die.
He knew it instinctively.
Hanam was finished.
With the Central Government refusing to lift a finger to help, his only chance of survival was to appeal to Roman's humanity.
Thud!
"I—I surrender!"
He collapsed to his knees, slamming his forehead against the ground as he cried out at the top of his lungs.
"I made a foolish mistake! Truthfully, I wanted to join the rebel forces as well! Who could ever be loyal to a Central Government that abandons the provinces? It was an unavoidable choice! Hanam and Seoul are just too close. As they say, the fist is closer than the law—with the Central Government's blade right under my throat, how could I possibly refuse them?!"
He regretted it from the bottom of his heart.
If he had known the Central Government would toss Hanam aside so easily, he would have listened to Cha Young-min's offer a little longer.
"P-please, just give me one chance! Please understand the plight of a powerless weakling. If you spare me, I will contact the Central Government, pretend I barely survived, and feed you everything about their plans!"
He desperately craved life.
Just past Roman Dmitry, he could see the corpses. Hundreds of soldiers had been stationed to guard the path to his office. Yet, in the small space he could glimpse, every last one of them was already growing cold. His only hope lay in Roman Dmitry's mercy. Looking up from his knees, Jeong Mun-ho was more desperate than he had ever been in his entire life.
It was a familiar sight.
Hearing the desperate pleas of the defeated, Roman Dmitry's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Did we not all know the truth? That the Central Government is a parasite, surviving by sucking the lifeblood out of the entire Republic of Korea? That is precisely why I did not bother to persuade you. The strength I demonstrated in Incheon, the undeniable results of exterminating S-rank monsters and monster waves... If you hadn't been blinded by the pathetic scraps thrown by the Central Government, you would have realized that I could change the very landscape of this country. In fact, cities like Seongnam and Gwacheon, which are in the exact same position as Hanam, chose to align with me despite the danger. This was your choice. Even knowing this country was rotten to the core, you turned a blind eye to reality, smug in the thought that you were better off than the rest."
Srrk.
Roman raised his sword.
Jeong Mun-ho convulsed in terror. His lips quivered as he babbled endless pleas for his life, but they fell on deaf ears.
"The Central Government bared its fangs at Incheon simply because they failed to recruit me, while Busan chose to follow me even knowing they would be branded as rebels. Choices have consequences. I will deliver the future I promised to those who placed their faith in me. That is all. I have no reason to show mercy to an enemy standing in my path."
At those resolute words, Jeong Mun-ho squeezed his eyes shut.
He already knew his fate.
And then—
Flash!
Jeong Mun-ho's head flew into the air.
* * *
The fall of Hanam.
The news reached the Central Government almost instantly.
Since the outbreak of the Great Disaster, they had already convened dozens of emergency meetings. Standing before the grim-faced assemblymen, the Intelligence Chief delivered the disastrous report.
"...Roman Dmitry brought down Hanam in a single hour. Mayor Jeong Mun-ho was decapitated, and his severed head was put on public display. Roman Dmitry did not leave a single soldier in Hanam alive. Mr. President, this is madness. Roman Dmitry's methods completely defy common sense."
It was a shocking revelation.
Not only had Roman Dmitry flagrantly violated international law, but he had also opted for the barbaric retribution of a public beheading. It completely shattered the accepted norms of the world. No matter how vicious a war became, leader-class figures were rarely executed on the spot. The standard practice was to either win them over to build a new future or extract a hefty ransom for their defeat.
But to display his severed head?
It was a gruesome outcome. And it sent a crystal-clear message.
"This is his way of saying he will show no mercy. As proof, he didn't lay a finger on a single civilian in Hanam, yet every soldier who took up arms and showed the intent to fight was slaughtered without exception. Roman Dmitry is a madman. After crushing Hanam, he is already marching on Guri. At this rate, Guri will suffer the exact same fate. Mr. President, please give us your orders."
The Great Disaster had not yet been resolved.
Various districts across Seoul were still under attack, and if the government diverted its attention elsewhere right now, they risked collapsing from within. This made Roman Dmitry's actions seem even more insane. Moving troops at a time like this meant risking fatal encounters with monsters, yet his forces moved as if they were completely unbound by such restrictions.
Kim Jeong-tae finally spoke.
"There are no exceptions to the principles of the Republic of Korea. For now, our absolute top priority is the safety of Seoul."
"But..."
"Intelligence Chief!" Kim Jeong-tae barked fiercely.
In truth, no one in that room was more furious than he was.
"It is regrettable that the forces aligned with us are dying. However, we cannot afford meaningless sacrifices just to save them. We must turn this crisis into an opportunity. Roman Dmitry has violated international law. The entire world strictly forbade armed conflict between humans for one month following the Great Disaster, yet he attacked his fellow humans without any lawful justification. This means the moral high ground belongs to us. His violation gives us the perfect pretext to seek military aid from other nations, and China has already expressed its active support. This means we have the green light for China to enter the war immediately."
China.
The Central Government had established a cooperative relationship with them from the very beginning. Although Chinese reinforcements had already arrived on Korean soil, securing formal, international justification to use them was a completely different matter.
"If Roman Dmitry hadn't broken international law, China wouldn't have been able to directly intervene in our civil war beyond providing unofficial aid. But Roman Dmitry just dug his own grave. As a leading global superpower, China has the authority to step in and punish him for his violations. So, do not be shaken. China's reinforcements are already here. While Roman Dmitry is busy cleaning up the surrounding local governments, we will resolve all our internal issues. By the time he finally reaches Seoul, the Korea-China Allied Forces will be waiting for him."
Kim Jeong-tae and the other leaders knew the truth.
This single act of cooperation was a point of no return. They would be forced into a subservient, extremely close relationship with China from now on, but they had no other choice if they wanted to maintain their grip on power.
Kim Jeong-tae's voice turned ice-cold.
"Seoul will remain safe, just as it always has been."
* * *
The news of Hanam's fall spread.
The Central Government wasn't the only one with a fire lit under its feet. In Guri, heavily rumored to be the next target, the city's leadership gathered in a state of extreme anxiety.
"...Can we stop Roman Dmitry?"
"It's impossible. Hanam had a stronger military force than us, yet they were wiped out in less than an hour. We stand absolutely no chance. On top of that, the Central Government just sent word that they are prioritizing the safety of Seoul."
"Those bastards. We practically gave them our hearts and souls, and they abandon us the second we need them most."
Resentment boiled over in the room.
They, too, had placed their trust in the Central Government. That was exactly why they had flatly rejected Mayor Cha Young-min's overtures, never imagining the situation would flip so drastically in such a short amount of time.
One official spoke up.
"We need to surrender right now, even if it's late. I know the Chinese reinforcements have arrived, but Guri will be reduced to ash while they're busy dealing with the monsters. No matter how strong the Chinese are, they can't guarantee our safety right this second. We have to cooperate with Dmitry just to survive. We can pretend to submit to him, and then realign with the Central Government once the tides turn."
"He's right. Didn't you hear that the Mayor of Hanam was decapitated? Roman Dmitry is a merciless monster. We need to put on an act if we want to live."
There was no other way.
Ultimately, the Mayor of Guri made his decision. Since they had no direct line to Roman Dmitry, they contacted Kim Jun-hyeok, the Mayor of Incheon, to formally convey their intention to surrender.
However, Kim Jun-hyeok's response through the screen was chillingly calm.
"Did Mayor Cha Young-min not make it clear? You were told there would be no second chances. A sudden change of heart only after the victor has been decided can never be trusted as sincere. True trust is forged in times of uncertainty. I am sorry, but there is nothing I can do to help you."
"Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok! Please, you have to understand our situation!"
"I am not the one who makes the decisions," Kim Jun-hyeok replied. "Before Lord Roman Dmitry left for the battlefield, he told me something. He said he would not set a single precedent of leniency, and that he would never spare those he has already deemed enemies. So, if you truly wish to survive, wave a white flag and beg for mercy when you face Lord Roman Dmitry on the battlefield. Of course, I cannot say if that will actually save you. I am merely his follower; I cannot guarantee he will show you any mercy."
It was a harsh, unforgiving truth.
But they weren't even allowed the luxury of despair.
Crash!
Rumble!
The office doors violently burst open. As the city's leaders jumped in panic, a pale-faced soldier screamed.
"The walls have collapsed! The rebel forces are attacking Guri!"
* * *
Guri was no different from Hanam.
The city's defenses were breached by Roman Dmitry alone. Even the soldiers who had prepared thoroughly for the siege found themselves entirely powerless to resist. The walls were quickly painted with blood. As Roman Dmitry swept across the ramparts like a storm, unleashing an absolute slaughter, Guri's defense systems completely collapsed.
Following closely behind him was the Directly Controlled Unit.
Lee Tae-seong roared as he cut down enemy soldiers, "Follow Lord Roman Dmitry!"
"We must win! If we lose, the Central Government will wipe Incheon off the map!"
The Directly Controlled Unit did not hesitate for a second.
Incheon had been relentlessly persecuted by the Central Government all this time. Knowing the filthy, underhanded tricks the Central Government had used to try and bring Incheon to its knees, they had zero sympathy for anyone who sided with them. It was a fight to the death regardless. Because they believed in Roman Dmitry's vision, the Directly Controlled Unit participating in the Conquest of Seoul fought with a desperate, ravenous craving for victory.
Only by winning could Incheon survive.
Rather than being swayed by misplaced pity, they embraced the cold reality: the people standing before them were the very enemies who had tried to destroy their home.
However, not everyone shared the Directly Controlled Unit's ruthless resolve.
Just as they had in Hanam, the mages of Baek-il hesitated, struggling to unleash their full strength against Guri's soldiers.
What kind of group was Baek-il?
They were an organization that pursued justice. For those who lived to protect the people, the act of slaughtering their fellow humans fundamentally clashed with their core beliefs.
Seeing this pathetic display, Park Min-woo's eyebrows twitched.
What the hell are these bastards doing? Do they want to get on Lord Roman Dmitry's bad side?
Mercy on the battlefield? Absolute nonsense.
Park Min-woo fully agreed with Roman Dmitry's philosophy. Having lived a previous life as Emperor Alexander, he had seen countless fools stabbed in the back after showing even a shred of mercy in war. The best method was to eradicate the enemy so thoroughly that a situation where mercy could be begged for never arose in the first place. He knew it was a harsh truth, but it was only natural to forfeit your life the moment you bared your fangs in hostility.
Of course, he couldn't speak his true mind to these idealists.
Though he desperately wanted to scream at them to stop acting like naive idiots, completely different words flowed from his lips.
"Mages of Baek-il, hear me!" he bellowed. "War does not always represent evil! Just as angels must take up arms to strike down the demons that plunge the world into ruin, we too must swallow this grim reality to stand against true malice! The Central Government has persecuted Incheon for far too long. They committed unspeakable atrocities simply because Incheon refused to bow to their tyranny, and because of that, innocent people died! Will you forgive them for that? Is it righteous to stand by and let evil flourish simply because you are afraid to dirty your hands in the name of justice?!"
The deaths of Incheon's people?
It was a complete fabrication on his part. He had no idea if anyone had actually died like that, but it was an undeniable fact that Incheon had suffered.
The Central Government was going to be wiped out anyway. Even if they tried to deny it later, the excuses of the dead held no weight.
Having poured gasoline on their righteous indignation, Park Min-woo stepped forward.
"Follow me! We fight for justice! Those who are not here today may brand our actions as atrocities, but once the Republic of Korea regains its peace, the citizens of this nation will know that we willingly stained our own hands with blood so they wouldn't have to!"
"Follow the White-clothed Mage!"
"For justice!"
The mages of Baek-il roared in unison.
The hesitation in their eyes vanished, replaced by burning conviction. He was right. They had simply been squeamish about war, but hadn't their enemies already committed every evil deed imaginable for the sake of their own greed?
From that moment on, all reluctance evaporated.
Led by Park Min-woo, they unleashed an explosive torrent of mana.
Park Min-woo screamed in his mind: Slaughter every single one of these arrogant bastards who dare block the path of the Heavenly Demon!
It was pure, unadulterated malice. Park Min-woo simply despised anyone who dared oppose the Heavenly Demon, yet the mages of Baek-il shed tears of profound, heroic emotion as they fought.
"For the justice of the Republic of Korea!"
"Long live Baek-il!"
Burning with a newfound sense of righteous fury, the mages dominated the battlefield. Once Baek-il threw themselves into the slaughter in earnest, Guri's already crumbling defenses completely shattered.
Barely two hours had passed since the war began.
Following Hanam, a second city, Guri, had fallen.