Chapter 519: Conquest of Seoul (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 519: Conquest of Seoul (6)
Yeongdeungpo.
A massive crowd had gathered there.
President Kim Jeong-tae stepped onto the stage. As the masses looked up to him, a roaring cheer erupted from the crowd.
"Hello, everyone. I am President Kim Jeong-tae."
The cheers subsided.
The crowd focused on his words.
The President of the Republic of Korea.
As the nation's leader in this chaotic era, he was painted as a villain by those in the provinces. But to the people of Seoul, he was different. Thanks to him, Seoul had enjoyed days of peace. Whenever a Great Disaster struck, he ensured the city's safety by any means necessary. To the citizens of Seoul, Kim Jeong-tae was nothing short of a hero.
And now, he had called them together.
While not every citizen of Seoul supported him, the ones gathered here today sang his praises.
"The reason I stand before you today is because of a heinous villain named Roman Dmitry. He has rallied provincial forces to instigate a rebellion. Starting a civil war in the midst of a Great Disaster is a clear violation of international law and an outright crime. They have exploited South Korea's chaos to push this country to the edge of a cliff. Does this make any sense? Right now, even if we join forces to fight the monsters, our survival is not guaranteed. Yet, Roman Dmitry has committed this crime with absolutely no regard for the safety of our nation. That is his true nature. No one who truly cares for this country would ever start a rebellion at a time like this."
He conveniently left out any details that put him at a disadvantage.
Kim Jeong-tae's rule relied on the artful distortion of the truth.
He disparaged his enemies and hid the suffering of the provinces as much as possible.
Since the people of Seoul were blind to the reality outside, they had no choice but to judge him solely by his visible achievements.
"And that is not all. Roman Dmitry has slaughtered everyone who supported the Central Government in places like Hanam and Guri. He is a murderer—a monster trying to tear South Korea down. My fellow citizens, Roman Dmitry severed the head of the Mayor of Hanam and hung it up for display simply because the mayor opposed him. No matter how chaotic the world has become, such brutal methods prove beyond a doubt that he is a monster wearing human skin. The South Korean Intelligence Department has investigated, but Roman Dmitry's origins remain completely untraceable. An entity of unknown origin is trying to swallow South Korea whole. There are only two possibilities: either a foreign power is plotting to destroy our nation, or a monstrous individual is carrying out senseless slaughter."
He highlighted only the most sensational parts.
He never mentioned why Roman Dmitry had rebelled. He didn't reveal that the Central Government had tried to recruit Roman only to be rejected, or that Central Government figures like Jo Dal-su had been the first to show clear murderous intent. He absolutely refused to speak of anything that could justify Roman Dmitry's actions.
He had to keep it that way.
The support of Seoul's citizens.
Their backing alone was enough to keep Kim Jeong-tae's power absolute.
Knowing this, now that the rebel forces had risen, Kim Jeong-tae was injecting a potent anesthetic straight into the minds of Seoul's citizens.
"I will protect South Korea. I will protect Seoul. So please, trust me and lend me your strength. Do not be swayed by the lies of the rebels, and support the justice that I, Kim Jeong-tae, uphold. As I always have, I will protect Seoul!"
"Kim Jeong-tae! Kim Jeong-tae!"
"Kim Jeong-tae! Kim Jeong-tae!"
The crowd chanted his name.
It started with the instigators.
As the plants hidden in the crowd began to shout, the citizens raised their voices in unison, as if hypnotized.
"Kim Jeong-tae! Kim Jeong-tae!"
"Kim Jeong-tae! Kim Jeong-tae!"
"Mr. President! We believe in you!"
"Please defeat the rebels!"
The fervor spread like wildfire.
Seeing the crowd chanting his name, Kim Jeong-tae flashed a bright smile.
* * *
The speech ended.
As soon as he stepped off the stage and out of public view, Kim Jeong-tae's bright smile vanished, replaced by a cold sneer.
"Worthless insects. They don't even know who's keeping them alive, yet they complain about every little thing."
This speech had been carefully orchestrated.
While waging war, the rebel forces had actually taken care of the local citizens, and those citizens had shared their experiences with the people of Seoul. That was the problem. The citizens of Seoul had begun to fall into confusion. They had believed Kim Jeong-tae's words to be the absolute truth, but the rebels were showing genuine care for their fellow countrymen. Furthermore, the grim reality of the provinces was spreading rapidly. As people began to talk about why the provincial governments had no choice but to rebel, Kim Jeong-tae quickly arrested the dissenters for treason and arranged this speech.
He had injected an anesthetic into their minds.
To numb them to reality.
To make them trust him.
Kim Jeong-tae manipulated their perception.
Once he wiped out the rebel forces, they would disappear without ever getting the chance to reveal the truth.
"Where is Roman Dmitry?"
"He just brought down Gwangmyeong a moment ago. It seems they will attack Seoul immediately after they regroup."
"Tsk, tsk. Even though we warned them of the rebel attack in advance, they couldn't even hold out for a few days. This is why people say there are no useful talents in South Korea. What is the likelihood of Roman Dmitry launching a direct attack on Yeongdeungpo?"
"None. With the Mage in White joining the rebel forces, the locations of Yeongdeungpo's major strongholds have been exposed. However, anticipating this, we have layered multiple magic interference fields. Even the Mage in White cannot bypass the interference to use Teleport magic. If they dare to show themselves in the middle of Yeongdeungpo, they will be cornered by the forces we have stationed in advance."
"Roman Dmitry. What a fool. If he wanted to start a rebellion, he should have handled things more carefully."
Kim Jeong-tae sneered.
Roman Dmitry had made a self-defeating move.
If his goal was a regime change, he needed to justify his rebellion to the public.
It was an endeavor that required winning the hearts of the people.
Yet, not only did he instigate a civil war in violation of international law, but he also showed brutal ruthlessness by slaughtering his own countrymen. There were more than enough angles to vilify Roman Dmitry. People only believed what they saw. Even if Kim Jeong-tae's own negligence had caused countless deaths, the public would always point their fingers at the one doing the actual killing.
It was foolish.
If Roman Dmitry had won over the public through legitimate means, Kim Jeong-tae would have eventually found himself at a disadvantage, even if it took time.
But because Roman had acted so rashly, Kim Jeong-tae was able to seize the upper hand, even bringing in China to secure his position.
"No matter how strong Roman Dmitry is, he is clearly a novice who doesn't know the first thing about politics. There's no way a fool like him has a mastermind backing him. Give the order to the assemblymen: if we solidify our defense system and hold out, we will deploy the Chinese reinforcements and the Royal Guards to subjugate the rebels. The cities surrounding Seoul were merely meant to buy us time. The moment they set foot in Seoul, we will not let them leave alive."
"Understood."
He adjusted his expression once more.
In preparation for the citizens he might encounter on his way to his car, he transformed back into the benevolent, strong president.
Right then,
A bodyguard rushed over, completely out of breath, and shouted,
"P-President! Roman Dmitry has just appeared in Yeongdeungpo Square!"
"What?!"
The one-in-a-million possibility.
It was a shocking development that defied all belief.
* * *
It was incredibly blatant.
The sky distorted, and Roman Dmitry materialized, landing on the ground with a calm expression.
Thud.
"...What on earth?"
"It's Roman Dmitry!"
"The leader of the rebels has appeared!"
At first, they doubted their own eyes.
The soldiers, who had been staring blankly at Roman Dmitry, finally snapped out of it and began to shout, quickly moving to surround him. It wasn't just hundreds or thousands. There were tens of thousands of soldiers, and among them were high-ranking Hunters representing Seoul.
Clank, clank, clank.
A hair-trigger situation.
The atmosphere grew incredibly hostile.
Roman Dmitry calmly observed them, then raised his voice so that even the citizens in the distance could hear him.
"From this moment on, I intend to bring judgment upon Kim Jeong-tae and the Central Government, who have dragged South Korea into the abyss. Until now, they have sacrificed the entire nation for the safety of a powerful few. They ignored whatever hardships the provincial governments faced. For those who refused to follow their orders, they not only cut off support but also forced them to their deaths through direct threats. I, too, have experienced their threats. Forced to choose between obeying the Central Government or being destroyed by them, I realized that this country must be reborn."
"Nonsense!"
"We can't trust a word you say!"
The soldiers shouted.
One of them bitterly condemned him.
"You slaughtered all the soldiers in Hanam! How can we believe the words of a murderer like you?"
This was the effect of the speech.
Though the justification for the rebellion was clear, the people fixated on a different issue.
Roman Dmitry responded coldly.
"Why is killing enemies a problem?"
"Enemies?! Hanam is made up of our fellow citizens—"
"Now that is complete bullshit. I knew I could not walk the same path as the Central Government, so I gave the provincial forces, including Hanam, a choice: follow me, or follow the Central Government. I defined those who chose the Central Government, despite knowing this country was broken, as my enemies. It does not matter in the slightest that they are citizens of this country, or that individual soldiers might have had their own circumstances. Even if they were forced onto the battlefield against their will, I will not allow my people to be put in danger for the sake of showing cheap mercy. Not even a one-in-a-million chance. I will utterly annihilate my enemies to prevent further bloodshed. Because the wars waged by those who babble about peace never end."
Kim Jeong-tae's speech was meaningless.
Roman Dmitry had no intention of trying to please everyone.
To someone who prioritized only his own people, a ruined reputation had no bearing on the grand scheme of things.
"You simply shouldn't have stood against me from the beginning. Throughout this rebellion, I have not harmed a single civilian. You are free to believe whatever you wish, but you will pay the price for what you choose to believe."
Shring.
He drew his sword.
His vision was filled with enemies.
Common sense dictated that handling this many opponents was impossible, but Roman Dmitry stepped forward without hesitation.
"From this moment on, anyone who stands in my way will be deemed an enemy."
* * *
Immediately after receiving news of the rebellion, the capital defense forces had trained relentlessly.
They had prepared to overwhelm the enemy using sheer numbers if the rebel forces ever showed up in the middle of Yeongdeungpo.
Things proceeded exactly as they had trained.
The soldiers charged.
Rushing in from all directions, they exuded confidence born of their overwhelming numbers.
However—
Flash.
Slash, slash, slash!
Heads flew.
The charging vanguard sprayed blood, and before those behind them could even react, a disaster swept through their ranks. Screams echoed from all sides. Not a single person could withstand even a single blow from Roman Dmitry. Like waves crashing against a breakwater, the fiercely surging tide of soldiers was instantly shattered.
He was overwhelming, but he was only one man.
The capital's soldiers did not doubt their victory. From that moment on, they began attacking without distinguishing between ally and foe.
"Fire Cannon!"
"Rapid Fire!"
Whoosh, whoosh!
Thwack, thwack, thwack!
Area-of-effect attacks.
Though their own allies nearby might get caught in the crossfire, they used them as bait to pin Roman Dmitry down. This, too, was part of their training. Kim Jeong-tae had ordered them to use any means necessary when dealing with enemies. And so, roaring flames and hundreds of arrows rained down directly upon their own allies.
"Aaargh!"
"Aaaagh!"
It was a gruesome sight.
They had attacked Roman Dmitry at the cost of their allies' lives, but their assault failed to yield any meaningful results.
Whoosh.
Roar!
He burst through the flames.
Thanks to his Flame Divine Art, the fire actually granted Roman Dmitry even greater power, and even the skill-infused arrows lost their force before they could touch his skin. It was an overwhelming display of mana. Roman deflected all the ranged attacks, then lunged forward, plunging deep into the crowd of enemies.
Flash.
Thud.
A head was severed.
The opponent was an A-Rank Hunter.
He had blocked Roman Dmitry with a decent skill, but his death was no different from that of an ordinary soldier.
Flash.
"Aaaagh!"
The same went for the Hunter whose arm was severed.
A B-Rank Hunter had attempted a surprise attack, but Roman deflected it by a hair's breadth and sliced off his forearm. Roman Dmitry also agreed that this battle was eating away at South Korea. However, it was a necessary process. Kim Jeong-tae had been rooted in South Korea for twenty years, building a fortress so solid that it could never be brought down by half-hearted attacks.
The current South Korea was rotten to the core.
Rather than trying to convince those who believed Kim Jeong-tae was right, it was necessary to dig up and excise the rotten roots they blindly trusted.
Kronos.
Valhalla.
They had been the same in his past life.
Under Alexander, their interiors had rotted beyond recovery.
Dialogue was not an option.
Since they walked a path completely opposite to his ambitions, they would never admit their faults. They would persist in their claims until the very moment of their destruction. After a long war, the continent had finally regained peace. Roman Dmitry's methods had certainly spilled a lot of blood, but he did not believe they were wrong.
Dialogue.
It was meant for human beings.
Those who had already sacrificed others for their own desires did not deserve dialogue; they deserved fitting judgment.
Kim Jeong-tae was one such person.
He had spilled too much blood.
He had accumulated karma for twenty years.
After reviewing the Central Government's records, Roman Dmitry had excluded them from the very beginning.
The Incheon Government.
The Busan Government.
The Ulsan Government, and so on.
He accepted those who had struggled desperately to survive in this era of Great Chaos. But he refused to accept the Central Government, which possessed the greatest power in South Korea. That was the difference. If the Central Government had shown even a shred of self-awareness and fulfilled its proper role, Roman Dmitry might have reconsidered his relationship with them. It was the reason why he had accepted Edwin Hector—who had attacked Cairo for the sake of Hector—as his subordinate, but refused to accept Kim Jeong-tae, who sacrificed his own citizens for his personal safety.
Flash.
Thud.
He killed every enemy he encountered.
Ignorance, too.
It was their sin.
Turning a blind eye to reality, too.
It was their sin.
If this was to remain as his karma, Roman Dmitry would gladly bear it for the sake of those who followed him. They could call him selfish. He did not bother to deny the accusations of cruelty. Whether living as the Heavenly Demon Baek Joong-hyuk or as Emperor Roman Dmitry, what he pursued was not conventional justice, but simply peace for his people. Kim Jeong-tae's South Korea did not deserve to enter his fold.
An overwhelming display of might.
The crowd was struck with horror.
At first, they had doubted Roman Dmitry's intentions.
Believing in the stratagem of 'Making a Feint to the East and Attacking in the West,' they thought he was merely drawing attention here while executing another plan elsewhere.
But not anymore.
As they watched him cut down over a thousand soldiers in the blink of an eye, they finally realized Roman Dmitry's true intent.
"...No way."
It was clear.
Roman Dmitry.
He intended to slaughter this entire massive army all by himself.