Chapter 522: Conquest of Seoul (9)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 522: Conquest of Seoul (9)
They say a person cannot see even an inch into the future.
Kim Jeong-tae was thrown to the ground in a wretched state, landing on the exact spot where he had been delivering a speech to a cheering crowd just moments ago. His face was already bruised and swollen from being slapped multiple times. With his face planted in a pooling puddle of his own blood, Kim Jeong-tae hurriedly tried to lift his head—but Roman Dmitry stepped down hard on his skull, pinning him to the earth, and pointed his sword at him.
Step.
"President Kim Jeong-tae. Your sins are clear. Despite holding the responsibility for the safety of this nation, you turned your back on the people of the provinces and made them your scapegoats. You treated entry into Seoul as a privilege, forcing the people to walk on eggshells around you just to avoid expulsion. South Korea strayed down the wrong path from that very moment. The powerless citizens could not dare to oppose you in this chaotic world, and so you lived the life of a tyrant, holding the entire nation hostage."
People gathered around.
Right there, on the site of a fresh massacre, on the very stage where Kim Jeong-tae had just been raising his voice, the citizens of Seoul stood and watched.
To them, Roman Dmitry declared the justification for his rebellion.
"Your existence threatens my people. Only by cutting you out—you, the rot eating away at South Korea from the inside—can this country move toward a proper future. That is why I raised my sword. To punish you and the Central Government for plunging South Korea into an abyss for twenty years, and to show the harsh reality to those who foolishly believed you represented the justice of this nation. For that, I have shed blood."
Shing—
He raised his sword.
Perhaps sensing the sheer murderous intent radiating from the blade, Kim Jeong-tae desperately wrenched his head up and screamed at Roman Dmitry.
"You son of a bitch! Do you think the people of this country will accept you just because you do this?! Not a chance! This country cares about where you were born! No matter what you do for them, there are countless people who will deny your very existence! And because you violated international law, South Korea will be put in danger! My corruption was only to sustain this country! As the President of South Korea, I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of!"
He shrieked at the top of his lungs.
Corruption. He truly considered it a necessary evil. Kim Jeong-tae believed his own delusions to the bitter end.
Looking down at the face of this vile ghost, Roman Dmitry spoke with absolute coldness.
"Whether the people accept me or not is their problem. I will only accept those who trust and follow me. And in the future, once you are gone, I will make one promise to the people: I will never abandon them. I will never turn away from their cries of pain. That is the true weight of a leader's position. You, who evaded responsibility to gorge yourself on the benefits, deserve only death."
"P-Please!"
Kim Jeong-tae's eyes bulged.
Instinct screaming that his end had come, he thrashed wildly, desperately trying to escape the boot pinning him down. But Roman Dmitry's sword fell without a shred of hesitation.
Just like that.
Slice.
Kim Jeong-tae's head was severed.
* * *
Thud.
Roll, roll.
Kim Jeong-tae's severed head rolled across the bloodstained ground.
The eyes of the people followed it in a daze. The being who had boasted absolute power over South Korea had met his end, losing his life literally overnight.
A strange emotion washed over the crowd.
It wasn't because of Kim Jeong-tae's death. It was because Roman Dmitry's words had pierced deep into their hearts.
“I will never abandon my people. I will never turn away from their cries of pain. That is the true weight of a leader's position.”
Those words.
In truth, it was only natural. A leader was elected to take responsibility for the people. Yet, they had been conditioned to believe Kim Jeong-tae's twisted methods were right. At first, there had certainly been those who resisted. However, once Kim Jeong-tae began executing everyone who raised their voice, the people had no choice but to accept reality to survive in this hellish world.
It was a massive, nation-wide gaslighting.
Gradually, they had come to believe Kim Jeong-tae was justice. They took up arms for him and cheered at the venom he spat from his podiums. They closed their eyes. They blocked their ears.
At some point, the entire world had begun calling South Korea a hotbed of corruption, but the citizens couldn't survive without accepting that miserable reality. Perhaps that was why such a hot, overwhelming emotion welled up inside them now. If someone like Roman Dmitry had ruled this country from the beginning, the people wouldn't have had to shed so much blood. Those who had already crossed the point of no return had denied reality and pointed their weapons at Roman Dmitry.
But now, the survivors saw the truth.
This was what the people had desperately wished for all along. For someone like Roman Dmitry to appear. To live in a world where the state actually protects its citizens, and the leader treats that protection as a sacred duty.
A woman stepped forward from the crowd, her voice trembling but resolute.
"My husband lost his life just to send me to Seoul. Everyone wanted to enter Seoul, and those who managed to get in through their families' sacrifices had no choice but to keep their mouths shut to avoid being expelled. Lord Roman Dmitry... For me, that single promise to care for our safety is enough. Kim Jeong-tae was wrong. I will fully accept you, Lord Roman Dmitry, so please... look after this country."
She was just the beginning.
More people stepped forward, their voices joining hers.
"Where Lord Roman Dmitry comes from does not matter in the slightest! We need a responsible leader!"
"The promise that you will never abandon your people... With just that single promise, I will bury the fact that I lost my family in this miserable war deep in my heart. South Korea needed a turning point. Although we have suffered unforgettable wounds from this civil war, if we can change our future, it won't remain as mere pain!"
Everyone poured out their true feelings. They finally faced reality. Paradoxically, Roman Dmitry's brutal, uncompromising methods were what proved his sincerity to them.
Looking at the crowd, Roman Dmitry was reminded of the people of Dmitry.
'I will meet them again.'
As time passed, he had come to a realization. The existence of the people. The fact that a leader's position only truly shines when there are people who trust and follow them. If he had intended to live alone, a grandiose goal like reigning supreme would have had no meaning to attempt in the first place.
He missed the people of Dmitry.
Whenever their faces came to mind, Roman Dmitry focused even more intensely on the reality before him. His desires—he would forge them into reality.
Roman Dmitry spoke, his voice carrying over the ruined square.
"I will make South Korea a powerful nation. I will build a country that will not collapse under any threat, stop all the Great Disasters that have plunged the world into chaos, and deal with the Absolute. In the future to come, in a world where peace has been restored, you will be able to enjoy a complete life as my people."
A burning desire boiled within him. He would rule the entire world. He would sever the head of the Absolute and create a new era.
"I promise you a new future."
At that moment—
"Waaaaaaah!"
"Roman Dmitry! Roman Dmitry!"
"Roman Dmitry! Roman Dmitry!"
The people frantically chanted Roman Dmitry's name, erasing Kim Jeong-tae's legacy from Seoul in an instant.
* * *
Around that same time, Jo Dal-su found himself in a desperate crisis.
He was being unilaterally crushed by the rebel forces' assault, and he hurriedly contacted the Central Government to salvage the situation.
"The rebel forces have attacked Geumcheon-gu! They are preventing us from dealing with the Monster Wave, and at this rate, it's only a matter of time before Geumcheon-gu falls! We need reinforcements right now! As soon as possible—"
[It's all over.]
"What?!"
From the other side of the communication line, a lifeless, hollow voice answered. Jo Dal-su, who was about to scream at the communication soldier for his insolence, was immediately struck by news like a bolt from the blue.
[Should I say it again? It's all over. Kim Jeong-tae's head was just severed. Even the Chinese reinforcements pulled out, saying they have no intention of antagonizing Roman Dmitry. There is no way for the Central Government to win.]
In an instant, he felt as if the sky had collapsed on his head.
Kim Jeong-tae's head was severed?! The Chinese reinforcements had retreated?!
To make matters worse, Investigator Moon Tae-jun ran over, completely out of breath.
"Assemblyman! The Chinese reinforcements suddenly announced they are returning to their home country! They said orders came down from above, but if even they leave, Geumcheon-gu's forces cannot stop both the Monster Wave and the rebel forces!"
"...Damn it."
Jo Dal-su felt dizzy. The communication soldier's words were true. Otherwise, there was no way the Chinese reinforcements would withdraw in such a critical situation.
'Is Roman Dmitry really that strong? To attack the heart of Seoul, sever President Kim Jeong-tae's head, and force even China's Sword Ghost Xiao Long to choose retreat? It's over. There's no way out of this. Considering Roman Dmitry's brutal habit of executing everyone who shows hostility, there is no way he will forgive me—the one who started this conflict in the first place.'
It was utterly bleak.
He informed Investigator Moon Tae-jun of the current situation. As soon as he heard the truth, Moon Tae-jun slumped to the ground in despair.
"...Are we going to die like this?"
The Central Government was collapsing. He had thought such a thing was impossible, but a single variable named Roman Dmitry had brought the entire regime to its knees.
Jo Dal-su's thoughts ground to a halt. He didn't know what to do. Monsters were flooding in from the outside, and before long, Roman Dmitry would storm into Geumcheon-gu.
It was then that Moon Tae-jun spoke up, his expression grim but calculating.
"...What if we seek asylum?"
"Asylum?"
"Yes. Roman Dmitry has violated international law. No matter what justification he claims, it is something that deserves judgment by the World Government. If we apply for asylum using that issue as a pretext, there is a very high probability they will accept us. Assemblyman, if we stay here, we will die by Roman Dmitry's hand anyway. Shouldn't we grasp at straws to survive?"
Jo Dal-su's eyes widened.
It was an excellent idea. He could secure his safety immediately while simultaneously instigating the World Government to eliminate Roman Dmitry.
If that happened...
'In a new South Korea without President Kim Jeong-tae, there is a high probability that I, Jo Dal-su, will take the president's seat.'
A greedy smirk twitched on his lips. Was this what they meant by turning a misfortune into a blessing? This was an opportunity.
Jo Dal-su's face brightened. "Investigator Moon Tae-jun! If this matter is resolved well, I will not forget your contribution!"
"Thank you, sir!"
They hurried their steps. From now on, it was a race against time. They had to leave Geumcheon-gu quickly. Accompanied by a few loyal mages, they sprinted to where the teleportation magic circle was located.
Standing on the glowing runes, they dreamed of a hopeful, triumphant future.
A mage unleashed his mana.
"Teleport!"
When they opened their eyes, they would be far away in the safety of the USA.
Or so they thought.
"...Huh?"
When the spatial teleportation was complete and the light faded, what entered Jo Dal-su's vision was not an American sanctuary, but the rebel forces—led by Park Min-woo.
* * *
Jo Dal-su's escape plan? Park Min-woo had already anticipated it.
Having experienced his fair share of failures in the past, Park Min-woo had taken precautions, disrupting the teleportation coordinates in advance using magic interference. As a result, Jo Dal-su appeared right in the dead center of enemy territory.
Looking at the dumbfounded, trembling forms of Jo Dal-su and Moon Tae-jun, Park Min-woo spoke loudly to the mages of Baek-il.
"This is the ugly truth of the Central Government! The very people who claimed that sacrifice was inevitable for the safety of South Korea abandoned their people and fled the moment their own lives were in danger! Are we still the evil ones? No, the Central Government is the true evil. We have only enacted justice, and today, Baek-il has proven its reason for existence!"
"As expected!"
"We believed in you!"
The mages of Baek-il cheered wildly. They trusted Park Min-woo. They had believed they were fighting for justice, but seeing the enemy leaders' cowardice with their own eyes made their blood boil with even more passionate loyalty.
Park Min-woo smirked inwardly. He hadn't missed the opportunity. Seizing the moment, he solidified Baek-il's absolute trust in him once again.
Amidst this, noticing that Roman Dmitry was not yet present, Jo Dal-su hurriedly dropped to his knees and begged.
"W-White-Robed Mage! Please spare us! We admit to everything we did wrong! But for the future of South Korea, shouldn't talented individuals like myself be given a chance to repent?!"
"I will bow my head and apologize a hundred, a thousand times! Please, just spare our lives!" Moon Tae-jun joined in, groveling on the dirt.
They knew that Park Min-woo currently held the power over their life and death.
However, Park Min-woo's reaction was entirely blunt.
"Why would I kill you? I don't have the authority to punish you."
Jo Dal-su and Moon Tae-jun blinked, confused. They didn't know the truth. They didn't realize that capturing the two of them was merely Park Min-woo's way of currying favor with a certain someone.
Even as the war raged urgently around them, Park Min-woo's mind was fixated solely on one existence.
'I hope he likes my present.'
Park Min-woo took a respectful step back.
Suddenly, the dimension before them began to warp. Space tore open, and a figure revealed himself from beyond the rift.
"Lord Roman Dmitry! Thank you for your hard work!"
"Congratulations on your victory!"
Roman Dmitry stepped through.
At the sight of him, Jo Dal-su and Moon Tae-jun's faces drained of all color, turning deathly pale.