Chapter 35

EP 7 - North Wind (6)

I am walking on the line.

I must do what needs to be done.

But what exactly needs to be done?

* * *

The northern Gyeongsang Provincial Prison, commonly known as Cheongsong Prison, is a den of the worst criminals in South Korea. It is said that almost all those sentenced to life imprisonment are gathered here, as those sentenced to death are detained in detention centers.

In that sense, the list of experimental subjects that Cha Jae-gyun handed me was a list of human trash. Serial killers, patricides, and child rapists.

“I remember it took quite a while to select them. Of course, I didn’t do it myself.”

I stared at Cha Jae-gyun in silence for a long time. Cha Jae-gyun counted the lives in a businesslike manner.

“The investigation results show that 514 violent criminals were used as experimental subjects, and all but 14 escapees have already been killed.”

His tone was a bit faster,

his expression indifferent,

his manner polite,

and there was a faint, businesslike smile.

“Seventeen civilians were killed.”

This was the Cha Jae-gyun I always saw.

“Six civilians conscripted during the process of replenishing the experimental subjects were all killed, and 11 civilians contaminated by magical factors during the process of subduing the escapees were killed just before they transformed into monsters.”

“...Transformed into monsters?”

“One of the mutant Awakened showed infectious properties. I heard they turned people around them into monsters through spores, but they were killed.”

He was talking about something horrific, but there was no noticeable change in his appearance.

“The practical manager of this experiment was Director Jeong Jun-seok of the National Intelligence Service’s Counter-Terrorism Security Bureau. He was executed for the forced conscription of civilians to maintain secrecy.”

This was just who Cha Jae-gyun was. The Cha Jae-gyun I didn’t know.

There was no room for anger or disappointment.

This was just who Cha Jae-gyun was.

Simply.

“Do I look like a villain to you?”

I had been judging this person arbitrarily. I didn’t know Cha Jae-gyun.

“Six civilians were killed during the conscription of criminals, leading to the death of Director Jeong Jun-seok. And 42 people, including researchers and civilians, died in the unrest during the disposal of the experimental subjects, leading to the declaration of martial law. Now, the head of the National Intelligence Service, Kim Do-hwan, will commit suicide tonight. Officially, that is.”

I looked at him with an unreadable expression. Cha Jae-gyun said to me,

“The acting head of the National Intelligence Service, Won Ok-bun, will recommend a new appointee to fill the vacant position, and this incident will be concluded. From now on, I will have to share the National Intelligence Service with Won Ok-bun.”

Cha Jae-gyun asked calmly,

“Do I look like I’m cutting off my tail?”

“Isn’t that what you’re doing?”

“Whether you believe me or not, I knew nothing. At least not until I received an emergency report around 8 PM last night.”

This is the hardest part of politics.

I can’t tell what’s a lie and what’s the truth.

Cha Jae-gyun had already picked up a few documents and was reviewing them, tilting his glasses.

“First, conduct human experiments on the worst criminals in South Korea.

Second, now that the experiment has succeeded, dispose of the criminals.”

“...”

“I didn’t get involved beyond giving those two instructions. I couldn’t just focus on that. Besides, I couldn’t spend all day looking into problems that arose at the front lines. They didn’t even report to me to cover up their mistakes.”

“...”

“Oh, I’m not trying to avoid responsibility. If you want to blame me, go ahead. Besides, I issued the order to kill the civilians who were about to transform into monsters to destroy evidence. I’ve already paid a considerable price in politics, and I will continue to do so.”

“...”

“You don’t seem to believe me. As I’ve said multiple times, I’m not in a position to interfere with the front lines.”

Cha Jae-gyun continued speaking as if he were talking about his daily routine.

No,

he was really talking about his daily routine to me calmly.

“The rescue plan was disrupted by the flying monsters. Also, it’s a headache when monsters that are immune to firearms occasionally appear.

Some monsters can be killed with a single shot from a rifle, while others won’t fall even after being hit by five artillery shells.”

“...”

“What’s interesting is that the monster that withstood five artillery shells melted when doused with water from a fire truck. This is why field commanders are dying. It’s completely different from traditional warfare.”

“...”

“Sometimes, a 32-meter giant monster appears, and sometimes a swarm of 2-centimeter killer insects attacks refugees. Flying monsters suicide-bomb with combat helicopters, and sea monsters appear off the coast of Busan.

No matter how many we kill, they don’t decrease. Even if we push the front lines to the gate, we can’t close the gate, so there’s no way to end the war of attrition.”

Cha Jae-gyun held up two fingers.

.

“Ammunition and fuel.”

And he made a chilling prediction.

“South Korea will fall the moment either one runs out.”

“...”

“A sustainable battle is needed. A sustainable way of fighting. Don’t you think so, Representative Han Seung-moon?”

I replied indifferently.

“...Hunters.”

“Yes. We need to deploy as many Hunters as possible on the battlefield. And ultimately, we need to capture monsters with Hunters alone.”

“...So, that’s why you conducted human experiments? To replenish the Hunters?”

Cha Jae-gyun looked at me with a bland expression.

“Sexual offenders, serial killers, and patricides. They weren’t flesh that was hard to cut. Although unfortunate incidents occurred among the front-line staff, it’s something that had to be endured. I...”

“...Are you trying to pretend to be a hypocrite?”

“Didn’t I just say that? There’s no one more patriotic than me.

I’m the only power holder who can ‘objectively’ conceive of an efficient method without being swayed by power and fame. I thought it was the way for South Korea to survive.”

I questioned him.

“Not to kill more monsters?”

He answered calmly.

“Is there a difference between the two?”

“No.”

“Indeed, you are perceptive.”

Cha Jae-gyun turned his eyes back to the documents. He continued speaking without looking at me.

“To achieve the strategic goal, I killed 514 violent criminals. However, 48 innocent victims were killed in the process. So, two people took responsibility and died.”

He smiled businesslike and gestured with his hand holding a pen, as if to say, what more is needed?

“564 deaths.”

“...”

“Is there anything else I need to explain?”

There wasn’t,

and I didn’t want to hear it.

*

In a country destined for destruction, there is a single solution.

To find the solution, I cut out the rotten flesh. A little healthy blood also flowed. Exactly 48 people.

Standing at a crossroads.

Walking over the red Han River or breaking through the passage of the Sinbundang Line.

I was endlessly conflicted in front of it. And I tried to run away because I didn’t want to take that path.

“...First, I need to do what needs to be done. Let’s try to resolve the situation.”

“Acting Head Won Ok-bun has already taken care of it.”

But there was no place to retreat.

“This incident will be classified as a North Korean terrorist attack.”

“...Will North Korea tolerate that?”

No matter how much we help by bombing the monsters, there are always lines in politics.

Most people try to stay within those lines.

“The new North Korean regime will tolerate it.”

Sometimes, lines are broken.

“There’s a lot of talk internally in North Korea. Forced conscription, abandonment of defense lines, nuclear bombing of civilian survival zones, fallout damage, etc.”

Cha Jae-gyun, holding a pen in one hand and a mug of barley tea in the other, spoke indifferently.

“In fact, the chaos in the country has made me think about power. The North Korean Minister of People’s Armed Forces, Ri Yong-su, gave us the coordinates of the bunker where the State Affairs Commission Chairman is hiding.”

“...”

“The bombers heading to North Korea to bomb the monsters will carry bunker busters.”

Cha Jae-gyun didn’t explain further, but I could easily predict what would happen next.

Our government will be furious about North Korea’s terrorism and execute the State Affairs Commission Chairman to restore national prestige.

The Minister of People’s Armed Forces will be enraged by the assassination of the South but will seize the power vacuum.

And both countries will continue to engage in hostile propaganda, regaining political stability in the chaos.

Cha Jae-gyun will attach an oxygen mask to South Korea with the blood of hundreds of criminals and dozens of victims, and the rest will take political gains for themselves.

“...”

I had nothing to do.

With a blank expression, I tightly closed my mouth, and Cha Jae-gyun’s calm voice reached me.

“I don’t want to be hostile to Representative Han Seung-moon.”

“...”

“We can maintain a quite constructive symbiotic relationship. We are, and most importantly, you have what I want the most.”

He was talking about the superhumans.

“I don’t want to take them, and I can’t take them.”

The gold badge I wore was a sturdy shield. The 11-member National Assembly, led by Yang Pan-seok, was protecting me.

“I’ll give you a piece of the cake.”

“...”

“Announce that the terrorist attack was by North Korea. At the press conference.”

He said to me with a businesslike smile, as always.

“You like politics, don’t you.”

I’ll let you indulge in the attention you love.

It was an invitation to become an accomplice.

*

Cha Jae-gyun confiscated all the evidence I and the informant had.

Even the recorder disguised as a tie pin.

The informant couldn’t reveal this from the beginning. Tian Hua and Gan Ji-yun were living in a research institute near the martial law headquarters.

So, they tried to expose it through me until the end, but alas, it turned out this way.

Hong Seon-a was detained. If she was angry about the death of her friend who was guarding Apgujeong, Cha Jae-gyun was also an indirect murderer for abandoning the rescue.

And the day of the press conference arrived.

I got into a vehicle arranged by the military, holding a script written by a military officer, and headed to the press conference with soldiers.

It felt like I had strings attached to my hands and feet. Is this how a marionette feels?

I got out of the car, desperately recalling Yeo Doyeon in my mind.

A flood of camera lights poured down. It was somewhat familiar now.

The podium in the distance came into view.

I walked on the red carpet,

No.

This isn’t a ceremony, what red carpet? I looked down at the ground in confusion.

There was no carpet.

It was just my imagination.

I was standing on the red Han River.

The blood water rippled up to my ankles.

I took a step, another step.

Red hands grabbed my ankles. I shook them off and kept walking.

Reporters asked questions.

Questions about death. Why did they die, how many died, who died, how did they die, how can we avoid dying.

All the questions had a similar context. Black eyes in the camera lenses shed yellow tears.

I limped toward the podium, leaning on a cane.

Yang Pan-seok whispered in my ear. Endure it. This is the burden a politician should bear.

Pushing through the red Han River,

I finally,

climbed onto the blood-soaked podium.

I looked around the audience for a while.

I grabbed the microphone.

“...Hello, fellow citizens.

I am Representative Han Seung-moon.”

I began with a solemn voice.

“First, I pray for the souls of the 11 victims who lost their lives in this attack.”

A moment of silence. I shed tears, now familiar.

“I, this incident...”

I closed my eyes tightly.

“This monster transformation incident...”

And I thought about many things.

“The biological terrorism of North Korea...”

Everything entangled in the web I was standing on.

The insurance I arranged and the unknown psychologies.

Of course, as always, my judgment was quick,

“...I am here to incite the citizens that this incident is a terrorist attack by North Korea.”