Chapter 153

Chapter 153 – Seoul Restoration (4)

The process of locating and saving survivors gained tremendous momentum once Cha Hyun-seung lent his strength to the cause.

A major reason for this rapid progress was his horde of hundreds of beasts, which operated with perfect coordination and boasted individual strength far surpassing that of ordinary monsters.

Excluding the direct subordinates, only about 300 local residents were actively taking part in the campaign to reclaim Seoul.

These individuals represented the absolute pinnacle of their fighting force, selected only if they had surpassed level 30.

To begin with, the pool of citizens who had reached such a high level was incredibly small.

Statistically speaking, a mere 0.3% of the entire population had managed to reach level 30—totaling roughly 1,700 people across the region.

Out of those select few, only the top 300 were chosen for this mission, given the extreme perils lurking throughout Seoul.

“Vicious creatures past level 30 are as common as dirt out here.”

A number of these entities were heavily protected by steel-like plating or possessed complete immunity to physical strikes, rendering conventional firearms entirely useless against them.

It was a volatile warzone where even a minor oversight could prove fatal.

Because of this, the operational teams had to move with utmost vigilance.

Seo Ye-jin deployed her scout rats to map out the surrounding threats and locate pockets of survivors, ensuring they established the safest possible path before making a move.

Yoo Han-gil employed his Clairvoyance trait to keep a constant, real-time eye on the environment, while I directed the vassals to manage the ongoing evacuation efforts.

To mitigate sudden life-threatening crises, the teams also relied on Shin Dong-hoon and his Time Distortion technique.

Even though it could only freeze or alter the flow of time for a handful of seconds, this ability was incredibly potent at rewriting what would have been fatal encounters.

Despite these layered precautions, casualties and severe wounds were still an unavoidable reality.

Under such grueling circumstances, the arrival of Cha Hyun-seung and his beast legion was nothing short of a miracle.

Not only were his creatures exceptionally high-level, but their wide array of unique attributes allowed them to adjust seamlessly to any crisis.

Perhaps most importantly, his name carried immense weight throughout the region.

Usually, convincing skeptical groups of survivors to trust outsiders was a grueling, slow process, but everything changed the moment Cha Hyun-seung—a figure of renowned reputation—intervened personally.

Once he joined the frontlines of the rescue mission, terrified survivors who had been cowering in hidden corners began stepping out into the open of their own accord.

The impact of his presence was far greater than anyone had anticipated.

“Thanks to his influence, we’ve successfully integrated nearly all of the isolated small factions nearby.”

Our controlled zone now stretched across a 3-kilometer radius centered on Sindorim Station.

The population residing within the borders of Ha Dong-geon’s viscountcy alone had surged past 30,000.

Right at that moment—

[The construction of “The Earl’s Domain” has been completed.]

At long last, the massive 5-kilometer radius territory centered on Seoul Station was fully established.

The very instant the boundary settled, Oh Eon-ju lost consciousness and collapsed from sheer exhaustion.

Kim Da-jeong, who had been keeping a close watch by her side, quickly moved to catch her before she hit the ground.

Woooong—

A soothing, restorative light washed over Oh Eon-ju, stabilizing her worn-out body.

[Please take good care of Oh Eon-ju.]

“Understood, Jae-hyun-nim. I will look after her, so please don’t worry.”

A domain spanning a 5-kilometer radius with Seoul Station at its heart—

This was practically equivalent to taking control of the entire core region of Gangbuk.

“Now, the true challenge begins.”

The opening phase of reclaiming Seoul was designed to generate an unstoppable momentum.

Seoul and Gyeonggi Province—

Combined, these areas once contained nearly half of the entire population of South Korea.

Seoul alone used to house roughly 10 million residents—nearly triple the size of Busan.

Given the terrifying level of the monsters roaming the ruined capital, the survival rate was undoubtedly low, yet a vast number of people were surely still clinging to life in hidden pockets.

With the forces currently at our disposal, attempting to manually locate and rescue every single one of them was an impossible task.

That was why Kim Dabin had devised a clever tactical alternative—leveraging the power of rumors.

Just as new residents were steadily joining our ranks in Seoul, a massive influx of survivors was also occurring in Busan, driven entirely by a program designed by Kim Dabin.

The fundamental premise of this program was incredibly straightforward.

The strategy focused on providing absolute, unconditional care and resources to any new citizens who came within our expanding borders.

Known as “The Giving Tree Strategy,” this initiative prioritized distributing food, medical supplies, electricity, gas, and running water, alongside setting up community spaces like merchant shops.

Furthermore, Kim Dabin and the administrative personnel made it a point to personally visit these survivors to guide them through the functions of the exchange market.

Simultaneously, active combat squads were sent out to purge the monsters dwelling just beyond the borders.

The results of these efforts were staggering.

As the perks of this system began to touch those living on the fringes, word-of-mouth reports spread like wildfire.

Consequently, the stagnant growth of our population was shattered, and an overwhelming wave of survivors began migrating toward us.

From Gimhae, Yangsan, Gijang, and Gadeokdo—

Survivors who had been hiding in the shadows of those regions began moving toward us in massive waves.

Whispers of an oasis existing in Busan became a guiding light for those desperately trying to survive.

Countless individuals even braved deadly roads just to reach the safety of Busan.

“We are going to execute that exact same blueprint here in Seoul.”

Presently, with the exception of the ten clay soldiers assigned to upgrade the Job Research Institute, every single available construct was deployed to rebuild and fortify the sectors surrounding Sindorim Station.

Furthermore, no Instant Dungeons were generated within our Seoul territories.

Instead, any citizen who expressed a desire to hunt was supplied with guns, ammunition, and the highest level of logistical support we could offer.

“As a result, a massive portion of the newcomers have actively taken up hunting.”

Ultimately, Seoul was a boundless hunting ground overflowing with prey.

No matter how many were put down, green-skinned goblins and savage orcs kept pouring into the streets.

As these new citizens engaged in constant combat, the rumors of our support system would naturally propagate outward.

And—

“The major survivor coalitions in the city have already been thoroughly analyzed and monitored.”

According to the intelligence provided by Commander Lee Hak-gi, there were seven dominant survivor factions remaining in Seoul.

The JHS, which operated much like a fanatical cult, the military stronghold where Commander Lee Hak-gi was stationed in Wangsimni, and Cha Hyun-seung’s group in Yongsan—these three forces had already been seamlessly brought under our banner.

The remaining major factions were situated in Apgujeong, Seocho, Gangseo-gu, and Gangbuk-gu.

“A substantial number of people from Apgujeong, Seocho, and Gangseo-gu are already making their way to our side.”

Even back when our only foothold was a minor outpost located at Konkuk University Station, people had already begun drifting toward us.

“Quite a few of them were obviously sent as spies…”

But that played perfectly into my hands.

“By now, the vast majority of those infiltrators have Trust and Loyalty stats soaring past 50.”

All I had done was let them see the undeniable reality of our civilization.

Those who witnessed the thriving state of Busan with their own eyes had sprinted back to their respective factions, desperate to drag their companions and loved ones over to our side.

“It is just about time for them to make their move.”

Right on cue—

A familiar system alert pinged in my mind.

[An individual who qualifies for citizenship has approached the boundary of the domain.]

[Would you like to authorize their citizenship?]

This specific notification triggered whenever someone without official status reached the edge of our invisible protective barrier.

Having dealt with this countless times, I could instantly deduce where the newcomer had arrived.

“The territory of Seoul Station.”

A massive group had reached the border of the Count’s domain, which was under Oh Eon-ju’s administration.

Thousands of individuals were currently clustered near Hannam Bridge.

Among that sea of faces—

“Found her.”

The exact person I had been waiting for had finally shown up.

“Right on schedule.”

【Jung Sora (Lv. 49)】

Awakened Ability: Blessing of the Four Great Spirits

Another individual possessing an elite SR-ranked trait.

She was a powerful elementalist capable of commanding the forces of fire, water, wind, and earth, serving as the undisputed leader of the Apgujeong faction.

Swoosh—

Using instant movement, I materialized at the boundary line near Hannam Bridge, offering her a welcoming smile.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Jung Sora.”

Jung Sora offered a polite smile of her own and replied.

“You must be Kim Jae-hyun.”

“Indeed I am.”

In that very instant—

“Sora-nim!”

“What are you doing?!”

Gasps of utter bewilderment rippled through the ranks of her followers.

She had dropped to her knees right in front of me.

“P-Please, get up!”

“We marched all the way here to negotiate on equal terms!”

Jung Sora raised a hand, calmly silencing the frantic shouts of her officers.

“Everyone, quiet down.”

“……”

With just a quiet word, absolute silence fell over her people.

The key lieutenants standing closest to her hesitated for a fraction of a second before they, too, knelt on the ground before me.

Like a row of falling dominos, the rest of the crowd behind them began to drop to their knees one after another.

That display alone made it abundantly clear just how absolute Jung Sora’s leadership and authority were over her group.

She waited in silence until every single one of her followers had lowered themselves, before bowing her head deeply to address me.

“Please, grant us your protection and accept us.”

It was the perfect acquisition, delivered right to my doorstep.

“Welcome to our ranks.”

Naturally, not every leader in the ruins of the city reacted to Kim Jae-hyun’s grand strategy in the same manner as Jung Sora.

“Unbelievable!”

Park Sung-hyun.

A tyrant who had ruled over his domain like an absolute monarch through sheer, overwhelming violence, slammed his foot down in a fit of rage.

Boom!

The thick concrete below his boot shattered instantly, sending deep fractures spiderwebbing across the ground.

A dozen bound captives kneeling before him trembled violently, their faces drained of color as they wept.

“Hiiik!”

“We made a terrible mistake!”

“Please, have mercy!”

“We swear we will never—”

Yet, the tyrant’s gaze remained utterly devoid of warmth.

“Close your mouths, you useless garbage.”

Slice!

In a flash of movement, four of the crying captives who had annoyed him the most were instantly decapitated.

Fountains of crimson sprayed into the air.

“Kyaaaah!”

A terrified woman screamed at the gruesome sight.

Slice!

“I told you to shut up.”

Her head rolled across the cracked concrete as well.

“From this moment on, anyone who makes a sound dies. Do you understand?”

The remaining prisoners frantically nodded their heads, tears and mucus covering their terrified faces.

“Ugh!”

They clamped their teeth down on their own tongues and lips, desperately suffocating any whimpers of terror.

Still radiating intense anger, the man spat on the ground.

“Miserable wretches. I provided you with food and shelter, and this is how you repay me? You actually thought you could sneak away and betray me?”

At that moment, a female assistant standing nearby pushed up her spectacles and spoke in a measured tone.

“Sung-hyun-nim, please lower your anger.”

“Sigh. Where exactly were these rats trying to escape to?”

“An organization commanded by a man named Kim Jae-hyun. They have established a forward base near Konkuk University Station, but their primary stronghold is located all the way down in Busan.”

“What? Busan? They are pulling strings all the way up to the capital? Just who the hell is this guy?”

“Reports suggest he possesses a unique power that sets up sanctuaries where monsters are physically barred from entering. Thanks to that barrier, tens of thousands of survivors in Busan are apparently living peaceful, normal lives…”

Park Sung-hyun cut her off, bursting into a mocking, boisterous laugh.

“Puhahahaha!”

After wiping a tear of amusement from his eye, he sneered.

“What a load of absolute garbage. Tens of thousands of people? Do you have any idea how much food is required to sustain a population of that size? And normal lives? Give me a break!”

His expression hardened into pure malice.

“He’s nothing but a pathetic con artist.”

Having made up his mind, he prepared to take immediate action.

“We need to wipe out garbage like that before it spreads.”

Turning his cold gaze back to his assistant, he barked an order.

“Mobilize our forces. We are going to war.”