Chapter 63 – Closer Than It Appears

In strategic simulation games, resource management was the fundamental. Gamers often viewed having leftover resources as a “sin,” describing it as “resources idling.”

And I was a pro gamer. My tendency to maximize the use of leftover mana without letting it idle perhaps stemmed from that.

‘Well… it can’t be helped.’

I thought to myself, feeling my mana deficit.

The reason for viewing leftover resources as a sin was simple.

Resources do not work while they are merely numbers inside a so-called “wallet.” For these resources to work, they must be converted into workers or troops.

Once resources start working, they soon return as even more resources, and those additional resources can be used to bring in even more, allowing for the production of a larger number of workers or troops.

In other words, the faster the rotation, the faster the snowballing—a kind of virtuous cycle.

Applying this to my abilities was far more complex.

Not only did production consume mana in huge chunks, but there were also costs that functioned as maintenance fees.

Furthermore, the methods of resource acquisition were all different. There were Mana Stones, of course, but also the mana I naturally recovered and the mana from Mana Facilities.

Among these, the amount of mana I recovered personally increased steadily as my abilities grew, so there wasn’t much I could do. It simply functioned on its own if left alone.

However, Mana Stones and Mana Facilities were different.

In the case of Mana Stones, I obtained them by seizing control of the economy.

By creating Worker Bug Coins as currency, I gained absolute economic power. Through this, I was able to virtually monopolize the Mana Stones circulating in the market.

Of course, that wasn’t all. The amount I obtained directly through Monster Hunts was also overwhelmingly large.

But… even so, there was currently a limit to the mana that could be recovered from Mana Stones.

For example, compared to Mana Facilities.

Mana Facilities served to refine the mana in the atmosphere of the corresponding area through summoning. Because of this, they could produce mana consistently.

Not only that, but in small quantities, Mana Facilities could remotely supply mana to nearby facilities and machinery.

This was why, when expanding Mana Facilities, they were built not too close—to efficiently suck up mana—yet while maintaining regional connectivity.

Mana Facilities could supply mana to one another. Thanks to this, a mana network could be constructed, much like a power grid.

This was a major difference from Mana Stones.

Unlike Mana Facilities, where everything was possible remotely, Mana Stones had to be absorbed directly, which had the disadvantage of increasing the labor demand for Worker Bugs.

Those fellows were already busy enough. Moreover, since the operation of Worker Bugs also consumed mana, the efficiency ultimately dropped significantly.

Then there was the issue of impurities.

No matter how much the purity of the Mana Stones increased, the impurities themselves never completely disappeared. When used as fuel over a long period, they accumulated in the machinery, increasing the need for maintenance.

Of course… it wasn’t as if there was no solution.

‘It’s about time I had a Mana Stone Refinery.’

A Mana Stone Refinery was an advanced facility that could resolve all these disadvantages. And to build advanced facilities, an Advanced Research Facility was required.

‘I’ll be busy for a while again.’

I began to plan while looking at the Aerial Mothership slowly circling in the blue sky.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the secret bunker in Yeouido, the Assemblymen were arguing in a hostile atmosphere, as usual.

“No, I’m saying the information was wrong!”

“That’s impossible! We looked at the satellite map together, so why are you saying something else now?!”

“Then try explaining it! Why on earth is that Lord becoming even more prosperous?!”

Among the Assemblymen, Assemblyman Kim, who was the most well-informed, sat in a corner with a dark expression. Seeing this, the other Assemblymen began to lose their tempers with him.

“Hey, Assemblyman Kim. You always brag about knowing so much, but why are you sitting there in silence this time?”

“If you have something to say, say it!”

To this, Assemblyman Kim merely frowned.

“Why have you suddenly become a mute?!”

“Did you take a bowl of medicine following your son’s lead?”

…That was until they crossed the line. Assemblyman Kim let out a deep sigh of frustration at them and began to speak.

“No, really, you people do nothing, so why do you always ask me for information? It’s one thing to do nothing, but to have no shame as well?”

“Now look at this guy!”

“Just be quiet for a second. I’ll tell you anyway.”

Amusingly, as soon as Assemblyman Kim stepped forward to release the information, the room became ghost-like in its sudden silence.

“Ahem.”

Feeling somewhat embarrassed by the concentrated attention, he cleared his throat.

“Uh, well. As you all know, the Lord is doing well.”

He began to reveal the information.

“Rather than just doing well, he is actually very vibrant. I don’t know how he did it, but I heard he eliminated the Special Entity along with that massive amount of Monsters.”

“The—the Special Entity!”

“Wasn’t that the monster that broke through Russia, China, and North Korea?!”

“My god…”

Assemblyman Kim waited for everyone to quiet down before continuing.

“Well, for starters, the Siberian Front won’t end with this. Unless the nests in the Northern Region are eliminated, they will steadily move south and threaten the Korean Peninsula.”

“That is… certainly true, but…”

“Then, could this be something that puts a burden on the Lord—?”

“No.”

Assemblyman Kim shook his head firmly.

“The Lord is currently moving around the DMZ area, incorporating more soldiers from the National Army. In other words, he is expanding his power. I heard he is recently approaching them to recruit an armored division.”

“An armored division…”

“Does that mean he’ll get his hands on tanks too…”

The Assemblymen’s expressions became even more bleak.

“Also, the fact that he has begun defending the DMZ instead of the National Army is spreading quickly through Apoin and other means. No, it would be impossible not to know by now.”

It was the truth.

The only people who didn’t know such things were the Assemblymen, who were literally living trapped in a well called a bunker.

That was also why Assemblyman Kim was so frustrated.

“The Lord has now… essentially become a guardian. With plenty of food and a stable force… the people across the country are quickly being won over.”

“A-across the whole country…?”

“My god…”

“Right now, the Lord of Geumhwa might be more dangerous than Choi Seunghwan, who claimed to be a provisional government. He has no intention of succeeding the concept of the Republic of Korea in the first place.”

It was just as Assemblyman Kim was making this strong assertion.

“B-but, you know…”

“Uh, well… how much food did they say there is…?”

The other Assemblymen began to ask questions cautiously.

“What on earth are you talking about right now?”

Assemblyman Kim’s eyebrow twitched.

“No, I mean… I heard that over there, they don’t even eat combat rations unless it’s an emergency?”

“Well, I suppose so. They are the only force in the world that is self-sufficient in food and even exports it. But what exactly are you trying to—”

“And their military power is at a world-class level…”

“Also, water and electricity are basic… and there are even rumors that oil is available. Is that true, Assemblyman Kim?”

“I-it is true, but—”

Just as Assemblyman Kim frowned, one of the opposition party Assemblymen stepped forward and shouted.

“Then what the hell are we doing here!”

He was only the beginning.

“Let’s join the Lord’s forces immediately!”

“I heard that if we join completely, they will recognize a certain degree of autonomy!”

The ruling party Assemblymen, including Assemblyman Kim, seemed to have different thoughts.

“But still, we are Assemblymen. To join the forces of such rootless bastards—”

“What the hell is this talk about ‘roots’? Right now, having water, electricity, oil, and food is the root. You idiot—”

“Now, now, everyone calm down. I agree as well.”

Assemblyman Park wore a meaningful smile.

“A-Assemblyman Park?”

When Assemblyman Kim looked at Assemblyman Park with an expression of disbelief, Park gestured for him to wait and began to speak calmly.

“No matter how great the Lord of Geumhwa is, he is a human, not a god. There will be a public reputation of him, and there will be people around him who could be problematic.”

“…”

“For example, someone like Choi Yongjin. Well, it’s true he was abandoned, but if we step forward and claim that he deserted and committed acts of national treason, no one would know otherwise.”

Assemblyman Park grinned.

“Even if there are no problems, we can just create some. Let’s be honest for once. Have we only done this once or twice? This… was practically our job, wasn’t it?”

“Hahaha…”

“That man is something else.”

“True, that is true.”

The Assemblymen all agreed with his words.

“So, we just need to go under the Lord’s command. And from the inside, we gradually expand our own power. We’re all good at that, aren’t we?”

“Exactly!”

“Later, we can present the title of Assemblymen elected by the people, demand positions one by one, and gradually seize power. If all the subordinates agree, what can he even do?”

“Wow… what a brilliant plan.”

“Good, good!”

“It seems most of you agree. Shall we all take a vote, just to get into the spirit of democracy?”

“Hahahahaha!”

“That man, really!”

“What meaning does that even have—”

It was while they were all laughing heartily.

“What’s this? I came because I felt a fun energy, and I see some familiar faces here.”

A man was standing in a corner of the conference room, by the entrance.

“What?”

“Whose aide is this?”

“But the way he talks—”

It was just as the man began to walk slowly toward them.

Bang!

The conference room door opened urgently.

“A-Assemblyman! That man— cough!”

Unable to finish his sentence, he coughed up blood; he was Assemblyman Kim’s competent Chief Aide. The man looked at the Chief Aide and wore a peculiar smile.

“What? You’re not dead yet?”

“Huh?”

The Assemblymen all had bewildered expressions. It was a speed of situational comprehension and reaction time that seemed impossible in an apocalypse.

Perhaps it was natural.

They didn’t know the situation outside.

Many of them were seeing a person die before their eyes for the first time. The man began to laugh out loud, looking at the Assemblymen.

“He, hehahahaha! You guys haven’t come to your senses, have you?”

And the moment his eyes twitched—.

Sliiiide!

A black energy flowed out from his body.

“For people like you, this should be enough.”

The moment the man’s mocking words ended, that black energy turned into several snakes and began to ravage the conference room.

“S-snakes?!”

“What, what is this!”

Screeeech—

“Aaaagh!”

The conference room instantly became a scene of chaos.

“Uh, uh, uh!”

Just as Assemblyman Kim was about to be bitten by a snake.

“A-Assemblyman Kim!”

The Chief Aide, holding a man-portable anti-tank rocket similar to a bazooka, was aiming directly at the man.

It was a Panzerfaust 3 operated by the National Army.

And when he fired—.

BOOOOM!

The aftermath of the indoor firing sent a massive backblast crashing through the conference room.

“D-did we get him?”

As the dust cleared… the hand that had raised to catch the anti-tank rocket was visible. A few of his fingers, partially lost in the explosion, were wriggling and regenerating.

“A-a Villain?”

The Chief Aide’s face turned pale.

* * *

The man who had turned the bunker into a bloodbath stroked a Rake Wolf.

“Good boy, good boy.”

He was truly a man who had given up being human to side with the Monsters.

Meanwhile, in his other hand, he held a piece of paper containing information about the Worker Bugs and Seong Siwoo.

“Hmm… this is quite interesting, isn’t it?”

The man muttered to himself and pointed toward the corpses of the Assemblymen for the Rake Wolf. It was as if he were telling it to eat. As the Rake Wolf rushed forward, the man stood tall and looked toward the west.

“If it’s Geumhwa New City… is it in that direction?”

It was just as he began to gauge the distance.

“But what is that?”

He looked at a giant black something floating in the sky.

He tilted his head.

“I feel like it’s getting bigger and bigger?”

The man was perplexed.