Chapter 273 – Mutually Assured Destruction
The vast polis is still full of places that stimulate curiosity.
A hub where all materials, technology, and human resources gather.
A base that exclusively provides alternative oil and high-end medical services supplied by a reliable backing company.
Due to these characteristics, it was practically the new capital of the Korean Peninsula.
Thanks to this, all kinds of yin and yang activities are intertwined like a spider web in a subject that was created only three years ago.
It is indeed a great stage that stimulates a man’s adventurous spirit, but I plan to refrain from doing so for the time being and recuperate in a shelter.
“I was worried that he would say he would leave again, but I was surprised. Kids said that there were a lot of sights to see that we unfortunately missed because we didn’t have enough time.”
Artemis said.
Now that the situation report is over and her AI assistants have returned to work, it’s just her and me in the central control room.
This time we spend alone in the remaining morning. It is a precious routine that has continued since the time we were completing the shelter together.
Artemis was considered more special than me, so no one dared to interfere.
“It’s the front yard anyway, so there’s no need to rush. Moreover, as I walked the streets at night, I realized that it was annoying to be outside when I was skinny.”
“Cook. “They start arguing here and there?”
“Is that all? There are many merchants who openly try to rip you off.”
‘Would you like to receive a customer?’ I never thought I would hear this in real life.
No matter how safe the city is, it is the world after an apocalyptic disaster occurs.
If you walk around with a body that looks weak like mine, you will be looked down on that much. You get caught up in troubles that you shouldn’t have to face.
In order to properly enjoy exploring the city, I try to grow my body first.
“Still, it seems like my visit to the arena once had a positive effect?”
The police is in an uproar over the disposal of the arena operating organization Morning Glory and its subsequent handling.
-A high-ranking official from the shelter is acting as an undercover inspector!
-The high-ranking people are not only planning to stop the slave trade, but they are also planning to clean up the city!
The same rumor began to circulate.
The truth is that the manager, who liked to wander around the site, got into an accident while traveling alone, and the unlucky gang got involved and destroyed it.
-Burn all those ledgers!
-Check the ages of the new ladies again. In particular, just send out the petty kid with the freckles.
-Hey Mr., Advertise very loudly that you carry a sword! The lower-ranking people walk around with their bare hands, and the higher-ups are told to hide it in their inner pockets. Youngsu, give me the hatchet.
Many forces in the polis, unaware of this fact, went into self-reflection.
They acted more cautiously than usual, conducted business conscientiously, and organizations in conflict also temporarily ceased to exist.
The peace, common sense, and virtue of pre-war society returned to the daily lives of residents.
It’s a temporary phenomenon caused by a misunderstanding in the first place, so it will return to its original state soon, but where is it?
The days of continuous sunny days followed by occasional rainstorms are over.
Always under dark clouds, facing strong winds, but once in a while, a quiet light comes. That is life in a new era.
* * *
Dalkak.
Artemis placed the coffee down in front of me.
“What is that outfit?”
Instead of her usual fancy shirt and scientist gown, she was dressed like a tutor. She even wore glasses for the first time in her life!
“It’s a change of scenery. “I wondered if you would like it too, but you don’t like it?”
She slipped down her glasses and her golden eyes sparkled.
As she taps her palm with the pointing stick in her hand, she seems ready to wander.
“Teacher, your clothes are too…”
The top is black and see-through. The black painted Grand Canyon unfolded before my eyes.
“Perfect!”
If the subject of your tutoring is a male student, all the blood will rush to the lower body, and you will not be able to concentrate in class.
“There are endless clothes in the dressing room. If you have any requests, please let me know.”
“Why are you so kind?”
“It would take about a year just to try on all of them.”
Artemis bent her index and middle fingers and pulled on my nose.
“I thought this troublemaker would stay home for a while.”
“It hurts.”
When Nomaengmaeng spoke in her voice, she let go of her nose.
“Okay then, shall we get started?”
A map of the Korean Peninsula appeared on the central control room screen. From there, it moves west and shows the entire territory of China.
“For the past three years, I have been looking for you and scouting out situations around the world. From incidents and accidents during the infection war to the current situation.”
“It’s almost time for me to know.”
Shelters no longer officially use the term ‘closed circulation’.
As you have jumped into the middle of the world and become a hub, you must keep your eyes and ears open to all directions.
The first step is, of course, China.
This is because now that the threat of infectious agents has been greatly reduced, they are potentially the most threatening target. But I think it was a needless worry.
“China is completely finished.”
The video sent by the drone carrier showed ruins everywhere.
There is not even a trace of people living in famous eastern cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Tianjin.
There is no need to explain further how terrible the infection war was.
At the time, nuclear weapons were like chemotherapy, so they had to be used even considering the enormous side effects. If you don’t shoot, the tumor will spread faster.
Even the United States, which does not compromise at all when it comes to protecting its own country, went so far as to use nuclear weapons on its own territory.
Moreover, China’s military power is far inferior to that of the United States, but its population is large. The countries bordering the west and south are all large populations.
It is obvious even without looking at what kind of situation the war would have been in.
“The military power evaluated by the world is largely due to nuclear power. If you take out the core, it is meaningless to talk about 2nd or 3rd place. Outside the US, there. Former soldiers already know this well.”
Korea performed abnormally well.
High population relative to area.
Most men have military experience.
Army power is abnormally powerful.
It is surrounded by sea on three sides and the North is the most heavily fortified DMZ in the world.
As these conditions were met, the southern part of the country was able to be protected with only conventional forces.
“Korea is unique. In most cases, it cannot be stopped with conventional weapons. “Whether it was too late or sooner, we had no choice but to go nuclear.”
“That’s the right answer.”
When Artemis snapped her fingers, red dots appeared all over the map of China.
Needless to say, these are the locations presumed to be nuclear drop sites, and they are crowded.
“Isn’t there anywhere you haven’t been hit? It seems like a lot of it was shot overseas.”
In particular, the border areas are red whether it is leader or Russia.
“They launched nuclear weapons at the border areas of other countries in order to block the large number of infectious agents crossing into their territory. Then I was beaten twice over.”
“The Chinese government made you shoot that? Even though they’re just out and about, haven’t they thought about getting behind them? I think they told us to stop evil somehow.”
“That’s right. But at that point, the command structure had already collapsed. What can a commander do when tens of millions of infected organisms are flocking to his area right now? I have to save my family and subordinates first. Then shoot and see.”
Artemis dropped both hands and flew towards each other, making an exchange.
“When one region launches a nuclear weapon, other regions that are watching also launch it. The person on the receiving end of the attack counterattacked, and those who saw it and were frightened also shot back. The nucleus spread like a contagious disease.”
The screen kept changing, but wherever I looked, there were only ruins. I could automatically imagine what happened.
“I guess it wasn’t a situation where we only had to worry about infectious agents. A three-way battle or a four-way battle would have occurred. We would have had to neutralize the nuclear facilities of an enemy country that might launch a nuclear attack.”
“That is also the correct answer.”
“Whoa.”
I sighed.
“There will be no need to worry about the surviving military units taking control of the nuclear facility and doing something foolish.”
This is the part that really bothered me.
Shelters are designed to withstand nuclear attacks, but they are not police.
However, looking at the reconnaissance data so far, everything has been swept away and there is nothing left.
“I’ve checked countless times, and it’s safe. During the infection war, we really exchanged without leaving anything behind. In foreign countries, disasters caused by radiation are as serious as infections.”
“But we still need to prepare contingency plans just in case.”
“Isn’t that obvious? “An air defense system was being prepared from the time of police construction.”
In places that managed to avoid the nucleus, there were large and small colonies of infectious agents.
Seeing that scene made me feel sick. Not because of my condolences to China, but because the vaccine I brought was not complete.
“I never thought the vaccine ampoules were of different types…”
“There’s nothing you can do about it. “You made the best decision.”
The ampoules obtained from the Tanis Institute were not the same vaccines. Each one is a sample made with a different structure.
In order to achieve the best extermination effect, all samples had to be brought.
The vaccines used in the fight against the last large infectious agent were lost. With our current technology, it is impossible to cultivate using only research data.
Thanks to this, problems arose in the purification of the Earth.
It was possible to destroy a huge colony and neutralize many threatening special entities, but eradication was impossible.
“Time will tell. “Don’t worry too much.”
Mate!
She clapped her hands as if to vent.
“You still have a lot to study, student?”
“There won’t be any homework, right, teacher?”
She buried her face in Artemis’ voluptuous chest and pampered her.
As she breathes in, the sweet scent of her flesh penetrates deep into her lungs. I love this animal-like smell so much that I don’t need any perfume.
“Hmm.”
Artemis also snorted as if my breath tickled her.
Thanks to the polyester smell from the see-through fabric, she was able to maintain her senses.
“I’ll think about it after looking at your attitude in class.”
Artemis strokes her head gently.
“If you look at it this way, it’s not that bad that it got knocked over.”
“I’ll accept anything like this, so eat a lot and gain weight.”
I’ve lived a life far from being a childish fanatic, but after being pampered like this, I really feel like I’ve lost my life.
As it was a history class that had been postponed, progress progressed without hesitation.
The map of China disappeared from the screen and returned to the map of the Korean Peninsula.
“You’ve probably seen vaccine distribution devices many times, right?”
“Of course. Because while I was being captured by slave traders, seeing the machines in the sky was my only consolation. ‘I was successful!'”
“… Why are you talking about that all of a sudden? “I barely managed to isolate my memories, so I’m pissed off for no reason.”
“I was fine. For a slave, I was treated fairly well. “I didn’t get beaten up or anything.”
“Under! “I’m sure you’ll be fine, but I feel like my stomach is turning inside out just thinking about it.”
She snorted.
“Sending them to the coal mine at the end. Just bring them back right now!”
Pop!
The baton she was holding broke in half. It seemed like an expensive luxury product, but it was a waste.
“Whoa! Calm down, calm down.”
In an instant, the position was reversed.
Artemis, who had been stolen by slave traders, was held in his arms and comforted.
As I kissed her cheek and rubbed her back, her hesitating breathing subsided.
“… Are you okay? That’s enough.”
It seems like his anger went away in an instant as he patted his butt as well.
“Hmm! “Concentrate.”
A floating balloon that looks like a small satellite with its arms spread out on both sides. What appears on the screen is the key to purifying infectious agents.
Inside is pure vaccine and nutrients for cultivation, which are sprayed into the air through ejectors on both sides.
The locations of operating vaccine distribution devices were marked on the map.
“It is being spread by carrying it on air currents and circulating it around the earth. Simple but effective. There is also an aquatic type that spreads in the sea.”
“It’s only spread on the Korean Peninsula? “The West Sea is the only one operating outside our territory.”
“I can’t help it. “It has to be constantly refilled, and it breaks down often.”
“If we want to manage it, we have to keep it within our reach.”
“Huh. In addition, there are many expensive parts, so it is common for looters to shoot them down.”
Several photos of the destroyed wreckage from the crash were discovered.
“No, I’m spraying it to keep everyone safe, but you’re destroying it?”
“When everyone follows the rules, those who break the rules benefit greatly.”
Artemis smiled coldly.
“But everyone knows the importance of machines, so if they are discovered, they will be severely punished. Even if it’s not us, a nearby warlord will put a bounty on you. Because their prestige is at stake.”
“Perhaps it is also the most tangible public service.”
The main axis of the remaining military units is still conscripts. Although they continued to receive new recruits, the unit could not be maintained without skilled soldiers who had served before the war.
Therefore, although making a living is a problem for commanders, they can never give up on the cause of serving the people.
The moment you throw that away, the justification for executives to control soldiers is destroyed.
“As the atmospheric circulation drains into the eastern Pacific, China will be the last to receive the vaccine.”
“That’s why there were several colonies of infectious agents remaining throughout China. Even though the vaccine is not perfect, it is the last one to arrive.”
Radiation and infectious agent colonies. Today’s China is covered by those two things.
The survivors spread out 360 degrees and turned into nomads.
Among them, only a very small number of people traveled to and from mainland China to bring useful supplies, and quite a few of them lost their lives in the process.
The Chinese organization that tried to supply bears to the arena is one of them.
That’s all for today’s class.
* * *
The end of the day is of course a bath.
After finishing studying the surrounding circumstances and inspecting the shelter factory area, it was already evening.
As I soak in the hot springs of my private ryokan, my whole body becomes relaxed.
“Oh my gosh, I don’t think I even walked very much, but it hurts.”
I massaged my throbbing legs in the hot bath. I don’t know about instantaneous strength or reaction speed, but physical recovery is very slow.
Next time, I’ll talk to Rose and ride her horse.
Is it because I have no muscles? The feeling of warm warmth penetrating the skin and seeping into various organs is amazing.
It was really the right choice to choose a ryokan as my personal accommodation.
There are many places to stay in the upper VIP district. There are various concepts such as hotels, Hanok houses, and Western-style mansions.
But once you taste the hot springs, you won’t notice anything else.
While supporting my body and loosening my tight muscles.
Snap. Snap. A slap.
The sound of soft flesh stepping on the wet floor was heard.
“Hello, technician.”
There, Artemis, wrapped in a bath towel, was waving her hand.
She comes right in front of her bath and puts her white feet down on the steaming water.
Pong!
When the shiny black big toenail touched the surface of the water, it created ripples.
The ripples reached my chest and delivered a slight tickling sensation.
“Jinsu, is this the second time I’ve taken a mixed bath with you?”
Big breasts that can’t even be covered with a towel. The water droplets that formed on it reflected the light brilliantly.
