Chapter 289 – One Day Before Departure
What is the most important thing in assessing the capabilities of an organization?
If the scale is small, factors such as individual improvisation and mental strength take priority.
This is clearly evident in operations conducted at a platoon scale or in the operation of new small businesses.
Then, as the scale grows, more important values arise, and that is how much intersection there is in the thoughts of the members.
This is because in a large organization, all actions have the inertia of an oil tanker weighing hundreds of thousands of tons.
Even a slight change in direction cannot be easily reversed.
In times of peace, there is room to overcome this inertia, but in a world after destruction, there is no way.
The fact that the overwhelming majority of powerful camps operate as autocratic or elite politics can be seen as a type of convergent evolution.
In this day and age, you can’t survive beyond a certain size without that.
The thing that shines the most among them is by far our control area.
“There are 11 items to be approved today. Please look at the last one carefully. It’s about the evil warlord you talked about before.”
The approval document handed over by Artemis presents several best alternatives and then summarizes the expected results for each choice.
It is easy to read as each word choice has been refined to maximize understanding with minimal length.
“It feels like solving a problem with the answer sheet next to you.”
“Isn’t it basic to organize and report so that decision makers can easily make decisions?”
The payment documents were quickly passed and quickly reached the 11th item on the agenda.
“It is a ban on the distribution of ration cards issued by salt camps (salt settlements)…”
The official currency of the polis is credits issued by shelters, but ration vouchers distributed by warlords in various regions are also used.
There are many variable factors such as the quality and quantity of rationed goods and the security of the area, so currency exchange fights occur almost every day.
The problem is that there are not just warlords led by great leaders like Lee Seong-bong in Yeosu or Hwang Jin in Honam. Rather, such groups are only a minority.
There are quite a few groups ruled by oppressive warlords or even criminal organizations.
Naturally, in difficult times, those who do bad things get ahead of those who do good deeds.
A vicious cycle continued in which the profits from transactions with the polis strengthened their position and evil deeds.
Therefore, I ordered a ban on future transactions in distribution vouchers issued by highly corrupt groups.
“The good days are over for them.”
“You talk like it’s someone else’s business. I should have done this a long time ago. “You are being too laissez-faire.”
“Well, Jinsu will probably get criticized instead. “He is an apostle of justice.”
Artemis shrugged.
As the name suggests, the Salt Camp just mentioned is a group that operates a salt farm in the West Sea.
Because they were dealing with precious salt, there was a lot of conflict over interests, and it became a violent organization.
There is a word that automatically comes to mind when thinking about salt farming in the West Sea, but surprisingly, slave is not used here.
First of all, because it was composed of former military units, it did not engage in extreme acts such as slave trading.
However, it is safe to say that he does all the other bad things.
“There will be a lot of resentment. There will be people sitting on the streets because of this.”
“But it’s not something we can just ignore. “I have to do what I can without shedding blood.”
I looked at Artemis with eyes full of expectation.
“Instead, prepare a certain level of relief for damages that may occur in the private sector.”
“Oh! Are you going to use your generosity and pass on the troublesome stuff to me? “Who is it that says such conscienceless things?”
Artemis poked my cheek with her index finger.
“Machines are originally meant to do things that humans find annoying.”
Kwaak.
The prick turned into a pinch.
“The area where trade is prohibited will be limited to the police, right?”
“Angyeonahji.”
“Hehe, it’s cute.”
Perhaps Artemis found it funny that I was talking while holding her cheek, but her anger immediately calmed down.
“We have no right or means to force anything from the outside. If you were to be harsh, you would probably get a reaction like, ‘You’ve finally revealed your ambition for domination!'”
I even spoke to Artemis, who was smoothing my red cheeks.
“It won’t really matter. Just do what you think is right without worrying about what others think.”
“Bothered. Besides, I think it would be sad if people like Lee Seong-bong and Hwang Jin become wary of using too much power.”
Although they maintain a good relationship, they must have a certain level of fear of me deep inside.
Patriotism even for a collapsed nation. This is the driving force that protects the people like a brilliant lighthouse even in a destroyed world.
“What are you doing by holding on to a failed country anyway?”
“It’s not wrong, but I still respect that sentiment.”
“Anyway, soldiers.”
In any case, the ban on trading within the police alone would be tantamount to a quasi-death sentence for the distribution rights.
The current Korean Peninsula is so dependent on the polis that the pre-war Republic of Seoul looks ridiculous.
All goods and commerce must pass through this city.
I suddenly looked at Artemis’ face.
This city is an orderly society led by superhumans who are skilled in economy, technology, history, and language.
Artemis can see, hear, and judge 24 hours a day without the need to rest or sleep. Here there is only progress without waste.
“Okay, this is the end!”
The moment you decide on the final agenda and sign it, Artemis is your partner! And they applauded.
It doesn’t mean you worked hard, but it means let’s go have fun.
Before she had her body, she didn’t really touch me after the work.
It was more of a form of observing whether I was taking a nap, walking, or playing a game. It’s like observing ants raised in an acrylic anthill.
Since you see and feel my presence all the time in cyberspace anyway, there is no need to talk to me.
But after she got a body, she learned the feeling of being together.
Now I can’t be satisfied with just observing in cyberspace, so I keep clinging to it.
Could this also be called a type of honeymoon tension?
“The workload hasn’t changed as much as I thought.”
I threw the electronic paper I was holding onto the desk.
“I thought it would be a headache as the city and population have grown so much.”
“A scribe dying buried under a pile of documents?”
“Oh!”
Artemis’ eyes widened in an instant. Her dark circles appeared and the corners of her eyes sank.
The facial expressions were great, but there was a real physical change.
“That’s it. “My acting skills are improving every day.”
In a magazine, I read an article that said, ‘Newlyweds play role-plays.’ And whenever I get the chance, I do it myself.
From what I saw, it was a sexual metaphor, but Artemis seems to have accepted it honestly.
Of course, I intend to order what the magazine originally intended.
Although he has poor motor skills, his acting skills are so good that they rival those of an actor, so it will be quite an exciting experience.
Nodding.
Artemis, who was pretending to sleep, splashed down on my lap as I sat in his chair.
As I gently accept its body, it snuggles deeper into my arms. When I think of her usual arrogance, I am deeply moved.
“… Just like this.”
Artemis looked up with deep dark circles in her arms, and her decadent beauty stood out.
In the end, she was delayed in leaving the central control room.
* * *
The evening before departure for Japan.
We have completed the final inspection. In front, there were soldiers of steel who were inspected ahead of their departure.
3 squads of stalkers and 4 squads of Hercules will accompany us.
“Two squads will be heavily armed long-distance escorts, and the remaining squad will be lightly armed close escorts.”
“That’s appropriate.”
Even if you are allowed to be armed, it will be embarrassing if it is crowded with heavy weapons and scary-looking robots.
“What about Hercules? Is there really a need to take these guys?”
I looked at the four giants waiting in a resting posture.
Would an ogre in fantasy look like this after weight training and putting on his armor?
Even I, who have undergone enhancement surgery, are monsters who feel pressure when standing in front of them.
“The first is for showing off, and the second is for local public service. Since we live in an era where it is difficult to use heavy equipment, there are plenty of stages for these kids to play wherever they go.”
Surprisingly, it was Hercules who made the biggest contribution when building a good external image.
As the threat of infectious agents decreases and the food situation improves, Hercules’ heavy equipment-level demolition and construction capabilities are receiving great recognition.
“All the gifts have already been loaded into the cargo hold.”
“All you have to do is go physically. “You worked hard.”
Artemis smiled with satisfaction.
Showing the results of your work and receiving evaluation for it.
Artemis has an instinctive desire for this seemingly trivial act.
“Jinsu, go to bed early today. “I’m leaving early tomorrow morning.”
“Is it conditioning before the trip?”
“Yes!”
Her face became even more excited when she heard the word ‘travel’.
Her appearance is that of a sexy adult woman, but her face is like that of a girl full of anticipation before her school trip.
“Artemis, is this your first time going outside the shelter?”
“Yes, that too, it’s a honeymoon.”
Artemis’ face heated up with anticipation and embarrassment.
“It’s my first trip, so I need to warm up.”
“… Huh? Warming up?”
A question mark appeared on her face as she was about to send me to her dorm.
“Huh. Warm up.”
As the artificial twilight set over the shelter, I held Artemis’ hand and led her.
