Chapter 146
Chapter 146
From Here On, It's Up to You
***
The Seed Colony's political landscape was divided between two parties: the Pioneer Party and the Central Party.
If compared to the 21st century, they might have resembled progressives and conservatives, but the 24th century was even simpler than that. Capital had consumed everything to the point where ideological divisions no longer held any meaning.
The current political structure was determined by the balance of power in the business world. They were nothing more than mouthpieces speaking on behalf of the megacorps.
Policies and legislative proposals changed as quickly as the winds, leaving them without even the slightest shred of conviction. That was precisely why Ga-on had chosen to step in.
A place driven not by ideology or reason, but solely by self-interest and greed, would be far easier to bring under his wing.
Even so, he hadn't targeted a seasoned lawmaker like Assemblyman Rouge, someone who had already secured reelection.
Rather, the exact opposite.
'Humph Sims.'
The person Ga-on had chosen was a first-term assemblyman.
One who was deeply worried about the election looming just ahead.
Among all the candidates, there was a reason Ga-on had singled Humph out.
"I heard you received Baekdu's backing?"
Because there was an obvious weakness he could exploit. At a time when speed was everything, Humph was also someone he wouldn't have to waste time negotiating with.
"That's correct."
"Then that's perfect. There's something I'd like to ask of you."
"Even if you've come from Baekdu, I don't appreciate being approached with this sort of solicitation."
Yet Humph, seemingly oblivious to his own position, blurted out complete nonsense.
There were people like that.
People whose status changed so drastically after climbing the ladder that they forgot where they had come from.
People who couldn't remember their days as tadpoles.
"Perhaps I misheard. Should I take that as a refusal?"
The one who answered Ga-on's question wasn't Humph, but the colleague seated beside him.
"I'm afraid that's the only way to interpret it."
Im Sol.
She was one of Baek Seol's most trusted confidants, a woman well known throughout the business world. It was thanks to her assistance that this meeting with Humph had been arranged.
"Does our company raise pigs?"
Today, Ga-on hadn't come as a fixer.
He had come as the second-generation heir of a chaebol family.
That was why he had abandoned his shabby coat in favor of a tailored suit. At Im Sol's insistence, he had even undergone makeup—something completely foreign to him—and slicked his hair back.
On top of that, Baek Seol had entrusted him with full authority.
And yet, to be looked down upon by nothing more than a first-term assemblyman?
The very notion was absurd.
As Ga-on shifted uncomfortably in his seat, Im Sol caught on to what he intended. A faint smile briefly touched the corners of her lips before disappearing.
"Of course not. As the industry leader in robot manufacturing, there's no reason for us to keep livestock."
She caught on immediately.
"That's what I thought."
Crossing his legs, Ga-on looked down at Humph with detached arrogance.
"Then why is there an ungrateful animal sitting in front of me?"
Humph was one of the spearheads Baekdu had invested in for years, planting him deep within the political world.
One of the so-called Baekdu Children.
However, Baek Seok-do had died suddenly, and after Baek Seol took his place, the handover of those assets and connections was still ongoing. Since she had first prioritized transferring the company's operations, managing political relationships had inevitably been pushed down the list.
Humph had ended up in that blind spot.
Perhaps that was why—
"You've shown up at entertainment establishments more often than at your office."
"I'm sorry, young master. I should have paid attention even to such personal matters..."
Im Sol immediately lowered her head in apology.
Seeing how respectfully she treated Ga-on, even someone as dull as Humph could no longer fail to grasp what was happening.
"...Could you perhaps be a member of the Baek family?"
"Yeah."
"In that case, you should have told me from the start. We nearly ended up with a misunderstanding."
"You wanted to misunderstand in the first place, didn't you?"
The remark pierced straight into Humph's heart.
He swallowed hard and wiped the sweat forming on his forehead.
"I suppose I've become overly sensitive with the election so close at hand. Now then, why don't we set that aside and have a constructive discussion? You said there was something you wanted to ask of me?"
"It isn't a request. It's an order. Of course, it'll benefit you as well. I've got something that'll practically guarantee your election."
"I see. Then what is it you want me to do?"
"I want you to carry this out with him."
Ga-on pointed in one direction.
Humph's eyes narrowed as they landed on Kurtnik, who had been sitting there as motionless as a stone statue.
"You want me to support him? But the Central Party has already finished assigning its electoral districts. That's beyond what I can..."
"That's not something you need to worry about."
A vacancy would appear soon enough.
After all, the dead couldn't come back to reclaim their rights.
"For now, how many people can you gather on your own? Preferably people without ties to other megacorps. Disposable mayflies would be ideal."
"Two come to mind immediately."
"Use them as matchsticks too. I'll speak to those above you."
Then Ga-on turned toward Kurtnik and met his gaze.
As though accepting the role entrusted to him, Kurtnik calmly nodded.
Leading Kurtnik into the Central Party had been the obvious conclusion.
Even if he exposed the Gathering, the Pioneer Party would only suppress it. And even if he somehow fought his way to victory within that party, he would end up as nothing more than a figurehead with no real influence.
Selling the information to the opposing party and climbing the ranks in one stroke was far more efficient.
That said, Ga-on couldn't help him through every step of that process.
"From here on, it's up to you."
"I'll never forget the opportunity you've given me. I'll do everything in my power."
***
Like a storm crashing in after the stillness of night, the moment the day changed, the Seed Colony awoke to an unusually chaotic morning.
The true nature of the ruthless organization known as the Gathering had been exposed.
Not just once, but through one special report after another.
Even so, the news was so shocking and extreme that most people found it difficult to believe.
But only for a short while.
As evidence continued to emerge that the megacorp Trian had gone far beyond conducting civilian inspections—collecting specific individuals' genetic material and cultivating their cells—the tide of public opinion spread like wildfire, scorching everything in its path.
The revelation that they had violated the ultimate taboo merely to satisfy their own secret desires left people feeling not just furious, but utterly horrified.
Moreover, as word spread that they had conspired to amend the Four Fundamental Laws, the situation escalated even further.
It reached the point where it could have burned away even the flames themselves.
The entire Seed Colony was gripped by an unprecedented scandal.
Just as with Eastern Gate's sexual exploitation of trainees and hopefuls, or the Eden Park drug factory that manufactured electronic narcotics beneath an amusement park, society's pervasive disregard for human life had finally reached its breaking point.
As people became consumed by the fear that they themselves might be next, a flood of anxiety and resentment overwhelmed every form of media.
To make matters worse, organizations from every sector issued joint statements condemning Trian.
Coincidentally, the scandal erupted on a massive scale just as the assembly election campaign period began. Candidates who had intended to hit the campaign trail were pushed into the background without even getting the chance to promote themselves.
For politicians whose greatest priority was etching themselves into the public's memory, it was a bolt from the blue.
But whenever someone declined, someone else inevitably rose.
That someone was Kurtnik, who had fired the opening shot by publicly exposing the Gathering through a declaration of conscience.
Confessing the crimes of Assemblyman Rouge, whom he had served, and declaring that he would pursue honest politics, he joined the Central Party and quickly became the center of attention. Even though he could have remained silent, he had chosen to speak out at great personal risk.
In a way, it was the classic path.
Declaring that one could no longer tolerate injustice and therefore entering politics had always been one of the most accepted justifications, regardless of time or place.
It had been a long time since someone had stood up for justice rather than self-preservation. Even though many could plainly see the political calculation behind it, the citizens embraced him with enthusiasm.
Naturally, unlike the other candidates, his influence continued to grow.
Needless to say, Sham was fully backing him from behind the scenes.
"...I've come to realize firsthand that when exclusive stories keep pouring in, you can end up choking on them."
"But you're getting something out of it."
Ga-on had promised to continue feeding him information about the Gathering afterward in the form of follow-up stories.
"Keep pressing forward."
"As if you needed to tell me."
***
The peaceful rally that had begun in front of megacorp Trian's headquarters evolved from a nonviolent demonstration into a violent confrontation.
The iron pipes people held in their bare hands became firearms in the blink of an eye.
The situation only calmed after the Public Enforcement Corps Special Forces and the Mars Defense Force were deployed, but that was merely a temporary measure.
The problem was the excessive use of force.
The catastrophe claimed nearly one hundred thousand casualties.
Having finally realized how they were truly regarded as members of society, the citizens refused to back down despite the harsh crackdown, resisting even more fiercely.
Throughout the city, armed clashes involving live ammunition broke out intermittently.
No one said it aloud, but everyone understood.
As long as the root cause remained, the same tragedy would happen again and again.
In the end—
Trian surrendered its seat on the Board.
Without protest.
Without rebuttal.
It was no different from voluntarily laying down its crown.
Yet not a single person applauded them.
Instead, people merely pointed fingers as Trian's business ranking and stock price continued to plummet day after day.
To Ga-on, who had orchestrated the entire series of events, this outcome had always been expected.
Someone might ask:
After attacking them so one-sidedly, wouldn't there be retaliation?
Could he really withstand the counterattack of a giant?
'There will.'
In truth, though he was only revealing it now, the reason he had made everything so public and sensational was actually because Samuel had requested it.
It wasn't as though Ga-on didn't know what Samuel was after.
'He probably wants to quietly move into another body.'
Everything had been agreed upon beforehand.
This was another part of the payment Ga-on had extracted from Samuel.
Having paid the price for its sins, Trian would spend the next several decades lying low in quiet self-reflection.
[Pork Front Leg Type B 500g — 3,100 Pia]
Along with prices that had fallen by nearly fifty percent.
***
The Cannibalism Gate, triggered by Trian's misconduct, shocked the public.
It had demonstrated just how depraved those in power could become once all restraints were removed.
Calls for reflection arose from every corner of society, and institutional safeguards were quickly put into place.
Not only were the Four Fundamental Laws strengthened, but the Board also announced the establishment of a directly affiliated agency.
Companies in related industries would now be subject to regular audits.
As upheavals rippled through every sector, creating widespread discord, time continued to move forward without waiting.
The end of the assembly election campaign period was one such example.
Amid an atmosphere of complete disorder, the election began.
Voting in modern society was swift.
Every citizen possessed a device.
As long as their Citizen ID was verified, they could cast their vote immediately without ever needing to visit a government office.
The vote count was even faster.
Whether there were one hundred million votes or one billion, an artificial intelligence required only an instant to process them.
The winners and losers were decided where they sat.
Many who had not even had time to prepare themselves let out cries of despair after tasting bitter defeat.
Only one person, however, erupted in celebration.
Kurtnik.
District 29—the district once overseen by Assemblyman Hudson and the very place where all his misfortune had begun—was now in his hands.
It was a victory that could not help but carry profound meaning.
"It's all thanks to you, Mr. Ga-on."
"I won't deny it. But you did well too. The fact that you didn't stumble halfway through was proof of your own ability."
"Thank you very much."
Kurtnik bowed so deeply that his waist nearly became parallel to the floor.
It was also a meaningful moment for Ga-on.
[Assemblyman Kurtnik Weather]
[Grade 4 Aide Baek Ga-on]
He had become the hidden power behind a Central Party assemblyman.