「The Constitution. Article 77, use 1.
The president may dere martialw in ordance with the provisions of thew in times of war, armed conflict, or a national emergency equivalent to these, when there is a military need to employ armed forces or a need to maintain public peace and order. 」
「The Martial Law Act. Article 10.
Upon the deration of emergency martialw, the martialwmander supervises all administrative and judicial affairs within the martialw area, and certain crimes within the emergency martialw area are tried in military courts.」
This was the second time martialw had been dered since the current government had taken ce. The first one was half a year ago on the Day of Advent, and the second one was happening now as the Final Battle unfolded.
Emergency martialw was immediately imposed the moment the evil god appeared in his terrifying form. There was no time even to prepare a deration or an address.
Then, an officer came to the Korean President with a promation to distribute to the citizens.
「 <strong>Emergency Martial Law Deration</strong>
Since humanity is facing a desperately dangerous crisis, riots are spreading nationwide, armed and violent crimes are proliferating, and societal order has been disrupted to a great extent. The government hereby deres <strong>national emergency martialw</strong> to restore public order, protect the lives and properties of citizens, end the national crisis, and maintain constitutional order.
1. Type of martialw: Emergency martialw
2. Martialw area: Nationwide
3. Implementation date: XX. XX. XX:XX. 2018
4. Martialwmander: Army Chief of Staff, Army General XXX President」
<em>Desperately dangerous crisis?</em>
The president felt a throbbing headache. What had been anticipated hade to reality. This deration assumed the scenario of Odin’s defeat against the evil god and the Awakened’s defeat in the Final Battle.
The martialwmand had been consistently persuading this issue, and seeing that they had even prepared a promation, there could be no further dy. It was because the executive branch needed to consistently maintain a cooperative rtionship with the martialwmand.
The president asked the officer, “What do you think? Do you think we can control them?”
He was referring to the elites of politics and business from countries worldwide, who were currently entrusted to the World Awakened Association''s headquarters. They were known as national politicians and entrepreneurs to civilians, but they were genuine members of the Bilderberg Club.
Coincidentally, most of them were in this country already. The officer began to reiterate the exnations he had given several times to the heads of the world’s tworgest financial groups, the U.S. president and the chairwoman of the Jeonil Group, Jamie.
“If we fail, it is not just this country, but all of humanity will never go back to normal life.”
He also had the same thought with the martialwmand.
1. If Odin and the Awakened actually lose, humanity will have to confront the evil god with only a human’s abilities and strength.
2. All of humanity must unite, facing amon enemy.
3. In such a case, operations should be coordinated under a single focal point.
4. However, a ‘global alliance’ is realistically hard to expect due to inevitable conflicts of interest between countries.
5. Therefore, creating such an alliance might be the only hope worth banking on even if forcibly.
That was the officer’s exnation under the pretext of protecting world leaders who hade to this country. The president asked before making a decision, “Is the strange phenomenon still going on?”
He was talking about the spectacle that was urring in the airspace near the association’s main office. ording to the legendary financier Jonathan Hunter, now known as the King of Hell, it was a phenomenon where Odin and Evil were in conflict.
The officer answered that it remained unchanged. This yed a significant role in the president’s decision to participate in the perilous n of the martialwmand.
<em>There must be no nuclear explosions on our territory at least.</em>
Even if they were to perish by the power of evil, there should be no nuclear ze on the Korean Penins. The thought of missiles flying in from as far as the United States and as close as Russia and China causing consecutive explosions made chills run down his spine. The Korean Penins and everyone living here would never be able to withstand the nuclear bombardment.
Therefore, they needed to somehow detain the club members before they fled to their home countries.
“Let’s pray that this promation will never be used.”
The day the promation distribution was decided upon was when humanity faced the brink of the apocalypse. On the day Odin and the Awakened were defeated, the martialw forces of this country would have to prioritize securing the members of the Bilderberg Club.
“There is something I have not told you yet.”
“What is it?”
“The martialw forces have decided in an internal meeting to send a special forces unit in advance. It is under the pretext of defending the World Awakened Association''s headquarters. The reason for choosing the special forces over the thirty-fifth Division is…”
The president shook his head.
“It’s alright. Please tell them that I have the same intention as them. Everyone has worked so hard…”
However, right then…
<em>Bang!</em>
The door burst open, and a startled voice suddenly rushed in.
“It’s over, sir! It’s over! Just just a few minutes ago… Odin!”
***
The Awakened were right. Odin was an East Asian with ck hair and ck eyes. His face was distinctly Korean! He looked young, different from the image the president had in mind, but considering that he had not aged for decades, it was understandable.
The president felt like all strength was draining from his body. He was about to gamble on the fate of this country, and further, the entire humanity. Even if he seeded in that, humanity’s demise was guaranteed if Odin were defeated.
Therefore, that gamble only had meaning in eliminating the scenario where this nation and its citizens were shattered by nuclear bombs. There was no way they could confront such an evil god.
<em>How could we, humans, dare to fight against a god…</em>
The president recalled the terrifying eyes that looked down upon the world two days ago and felt another chill running down his spine.
“Sir!”
It was a cry of relief.
“Sir!”
It was a cry of joy.
“Sir! It’s over. It’s all done! Odin has won!”
The man who shouted was overwhelmed by emotion, so he sobbed uncontrobly. Tears welled up in the president’s eyes as well. Then, he did not doubt that the current and future generations of mankind owed a huge debt to Odin. He was the hero of the nation and the hope that saved the lives of everyone.
However, the tion did notst long. It was when he was boarding a helicopter to the association''s headquarters, pressured by the officers’ urgency. Suddenly, a thought struck him.
<em>Can I call the one who defeated an evil god a fellow human?</em>
He had killed a god. He was a leader and figure of fear to the Awakened, with superhuman abilities and multiple special powers. Even the Awakened, who referred to themselves as ‘citizens of the savior’s city’ worshiped Odin as a religious deity. In fact, Odin had proved that he deserved a title of ‘god’ by defeating an evil.
Now, the masses would worship him as a god. Regardless of how he referred to himself as ‘us humans’ in his speech, the public would not perceive it that way.
Then, what kind of god would he be? Was he an omniscient and omnipotent god? Did he harbor evil like the Awakened feared of him?
Whatever the conclusion was, the future of humanity with a living god present was unpredictable. It was either overwhelmingly heartening or terrifying.
“Let’s notnd.”
The president requested the take-off to be halted.
“We are not ready to meet Him. We cannot leave such a first impression in this state.”
The others did not know who he truly was.
***
The president could not revel in joy even though he returned to his office. Just then, a call came in. It was from Park Choong-Sik, the old tycoon of the Jeonil Group and the President of Finance. Every time the president had a direct conversation with him, he had no pleasant memories. Therefore, his face stiffened instantly.
He was concerned about what kind of pressure woulde from the Jeonil Group during this emergency. It seemed that the group was urgently contacting him, probably wanting the government to arrange a face-to-face meeting with Him.
However, although it was known that His homnd was Korea, one’s home was not important at all between Awakened, especially when dealing with someone referred to as a ‘living god.’
<em>The</em> <em>Jeonil Group must know that.</em>
<Hello, sir.>
The president answered the call.
<Congrattions. The government has rescued our citizens.>
<How is that the government’s doing? You are giving us too much credit. Haha.>
<Thanks to the continuous support our group has received from the government, we were able to achieve this sess. But we have not thought of one thing.>
<Sir, it has been so chaotic that I don’t understand what you are talking about. What are you trying to say?>
<Do you remember President Na of the Jeonil Bank?>
Although Jeonil Bank had been established with foreign capital, it had grown under the Jeonil Group and be the country’s top bank since the IMF crisis. Therefore, all the previous bank presidents and their policies were things people needed to study upon entering the presidential office.
Among them, remembering the name of the president right before the current one was not difficult. He was a shadowy presence in this country. He had the same name as the Jeonil Group, whose presence was so massive that removing them meant the death of the country.
<Yes, I remember the former Jeonil Bank President Na Jeon-Il.>
Na Jeon-Il. He was their president who listened the most to the government. Such a person had not existed before him in the Jeonil Group, making him all the more memorable. The president had never met him, but always had gratitude and some regret towards him. He was able to breathe better thanks to Na Jeon-Il’s policies during his tenure and appreciated how Na Jeon-Il rmended a pro-government stance as his sessor.
<Why would I not remember him?>
The president smiled for the first time since he arrived at the office. However, the opponent was the old monster of Jeonil Group, so he had to hide his joy.
He thought that the president Na Jeon-Il had retired because of this old asshole’s pressure. Normally, someone with his credentials would have been hired by a majorpany in the same industry after retirement.
<But what does he have to do with anything?>
<He is a great fortune for our country, Mr. President.>
<...>
<The only child of Na Jeon-Il.>
<His name is Odin… He is actually Korean.>
The president’s eyes dted and began to shake.
<Are you listening, Mr. President?>
<Na Jeon-Il is requesting protection from the government.>
***
<em>I can’t believe that He was the only child of the Jeonil Bank President Na Jeon-Il…</em>
It was widely known that He was from Korea. That must have been why Korea could be a permanent member of the UN Security Council under US leadership.
The president repeatedly crossed and uncrossed his legs in the car as he was restless. It was partly due to the excitement of meeting him, but alsorgely because of the hope that just a little nudge from him could resolve the dire situation in the country.
The officers had always said that Korea’s entry as a permanent member of the UN was the biggest achievement of the government in history. In fact, he had considered that as the greatest sess of Korea before. There was no doubt that Korea could share the most powerful authority in the world with other top countries. The Korean government was holding the greatest power they had ever had!
However, the grim reality of this country was…
“Could you please hurry?”
All the traffic lights between the Blue Houses and their destination were all set to green. The car only had to speed up.
He quickly arrived at the destination. The security personnel he sent in advance were dispersed throughout the apartmentplex. The president neatly fixed his attire and checked his appearance in the mirror.
He got off with his pounding heart, then he heard a voice.
“He is inside the apartment right now, sir.”
There was also a voice warning that if there was anymotion, he could expect severe punishment. The president turned his head toward the direction of the voice. A young woman was standing nearby, seemingly having bypassed the security line. Her fierce eyes reminded him of the harshness of mid-winter.
Also, the only ones who were holding swords instead of guns were the Awakened.
“Who are you…?”
“I am a citizen of the Savior’s City. Do not make me repeat myself. Do not make a fuss and get the fuck off.”
Her gaze was aggressive, filled with agitation.
“Right now.”