Chapter 148: Chapter 145: Living with the Kikiruks

Inspectors from the United Nations are coming.

When the news broke, all the worshippers of the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods thought to themselves.

“”What’s coming is coming!””

Yes, they had to admit that the behavior of the Temple of Ten Thousand Gods is far removed from the common sense of modern Earth.

Not to mention the exorbitant tax structure of the ten-tiered system, with its huge welfare costs…….

“Sugar-salt water is out, out, out. Not to mention the 20-hour workdays.”

“The cadets are not treated like people at all, even if it’s only for a month.”

“Did you see the looks on the faces of the second-year cadets? They were frozen.”

“They’re treated like interns and then paid like interns with ‘voluntary’ contributions.”

Well, that’s about it.

The sugar-salt water only gets you through the training period, and when it’s time to attack the gate, you eat a proper field meal.

Surprisingly, the most evil part of the system doesn’t feel like a loss because of the infinite welfare.

The knights’ star iron armor alone is worth billions of won in legendary equipment, and the star iron-containing armor given to the soldiers is worth hundreds of millions of won.

When you’re in a position where you can’t see such luxury items in your lifetime, you have no choice but to be generous to those who give and take.

There was another problem.

“The serfs… aren’t they a problem?”

“…….”

Soo-ho was left speechless by Jae-hyuk’s words but Chun So-yeon retorted sharply.

“They’re demon followers, not people. Senior Ha-ri thinks so too, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah, but……do you think the Human Rights Commission thinks so too?”

“…….”

Okay, this is the problem.

The UN’s Human Rights Committee for Survivors is sensitive to the survival rights of those beyond the gates. Even if they’re half-human and half-horse, they’re intelligent beings. The way they’re being treated here is-

[Die, you minions of the Evil One!!]

They were forced to act as suicide squads and-

[Stuck? Why stop? Struggling? Exposed? No power. Organic matter of lesser content must have no power to overcome machines. Work harder, slave.]

Falling rocks, multiple cases of sexual maladjustment…a cold-blooded killing machine with a 77% mortality rate…….

[Wow, this one’s fresh. They were all in pretty bad shape from the rough ride……our test subject friend. How’s your pain tolerance?]

Mmm. I’m afraid the first two cases are at least humane.

“……Dangerous?”

Regardless of their legitimate concerns, Leon didn’t think much of the inspectors.

“Hmph, what are you so worried about? If you have no shame on your conscience, you have nothing to worry about.”

“Your Majesty… but still…….”

“That, the eyes of the world.”

“Uh-huh, even if there is nothing to worry about.”

“…….”

Oh no. No amount of persuasion will work.

At this rate, they’ll be facing UN sanctions and global condemnation!

“Your Majesty!”

“…….”

Leon turned to look at Han Ha-ri, who stepped forward with her hand raised in the air. She spoke with a determined expression.

“This time, the UN inspectors will be greeted by me and Lord Yappy, leave it to us!”

-What?

Why are you putting me in there?

Yappy tilted his head and flashed a puzzled emoticon.

* * * *

The UN inspectors have arrived.

The Hunter’s Association had been waiting for them at Incheon Airport, along with a government limousine bus.

“I’m Oh Kang-hyuk, president of the Hunter Association.”

“I’m Louisse from the United Nations Commission on Survivors and Human Rights. It’s an honor to meet this Korean legend.”

Louisse wondered why the head of the Korean Hunter Association was waiting for her.

She’d heard from Dennis that the Korean government and the association had an unspoken relationship with TTG Temple, but was this an unspoken pressure?

‘Hmph, you want to take over the issue, no way.’

Louise is a woman who has defended the human rights of survivors in many powerful countries and dictatorships. She is used to this kind of pressure.

“The official will be escorted by our association’s representative, Han Ha-ri.”

As Oh Kang-hyuk spoke, a young girl in a suit walked up to her and nodded.

“I’m Deputy Han Ha-ri, please take care of me!”

She spoke decent…native English.

“You look young, but you have perfect British pronunciation. I hear Koreans are very educated, did you study abroad or something?”

“What? Ah! No, I’m a native Korean. I’m speaking Korean right now.”

“What?”

Ha-ri smiles at the puzzled Louise and shows her a choker-like device at the nape of her neck.

“It’s a real-time translator, made by a very smart man.”

“Wow, Korean technology is amazing…….I’ve seen the Tower use an artifact enchanted to translate, but this is even better.”

How can an interpreting machine mimic native pronunciation? Louise wondered if it was really a machine.

“Haha, I guess any technology that’s advanced enough is magical, right? Here you go, these machines will translate the language of the Kikiruks we’re about to meet.”

That was a good thing. For the survivors, it would translate like a passive voice, but the Kikiruks had a different phonetic structure that made their language unintelligible.

With this translator, they wouldn’t have a hard time translating.

“By the way, I thought Miss Han was with the TTG Temple?”

“Ms. Han is technically a seconded employee dispatched to the TTG Temple keeping a close eye on it.”

Survivors are people who come from worlds with different common sense than Earth. It’s not uncommon to send guides to help them adjust to modern civilization.

The Society’s response and care has been exemplary. But…….

‘The government and the private guild are too close.’

Despite her suspicions of the Association, Louisse boarded the limousine bus.

“Our first stop will be Mokpo, which is currently home to 18,744 Kikiruks.”

“That’s less than the original number, has there been a population shift?”

“Oh, yes, there are currently 3,251 Kikiruks working at the TTG Temple compound in Naju Plain.”

“Hmm…I thought the Kikiruks were a maritime race, but now that they’re inland, are there any inconveniences?”

“They have built their dwellings on the banks of the Yongsan River, which runs through the plains. It’s a matter of preference, but they can function with a similar amount of water as humans.”

In short, as long as there is water, there is no problem with inland activities.

After a few questions on the bus, they arrived in Mokpo, a typical port city.

On the waterfront, locals and Kikiruks were interacting with each other, and it didn’t feel out of place.

“Most of the Kikiruks are active here and interact with the people of Mokpo. The population has increased by about 10 percent since the Kikiruks moved in, so the local economy has been revitalized.”

The UN inspector, guided by Ha-ri, checked things and the conclusion was basically positive.

“I’ve heard that the Kikiruks live by the sea, and as a port city, there could be territorial disputes with fishermen, but what’s the reality?”

“Oh, Mokpo is a consumer city with a shrinking fishing industry and a shipbuilding and heavy industrial complex, so there’s not a lot of friction. There are small fishing boats around, but they work with the Kikiruks.”

“I don’t suppose that’s enough work for them?”

The overall survivor’s right to survive is what they focused on.

Housing is important, but steady, non-discriminatory work is the most important aspect of survivors’ rights.

“That’s perfectly fine!”

Ha-ri says confidently, squaring her shoulders.

“The Kikiruks are heavily involved in the government’s marine pollution cleanup program! They retrieve trash and net scraps from the bottom of the ocean, and since fish is their staple food, they have a lot of aquaculture skills.”

“That’s certainly…a high percentage of government work. Shipbuilders? That’s a bit surprising.”

“Oh, that’s the new technology shipbuilding part of Lord Yappy…no, I mean Lord Yakt Spinner’s program to train Kikiruk technicians.”

Yakt Spinner it’s a name Louise knows well. She heard that it’s a super AI robot, but there’s a lot of controversy about whether it should be treated as a person, even though there are laws against survivors.

In any case, the shipbuilding industry, which incorporates new technologies, is being used, so she thought the Kikiruks wouldn’t lose their job even if they were excluded from government projects.

Most of the government projects that mobilized survivors were in the iron and steel business, so they were only employed for a short time with subsidies, and the jobs were very precarious.

“This is the Kikiruks enclave, separated by a special administrative zone near the beach──”

-Bang!

As they were heading to the Kikiruk settlement, a loud boom erupted from the beach.

“What’s going on!”

“Ah, um…nothing!”

Louise narrowed her eyes at Ha-ri’s suspicious look and Ha-ri was embarrassed, but she spoke honestly.

“It’s probably the sound of the Kikiruk commandos training.”

“……Kikiruk commandos?”

“More than three thousand of them are warriors and they’ve been practicing recently because His Majesty ordered a sea exercise.”

Utilize survivors as soldiers or hunters. That was the most obvious occupation for the survivors.

Perhaps that’s why the orcs, the most prosperous race at the moment, are recognized despite their viciousness.

A naturally athletic race, they were as capable in combat as the Hunters.

After observing the Kikiruks for a while, they took notes and moved on to their next target.

* * * *

“You’re settling in quite nicely, I see.”

“Yes, officer. It is safe to say that the Kikiruks are the best of the best when it comes to housing and jobs.”

“And they’re doing a good job of recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of the race and integrating them without conflict with the existing population. The Kikiruks are well-received in the city.”

This was evidence that the assimilation of the Kikiruks was systematic and calculated.

Whoever had planned it, it was a near-miraculous feat to accomplish with so little conflict with the existing population.

Dwarves, not to mention the immediate orcs, frequently clashed with humans, as did dwarves digging up otherwise intact mountains and triggering landslides, and elves growing forests in urban centers.

The different races, with their different ideas and cultures, did not easily integrate into the culture and life of human society, and if it got out of hand, it could lead to a “coup d’état”.

Orc coups are a frequent occurrence in the fractured and fragmented Greater China.

“The TTG Temple is rational and reasonable enough in its management of ethnic groups, and it’s a win-win situation, not a one-sided support.”

“It’s a fairly idealized situation, even if the YouTube video is propaganda to some extent.”

“Religious proselytizing went pretty smoothly, too. From what I hear, the entire Kikiruks worship the God of the Sea and Waves.”

“They seem to worship him as well. Did you see that statue in the middle of the ocean?”

“Yes, that enormous statue. That’s how deep their worship is.”

“I’ve never had a problem interviewing Kikiruks, their approval ratings are absolute.”

The more she listened, the weirder it got.

Leon is basically revered as a righteous, good, leader, even if his common sense is different since he is from another world.

The atmosphere in Korea is not bad either.

It’s often said that he’s a bit of a prick, but he’s also fair and fiercely pursues justice.

She can’t help but wonder if the Lion King would be at the top of the list if he were to run in the next presidential election.

He has brought a lot of change to South Korea.

So far, he has only spread good vibes, with no negative vibes whatsoever.

And yet, he would be so ruthless with prisoners of war?

Does it make sense?

After carefully reviewing YouTube videos, testimonies, and activities before coming here, Louise couldn’t help but like him the more she got to know him.

The old-fashioned way of thinking is a cultural difference, and being a royalty in a medieval worldview has never caused any harm, even though he is authoritarian in his dealings with President Ahn and others.

He is a hero among heroes with absolute support in both Korea and Japan.

‘Maybe it’s a misunderstanding…….’

Would such a righteous hero treat prisoners harshly?

Wouldn’t he have tried to assimilate in a moderate and appropriate way, like the Kikiruks?

Couldn’t this all be a misunderstanding?

“We’ve arrived! This is the headquarters of the Ten Thousand Gods, the Holy Land of Naju!”

And that’s when Louisse realized.

“We are blessed to be here.”

“Waaaaaah, long live the Lionheart King.”

“Abuse? There’s no such thing!”

“We are treated humanely and live in peace.”

“Forced labor? No, that’s not true at all, we’re doing it voluntarily!”

Everyone claims that there are no abuses, no massacres, as promised.

Humane treatment and peaceful days.

But why…….

In the eyes of the half-men who speak of happiness──

”Please let us live.”

Is it so much desperation?