Chapter 151: Korea Disappears
One thing changed globally after the appearance of the space monster.
It was the surge of people who wanted to move into Megacity.
The existing Megacity was certainly fresh, but most people didn’t feel much benefit from moving in.
They had to live under the system’s surveillance, even if they could tolerate the lack of amenities.
Many people thought that fish couldn’t live in water that was too clean.
And above all, they couldn’t bring in their existing assets.
The standard currency of Megacity was credit, and there was no such thing as a secondary currency.
People didn’t feel the need for money, since they could pay by face recognition when they came out with goods from the mart and other places.
Of course, Megacity didn’t confiscate their existing assets.
They could bring in gold or dollars or whatever, but it was hard to exchange them for credits.
The online network of the United Human Federation was completely isolated from the world.
There was a way to exchange assets, but it was more inconvenient than expected, and there were not many people who had a lot of credits.
No matter what status and wealth they had outside, they had to start from the same line in Megacity.
Because of this situation, Megacity had fewer actual residents than its fame.
But when the space monster appeared, the situation changed completely.
―I saw them fighting the space monster in France. It didn’t work unless it was a new type of bomb.
―It was so hard to kill one, but it turned out to be the weakest and smallest one. There’s no guarantee that bigger and stronger ones won’t come.
―Yu Ji-ha is the one who knows the most about the cosmic monster at this point, and he’s building a megacity right now. Isn’t that the way to survive?
―Well, our government says there’s no problem… They said they’re done preparing for mass production of Hafnium-2 warheads.
―What if the hafnium doesn’t work?
That was the biggest question.
He was the best person to know about the cosmic monster and hafnium.
Why would he build a megacity for no reason?
―There must be something that hafnium can’t do. He’s making a huge bunker to prepare for that.
―It’s not that hard to get a residency permit, why don’t we try to get one?
―But there’s one condition. You can enter and leave the megacity freely, but if you want to become a full citizen, you have to give up your other nationality.
In other words, you have to belong to the United Human Federation to enjoy all the benefits.
It was a bit harsh considering that the United Human Federation was not a member of the UN and had some inconveniences.
And once you left the United Human Federation, you could never come back, and the same went for serious criminals.
―They deport you even if your CP drops. Isn’t that too harsh?
―You have to commit murder to be deported from the megacity. It’s better to deport them than to correct them.
―People can make mistakes, and young kids can get carried away by the atmosphere and act up. But they don’t give them a chance to start over and punish them…
―Are murder or organized crime mistakes? Can you call robbery or rape a youthful indiscretion? The megacity has a small area compared to its population. You have to cut off the rotten part of the fruit.
―Most of the things are non-crimes, so ordinary people won’t go down to restricted citizens.
People paid attention to the ranks of restricted citizens and isolated citizens in the megacity.
Restricted citizens meant that their rights were limited.
They could live decently with some discomfort here, and they could raise their CP by living normally.
But if they committed a serious crime and became an isolated citizen, they would be locked up in prison.
If you don’t update your CP and serve the sentence assigned by the AI judge, you can’t be released.
There was no parole, and if you caused any property damage, you had to pay it all back.
The prison was the highlight, but they were going to be imprisoned in space from now on.
That is, they would launch a spaceship without a separate propulsion system and accommodate the isolated citizens there.
The prospective residents were appalled by this dangerous idea.
―It’s like a space prison that I’ve only seen in Sci-fi.
―They just give them the minimum food and lock them up until they die. What a hellhole.
―They can produce food cheaply with smart farms, and it’s impossible to escape from the space prison. That reduces the maintenance cost.
―Black metal is expensive, but I heard it’s different for construction… Anyway, the United Human Federation is a wonder in many ways.
―It looks risky, but seeing how Korea’s crime rate has dropped drastically, it must be effective.
The reaction wasn’t that bad, because most of the prospective residents were people who would never be involved in serious crimes for the rest of their lives.
The space that Yu Ji-ha had set was very wide, and as long as they didn’t go beyond that, they could live very well and happily, so it wasn’t a big problem.
Those who were denied residency complained and spread rumors to various media outlets, but there was no change in policy.
They meant nothing to Yu Ji-ha.
Anyway, the cosmic monster not only gave Yu Ji-ha a good excuse, but also helped him increase the population of the megacity.
The inquiries for megacity residency from the intellectual class increased by several times, enough to embarrass each country.
Especially in the US, they had a strange experience of seeing the rent around Silicon Valley in California go down.
If you could get a job in Silicon Valley, you could easily enter the megacity, and that proved that the US could no longer attract the world’s talent.
There were various discussions in Congress, but they couldn’t stop people from moving to the megacity as long as the psycher-related law was ineffective.
Some lawmakers grumbled that it was a dictatorship and Yu Ji-ha could do whatever he wanted.
“We have to deal with lobbying and negotiations to pass one bill, but over there, one word from the dictator can be implemented immediately. There’s no comparison in flexibility.”
“But a free democratic country is much better than a country ruled by a dictator. The dictator doesn’t take responsibility.”
There was a lot of criticism within the US, but they couldn’t stop the brain drain without a fundamental solution.
The megacity guaranteed the basic life that the US couldn’t provide.
―You don’t have to worry about food and living anymore. Just research as much as you want.
The research results didn’t lead to an increase in personal income, but most of them were learning anyway because the megacity’s technology was so advanced.
Especially in research related to black metal or ether, even decent researchers were no different from students.
Yu Ji-ha looked at the research building that was lit up until late at night and smiled.
“Maybe there will be a second Lucia… Prepare to build a relic analysis institute. It’s time to make it.”
“Yes, I understand.”
***
The supercavity train line connecting Seoul and Terra Island was completed.
It didn’t take long for the line to be installed because there was no need to lay rails.
The basic preparation was done by building docking stations at the departure and arrival points.
The docking station built in the southern part of Seoul attracted the attention of the event attendees with its unique shape.
“The surroundings are 21st century, but this building is 22nd century.”
“Oh, look, the train is coming. Wow… it really flies in the sky.”
“It’s funny that it flies in the sky without wings.”
“Do you believe that it takes 15 minutes to get to Terra Island?”
“If you close your eyes on the train, you’ll arrive.”
But not all the comments were positive.
There were quite a lot of voices worrying that the emergence of the supercavity train would cause a serious population outflow to the megacity.
“I want to ask the president what he’s going to do about this. The population of Seoul keeps decreasing.”
“I know. The apartment prices keep dropping…”
The top-class apartments in Gangnam, which used to cost 200 million won per pyeong, started to lose their value.
It was natural that Seoul’s status would decline as people could get a stable living base by moving to the Pacific and South megacities.
As the population of Seoul and the metropolitan area moved to the megacity, the real estate industry suffered a serious blow.
Some people seemed to have expected that the house prices would rise due to the construction of the docking station, but they only fell.
There was no need to buy a house in Seoul when the accessibility was good.
In fact, many young people said they would work in Seoul and live in the megacity.
It was so comfortable to live there.
“If you raise your CP a little bit, the supercavity train is completely free. Why bother buying a house there when you can go to Seoul in 15 minutes?”
“Megacity Pacific is great. There are so many foreigners that it feels like traveling. If you prove that you have a job in Seoul, you get a bonus.”
“Now delivery will be super fast. They say it arrives within two hours if you order.”
“The streets are very safe. You can see drones and androids everywhere, and they put all the transportation underground.”
“Oh, there’s the president.”
The somewhat strange thing about this opening ceremony was that President Yu Ji-ha attended.
Most people knew how much he hated ceremonies and events, so they found it odd.
Was it because Mikhailov, the newly elected president of Russia, was attending?
They all watched as the president’s plane landed, and something caught their eye.
Arma’s belly was bulging out as she walked behind the two leaders.
Had she gained weight when she always showed off her model-like figure?
People belatedly realized that Arma was pregnant.
“Oh my… I only saw her working, but that wasn’t all.”
“They have a child before they even get married. People these days are so fast.”
“Well, nowadays people don’t really do things like marriage. It’s because of the thing that Lucia is doing, some kind of monster that popped out.”
“The men who fell for that are pathetic. It’s just a machine after all.”
“Lucia is like a pet. An android that only looks at me and thinks of me.”
Anyway, Arma’s bulging belly attracted more attention than the two leaders.
Some reporters started writing articles warning of the possibility of succession.
―The second generation is unlikely to be competent. Why succession should not happen in this country.
―Dictatorship is the lesser evil in Korea right now. But once society stabilizes, power must be returned to the citizens.
―It is worrisome that the president does not speak about transferring power. Does he dream of impossible eternal power?
Regardless, Yu Ji-ha was having a serious conversation with Mikhailov, who became the president of Russia.
“You need a decisive purge. The oligarchs have grown under the protection of power and sucked the blood of the people. I will apply Russia to that side, so get rid of them overnight.”
“I don’t know if it will work. They have so many supporters…”
“Don’t worry, I’ll support you with drones and androids. The important thing is speed.”
Yu Ji-ha was also trying to build a system similar to Korea in Russia.
But Russia was a big country and the power and scale of the vested interests were beyond imagination.
Especially some of the vested interests who had received the favor of power since the 90s had heavily armed soldiers under their command.
A neat and quiet takeover like Korea was impossible.
A battle close to a war was bound to happen.
“Revolution requires blood. If it’s the vampires who have sucked Russia’s blood until now, it couldn’t be better. Think of the cheers of the Russian people.”
“…I’ll try.”
“Once the purge is over, I’ll introduce the supercavity train.”
And then the integration work will begin.
It is to unite all the land under the name of the United Human Federation.
Autonomy will only be given to some regions such as Jeju Island and Okinawa, and the name of Korea will also disappear.
At first, the megacity and other regions will have equal status, but since the latest facilities will only be built in the megacity, their importance cannot be compared.
That was Yu Ji-ha’s plan to drive people into the megacity.
The two leaders boarded the train through an escalator.
As soon as the officials and reporters got on board, the train started smoothly.
The current speed was displayed in the cabin, which quickly exceeded 1,000 km/h and continued to rise.
“Wow, it doesn’t feel fast even though it’s so fast.”
“The train has big windows and it’s very well made.”
“What? Is that the sea already?”
Seeing the sea meant that they had left the Korean Peninsula.
As reporters pointed their cameras at the window, President Mikhailov was thinking about something.
‘He is indeed the only person who can lead Russia’s future.’
He had been thinking that since Putin’s death, but it was confirmed by the appearance of the cosmic monster.
Russia was riddled with chaos and conflict.
Mikhailov had no clear vision and the vested interests were fleeing abroad with their wealth.
The Russian people wanted change, but no one knew what to do or how to do it.
Decades of dictatorship had corrupted the whole society.
In the midst of such turmoil, Yu Ji-ha’s appearance was like a ray of light.
He had a clear vision and enough ability.
The only drawback was that he was not Russian, but that didn’t matter anymore.
Russia could join the United Human Federation that he created.
‘A United Human Federation that encompasses Russia, Eastern Europe, and Asia…’
He suddenly laughed.
No one would have predicted this situation ten years ago.
He was walking the path of true human integration and no one dared to stop him.
The US seemed to have decided to step up, but it was doubtful if they could stop him.
They had passed a bill to subsidize their aviation industry when the supercavity train appeared.
The US chose complacency over change and was bound to become obsolete, Mikhailov thought.
Just like France’s economy, which was on a downward curve endlessly.
‘Of course, they could make a last stand.’
It would probably take the form of a war.
The US had the strongest military in the world and no one could underestimate it.
But what about a few years later?
Could the US stop the United Human Federation that was mining resources in space after the integration was completed?
‘Joining the United Human Federation is the only way for Russia.’
The only good thing was that Russia’s industry had nothing much to lose.
As President Mikhailov thought this far, the train slowed down.
He lifted his head and looked at the scenery around him, surprised.
“Have we arrived already?”
President Yu Ji-ha smiled and got up from his seat next to him.
“Yes, this is Terra Island. Let’s have lunch here and return to Seoul.”
He wondered if this was the future of integration, as it took less than an hour to travel between the island in the North Pacific and the Korean Peninsula.
President Mikhailov got off the train with his tongue out.
***
The Seoul-Terra Island route was the first to introduce the supercavity train.
The emergence of this train shook the world’s stock market, and the aviation and railway stocks plunged into the abyss.
There was no way to compete with it.
Many bureaucrats and industry officials tried the supercavity train and submitted reports that there was no answer.
Russia and Germany announced the introduction of the supercavity train immediately, and India and Australia also started to seriously consider it.
But other countries were different.
―The supercavity train is amazing. But we have too much to lose.
―There are more than 800,000 jobs in the domestic aviation industry… If the supercavity train is introduced, they will lose their jobs. We can’t introduce it.
―What about the railway? The rails and all the systems that we have been maintaining since 10 years ago are useless. We can’t abandon them.
Especially, the US opposition was formidable.
Congress sent an investigation team to Korea, and the White House held several working-level meetings to devise countermeasures.
But there was no solution in the first place.
With the advent of the supercavity train, most of the transport platforms were on their way out.
Trying to stop it was like accepting inefficiency.
Canada, which was watching the US’s reaction, quietly introduced one supercavity train and put it on the route connecting Toronto and Vancouver.
Since it was a route close to the US, many Americans also used it and showed disbelief.
“How can it cross the continent in less than an hour? What did they make?”
“I don’t know what the principle of this train is. But it’s clear that we have to introduce it right away.”
Despite these opinions, the US government did not move.
They had to consider the votes of many industry workers and their families.
In contrast, the United Human Federation gradually introduced the supercavity train to various routes.
A direct route between Moscow and Terra Island was created, and it was also connected to Canada and Australia.
Most importantly, the megacity Afghanistan in the Middle East was connected, making the transportation of goods easier.
Various regions were united under the name of the United Human Federation.
Yu Ji-ha held a press conference in this atmosphere.
The reporters were more interested in Arma, who was standing behind him with a full belly.
Was it a boy or a girl?
But when Yu Ji-ha opened his mouth, everyone stopped breathing for a moment.
“From now on, Korea as a country will disappear. Korea will be integrated into the United Human Federation and remain as one region.”
“So… you’re changing the name?”
A reporter asked, but Yu Ji-ha shook his head.
“It’s not just changing the name, but becoming part of the United Human Federation. Nine megacities and other regions make up the United Human Federation.”
“What about Seoul?”
“It will belong to the others.”
A staggering reality came to them, where a huge city with a population of nearly 10 million was relegated to the others.
It was a destructive policy beyond radical, but the reporters knew that this would also be accepted.
There was no possibility of withdrawal since Yu Ji-ha announced it himself.
“The United Human Federation includes the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria, East Siberia and Okinawa islands, and the megacity Afghanistan. The supercavity train and cargo ships will connect these nine megacities.”
“What is the ultimate goal of the United Human Federation with such a huge territory…”
The reporters held their breath here.
They expected him to make a statement that would anger the US.
It seemed natural to have such a perception, as Yu Ji-ha’s actions so far suggested that world domination was his goal.
But what came out of his mouth was an unexpected statement.
“Survival. We have to do our best to survive. That time will come soon.”
The atmosphere eased a bit.
The reporters took survival in a different sense.
“You don’t mean surviving from the cosmic monsters, do you?”
“Nah, no way. The alliance fleet killed it with one shot of hafnium bomb. The others will be similar.”
“It bothers me that they said it was the weakest and smallest individual.”
“Well, that means we should be careful. That’s more important than friction with the US.”
“Maybe it means that it’s hard to manage when the territory is large. There might be security gaps…”
“By the way, United Human Federation sounds a bit strange.”
“I don’t know what happened to the UN. I know that the United Human Federation didn’t join.”
When the reporters were about to ask questions about this content, Yu Ji-ha said.
“That’s all for the press conference.”
As he left, Arma, who was pretending to be pregnant, followed him while stroking her belly.
She must be due soon.
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