Call of Abyss

Chapter 16

Reporters from various media outlets gathered in front of one of the tents closest to Gwanghwamun among the dozens set up in Gwanghwamun Square.

They gathered to cover the state declaration by Representative Han Seong-hyeon, leader of the Citizen Liberty Party and the opposition coalition, which would take place shortly.

Inside the tent, Representative Lim Jin-pyo of the Citizen Liberty Party peeked out to check the gathering reporters, clicked his tongue, and quickly sat next to Representative Han Seong-hyeon in front of the satellite TV.

"Representative, do you think President Choi Sang-beom will really declare martial law today?"

"You can be almost certain, Representative.

It's information conveyed directly from Prime Minister Pyo Eun-ho."

"Although there have been many major accidents recently, they aren't serious enough to declare martial law. What is President Choi Sang-beom thinking?"

"Judging by President Choi Sang-beom's increasingly hardline stance since last year, he seems to want to seize this opportunity to establish a dictatorship and completely change the country....

Considering the idea of martial law, it's already not the stance of a democratically elected president."

Representative Han Seong-hyeon clicked his tongue and answered Representative Lim Jin-pyo's question.

As rumors circulated that President Choi Sang-beom would declare martial law, the opposition coalition attempted to resist, but for some reason, the New People's Party, which holds the largest number of seats among the opposition, remained silent.

Ultimately, the minor opposition parties, including the Citizen Liberty Party, decided to make a state declaration timed with President Choi Sang-beom's declaration of martial law. However, if the ruling Unified Republican Party, which holds more than half of the seats in the parliament, and the New People's Party, the largest opposition party, decided to support President Choi Sang-beom's martial law declaration, it was clear that martial law would be implemented despite the opposition of numerous minor parties.

This is when the saying "throwing eggs against a rock" is used.

Representative Han Seong-hyeon thought to himself with a bitter smile.

"President Choi Sang-beom is appearing.

It seems like it's about to start."

Representative Han Seong-hyeon pointed to President Choi Sang-beom, who had stepped onto the podium, while watching the satellite TV.

President Choi Sang-beom brought a plastic box the size of a basketball and placed it beside the podium before beginning his speech.

"Dear citizens, today I must inform you from this place that the nation is facing a great crisis.

From last year's Shinyoung Girls' High School terrorist incident to this year's massacre of Sodam Island residents and the Marines attack incident, and even the large wildfire incident in Gangwon-do last week, all these events are the result of an antisocial and inhumane cult organization."

President Choi Sang-beom paused for a moment and opened the lid of the plastic box beside the podium to take out a smaller glass box.

Inside the glass box was the head of Representative Shin Chang-soo, with tentacles attached to his face and chin.

"Isn't that Representative Shin Chang-soo?"

"How could such a horrific thing happen...."

Seeing the head of Representative Shin Chang-soo presented from the glass box by President Choi Sang-beom on TV, Representative Han Seong-hyeon and other representatives inside the tent were shocked and shouted.

"We must publish this photo on the front page!"

"Representative Shin Chang-soo!"

The reporters outside the tent also began to clamor noisily.

Everyone was greatly shocked upon seeing the head of Representative Shin Chang-soo with tentacles on his face.

However, whether aware of the commotion outside or not, President Choi Sang-beom calmly continued his speech on the TV screen.

"This is one of the acts committed by the cult organization.

It is this cult organization that abducted a sitting member of the National Assembly who was visiting the island and conducted biological experiments.

The name of this cult organization is the Ada Family. It has been acting as a cancerous presence in Korean history for a very long time and is a large-scale cult organization.

Already, believers of this cult organization have infiltrated various sectors of society, from politics to the military, and recently, they have caused a series of major terrorist incidents, resulting in numerous casualties, forcing the government to make a firm decision."

President Choi Sang-beom paused while looking at his speech, then continued.

"The government, from this moment, declares a temporary martial law as the most active means to ensure the safety and security of the citizens.

Martial law will be maintained until all members of the Ada Family are apprehended, and a special detention center will be established to confine the members of the Ada Family.

Additionally, to prevent another large-scale terrorist incident, the military will be stationed at major landmarks, large buildings, transportation hubs, media outlets, and schools across the country.

Although the basic rights of the citizens will be somewhat restricted from this point forward, I want to make it clear that all of this is decided with the utmost priority on the safety and security of the citizens.

I ask for the active cooperation of the citizens with the government's decision.

Thank you."

As President Choi Sang-beom finished declaring martial law, a moment of chaos erupted inside Representative Han Seong-hyeon's tent.

A heated debate arose between the representatives who insisted on complying with the martial law and those who argued that a state declaration was necessary to protect democracy.

"Fellow representatives, may I say something?"

Representative Han Seong-hyeon, after watching the representatives engaged in a heated debate for a while, raised one hand to calm them down.

"The matter concerning the Ada Family is something I learned about for the first time through President Choi Sang-beom's martial law declaration today.

Whether it is truly factual or not is still unknown.

However, even if the matter regarding the Ada Family is true, I believe it should be resolved through democratic means, not martial law.

Is the current situation one of an external invasion? Or is it a situation of an internal rebellion?

It is neither.

If the president declares martial law to stop a cult organization that has brought chaos to the country, it is clear that the roots of democracy will be shaken, and greater chaos will arise in the future.

I will proceed with the state declaration as planned today.

I ask all representatives not to waver and to strengthen your resolve to protect democracy to the end."

The representatives who had been engaged in a heated debate until a moment ago seemed to find Representative Han Seong-hyeon's words reasonable, and they nodded silently while looking at him.

At that moment, the sound of people clamoring outside the tent was accompanied by the noise of several tanks and armored vehicles passing by.

"This is serious. The soldiers are already surrounding Gwanghwamun Square."

Moon Seong-bae, Representative Han Seong-hyeon's assistant, rushed into the tent and spoke urgently.

Hearing Moon Seong-bae's words, Representative Han Seong-hyeon nodded quietly as if making up his mind, gathered his speech, and stepped out of the tent.

Outside the tent, a podium had already been set up, and reporters surrounded the tent in a semicircle centered around the podium.

As Moon Seong-bae had said, thousands of soldiers, along with tanks and armored vehicles, were slowly surrounding Gwanghwamun Square from afar.

Representative Han Seong-hyeon bowed to the gathered reporters and then stepped onto the podium to begin his speech.

"Dear citizens, this country is now facing a great crisis.

Today, President Choi Sang-beom has ultimately declared martial law, greatly damaging the democracy of this country.

Despite not being in a situation of external invasion or internal rebellion, President Choi Sang-beom has declared martial law, using a few recent large-scale incidents as an excuse.

It is clear that this is not for the peace and order of the nation but rather contains President Choi Sang-beom's personal political intentions.

Citizens, now soldiers will control your daily lives.

Your basic rights will be restricted under the guise of maintaining national order, and you will not be able to enjoy free democracy not only at workplaces and schools but also at home.

This is why martial law should only be implemented in the cases of external invasion and internal rebellion, and it should never be implemented based on the president's personal political intentions.

From this moment on, our opposition coalition plans to thoroughly resist President Choi Sang-beom's unilateral and arrogant martial law.

Citizens, please support our opposition coalition.

Under martial law, the only thing that can protect our opposition coalition from President Choi Sang-beom's dictatorship and the oppression of soldiers is your support.

Members of the Unified Republican Party and the New People's Party, please join us.

Do not betray the citizens who elected you as members of the National Assembly.

Remaining silent on President Choi Sang-beom's martial law declaration is tantamount to siding with him.

You must not betray democracy and the citizens.

The democracy of this country, which has barely taken shape through the tears and blood of countless people over decades, is now in a precarious situation, like a candle in the wind.

Citizens, fellow representatives, please join us.

Please support us.

In the future, under the name of martial law, stand with us against the oppression and politics of fear that will unfold.

I believe that when we prioritize the greater value of protecting democracy over the momentary fear caused by several large incidents, the political situation will ultimately stabilize, and the chaos will disappear.

Thank you."

At that moment, with loud cheers, a group of people from somewhere attempted to enter Gwanghwamun Square, which had been closed off by soldiers, and the soldiers began firing multiple tear gas canisters at them.

Witnessing a scene reminiscent of the military dictatorship era unfold before his eyes, Representative Han Seong-hyeon felt only a sense of disbelief and regret.

"The soldiers are coming this way."

"We have no direct connection to the cult organization, so the soldiers can't forcibly take us, the sitting members of the National Assembly.

The Unified Republican Party and the New People's Party would also oppose it.

Our only option now is to hold out at Gwanghwamun Square and continue our protest."

In response to Representative Lim Jin-pyo's words, Representative Han Seong-hyeon, looking at the soldiers running towards the tent with rifles slung over their shoulders, replied in a trembling voice.

He was only worried and anxious about what the future of this country would look like and what their fate would be.

As President Choi Sang-beom entered his office at the Blue House after declaring martial law, Cult Leader Giovanni and Elder Cosimo, who were in the office, bowed to greet him.

"Well done, Your Excellency."

"Now, the real beginning, Cult Leader Giovanni.

How is the search for the remnants of the Ada Mansion going?"

President Choi Sang-beom asked Cult Leader Giovanni in a serious voice as he sat in his office chair.

"As you know, Lady Nia is among them.

If Lady Nia decides to hide her whereabouts, it's not easy to find her."

"Having declared martial law, we can't afford to mess things up now.

They are the biggest obstacle to executing our Neo-Renaissance plan.

We must find and eliminate them as soon as possible."

"Don't worry too much.

Even if we don't find them, they will come looking for us first.

Cult Leader Giovanni spoke to President Choi Sang-beom with a meaningful smile.

"They will come looking for us first? What do you mean by that?"

"We have Cthulhu, the strongest force that even an entire nation's army cannot stop.

Although they have Lady Nia on their side, unfortunately, Lady Nia is merely an avatar who has received only a portion of Nyarlathotep's power, not the complete form.

If I were in Lady Nia's position, there would be only one option to stop our Medici Family in this situation."

"And what would that be?"

"Using the book of human skin I possess, the Necronomicon, to awaken our master, Cthulhu, who dreams in the abyss."

"What did you say?"

President Choi Sang-beom was so shocked by Cult Leader Giovanni's words that he hastily shouted.

"Awakening Cthulhu....

Do your daughter and her group, who are by Nyarlathotep's side, truly understand what that means?"

"Of course, they must know.

However, the truth is that they have no other choice.

In order to seize the Necronomicon, they will definitely come to me."

"This... must be stopped at all costs.

We want to change the nation,

not destroy it.

Cthulhu... Even if the world were to end multiple times, it still wouldn't be enough."

"Do not worry, Your Excellency.

We are making thorough preparations."

"I am counting on you and the Medici Family.

Leave the task of purifying the nation to me, and you and the Medici Family must eliminate the remnants of the Ada Mansion as soon as possible.

Even if you handle your daughter as you see fit, the rest must be eradicated without fail."

"Understood, Your Excellency."

President Choi Sang-beom let out a small sigh as he listened to Cult Leader Giovanni's response.

He had barely managed to overcome the great obstacle of declaring martial law, but he never imagined that an even greater challenge lay ahead.

It was clear that executing the Neo-Renaissance plan would face strong resistance from many citizens and lawmakers.

Since he had no choice but to rely on the power of soldiers and secret police to suppress them harshly, he did not want to introduce any unexpected threats.

And yet, suddenly, Cthulhu....

After a brief period of fear-driven rule, the nation was bound to become more stable and peaceful, but if a being like Cthulhu were to emerge, not only would all their efforts be in vain, but the entire nation could be utterly destroyed.

President Choi Sang-beom let out another small sigh in frustration.

He was determined to stake everything on ensuring the success of the Neo-Renaissance plan and transforming the nation for the better.

Clenching his fists tightly, he gazed into the air, his eyes already filled with something beyond mere determination.