episode_0012

They’d swing it for no reason, and strike a pose.

And I, being a man, was diligently swinging the weapon in my hand.

However, it was not at empty air, but at a target: zombies!

Not for show, but with power and speed, precisely!

Though it was a simple action of striking down and swinging, when enough force was put into it to shatter a skull, it looked somewhat impressive. When the movements were continuous and unbroken due to speed, it even felt dazzling. But for me, doing all that by myself, it was hellishly exhausting.

“Ugh! It’s so grimy! I’m going to die!”

The path I had cleared was littered with carelessly sprawled zombie corpses. Furthermore, blackish bodily fluids had profusely flowed out, painting the floor, emitting a repulsive smell that made it feel like a forbidden zone not to be stepped on.

I tried to be careful, but ultimately, I was practically covered in filth.

Unlike me, who was grumbling and continuing the fight with the zombies, Miss Ru, my beloved weapon and partner, was silently fulfilling her role.

A thick, heavy body.

A grip that filled the hand.

A weight that would be difficult for an ordinary person to even lift and swing.

A straight body, a mass of iron close to black.

Its body, slick with zombie fluids, even seemed alluring.

If Miss Ru were a person, she would undoubtedly be a strong and principled beauty.

She followed me well as I crushed the approaching zombies mercilessly. If it had been any other common tool or weapon, it would have broken long ago, but our Miss Ru was holding up splendidly. She was sturdy, without a single bend or chip in her edge.

Relying on Miss Ru, I took down the zombies one by one.

After taking down a fair number of zombies, I swung Miss Ru forcefully to shake off the filth clinging to her.

“…You weren’t made for this. Oppa is sorry?”

Originally, she might have been smashing obstacles and opening locked doors at a construction site or in the hands of firefighters, but she ended up suffering like this because she met the wrong man.

I’ll definitely have to clean and maintain her thoroughly later.

Anyway, as a result of diligently beating down zombies with the incomparably reliable Miss Ru.

I was able to clear out a considerable number of zombies.

“……There are too many.”

I must have beaten down at least 200 of them.

Yet, a significant number were still expected to remain up ahead.

Groaaan–

Huuuugh–

The zombie horde was quiet, perhaps because they were far away and hadn’t noticed me yet.

The space was too wide, and they were clustered here and there, so it took time.

Although I had cleared 200 zombies so far, I had been moving around while doing it, so I couldn’t tell how much more time it would take.

“This won’t do. I’ll have to gather things as I clear the path.”

Thinking about it, I realized there was no need to clear out all the zombies.

Since I had already cleared out a lot, I figured it would be enough to just eliminate the ones that rushed at me while I gathered food, so I changed my plan.

“There are no zombies here for now, so… let’s grab some things.”

I took off my gloves, which were soaked in zombie blood and fluids, pulled out a bottle of water to wash my hands, and put on new gloves.

The timeless bestseller of the manual labor world: paint gloves.

Providing anti-slip with adequate friction on the palms.

Even the convenience of being cheaply disposable.

These gloves, which protect hands and promise safety, are essential for any job.

“…My brain must be going crazy being alone like this….”

I straightened my back for a moment and stretched lightly, turning left and right.

If I hurt my back while putting away things, there’s no solution now.

It’s a truth that I must take care of my own body.

Furthermore, I now have to look after my own life.

After checking my surroundings for safety.

I began quickly gathering items, just like I did at HomePlus.

The excited and thrilled feeling I had when I first entered had now turned into bleakness.

Far too many items.

…I couldn’t even calculate how long it would take.

Grooooan–

Thud! Swish!

Ughhhh–

Thud! Swish!

Inside the supermarket, a cool chill could be felt.

The groans of zombies could be heard from up ahead.

Only the bustling sound of me putting items into my inventory could be heard.

***

I didn’t know how much time had passed.

But I knew it had been quite a while.

The pallets behind me were mostly empty, reflecting how far I had moved.

Excluding anything damaged or stained with zombie fluid.

I gathered only the items that looked intact.

I crouched down to pick them up, and bent my waist to pick them up.

If I couldn’t reach, I climbed up to grab them.

If a zombie got too close, I’d clear it out and then continue gathering.

They say the brain usually rests during repetitive tasks.

A prime example would be preparing anchovies.

As you do it, you become dazed and it repeats itself automatically, which could be seen as a task that empties the mind.

In that sense, the work I was doing now was also just a repetition of picking up and putting away.

However, I couldn’t afford to be dazed; one bite from a zombie meant I was out.

That’s why constantly staying on edge was extraordinarily tiring.

Adding to the tension of the current situation was something else.

More aggressive zombies? Or should I say stronger zombies, or ones with better mobility, were appearing, albeit in small numbers, mixed in, so I had to maintain my guard.

While beating down several times more zombies than I had before in brightly lit areas, I learned a few things. There’s nothing definitive to prove it yet, but to summarize…

– Slow-moving zombies show no signs of having been bitten or attacked. – Their movements are very unnatural. – They appear to be weak. – There are signs of severe vomiting and frothing at the mouth.

Conversely…

– Fast-moving zombies show signs of having been attacked by other zombies. – Even with limb loss, their movements are quite natural. – Though there are differences, they possess strength greater than an adult man.

In common…

– They invariably attack living humans. – Even with shattered jaws, they try to bite and tear. – Their vision isn’t great, but they react if they see something. – If a loud sound is heard, they react strongly in that direction. – Zombies do not attack each other.

Previously, I had been hurrying to clear paths or remove obstacles and had few opportunities to observe closely, but now, continuously facing and observing the rushing zombies, I learned these facts.

Of course, I don’t know the exact reasons.

I’ve only summarized what I’ve confirmed with my own eyes, but what sparks the most curiosity is:

“Why don’t they fight among themselves?”

They chase after cars and go wild even at loud noises.

I don’t know if they know there are people inside the cars.

It might be a reaction to sound, but they also react to movement.

However, even if a zombie lingers right in front of them, they don’t pay any attention.

It’s to the point where they seem like people completely uninterested in others.

If it’s a living human, they try to bite and swallow.

There are still many unanswered questions, but I lack enough evidence to be certain.

As for zombies, it’s enough to just beat them down, but if I learned anything, wouldn’t it be easier to formulate countermeasures? I can’t be dancing a chaotic blues among those reanimated corpses all day long.

“Whew!!”

I straightened my aching back and stretched my body out.

I felt my muscles relax with a refreshing crackling sound.

Checking the time on my smartphone, I saw that six hours had passed since I began the supply gathering operation.

Unlike at HomePlus, there were many zombies and many items.

I was confused whether to be happy or bleak about the insane quantity.

My current mood was like…

“It feels like I’m crouching down to pick up cigarette butts. From one end of Seoul to the other.”

I pulled out a cigarette, put it in my mouth, and lit it.

The sense of immorality from lighting a cigarette in a public facility, especially in the middle of a supermarket where many people usually gathered, peeked its head.

“So what? What are you going to do about it?”

『A man in his twenties was arrested by the police after attempting to smoke in the middle of a large supermarket.』

Normally, it would be a wrongdoing worthy of appearing on the news.

I’d likely receive a hefty fine along with a period of self-reflection through community service.

I’m not setting anything on fire, and in a situation like this, isn’t it just a minor deviation, like an elementary school student buying junk food?

I chuckled, tidied up my awkward thoughts, stood up, and looked around.

【 Meat Section 】

It took some time to clear out the zombies, but the moment I was waiting for had arrived.

I only confirmed its location and deliberately avoided looking at it, holding back.

It felt like saving the best for last.

The feeling of slowly heading towards the display counter was like the fluttering excitement and fresh tension of a first confession. …Though it didn’t end well.

Anyway, what met my eyes when I reached the counter was…

“Huuuuuh–! Oh! Wow!”

The dazzling appearance of fresh meat, filling my eyes.

“Oh! Th-this!”

Chuck flap. 1.7kg Price xx.xxx

The price didn’t matter. The weight of the meat felt in my hand, and the fresh, clean, reddish chunk before my eyes. It seemed almost glistening.

What was most fortunate was that.

“It’s cold. The refrigeration is still working properly.”

Part of the reason I came late was concern that the facilities might have been damaged, and also worry that I would be disappointed by rotten meat.

But my worries were unfounded.

Letting my lips curve upwards, I diligently began to pick and put away.

Large, generously packaged, abundant chunks of meat.

If my body hadn’t been strengthened, I might have gotten tired just picking them up.

As I packed them, I realized I didn’t know many types of meat.

Meats I had eaten once, or only heard of, or only seen in videos.

Every time meat was put into my inventory, I was so happy I forgot my current predicament.

I took whatever I could get my hands on—pork, beef, duck, chicken, without discrimination.

To be precise, I only took the clean ones.

I gave up on anything that had even a drop of zombie fluid, zombie blood, or human blood on it. Rather than being anxious about what might happen if I put it in my mouth, I cleanly discarded it.

With happy movements unlike before, I quickly gathered items, and the display counter quickly emptied.

As I emptied the display counter, something new caught my eye on one side.

“Whoa!!! Awesome!!”

Meats of a completely different scale.

I was greeted by large, magnificent, and beautiful cuts of meat, packed for wholesale.

Each weighed a whopping 10kg. The place was full of even heavier cuts.

“All these meats weigh as much as my crowbar! Ugh!”

The number wasn’t large, but the weight and size were incredibly impressive.

I quickly emptied all the display counters and immediately went looking for the freezer.

The meat on display was already so splendid, so my expectations for what might be inside the freezer were high.

After rummaging around for a long time, I arrived at what I presumed to be the freezer. And my excited mood quickly soured.

Groooan–

Graaaah–

“…….”

A sturdy metal door, like those seen in kitchens in dramas.

Through a small window, the situation inside was visible.

Bloody handprints were plastered on the door, and from beyond the door, a scraping, deflating groan could be heard.

Someone injured had taken refuge inside, and zombies had followed.

It was a scene that seemed to explain just that.

Putting away my curved smile and cheerful mood, I pulled out my crowbar.

Zombie heads visible through the window.

I quietly opened the door and went inside.

These guys ruined my brief moment of happiness.

“…I should repay them.”

The start, as always, was a preemptive strike before they could recognize me.

Without delay, I swung the crowbar towards their heads.