3. Base Camp (1)

The casually dressed girl awkwardly bowed her head.

“Yes… I’m fine… So-eun, are you okay?”

The school uniform girl nodded. Clearly no visible injuries. If there were, these drama queens would’ve made a huge scene.

As long as they weren’t bitten, it’s fine.

If they had been bitten…

The baton grip feels rough against my palm.

Won’t slip even with full-force swings.

…Fuck.

Better not think about it.

Not being bitten is lucky enough.

Grrroowl.

Ah… I’m starving.

Pressed my ear against the storage room door.

Intermittent growling sounds. Doesn’t seem like they’re trying to break down the door anymore, but they’re still out there.

No idea how many there are.

I pointed at the door and whispered:

“Still there. Need to stay quiet.”

The casual clothes girl nodded.

I carefully moved away from the door and leaned against the wall.

Grrroowl.

Ugh, damn. Too hungry to function.

Only had Gatorade and water all day – no energy left.

Should eat something.

When I checked my bag – fuck, it’s so cold condensation’s forming. The frozen dumplings haven’t thawed at all.

Can I just chew these frozen?

“Ha…”

As I carefully unzipped my bag and sighed deeply, the casual girl offered me a cream-filled red bean bun.

“Um… this… if you’d like…”

I alternated looking between the bun and the girl.

“Isn’t that what you gathered for yourself?”

Grrroowl.

Ugh, damn.

The girl replied:

“It’s… it’s okay. We… ate ramen at home before coming. Just came to get some snacks…”

Her hands trembled violently.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“…What… what’s happening? Why…”

Hmm…

Would explaining the apocalypse in a kind voice calm her down?

I’d bet everything it wouldn’t.

I nodded and accepted the bun.

“Thanks for this.”

The rustling sound of unwrapping it seemed too loud.

Damn.

Took a big bite.

Fluffy bread with sweet cream and red bean paste. Incredibly delicious.

Maybe because I was starving.

Holy shit this tastes amazing.

While chewing, I scanned the storage room.

Lights on, boxes stacked everywhere, no windows.

…No windows.

“…Hmm.”

That’s fortunate.

I immediately pulled out my phone.

First priority – call my parents.

…No answer.

Fuck!

“Haa.”

My annoying sister isn’t picking up either.

Damn, need to keep trying periodically.

Speaking of which…

Battery’s at 65% now.

Where can I charge this? Left my charger at the goshiwon.

Ah fuck, this is problematic…

Any power banks in the convenience store?

While thinking this, I checked the news.

[WHO acknowledges global pandemic outbreak.]

Among the flood of local and international reports, one headline stood out.

[…The highly contagious new disease has been confirmed to induce extreme violence in infected individuals, requiring special caution, stated the WHO Director-General. Currently coordinating with pharmaceutical companies worldwide to identify the cause…]

…Pharmaceutical companies my ass.

What are they gonna treat dead people running around attacking others with? Penicillin? Fuck that.

Anything else?

[Infected individuals appearing at Cheorwon military base?!]

[Series of maritime accidents caused by new disease.]

[Road congestion disrupting cargo transport.]

[Korail announces suspension of subway operations.]

……Fuck……

National infrastructure is collapsing.

In just one day!

If those beasts have reached military bases, doesn’t that mean even the military can’t move freely?

Ah.

What about the president’s press conference?

[President warns of national crisis in press conference.]

Clicked the article.

[…The president acknowledged and warned of the national crisis while announcing all necessary measures would be taken. However, declaring no martial law prompted fierce opposition. A military expert suggested rumors of infected at bases might be true, making containment the priority…]

…So it’s confirmed then.

Even the military… got hit.

Probably more bases will fall soon.

In Starcraft terms…

It’s like having multiple bases but enemies spawning simultaneously everywhere, leaving few defensible positions.

Roads blocked prevent troop movement, abandoned bases risk being overrun, and soldiers sent as reinforcements might just become additional casualties.

…What about airstrikes?

…Actually that’s problematic too.

Where would they bomb?

Civilian areas would have the most casualties. Drop bombs there?

Without knowing who’s infected or surviving?

Right now in this convenience store alone, while those fuckers growl outside, three of us are trapped inside.

If someone bombed this place, I’d drag them by the collar and smash their face into concrete.

These girls survived. I survived.

Probably many survivors out there.

…So bombing’s off the table.

Meaning urban combat is inevitable, but the military’s hands are tied.

…That’s the situation then.

What a fucking headache.

……Mom, dad.

Why aren’t you answering?

Did you get infected?

You bitch, are you dead?

…Fucking hell.

“Haa…”

Unconsciously buried my face in my knees and sighed.

The bun tasted delicious despite everything.

“…Um…”

A hoarse female voice.

Glanced up slightly.

The girl was looking at me cautiously.

“…Our house is just down the alley… Would you… mind escorting us there…?”

…Escort them?

When I can barely protect myself?

Are you joking.

I slowly blinked before responding.

“…I don’t have anywhere to go either.”

I came here to return to school, not because I live here.

Need to take a fucking plane to get home.

My goshiwon is probably far from here.

Hell, this is my first time in this neighborhood.

Fuck this.

The girl spoke:

“…We… have an empty rooftop room you could use…”

…Rooftop room?

Not sure how to respond.

As I stared blankly, she continued:

“The previous tenant moved out last month after getting a job elsewhere. We run a boarding house… just up ahead.”

“…A boarding house?”

She nodded.

Ah, near the school then.

Makes sense there’d be boarding houses around.

“Right now… it’s just our family and one college student. If you’d like…”

“Your parents are there too?”

She shook her head.

“My grandmother. Mom and dad went to Japan last week… Just us girls now…”

…Just girls?

So they came out for snacks and ended up in this mess.

Probably wishing they had a man around now.

…Hmm…

The offer isn’t bad.

I need to recover stamina periodically to level up, and rest is my only known recovery method.

Need somewhere to rest.

“…Is the rooftop room cleaned?”

Her face brightened slightly.

“Yes. My sister and I cleaned it thoroughly. No furnishings but… we can share some things.”

Like I care about furnishings.

I chuckled darkly.

“Just need a roof.”

I looked at the storage door.

This is frustrating.

If only I knew how many are out there, I could make a plan.

“…Problem is how we get out of here.”

Not that I expected an answer.

Scanned the storage room again.

Anything useful?

Carefully opened boxes one by one.

Cola, cider, snacks, cup noodles – everything imaginable.

Tissues and sanitary pads too.

Hmm……

Looting a supermarket wouldn’t be bad.

Wait.

…Daiso?!

Daiso would be perfect!

They have everything!

Might even find something weapon-worthy.

…Fuck.

Now that I think about it, Daiso doesn’t sell assault rifles, swords or maces.

Damn, when have I ever thought about weapons before for my mind to go blank now.

All I can think of is Daiso.

After searching through boxes, nothing particularly useful.

“Haa…”

Wait.

The shelf holding boxes…

Looks exactly like a metal pipe.

An assembly-style shelf.

Could disassemble it by unscrewing.

The girls just watched what I was doing.

Don’t care if they watch as I struggled to unscrew with bare hands. Fuck, this is tough.

The casual girl reached into her pocket and handed me something.

A key.

“Try… using this…”

Nodded and tried fitting it into the cross screw. Damn, no good.

“Haa…”

Anything else?

Then the silent uniform girl tossed something near my feet.

A box cutter.

Noticed her wrist when she threw it…

Multiple scars there.

She’s been self-harming severely.

The casual girl glared at her.

“So-eun. You still carry this around?”

So-eun the siren girl didn’t respond.

Just buried her face in her knees.

Fucking frustrating girl.

Chatty enough at the store entrance.

Picked up the cutter and fitted it into the screw.

This might work.

“Thanks for this.”

Started slowly unscrewing.