36. What’s in the East Sea. (3)

The U.S. commander tapped the ash off his cigar and put it back in his mouth.

Then he said to me,

“A proposal, you said?”

I nodded as Sung Ga-yeon translated.

“You said you couldn’t get the cooperation of the local residents. We can provide that cooperation.”

I flicked the ash from my cigar onto the floor and continued,

“We will help you move to the East Sea. In return, give us the weapons. Including mines and small to medium-sized guided missiles. Javelins, I think?”

The U.S. commander looked at me silently and then said,

“If it was a month ago, and if your forces were sufficient, it would have been quite tempting. But with all due respect, you are only ten people. We are well-trained. We don’t need your help.”

Hmm…

That’s how it is…

I crossed my arms and took a drag from my cigar.

…It tastes good, this cigar.

No wonder they keep talking about Cuban cigars.

Sigh.

I looked at the U.S. commander while enjoying my cigar.

His gaze was already firm.

He won’t change his mind.

Persuasion is pointless.

Then…

I glanced at the young U.S. soldiers standing behind him.

…Four hundred…

Should I just kill them all…

While thinking this, I turned my gaze back to the U.S. commander.

The U.S. commander was looking at me, unaware that his life was on the line, with a look that seemed to ask if I had more to say.

As I inhaled the cigar,

Strangely,

Our timing for inhaling was the same.

We exhaled the smoke together.

The rich, brown, woody aroma wafted around our noses and mouths, then dispersed.

…The taste of the cigar…

…It’s good.

…Tsk.

I shouldn’t have accepted the cigar.

I nodded and stood up.

“Understood. We’ll see each other again.”

The U.S. commander smiled kindly and said something, probably a farewell, but Sung Ga-yeon didn’t bother translating.

We walked out of the building, which looked like a barracks, and headed toward the runway, escorted by the young U.S. soldiers.

The U.S. soldiers and our Special Forces members were standing a few steps apart, chatting casually. They seemed to be exchanging some jokes, judging by the slight smiles on their faces.

The Special Forces members and the U.S. soldiers turned to look at us when they noticed us.

Special Forces Leader Sung Gyu-hyuk handed me the Ingram submachine guns and swords and asked,

“How did it go?”

I took the weapons and slowly shook my head.

Sung Gyu-hyuk’s face darkened slightly.

As I re-armed and started walking, the Special Forces members followed me. I heard Sung Ga-yeon’s voice from behind, probably recounting what had just happened.

I walked along the runway, thinking.

We can’t return empty-handed after coming all this way.

If something happens to the U.S. forces during their move, their weapons will end up in the hands of the local resident groups.

I feel bad for the locals, but I want those weapons.

A base of this size must have a significant stockpile.

I can’t just let it go.

“Seong-hun, what do you plan to do? Should we call for the helicopter?”

Sung Ga-yeon approached and asked.

Sung Gyu-hyuk came from the other side and said,

“No, we can’t call for the helicopter. We need those weapons.”

“But, brother. The President said not to push too hard.”

Sung Gyu-hyuk didn’t respond.

His expression was quite firm.

He seems determined to get the weapons by any means.

I said quietly,

“Let’s not call the helicopter today and stay here for a while.”

Sung Ga-yeon said worriedly,

“Beasts come out at night. And there’s nowhere for us to stay here.”

Right.

Beasts.

I need to see them at least once.

I said,

“This is right below Seoul. What happens here could happen in Seoul too. I need to see what these beasts are like.”

Sung Ga-yeon’s face showed concern.

I said,

“We don’t know when the U.S. forces will leave, but the journey from here to the East Sea is a long one. They can’t use vehicles, so they have to walk. Will they make it without any casualties? I doubt it. They say they don’t need our help right now, but that’s just what they think.”

As I walked along the runway, I was the only one talking.

No one really objected to what I said.

I continued,

“We need those weapons. There’s no disagreement there. We could try another military base, but it will probably be in the same mess. There’s no guarantee that if we can’t get them here, we’ll get them elsewhere.”

At the end of the runway,

There were buildings faintly visible.

I was walking toward them.

“Let’s give it a try.”

Sung Gyu-hyuk nodded.

“It might take some time. I’ll report to the President.”

“Okay.”

As we walked along the runway, Sung Ga-yeon, looking at her phone, said,

“The place the residents went to is Dongchang-ri. It’s by the river, so the trapped monsters will probably come back up. The people there might be in danger.”

Sung Gyu-hyuk, who was sending a message, glanced at Sung Ga-yeon.

“We are in a more dangerous situation right now. The sun will set in a few hours. We need to find a place to stay.”

Sung Ga-yeon bit her lip and nodded.

The town at the end of the runway was Anjeong-ri. With two towns on one runway, it must be quite a long runway.

We walked for a while and entered the town of Anjeong-ri.

The town had a variety of ordinary shops: a bean sprout soup restaurant, an internet cafe, a billiard hall, and a karaoke bar.

The buildings were quite small, but it was a fairly large residential and commercial area, worthy of being called a town.

It seemed to be a town that had thrived due to the U.S. military base.

We wandered around the town, looking for a suitable place to stay.

The town’s scenery was not much different from Seoul’s.

The roads were blocked by cars, and there were sections where the road was clear, and some cars had crashed and flipped over.

That wasn’t particularly unusual.

The shattered windows of the shops were also not a particularly remarkable sight for us.

What caught my eye was something else.

“…No one is here?”

I muttered to myself.

As I said, there were no human beasts in any of the shops on the street.

Sung Gyu-hyuk groaned,

“…It seems our helicopter drew all the remaining monsters to the river and they fell in.”

Sung Ga-yeon, looking through the window of a hair salon, said softly,

“…They said the beasts would attack people when they run out of food.”

The Special Forces members looked at each other.

I slowly nodded.

“At least it’s good news that it’s quiet here. Let’s find a suitable place to stay for a while.”

“Seong-hun, what about the beasts? They might attack people.”

I didn’t answer.

She was right.

There’s no food here.

Even if there were, it would be the Special Forces members, who are heavily armed and not easy targets.

So, the beasts have only one target.

For me, it’s fortunate.

It’s clear where the beasts will gather.

“That building looks good.”

Sung Gyu-hyuk pointed to a building that seemed relatively tall.

It was a multi-story building with a clinic, a pediatric clinic, a pharmacy, and a McDonald’s, the tallest in the town.

There was a convenience store, so food shouldn’t be a problem.

I nodded and said,

“Let’s stay here. The top floor looks good.”

We entered the building and first looted the convenience store.

From the top floor, the 7th floor, we could see that there was only one entrance.

It seemed the building owner lived on this top floor.

One of the Special Forces members took out a small toolbox and picked the lock.

He didn’t unlock it; he simply ripped off the handle, clearly not a locksmith.

I thought of Soo-hyeon.

I already miss her.

The house was quite large.

Using an entire floor of the building, the living room was like a sports field.

There was very little furniture, so there was plenty of space for all of us to lie down.

I said,

“Let’s eat dinner here and try to be quiet. No loud noises, everyone knows that.”

The Special Forces members, who were relaxing on the floor, nodded.

“What do you plan to do now?”

I looked at Sung Ga-yeon.

“Where did you say the people went? What’s the name of the place?”

“Dongchang-ri.”

Sung Ga-yeon answered and then widened her eyes.

“You’re not thinking of going there, are you?”

I smiled and nodded.

“We should go. People are dying, right?”

Actually, I’m not really concerned about the people dying. I want to see the beasts and test if I can kill them.

But there’s no need to say that outright.

Sung Ga-yeon opened and closed her lips before saying,

“It’s dangerous.”

I chuckled.

“When have I ever had it easy? Getting covered in blood is nothing. Don’t worry.”

Sung Ga-yeon and the Special Forces members’ eyes changed, as if recalling something.

They must be remembering the times I was covered in blood.

I smiled and said,

“I’m hungry. Who’s going to prepare the food?”

Sung Gyu-hyuk tapped one of the Special Forces members on the shoulder and stood up.

“How about sesame seed ramen? It’s delicious, right?”

I smiled.

“Sounds good.”

It will take some time for the sun to set.

We can eat and digest before heading out.

I sat on the sofa, watching Sung Gyu-hyuk and two other Special Forces members find two large pots in the kitchen and start filling them with water.

…A nuclear carrier in the East Sea…

I chuckled.

It’s useless.

I have no plans to cross the sea anywhere.

A tank would be more useful.

It could crush the cars on the road and handle a few human beasts easily.

I’ve never ridden in a tank, but the Black Panther is supposed to be good.

Do the U.S. forces have tanks?

I should have asked.