42. Back to Routine. (2)

Seong Ga-yeon sighed and said:

“So, should I ask the person in 708 to… perform surgery?”

I got into the elevator and pressed the button for the 7th floor.

Then, I tilted my head.

“I’m not sure. It’s not my place to decide, but I want to introduce her to the women first.”

Seong Ga-yeon nodded.

“You’re doing a good thing.”

“What can I do? I just feel sorry for the women who went through that.”

The elevator doors closed.

When I arrived at room 708 and knocked, a middle-aged woman with a well-aged appearance opened the door.

“Yes…?”

“Are you a gynecologist?”

“Ah, yes… I am, but…”

The gynecologist looked surprised and stared at me.

“Ah, it’s Seong Hoon, right? Sorry, I just woke up.”

She awkwardly smiled and smoothed her hair.

I smiled and said:

“I have something to consult with you.”

Looking at the gynecologist, who was now frowning, I told her about the women.

Her expression changed gradually.

She didn’t smile or get angry, just a blank, almost professional face, as if she was in her element as a gynecologist.

“Do you know what they want to do?”

“I don’t know, but I think they might want to talk to a doctor, which is why I came to find you.”

She slowly nodded and said:

“It’s best to be prepared, just in case. The hospital I used to run is nearby. It’s beyond the safe zone, but can you help me check it out?”

I nodded.

“I’ll go with some special forces members to clear it out.”

“Yes. I’ll get ready and then go to the mart building you mentioned.”

I tilted my head.

“You’re going right now?”

“Yes, they might be feeling depressed and anxious right now.”

I nodded and said:

“I’ll let the special forces know. The route is already cleared, but just in case.”

“Thank you.”

The route from Seoraevillage to the mart building had been completely cleared over the past week.

Aside from the smell of corpses, it was a quiet road.

But it wouldn’t be right to let a doctor travel alone in the apocalypse.

Doctors are valuable resources in these times.

I went downstairs and told Seong Ga-yeon what had happened.

Seong Ga-yeon said:

“I’ll go and bring her myself. Seong Hoon, you secure the hospital.”

“Go yourself? Alone?”

Seong Ga-yeon laughed and said:

“No, I’ll go with a special forces member who’s been sitting at the barricade doing nothing. Besides, we have snipers on the rooftops, so a quick trip should be fine.”

Then, she nodded at me.

“You haven’t met those people yet, right? I want to meet Seong Hoon’s girlfriend too.”

…Hmm…

There are four of them.

One I don’t even know the name of, but still.

It’s hard to explain.

There’s no real reason to stop her, and it would seem strange if I did.

I shrugged and told another special forces member guarding the motel:

“Did you hear that? I’m going now. Please assign a few people to help me. We just need to carry out the bodies.”

“Understood.”

The special forces member nodded.

 * * *

[Your level has increased.]

“Phew.”

I wiped the blood from my chin, looking at the fallen corpses.

After clearing out a bakery filled with mold and maggots, I walked back down the street.

This cleared the gynecologist’s clinic and nearby buildings in the Seoraevillage safe zone.

A quick round trip shouldn’t cause any issues.

People from the safe zone were already gathering at the clinic, carrying out the bodies.

I waved back to those who waved at me, then opened my status window and allocated a point to Agility.

This brought me to level 18.

Agility: 32.

“…Too slow.”

I had been hunting intensively to secure the safe zone, but since then, there hasn’t been much to kill.

The same is true now. The gynecologist’s clinic and a few other buildings are already cleared, leaving nothing to level up on.

It’s just a quiet, peaceful routine.

It took a week to install and distribute the weapons we received from the U.S., but it wasn’t just idle time.

At lunchtime.

With no more human beasts around the mart building or the Seoraevillage safe zone, I thought about riding Dalgaram a bit further.

As I was thinking this, I returned to Seoraevillage and saw President Min Jeong-woo speaking to a group of special forces members, including Seong Gyu-hyuk, in front of the motel.

“Ah, Seong Hoon. You’re here just in time.”

President Min Jeong-woo waved at me upon seeing me.

As I approached, the elderly man Min Jeong-woo grabbed my hand and smiled.

“Thank you for securing our safety today. It seems you don’t have a day without blood.”

I shrugged and said:

“I’ve secured the hospital. What’s going on? It’s been a while since everyone gathered like this.”

President Min Jeong-woo had been quite cheerful all along.

He said:

“I just had a call with the Japanese Prime Minister.”

I looked at him in surprise.

“The Japanese Prime Minister?”

President Min Jeong-woo nodded.

“Yes. Japan is in a situation as bad as, if not worse than, ours. The Self-Defense Forces have been decimated, and the government is essentially non-functional. So, the Prime Minister is just a figurehead, like me.”

I slowly nodded.

The decimation of the military isn’t surprising. If even one or two crew members on a warship turn, the entire ship becomes useless.

The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force, known for its strength, would have collapsed quickly.

This would likely be the case for any country, including the U.S. and China.

President Min Jeong-woo said:

“One piece of good news is that the Japanese Prime Minister mentioned that the U.S. President is still alive.”

The U.S. President too?

That’s surprising.

After all, national leaders have formidable security, so they have a higher chance of surviving unless they are killed by their guards or turn themselves.

President Min Jeong-woo is alive, after all.

President Min Jeong-woo said:

“The Japanese Prime Minister is in a bunker, and the U.S. President is planning to gather a militia to reclaim the country.”

“A militia?”

President Min Jeong-woo glanced at Seong Gyu-hyuk.

Seong Gyu-hyuk nodded and said:

“Yes. The U.S. has the highest number of firearms in the world. Many civilians know how to handle guns. The Second Amendment of their Constitution provides for a militia.”

What’s the Second Amendment?

I decided not to ask, as it seemed too unfamiliar.

I just nodded, and President Min Jeong-woo said:

“A country that guarantees the right to bear arms in its Constitution has never been something I envied. But honestly, I envy them now. If we could have obtained guns freely, we might have overcome this crisis more easily.”

I laughed.

“Would you have thought that in peaceful times?”

President Min Jeong-woo shook his head.

“I’m saying this now. I would never have thought this way in any other situation.”

Of course, that makes sense.

I nodded and asked:

“So, what happens now? The U.S. can’t support us yet, can they?”

President Min Jeong-woo shook his head and smiled.

“We might be in a position to support them. We have something they don’t.”

He looked at me intently and said:

“You.”

…Hmm.

I doubt there’s another Chosen One besides me.

I’d like to meet them if there is one, but I doubt there is.

I chuckled and said:

“You’re not suggesting I go to the U.S., are you?”

President Min Jeong-woo shook his head.

“Of course not. We still need you. Speaking of which, we were discussing this with our reliable team members.”

“Discussing what? What are you talking about?”

President Min Jeong-woo looked at me and said:

“Seong Hoon, we have secured weapons, and thanks to your efforts, we are now safe. But safety isn’t enough. We need electricity and water.”

…Electricity and water.

I need to charge my phone, and the toilet needs to flush.

Of course, we need water to drink and wash with.

President Min Jeong-woo said:

“Our next target is a nuclear power plant. We were discussing this with our team members.”

Seong Gyu-hyuk, who was looking at me, nodded and said:

“Nuclear power plants are located along the west and east coasts. They are strategically valuable and are expected to have robust air defense systems.”

President Min Jeong-woo said:

“That means there might be people still alive there.”

He then took my hand in both of his.

This old man always has such warm hands.

He said:

“Can I ask you for help again?”

I need electricity too.

Without it, things would be very difficult.

I slowly nodded.

“Of course.”