Chapter 20: Hope

Day 40 of the zombie outbreak.

Hope was shaking.

Trials befell the church. Whether because the world had grown harsher, strange incidents suddenly began occurring one after another.

“What bastard’s playing these pranks?”

Crosses hanging in church corridors fell or got turned upside down.

“Some kids came visiting in the church’s name, and when I opened the door, they suddenly attacked!”

“They robbed my whole house!”

Believers complained of pain, faces swollen from attacks by juvenile delinquent gangs. It seemed like incidents stemming from leaked visitor logs.

Sometimes apocalyptic madmen burst in during service.

Shoving in bound zombies and spraying water guns filled with what might have been zombie blood mixed in.

“I heard there are miracles here! Prove it! That you’re a savior! Hurry! Drive out this zombie and virus!”

That madman seeking antibodies and hope received physical therapy – no, “repentance” – but problems kept coming.

“Police. We heard illegal activities are happening here…”

Several police officers barged in. The pastor responded calmly, but it was meaningless.

“We follow all prevention protocols, and there’ve been no criminal acts. Take a look.”

As society collapsed and government agencies broke down, corrupt public servants emerged among police.

The officers didn’t move an inch, just smirked and spoke smoothly:

“These days, crime exists if we want to find it. Hey, Pastor. Be reasonable, yeah? You know?”

The officers rubbed their hands together.

The pastor’s lips twitched before pressing shut. Instead, another elder’s face reddened with anger:

“Who are you? Which police station are you from?”

“What good would knowing do? Inspections, investigations, disciplinary action – it’s all meaningless now, isn’t it?”

The officers fondled their guns and tasers. Complex expressions crossed some faces. Greed flashing on one, self-loathing and resignation mixing on another, survival instinct or vengeance grimly lingering on another.

They couldn’t stop openly unhinged police. The elders fell silent as they belatedly grasped reality.

Finally the pastor sighed.

“How much do you want? We don’t have much money. We’re already struggling just to distribute masks and sanitizer…”

“That’s exactly it. Just some prevention supplies and stockpiled food.”

Seemed city police had also reached the final form of plunder. Seeing them desire others’ harvests instead of increasingly meaningless money.

The church ended up handing over masks, sanitizer, and several boxes of ramen nearing expiration.

“Here. Take them.”

“Good. We’ll be going then. Pastor. Don’t worry about minor incidents. We’ll smooth things over.”

The police, having their own thoughts, left after exchanging tangible resources for intangible benefits.

Shadows falling heavily across his face, the pastor rubbed his face several times before looking at the elders. Whether doubt, fatigue, or faith reflected in those eyes was unclear.

He seemed to closely watch both the furious and worried elders.

The pastor spoke slowly:

“The world is stained with corruption. Only those with faith will have a chance to survive. Of course we must prepare to protect our faith from those stained by sin.”

“Ah, of course. The greater the trial, the more we must prove our faith.”

The elders hurried to speak. Naturally I blended in among them. I nodded faithfully while staring only at the pastor.

“I simply follow your guidance, Pastor.”

The world was truly frightening. Brazen criminals, madmen spraying zombie blood, police turning into gangs. Above all, distrust and betrayal. It was truly a difficult era to live in.

The meeting began. The pastor, six elders, and me handling security. Among eight people, two were traitors, and the pastor roughly grasped the situation.

The pastor spoke from the pulpit:

“It seems someone is deliberately targeting our church. Perhaps there’s even a betrayer among us.”

He apparently judged these concentrated trials unnatural, indicating someone’s malice. It was decent judgment and a subtle warning.

“That can’t be.”

“Are you saying there are unbelievers among us?”

The elders looked around at each other with wide eyes. Though unable to believe it, they seemed to search for suspicious people.

Crack – the sound of solid unity fracturing seemed to echo. Doubt, distrust, wariness. Those emotions, once rooted, split people like breaking stone.

First came logical suspicion.

“The attacked people said they heard the church’s name… The visitor log! Someone leaked the visitor log!”

“Well, many people can access that…”

“And who called the police and that crazy person?”

With too few clues to find the culprit, emotional suspicion followed.

“Elder Park. Didn’t you say you used to steal?”

“That repentance was ages ago. Besides, I might’ve stolen but I wouldn’t do this crap. I find you suspicious.”

The thieving elder narrowed his eyes and shot arrows of suspicion everywhere.

“You badmouthed the pastor.”

“That was long ago-“

“I clearly heard you criticizing why that preacher couldn’t get along with the lead pastor. And Elder Lee. You often showed lack of faith in the pastor too.”

“How dare a thieving bastard spout nonsense-“

Human relationships, history, and conflicts I hadn’t known began erupting.

Goosebumps rose on my skin. Just two people. Me and the thieving elder. Yet this church was shaking.

‘They called it stirring up trouble.’

The dictionary defined it as: destroying household assets, causing very noisy and busy commotion, figuratively referring to plundering or pillaging others’ things.

From just two people stirring trouble…

Around then suspicious gazes turned to me too.

“Deacon Kwon. Could it be you?”

“We don’t even know your background. Are you really that professor’s student? We couldn’t verify your education.”

Natural enough. In this situation they’d suspect the rolling stone first. Obviously I had no diploma proving my education.

I quickly recalled the basics of psychological manipulation learned from the professor’s broadcasts. The professor who spread apocalyptic theory persuasively using logic, emotion, and authority.

“Elders. I understand your suspicion. I’m a newcomer who joined late. But why would I do this? What would I gain?”

A voice full of relatable indignation along with reasonable logic.

“I only saw hope in the pastor and tried to help save more people. Farming, church defense, disaster countermeasures, I just…”

Finally I closed my eyes and bowed to the pastor. Lacking authority myself, I left judgment to him.

“If you find me suspicious and uncomfortable, Pastor, I’ll leave immediately. But please continue the methods I left behind.”

Surely he wouldn’t suddenly tell me to get lost. Not without some reverse psychology.

The elders spoke sheepishly:

“No, Deacon Kwon. It’s not that we specifically suspect you… Everyone’s suspicious.”

But the pastor stayed quiet. I clenched sweaty palms. Could he have been suspecting me?

Fortunately, the pastor postponed finding the culprit.

“Deacon Kwon Da-in. Please raise your head. Elders, calm your emotions too. We’ll solve this issue slowly.”

Success.

I raised my head with hope shining in my eyes. The elders stopped arguing too. They’d wait for the pastor’s judgment day.

Of course the pastor planned to patch the conflict first, warn the unknown culprit to restrict their actions, and buy time to gather more clues, but he misjudged.

‘I’m killing him today, how’s he planning to find anyone.’

The remaining tasks were simple.

Kill the pastor, take out some church elders swept up in doubt and conflict, seize the diminished church.

And night came.

Click-

Checking the gun. A police pistol the church had somehow acquired, borrowed from the thieving elder. Loading lethal rounds instead of blanks up front.

After reviewing the safety and shooting method, I slowly rose.

The decisive day had come.

Whether the pastor was real hope or a zombie-to-be, he died today. Thump thump, my heart beat slowly. Though not my first time killing someone, tension rose – perhaps because the opponent wasn’t easy.

‘If he’s sleeping I won’t even need the gun.’

Step by step, I headed to the office where the pastor lived. Unfortunately he seemed awake, white light showing through the door gap.

I briefly aimed the gun above the door. If I knew where he was, I could shoot to kill right now.

But then, a voice came. The pastor’s.

“Come in.”

Had he sensed me? Had he felt some sign?

After brief hesitation, I hid the gun in my hoodie pocket and openly held the hammer before slowly opening the door. Beyond, the pastor sitting behind his desk watched me closely.

A gun in his hand. Police body armor on his body.

“So the traitor was you.”

I swallowed hard and quickly shook my head. He’d already prepared for an attack.

“No, that’s not it. With recent events-“

“At this hour?”

The pastor smirked. Indeed, it was deep night. Not exactly counseling hours. Maybe I should’ve turned back immediately seeing the light on.

The pastor’s finger on the trigger aimed precisely at me.

“I thought if there was a traitor, they’d come for me. Whatever their intention, the game ends by just killing me.”

“…”

A sigh escaped inside.

The pastor also knew marauder group basics. Betrayal and distrust were fundamental. He went further. Then predict and prepare for the traitor’s actions.

Attacking the church? Kill the pastor and it easily falls. After the church’s resources? Killing the pastor makes it easier. Believing that judgment, the pastor used himself as bait waiting for the enemy’s attack.

The pastor spoke:

“I won’t ask why. Some people hate Jesus, so of course they might attack a mere human like me. Still, I’m glad it’s you.”

“Because if an elder betrayed, they’d come with a gun?”

When I stated why he was glad I was the traitor, the pastor smiled. He seemed relieved we could communicate, yet sad I was the culprit.

Either way, he didn’t know the thieving elder had betrayed me and I had a gun.

‘Need a chance to draw and shoot. Or disable his gun. Should I make him drop his guard?’

My mind raced. Not much time. The pastor could pull the trigger anytime. Watching his hand, I spoke:

“Pastor. Given the situation, I won’t hide anymore.”

“No. Keep hiding. An unbeliever’s thoughts-“

The moment those words came, the moment his arm twitched, I moved without thinking.

My elbow hit the switch by the door while throwing my whole body outside the open door.

Then came a light gunshot and voice.

“I don’t need to know.”

Darkness had fallen on the church. I gritted my teeth.

‘Did I get hit? Was it a blank? Am I hit but can’t feel it from adrenaline?’

No, my injuries weren’t important now. The pastor muttering while finding my position. Had to deal with him now. Fortunately I had a gun too.

‘Can’t hit the body with the armor. Head. Need to aim for the head with one shot.’

Holding my breath, moving as silently as possible. Leaning against the wall beside the door.

“Running away? I will make them drunk with my arrows and my sword shall devour flesh with the blood of the slain and captives, from the heads of enemy leaders. You can’t escape.”

Bang! A heavy gunshot rang out. Non-lethal round? Anyway the bullet struck the floor by the door as red sparks flew.

Thump thump, the pastor’s footsteps approached. I even stopped breathing, roughly raising my sweat-soaked hand to pastor head height. Finger on the trigger.

Thump-

The moment the pastor stepped out.

A voice came from the far end of the corridor opposite me.

“Pastor! Is something wrong?”

Do-hyung. Must’ve heard the gunshot and come running from sleep. I sensed the pastor turning, sparks flew from his fingertips as bullets fired.

“Ah! What? Who? Pastor, are you okay? Don’t tell me that crazy person-“

“…Weren’t you a traitor?”

Had he judged the person I brought as a fellow traitor? Seemed like correct judgment.

I grinned and pulled the trigger. The muzzle flashed and grazed the back of the pastor’s head as he turned toward me. In that instant of light, I saw the pastor’s skull burst.

Thanks to excellent help from my right arm, the marauder group’s senior member, the vicious electricity thief. Perfect cooperation between me as executor, the thieving elder providing weapons, and Do-hyung distracting attention.