episode_0009

” Reporter..? ”

A reporter? You go around to different places, ask questions, and chase after people?

” Is something strange? ”

” No, it’s not weird.. ”

Just a reporter creating a shelter like this?

No way.

” You’re not an ordinary reporter, are you? ”

” What does that ordinariness mean? ”

Wow. You’re asking this question in reverse.

” What is it? It refers to people who write about various topics on the Internet. ”

A person who runs around the country on his own two feet to collect and organize information and then post facts?

It can’t possibly exist.

Most of the articles were either geared towards encouraging fights or simply spreading the word.

But this person doesn’t seem to be that kind of person.

Could it be that he was a sort of information broker, collecting information himself but instead of posting it on the internet, selling it to someone else? The proof is the very existence of this shelter.

” You’re not just a reporter, are you? A common, ordinary reporter can’t be the owner of a shelter like this. At least you knew about the existence of this shelter. You left a map. How did you get such delicious information? ”

Let me just give it a try. My reasoning may be correct in the grand scheme of things, but there may be something wrong with it.

” I got it from a member of the National Assembly from a certain party. ”

The person who built this shelter was not this person.

That’s surprising. It wouldn’t be easy to swallow someone else’s shelter… Did you find their weakness?

” You have quite a gloomy corner. ”

” I don’t know what you’re talking about. ”

If it’s not dirty to grab hold of someone else’s weakness and shake it and demand a price, then what is?

” Why did you receive this shelter? ”

” If you work as a reporter for a long time, you can see things like the world sentiment, future direction, and various things in fragments. The high-ranking officials, for example. It seems like they vaguely knew that the world would become like this. Since I was just a reporter, I didn’t know the details, but the atmosphere was a little strange. Some people were anxious, some gave up. There were so many different reactions. I asked a lot of people there. I asked if there was a clue to solving this problem. But they all said there wasn’t. Some said that the shrimp’s back was broken in a fight between whales, and some said that the prelude had already been opened. This is why I received shelter from a member of the National Assembly. If you’re going to build something, shouldn’t you build it in a safe place? ”

Although he was talkative, his words were vague.

I was answering only from the perspective of a reporter covering politicians.

It felt like there was something more, but it didn’t seem like it would go into much detail.

” Let me ask you one question here. Was there any talk of war on TV in the month or so before the day the world became like this? ”

……I didn’t. If it had been taken seriously on TV, I would have known.

The war between Ukraine and Russia was initially taken seriously, but as the war dragged on, most people who had been living in peace lost interest.

” The world may think that a sudden nuclear war broke out, but I think a little differently. I wondered if no one knew that Ukraine possessed nuclear weapons. ”

” The world became this mess because no one knew about it? ”

” Do you really think the entire world has been subject to a nuclear attack? ”

As far as I know, there are 10,000 nuclear weapons in the world.

The power of nuclear weapons themselves is strong, but unless they are fired in dense clusters all over the Earth, there will definitely be a green zone. Unless that green zone is in the polar regions, it would be a good place for people to live.

” But why are you talking about such random things? I just asked about how you got this shelter, but the conversation has gotten quite long. ”

” I was just curious about your goals. ”

” What’s your goal? ”

” People, you know. They miss the glory days of the past. Electricity, gas, water, internet, etc. If there was a land that still had those things, wouldn’t they want to go there? ”

I want to go. So much.

Who would enjoy living a nomadic life without being able to wash properly, rest, and lack food?

It was even more difficult because even the natural environment, which should be fair to everyone, was in shambles.

” Is there such a place? ”

” I don’t know, but… I think I might be able to get a hint if I go here. ”

As the man spoke, he showed a map.

” This is a rough map of the government’s shelters. I’m sure they know a lot, but honestly, I’d rather they just look at it and not remember it. ”

” Why? ”

” Well… it’s hard to say that a place where people gather is necessarily a good place. ”

Well, that’s true. Even if they tried to save each other while evacuating, if they fought each other to get more of the limited supplies, it would be a battle royale.

” Then I guess I should really look at it as a reference book. ”

I wouldn’t necessarily go looking for it, but I’ll consider it if I’m passing by.

If you’re tired of living outside, this might be a good idea to consider.

To be honest, I do miss the civilizations of the past. But the only country that hasn’t been subjected to nuclear blasts is the United States, so how can we cross the continent? It’s virtually impossible, so we should just live as we are.

Anyway, there was a harvest. It seems like this old man told me what he had to tell me.

” Hey, do you have any questions for this guy? ”

” Huh? Huh.. Not really? Oh. Isn’t there a mart around here that doesn’t get robbed? ”

” Mart… Now that I think about it, there should be one near the north and south of this shelter. The mart isn’t that big, but it looks like they have a warehouse in the basement, so it might be worth a visit. But don’t tell me anything if you don’t have any supplies. ”

” Yes, that was all I had to ask. ”

So we got the information and went out of the room, taking the shelter map that was mentioned.

” Oh! Are you done with your work? ”

As I came out of the room, the child spoke to me as if he had been waiting at the entrance.

” Yeah. It’s done. ”

” Then let’s eat together! Mom, it’s been a while since you’ve had a guest, so let’s all eat together! ”

Suddenly? But I don’t refuse food that is given.

” Okay. Okay. ”

” Hehehe! Dad! Mommy, let’s eat! ”

As soon as the child screamed, the door opened and the man inside came out.

” It’s already that time. Yes, we should eat. Oh, how about you eat together? ”

” I’ve already been recommended to your daughter. ”

” Oh, I see. ”

What the heck. It was an old man reacting to each and every one of them.

Is it because he is a father raising a daughter?

” I’m new to eating at the shelter. What do you think? ”

” To be honest, it’s a shelter. It’s just a house located underground. ”

I don’t have high expectations. I guess it’ll just be a preserved food?

So we entered a room,

” Oh my, come in. ”

A woman greeted us while cooking kimchi stew.

” Oh my! It’s kimchi stew! ”

” ….. Wow. ”

It’s been a while since I had kimchi stew.

The unique smell of kimchi stew stimulated my appetite.

I sat down at the table as instructed by the woman. There were already spoons, water, and appetizer plates on the table.

And there was rice too.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen this.

” We have plenty of resources. We’ve been stockpiling supplies for years. Even in the current situation where electricity, water, and gas are cut off, it’s not a big problem. As for gas, we just need a gas cylinder and a burner, and as for electricity, we can just run a small generator.

Of course, you’ll have to get oil, water, and food separately. What do you think? Doesn’t it feel like a shelter? ”

Hmm, what I was talking about was the personnel composition, not the shelter’s supplies or equipment configuration, but does that matter?

While we were talking, kimchi stew was served on the table.

Bubble bubble bubble

I put it on a plate and took a spoonful.

….it was delicious.

How long has it been?

It’s been a long time since I’ve had kimchi stew.

When I first started living alone, I didn’t even try to cook because the cooking process was so annoying, and I didn’t bother buying food from outside.

…..Why didn’t I know it was this delicious…

I should have eaten more food…

It’s only now that I regret it.

I ate kimchi stew and rice back to back with regret and emotion.

#############

I eat, play with my child, and sleep in the shelter.

We spent our time like that and only when morning came did we get ready to leave.

The destination is, of course, Yeoju. We have to find at least some trace of our parents.

” Are you going? ”

I turned around following the voice and saw a child looking regretful.

” Do I have to go? ”

Maybe it was because I looked like my peers.

” Because I have work to do. ”

Saying that, he continued with his preparations.

If there is a meeting, there is also a parting…

” We’ll meet again. ”

I gave a glimmer of hope.

Right now, this child is too young to understand the cruelty of this world.

So, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to give them false promises.

This promise is good if it is fulfilled, but if it is not fulfilled, it cannot be helped.

” Yeah. We’ll definitely meet again. ”

” Okay. Let’s meet again. ”

” Can this older sister guarantee it? ”

The child emphasized again as if confirming.

I accepted and Ha Seo-yeon guaranteed our promise.

With this, this child can rest assured.

We left the shelter, escorted by their families.

And I went to the mart with the basement storage that the man told me about.

I thought there might be something there.