episode_0026

We arrived near our target building.

【 Jeong Motel 】

We stopped a short distance away and surveyed the surroundings.

Fortunately, the zombies’ groaning sounds were only heard from afar.

The motel entrance and its vicinity were also clean.

However, the street gave off a strange, awkward impression.

Something was different from usual…

‘Most of the lights are off.’

It was nearing dusk, but the buildings were not lit up.

An unusual sight, rarely seen.

It was something you wouldn’t see unless there was a massive power outage in the middle of the city.

I was now seeing with my own eyes a scene that I’d typically only encounter on the news.

All sorts of bright lights that used to illuminate the street.

Flashy neon signs adorning the night streets.

Eye-catching billboards along the roadside.

Almost all of them were off.

…Now, it was impossible to tell if most cities and buildings would lose their light. Perhaps this was a scene I would have to get used to.

But how many people could truly accept this with indifference?

Could they admit that their world, that modern civilization, was crumbling?

From now on, the struggle wouldn’t be limited to fighting zombies or mere survival.

Accepting a world falling apart might also be part of the battle against oneself.

My mind grew troubled by the desolate street, as if it was foreshadowing the future.

I scanned the street, now devoid of its familiar vibrancy, then looked behind me.

Every single one of them showed clear signs of exhaustion.

Their breath was ragged, their stamina was depleted, and their bodies were drenched in sweat.

They were leaning on each other, supporting their swaying bodies as their strength gave out.

They had forced their dangerously unsteady steps forward.

Seeing their state made me wonder if I had been inconsiderate towards my companions.

Even amidst the hardship, they faithfully followed my instructions to just look at the person in front and keep following.

Even now, they had somehow managed to keep pace and arrive here, fearing they would fall behind or be left behind. All I could say was that they were amazing.

Looking at their faces, I couldn’t help but feel that I might have pushed them too hard.

Their eyes were puffy, and their whites were bloodshot.

For some reason, I felt sorry for the tear tracks left on their eyes and cheeks.

When I turned around after dealing with the first zombies we encountered, I was inwardly flustered.

I really hadn’t expected everyone to be crying.

The two elders were trembling and holding hands tightly.

Bomi, Young-cheol, and Byeongsu sobbed quietly.

Shia seemed to be half out of her mind, unclear whether she was crying or laughing.

Jihyeok… he seemed to have truly choked up.

His calm demeanor was nowhere to be found; he was simply trembling with uncontrollable sobs.

What was even more pitiful was that everyone was trying to suppress their cries, shedding silent tears as if they were swallowing their fists, in fear that making a sound would attract zombies. I couldn’t help but avert my gaze.

How shocked and terrified must they have been to react like that…?

It seemed my human sensibilities had dulled considerably.

After that, when we dealt with another group of zombies, it was a bit less intense, but my companions still couldn’t hide their emotional turmoil. It seemed the fear and shock of the zombies was greater than I’d thought.

Their precarious state made me feel a small but genuine sense of apology.

At the very least, I should pay a little more attention while we’re together.

Meanwhile, Dong-woo distinguished himself.

He didn’t seem particularly surprised, appearing calm, and even comforted our companions.

His act of patting Jihyeok’s shoulder to comfort him was particularly impressive.

To think Dong-woo had such a dependable side to him.

They say people grow and awaken in moments of crisis, and it’s true.

I had experienced it myself, so Dong-woo’s growth was inwardly welcome.

It would be helpful when he lived with his grandparents later.

The companions, both mentally and physically exhausted, had arrived at our destination.

Since there was nothing unusual about the street or the entrance, we stood before the building.

A four-story motel nestled among old, aged buildings.

Its exterior was flashy enough to clearly indicate its purpose.

Even the awning that partially covered the parking lot and entrance.

However, from now on, this building needed to faithfully serve its original function as lodging for us.

Although the street and entrance were clean, we approached slowly, not letting our guard down.

The moment we neared the entrance.

*Whirr-*

The glass door opened automatically.

The counter directly in front was also lit.

The hallway lighting was a bit dim, creating a suggestive atmosphere.

‘So it’s… not a power outage?’

I felt a bit embarrassed for having worried prematurely.

But it was a relief.

The fact that the electricity was still on was a great help to us.

For now, we could use the motel’s facilities without any problems.

As we moved further inside, we saw a narrow hallway and room doors.

Right next to it were stairs and an elevator leading to the upper floors.

The floor was carpeted, thankfully muffling our footsteps.

No other presence was felt.

I didn’t feel any danger, but there was no harm in being careful.

I rolled my eyes, scanning everywhere, but saw no obvious abnormalities.

Fortunately, the back door visible down the short corridor was an iron door.

Thanks to that, preparing for sudden intrusions or attacks became a bit easier.

I gathered my companions near the counter and told them I would check inside.

At my words to wait a moment, everyone immediately sat down as if they had been waiting to.

They must have been at their physical limit.

My companions were breathing heavily, but they couldn’t relax yet.

The moment you let your guard down, you’re done for.

After warning them not to be complacent, I found a master key at the counter.

I saw the outdoor lighting switches on the wall and turned them all off for now.

Zombies react if they see you.

There’s no need to attract unnecessary attention.

While everyone took a breather, I began to investigate the motel.

First, I locked the back door.

On one side, there was a large washing machine, indicating it was likely a laundry room.

There seemed to be no particular issues.

From the first floor to the third.

The room numbers and layouts were all the same.

Uniquely, each floor had a multi-person room, roughly the size of two or three combined rooms.

There were no beds, but if blankets were spread out, ten adults could lie down comfortably.

And, as is typical for lodging facilities, it was simply tidied.

There were no particular abnormalities or traces.

The fourth floor seemed to be for storage or supplies, as there was nothing else notable.

The rooms were filled with bedding and disposable toiletries.

Other than that, there were only a few miscellaneous items.

Their condition wasn’t great, so I didn’t feel like using them.

Nothing was particularly helpful.

Again, there seemed to be no problems.

‘……We were lucky.’

Even the zombies I was most worried about left no trace.

There were no users, no guests.

I didn’t know if the owner had simply left or couldn’t make it.

It was as if we had taken over an empty motel.

After finishing the check, I immediately went down and blocked the main entrance.

Now that safety was confirmed, we could stay here.

I turned off the automatic door switch and pushed the door shut.

Like a cliché I’d seen in cartoons, I cut a part of a broom handle and wedged it into the main door so it couldn’t be opened from the outside by hand.

I moved and stacked large and small furniture from the hall.

A minimal barricade.

It also served as a screen, preventing anyone from seeing inside from the outside.

Humans would know someone was inside, but not zombies.

Since they couldn’t see us, they wouldn’t be attracted.

I approached my companions, who were still utterly exhausted.

They had caught their breath somewhat, but everyone was still struggling with intense fatigue.

I delivered the good news to my companions.

“The motel is empty. The electricity is still on. We were lucky.”

I could only say we were truly lucky.

From Times Square to arriving here.

We had only encountered groups of five or six zombies twice.

No one was hurt on the way.

The place we safely arrived at was an empty building, still functional.

No people, no zombies.

Entirely for our group.

For a schedule that ended in just about an hour, the result was good.

It made me wonder if this was why people should do many good deeds in their daily lives.

Such fortune accompanying us in a difficult situation naturally led to that thought.

I informed them of the situation on each floor and told my groggy companions:

“Go ahead and pick any room, wash up, and rest.”

I could declare a break with a much lighter heart.

At the mention of rest, my companions rushed into the multi-person room as if there were no objections.

It seemed that given the situation, they preferred to stay together rather than scatter. The moment they laid their heads on the floor in the room, they immediately fell into a deep sleep. Everyone, without exception or pretense.

Like a lie, in an instant, only the quiet sounds of soft snores could be heard.

“……”

After briefly checking on my companions and confirming nothing was seriously wrong, I brought blankets from other rooms. I chose the ones that looked to be in the best and cleanest condition and covered everyone who was asleep.

I gently placed my duffel bag in a corner.

I quietly closed the door and headed to the counter.

It was narrow, but there was a desk and a place to lie down.

On the desk, the still-operating CCTV screen was visible.

The small screen showed the building’s interior and exterior.

Everything was still, like a paused image.

No pedestrians, no zombies were visible.

Rummaging through the drawer where I found the master key, another key appeared.

It was labeled “Rooftop” on a sticky note.

I planned to just look around without any particular thought.

After watching the outdoor CCTV for about 10 minutes and confirming there was nothing unusual, I headed to the rooftop. I opened the somewhat old rooftop door and stepped out.

As the sun set, dusk began to fall over the streets.

Almost all the lights were off in the visible areas.

However, distant buildings that looked like apartments or officetels had scattered lights on. Seeing a considerable number of lights, it seemed survivors were still holding out.

…I wanted to believe that.

As darkness deepened, I had the illusion that the zombies’ cries were growing louder. What had only been faintly heard from afar now felt close.

Without bothering to examine the street further, a chilling sensation sent me back down to the first floor. I just didn’t want to be there anymore. My mood had simply darkened.

*Thud thud*

Instead of the multi-person room where everyone was asleep, I came to the counter.

Someone had to stand watch, so I was the one.

But I wasn’t dissatisfied.

I also needed rest, but I still had some energy left.

Through the CCTV, I could see the door to the multi-person room where everyone was sleeping.

They had seen me in a good light, and even followed through with difficult choices.

As a result, we had safely arrived here.

Although I had boasted about helping, with so many people, I didn’t feel it would be easy.

It was fortunate that things had gone well so far.

I had no plans after this.

Originally, I had intended to hole up alone in the mountains or some remote place.

If the government designated evacuation centers or shelters later, I planned to consider heading in that direction.

I believed such places would be sufficient for safety.

If possible, I wanted to guide people there.

‘…I’m hungry….’

Since leaving the goshiwon, I hadn’t slept properly and had only eaten haphazardly.

Having only eaten cold, hard things, I craved warm soup.

Just in time, everyone was asleep, and I was alone.

I couldn’t miss this chance.

First, I went back up to the rooftop.

Just in case the smell of food lingered.

I had come down earlier because of zombie sounds, but now it was different.

Aside from the faint murmuring of zombies, everything was quiet now. If I heard any sound, I could react immediately.

The cool autumn night breeze was blowing, which was perfect.

First, I pulled various items out of my inventory and laid them out.

A large pot capable of cooking for 10 or more people. A portable stove. Water, and so on.

The menu for dinner and a late-night snack was ramen and sausages.

The sausages, in particular, were my deeply beloved Johnsonville original style.

They were very salty, but thick, long, and had a rich, bouncy texture.

The brand name was a bit… well, but as long as it tasted good, that’s all that mattered.

Five packs of ramen and 30 sausages. Even a bowl of white rice.

My meal portions had increased considerably since I got stuck on this side.

I had moved a lot, but it was surprising I hadn’t gained weight.

First, I washed my hands and face, then began cooking.

No matter what, eating with hands covered in blood was just not right.

Luxuriously, I whisked in a ton of eggs.

…I was too lazy, so I just threw everything in and boiled it.

Everything tastes better if you boil it for a long time.

A meal enjoyed on the rooftop, with the darkening sky as a backdrop.

Eating alone was already second nature to me.

However.

For some reason, I thought of my companions, who had collapsed from exhaustion and fallen asleep.

The warm food, which I hadn’t tasted in a long time, was enjoyable, but a strange sense of emptiness clung to it like a garnish.

It was a peculiar feeling.

*Slurp slurp-*

*Chomp chomp-*