episode_0060

Three days had passed since the conversation with Representative Choi.

Ordinarily, I would have gone out to secure even a little bit of supplies, but this time, I quietly spent time with my companions.

While my habitual laziness had kicked in, it was also raining autumn rain.

The continuous rain for three days unequivocally announced the change of season.

I had to be careful not to catch a cold with the sudden drop in temperature.

In times like these, where doctors and medicine are precious, illness poses a great danger.

So much has been ruined by the zombies.

Especially with the collapse of the medical system, one’s body truly is their only asset.

No, beyond that, it’s a vital issue directly connected to life.

Just surviving and staying alive in this era is a struggle.

I didn’t want to push myself unnecessarily and invite danger.

Of course, I don’t get sick from getting a bit of cold rain on me.

Still, working while getting rained on is incredibly annoying.

I like rainy days, but I don’t want to do anything while being soaked by the rain.

For three days, despite the uncomfortable environment, I slept well, ate well, and rested.

It had become a habit to nap whenever I had a spare moment.

Perhaps that was why.

Seeing me fall asleep the moment my head touched a corner, my companions would sometimes look at me with a mix of reassurance and pity.

‘I think I know what they’re thinking, but…’

I felt bad for my companions’ misunderstanding, but it was simple laziness.

It was just the feeling of an office worker who wanted to lounge around.

I didn’t intend to clear up the misunderstanding, but…

“Young man. Eat this and rest.”

“Uh… Grandma. I’m full…”

“Will a young person be okay with just that? Eat a little more of this.”

Whenever she had a moment, she’d make delicious food and feed me.

I did tell her to use the ingredients freely since they shouldn’t go to waste.

Since she was diligently and meticulously making delicious food, it was hard not to eat it.

She seemed to take care of me even more diligently than Dong-woo…

At this rate, I feel like I’ll become round like Dong-woo.

In the end, after resting appropriately, I walked around the school or spent time with my companions.

From then on, I didn’t just idle away my time.

We had to leave the school soon.

It was necessary to improve my companions’ physical condition.

So, on the day the rain started.

The very next day after my conversation with Representative Choi.

From that day on, we began a bit of training.

Byeongsu and Young-cheol, who were injured, were exempt.

The two elderly couples, being old, were naturally exempt as well.

I had Bomi and Shia move just enough so their bodies wouldn’t stiffen.

And the remaining three.

Dong-woo, Jihyeok hyung, and Representative Choi.

After pushing aside the furniture in a suitable classroom to create space.

Not long after they started moving, everyone was panting.

While Representative Choi, being middle-aged, was understandable, Dong-woo had good strength but poor endurance.

Jihyeok hyung, at least, held up, likely thanks to his experience managing his body.

This wasn’t even intense training.

It was merely loosening their bodies in preparation for the upcoming journey.

“What good is it if you’re already exhausted after moving just a little?”

“Pant! Pant! M-my chest! It’s burning! Pant!”

“…Oh dear.”

The three men began to let out full-blown groans.

For those panting and disoriented, I decided to ignite their motivation.

I pulled out a short crowbar from the duffel bag I’d brought and placed it in Dong-woo’s hand.

I did the same for Jihyeok hyung and Representative Choi.

I spread the duffel bag out a few steps away.

Then, pointing at the duffel bag, I casually murmured.

“Grandfather, Grandmother, Shia, and Bomi, our companions, have fallen right in front of you. Zombies are rushing at them. What will you do?”

I mumbled in a dry voice, devoid of emotion, like reading a passage from a novel indifferently.

At those words, the three men’s breathing stopped for a moment.

They were cruel words that evoked a brutal imagination.

But it was a perfectly conceivable situation.

It was a scenario we could very well encounter.

We had been lucky so far, reaching this point without any harm, but it was quite literally luck. We had to abandon the hopeful thought that it would continue like that.

We had to struggle and keep moving until the very end.

It was merely assisting my companions to do what they could.

No matter how much I raged, my companions’ voluntary attitude was necessary and important. The three people before me had potential.

As soon as they heard my words, the three men immediately began to move their bodies.

As expected, Jihyeok hyung moved first.

Jihyeok hyung, who showed signs of having learned something, tried to charge towards the invisible, hypothetical zombies. I stopped him for a moment and added.

“Don’t get agitated, stay calm. Control your breathing. Lower your stance a little more.”

I taught them how to swing a blunt weapon more efficiently and without injuring themselves.

I helped them learn how to sharply smash the zombies’ weak points, their heads.

It would be good to have them wield sturdy, powerful, and long-reaching weapons.

But we had to think realistically.

They had to choose a weapon that matched their physical strength and know how to wield it.

Dong-woo lacked endurance but had good strength.

Representative Choi had good overall physical stamina for his age.

Jihyeok hyung clearly showed a body that had been trained in many ways.

I taught them the basics of handling crowbars, axes, and knives, switching between them.

They tired easily from the sudden movements, but their attitude was enthusiastic.

Their proactive stance was excellent.

It would help, even if just a little, in their future survival.

Of course, the best case scenario was never having to use what they learned now.

I watched the three men awkwardly but diligently swing their weapons.

Then, something occurred to me.

“Take a short break and keep practicing. I’ll be back soon.”

At my words, the three men, drenched in sweat, slumped to the ground.

Seeing that, a chuckle escaped me, and I left the classroom.

‘Since I’m doing it anyway, learning properly will definitely help.’

I immediately began searching for the two lieutenants.

And then I found Lieutenant Kim, who was giving orders to the soldiers.

Since he was busy, I approached quietly.

I had intended to wait for a moment, but the soldiers’ gazes turned to me.

And noticing this, Lieutenant Kim turned around.

“Seonghan. Welcome. Is something the matter?”

Lieutenant Kim greeted me with a small smile.

Things had gotten a little awkward due to my harsh words before, but he didn’t seem to hold any ill will.

I didn’t harbor ill will either; I just found it harder to trust him.

Whether he knew my thoughts or not…

“I apologize for interrupting your busy schedule, but there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“…Please speak. I will help with whatever is possible.”

Lieutenant Kim accepted with a serious expression at the mention of a request.

I wondered how he knew what I was going to ask.

“I want to learn how to handle a gun. My companions, too.”

“I see. In that case, there is a suitable person.”

Lieutenant Kim didn’t bat an eye at my request to learn how to use a gun.

I feel a bit awkward saying this, but…

“…Is that really alright?”

“This much is certainly not an issue. …I owe you a debt, Seonghan. It’s fortunate that I can help you in this way.”

Though he didn’t show it, it seemed to have become a debt of gratitude in his heart.

He didn’t need to take it so heavily, but I didn’t say anything to that effect.

The suitable person Lieutenant Kim mentioned was none other than Private Kang Ilbyeong.

“Private! Kang Incheol! Did you call?”

Private Kang Ilbyeong’s gaze, as he glanced at me, conveyed a sense of goodwill.

He was the soldier who had fended off zombies with a slingshot.

I was curious to see if he was equally skilled with a gun.

“He’s the best shooter our unit boasts.”

“Is that so?”

Both Lieutenant Kim, who introduced him, and Private Kang Ilbyeong, who exuded confidence, showed pride.

Private Kang Ilbyeong, who was immediately given the situation explanation and ordered to instruct us on firearms, showed eagerness, his eyes gleaming.

“Leave it to me! I’ll teach you thoroughly!”

With Lieutenant Kim’s permission, Private Kang Ilbyeong immediately grabbed a rifle and a magazine and stepped forward.

“Thank you. This will be a good experience for my companions and me.”

“…If you need anything else, please tell me.”

We exchanged pleasant looks and each began our tasks.

I headed to the classroom where the three men were training, together with Private Kang Ilbyeong.

In the classroom, the number of people had increased in the meantime.

The three men diligently moved their bodies.

Shia and Bomi were awkwardly following along beside them.

And Choi Deokman was stroking an axe handle.

“Grandfather, why are you…?”

“Seonghan. I used to chop wood back in my day.”

Grandfather’s posture, with the axe handle resting on his shoulder, seemed natural.

“Our Grandfather is incredibly strong. He was famous in the neighborhood.”

I glanced between Dong-woo, who was subtly boasting, and Grandfather, who looked confident.

Indeed, Grandfather, after having meals provided, looked different from before.

Not all of my companions were in perfect condition yet.

But despite his advanced age, he exuded a sturdy and resolute feeling.

Nodding at his appearance, I introduced Private Kang Ilbyeong.

And I announced that we would learn how to handle firearms.

Fortunately, at the mention of guns, they didn’t show any resistance or surprise.

Nor did they express any doubts.

If it were me, I might have questioned, “Why, when we don’t even have guns?”

But my companions didn’t raise such questions.

They simply gazed at the guns with gleaming eyes, as if it were the most natural thing.

While Private Kang Ilbyeong was preparing, I asked Shia for something.

“Can you record everything Private Kang Ilbyeong teaches on your phone? Does your phone work?”

“Yes. I still have battery left. Let’s see~”

Shia immediately got into position, excited that she had something to do.

A slight smile appeared on my face at her reaction.

When Shia said she was ready to record, I spoke to my companions.

“This is merely a hypothetical situation, just in case.”

I briefly explained to my companions, who were looking at me with focused gazes.

Why we should know how to handle guns, and why we shouldn’t use them carelessly.

It was directly linked to our survival and connected to the characteristics of zombies.

Guns, the most powerful firearms currently easily accessible to humans.

Zombies, sensitive to sound.

I emphasized the necessity and danger of guns, which were both our last resort and a double-edged sword.

And then, Private Kang Ilbyeong, who had been nodding and agreeing beside me, began his instruction.

Basic names of gun parts and their introduction.

Different stances and how to deal with potential issues.

Even Dong-woo and I, who had never served in the military, could understand it.

Private Kang Ilbyeong certainly seemed to be skilled when it came to weapons.

The four men and I moved our bodies according to Private Kang Ilbyeong’s instructions and learned.

In my case, I approached it with the intention of imprinting it onto my body.

There might be many more occasions to handle guns in the future.

Now that I could learn from a professional soldier, I had to learn as much as possible.

“Wow. Seonghan hyung-nim, are you sure you’ve never served? Your posture is just…”

Private Kang Ilbyeong, who was correcting others’ stances, looked at me in admiration.

I just responded with an awkward smile.

After a long time of learning intently, we refreshed ourselves with some snacks and drinks.

Everyone sat in a circle and rested.

Conversation flowed pleasantly in the relaxed atmosphere.

If Dong-woo was the friendly one among our group, Private Kang Ilbyeong seemed to be the same among his.

It was clear he was witty and perceptive.

He spoke well with everyone, but his reaction was exaggerated when he saw Shia.

It was an uncomfortably moist gaze, almost like he was going to shoot lasers from his eyes.

I tried to understand, thinking it was because he was a soldier seeing a young woman, but…

“Shia-nim. I’ve been a fan for a long time!”

“Oh? Really?”

“Really! Could I trouble you for an autograph?”

“Of course, I’d be happy to. But I don’t have any paper…”

“You can sign it here.”

Private Kang Ilbyeong pulled out a slightly crumpled photo from inside his helmet.

He must really be a fan.

“Oh? This!”

Private Kang Ilbyeong smiled at Shia’s surprised reaction.

What on earth was that?

“It’s from Cuticle’s first candid photo shoot!”

“That’s right! Wow! This was from our debut, so there weren’t many copies!”

“Heh. I was the fifth fan to buy a member’s photo at the site.”

“OMG~ No way~”

Shia squealed with delight as she happily signed, and Private Kang Ilbyeong beamed.

Seeing them even shake hands, they truly seemed like an idol and a fan.

If not for this situation, it would have been a good time.

“In this situation, it’s an even more valuable gift. Thank you very much.”

“Oh, no problem. Thank you so much for your love.”

“Hehehe. By the way, Shia-nim was my favorite member.”

“Oh my~ Thank you so much~ Private Kang Ilbyeong~”

A laugh escaped me at the sight of Private Kang Ilbyeong grinning widely in happiness.

Not only me, but everyone else was also smiling.

In the midst of that, Shia’s gaze at me bothered me slightly.

‘This is the kind of woman I am!’

It was that feeling of her nose turning up in pride.

…She was just cute.

The pleasant conversation soon ended, and we resumed our training.

Private Kang Ilbyeong had other duties, so we regretfully made plans for next time.

Both his character and his handling of firearms made him a pleasing talent.

Though his nature was a bit different from Jihyeok hyung, he was a wonderful person.

If someone like him were added to our group, it would be reassuring.

It was just unfortunate that he was a soldier.

All of my companions were also good people.

My start with Representative Choi had been a bit rocky, that was all.

As I spoke with him more, I confirmed he was a decent person.

I figured that the somewhat uncomfortable feeling would either improve as we spent more time together or lead to us parting ways.

With such thoughts, our training continued.

Though it had rained all day and the weather was chilly, the classroom was warm.

It was too much to call it full-fledged training, but everyone was serious.

They applied themselves quickly, like newly enlisted soldiers.

Because it had a purpose and was connected to their survival, no one complained.

The passionate training finally ended with Grandmother’s announcement for mealtime.

After that, we cleaned ourselves, ate, and rested.

This temporary daily routine continued throughout the rain.

And the rain poured for three full days, and was still falling.

Within it, my companions and I diligently moved our bodies.

Until the rain stopped.