episode_0086

The value of information is fluid. Its worth varies wildly depending on various factors such as time, place, and situation. A single line can be worth a fortune. A single line can also cost a life. In an advanced society, the more one can read a situation, the more sensitive they are to information.

To obtain such information, a price must be paid. The price could be money or a benefit. Or there’s the brutal method of extracting it by force.

Currently, I’m employing the latter. To be honest, knowing or not knowing about these guys wouldn’t make much difference. They indirectly caused me trouble, but they didn’t directly harm me. …Their actions were so detestable that I mostly just wanted to beat them up.

‘It’s good to know in advance….’

Though I was the one interrogating, I had no desire to gently coax the thug or offer him anything. That’s why I chose a very fast and effective method.

The thug, who had resisted quite a bit at first, eventually gave in to my touch and began to speak. Most of what he said matched what the female doctor had told me. It was a double-check, as it turned out. And hearing it directly from their own mouths gave it a different impact.

“These guys are complete bastards….” “…” “Open your eyes wide. Before I rip them out.” “S-sorry!”

From what I heard, it was true they had been killing people almost for fun. When herding zombies, young people on motorcycles or bikers would do it, but they also used captured people as bait. They would even throw the weak or those unable to resist to the zombies.

“Why on earth are you doing this?” “…” “Answer.” “Th-that… Aaaargh!”

I firmly gripped the thug’s shoulder as he rolled his eyes nervously, hesitating to answer.

“People just don’t listen when you speak nicely.” “Ughhh!! S-stooop!! Aaaargh!” “Stop is a command, you bastard. If you don’t want to hurt, speak quickly.” “Ugh! Fear! We had to instill fear! I just did what I was told… cough!”

I let go of his shoulder and calmly looked down at the thug, who was gasping for air as if on the verge of death.

‘Fear… fear, huh….’

“That’s absurd. What ‘fear’?” “Pant! Pant! Th-that, I don’t really know….” “…What *do* you know?”

I placed my hand back on his shoulder, slightly annoyed, and the thug in front of me was terrified.

“Really! I really don’t know! He said we had to become ruthless to survive! That we had to become strong!” “Who?” “…Th-that….”

Seeing his hesitation, I began to apply pressure to the hand resting on his shoulder.

“Aaaahhh!! If I tell you, I’ll die!!” “Dying by my hand will be faster.”

To show him I wasn’t bluffing, I grabbed the thug’s left shoulder and arm firmly. Then, I slowly applied pressure.

“I’ll tear you apart. Think carefully.” “Ughhhhhh!!”

Whether it was thug loyalty or something else, he gritted his teeth and began to endure. But…

Crack- Snap-

As his skin tore and something inside snapped, the thug began to thrash, frothing at the mouth.

“Little Hyung-nim! Yeom Seongjin! Yeom Seongjiiiiin! He ordered it!!” “Where is that guy now?” “House Plus! House Plus, it’s down the main road! Everyone’s there!”

From what I heard, they were living by making a supermarket and a newly built hospital their base. Perhaps because it was a small area, the distance wasn’t far. I quietly asked the thug, who was sweating profusely from the pain.

“Why did you kidnap the doctors?” “Ugh… I really don’t know….” “You’re using informal speech again.” “I really don’t know! I just did as I was told for that too!!” “You’re a funny one. If someone tells you to die, will you die?”

Since he kept giving empty answers, I asked him explicitly. As expected, the thug couldn’t answer. Besides that, I asked about the doctors’ whereabouts and other things, but it was all fruitless. He mentioned a ‘little Hyung-nim’, so I asked who the big one was, but he just said he didn’t know.

‘How can he not know the person called the ‘big Hyung-nim’?’

He didn’t really know anything. I had damaged his knees, both shoulders, and one arm, but it seemed there was nothing more to squeeze out of him. He truly seemed to know nothing else.

Leaving the thug twitching and gasping for breath, I slowly stood up. Perhaps sensing ominousness from my movements, the thug’s eyes widened.

“Please spare me! I’ve told you everything I know!”

With a body that barely moved, he begged for his life, banging his head on the floor. Blood flowed from the thug’s forehead, accompanied by the dull thud against the floor. It wasn’t a pleasant sight.

Looking at him, I said calmly. “I won’t kill you.” “!!” “But I won’t help you either.”

With those words, I turned and headed outside. The thug’s wailing voice came from behind me.

“What am I supposed to do after you’ve done this to me and are just leaving!!!” “Just consider it bad luck that you met me.”

I considered retorting further but just left. Anyway, he wouldn’t survive in that condition.

I had ruined a person, but I felt no particular emotion. ‘I don’t feel anything special.’

These were guys who killed people for fun, as if it were a game. They were guys who savored the thrill of murder instead of guilt. They showed not an ounce of remorse for their victims. I could feel it clearly during our exchange.

‘Monsters wearing human skin.’

Murderers intoxicated by the scent of blood and addicted to the sensation of tearing flesh. I know their type well from having dealt with them before. Rehabilitation, enlightenment, salvation? Such things are just flowery rhetoric. For those guys, repentance or remorse is just a word game. The only correct answer for them is to cut off their breath.

Such guys have formed an organization and are running rampant in this area. ‘…Yeom Seongjin, huh….’

Though fragmentary, what I heard suggested he was a more dangerous individual than I thought. I wondered how he managed to form an organization and control people, but it turns out he got them addicted to murder. He paralyzed their reason and shattered their ethics. He filled that void with destructive instincts and the thrill of slaughter. And by satisfying those desires, he seemed to control people.

‘…Isn’t this almost brainwashing?’

If this counts as a skill, then it is. Seeing them making such a commotion outside, it seems they haven’t encountered variants yet or don’t fully understand the true terror of zombies. However, given they succeeded in establishing a base in a large, open place like a supermarket, they definitely seem capable. When the world turns upside down, such outstanding lunatics appear.

There’s a chance I might run into him while wandering this neighborhood. Seeing them running wild, my fake house might even be discovered.

‘If I get involved even a little, I’ll have to finish it.’

I had a lingering feeling that if I just let it go, I’d regret it forever. But if I threw the first punch, I’d feel like I was at a disadvantage. For now, I decided to be satisfied with having understood the troublemakers of this area and moved to do my own work.

I exited the hospital building through the back door and headed towards Sagajeong Station. The Red Hospital, where I needed to go, was close. The problem was the countless zombies around the station. And unlike a bustling downtown area, the buildings were relatively low. Even though I move by jumping across rooftops, I might attract the zombies’ attention if I’m unlucky.

‘…Is there no other way?’

With no clear alternative, I chose to move at an even faster pace. I ran quickly, stepping on and leaping over the low rooftops. It’s true that the low height makes it more likely to attract zombie attention. Hoping to pass quietly, I ran towards the Red Hospital.

After passing the commercial district, a dense residential area immediately appeared. To describe it, it felt like the boundary between the commercial and residential areas was blurred. Overall, it was a neighborhood where the buildings seemed a bit old. The buildings in the residential area were also low and clustered together. The power lines on the utility poles were sometimes stretched long, and quite a few sections were tangled chaotically, unorganized. Perhaps because there were no separate parking lots, the alleys were filled with abandoned cars. What stood out was that the hoods and doors of the vehicles had been torn off.

‘All usable parts must have been scavenged.’

Indeed, the sight of these abandoned junk cars, combined with the quiet alleys, created a desolate atmosphere.

After passing through the residential area, I soon found the hospital. It was closer than I expected.

‘….’

In front of the hospital, there was a small playground that also served as a park. The surroundings looked as if residential houses and shops were encircling the hospital. And along that line, a considerable number of zombies were roaming. Zombies were visible in most places within my sight. In a quiet, small town, there were surprisingly many gathered.

‘…Did they herd the zombies here?’

There was certainly a possibility of that. For now, I decided to observe the surroundings a bit more.

Thump-!

I scaled the wall of the relatively tall building as if running up it. A white building, approximately five stories high. From above, the surroundings were quiet. Except for the wailing of the zombies. And there weren’t many zombies in the hospital’s front yard area.

‘Is that it…?’

Right next to the hospital entrance, a large pharmacy caught my eye. Although it had glass walls, its condition seemed intact. Should I call it lucky? Both the hospital and the pharmacy seemed worth checking out. After confirming that, I pondered for a moment what to do.

‘First, let’s check inside the hospital.’

Among all the low buildings, the one right next to the hospital had a relatively higher number of floors. I quietly tiptoed onto the rooftops of the buildings. Perhaps because it was an old building, there were many places on the exterior wall to step, making it easy to climb to the rooftop. The building was adjacent to the hospital, separated by a narrow alley. The hospital was slightly higher, but it didn’t matter. With strong leg power, I jumped forcefully and launched myself onto the hospital rooftop.

Thump-

“?!”

The moment I landed safely, I felt my body freeze. The hospital rooftop I had reached was filled with human corpses. Mostly the remains of people in hospital gowns and civilian clothes. I gasped and froze at the sight before my eyes.