episode_0111

***

Around the time Seonghan was finishing up looting the gang members’ hideout, Miaonmok Station on Subway Line 7.

It was located just one stop away from Sagajeong Station, which Seonghan and his group had passed many times. The streetscape was similar to Sagajeong Station, but the residential population was slightly larger.

Right across the street from the station, the entrance to Miaonmok Market was prominently located.

The market, a landmark of the neighborhood, was easily more than double the size of Sagajeong Market.

The market, closely linked to daily life and boasting a developed commercial district, was much loved by the residents.

Miaonmok Market, once always bustling with people.

Now, only a desolate sight remained, left in ruins and empty.

The once clean market floor was defiled by fragments of flesh and rotting food. Everywhere the eye could see was shattered, broken, and abandoned.

Furthermore, what made one frown were the traces of struggle.

Whether they were to survive or to kill, it was impossible to tell.

But those desperate traces remained, unerasable.

Now, none of its beloved and familiar appearance remained.

Only zombies loitered within the market.

A contrasting sight to Sagajeong Market, where survivors had united to become a pillar of support.

It was the sight of a dead street.

People could be seen quietly navigating through this place.

Each held tools or similar objects in their hands, moving cautiously.

The groups moved, huddled tightly and concealing themselves.

Their way of exchanging signals with glances and hand gestures looked very familiar.

And as if to demonstrate, they began to move with practiced ease.

An alley that wasn’t quite an alley, located in the middle of the market, leading to the main street.

One of the group threw something they held in their hand.

Whoosh!

Clang! Clang! Clatter!

A piece of metal made a loud noise as it hit the ground.

As the zombies reacted to the sound, they continuously threw junk.

And then, a loud cacophony woke the quiet market street.

“Screeeeeeeech!”

The zombies reacted strongly and began to rush towards the source of the noise.

But it seemed the group’s preparations weren’t over yet.

Pa-ra-ba-ra-ba-ram~♬~♫ “Hey! You sons of b*tches!”

Were they waiting nearby?

Coarse curses echoed along with a loud horn blast, the kind that might come from a young person’s motorcycle.

As if shouted into a megaphone, a youthful voice reverberated loudly.

With such bold and flamboyant aggro, the zombies, as if hitting a turning point and bolting, began to flock towards where the noise came from.

The zombies ran out as if a swarm of ants was passing by.

Grotesque screams from rotting vocal cords and vibrations from stomping feet.

It was a situation that would make one’s hair stand on end, but the group remained calm.

The same was true for the individuals who had lured the zombies from the alley entrance.

The three motorcycles that had been waiting immediately began to speed away.

And then, they began to lure the zombies that were rushing in like mad.

The engines of the cheap motorcycles roared, and the people on the backseats howled.

It was a dangerous situation where they would normally have to bolt without looking back, yet the people on the motorcycles instead shouted wildly, provoking the zombies.

The insane, perilous sprint even looked very familiar.

The faces of the people doing this crazy stunt still showed their youth.

Their age, looking literally like high schoolers, perhaps.

Far from being afraid in this situation, they looked excited.

The motorcycles’ movements, darting over the chaotic road like performing acrobatics, were clearly prearranged and familiar.

If these young people’s objective was zombie luring, then it was a success.

Having lured the zombies to a considerable distance from the market alley, they increased their speed as if on cue. The zombies chasing them then lost sight of the motorcycles.

As the engine sounds faded into the distance, the zombies gradually came to a halt.

Soon, they lingered in the abandoned place as if they had become fools.

And then, as if to show off, the motorcycles shook off the zombies and reunited.

The young people turned back towards the market alley entrance from where they had started their sprint.

“Ugh, damn it! I thought I’d die from fear!”

“Seriously~ how long do we have to do this? It’s damn scary!”

“Why are you complaining to me about that?! I’m scared too!”

Six students grumbled, as if they’d forgotten they had just had one foot in the grave. It was an odd sight, as they didn’t seem to feel any sense of crisis.

“If it weren’t for those gangster bastards…”

“Ah, crap! Don’t even bring those bastards up. It’s annoying.”

“Sons of b*tches. They don’t even keep their promises!”

“Hey! As if those punk bastards would keep their promises.”

The students grumbled incessantly yet skillfully rode their motorcycles.

They soon arrived at the alley entrance, but their chatter didn’t stop.

“If our food hadn’t been stolen, we wouldn’t be doing this. Right?”

“But those gangster bastards haven’t been seen lately, I wonder if they all died?”

“Oh? You’re right? Why don’t you go and check?”

“What are you saying, you crazy bastard.”

“The one who brought it up does it.”

“Screw that. Get lost.”

“You elementary schoolers…”

On the surface, it seemed like friends of that age joking around, but the content was quite different. After chattering for a long time, they finally ran out of things to say and fell silent.

“…Why aren’t they coming out?”

“Looks like they salvaged something?”

“Is that so? Damn, I wish they scraped up a whole lot.”

“They’ll come out with something. Ah~ I want to eat rice with ramen.”

“I want to eat a stack of fried eggs.”

“I want black bean noodles and sweet and sour pork.”

“Ah, you crazy bastard! As if something like that would be left!”

“Damn it! Can’t I even speak?”

“Hey, damn it! I’m a pour-over person.”

“Are you crazy, sir? You don’t know taste. Super disappointed.”

“What’s that, you crude bastard who doesn’t know what’s proper.”

“…Childish bastards.”

The friends chatted merrily.

While chuckling, they heard approaching footsteps.

“Hey! Why are you so late…”

“……”

Squish-squish.

The alley entrance immediately fell silent.

The people the young friends greeted were not their companions.

It was tall and large.

Its skin was tattered as if most of it had fallen off.

Dark blue veins entwined its body like a net, revealing discolored insides, whether muscle or inner flesh.

An unknown fluid, whether body fluid or pus, glistened.

Its eyes glistened similarly.

However, its eyes, transformed like dead fish eyes, only showed small pupils, as if a dot had been dabbed in the very center.

With those grotesque eyes, it stared at the young friends.

While fresh blood dripped from its arms and face.

“…Huh?”

“Roaaaaaar!”

The young friends instinctively started their motorcycles.

They twisted the accelerator without delay.

Vroooom!

“Run! Damn it, run!”

“Uwaaaaaaah!!!!”

With shrill screams, the three motorcycles quickly departed.

They accelerated abruptly, swaying left and right, and began to speed off precariously.

“Kuaaaah!”

“Ack! Help me! Save me!”

“!!!!”

The monster that had stood still until the motorcycles sped away.

It rushed in an instant and pounced on one of the motorcycles.

It was truly only a moment.

The machine was flung to the ground with a loud engine noise.

The two riding it flew through the air and rolled on the ground.

The two friends who had just been chattering let out desperate screams.

But the two motorcycles ahead couldn’t stop.

The four riders couldn’t look back.

“What is that! What the hell is that!”

“I don’t know! Shut up and step on it!”

“Damn it! What about the kids!!”

“Shut up, I said!!”

Even as they sped away, the ear-splitting screams were clear.

And it was brief.

At the fading screams, the students felt the hair on their entire bodies stand on end.

Their shoulders stiffened, and their necks tensed up.

A mysterious chill felt like it precisely pierced the back of their heads.

‘S-scary!’

Real fear, encountered for the first time.

It was completely different from when they had lured zombies until now.

It had always been scary, but never to this extent.

‘What the hell is that!!’

It was a monster encountered for the first time.

A disgusting repulsiveness too repulsive to look at with a sane mind.

It was indeed a zombie, but could it really be called a zombie?

Their thoughts couldn’t continue, and the students drove along the road like performing acrobatics.

Faster and more precisely than ever before.

“Hey! Where do we go!”

“Uh, th…”

“Where are we going, I said!”

“Sagajeong! Damn it, to Sagajeong!”

“Damn it, go!!”

“Hey… hey hey hey! Step on it! Step on it!”

While driving frantically, the two in the back cried out in horror.

“D-damn it….”

In the chaotic midst, the student who glanced back in the rearview mirror gasped in horror.

So startled, they almost fell while driving.

Behind them, zombies were running.

At a considerable speed, and their numbers were steadily increasing.

“Ack! What is that! What is that?!”

“……”

If the road had been empty, they would never have been caught.

But the problem was the wrecked abandoned cars.

Aside from the spots the gangsters had slightly pushed aside for movement, it was a disadvantageous situation in many ways.

“Don’t slow down! Step on it! Step on it!”

They shouted their lungs out and twisted the accelerator as if the engine would explode.

The students struggled desperately to escape the chilling killing intent clinging to them.

The direction they were heading was the Sagajeong Station intersection.

This time, they began to be driven by fear.

***

Among gaming cultures, there is a practice called ‘Sleeve Stuffing!’

It’s not content or anything, but literally a practice among users.

Veterans thirsty for new players guide the newbies.

And at the same time, it’s a custom of subtly showering them with all sorts of items.

“Good, right? Fun, right? You still won’t play?”

Bewildered newbies, with enthusiastic welcomes and support, settle into the game with an “oooh” sound, or so the story goes.

The situation my group and I were currently facing was similar.

Though quite different, I wondered if the sight of people throwing various foods and seasonings at us without asking questions or nitpicking could be called Sleeve Stuffing.

“…Is this the live-action version of Sleeve Stuffing?”

“Yes?”

“No. Nothing.”

Goods and food dumped on us, without listening to my words.

Unable to carry it all with two arms, it piled up in abundance at our feet.

It happened in an instant!

If I were starving or my food situation was dire, I wouldn’t have refused.

But that wasn’t the case for me.

If this were a game, I wouldn’t be a newbie.

The people were already far away, as if running off.

From a distance, they were watching my bewildered group and me.

With somewhat relaxed and satisfied expressions.

I could only smile awkwardly at the absurd event.

“Well, this is…”

“What should we do, Hyung-nim?”

“Seonghan, it seems right to accept this.”

“…But…”

Water and food were very precious right now.

Production and distribution had ceased, and supply was becoming increasingly difficult.

Demand remained, and it was even difficult to store things due to power outages.

In this situation, people had generously handed over things more precious than gold.

It was certainly not a large quantity.

But I wasn’t unaware of the value and meaning these items held.

That’s why I couldn’t hastily take them.

I thought I should return them and leave, but the merchant representative intervened.

He seemed to have noticed what I was about to say.

“If it’s alright, please accept them.”

“That’s too much of a burden. You all don’t have much to spare, do you?”

“That’s precisely why it’s more meaningful, and you must accept them.”

“……”

To me, who was still hesitating, Kim Heejin quietly added.

“If Seonghan accepts them, people’s hearts will feel a little more at ease.”

“Seonghan. You should accept them, if only to consider their feelings.”

“Hm… Understood.”

When even Jihyeok hyung said so, I decided to just go with it.

Fortunately, there was extra space in the utility truck, so loading everything was no problem.

It wasn’t a large quantity, and the types were jumbled.

There were no items that could be called luxury goods.

But the value of the gifted items felt significant nonetheless.

Feeling the sincerity of the people that touched my heart, I asked the merchant representative to convey my thanks on my behalf.

The people watching from a distance also responded with satisfied expressions once we had taken all the items.

“It seems human kindness is still alive.”

“…Indeed.”

Encountering such a heartwarming scene after a long time felt warm.

The atmosphere calmed down, and it was time to leave.

“Please visit us anytime. Seonghan and all of you are always welcome.”

“…May you all be safe and well.”

It was turning into a heartwarming conclusion, except for Lee Inhye’s continued insistence that we stay and play.

“…?”

Something brushed past my ear.

And the sound slowly began to grow clearer.

I turned my gaze towards the direction of the sound.

“Seonghan. What’s wrong?”

“……”

I slowly took a step in the direction of the sound.

‘No way?’

The roaring engine sound, slowly growing clearer, felt like it would explode.

And following it…

“Everyone, get inside!!!!”

People flinched at my urgent shout.

Soon after, the sounds I was hearing began to be heard on the street as well.

Vroooooom-!!

Screeeeech-!

Roaaaarr-!

Tremendous roars hit the street, and people froze.

And the sounds soon revealed their true forms before their eyes.

Rushing-!!

At the end of the intersection, two city bikes appeared.

Motorcycles crossing the intersection at high speed.

A shout was heard from the city bike passing by as if fleeing.

“Run!!!!!!!!!!”

A wave of zombies followed behind.

Some of the zombies that appeared pouring out recognized this direction.

The zombies split their flow, screaming grotesquely.

People froze at the grotesque sight.

“Move!!!!!!!!!”

I shouted loudly and dashed forward as if propelled.