episode_0172

“Gather what you need and load as much as you can.”

At his command, the soldiers composed their expressions. The soldiers’ immediate reaction, examining and moving the supplies, was gratifying. The soldiers, forgetting their aches, moved in perfect coordination. The current atmosphere, preparing for the next step, isn’t bad. A good atmosphere naturally boosts work efficiency.

They found, moved, and loaded the ammunition of the required caliber. The arduous task of resupply quickly ended. The cargo bed of the military truck was packed tight with food and ammo crates. Everyone who diligently moved for this purpose was drenched in sweat. In contrast, I didn’t break a single sweat. Although the soldiers looked at me with gazes that hinted at seeing a monster… they didn’t try to stop me from moving tirelessly.

It was more like they just accepted it. The soldiers seemed to be naturally overlooking my unusual qualities. As I awkwardly tried to rest with that feeling, Captain Lee led everyone outside.

“If we’re going to rest, it would be better to do it outside. I don’t want to unnecessarily contaminate the interior.”

At this point, I realized how much Captain Lee cherished the ammunition depot. Apparently, it wasn’t cool and dry in here for no reason. I nodded, somewhat convinced by Captain Lee’s explanation. Everyone who exited the ammunition depot, without being greedy, took a short break.

“Even if the electrical system is broken, natural ventilation and airflow are maintained.”

“Oh…”

“Unless it collapses or gets flooded, this state will be maintained for a while.”

Captain Lee’s thoughts, added after a brief explanation, were simple.

“We can’t take it now, so we’ll leave it. If an opportunity arises, we can move it then.”

The “later opportunity” he referred to meant when they could secure and transport the supplies in South Post. It meant he wouldn’t be greedy…

‘It’s a reasonable argument, but…’

I silently stared at Captain Lee. If one were to think negatively, it was a situation where they could do whatever they wanted. They could monopolize the abundant food in the PX. They could take over the ammunition depot and do whatever they pleased with it. They could also ignore the survivors at the Konkuk University shelter. But this man didn’t have such thoughts, not even an iota. He struck me as a person without greed. He was a man befitting his military uniform.

Perhaps my lingering gaze puzzled him, as Captain Lee spoke.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…It’s nothing. More importantly, you’re heading south now, right?”

The nuance was a bit odd, but since we were in the south, it was correct.

“That’s right. Now that the minimum preparations are complete, it’s time to move.”

“Let’s say we arrive at the helipad and find supplies. What happens then?”

“The plan is to secure a helicopter and transport them by air.”

I felt like things were going smoothly until they suddenly stumbled.

“Well, it’s hard to say this, but… what if there’s no helicopter?”

“In that case, we plan to clear a path by land.”

“……”

It was true. The problem was that it was too simple.

‘Is he serious?’

I was speechless for a moment. Seeing me fall silent, Captain Lee chuckled and offered me a cigarette.

“I didn’t know Seonghan could make such an expression.”

“……”

“Oh dear. I shouldn’t joke with Seonghan.”

‘Should I just hit him once?’

I contemplated, looking at Captain Lee’s bantering chin. We lit our cigarettes and took a moment to catch our breath.

“The helicopter we’re thinking of isn’t the civilian type we arrived in.”

“Then…?”

“There will be a military helicopter. High probability.”

“Hmm…”

“Considering the situation at the time, both air and land routes were adopted for rapid transport. We’ve confirmed that some transport did indeed take place.”

After hearing Captain Lee’s explanation, I felt I understood a little.

“…Are you saying there are abandoned supplies and means of transport together?”

“That’s right. …I know what you’re worried about. It might seem like I’m only thinking positively, but the probability is high.”

Captain Lee took a puff of his cigarette and slowly exhaled.

“That’s why I brought these two here.”

“??”

“Jo Junwi and Lee Junwi. Both of them can operate a helicopter.”

“Then we need to find two helicopters…”

“No. A military helicopter needs at least two people to get airborne. So one will suffice.”

Looking at the two Junwis, I understood. Captain Lee came here with the premise that there would be a helicopter from the start. Relying on a low probability, he had quite activated his ‘happiness circuit’ [a term for wishful thinking]…

“If we fail to secure a helicopter, we’ll have to use the land route. There’s probably an operational bulldozer.”

“A bulldozer…”

If there really was a bulldozer, it would be possible. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to push through the path with its overflowing power. However…

“Zombies might be attracted by the noise.”

“That’s why we’re considering the land route as a secondary option.”

I could feel the trace of deep consideration in Captain Lee’s brief answer. A decision made after considering various situations based on limited information. The reason for his desperate reliance on the sky was more realistic than I thought. There was also a reason he brought two pilots beforehand…

“There will be at least one operational helicopter.”

I felt I understood Captain Lee’s resolute feelings as he spoke. If they couldn’t perform aerial transport with fewer risks, there would be significant sacrifices on the secondary route. He wanted to save the survivors and minimize casualties. He also wanted to save his subordinates.

‘He was greedy, wasn’t he?’

No greed, my ass. A bitter laugh escaped with the cigarette smoke. The soldiers’ gazes turned towards me as I suddenly chuckled. Unaware of my thoughts, Captain Lee smiled faintly.

“The progress speed is much faster than the initial plan. There are no casualties, and the results are excellent.”

Hopeful anticipation flickered on Captain Lee’s face.

“I have a good feeling about this. We’ll succeed.”

It was an unfounded statement, but I liked his resolute conviction. After taking one last deep drag, I flicked the filter with my finger.

“Alright then. Let’s find out if there’s a helicopter or not.”

At my words, Captain Lee nodded deeply.

After a short break, we immediately began to move. Jo Junwi and Sergeant Kim each took the wheel, maintaining a two-person team by having one person in the passenger seat. Captain Lee and I rode in the back of the pickup truck, just in case. The pickup truck led the way, with the military truck following behind. The two vehicles, moving at a moderate speed, traversed Main Post. The street, with more facilities demolished than expected, didn’t obstruct our view. There was nothing to hinder our progress as we drove along the paved road through the open spaces, almost like a barren field. It wasn’t a full dash, but it was still the speed of a car. Despite that, the vehicles carrying us traveled for a long time.

“It’s a huge relief we could get cars. It would have been terrible to think of walking this distance.”

I agreed with Captain Lee’s words as he clicked his tongue, saying it was unnecessarily vast. For me, it wouldn’t be a problem if I endured the inconvenience. But what if the soldiers, burdened with supplies, had to walk? They probably would have been out of commission before even trying anything. Indeed, humans cannot abandon the benefits of civilization. Whether to live or to fight.

Grateful for the comfortable transport provided by the cars, and after admiring the desolate scenery a bit longer, something different caught my eye.

Thump-thump-

Captain Lee knocked on the car roof to stop the vehicle. What we were now seeing was the familiar old wall. A boundary made of cement, marking the base’s perimeter, awaited us. And between the boundary, just ahead on the paved road we were on, stood a gate. An empty guard post and a broken control arm rolling on the ground. At first glance, it wasn’t a normal sight. Parts of the cement brick wall had collapsed. The remaining wire fence on top of the debris was tangled like a monstrous vine. The half-destroyed gate was visible at a glance, even from a distance.

At the ominous sight, Captain Lee’s face hardened, and he let out a low groan. Captain Lee seemed to feel it too. That smooth progress was now over. He confirmed with his own eyes that this was where the real beginning was. I called out to Captain Lee, who was intently staring forward and deep in thought.

“Captain Lee.”

“Yes, Seonghan.”

“Go-go.”

A smirk spread across his face. Captain Lee laughed at my playful, simple words. And he gave an order towards the driver’s seat.

“Slow advance. The objective remains unchanged. From now on, stay alert as we enter.”

The stopped vehicles began to move forward again. The speed was somewhat reduced, but it felt like caution, not hesitation. The distance to the gate gradually decreased. Accordingly, the tension began to creep up.

“Damn it…”

Captain Lee narrowed his eyes. The sight of the destroyed gate was truly horrific. And it was strange, if strange was the word. The damaged scene, seen up close, showed familiar things. Bones, flesh, and bloodstains. Some were human, some were zombie. Even discolored by time, the zombie remains were easy to distinguish. Collapsed debris and crushed, tangled wire fences. Skin or scraps of clothing were caught in between them. Those gently swaying bits created a nauseating feeling. On the ground ahead, detached limbs or body parts lay scattered, rotting.

And not just that. Broken spikes were scattered on the ground. Overturned and crumpled mobile barricades were also visible. A large, broken and damaged machine gun was also in sight. Traces of battle. As evidence, the ground was also littered with countless bullet casings.

“…It seems there was a defense… but they burst inside and then went out again.”

That was it. I had the same thought. I got the impression that something had pushed and crushed the walls to get in, then left again. The scene was so chaotic that I couldn’t discern anything more. It would have been good to see CCTV footage, but we couldn’t, which was a shame. Even if I didn’t know anything else, one thing was certain.

“It seems they all gathered at South Post.”

“……”

Captain Lee didn’t reply, his expression grim. Instead, he started to move. Along with the soldiers who had instinctively gotten out of the car, he cleared the way. They removed the spikes and cleared away the metal fragments. Anything that could damage the tires was completely cleared away. They swiftly cleared a path and calmly headed beyond the gate. Everyone’s expressions were grim, but they didn’t waver.

‘Brave or reckless?’

I looked at the resolute Captain Lee and his team. It’s a regrettable thing to say, but their mindset and mine are different. Captain Lee and his men were prepared to die, but I wasn’t. They had a desperate resolve to return after successfully completing the mission, but I didn’t. I felt a little sorry because my mindset was inferior to their determined one.

I cast a sidelong glance at the solemn Captain Lee and surveyed my surroundings.

‘Captain Lee, you should know how lucky you are.’

I subtly stroked the knife at my waist. Captain Lee, the greedy(?) and soldier-like soldier. I decided to go along with them as they unhesitatingly entered the jaws of death.

With a little more sincerity.