episode_0174

“Turn right.”

At Captain Lee’s command, the vehicle turned.

It was Captain Lee’s decision after having just dealt with another group of zombies they encountered.

“…We made a wrong entry in the first place. We should have taken a safer route…”

Captain Lee’s expression was grim as he blamed himself in the rattling vehicle.

It seemed he believed everyone was in danger because of his single choice.

In truth, this should be considered Captain Lee’s mistake.

Although crude, he had a map.

He should have known this would happen.

If he had been a little more careful, they might not have encountered the zombies.

But it wasn’t right to simply blame the man entirely.

The remaining five people had followed him without thinking.

Of course, that included me.

Perhaps the reality of being in a tense situation had made their minds stiff.

It was already done.

As long as it wasn’t a total failure, they just needed to not repeat it.

Reflecting on my own foolishness, I listened to Captain Lee’s explanation.

‘…Indeed…’

After listening to Captain Lee’s explanation, I definitely realized I had acted foolishly.

If they had passed through Gates 1-2, it might have been different.

That area was relatively quiet and seemed to consist only of roads.

However, they had come through Gates 3-4.

What they encountered there was an American-style downtown area and welcoming zombies.

They weren’t there for tourism, but they were ambushed shortly after entering.

Just when they thought they had escaped, they encountered zombies once more.

Although there weren’t many, and they were easily dealt with, it was still a crisis.

Thinking it was too dangerous to continue, they changed direction.

Captain Lee explained that they were now heading left on the map.

He didn’t need to tell me everything, but Captain Lee wanted to share information with me whenever possible.

Even now, as they left the downtown area, he was explaining things to me in detail.

…Perhaps it was an action to avoid repeating the same mistake.

“If we get out of here and proceed this way… we’ll get out of the densely populated area.”

“Hmm…”

“If we follow this road along the facility boundary like this, and then this, it might be relatively safer.”

As he drew lines with his finger and explained, I generally understood.

After the friendly(?) short briefing, I looked around.

Meanwhile, Captain Lee explained the course to Jo Junwi, who was driving.

The car, having changed its course, drove smoothly.

The scenery outside naturally changed.

They drove through a residential area that would have been quiet, now devoid of shops.

After passing through the empty residential complex, a secluded landscape appeared.

Instead of buildings, bare roadside trees, having met winter, filled their view.

The number of buildings had definitely decreased sharply.

The streets looked like a place where zombies would find it hard to hide.

In fact, no zombies obstructing them were visible.

Even the road they were currently driving on was relatively clean.

I blinked, surprised by the starkly different scenery.

‘Ah… this was a military base.’

I had been mistaken for a moment, seeing the downtown area earlier.

It seemed I had been swayed by the appearance of a small city.

As I realized this was inside the base.

“Jo Junwi. To that building.”

Captain Lee turned direction once more.

In the direction he pointed, a large and beautiful building stood.

The car carrying them slowly approached the large building.

Seen up close, the building itself gave off an impression of luxury.

At the entrance, there was even a magnificent roof, like something out of a drama.

A building completely unfitting for their current situation.

『Dragon Hill Lodge』

“Dragon” was clearly displayed on the signboard.

Before I could even ask about the building, which clearly exuded luxury just by looking at it, Captain Lee spoke.

“It’s a hotel.”

“Ah.”

“As I explained yesterday, I plan to survey the front from a high floor here.”

I nodded at Captain Lee’s words.

Captain Lee clearly wanted to survey the area.

Reconnaissance was important.

Charging in blindly without any information was extremely dangerous.

Didn’t they always scout with a worker right at the start in Korean strategy games?

For that reason, this tall building was perfect.

I leaped out of the cargo bed and surveyed the surroundings.

‘…….’

The parking lot was quite spacious, likely part of the hotel grounds.

However, only two cars were visible.

A small sense of hope arose from the desolate, empty parking lot.

If there was no separate underground parking lot…

‘Surprisingly, there might not be any zombies.’

Captain Lee immediately took action.

“Lee Junwi will come with me. The rest of you prepare to depart immediately and stand guard.”

After giving quick and concise instructions, Captain Lee asked me.

“Seonghan. Will you come with me?”

“Certainly.”

As I accepted his polite invitation, Captain Lee raised his gun and led the way.

“Entering.”

Lee Junwi followed behind Captain Lee, who began walking steadily in a prepared stance.

I leisurely started following from the rear.

It felt like a long time since I’d followed from the back.

With a somewhat fresh feeling, I watched the back of Lee Junwi’s head as I walked.

‘A hotel…’

I felt a strange sensation entering a hotel for the first time in my life.

I had always wanted to visit one before I died, but I never imagined I’d do so like this.

And certainly not with soldiers instead of a beautiful girlfriend.

As I acknowledged the reality, the building, which had felt luxurious, now looked dismal.

The entrance they passed through was clean.

Recalling the chaotic and broken-down scenes they’d encountered so far, it was clear this place hadn’t been touched by people.

The lounge they cautiously entered was the same.

Aside from being slightly messy and dusty, it was surprisingly intact.

Looking at the floor, there were no bloodstains or anything similar.

There were a few footprints, but not many.

‘…It looks like they all headed outside.’

I couldn’t tell much from a quick glance.

Still, I figured out that there hadn’t been any damage in this building.

‘…No smell either.’

Only slightly stuffy and musty air was perceptible, with no foul odors.

For now, the 1st floor lounge passed inspection.

While I observed the scene giving positive signs, Captain Lee moved towards the stairs.

Swish—

They say even a rotten flatfish is still a flatfish [a proverb meaning something of quality retains its value even when degraded], and it seemed a hotel was still a hotel.

It surely hadn’t been maintained, but the stairwell door opened smoothly without a sound.

They immediately began ascending the stairs in silence.

The stairs were built in a rather old-fashioned way, but they were neat.

In the quiet emergency exit, only the footsteps of the three people echoed.

A low, mournful sound of wind.

Except for the chilling sound of the wind blowing.

Click, click.

The hard sounds of military boots and safety shoes treading on the floor did not stop.

The two people walking ahead seemed to have quite good stamina.

They breathed a little heavily, but their pace didn’t slow.

With a slight sway.

‘Oh…’

Following the two who boasted steel-like stamina, I lowered my gaze.

Lee Junwi, I’m sorry. It wasn’t intentional.

I lowered my head and climbed the stairs in a slightly uncomfortable posture.

One floor, then another.

“Whew! We’re here.”

After passing the 9th floor, they arrived at the rooftop.

Catching his breath, Captain Lee approached the door and slowly turned the doorknob.

“…It’s locked. We’ll have to go down one floor and…”

“Excuse me.”

I subtly stepped in front of Captain Lee.

This was an area I was confident in.

First, I put my ear close to the door.

Beyond the door, it was just quiet.

Confirming it was safe, I placed my hand on the doorknob.

Creak- smash! Crunch!

With the sound of metal shattering, the door slowly opened.

“…….”

“Let’s go.”

Captain Lee’s eye twitched silently.

It was troublesome for someone who knew a little about me to react this way.

Captain Lee, looking at the broken doorknob, led the way once more.

The spacious rooftop was clean.

There was no special landscaping or outdoor facilities.

Aside from a sturdy helipad, it was empty.

Only after confirming that the rooftop was empty and safe did Captain Lee relax his stance.

“Phew~ I had a hunch, but it’s really fortunate it’s empty.”

“Did you know this place was empty?”

“I wasn’t sure.”

Captain Lee, talking casually and looking around, estimated their direction.

He took a few steps towards the edge of the rooftop and chuckled softly.

“Do you know that the U.S. takes great care of its own citizens?”

“I wonder…”

“It’s a joke, but there’s a saying.”

“?”

“If you want to go to war with the U.S., kill an American somewhere other than the U.S.”

“Oh…”

Of course, he said, it wasn’t always like that.

Harm those who dedicate themselves to their homeland and allies, or their families?

He explained that it was more than enough justification for a superpower to act.

I didn’t care about the politics, but I liked the premise.

“In that sense, I figured the Americans inside the base likely evacuated safely.”

“Hmm…”

“You don’t have to think so hard. You often see similar scenes in American movies. Scenes where they desperately rescue people during disasters.”

“Aha.”

“Of course, it’s cinematic directing. Still, the U.S. military’s pride in defending their nation and citizens is extraordinary.”

“So they evacuated the Americans who needed to flee?”

Captain Lee nodded.

Americans. I liked their mindset.

“It would have been impossible for everyone. I’m guessing they did so at least within reach.”

“Quite different from our country, then.”

At my flat remark, Captain Lee fell silent.

Captain Lee, now silent, let out a small sigh.

He, being a Captain in the military, knew it well.

The fact that the ROK military had made an even bigger mess than a Tang Dynasty unit [a derogatory term for a disorganized or incompetent military].

It was easy to tell from his troubled expression.

“If there had been more soldiers like you, Captain Lee-nim, things wouldn’t have come to this.”

Stop—

Captain Lee stopped walking.

Then he stared at me intently.

A man’s deep gaze wasn’t to my taste.

I pretended not to notice and approached the rooftop railing, leaning against it.

“…Aren’t you overestimating me too much?”

Captain Lee, who had approached the railing, gazed forward and spoke quietly.

I openly snorted.

“Do I look like the type to speak empty words?”

“…Heh. Indeed, that’s true.”

Captain Lee swallowed his laughter and pulled out binoculars, as if he had prepared them beforehand.

“If there were soldiers like you, Seonghan, many people would have been saved.”

Listening to Captain Lee’s murmur, I pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t completed my military service.”

“I’ve been curious for a while, but are you really unfulfilled? Like, perhaps you were part of the special forces or something…”

Perhaps he thought this was the moment.

Lee Junwi, who had been silent, cautiously asked.

“Yes, I haven’t served. Because I’m an orphan.”

“Ah… I-I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. Anyway, that’s why I couldn’t enlist even if I wanted to. The Ministry of National Defense said no.”

Captain Lee was silent, and Lee Junwi’s eyes darted around.

She seemed to understand that I couldn’t enlist because I was an orphan.

It wasn’t that orphans couldn’t enlist at all.

However, it was not possible for those like me who were abandoned at birth with no family ties.

It was even more so because, coincidentally, a military enlistment corruption scandal broke out at the time.

It was hard back then, but now I don’t feel anything about it.

Instead, it felt like a relief that I couldn’t enlist.

Otherwise, I might have been drafted by now and rolling around like a dog.

Or used as a consumable, like Incheol or Sohee.

Lee Junwi asked no further questions.

Captain Lee made an effort not to take the binoculars from his eyes.

The awkward atmosphere ended before a single cigarette was fully smoked.

“Hmm…”

Captain Lee let out a low groan.

Narrowing my eyes at his reaction, I followed his gaze.

‘…….’

I scanned from the hotel entrance to the direction they needed to go.

The path directly ahead was quite clean for a road and seemed clear.

No special circumstances…

“Fuck…”

“Fuck…”

“Captain. What’s wrong?”

As Captain Lee and I each uttered a word in unison, Lee Junwi became tense.

Captain Lee didn’t answer her question.

It wasn’t clearly visible.

But just by looking, it was impossible not to know.

At the end of the path that seemed clear for now.

Waves swelled at their destination.

Or perhaps it looked like something wriggling.

A scene like approximately ten thousand living mealworms wriggling.

Captain Lee couldn’t speak.

Finally, with a deep sigh, he lowered the binoculars and bowed his head.

Seeing his reaction, Lee Junwi snatched the binoculars and stared ahead.

“……Huh…”

Lee Junwi, confirming the same sight, swallowed a gulp of air.

I didn’t show it, but I felt the same way.

There were truly a hell of a lot of them.

I quietly took the binoculars from Lee Junwi and examined the area closely.

It was quite a distance.

Despite that, the horrifying sight of zombies was gathered to the south.

Even from a rough glance, the building in the distance definitely looked like a hospital.

Its symbolic Red Cross sign.

A helipad was next to that building.

“Even a rough estimate would be over ten thousand.”

“That’s a lot.”

“How on earth did that many…”

Captain Lee, who had received the binoculars back, continued to scan, but nothing changed.

It was merely a reconfirmation of the bleak reality.

“There are helicopters.”

“There are?”

One piece of good news, at least.

“We’ll have to get closer to know for sure, but they appear to be Surions.”

“Surion? Is that good?”

“They are domestically produced helicopters.”

“Ah…”

My trust plummeted instantly.

Even I, who hadn’t served, couldn’t trust them because of the military corruption I knew about.

To put it bluntly, I had a gut feeling they would just crash in mid-air again.

“It’s certain there are two, at least… beyond that, they’re obscured from view. We’ll know more once we get closer.”

“Closer… you mean?”

Lee Junwi asked again, a little reluctantly.

“To check for damage or malfunctions, and if they’re flyable, we need to get closer…”

“Captain. Are you saying we’re going there now?”

“Didn’t you see it? The helicopters are there. There will surely be supplies too. So—”

“Captain! That’s not what we’re talking about right now!”

Lee Junwi snapped at Captain Lee, who had been speaking calmly.

“Going there! That’s suicide!”

“…….”

“Captain. We have to give up. It’s too much.”

“…We’ll find a way.”

Captain Lee did not raise his voice.

But he didn’t change his stance.

Lee Junwi seemed surprised by his quiet stubbornness.

“Captain?”

“I won’t give up. For now, I’ll hear everyone’s opinions.”

“N-no…”

“Seonghan. Let’s go down.”

Captain Lee expressed with his whole body that he wouldn’t listen anymore.

He immediately turned around and started heading back the way they came.

“C-Captain!”

Lee Junwi, following Captain Lee’s back, didn’t know what to do.

“Hmm…”

I briefly glared at the surging zombie horde, then hastily followed the two.

Captain Lee was being held back by Lee Junwi, moving at a slow pace.

Lee Junwi was trying to persuade him as if soothing a child.

But it seemed to be in vain.

Captain Lee also seemed to be quite a stubborn man.

It was as they were descending the stairs in a now completely chilled atmosphere.

Thud!

A faint, dull sound of something hitting a doorframe was heard.

It wasn’t a sound coming from them.

From somewhere a little distance away…

“Quiet!”

“?”

I stopped walking and whispered.

As I brought my index finger to my lips, the two silenced themselves and changed their expressions.

I quickly scanned my eyes.

『9F – Dragon Tower Guest Rooms』

“…What’s wrong?”

Captain Lee whispered softly as he gently approached.

“There’s something on this s—”

Crash!

“?!”

At the sound of small objects rolling on the floor, the two soldiers reacted sharply.

The sound came from the 9th floor corridor.

They approached the tightly closed corridor door.

Turning the doorknob, I found it wasn’t locked.

Still holding the doorknob, I met Captain Lee’s gaze.

‘I’ll open it.’

Nod

Slide—

The light-colored metal door opened smoothly.

Captain Lee and Lee Junwi aimed their guns at the revealed corridor.

The corridor was empty.

Nothing was moving.

But there was definitely something.

It was troublesome, but they had to go inside and check everything individually…

Rustle- clatter!

The sensation underfoot the moment I took a step.

At the same time, the distinct sound of stepping on glass shards echoed clearly in the silent corridor.

A considerable amount of glass shards were scattered on the floor.

They were conspicuously scattered only at the stairwell entrance.

The reason these were here was too obvious.

I raised my gaze from the floor and looked ahead.

At the same time, I slowly drew the knife from my waist.

The hotel I thought was empty.

Still had guests.