episode_0204

“Um… Seonghan.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t do that again.”

“Um…”

“Never again.”

Last night.

The evening gathering concluded grandly, after a small event that brought shock, terror, and astonishment to everyone.

Captain Lee’s earnest (?) request, made with a face that seemed to have seen something unbearable, was a bonus.

I also had things I wanted to say, but I could only shut my mouth.

Not just the others, but even Heize was disgusted and making a fuss.

Honestly, I felt a bit unfairly treated.

I merely set the atmosphere a little to convey information as objectively as possible.

Just a tiny imitation of the variant’s unique, sticky killing intent…

‘…Was it too much?’

I later heard that Secretary Choi and CEO Kim even teared up.

Meanwhile, Lawrence, who was pregnant, merely shivered a bit…

Sergeant Kang, perhaps due to experience, reacted calmly.

Still, people indirectly experienced the danger of the variants.

It was certainly more effective than just hearing about it blandly.

In any case, the panic was contained, and the shelter’s leadership didn’t let it slide.

After exchanging opinions, a course of action was decided for encountering variants.

『Run without looking back.』

Unconditional flight was set as the basic rule if firepower sufficient enough to be considered excessive wasn’t prepared.

In this regard, Captain Lee and the squad members, who could make realistic judgments in combat, held sway.

And the well-known Gangnam incident also served as a guideline.

Courage and recklessness are completely different.

Captain Lee clearly distinguished between them.

Everyone’s goal was survival, not zombie extermination.

Because of that, meaningful rules could be established while sorting out the commotion.

As soon as they broke up and entered the temporary lodging, everyone fell asleep.

The Yongsan Base scavenging team had suffered from arduous work.

It would have been hard enough normally, but being in life-threatening situations made exhaustion understandable.

The next day, after spending a night in a proper bed under a roof for the first time in a long while.

I was meeting with Sergeant Kang and his companions early in the morning.

“……”

“I-I’m sorry. I just couldn’t stay still…”

Sergeant Kang, who came with Miri’s father, who was anxious, had a troubled expression.

And it was the same for the others behind him.

No, rather than troubled, it was more like…

“It’s just that this is the first time we’ve received news of a missing family member’s survival among our group, so everyone is happy. Haha.”

“Ah…”

Only after hearing Sergeant Kang’s words did I understand.

They were rejoicing as if it were their own matter.

And at the same time, they were being a bit wary of me for waking them up.

Anyway, a small hope that flickered in their eyes.

「Perhaps our family too…?」

In a way, it might be a futile and cruel torment of hope.

But for them, what had just happened seemed like a small miracle.

Miri’s father, the person directly involved, had swollen, bloodshot eyes.

I couldn’t fully empathize, but I understood, so I chuckled softly.

“…We’ll depart as soon as preparations for movement are complete, so please wait a little longer.”

“Yes, yes. Of course. But how is our Miri doing?”

It was the family repeatedly asking about their well-being.

Perhaps because of his sturdy build and simple appearance, his emotions were openly displayed.

I didn’t press him, and instead, I told him several times that she was healthy and doing well.

When I saw his overwhelming reaction each time he heard she was healthy, it was hard to say anything.

“Um, Miri’s father.”

“Yes, yes.”

“That…”

I felt I could understand a little of a doctor’s heart when delivering bad news.

It was very difficult to speak.

“There’s something you need to know.”

“Yes. What is it?”

“Miri is healthy and not sick, but there’s one problem.”

“P-Problem?”

The simple young father was immediately startled with fear.

“Miri has aphasia.”

As soon as he heard the words, Miri’s father’s complexion turned pale.

“A-Aphasia? Th-that, that inability to speak?”

“Yes.”

“Ah… ah…”

Miri’s father gripped his head, as if dizzy.

“Are you alright?”

“Ah, ah. I-I’m alright.”

Slap! Slap!

He suddenly slapped himself, which startled me.

“Phew. I apologize. I was a bit surprised.”

“Ah, yes.”

Miri’s father quickly composed himself.

“Thank you for telling me in advance. I was very surprised and my heart aches, but… as long as she’s alive, that’s enough. I don’t wish for anything more. I prayed every day. Just to let her live. Right now, I just want to see and hug my daughter and my wife.”

The way he suppressed his complex emotions for his daughter and composed himself was like what you’d see from fathers in dramas.

…A parent’s heart for their child seems greater than one might think.

I decided to meet Miri’s father again before departure, and for now, we dispersed.

Seeing him receive congratulations from his companions, their bond seems strong.

It’s a group with a good atmosphere.

I took out a cigarette and offered one to Sergeant Kang.

“Sergeant Kang, are you sure you don’t need to meet those two?”

“I want to see them, but… if I move, people will waver.”

Sergeant Kang, inhaling deeply from his cigarette, had a calm expression.

But the word “waver” seemed to apply to himself as well.

“After parting ways with little Incheol and his older sister, I just ran. These are the people who helped me when I was hurt and exhausted. I cannot leave them.”

Sergeant Kang, speaking plainly, seemed to be struggling to pull himself together.

“So, you received help, and then you helped and led people?”

“Well… it just kind of happened that way. Haha.”

Sergeant Kang chuckled awkwardly, looking embarrassed.

In this light, he looked like a young man fitting his age.

On the other hand, he exuded the aura of a man who carried the expectations and trust of many.

He was much younger than me, but he looked dependable.

‘What a waste.’

Both Incheol and Sergeant Kang were very appealing talents.

I secretly hoped they might come along, but it seemed they had already made up their minds.

It would be a terrible thing to press them further, so I held my tongue.

We quietly and leisurely enjoyed our cigarettes.

“So… what’s wrong with that person?”

“……”

I spoke to the woman in the hoodie who had been lurking behind Sergeant Kang, observing.

She seemed to have something to say but was just watching.

She had been like that for a while.

I considered just ignoring her, but she was subtly annoying.

Sergeant Kang pulled the still hesitant woman forward.

“Hong Soohee. What are you doing acting so unlike yourself?”

“…N-no… um, that…”

“You said you had something to tell Hyung-nim.”

Yesterday, she had met my gaze briefly, but now she couldn’t meet it at all.

“Hyung-nim, I’m sorry. She’s not usually like this, I don’t know why she’s acting this way.”

“No. It’s alright.”

I said it with a comfortable smile, but I wondered.

This woman was definitely not acting this way out of shyness or being uncomfortable with strangers.

Though she had her head bowed, facing her felt like facing a beast.

It felt like there was a giant cat more than 3 meters tall in front of me.

“H-here, this!”

“Ah.”

The woman named Soohee held out a knife with both hands.

With her waist bent at a 90-degree angle.

It was in a clean state, as if it had been maintained.

As I gently took the knife, she spoke in the same posture.

“Th-thank you for… for helping me… no, for saving me? Th-thank you!”

“…Gasp…”

“??”

“Lift your head. You don’t have to struggle so much. Relax.”

“That’s right, Soohee. Hyung-nim is a good person.”

“Ah, n-no, that, that’s…”

I slid the knife into the sheath at my waist.

Even after straightening her bent body, this woman still darted her gaze around.

“If you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to force yourself. I will accept your greetings gratefully.”

At my words, Hong Soohee squeezed her eyes shut.

“H-hey!”

“Yes.”

“…Please fight me just once!”

“…What?”

“Hey! Hong Soohee! What are you saying right now?!”

Her absurd words made me let out an empty laugh.

A flustered Sergeant Kang tried to stop the woman named Soohee, scolding her.

But Hong Soohee’s eyes widened.

“I-I just really want to confirm something. Just once!”

“What are you talking about! If Hyung-nim gets hurt… oh, no, that’s not it. No, this isn’t what I meant…”

His sudden change of direction and rambling made me laugh.

“Me getting hurt?”

“Ah, Hyung-nim, it’s not that. She’s just ridiculously strong, so…”

“Oppa!!”

“Stop yelling!”

“Hmm…”

Sergeant Kang.

Good provocation.

“Alright.”

As I agreed, their reactions diverged.

“I was curious about something anyway.”

“?!”

“H-Hyung-nim?”

“Instead, you have to tell me why after we fight.”

“Ah, alright! B-but why… are you speaking informally…?”

Her timid correction made me chuckle.

“We’re about to fight seriously now, so what’s with honorifics? Let’s start right away.”

I stubbed out my cigarette, stretched my neck left and right, and stepped forward.

“Hyung-nim? A-are you serious?”

“Uh… here?”

I stood comfortably, having created a suitable distance.

“It’ll be over quickly, what’s the fuss?”

“Uh… um…”

“Don’t hold back—”

Whoosh!

‘Look at her?’

She cut me off, stepped forward quickly, and abruptly threw a kick at my face.

I swiftly closed in and lightly tapped the back of her knee, her supporting leg.

“Gah?!”

Hong Soohee, who rolled unattractively on the ground without strength, opened her eyes wide.

“Stop fooling around and fight properly.”

“Ugh!!”

She jumped up, seemingly lowering her stance, then took a fighting pose.

Pat-pat-

Whoosh! Whap!

She truly threw a one-two combo in a boxing stance, then immediately launched a flurry of punches.

Face, neck, side.

She aimed for areas where a hit would be most effective.

‘……’

There were many blows, but none reached me.

There was no need for flashy movements.

I just needed to subtly twist my body to avoid the hit points.

‘Hmm…’

Hong Soohee continued to throw punches without getting tired.

Neither her strength nor her speed diminished.

Whoosh!

She attempted a surprise low kick, but I extended my leg even faster.

Thump-

“?!?!”

She was greatly flustered to be thwarted by such a trick before her leg could even properly extend.

“Fight like you did on the bus roof. Otherwise, you’ll get hurt, you know?”

“Huh?”

Whoosh!

“…Oh?”

Hong Soohee couldn’t react to the fist that stopped right in front of her nose, letting out a bewildered sound.

“If you were an enemy, you’d be dead right now. Focus.”

As I withdrew my extended fist, I saw Hong Soohee clench her teeth.

And then she immediately began to attack again.

‘As expected.’

Hong Soohee, having regained her breath, launched indiscriminate attacks.

It was completely different from before.

Faster, stronger, and heavier.

And threatening.

They were attacks that felt like they could cut skin with just a graze.

Whether human or zombie, a hit would break or burst them.

Her attacks now clearly possessed that level of destructive power.

This was not an attack an ordinary woman could make.

A robust adult male… no, more than double that.

She wasn’t even getting tired easily.

‘……’

Hong Soohee’s eyes gleamed as she poured out attacks.

Not exactly killing intent, but as if savagery had taken hold…

That kind of feeling, right before her eyes rolled back.

Despite that, she aimed sharp attacks at my vital points.

Her current appearance was completely different from before.

There was no sign of the shyness or hesitation she showed earlier.

The fierce intent to openly crush me was clearly palpable.

Thud! Thud!

Whoosh-

“Ugh?!”

I blocked her extended fists with my palms and seized them.

At the same time, I swung them widely, wrapping around both of Hong Soohee’s arms.

She was now facing away from me, her arms pinned.

“That’s enough.”

“Gasp! Gasp! Ugh!”

She wriggled while held, but it was meaningless.

Realizing this, Hong Soohee sighed and declared her surrender.

“I lost…”

When I released her arms, she unclasped her hands and pulled away from me.

“Whoa… Hyung-nim… you’re really strong…. This is the first time I’ve seen Soohee unable to even put up a fight. She’s a girl who can burst zombie heads…”

“Hmmph…”

I chuckled softly at Sergeant Kang’s honest reaction.

And I agreed.

This woman could really burst a zombie’s head.

Adjusting my clothes, I spoke to Hong Soohee.

“You.”

“…Yes.”

“You can handle about three or four zombies at once, right?”

“Oh?!”

“How…?”

Seeing the two of them startled, I began to speak.

“An ordinary man wouldn’t even be a match for you. The attacks you used on me aren’t at a normal human level. Am I wrong?”

“……”

“But there are no signs of training on your body. Outwardly, you have the physique of an ordinary woman. Yet, this kind of strength and speed makes no sense.”

“Uhm…”

“And you don’t get tired easily. Even a professional fighter couldn’t move like that.”

As I listed what I had felt during our sparring, Hong Soohee pressed her lips together.

“You’ve learned something, but not long ago. Your proficiency is low. You’re clumsy and unable to control your strength, so you’re swayed by it.”

“Ah!”

I took a step closer to her startled face.

“Your personality changes when you fight.”

“……”

“I mean, you become ferocious.”

“!!”

Her reacting to everything like this clearly showed her naivete.

If this woman fell into the hands of Representative Pyo or CEO Choi, her soul would surely be stripped bare.

This time, however, she fell into my hands.

“What are you?”

“…Yes?”

“I don’t know why, but you are definitely not ordinary. What is your true identity? Why did you want to fight me?”

“……”

“You promised to answer. It seems you’ve confirmed everything you wanted to, so now, won’t you tell me?”

At my words, Hong Soohee met my gaze directly.

This time, her eyes didn’t waver.

But she glanced at Sergeant Kang.

“Just tell me, won’t you?”

“B-but…”

It seemed to be something she was reluctant to talk about, but that wasn’t my concern.

“You can trust Sergeant Kang.”

“!”

“Hyung-nim.”

“He’s a man who can keep a secret. He didn’t say anything about me at all.”

Sergeant Kang was slightly moved.

Indeed, even in Yeongdeungpo, Sergeant Kang had kept his mouth shut.

It was other tactless soldiers who had blabbed about me.

And these two were in the same group.

If there was something to reveal, it might be better to get it out.

No, she had to.

This woman was too dangerous to keep around without knowing her true nature.

“If I judge that speaking only between us would harm Sergeant Kang, I will tell everything. Sergeant Kang comes first, more than keeping faith with you, whom I only met yesterday.”

“……”

“Of course, it doesn’t matter if you don’t tell me. I’ll just be a bit curious and lose sleep over it, I guess.”

I said this, but I was curious.

What was this woman’s true identity?

But it seemed she would speak soon.

Even now, she was deep in thought…

“Alright.”

Hong Soohee immediately ended her deliberation.

Then she looked around and led the two of us to a secluded spot.

She was quite cautious, making sure no one was around until the very end.

“Actually…”

The young woman, Hong Soohee, a member of Sergeant Kang’s group.

She had a good reason to pique my curiosity.