episode_0222

It was already quiet, but this was the kind of silence where even a breath felt irritating.

The sound of the winter wind seeping through the narrowly opened window felt like the wails of the neglected corpses.

“…Ugh…”

Jihyeok hyung was forcibly holding back the nausea rising within him.

Reporter Kim closed his eyes, covered his mouth, and turned his head.

From the hallway, the sounds of Sohee-ssi retching and struggling with disgust rippled in.

The terrible stench of decay and the remnants of rotting flesh.

Even the traces of emotions more repulsive than that.

‘Disgusting.’

Within this room, the traces causing disgust and revulsion were starkly exposed.

Everyone present was no amateur.

They were ‘veterans’ who had endured to this point, directly witnessing and experiencing all sorts of gruesome sights that ordinary people would find hard to encounter.

Nevertheless, they couldn’t suppress their disgust, feeling a surge of nausea and a furrowing of their brows.

To that extent, the corpses of the ‘people’ who met their end bore severe, foul, and repulsive traces.

‘……’

There were three female corpses and one male.

Judging by their remaining appearance, all were young.

What made one frown was the condition of the victims.

They hadn’t been attacked by zombies, but they couldn’t be considered ordinary corpses.

The women were all stripped naked, bearing traces of having endured terrible things.

On their lower abdomens and entire bodies were bloodstains, along with traces of cloudy fluid that had dried up and begun to rot.

…And there were severe signs of damage, covering their entire bodies.

Their limbs were broken and twisted, bent at bizarre angles.

Parts of their faces were crushed and sunken.

Even as they decayed according to natural processes, indelible traces of violence were etched onto them, in the form of deep bruises, shoe prints, and cigarette burns.

Another female corpse had her genitals inverted, spilling out like internal organs.

Yet another female corpse had traces of blood pouring from her eyes and mouth.

Each one was filled with horrific wounds, virtually equivalent to torture.

It was a situation where it was not difficult to guess what had happened.

This wasn’t something you could just order someone to look at.

Perhaps because they were women too?

It wasn’t incomprehensible that Sohee-ssi couldn’t suppress her disgust.

“This… this was done by people… right?”

My hyung’s voice, as he barely managed to speak, trembled slightly.

“Yes. And…”

“…What is it?”

“……Never mind.”

I held back the rest of my words.

No matter how strong hyung was, he seemed to be struggling to accept this calmly right now.

These women did not die easily.

Until just before death, they suffered body-shattering pain, and until their last breath, they were pinned beneath a beast’s body, groaning in agony.

Ironically, the resilience of human life prolonged their suffering.

In their unclosed eyes were etched pain, hatred, despair, and resentment.

Having encountered such eyes before, I recognized it.

The footprint of a beast in human skin.

Seeing such a deranged corpse after a truly long time left a bitter taste in my mouth.

And I felt a corner of my chest grow cold.

…The hidden truths I saw, I merely swallowed inwardly.

The male corpse was in a less severe state than the female ones.

However, his skull was burst, and he lay dead with brain matter spilled out.

On the surface, the cause of death was a fatal head injury.

‘They held him down so he couldn’t resist, then struck him.’

Execution following a beating.

Looking at the man’s hands, it seemed he had resisted violently.

Reading traces is useful, but in times like these, it’s tormenting.

How they died, and how much they suffered, was indirectly conveyed.

Even though it wasn’t something I experienced, it vividly stimulated my brain.

That foul feeling of my stomach churning just before I vomit…

It was the same as the piles of bodies in the Red Cross Hospital, and these corpses now.

I realized once again that humans could become monsters that made zombies seem trivial.

I also realized that people could break down much faster and more extensively than expected.

At this point, I grew curious.

Indeed, which side could truly be called monsters?

Now, I might have to assume that any human I encounter is an enemy.

‘…For now…’

Thoughts for later.

I wanted to lay the bodies to rest, but it felt like they would break if I touched them.

I stopped examining them and tore down a flag standing in the corner.

Then, I respectfully covered the four victims with it.

It was nothing more than meaningless self-satisfaction, but it felt like something I had to do.

To that extent, the four corpses looked incredibly tormented.

Suddenly, I turned my head and saw two people frozen in discomfort.

“If it’s too hard, you can step outside.”

“…It’s okay.”

“You don’t have to push yourself.”

“I’m really fine.”

I didn’t stop my hyung, who was stubbornly insisting in a deeply subdued voice.

Reporter Kim, who had been observing the situation from behind hyung, spoke up timidly.

“Seonghan-ssi.”

“Yes.”

“Um, well, that is….”

Reporter Kim hesitated, intensely gauging my reaction and hyung’s.

Mouth agape, he finally managed to speak.

“……I-I took pictures, but should I delete them…?”

“Hmm…”

Hyung and I swallowed a groan simultaneously.

Judging by his expression, it seemed Reporter Kim initially shared our thoughts.

『Wouldn’t it be disgracing the deceased?』

Reporter Kim, who had been following us since morning, taking many photos, was in deep conflict.

I understood why he had come out with us to the streets despite his discomfort, but…

Just then, a firm voice from behind us drew our attention.

“I believe they should be left as a record.”

It was none other than Sohee-ssi who settled Reporter Kim’s conflicted mind.

Reporter Kim looked surprised, but Sohee-ssi spoke cautiously yet firmly.

“I believe we need to prove how cruel humans can become… how insane they can get. …I am truly sorry to these individuals, but… shouldn’t someone reveal such atrocities…?”

Sohee-ssi’s voice was hoarse and slightly choked.

“I apologize… for sounding sentimental.”

Sohee-ssi bowed her head and could not continue speaking.

Even she, who had fought her way through gruesome scenes, was considerably shocked.

Or perhaps, she couldn’t overcome the revulsion she felt as a fellow woman.

“How about we hold off for a bit? Staying here much longer is also…”

“No. It would be better to keep the photos. As Sohee-ssi said, it seems right that someone should reveal these crimes and the victims’ suffering. Reporter Kim-nim?”

At my words, Reporter Kim’s expression turned solemn.

A strong resolve emanated from his body, if only for a moment.

“…I will certainly make it known to the world.”

A sense of mission.

What I felt from Reporter Kim now was a weighty sense of responsibility.

Though I didn’t know how far he could go.

“…Then, let’s first look for what Sohee-ssi mentioned.”

“Ah… yes. Then.”

Sohee-ssi lightly rubbed her eyes with her sleeve and began searching the District Head’s desk.

She looked completely drained but set her jaw.

Feigning not to notice, hyung and I gathered the papers scattered on the floor.

We quickly scanned the contents written on the A4 papers, flipping through them repeatedly, but…

“They’re unrelated.”

“Indeed. Just approval documents and reports.”

I clicked my tongue softly.

After checking the collected documents, I tossed them aside.

Sohee-ssi was still sifting through documents on the desk.

“Sohee-ssi. Is there anything?”

At my question, she silently shook her head.

“There’s nothing helpful.”

“Hmm. That’s a shame. Then, let’s head do—”

“I wouldn’t call it a substitute, but I’ve roughly deduced what happened.”

Curiosity rose at the mention of having found something.

“For now… let’s go downstairs. There’s no point in searching further.”

Sohee-ssi gathered a few files and suggested we withdraw.

Following her as she left the room without energy, everyone retreated.

The victims… no, the murdered individuals. We quietly closed the door to the District Head’s office where they lay, and went down to the first floor.

It seemed unlikely we’d find anything meaningful by searching elsewhere, and there was no need to encounter any more unnecessary corpses.

The three people besides me were still reeling from the shock of human cruelty that far exceeded all bounds.

There was no need to push them at all.

“W-what happened?”

The two younger ones were startled, perhaps because the three of our expressions were so grim.

“We just saw something rather brutal.”

“Oh…”

I didn’t feel the need to tell the younger ones the full truth, so I vaguely glossed over it.

“Dong-woo. Get some water from the car.”

“Yes, sir.”

The three of them, receiving the water Dong-woo handed out, took large sips to calm their stomachs.

“Let’s rest for a bit.”

“…Alright.”

Hyung and Sohee-ssi, with a slight loss of color in their faces, did not refuse the break.

Leaning against the car and taking a breather, Sohee-ssi told us what she had just confirmed.

“I’m sorry, but as I mentioned, there was nothing helpful.”

I hadn’t expected much to begin with, so I took it in stride.

If there had been such a thing, wouldn’t we not be going through such hell right now?

Sohee-ssi chuckled sardonically, fiddling with the document file.

“It’s just… it solidified how utterly incompetent the so-called higher-ups are.”

“Hmm… that’s hardly new.”

At my words, people offered awkward smiles.

Everyone didn’t say it, but their reactions were similar to mine.

Sohee-ssi was embarrassed by my remark but quickly composed herself.

“First of all, though it’s late, it’s true that orders came down in the form of official documents.”

“Oh. So there were actually some people who did their jobs, huh?”

“But that’s all.”

Sohee-ssi shook her head vigorously.

“There are no clear countermeasures.”

“In those official documents?”

“Yes. They’re just random, disorganized orders. And they lack any realism.”

“Well…”

These were people who had run away without a backward glance, acting as if they didn’t know anything. Could we expect anything realistic from them?

“The funny thing is, it seems they eventually recognized the gravity of the situation, however late.”

“And?”

“They couldn’t manage any response at all. These are the proofs.”

“…Oh?”

“In a disaster-level situation, these ’emergency documents,’ these scraps of paper, are filled with content that even elementary school students could memorize. Seeing this… I really can’t believe it…”

Sohee-ssi gnashed her teeth gently and vented her frustration, but it only served to reconfirm what we already knew.

My hyung, who had been listening silently, interjected subtly.

“Safety apathy.”

“??”

“I once did narration for a documentary. The program’s theme was about disaster preparedness.”

The others and I listened intently, finding hyung’s words interesting.

“You know how earthquakes, floods, or typhoons in other countries can be enormous in scale, right? Especially in places like America, a single wildfire can be truly blockbuster-level.”

I remembered seeing such things on the news in passing.

There’s a reason why Hollywood disaster movies are often based on real events.

“That’s why they’re well-prepared for disasters. Education and training are conducted, and personal preparations are also diligently followed.”

Interpreting this differently…

“…It means they’re well aware of the risks.”

“Exactly.”

Because they are well aware of the risks, systematic responses are prepared.

Even at an individual level, the concept of protecting oneself is ingrained.

That concept isn’t just about protection with guns.

It’s a fundamental awareness of danger.

Which means the probability of dying meaninglessly is lower.

“But our country doesn’t have that.”

“Hmm…”

“There have been major and minor incidents, but nothing that would trigger a national emergency. So there’s no interest. They don’t feel the danger.”

“I admit that.”

I nodded, strongly supporting hyung’s words.

Safety apathy.

Our country is probably one of the few where this term is so familiar.

Even for me, despite safety being emphasized daily at my workplace, it felt too procedural to truly sink in.

If even the workers on the front lines felt that way, what about those higher up?

Would those who bestow awards upon companies nicknamed ‘murder enterprises’ truly know anything about safety?

“What the documentary talked about wasn’t anything different. It pointed out the inadequacy of manuals for emergency situations, but…”

“It just got a ton of hate.”

Yeongcheol-ssi added softly.

“Huh… it was a warning about danger, so why would it get criticized?”

Dong-woo asked naively, but Jihyeok hyung and Yeongcheol-ssi smiled bitterly.

“I think I know what it is.”

“What is it, hyung-nim?”

“A matter of sentiment, perhaps… right?”

“…Right.”

“Ah, what is it? Please explain.”

“It might sound a bit strange, but…”

A documentary made with good intentions, containing a warning message, was criticized.

Perhaps to Koreans, it sounded like this:

『Are you performing a ritual for an earthquake to kill everyone right now?』

The main reason is the atmosphere where people avoid even mentioning danger, saying that ‘words become seeds’ [a proverb meaning words can manifest into reality].

I experienced similar things at work.

Most people, when a safety supervisor gives a warning, get angry, saying it’s unlucky talk.

‘I’ll be fine, I’ll be safe, surely not me?’

When you warn people with such a mindset, they’re bound to react negatively.

“If an individual is thorough and well-prepared for safety, they’re treated as a frustrating person.”

“Oh, right. There was something like that. How do you know so well?”

“Because I was like that.”

“……”

Hyung closed his mouth and subtly avoided eye contact.

“But, um, I wonder. Aren’t zombies and disasters a bit different? It seems more like a catastrophe than a disaster…”

Reporter Kim offered a rather sober opinion.

“Perhaps so.”

“……”

“But fundamentally, the ignorance of danger remains unchanged.”

“That’s right. That’s why our country’s system was very vulnerable.”

Hyung and I each added a remark, but it seemed the others didn’t quite grasp it.

“Consider this.”

“??”

“What if individuals had even a little bit of the strength and ability to protect themselves and endure?”

“Oh…”

“Wouldn’t there have been a few more people left with their sanity?”

“Th-That’s certainly…”

“If the country could have responded even a little, it would have been different.”

It would still be difficult, agonizing, scary, and painful regardless.

But couldn’t the damage have been reduced, even slightly?

Wouldn’t there have been slightly fewer crazy psychopaths?

Wouldn’t there have been slightly fewer lives lost meaninglessly, unable to do anything?

…Of course, there might not have been a perfect solution.

As I shared these thoughts, the group fell silent, lost in thought.

“It seems you all have a lot on your minds, but it’s not complicated.”

I spoke in a calm tone.

“These scraps of paper are proof that the world has turned upside down, and in the room where these papers were found, the stark evidence of people going mad lies exposed.”

“……”

“To survive, you must be careful of people. Be wary of unfamiliar strangers.”

It was always like that, but now, the level of danger would have to be raised several notches.

To the silent people, I reminded them of past memories.

“Don’t forget what happened in Yeongdeungpo.”

“Ah.”

“Don’t forget being ambushed in front of the supermarket. Especially you, Incheol.”

“Ah…”

“This isn’t something to think of as someone else’s problem. You don’t need to look far; you’ve all experienced it yourselves.”

Humans don’t have much resistance to harming others.

And it’s another problem that there are those who enjoy it.

They don’t hesitate, they become cunning, and they rack their brains to try novel things.

I don’t know if they understood or not, but everyone nodded slightly.

“Then, let’s pull ourselves together and move on to the next place.”

“Huh? Oh…”

They must have thought the atmosphere was such that we were done for the day.

But no chance.

“The ending is important, isn’t it? If we finish like this, we’ll feel unsettled and won’t be able to sleep. We need to lighten the mood, shake off what needs to be shaken off, and take what we need to take.”

“Heh. You’re right.”

At hyung’s agreement, everyone tried to change the mood, however forcedly.

“Sohee-ssi. Could you give me those documents?”

“Why bother with these…”

“I wish to keep them as evidence for later.”

“Ah… here.”

At Reporter Kim’s polite request, Sohee-ssi handed over the file.

Since his profession is a reporter, he’ll probably know how to use them well.

As planned, we began to move to find cosmetics for skin health.

Judging by the time, we thought we could probably return before sunset.

We were able to easily find a cosmetics store and gather the necessary items.

Now, all we had to do was return quietly, but…

‘…Words become seeds [a proverb meaning words can manifest into reality].’

I keenly realized that our country’s proverbs weren’t just there for no reason.