episode_0257

I merely clicked my tongue and muttered “damn it,” but others were not so calm. At the fierce gunshots signaling engagement, the shelter residents scattered in a panic. Someone spat out rough curses. Someone screamed as if wringing out their insides. And someone else grabbed onto another, running or picking them up.

Utter chaos. It was like a wolf jumping into a flock of sheep. The faces of the people rushing past were deathly pale, like blank sheets of paper. Within the campus grounds, which had exuded a living atmosphere, fear, driven by urgency, descended.

Most residents, running frantically, never looked back. They just ran forward like madmen.

Was there still a shred of sanity left, though? Even as the residents scattered in all directions, they headed towards the large buildings standing tall throughout the area.

‘…’

At the building entrances and in the streets, a few armed individuals evacuated people.

“This way—! This way!!”

“Mister! Where the hell are you going! Over here!”

“Calmly go inside! Don’t push!! Calm down! Inside!”

“There’s plenty of space! Go inside! Plenty of space!”

They somehow guided and sent away the people who were on the verge of losing their minds. At the building entrances, they struggled to maintain order. Amidst the fierce gunfight, cries guiding direction squeezed through. The residents, on the verge of panic, followed the instructions as if possessed.

Perhaps it was thanks to a few who screamed their lungs out. By the time Dong-woo and I arrived at our destination, the pandemonium had mostly subsided. In the quickly vacated campus grounds, only a small number of men could be seen running around.

“Seonghan!”

“Seonghan-ssi!”

Hyuk hyung and Captain Lee, who were standing at the entrance, rushed over.

“What about Chairman Choi?”

“He’s inside with the others.”

“But why are you out here, hyung?”

“You and the others are outside!”

Hyung’s voice rose slightly, but he still maintained his composure. Indeed, an experienced person is certainly different.

First, I briefly explained the situation to hyung, who was overflowing with concern for our group.

“They’re in that building over there, with Sergeant Kang’s group.”

“Will it be okay?”

“They all know how to fight, so it’ll be fine.”

In the meantime, Dong-woo took out a gun and a bag from the back seat and handed them to hyung. Seeing him quickly put on a vest and grab extra magazines, it was clear he had trained quite a bit. It was indeed a good idea to ask Heize and Sohee-ssi.

“Dong-woo and hyung, absolutely do not go to the front.”

“Understood.”

“Seonghan-ssi. The situation is not good.”

Captain Lee, with a grim expression, informed me of the current situation.

“The main gate and the closed back gate are currently under attack. In addition to the forces on guard, reinforcements have been sent, and they are engaged in combat.”

“Is it very bad?”

Captain Lee nodded slightly.

“There have been several engagements until now, but today the scale is considerable.”

Bang—! Boom!

The sound of grenades exploding began to be heard from the main gate.

“Four digits.”

“??”

“There are over a thousand zombies attacking.”

Wouldn’t that be manageable?

“The back gate has roughly that many, and the main gate is uncountable.”

Damn my big mouth.

“The numbers at the main gate aren’t decreasing. They’re still pushing in.”

“…”

‘Ha… these damn things.’

A vast area.

Attack from both directions.

Prepared, but insufficient personnel are all engaged in combat.

“…”

Where Sergeant Kang’s group is, it’s not immediately dangerous. Incheol, Sohee-ssi, and Hong Soohee are there. The building was said to be sturdy and defensible. Even if the crudely built walls collapse, they can hold out for a moment.

Then what I need to do is…

“How many people are there to protect those inside?”

“All escort personnel are armed.”

Here, the conditions are similar.

“Hyung. Stay with Dong-woo and Chairman Choi.”

Hyung, having finished arming himself, loaded a shotgun and was ready.

‘Why does he look so dependable?’

He just loaded a gun, but he looks impressive.

“Why?”

“No. Captain Lee-nim. Can you quickly clear the back gate?”

“I’ll try… No, I will accomplish it.”

Captain Lee, changing his words, boosted his fighting spirit. Accordingly, I pulled a neck warmer from my pocket and put it on, protecting my nose and mouth.

“…What about you?”

I said to hyung, who had tensed up slightly while tightly adjusting his gloves.

“I’m going to go have a little talk with them.”

“What?”

“Huh?”

I told Captain Lee the idea that had come to me.

“I will support and hold the main gate. In the meantime, you clear the back gate and redirect the troops. And then we’ll clear out all of them.”

“…”

‘Does this person even make expressions like this?’

His open-mouthed, dumbfounded look was awkward but amusing.

“Snap out of it and hurry.”

“Understood.”

Normally, he would have cursed me out, telling me not to spout such nonsense, but Captain Lee didn’t. He simply acquiesced immediately.

“Seonghan.”

Hyung, with a tense face, spoke with force.

“Be careful.”

I chuckled, looking at hyung and Dong-woo, who were giving me teary-eyed glances.

I extended both my clenched fists to hyung and Dong-woo. Hyung and Dong-woo gave short laughs as if relieved, and bumped their fists against mine. The moment we cleared the air with a fist bump, a man’s greeting.

“Main gate in danger! Requesting support! Main gate in danger! Requesting support!”

A loud voice burst from the walkie-talkie on Captain Lee’s shoulder.

“I’ll borrow a car.”

Captain Lee, who had abruptly announced his intention, climbed into our Porter.

“If you break it, I’ll claim damages.”

“Chairman Kim will pay for it!”

Vroom—!

The moment the Porter with Captain Lee aboard took off, I also sprung from my spot and ran.

The main gate to the south and the back gate to the north. We ran in opposite directions, but our tasks were the same. Hoping that Captain Lee would hold them off well and come quickly, I put strength into my legs. My legs, which had instantly accelerated, rapidly closed the distance to the main gate.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

On either side of the road leading to the main gate, large gravestones lined up.

‘How unsettling, what are gravestones doing at a university?’

Going to fight zombies, and there are gravestones. My mood soured as I quickly passed through them.

That was only for a moment. The sight of the main gate, which soon came into view, was extremely perilous. Even from a distance, the crude, massive steel plate could be seen shaking. Dozens of soldiers, ceaselessly firing guns from their high positions, continuously shouted, resisting the monstrous roars.

The moment I ran straight there and almost arrived.

“They’re breaking throughhh!!!”

A loud warning, almost a scream, directly struck my ears. Taking someone’s cry as a signal, I pushed off the ground and leaped straight up. At the same time, I pulled out a clean crowbar from my inventory and gripped it.

The moment I lightly jumped over the steel gate blocking the main entrance and dropped among the zombies.

Boom—!

I began the fight by blowing up a cluster of zombies.

***

Immediately after the attack began at the closed back gate.

The officer who arrived fastest at the main gate, Sangheo Gate, was Sergeant Kim Dongwook. Having suffered until late at night, he was asleep as if he had fainted. It was his first day off in a long time, so he didn’t refuse the rare rest. However, at the sudden radio call, he reflexively moved his body without even properly wiping the sleep from his eyes.

“Damn it! This better not be for nothing!”

Sergeant Kim, haggard from fatigue, felt his sleep vanish the moment he arrived at the main gate.

“…What? What’s going on right now!”

“Sergeant Kim-nim! Those bastards keep pushing in!”

“Their numbers are increasing!”

“What the hell!”

The situation Sergeant Kim witnessed was exactly as the frantically reporting soldiers described. They stood guard, not letting down their tension. They calmly took down the zombies that entered their range. The soldiers, who well knew the terror of those things swarming from outside, were faithfully carrying out their assigned duties.

There was nothing wrong with the actions of the soldiers tasked with defense. Notifying via radio immediately upon sensing an anomaly was also the correct action. However, the current situation was the problem.

There were too many attacking zombies, far too many. The barricades set up to obstruct their path couldn’t hold. They were also meant to gauge distance for efficient firing, but now they were buried under the zombies’ feet, no longer visible. Compared to the fights of the past few days, this situation was clearly abnormal.

“Bring all the bullets you have! Grenades too! Keep the supplies flowing!”

“Yes, sir!”

Sergeant Kim, having quickly given orders, immediately radioed.

“Captain! We have a problem!”

“I know. I just received a call from Konkuk Gate. Reinforcements are on the move.”

“Not there, Sangheo Gate! Sangheo Gate is also being overrun by zombies!”

“Details!”

“There are just too many! Far too many!”

“I’m coming right now! Hold on!”

Sergeant Kim took his hand off the walkie-talkie, immediately grabbed his gun, and joined the firing line.

“Heads! Shoot them in the heads! Don’t let them get close!”

Despite the urgent and irritable shouts, the firing was calm. And the same was true for the soldiers with him. The soldiers who had endured and survived had a mental fortitude beyond that of elite troops.

Every soldier tried not to lose their composure. No one was wildly spraying bullets. As efficiently as possible, as certainly as possible. Faithful to basic regulations, the soldiers were steadily holding off the sudden attack.

If fear consumed them and their reason was paralyzed, they would die. If they turned their backs just to save themselves, they would die. If they fired their guns indiscriminately, all that would be left was an empty magazine and death.

The time, experience, and training they had endured until now were shining through. Having endured with magazines of fewer than 10 rounds, they knew better than anyone how precious bullets were. They focused their minds not to waste them, but the bullets were emptying quickly.

‘There are too many!’

Everyone facing the reality staring them down gritted their teeth. But there was simply no end in sight.

“Reload!”

“Bring the ammo box!”

The defensive line was barely holding, but it was being pushed back little by little. And bit by bit, the distance between them and the barrier and the heavy steel gate was narrowing.

“Grenade toss—!”

Grenade toss!!!!

Starting with Sergeant Kim, they simultaneously threw grenades.

Boom—! Crash—! Roar—!

Along with multiple explosions, chunks of flesh flew up and scattered in the air. The sight of multiple grenades exploding simultaneously was spectacular. The effect was also clear. It pushed back the retreating defensive line slightly and briefly cut off the flow from behind.

But.

“Damn it! Where the hell did they all come from!”

“Shut up and keep firing! Reinforcements are coming soon!”

The distance they had pushed back was quickly reclaimed. The gaps that had appeared here and there were filled once more. The zombies surged forward little by little, like churning muddy water.

And the moment they reached a certain distance.

“Grrraaaaaaaah!!”

Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump!!

The zombies suddenly started pushing forward and charging.

“?!?!”

“Don’t stop! Shoot!”

The accelerating zombies continued to move with a clattering, jolting motion, yet they did not stop. If they fell, they would just be trampled, burst apart, and turned into pulp.

“Damn it…!”

Sergeant Kim, ceaselessly pulling the trigger, clearly felt the ground vibrating through the soles of his feet. Even the spent casings on the ground vibrated faintly, making a scratching sound. The things causing this commotion soon reached point-blank range. And they clung to the barrier and the steel gate, slamming their bodies against them.

Squish—! Thud! Crunch!

Sergeant Kim felt goosebumps all over his body. These undying bastards were pushing with their bodies. The crude walls and the steel gate, reinforced by being patched up everywhere, made perilous sounds.

Sergeant Kim gave orders as if having a seizure.

“Shoot them down! Push them back! Push them back, I said!”

Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

The soldiers, who had not lost their composure until now, were somehow drenched in cold sweat. Their guns were on the verge of slipping due to their sweaty hands, but no one hesitated. No, they couldn’t. The moment they showed a weakness, they would be devoured. The soldiers, who found even the moment to change magazines precious and dangerous, gritted their teeth.

“Sergeant Kim-nim!!!”

“Damn it…”

Sergeant Kim squeezed his eyes shut.

“Get the flamethrower out!”

He pulled out a card they had made but never used until now. It was a crude weapon made by the students who had survived by hiding in the university. Its use had many limitations, so he had saved and saved it, but Sergeant Kim hardened his resolve.

“Shoot a little further! If the wall catches fire, it’s over!”

The limitations weren’t just fuel or range. The crudely built walls and some facilities. Many of the dismantled materials were vulnerable to fire. Even now, when comparing collapse or burning, the thought of burning even one more to death dominated his mind. So he bore the burden and hardened his resolve.

It was then that the soldiers took out the flamethrower they had carefully stored and prepared it.

Grrrk— Screech—

“!!”

Sergeant Kim, who had clearly heard the sound of metal pieces crumpling, turned his gaze. The welded parts were tearing, and the steel gate was slowly tilting. The steel gate, which had been reinforced by crudely patching it up everywhere, forsaking its appearance, began to break apart.

At the shocking sight, Sergeant Kim’s eyes widened, and he shouted.

“They’re breaking throughhh!!!”

The moment the soldiers flinched greatly at his wailing cry filled with warning.

Whoosh— Splattt!!

Boom—!!

“Wha— what is it?”

A sound like a large drum bursting occurred, and then the zombies in front of the steel gate exploded. A human figure was seen in the small gap that formed between the steel gate and the zombies.

Thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack-thwack—!

Thud—! Thud!!

The small gap soon spread open like a fan, with the steel gate behind it. And then…

Wooaaahhhhhhhh—!!

“Ugh?!”

Sergeant Kim instinctively covered his ears from the pain hitting his eardrums.

Grraaaahhhh!!

In response, the zombies howled, but it didn’t hurt his ears.

“Thi— this is what…”

Thudddd—!!

Seeing the zombies exploding, Sergeant Kim snapped back to attention with a start. He realized this was no time to be dazed. And he began what he had to do.

“Keep firing!! Push them back!!!!!”

Bang—! Tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!!

Rifles simultaneously spitting fire. The battle between humans and zombies continued.