episode_0287

As soon as I returned, I briefly informed them of the situation and coordinated with Commander Choi regarding the Konkuk University Shelter.

Commander Choi, who had made the call, approached with a slightly hurried pace and delivered the good news.

“They said they’ll pick them up from our side, so they’re preparing.”

“That’s good, it’s straightforward.”

“Will you be moving immediately?”

I, who had emptied the warm cup of soup made by Grandma in one gulp, nodded and stood up.

Even while I was doing this, the women left behind at the community center must be shivering.

Thinking of their desperate gazes, almost on the verge of tears, until the very end, I felt like hurrying a bit.

As I prepared to leave again, I briefly told Commander Choi my plan.

“The sun is setting. I plan to drop them off and come right back.”

“Hmm. Seonghan. Won’t it be dangerous after the sun sets?”

“It might be, but…”

“We’re also somewhat prepared, so you don’t need to worry too much.”

I felt Commander Choi’s consideration in wanting to lessen my burden.

“This building. Is it difficult to break into?”

“Yes?”

“Something like that exists. I’ll explain it slowly later, so you don’t need to worry too much for now.”

Seeing his confident demeanor sparked my curiosity, but I’ll let it pass for now.

First, because the women are afraid of me…

“Shia.”

“Yes?”

“Will you come with me and help?”

Shia blinked her large eyes at my words.

“It’s not very dangerous—”

“I’ll just change and come out.”

*Scampering*

“……”

A small laugh escaped me as I watched Shia’s back, her actions signifying agreement.

“Heize.”

“Just a moment.”

*Scampering*

Heize, somehow excited, rushed to her room, her blonde hair fluttering behind her.

“Our women are really proactive.”

My hyung, walking up from behind, was already putting on his coat and slinging his gun over his shoulder.

He was being playful, but even that looked reliable.

“Hyunwoo.”

“Yes?”

“You come too. Get ready.”

“Me, too?”

“Yeah. If you’re scared, with Dong-woo…”

“I’m coming!”

“……”

*Clatter clatter*, Hyunwoo ran in and immediately came out with his gear.

Dong-woo next to him was shooting ‘…Hyung-nim?’ glances, but not today.

It was no illusion that the eyes of the three people who had finished preparing in a short time were sparkling.

Late in the afternoon, they didn’t seem to feel any fear about going outside.

“Are we going alone?”

“Yes. Honestly, I’d like Hyung and Hyunwoo to stay, but we need two cars.”

“Moving in pairs?”

“It’s too dangerous alone.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better if I went too?”

Young-cheol, who always handled the driving, offered a valid opinion, but I shook my head.

“We also need personnel to guard this place.”

“Ah.”

“Nothing major should happen, but…”

“Understood. I’ll guard it properly, so don’t worry.”

I nodded to Young-cheol, who sent a reassuring smile.

“So, Dong-woo.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Today, move with Young-cheol.”

“I will.”

I can’t put our family at risk just to help others.

‘It’s a big deal that Incheol and Sohee aren’t here.’

The absence of capable fighters is keenly felt once again.

I can understand why the Konkuk University Shelter is so desperate for people.

There’s nothing we can do for now, so we just have to hurry as much as possible to reduce the gap.

I gave Shia, who was somewhat clumsily dressed, a general overview of the situation.

Not far from here.

Women trembling in fear.

Escort to the Konkuk University Shelter.

The content itself isn’t difficult.

Everyone who understood what needed to be done nodded.

“Oppa.”

“Yes?”

“…Will I be of help?”

She bravely stepped forward, but it seems she got worried as we were about to leave.

“I told you the women aren’t in a good state.”

“Yes.”

“They get scared when I get close.”

“What? Oppa?”

“Because they must have suffered a lot due to men.”

Shia closed her mouth at my explanation.

Heize’s expression also slightly darkened.

Instead, their gazes deepened.

Our women are strong.

“So, I’d like you two to calm and comfort the women a bit.”

Wouldn’t it be better to have fellow women than scary-looking men?

“Seonghan. Then, will Hyunwoo and I be okay? What if we scare them for no reason…”

Hyung expressed a small concern, but there was a reason.

“You two are famous, you know.”

“Well, I mean…”

“Go and use your faces.”

“??? What?”

They did so well before, why are they backing out now?

“You too, Hyunwoo.”

“Me, too?”

“Go and melt the noonas’ hearts.”

To them, it might sound like nonsense, but it’s absolutely not.

When we rescued women in crisis, the reactions were starkly different.

When burly men extended their hands…

“Eeek?!”

…that’s how it was.

On the other hand, when a gentle-looking and handsome man approached…

“You came to save us! *Sniffle* I was so scared…”

“Ladies. It’s okay now. I will protect you to the nearest village.”

“…Oh my… Ahh~ I’m feeling dizzy…”

“Oh my! Please lean on me.”

…that’s how it was.

It was a laughable memory from back there.

Damned lookism was common across dimensions.

I can’t lead twenty people by myself right now.

It’s a simple thought, but providing stability through the same gender and a favorable impression.

I asked for their help because calming them down a bit can prevent sudden situations.

And this method works.

…I know because I’ve tried it.

It was after I finished the explanation and Shia’s attire check.

“……”

“Why?”

“…Nothing.”

Heize, looking sullen, stared at me, so I asked, but her response was cold.

I properly fastened Heize’s coat, which had fallen to her chest, and said,

“It’s colder than you think outside, so dress properly.”

“Got it.”

Now soft again, she gave a small eye-smile.

How fickle she is.

Anyway.

All of us, armed with guns, immediately left the entrance.

Behind us, our companions crowded out, seeing us off, and it felt strangely reassuring.

“I should be helping with something… Haha…”

Miri’s dad, smiling wryly, looked embarrassed.

“Once you recover, there’ll be plenty to do, so don’t worry.”

“*Cough* Understood. Please be careful.”

After exchanging greetings, I subtly spoke to Commander Choi.

“What do you think about bringing in additional personnel, by any chance?”

“Oh?”

Commander Choi, showing deep interest in my words, his eyes lit up.

“Are those the men you mentioned earlier?”

Park Moojin and Choi Kang-doo.

It wasn’t for nothing that I handed over valuable weapons and ammunition.

“It’s not confirmed yet.”

“Hmm~ People Seonghan is interested in, that sparks my curiosity.”

“I’d like you to hear the thoughts of the other family members.”

“I’ll do that.”

Since Commander Choi seems interested, the discussion might go well.

“Then, we’ll be going.”

Recruiting personnel can wait.

Right now, the escort quest comes first.

“Shia and Heize, ride with me, and Hyung and Hyunwoo, follow behind.”

“Okay.”

“Heize.”

“Hmm?”

“Can you drive?”

“Huh?”

Heize let out a characteristic Western scoff and then sobered.

“Are you kidding me?”

Oh. That’s the line I heard in movies.

“Then you drive.”

“Hmph. I’ll show you.”

With Heize confidently taking the wheel as the lead, we began driving our vehicles.

‘She’s better than me?’

It was a short distance, but it was enough to recognize Heize’s driving skill.

The distance was short, and there were no traffic lights.

We drove slowly, but 10 minutes was enough to arrive.

“This way.”

The place I led our family to was the back entrance of the community center.

I couldn’t bring myself to take them through the front entrance, where torn and burst corpses lay scattered.

Concealing these thoughts, we quietly arrived at the food storage room where the women were gathered.

“You’ve come!”

“Didn’t you say you’d come soon?”

Among the women huddled together, waiting anxiously, Jang Seohee rushed over.

‘It was good that I brought them.’

I merely stood at the entrance, but I saw the women inside flinch.

“……”

“……”

Glancing to the side, I saw two women who had completely frozen.

Judging by their trembling eyes, they seemed very surprised.

“These are our family members.”

“Ah ha… Hello.”

“Ah, hello…”

“Hi…”

“So incredibly pretty… Oh my?!”

Ah. Is it starting already?

“Hello.”

“K-Kim Jihyuk…sir…”

*Murmurs*

R-Really?

What do we do? What do we do?

He’s really handsome!

Were these women really suffering?

*Smile*

“I am Kim Jihyuk. I’ve come to help you all.”

*Gasping sounds*

This Hyung. He’s activated it.

Oh my, what do we do? How wonderful!

It’s good that I’m alive!

Isn’t that Hyunwoo behind him?

Oh my, oh my, he’s so cute!

“Oppa. Did I really need to come?”

“That’s right. We’re not needed.”

“……”

Shia and Heize’s expressions, which had been greatly surprised, somehow turned cold.

…In a way, they are amazing women.

Well.

After suffering from dirty, unwashed, newly emerged guys, handsome men who open their eyes have appeared.

I expected it, but the effect was beyond that.

Hyung and Hyunwoo tried to go closer to help, but the women still recoiled and avoided their gaze.

“Don’t look!”

“Yes?”

Hyung was flustered by the sudden small shout.

“Right now, I c-can’t wash…”

“Ah. It’s alright. Please don’t worry about it.”

“Ah… You’re so kind.”

‘Damn it…’

To think they avoided them not out of fear like me, but because they didn’t want to show their unkempt appearance.

The effect of the handsome-man totem was much greater than expected.

Perhaps because they were fellow women?

They didn’t shy away from Shia and Heize’s touch.

In any case, no one lost their mind and went wild.

The women, whose atmosphere had somewhat softened, actively followed the instructions of our family members.

It was quite surprising to see them freely exchange words with Shia and Heize in particular.

Even some women on whom the handsome-man effect didn’t work obediently followed Shia and Heize.

Look at her hair, it’s so silky!

Look at the glow on her skin!

It seems like shelters must be nice places!

As a bonus, there was the side effect of expectations for Konkuk University Shelter rising.

When the small commotion subsided, the women’s mood had quite loosened up.

“Ten people per car. You’ll have to sit uncomfortably in the cargo compartment.”

“It’s fine. As long as we can get out of here.”

“That’s a relief. It’s not a long distance. We’re about to leave, is that alright?”

At my words, the women immediately stood up.

Had the meal and a bit of rest helped?

At least there were no one stumbling like before.

On top of that, they even packed their belongings.

The identity of their luggage was food, diligently portioned out, which was the legacy(?) of the pig gang.

“I-I’m sorry. Everyone wanted to get at least a little compensation…”

“No. You did well.”

Such small amounts of food.

When I waved it off without concern, the women seemed somewhat relieved.

“Then, we’ll move.”

We led the women towards the back entrance.

Even though we divided them into 10 people each and loaded them onto our beloved Porter, there was no lack of space.

The fact that they were slender women and quite thin worked in our favor for now.

Among them, we even had the luxury of having people in very poor condition ride inside.

“Just follow the car in front.”

“Don’t worry.”

This time, Hyung took the lead as a guide.

The vehicles, which had started moving slowly, advanced smoothly towards the Konkuk University Shelter.

As soon as we left the community center, the women stared blankly at the road we had traveled.

“…Something so simple…”

“*Sniffle, sob*…”

“Don’t cry… We’re alive now…”

“*Huuuuuh*…”

Even in the cold wind, the relieved women quietly sobbed.

When they heard the sounds of crying from behind, Shia and Heize’s eyes became somber.

They seemed to empathize, being fellow women.

A slightly solemn atmosphere lingered in the car.

Heize focused on driving, and we remained silent.

‘Is there not a single zombie anywhere?’

It was so awkward that I wanted to fire a gun just to change the atmosphere.

It’s literally true what they say: “When you need dog poop for medicine, you can’t find it.” [a proverb about something useless being unavailable when it’s surprisingly needed].

On the way, we didn’t even get to see a zombie.

Thanks to that, we had to remain immersed in a heavy atmosphere until we arrived at the Konkuk University Shelter.

‘They cleared a lot in just one day.’

The front gate of the Konkuk University Shelter, upon arrival, was mostly tidied up.

I don’t know where they moved the corpses, but there was no visible flesh.

Whether it was due to cleaning or rainwater, the bloodstains that had colored the ground were quite faded.

It was a part where one could tell at a glance that many people had put in considerable effort.

As we approached, the iron gate of the tidy front entrance slowly began to open.

Following the guide, we moved past the wall, and as the gate closed, a group of people approached.

“I didn’t expect you to return within a day.”

“Indeed.”

Captain Lee approached from the front, wearing a pleasant smile.

“We were waiting.”

“Sorry for increasing your workload.”

“Not at all. Survivors who need help are always welcome.”

“If you think of it that way.”

“Preparation is complete. This way.”

Following Captain Lee’s guidance, I pulled the car aside, and a tent similar to the relief shelter I’d seen before was set up.

It looked a bit more organized than before, with clear preparations for sanitation.

The soldiers, who began moving at Captain Lee’s command, carefully escorted the women.

The women recognized the soldiers and, though hesitant, did not refuse their help.

“…Their condition is serious.”

“Hmm.”

“We will do our best to care for them. Dr. Jang is also on standby with the medical team, so she will look after them well.”

If it’s Dr. Jang, shouldn’t I be relieved?

Listening to Captain Lee’s brief additional explanations, I got the impression that a system was starting to take shape.

“Ah. The Chairman asked to see you.”

“…Is the Old Man feeling lonely?”

“Haha! Since you’re here, why not show your face? Everyone was waiting to hear from Seonghan.”

As I nodded, Captain Lee made contact via radio.

“Ah.”

“What is it?”

“Someone might come looking, just in case.”

“Survivors?”

“Yes. Two men, named Park Moojin and Choi Kang-doo.”

“Hmm.”

“If they come, they’ll look for me. If you contact our side then, I’ll come.”

At my explanation, Captain Lee seemed to show deep curiosity but didn’t voice it.

“Understood.”

Captain Lee, who replied cleanly, said he had work to do and instructed a subordinate to guide us.

“Oppa. Where are we going?”

Shia, who had gotten out of the car and watched the soldiers, showed curiosity.

It seemed she was intrigued by being outside for a long time, especially this far away.

“The leader here wants to see us.”

“Leader?”

“Mr. Lee isn’t the leader?”

“Should I say ‘boss’?”

“Ah ha. Got it~”

Still, she seemed to understand perfectly.

“The Old Man is a bit frivolous, so don’t be surprised when you see him.”

“??”

“You’ll know when you see him.”

There was no other way to explain it to the two who were very curious.

So, they just had to see for themselves.

When we were guided into the building’s meeting room, which I had now memorized.

“You’ve come.”

Chairman Kim, wearing a mischievous smile, greeted us.

“Why did you ask to see me?”

“Did you intend to come all this way and then just leave?”

At my lackluster greeting, Chairman Kim made a displeased expression. What a fake old man.

“I have to go back before it gets darker.”

“Tsk tsk~ I’ve never seen such a dry biscuit of a fellow.”

“What?”

“It means you’re dry! You rascal.”

“Why pick a fight as soon as you see me?”

“Oh, come on~ So prickly.”

Chairman Kim, who chuckled heartily at whatever amused him, soon turned his eyes to our family members.

“I saw Kim Jihyuk last time.”

“Hello.”

“Yes, yes. But who are these young ladies and this young man beside you?”

“Hello! I’m Kim Hyunwoo!”

Hyunwoo immediately greeted Chairman Kim, who was openly staring with shining eyes.

“Oh my~ He’s full of vigor.”

“Hello. I’m Lee Shia.”

“Hello. I’m Eva Heize.”

“Ohh~ How beautiful, truly beautiful. The beauty of the East and West are all here!”

Chairman Kim couldn’t hide his lavish smile, seemingly pleased with Shia and Heize’s graceful greetings.

I couldn’t just stand by and watch that old man act so shamelessly.

“Enough. Don’t say anything.”

“Huh?”

“You were probably going to complain again, I can tell.”

“Seriously…”

Chairman Kim, who wore a satisfied smile watching me shake my head, leaned his upper body forward and then…

“??”

“Are these young ladies your… *this*?”

He wiggled his pinky finger gently, making a disgusting smile.

“Old man. Want me to cut off your finger?”

“O-Oppa!”

“Euhahahahahahat~”

Shia, startled, grabbed my arm and shook it.

Chairman Kim laughed so loudly that his uvula was visible, finding something immensely amusing.

“Hmm~”

“Why?”

“I thought you were impotent, but you’re quite capable.”

“…This old man, really.”

“Since you’re here, why don’t you have a meal before you go?”

Chairman Kim offered gently with a warm smile.

“How about it, everyone?”

When I asked Hyung and the three others, they nodded in a daze.

“Right. Young people shouldn’t refuse food. Then…”

*Knock knock knock – Click*

During our conversation, someone who appeared to be from Daesan Group entered and whispered something to Chairman Kim.

Chairman Kim, whose eyes widened and blinked, soon turned his gaze to me.

“You. Did you arrange to meet someone here?”

“?”

“Someone’s causing a commotion at the front gate, looking for you.”

…No way?

“It’s a guy named Park Moojin.”

“What?!”

“Do you know him?”

At Chairman Kim’s words, I shot up from my seat.

‘They’re already here?’

I was flustered and bewildered.

First, I hurried my steps towards the front gate.