Chapter 63: Mutation
Chapter 63: Mutation
#
"Ga-yeong, are you sure you'll be all right? Su-jin could walk instead, and the rest of us could simply be more careful."
"I'm really fine. Besides, having Mapping active is much safer."
We had waited out the hottest part of the day and were preparing to leave for the afternoon supply run.
Ga-yeong hadn't fully recovered her energy, so I tried to make her ride on the bungeoppang cart, but she insisted on walking.
She repeatedly assured me that she was fine. I told her to speak up the moment she felt even slightly strained, and we left the apartment.
"Hold here for a moment. We'll build a bunker before moving on. Form a perimeter watch."
After the morning's attack, we'd decided to construct bunkers at intervals along our routes.
With abandoned cars lining the roads, finding materials wasn't a problem.
Ga-yeong marked each bunker on her tablet, while Seon-yeong recorded them on the zombie map I had originally created.
The perimeter-watch formation simply assigned each person a direction to observe based on our direction of travel.
We stood in a circle with our fields of view overlapping slightly, allowing us to watch the full three hundred and sixty degrees around us.
"So-ra, I'm done, so take this and mark it."
"Yes, thank you."
The zombie map I'd started now existed in several copies.
Some people used tablets, while others printed paper maps and filled them in as I did.
Thud. Thud.
I repositioned the cars to create a bunker with narrow passages opening in opposite directions.
Unlike the first bunker, it didn't create two consecutive bottlenecks, but it could still serve in an emergency regardless of the direction of attack.
"Alright, back to travel formation. Let's move out."
I'd moved nearly ten cars, but I didn't feel tired.
Enhanced Recovery boosted my body's vitality in real time.
In gaming terms, everyone else possessed active skills, while mine alone were passive.
What determined the type of ability a person developed?
The afternoon supply run went smoothly.
No zombies attacked, and with more people available, the amount we could carry in a single trip had increased.
"When are we visiting the client-company group?"
At Seon-yeong's question, I considered how much remained to be moved.
"So-ra. How many more transport runs do you think we'll need?"
"I think one more trip should do it."
"Then let's make one final push and finish it."
"Yes, Raid Leader."
The women answered energetically as they stepped out of the apartment again.
"I'll visit the client-company group alone. The rest of you should stay home and organize the supplies."
"Mister, should we combine the new supplies on the sixth floor with our original stock and reorganize everything together?"
"That's, uh... Seon-yeong?"
"Yeah?"
"While I'm gone, you're the deputy Raid Leader. Don't wait for me—make whatever decisions are needed yourself."
"Understood, Raid Leader!"
"Everyone heard that, right? Ask Seon-yeong whenever a decision is needed. All right, let's move."
As our numbers grew, a command structure was beginning to form.
The women already accepted me as the leader and consulted me about every minor decision.
Perhaps because Seon-yeong was the oldest—and because everyone had noticed how close we were—the other women naturally deferred to her as well.
Thinking that we truly resembled a pride of lions, I set out on the final transport run.
#
"You're here. Have you been well?"
"Hello, Manager Lee. We've been doing well. How are things here?"
"We haven't had any particular trouble either. We've also been expanding the area we can access."
After completing the transport work, I reached the client-company group's officetel in the evening, well after sunset.
Everyone in the client-company group was present.
Because they needed to make an important decision, they had apparently gathered to discuss it together.
"Mr. Kim. It's getting late, so I'll speak directly."
"Yes, Director Kim."
After a brief exchange of greetings, Director Kim stepped forward.
Director Kim must have spent her days actively hunting zombies. The wealthy madam I'd met on the first day was nowhere to be seen.
I'd assumed that the two men hunted and scavenged while looking after her, but apparently I'd been mistaken.
Director Kim had cut her hair short and dressed for easy movement. A clean but heavily used fire axe hung at one hip.
Because her Scan ability allowed the group to deal with zombies more safely whenever she accompanied them, her proactive attitude was perhaps only natural.
"To be honest, our internal opinion was split down the middle. Manager Lee wanted to join, and I was against it."
"I see. Whatever decision you've made is fine."
"It's true that we owe you a debt we can hardly repay. But setting gratitude aside, I believed that joining your group would put us at a disadvantage."
I stared quietly into Director Kim's eyes and listened to her.
"Put simply, your proposal was that we scavenge and survive together. We have two people with combat abilities, and the older woman possesses an excellent support ability. We can stand on our own, so let's continue maintaining a good relationship. Tell us if you need help, and we'll do everything reasonably possible to assist you."
I'd already warned Manager Lee that communication wouldn't remain as easy as before.
They probably knew that too.
Director Kim added some unnecessary elaboration, but the conclusion remained the same.
In plain terms, they no longer believed they needed my help.
After facing zombies themselves, they'd apparently decided that they could manage on their own.
I glanced aside and found Manager Lee staring at the floor with a deeply apologetic expression.
"I understand. If that arrangement suits you better, we'll continue as we are. There was something I should have mentioned first, though..."
Director Kim had launched straight into her answer before I could mention either the Prugia survivors who had joined us or the Mutated Zombie.
"Yes, go ahead. I'll say it again—I will never forget the favor you did us."
Director Kim apparently assumed that I was about to ask them for something.
"Five new survivors have joined us. It happened after I visited you, Manager Lee, so I was late in telling you."
"Mr. Kim, that changes nothing. No, it makes joining you even less practical. With five additional people, surely at least one of them has a useful ability."
"Director Kim, I'm only informing you. I have no intention of persuading you to reverse your decision, so there's no need to worry."
Director Kim responded in a sharp voice.
Did she think that our larger group would now come begging for their help?
Why the sudden outburst?
"I see. Still, tell us if you begin running short of food or face some similar difficulty. Joining together is out of the question, but we can provide what support our resources allow—for your sake, Mr. Kim."
"Director Kim, I think you're looking down on us far too much. I am not asking you for help."
"At the beginning, when we knew nothing, Mr. Kim gave us a small amount of food. But haven't our positions reversed now? You're a large man, so I'm sure you can handle a few zombies, but the two women with you seem like little more than dead weight..."
This woman was not listening to a word I said.
And with every word, she grated on my nerves a little more.
She had apparently decided beyond doubt that they were superior and that we had come seeking assistance.
Even her choice of words—"a small amount of food" and "dead weight"—made that clear.
In the past, I might have laughed it off. Now I saw no reason to keep tolerating it.
"Dead weight? That's a cruel thing to say. Every member of our group contributes. Don't judge people you know nothing about."
"Now, now... both of you, please calm down a little. This kind of talk isn't helping anyone."
"No, Manager Lee. Since the subject has come up, I need to say this. I intended to overlook it for your sake, but the more I think about it, the more it seems Mr. Kim is trying to exploit your kind nature."
"Go ahead and speak. Let's hear what you have to say."
"Do you know that getting defensive won't help you at all right now, Mr. Kim?"
Director Kim had been inching across the line for some time.
I hadn't expected this...
I'd come here with good intentions, only to be treated like this.
She was openly hostile toward me.
Or perhaps, now that she believed herself to hold the stronger position, her true nature had emerged.
"Isn't that honestly your intention—to use us? You plan to keep the two women under your protection safe while working Manager Lee and Assistant Manager Jeon to the bone. Isn't it obvious? You'd be better off simply asking us to share some food..."
BANG.
"Shut up. I'm overlooking that once, and only for Manager Lee's sake. Don't say another word."
I slammed my hand down on the desk.
Director Kim's expression and tone were so offensive that I rose from my seat.
She apparently imagined that I intended to live in comfort while fooling around with two women.
The thick steel desk around which we'd been sitting folded completely in half and became useless. Everyone stared at me in shock.
Even then, Director Kim swiftly placed a hand on her axe and moved behind Assistant Manager Jeon.
Just what did she think of me?
When I left the client-company group's officetel, Manager Lee hurried after me.
"Mr. Kim. Mr. Kim. Please, just listen to me for a moment."
"Haah... Manager Lee, I haven't felt like myself lately. It's as though I've returned to my hot-blooded early twenties. I apologize for losing my temper."
"Not at all. Of course you're angry. But when the director spoke among ourselves, she always framed it as wanting to help you."
Had Manager Lee shared the same assumption?
"Help me? Who's supposed to be helping whom? Manager Lee, I didn't suggest joining forces because we needed assistance. Why are you saying this?"
"Ha ha, that's true. I only mean that the director didn't intend to offend you. What she truly feels is..."
"Manager Lee, let's stop there. Your group's wishes have been made perfectly clear, and I have no intention of adding to or arguing against an internal decision. Please go back inside."
"Mr. Kim, please don't take it too personally. And if you encounter any dangerous situation, please tell me."
Manager Lee tried to soothe me, but I ended the conversation and sent him back inside.
Thinking about it, those people had never seen us fight zombies.
At the very beginning, we'd rescued them from the Hana Trading Building, so they probably held only a vague impression that we were strong.
After fighting zombies themselves and gaining experience, though, they appeared to have reassessed our combat strength as low.
I'd described my ability only as making me stronger. Because they possessed a direct offensive ability, they had likely concluded that they were stronger—or at least that their ability was superior.
Well, whatever they thought was no longer my concern.
The conflict had begun with a misunderstanding, but Director Kim had still crossed the line.
#
"What? So what did you say back to them?"
"What do you mean, what did I say? I just left."
"No, but those people completely disrespected you, you know?"
"Should I have brought a whole posse over and demanded that they respect me?"
"Ah... pfft, heh heh. I suppose you're right. Still, Director Kim went far beyond anything I expected."
When I returned home, I told the women—who were still organizing the storage rooms—that the client-company group had rejected the merger.
I intended to leave it at that and go downstairs to change, but Seon-yeong followed and asked what had been said.
As we talked, Seon-yeong's voice gradually got louder.
The others seemed curious as well. The sounds of work had stopped, and they appeared to be listening to our conversation.
There was no harm in letting them hear, so I pretended not to notice and continued.
"I expected Director Kim to try taking control if we merged. I never imagined she'd interpret the offer as a request for relief supplies."
"It must have been a misunderstanding, right? I did get a little angry and accidentally broke one of their desks."
"Oh ho ho ho ho, good. I would have been furious if you had truly walked away without responding. But what kind of misunderstanding produces an interpretation like that? Aren't you angry?"
"A little, I suppose. But they rejected the offer, and that ends the matter. How we prepare for the future is more important."
"Right. You never dwell on things you consider unimportant, so I suppose you'll be fine. But did you warn them about the Mutated Zombie? Had they seen one too?"
"Oh, right. I was so angry that I forgot and left. What should I do—send them a text?"
"Ah, so you never mentioned it. That explains why you were so stiff-necked when you came home. Yes, warn them while text messages still work. No matter what happened between us, letting them die senselessly to a zombie would be too much."
The moment my conversation with Seon-yeong seemed about to end, urgent movement sounded near the door.
They'd listened to almost the entire exchange openly, so why pretend otherwise now?
Their transparent behavior amused me. I chuckled and sent Manager Lee a message.
Later, while inspecting the replacement scavenging clothes I'd changed into, my phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Kim, is this text true? If this is some lie meant to..."
Manager Lee's name appeared on the screen, but when I answered, Director Kim's voice came through.
And once again, this woman seemed determined to get on my nerves.