After Black Comes White

Just as expected, he reacted immediately.

Cha Suho, who'd been in the driver's seat, vaulted up onto the seam where the windshield met the hood. The slight shove that followed rippled through the people packed across the bonnet like a wave.

"Ugh...!!"

"D-don't push!!"

"Gihun, hold on!"

"Shit...!!"

Won Gihun stood at the edge of the hood with both arms flung wide like a net, catching the people being shoved toward him so they wouldn't fall. I was doing the same on my side, bracing against the bodies sliding my way.

Every second counted. Even a single wasted second felt like a crime.

"KRAAAAH!!!!"

A zombie that had slipped between the SUV and the car in the next lane lunged at the woman who'd fallen to the asphalt.

Not yet?

Still not yet?!!

Just let me—

THUNK!!!

Cha Suho came sliding down the angled windshield and drove his spear straight through the zombie's forehead. The instant both feet hit the ground he yanked the shaft free and smashed the butt end into another zombie charging from behind.

Good improvisation—but it wasn't enough. The zombie he'd knocked back would just get shoved forward again by the ones behind it and come right back at him. To hold them off at all he needed to reverse the spear and face them with the sharp end. That wasn't easy either. SUV on the left, sedan on the right—no room to turn the weapon. Standing it upright and flipping it would work, but the motion was big and slow. Do that and he wouldn't protect her.

"KRAAAH!!!"

"Kyaaah!!!"

The woman lay completely exposed.

THUNK!!

In the end Cha Suho ignored the zombies pressing from behind and speared the one diving for her a second time.

Stat Amplification.

I was standing on the front headlamp. The woman was beside the front tire. Cha Suho was next to the side mirror. Too far to help fast, and the people crammed on the hood made it impossible to even get near him. So of course I used the car in the next lane.

TAP!

I vaulted over his outstretched spear, landed on the edge of the sedan's roof, twisted, and leapt again—making damn sure he saw me.

"Forward!!"

"......"

Our eyes met. Cha Suho shoved the spear still buried in the zombie's skull and drove straight ahead. As my body dropped into the space he'd just vacated I snapped a side kick with my left foot.

CRACK!!!

The zombie's face took the full force; its skull slammed into the face of the one behind it. A moment of chaos. Then both of them toppled forward, shoved by the ones at their backs.

Thud-thud—

I stepped back into the gap Cha Suho had cleared so I could meet the ones trampling over their fallen friends.

CRACK!!!!

My entrenching tool came up from below and smashed the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lead zombie's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠jaw. Another scrap of confusion, another scrap of time.

Whoosh—

I spun and made my presence known again.

Tap!

It's me. The guy who just saved you.

I planted my left hand on Cha Suho's right shoulder, used the sedan as a stepping stone, and swung myself forward.

CRACK!!!

I kicked the face of the zombie still impaled on his spear and shouted,

"Behind!!"

Of course it was Cha Suho.

Whoosh!!

He snapped the now-light spear vertical and brought it down like Sun Wukong swinging an oversized Ruyi Jingu Bang, crushing the crown of a zombie charging from the rear.

CRAAACK!!!

In the same breath I grabbed the arm of the woman lying on the ground, hauled her upright, and shoved her toward the SUV's hood while swinging the entrenching tool with my free hand.

CRACK!!!

The others weren't just standing around either. A few climbed onto the bus roof where space had opened after the women went up; those who'd secured room pulled the woman clinging to the hood up after them. I did the same. No way I could fight every zombie, so I scrambled onto the sedan's hood, stretched out, and seized Cha Suho by the nape.

Tug!! Sliiiide—

About to be sandwiched by zombies front and back, Cha Suho slid across the hood as casually as if he were rolling over in his own bed. I yanked him up by the collar again and got him on his feet. Hauling a grown man upright one-handed isn't easy, but he caught my intention and helped, so it wasn't hard.

"Climb!"

"Yes!"

We scrambled onto the car roof together and I checked the remaining time.

Barely twenty-four seconds. If I'd started the clock the moment the woman fell it would have been even shorter. But that handful of seconds was more than enough to steal Cha Suho's heart.

Ah... that phrasing feels a little gross.

Anyway—I'd earned Cha Suho's trust and kept my stats.

Haa... if you're going to hand out useless rewards like this, just don't give me quests anymore!!

If you were going to try and steal my stats, you should have put some of your own on the table!!

You dumbass god who doesn't even understand the basics of equivalent exchange.

"Thank you... huff... huff..."

"Don't mention it. Of course I'd help."

I put myself in danger and then saved myself just to protect my own stats.

"KRAAAH!!"

"KRAH!"

"KRAAAAA!!"

"KRAAAH!!"

"Shut the hell up, you bastards!!"

I kicked a zombie that was shoving its head up and reaching for us—picturing the pervert god's face the whole time—then dropped into a sit. Cha Suho, who'd nearly died a minute ago, was still moving without rest.

Thrust! Thrust-thrust! THRUST! Thrust!!

He was trying to kill as many as possible. The fewer left, the safer the move later.

Sigh.... With a guy like this next to me I can't even slack off.

CRACK!!!

We kept killing until we were soaked in sweat, then crossed back to the SUV and climbed onto the bus roof. That was it for tonight. Tomorrow, once the sun rose and the zombies weakened again, we'd head for Yeouido. No more drone support—just our own strength from here on.

"Are you sleeping?"

"No. What is it?"

I pushed my sprawled body upright. Cha Suho settled in front of me.

"I'm Cha Suho."

"I think we already introduced ourselves?"

"I felt I should do it properly. And I still need to thank you."

"It's fine, really."

"I'm fine too."

"...What?"

Still seated, Cha Suho bowed deeply and held the pose for several seconds before straightening.

"Thank you. You saved my life."

"Glad you're okay."

"If it's not too rude... may I ask your age?"

"Twenty-six."

"Ah! Is that so? I'm twenty-six as well!"

So? What am I supposed to do with that?

"How about we drop the formal speech?"

"Ah, well... sure. Whatever you want."

"Kang Juhan."

"Yeah?"

"Seriously, thank you. Without you I couldn't have saved Yeonju, and I'd be dead myself."

"Just the first verse is enough. You trying to make me die of embarrassment?"

"Haha~ Got it. I'll stop. But you guys are heading to Yeouido because you know the military's there, right?"

"Yeah."

"I see..."

"How'd you know the army was in Yeouido?"

"From Yeonju's father—the woman you saved. He said they're under the protection of the soldiers at the National Assembly Building."

Same as the protagonist's party.

They also learned about the soldiers at the National Assembly from survivors they ran into by chance.

"Were you planning to go no matter what tonight?"

His answer would decide whether the protagonist's group showed up at Seogang Bridge tomorrow or not.

"Not exactly. I was just staring blankly toward Yeouido when I noticed the zombies on Gangbyeon Expressway acting weird. They kept gathering in one direction, then suddenly stampeding off. Felt like the moment, so we came out."

"Ha... zero plan, seriously."

"It worked out, didn't it? And if we didn't do something—anything—I didn't think we could hold on any longer. Me or the others..."

He didn't go into detail, but I already knew why they'd risked their lives coming out at night. The gauze taped thickly over his left cheek was the hint. Like us, Cha Suho's group had been a competent survivor band that had cleared plenty of quests and held on well. Then internal conflict started. Some of the men decided that since they were the ones risking their lives, they deserved more—and "more" included the women. Cha Suho and the people here opposed it. The friction wore both sides down until every little thing became a fight. Then the incident happened. A few ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠drunk men forced themselves on a woman who had been sitting with them. When Cha Suho heard, he went after them. The argument escalated until one of them swung a kitchen knife at his face—only meant as a threat, but Cha Suho, already hurt and furious, beat the man nearly to death. After that the survivor group split completely in two. Cha Suho and his people could no longer stay in the same apartment, so they set out for Yeouido.

Whether I sped up that decision or the original story just played out, I don't know.

"Nice~ Lots of stars, and I made a friend."

"You really know how to say cringey shit."

"Looking forward to working with you."

"On what?"

"Whatever."

Then a sudden curiosity hit me.

If this guy fought Jaeyeol... who would win?

Morning arrived.

The zombies that had been screaming around the bus overnight were now scattered evenly across the bridge.

"Perfect day for moving."

"Drop the cool-guy act first thing in the morning...! Just eat your food!"

"Oppa, here~"

"Grab it and come sit by me~"

"Unnie...!"

"What?"

"Tch..."

Gihun looking disgusted, Nari handing out food, Jihye waving me over. Peaceful as hell. A short peace we could only enjoy for a moment, of course.

"About 1.2 kilometers to the end of the bridge. From there to the nearest National Assembly wall is a generous ninety meters. If that's blocked, the closest fallback building is a hundred forty meters. If that doesn't work either, last option is this church—about a hundred sixty meters."

"Wow... that's incredibly systematic!"

"We just kind of... came..."

"Ahem...!"

Under everyone's stares Cha Suho cleared his throat and looked away, embarrassed.

"But once we cross the bridge we might already be safe."

"Why?"

"There's a tank blocking that section."

"A tank??"

"Holy crap!"

"So if we just reach the tank the soldiers will save us??"

"No idea. They might've just parked it there."

We had plenty of time, so I didn't rush. I explained the plan thoroughly even to Cha Suho's people, who knew nothing about it—partly to wait in case the protagonist's party showed up.

"So... we have to move the same crazy way we did last night...?"

"Yes."

"Ah...."

"Can't we just climb up there??"

Someone pointed at the arched structure in the middle of the bridge. I shook my head.

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's tilted slightly, so balance is hard. There's nothing that works as a foothold. Even if someone somehow got up without slipping, if the person at the very top makes one mistake and falls, everyone dies. The method I described looks dumber, but it's safer."

"Ah... yes, understood."

Is the protagonist's party not coming?

That was when it happened. While I was looking behind us, the people facing forward started murmuring.

"What the...?"

"Why are the zombies..."

"Did a pigeon drop or something?"

Far off toward Yeouido, zombies were screaming and stampeding somewhere. At the sound, every ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠zombie on this bridge began drifting slowly in that direction. Even the ones behind the bus filed past us, thickening the wall of undead ahead.

"What the hell is that..!!"

"Everyone keep your voices down and stay low."

If the zombies noticed us for no reason they'd stop passing the bus and surround it instead. So only I half-rose, eyes locked as hard as I could on the distant movement. Even with vision-enhancement skills it was too far to make out what was happening.

Wait.

It can't be...

Nah, no way.

"O Jihye. You feeling anything weird right now? Any unease?"

"Uh, no..."

Right.

Back then it wasn't because of that—it was the Mutant waiting for the soldiers to leave that triggered her survival instinct. Nothing to do with the soldiers blowing the bridge.

"Ah...."

"What..? What now..!"

Yesterday it was black, today it's white?

More importantly, what the hell kind of quest is this?!!!

White ones are supposed to come from the good god, aren't they?!

Five minutes? Five minutes?!

From here to there is at least a kilometer!!

And how the hell am I supposed to punch through this many zombies in five minutes...!!!

Is that even the right direction?

I don't know.

No—there's no time to think.

Just move.

"Yang Jaeyeol! Cha Suho!"

I jumped straight off the bus roof—onto the bridge crawling with zombies.

"KRAAAAAAH!!!"

"KRAAAH!!!"

"KRAAAAA!!"

"KRAH!!"

"KRAAAH!!"

"KRAAAAAAH!!!"

By the way... should I even clear this quest?

If I end up in conflict with the soldiers, what then!!

I have to go there, damn it!!!!!

"Out of the way first, you bastards!!!!!"

CRACK!!!!!