Believe. You Shall Be Saved.

Originally, I should have left Gi-hun behind.

That way I could have explained the entire plan to him.

But he was far too slow, so I sent him back first with Suho and Min-gu to rejoin the others while the rest of us moved somewhere else.

"Haa... Hyung, will they be okay? With both me and you gone..."

The moment we reached our destination and caught our breath, Jae-yeol spilled his worries.

I understood the concern, but there was no need for it.

"Don't worry. Suho's a lot stronger than you think. And while your Agility's higher, his total stats beat yours."

"Well, yeah, but..."

Strength and Agility were the main stats, sure, but every other stat mattered too.

Even Mental, which looked completely useless at first glance, was the kind of stat that became flesh and blood when it counted. Its relative importance was lower, that much was true—but that could flip depending on the situation. There were definitely moments when Mental mattered more than any other stat.

Anyway, she hadn't needed help even once on the way here.

Because she simply hadn't required it.

"Haa...! Haa...! Haa...!"

I walked over to Yu Eunseol, who was gasping for air a short distance away, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"......"

"Status Window."

"......"

"You know how. Or do I need to teach you?"

"...Status Window Share."

The moment the window appeared in front of me, I let go of her shoulder.

But wait—was this right?

Had Yu Eunseol's stats already been this high when we first entered Yeouido?

Compared to me and Jae-yeol she was clearly on the low side, but for a woman these numbers were absurdly high.

Nari, the highest-statted woman among us, only had a total of 14. Yu Eunseol's total was a full 23.

That wasn't even in the same league as other women. I sat at 39, Suho at 36, Jae-yeol at 33, and the next highest—Gi-hun and Min-gu—were both at 23. Despite being a woman, Yu Eunseol already matched Gi-hun and Min-gu. And the proper growth episode for her hadn't even appeared yet.

"Does the Status Window only show for me?"

"Yu Eunseol."

"Yes."

"You're my hostage right now. So shut up with the useless questions and just do what I tell you. If you want to live long enough to see the others again."

"......"

"Hyung..."

My tone held zero kindness, and Jae-yeol glanced nervously at her, but like I said—she was my hostage. A certain amount of pressure had to be applied so she wouldn't get any bright ideas and would simply move when ordered.

Vrrrooom...!!

Vrrroom...!!

They were here.

Through the open window came the noisy roar of engines. The same soldiers who had arrived as reinforcements at the bank's underground parking garage.

I moved straight to the window and watched the National Assembly's main gate in the distance. The white iron gate blocking the entrance swung open and two military trucks raced inside. Zombies that had chased the trucks sprinted hard toward the open gate, but a car that had been waiting off to the side slammed its front bumper into the gate and shoved it shut again. Soldiers poured out, climbed onto the car, and began mercilessly stabbing bayoneted rifles down over the top of the white iron gate, slaughtering the zombies.

"That way the zombies will never get in, right?"

"No. That method won't last long."

"What?"

"Right now the zombies can't climb a wall only about as tall as a person. After a few more inflection points, they'll start getting over it."

"Ah... then...!"

"It's over. The area they have to defend is just too wide."

The wall surrounding the National Assembly grounds stretched well over two kilometers. Even if they drafted every civilian and spaced the troops as thinly as possible, the manpower required would be enormous, and every time an inflection point passed they would need even more bodies just to hold the line. They would hold and hold until the zombies finally overran the place—that was the Assembly's fate. Of course, before that happened both soldiers and survivors would start a mass escape rush.

For now, though, thanks to that wall the grounds inside were an absurdly safe place.

Thankfully so.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

Using the distraction of zombies flooding toward the noisy main gate, we quickly crossed the eight-lane road and vaulted the Assembly wall. Once again Yu Eunseol needed no help. She looked a little worn from the continuous movement, but that was all.

"Haaa...! Haaa...! Uup!!"

"Shh."

"......"

I clamped a hand over her mouth and pulled us behind a tree. It wasn't large enough to fully hide us, but at this distance—dozens of meters from the soldiers—it was more than enough. Once the soldiers had mostly passed, I nodded toward Jae-yeol, who was crouched behind another tree nearby.

We followed the tree-lined walking path inside the wall and slipped into a public restroom.

"Hyung... we're not actually going to get shot, are we...?"

"Better start praying we don't."

"......"

"Don't look at me like that. As long as we don't screw up, nobody gets shot."

"You're sure?"

"Probably."

"......"

"Stop staring and get outside to keep watch!"

"Waaah!!"

I shoved Jae-yeol out of the restroom and shut the door. Then I turned around and walked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠toward Yu Eunseol, who was glaring at me with narrowed, sharp eyes.

Thud— thud— thud—

The closer I got, the more she backed away, until she finally hit a dead end and the distance between us closed.

Sss—

As my hand rose, her pupils began to tremble with unease. Her body flinched and her tightly shut lips parted slightly, letting out a short gasp.

"Ah..."

"If you were going to stab me, you should've drawn it a little faster. There were plenty of chances to attack on the way here."

"......"

I dropped my gaze from her face to her hands. A fruit-knife-sized blade sat clenched in her grip, and my own hand was locked around her slender wrist. I lowered the hand I had raised and plucked the knife from her tightly curled fingers.

Whoosh—

Clack! Clack! Clack—

I tossed the knife into a toilet stall. Her head followed its flight, then snapped back toward me, shooting a look full of resentment. Ignoring it, I raised my right hand again and reached straight for her chest.

Squeeze!!!

My hand clamped down hard. Yu Eunseol squeezed her eyes shut. Without letting go, I yanked downward with everything I had.

Riiip!!!

The smell of cigarette smoke from earlier mixed with the voices of soldiers drifting over.

"Hey, you hear the rumor?"

"What rumor?"

"That the units that keep not coming back might not actually be failed ops."

"Then what?"

"Thinning the herd."

"Thinning the herd?"

"The brass don't want to split the money, so they take people outside, pretend the mission failed, and just kill them."

"W-what kind of bullshit is that?!"

It was bullshit. Later they would do exactly that—but only to civilians. The obedient soldiers they left alone. Those were precious fighting strength that would protect them.

"It's just a rumor, but it still creeps me out. Hey, next shift, why don't we just grab the cash and bolt?"

"A-are you insane?! Get caught and it's a real firing squad!"

"If the rumor's true we're dead anyway. So before that, we take the money and run. Round up the guys on shift before and after us, spend three hours stuffing our pockets, and we're fucking rich!"

"Crazy bastard...! Where the hell do you even go with the money?! There's nowhere left!"

"Why nowhere? Bury it somewhere in Hangang Park, then surrender to a church or the resistance. Show up with guns and they'll welcome us with open arms."

"Haa... this absolute lunatic..."

"Kyaaak!!"

The soldiers' conversation cut off.

Because through the noisy chorus of zombie howls, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a woman's sharp scream had cut cleanly through the air. Or rather—because Yu Eunseol was approaching them looking like that.

Any man would have his eyes glued to her.

"Help... me..."

"Ah..!"

"Th-this way, miss..! No—we'll come to you!"

Urgent footsteps pounded as the soldiers sprinted. From our hiding spot beside the building, Jae-yeol and I watched their backs race away. They were probably already spinning happy fantasies in their heads.

A woman beautiful enough to slap any idol or actress across the face was sitting collapsed on the grass, arms crossed over her chest to keep a torn T-shirt from slipping off completely. No one else around. The world already ruined by zombies. Blood was already rushing south so hard that the supply to their brains had to be critically low. Low enough that they never even considered it might be a trap.

Grab!

A hand clamped onto a shoulder. The running soldier spun around on pure instinct.

Thud!!!!

A fist buried itself in his gut. He folded in half without even a scream. I brought the meaty lower part of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my fist down on his ballistic helmet and he sprawled on the grass like a stepped-on frog.

"Jae-yeol, loot him."

"Got it."

While Jae-yeol, who had just as easily taken down the soldier next to him, patted the body down for anything useful, I stripped my own T-shirt off completely and walked out onto the grass.

"Put this on."

"......"

"You planning to walk around like that? And I already said I was sorry! I didn't think it would tear that much..."

"Sh-shut up!!"

"......"

Yu Eunseol snatched the T-shirt from my hand and glared at me like she wanted me dead. I clamped my mouth shut and turned my back.

Still... for someone that skinny, how the hell were her breasts...

I had only meant to tear it a little so it would slip, but the accident that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ripped the whole thing open like a curtain had given me a front-row view of Yu Eunseol's full chest right under my nose. She was wearing a bra, which was a little disappointing—yet somehow that only made the gathered volume look even more abundant...

Thump!

As if telling me not to dwell on happy memories, Yu Eunseol—now wearing my T-shirt—bumped my shoulder with hers as she walked past.

"Tch..."

Disappointing, but I could always revisit the memory later. I followed her over to where Jae-yeol was waiting.

"Six magazines, plus a radio and a lighter."

"Peel one ammo belt off and put it on. Clip the radio to it too."

"Got it. Then you'll take the other one, right? Here."

I took the ammo belt Jae-yeol had stripped off and handed it to Yu Eunseol.

"Strap that around your waist like a belt."

"There's a knife on it."

"I know. That's why I'm giving it to you—so you can use it."

"And where exactly am I supposed to use this?"

"Anywhere. Even on me if you want. Right now you could try all you like—ambushes won't work."

"......"

I projected absolute confidence, but if she truly committed to a surprise attack even I might not be able to stop it. People can't perfectly handle every situation. Still, that confidence, combined with the memory of her failed ambush in the restroom, would make her shrink back on her own.

Once we had everything we needed, we entered the building that had been guarded by only two soldiers. The building closest to Seogang Bridge. Completely opposite the side where the soldiers and survivors were concentrated—no one came here without a very specific reason.

Which was exactly why they had hidden it here.

The enormous pile of cash collected while looting the bank.

"Whoa... how much is all this..."

Even I stared, just as dumbstruck as Jae-yeol. Cash was stacked to an absurd degree. Each bundle was five million won... so easily hundreds of billions.

But from this moment on, that money was nothing more than kindling for the most extravagant campfire in the world.

Click— click!!

I flicked the lighter we had taken from the soldiers. Jae-yeol immediately blew it out.

"Hoo!!"

"What are you doing?"

"Hyung..! Are you seriously going to burn all of this..?"

"It's just scraps of paper now."

"Even so... wait—!!"

Before he could blow again I quickly relit the lighter and touched the flame to the stacked cash.

Whoooosh—

It burned beautifully.

"Ah....."

"How's that? Feels like watching the most expensive campfire on earth, doesn't it?"

"It's so fucking wasteful..."

"Don't feel bad. In this world a single chocolate bar is worth more than these paper scraps."

"Haa.... my money..."

"How the hell is this your money, you idiot!"

"Aagh!!"

I gave Jae-yeol a solid kick in the ass, then pulled the radio from the ammo belt and stepped outside to escape the acrid smoke and heat. I pressed the transmit button and informed the soldiers of what was happening—sounding completely unhinged.

"You foolish servants of Satan! This is the divine punishment upon those blinded by greed!!!"

-What the hell?! Who is that?!

-Which bastard is screwing around?! Who the fuck are you!!

"Who am I? I am the agent of God who has burned away your desires. Despair within the flames!!!"

"......"

"Hyung..?"

Yu Eunseol and Jae-yeol both stared at me like I had lost my mind, and my ears burned red, but this was no time for embarrassment. We had to leave on foot. The soldiers would come racing here in vehicles.

"Let's go."

We crossed the wall and the road, then stopped and took position. Seogang Bridge intersection. The nearest section of the Assembly wall was only about forty meters away. They would see us. They would see exactly where we were going. But first we had to announce our location.

Bang!! Bang-bang!!

Bang-bang-bang!!!!

From the roof of a delivery truck, Jae-yeol and I opened fire on the zombies flooding toward us. In the distance, soldiers who had spotted us aimed their muzzles through the barred sections of the wall.

"Run!"

"Yes!"

We jumped down beside the truck—onto the roof of an SUV lower than the cargo bay. Yu Eunseol, who had already climbed down, clamped both hands over her ears. Jae-yeol and I kept shooting, drawing the zombies in.

"Hyung! At this rate we won't be able to get out either, will we?!"

"Don't worry—just keep shooting!!"

If too many zombies piled up we could get isolated, just like Jae-yeol said—but the armed soldiers also wouldn't be able to casually climb over the wall. And we needed to pull this many zombies here so the others could move safely.

About a hundred and fifty meters away, a group of people emerged from between the buildings. Our party, with Suho in the lead. They immediately crossed the road and headed for a church the size of a large commercial building. They couldn't go straight in and had to fidget anxiously at the entrance for a moment, but in the end everyone made it inside without a single incident.

"Hyung.. what do we do now..?"

"Kraaaagh!!!"

"Kraaagh!!"

"Kraaaa!!"

"Kraaaaagh!!"

"Kraaaa!!"

"Kraagh!!!"

"Kraaaaaagh!!"

The intersection was completely packed with a zombie horde. Jae-yeol's face went blank with despair, but I set my gun down and calmly clasped my empty hands together.

"Pray. Salvation is coming soon."

"Hyung! What the hell has gotten into you since earlier..!!"

"Haa...."

Jae-yeol grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard, trying to snap me out of it. Yu Eunseol just shook her head in pure disbelief. But I knew. I was right, and Jae-yeol and Yu Eunseol were wrong.

You foolish ones.

Believe.

Believe, and you shall be saved.

For this is the proof.

"W-what is this..."

"Ah...."

It was a sight that left Jae-yeol and Yu Eunseol speechless. Seeing it in person even made my own jaw drop.

The zombies that had packed in so tightly there was no room to step were parting like the Red Sea.