Gunshots at Dawn

The Licker was the last of them.

After that, I'd wandered around Yeouido picking up a few quests here and there, but the rewards were nothing but points and Random Boxes.

Then, from an unexpected place, a new quest appeared.

A white quest that had appeared at the department store. A quest given only to me — so I was forced into becoming a good person.

"We're always the ones receiving help."

"Haha... Don't worry about it. How's Soyeong doing, by the way?"

"Thanks to you, Juhan, she's eating well, sleeping well, and running around with her friends. Thank you."

"You really don't need to thank me for that. Jaemin was the one who first suggested we grab the medicine."

Not only Kim Jincheol and his group — who'd stolen firearms and escaped the National Assembly to save his young daughter before the resistance even formed — but also the people from the apartment building had all joined the resistance.

Though if you want to be precise, it was the resistance that joined Kim Jincheol's group and the apartment residents. The resistance hadn't found a comfortable place to settle, so the apartment people took them in.

"Kieeeee!!!"

"Kieeeeee!!"

"Kiee!!"

"Kieeeee!!!"

"Two o'clock! One mantis, three ants!"

"We're on it."

"Yes, be careful."

Kim Jincheol adjusted his grip on his weapon and charged toward the insects.

Three stat points early on make a huge difference. The weaker someone is, the more dramatic the effect. People who couldn't fight insects without guns could now hold their own to some ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠degree.

"Stab it already!"

"I can't hold on!!"

"Don't let that mantis thrash around!"

"Just hang on a little longer!!"

Of course, if the gap was too wide to begin with, three stats wouldn't help. But Kim Jincheol's group and the resistance fighters had been gradually raising their stats through operations with the soldiers at the National Assembly — so those small differences were producing results like this.

And as they say, many a little makes a mickle. Three stats per person might not sound like much, but overall they'd already gained eighty-one points.

Even when the next turning point came, the people centered around Kim Jincheol's group and the resistance would survive well enough.

That is, if the resistance could hold together after fighting the military that controlled the National Assembly.

"Juhan, it's Captain Son."

Speak of the devil — a call. I took the phone Suho handed me and answered Captain Son Gijun.

"Yes, Captain."

"We're ready on our end."

"We're almost done here too."

"Then tomorrow at dawn..."

"Let's begin."

That day at the department store, Captain Son Gijun and his soldiers had decided to side with the resistance against the military. As a result, Captain Son Gijun and his men, the resistance, our group, and even Baek Sihyeon's group had all received new quests.

And of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠course, the white quest I'd received then was still active.

The 120 hours we'd been given were almost up. During that time, we'd prepared outside while Captain Son Gijun prepared inside to confront the military.

The operation would begin at dawn tomorrow.

But there was still one anxiety I couldn't shake.

"An Gyeongsu! Where the hell did you go this time?!"

"Sorry. My stomach keeps hurting lately."

"Hey! Even if you're going to the bathroom, go with someone! You wanna die taking a dump?!"

"Sorry."

An Gyeongsu.

I still hadn't figured out what that guy really was. And once again, he'd vanished alone and come back.

"Hyung."

"Was it really the bathroom?"

"Yes."

I asked Jaeyeol to keep an eye on An Gyeongsu — if I did it myself, it'd be too obvious and he'd notice.

"He didn't stop anywhere else?"

"No."

"Did you take your eyes off him at any point?"

"There was a dangerous situation I had to help with, so I lost him for about two minutes. But when things settled down, he was right there with us."

"Hmm... Oh, what about last time at the department store? Did he ever act alone? When I went looking for the necklace with Baek Sihyeon and Yu Eunseol."

"Back then... I'm sorry, I don't really know. Let me go ask around."

"I'd appreciate it."

While Jaeyeol went over to the others who were helping people, I walked over to An Gyeongsu, who was watching Choi Junseok and the others.

"An Gyeongsu."

"Yes, Juhan hyung."

"Let me see your Status Window."

"Okay."

What? He's showing it this easily? I should've asked sooner.

"Share Status Window."

We clasped hands like a handshake, and An Gyeongsu shared his Status Window without any hesitation.

Truly pathetic stats. And he even had a built-in alibi.

Weakness Detection. I'd been wondering how he figured out the mantis's weak points the first time we faced them — so he'd used a skill.

But doesn't that not add up?

Baek Sihyeon from the same group got so strong, and this guy's stats are only this?

No standout stats at all, and his total is the same level as Jihye, a woman.

And his Stamina and Durability are way too high.

[Strength: 17] [Agility: 8] [Stamina: 4] [Mental: 2] [Durability: 3]

Gihun's stats are a bit extreme, but normally people focus on either Strength or Agility and raise the rest as support. Yet An Gyeongsu's Stamina and Durability are higher than even Gihun's.

There's no way a small, skinny guy like An Gyeongsu would have received high Stamina and Durability as starting stats — he must have chosen to raise them himself.

Even if you argue he raised Stamina because he had to keep up with the group, why on earth raise Durability?

A guy who claims he's not good at physical stuff and barely participates in combat — does he need Durability?

If he was scared, shouldn't he have raised Agility and Stamina instead?

"Then can I see your Status Window too, hyung?"

"......"

"Hyung..?"

I let go of his hand and answered clearly.

"No."

"What??"

"I don't want to show it."

"Ah..."

I turned away from the flustered An Gyeongsu and checked Choi Junseok's Status Window as well.

[Strength: 13] [Agility: 11] [Stamina: 5] [Mental: 2] [Durability: 3]

Total of 34 — same as Gihun or Mingu, and seven higher than An Gyeongsu's 27.

Choi Junseok had stats and skills that perfectly matched his position.

"Hyung! You're not showing me either?!"

"Nope~ Not showing~"

"That's so mean!"

"Yeah, I'm a little mean~"

I didn't show Choi Junseok my Status Window either. If An Gyeongsu asked him, he'd spill everything — and I couldn't show it to everyone except An Gyeongsu.

"Seojeong, can I talk to you for a second?"

"M-me..? Um... what is it..?"

"Am I going to eat you? If talking alone makes you uncomfortable, bring Eunseol with you."

"Ah.. okay..."

"......"

I took Kim Seojeong and Yu Eunseol somewhere out of An Gyeongsu's line of sight.

Then I asked about the beginning.

"We went to hang out at the café where Junseok and Sihyeon work. Those two are best friends from childhood. Eunseol was working at the same café, and Jeongcheol oppa was standing in line behind us when we ordered. That's how we met."

"What about An Gyeongsu?"

"Gyeongsu... when did he show up??"

"He was the last customer before the zombies appeared."

I'd asked Kim Seojeong because I figured she wouldn't care about other people's business, but Yu Eunseol had a much clearer picture of what happened.

"Anything unusual?"

"He added four extra shots."

"What??"

"Iced Americano with four extra shots. That was Gyeongsu oppa's order."

"Ha... If you're going to do that, just drink espresso... Anyway, anything else?"

"I don't know."

"Then how long after An Gyeongsu came in did you realize zombies had appeared?"

"Less than a minute, I think. But even before that, we'd seen people running around outside."

This is just speculation, but maybe An Gyeongsu knew the zombies had appeared and simply didn't say anything.

Why? Because the moment you know zombies have appeared, you should block the entrance or flee to somewhere safer.

Or did he genuinely not know?

"Why are you asking about Gyeongsu oppa, though?"

"Don't tell me, oppa..!"

"What?"

"Gyeongsu is nice! He's scared and a bit weak, but his skill is super helpful and he comes through when it counts! Don't abandon him!"

"Abandon him? What are you talking about?"

"Because he doesn't seem useful... you're going to send him over to those people, right..?"

"No, I'm not."

If I did that, those people would be in danger. I need to keep him close and watch him.

But am I being too paranoid?

Even Jihye, who has the Protective Instinct skill, said she didn't sense anything off about An Gyeongsu.

Is this perverted god just messing with me?

Or is he trying to separate me from the original protagonist's group because he doesn't like that I joined them?

Ah... for now, I'll just keep a close eye on him.

There's nothing I can do about it right now anyway.

Less than ten hours left on the quest to purge the corrupt soldiers.

But there's a more urgent quest than that.

The quest to join Yeonghun's revenge.

Which quest should I do first?

Based on remaining time, Yeonghun's revenge should come first.

But if the soldiers catch wind of our ambush while we're at it, the difficulty of purging the corrupt soldiers will skyrocket.

The reverse is also true, though. If they notice the ambush while we're purging the corrupt soldiers, armed troops will come pouring in, and Yeonghun's revenge becomes much harder.

So what about splitting our forces and doing both quests at once?

Split our numbers against armed soldiers? Even with me there I can't guarantee safety — without me, anyone could die at any moment and it wouldn't be surprising.

Then there's only one way.

Make everything happen where I am.

Wiiiiing!! Wiiiiing!!

The phone on the table started vibrating. I immediately picked it up and answered.

"Yes, Captain."

"Come on over."

"Understood."

Current time: 3:08 AM.

At an awkward hour — late enough and early enough that everyone should be deep asleep ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠— we moved toward the National Assembly.

Our group of twelve, Baek Sihyeon's group of six, and thirty resistance fighters.

Moving all at once would draw too many zombies, so we crossed the road in groups of three.

Tadat—

I was the first to cross the road and vault the wall. Captain Son Gijun and his soldiers were waiting, having already bound the eight soldiers who'd been on perimeter patrol around the wall.

"We'll head back, then."

"Yes."

I'd already finished talking things through with Captain Son Gijun's side.

Captain Son Gijun would stand with the soldiers in this fight.

His concern was that a peace achieved through rebellion could just as easily be overturned by another rebellion.

So Captain Son Gijun would side with the soldiers and become their hero.

A hero who defended the National Assembly not from rebellion, but from an external threat — naturally strengthening the bond between soldiers and civilians, and smoothly taking the lead of soldiers and people thrown into chaos after losing their leadership.

And through deliberately passive troop deployment, he'd subtly help us so the resistance side wouldn't take casualties.

Even so, the quests they'd received wouldn't fail. Captain Son Gijun and his soldiers' quest was to defend the National Assembly from the resistance's attack.

"Alright, everyone move to your positions."

"Be careful."

"You all be careful too. If things get dangerous, contact us immediately and get out."

Twenty-nine resistance fighters moved past the National Assembly Library toward the main National Assembly Building, while we headed for the Assembly Members' Office Building where most of the people and soldiers lived.

"What the hell? I told you to stand watch and you're drinking again?!"

"These bastards are useless..!!"

"Hey, get over here and get in the push-up position."

"Time for some group punishment today~"

On the way to the Assembly Members' Office Building we had to pass the main gate, and we approached the four soldiers guarding Gate 1 and Gate 2.

They weren't each guarding their assigned gates either — they'd gathered at the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠flower bed in the middle, snacking on crackers with beer.

The reason we could approach so easily, and why they weren't on alert at all, was that we were wearing the uniforms of the eight soldiers Captain Son Gijun's men had subdued.

Plus it was 3 AM — hard to make out faces until we got close.

They did shine flashlights, but covering our faces with our hands like the light was too bright was enough.

"Wh-what?!"

"Who are you..."

"Ah..."

"Guhh!!!!"

The four soldiers were subdued in an instant and knocked unconscious. Yeonghun's uncle — the only one of the thirty resistance fighters who'd come with us — checked their faces.

"He's not here."

"Then let's go. Nari, you got everything?"

"Yes."

"Jeongcheol hyung, I'm counting on you."

"Don't worry. I'll finish up quick and catch up."

While Lee Jeongcheol and Baek Sihyeon's group bound the soldiers' arms and legs with the duct tape they'd prepared and gagged them, we moved on to the Assembly Members' Office Building.

"What? It's not shift change. Why are you wandering around?"

"Well, sir. I saw something during my watch that seemed off."

"What's off?"

"Well..."

"Ghk...!!! Guh..!!!"

"Khek!!!"

The two soldiers guarding the entrance to the Assembly Members' Office Building were also quickly choked unconscious by Jaeyeol and Mingu in their military uniforms.

Current time: 3:15 AM.

Shifts changed every hour, so even being conservative we had at least thirty minutes of leeway.

Finish Yeonghun's revenge within that window.

Purging the corrupt soldiers would begin after that — once the resistance, on our signal, started firing on the National Assembly Building.

But then a completely unexpected variable hit.

Tadadadadang!!!!

Tadadadang!!

Tadang!! Tadadang!!

Tadadadadang!!!

Gunfire echoing through the quiet dawn.

And the PA announcement that followed.

Damn... nothing ever goes easy.

"Plan B! Move!!"