Chapter 49
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: A Mother's Desperate Plea
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The moment Kang Sohee saw her mom get bitten by the zombie, she forgot the pain she'd felt just moments before and sprang to her feet, rushing toward her mother.
"Get away from my mom!"
She swung her greatsword, completely severing the head of the zombie that was latched onto her mom.
"M-Mom? Are you okay?"
Looking down at her mom after dispatching the zombie, the sight was gruesome. She'd been flung by the Smasher's attack earlier and rolled across the ground, sustaining injuries all over, but the worst was her right arm, bitten by the zombie. Starting from the bite mark, it was gradually turning gray—a clear sign of zombification to anyone who saw it.
Kang Sohee had witnessed what happened to people bitten by zombies many times before, so she knew all too well what fate awaited her mom right now.
And yet, her mind rejected it outright.
It can't be.
It can't happen to my mom.
Mom will be fine.
"Mom... I'm, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... I promised I'd protect you..."
A single tear rolled down Kang Sohee's cheek from her eye.
She'd vowed to protect her mom from zombies, and failing that tore her heart to shreds.
She dropped the greatsword she was holding onto the ground and knelt beside her mom, grasping her right hand tightly with both of hers before pressing it to her forehead and closing her eyes.
In that instant, memories of the past flashed through Kang Sohee's mind.
In truth, Im Miyoung wasn't Kang Sohee's biological mother.
Kang Sohee had inherited strong genes from her dad, who had been an MMA fighter. Her body was tough as nails. She was short, but she could easily beat boys her age in arm-wrestling contests and hold her own in scuffles even against those in higher weight classes.
Her biological mom, on the other hand, had a frail constitution. She passed away before Kang Sohee even started elementary school, unable to overcome her illness.
The shock had been devastating for young Sohee. Every night, she missed her mom terribly. She'd throw tantrums with her dad, begging to see her mom one more time, and even ran away from home once, saying she'd go find her.
Years later, her dad quit fighting and opened a gym. That's when he met someone special and brought up remarriage to Sohee.
Accepting a total stranger as her new mom was hard, but seeing how happy her dad was—who had grieved even more deeply over losing his first wife—Sohee told him to do what he wanted.
And the woman he brought home was Im Miyoung.
The moment Kang Sohee saw Im Miyoung, she thought she was stunningly beautiful. At first, she figured that's why Dad liked her, but as they talked, she realized Miyoung was just as wonderful on the inside.
Still, Sohee felt neutral about her becoming her mom. After all, there was only room for one mom in her heart—her biological one. If anything, acknowledging Miyoung might fade those precious memories, so part of her resisted it.
That said, Sohee didn't outright oppose the remarriage, so Miyoung went ahead and married her dad. Naturally, she worked hard to bond with Sohee, who was now her daughter. She'd share Sohee's hobbies, jot notes in a notebook every day about what she liked and disliked, all to learn more about her.
Spending so much time under the same roof, it's impossible not to grow fond of someone unless they do something truly awful.
By the time Sohee entered middle school, she started thinking positively of Miyoung. No one could hate someone who sacrificed sleep just to help her.
But there was one thing even Sohee couldn't do on her own terms.
"Sohee! You dropped this!"
As Sohee grabbed her bag to head out for school, Miyoung picked up the fallen item and handed it to her.
"Oh, thanks. Uh..."
In her head, Sohee was set on calling Im Miyoung "Mom," but when it came time to say it aloud, the word just wouldn't come out. She didn't know why, but trying to use it felt like her throat closed up, silencing her completely.
Miyoung approached calmly and pulled her into a hug.
"It's okay. I'll always be here waiting."
Miyoung vaguely sensed that Sohee wanted to call her "Mom" but struggled with it. And she didn't mind. Even if Sohee never said it, their bond felt as strong as any mother and daughter's.
"...Okay, I'm off then."
Sohee bowed her head awkwardly and stepped outside. Miyoung believed they could build a happy family together over time.
But tragically, her dad died in an accident.
For Sohee, losing both her dad and mom—or so it felt— was unbearable. At the funeral, Miyoung held her warmly as she stared blankly at the portrait, too shocked to even cry, but it didn't snap her out of it.
Miyoung watched pitifully as Sohee went through daily life like a robot with a loose screw, trying everything to cheer her up and help.
But gradually, those efforts started irritating Sohee. Seeing this woman—who wasn't her real mom—trying to fill the role of the parents who were gone rubbed her the wrong way.
Eventually, the pent-up emotions exploded.
"Shut up! You're not my... argh! You're not my real m-mom!"
Miyoung was stunned that "mom" had slipped from Sohee's lips just to deny her as the real one. Seeing Miyoung's shocked expression, Sohee bolted out the door.
"Sohee!"
Miyoung chased after her, but Sohee vanished in an instant. She couldn't find her.
Sohee wandered aimlessly outside, wracked with guilt over her cruel words and grief that no parents remained to hold her. Lost in thought on the roadside, someone grabbed her arm.
Looking up, she saw Miyoung, panting heavily, staring at her.
"Hah... Took me forever to find you. Sohee, let's go home."
Sohee didn't want to face her right now, so she slapped her hand away and ran sideways—right into the road, with a car speeding straight toward her.
She realized too late. The moment she noticed the car, it was past the point of dodging. Just before impact, Miyoung lunged and yanked her arm.
Sohee tumbled backward, avoiding the car, but Miyoung pitched forward instead, taking the hit in her place.
Bang!
Miyoung's body flew from the impact, rolling across the pavement. Startled onlookers quickly called 119.
Sohee stared blankly before snapping to and rushing to the bleeding Miyoung.
"Why... why did you do that?!"
Miyoung opened her eyes at Sohee's voice and stroked her cheek with a trembling hand.
"A-Are you hurt anywhere?"
"Worry about yourself! Why'd you jump in like that..."
"...Because you looked in danger. Ngh, hah... I didn't want to see my daughter get hurt..."
With those words, Miyoung closed her eyes.
"W-What? No! Hey, no! You can't die!"
Terrified of losing another precious person, Sohee sobbed hysterically. The thought that it was her fault made it even worse.
As Sohee held her, crying, paramedics arrived and loaded Miyoung into the ambulance. Sohee clung to her hand all the way from the ambulance to the hospital, afraid to let go lest she slip away forever.
Thankfully, at the hospital, Miyoung avoided fatal injuries and survived.
Admitted to the ICU for recovery, Sohee stayed by her side every single day until she woke.
When Miyoung finally opened her eyes, she saw Sohee gazing at her in surprise.
"Sohee?"
Sohee rushed over, grasped Miyoung's right hand with both of hers, pressed it to her forehead, and burst into tears.
"Thank goodness... really, thank goodness..."
And then the word slipped out.
The one Miyoung had longed to hear.
"Thank goodness, Mom."
"S-Sohee... what did you just..."
"Mom, please... no more dangerous stuff, okay?"
That day, Sohee vowed deep in her heart: No matter what, she'd protect Im Miyoung—her mom—from now on.
She'd live by her mom's side, the one who saved her life and gave her reason to keep going.
But now...
Kang Sohee had failed to protect her mom.
Even as her mom's skin turned gray, Sohee refused to leave her side.
She knew zombies were closing in on her and that the Smasher behind was rearing back for a punch, but dodging never crossed her mind.
She felt she had no reason to live anymore, having broken her solemn vow.
I don't want to live in a world without Mom. Better to... die with her.
As she resolved this was her end and closed her eyes—
Bang!
The ground shook, and the zombies lunging at her vanished in an instant. Even the Smasher's presence behind her was gone.
Confused, Sohee looked up to see...
"What? Bitten by a zombie?"
Kim Jaehwan, whom she'd met yesterday, was staring at her and her mom with a nonchalant expression.
The man who, amid the zombie apocalypse, had saved her from peril multiple times.
She couldn't say she liked his attitude, but she didn't resent him for the rescues. If anything, she owed him debts she planned to repay with coins—or any help he might need.
This time, too, he'd saved her... but her mom was already bitten.
Even if she survived, Mom turning into a zombie made it pointless—or so she thought.
"Hmm... Want a zombie infection cure?"
Unexpected words came from Kim Jaehwan's mouth. She suddenly remembered him mentioning at the shop that he'd bought one.
"R-Really?!"
"Of course it's real. But it's not free. Coins only."
At his mention of coins, Sohee gently laid her mom on the ground, then prostrated herself before him, head to the dirt, and shouted.
"I-I barely have any coins right now! But I'll pay you back, somehow! Use me however you want—just sell me the cure to save my mom!"
As she recalled, the cure cost 1,000 coins. She had about 400 now.
Not enough for 1,000, but with time, she could scrape it together before the zombie wave ended.
"Alright, deal. Selling it now."
"R-Really!? Thank go—"
"Price is 100,000 coins."
"...Huh?"
The absurd amount left her speechless. She'd figured he might jack up the price a bit, but not to this ridiculous level.
Still, she had no choice. Even as she hesitated, her mom's zombification progressed. And if she fully turned, the cure might not work. No time to deliberate.
"...Got it. I'll buy it."
"Sweet! Here's your cure."
Sohee took the cure from Kim Jaehwan and hurried to her mom, slipping it into her mouth. Miraculously, it dissolved instantly.
And the skin, more than halfway gray from zombification, began reverting to its normal color.
"Thank goodness..."
Kang Sohee momentarily forgot her conversation with Kim Jaehwan, relieved that her mom was safe from the infection.