Another Survivor
I watched them through my Ashes Veil, in the form of an ash spirit. Kim Jungshik was perched on the edge of the desk, while Choi Dongwoo leaned against the window. Kim Jungshik spoke first.
"Look, you, Seonghyeon, Yuri, Seoyul—the producers like them. We're relying on them for food. What if they die in some freak accident? Then what about meals? How the hell are we supposed to get food here?"
Something was up, but it didn't look like a fight. Their faces were serious, but not heated.
"But, Section Chief, that's exactly why moving is dangerous, isn't it? What if we run into those monsters on the way?"
"Didn't the Boss say he'd taken care of them all?"
"Still. Didn't that Junyoung guy say those monster bastards are scattered all over the city, the country? Cleaning out one spot doesn't mean they're gone everywhere else. Wouldn't it be better if we just set up base here and keep pushing on our own? I'll suggest it to Junyoung... even if he says no..."
"Choi."
Kim Jungshik narrowed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
"Why are you in such a rush? Something going on?"
Choi Dongwoo scratched at his arm and muttered, "....No, Section Chief."
"Forget it. Section chief, whatever—it's been how long since the world went to shit? Come on, Dongwoo. If you've got gripes or ideas, just spit 'em out. We go way back, right? Come on, talk easy."
Kim Jungshik patted Choi Dongwoo's shoulder. A conversation between men in their fifties.
"...Hyung-nim Jungshik."
Choi Dongwoo finally spoke up.
"Honestly... do you think our families are still alive?"
"......"
Silence.
"....I don't want to find out. You feel the same, right, hyung-nim?"
"......"
Two heavy sighs escaped the men. But Kim Jungshik soon opened his mouth again, his deep, gravelly voice matching his burly frame.
"I know. Those blood-clump bastards. And the ones the Boss checked out this time—the ones that ate Jinseok and Jeongsu and took their places."
He spat the words like they were rotten meat.
"...."
"If those fuckers ate my boy and my wife and are wearing their skins... yeah, it'd break me."
"Hyung-nim..."
"But."
Kim Jungshik continued.
"Better to check than not. And who knows? Maybe they've survived like us, standing tall."
"......"
"So we just shut up and follow. Don't pull any dumbass bullshit that fucks up the base. Got it?"
His tone grew rougher. Choi Dongwoo nodded, sweat beading on his forehead.
"......Yes."
Hoo. Kim Jungshik added more.
"And you know? Not just the Boss—Jeong Suhyun too."
Talk about Jeong Suhyun. Choi Dongwoo rubbed his puffy eyes.
"Suhyun...?"
"Yeah. You know his temper? If you don't listen to the Boss, you might end up dead by his hand before the Boss even gets pissed."
"No way."
Choi Dongwoo voiced his doubt, but Kim Jungshik shook his head.
"You saw it yourself. That Hwang Jinseok bastard, back at Our Love Church before he changed. If I hadn't stopped him, Suhyun would've killed him right there. Sure, maybe he knew it was a monster by then. But did he really?"
".....Yeah."
Choi Dongwoo swallowed hard. Kim Jungshik eyed him.
"So watch yourself. Don't let it show around the Boss. Got it?"
Choi Dongwoo nodded.
"And keep the young ones in line. Only Seonghyeon and Inho left down there. No funny business with the women. Especially that officer girl."
"....Yes."
"I'm not joking. Put men and women together, and shit always hits the fan. You and the deputy might be fine, but the young bloods are full of hot sap."
Clack. Kim Jungshik slid the window open with a rumble.
"Who knows when they'll pull some stupid stunt? I can't watch 'em every second. Sure, if they were like our Boss or Suhyun—no blood, no tears—no problem."
Ptoo. He spat out the window.
"Our kids ain't that tough. You know it."
"Yes."
"Alright, let's go. Someone might overhear us here. Oh, right—Dongwoo."
"Yes?"
"Meds running low?"
I narrowed my eyes. Meds. Some chronic condition?
But no more on that. Choi Dongwoo stretched his body.
"...Still okay. Been acting up lately, though."
"You barely eat. Sip... Seen Yunjin?"
"Yes. Got some healing, but... no real improvement."
"Yeah. Makes sense why you ain't losing weight."
All I gleaned was about Kim Jungshik's ability.
'He summons meds, but some don't work.'
Probably summons based on some criteria.
Kim Jungshik flexed his muscled arms in frustration.
"Fuck. Tsk. Gotta level this shitty power up. Summons meds that don't even work..."
"...It's fine."
"Like hell it is."
'These things drop without warning.' Kim Jungshik grumbled cynically as he stood.
"Time to make food?"
"Hate when you put it like that, but yeah."
"Then circle the yard with me first. Just stick it in the cafeteria fridge anyway."
"Yes..."
"Don't make that face."
Bang. The two men vanished.
I watched them descend to the first floor, then turned away.
'So that's how Kim Jungshik leads.'
He didn't show that side to me, but it was probably the real him. And that's why I trusted him more.
'Makes sense—he's been leading since Northdong Station.'
If he hadn't joined us, he'd be king of some other base. Lee Yoon's worries seemed unfounded.
'Still, better safe...'
I headed to Room 408, the duty office.
Creeeak.
"Boss."
"You're here?"
Oddly, Jeong Dojin and Choi Yuri were on duty. Dojin stacking chairs, staring at the yard. Yuri sitting on the desk, leaning against the concrete wall.
"...Where's Suhyun?"
"Ah, Suhyun hyung's in the bathroom. We're covering."
Dojin spoke without looking away from the window.
"Wait here—he'll be back soon. Five minutes max. Just left."
"Got it."
I sat beside them. In the quiet, I broke the silence.
"...Any issues?"
Dojin twitched his lips.
"You always say that, Boss."
"Yeah."
Choi Yuri agreed. Made sense—we'd barely talked since rescuing them from Our Love Church.
"Do I?"
"Yes."
"Boss, you're heading out tomorrow, right?"
Choi Yuri spoke up. Them knowing meant...
'Suhyun must've told them.'
I nodded.
"Yes."
"...Where to?"
Nope—just that I was going out. I told them about scavenging Rocket Mart in Northdong.
"Aha..."
"Nice. Grab what we need there. Boss, you'll need me this time, right?"
Choi Yuri nodded quietly, Dojin eager. I nodded back. Dojin's cart-hauling strength was essential.
"Yes. Dojin, what's your rank now?"
"Late D-rank. Using it daily. C soon."
He flexed his bicep without looking away. Boost now 2-4x, up from 1-3x. C would be 3-5x, he figured.
"Gotta be careful, though."
Great ability. Strength enhancement. Huge help at Gaeseong High migration.
"Count on you again."
"Leave it to me." He grinned.
I turned to Yuri.
"You?"
"Early C-rank."
"C means 1kg?"
One kg of fruit—how many bananas?
"Yeah. 1kg every two hours. But they're rotting lately, so holding off. Bugs too. Telling Uncle Yoon to chase 'em is a hassle. He hates waste from way back, so every six or eight hours. Watermelon works, but heavy and doesn't keep well..."
Yuri chattered on. Yunjin unnie sharper lately. Mina unnie improving, thank god. Wants to befriend Soyeon unnie, but she ignores her. Seoyul pushing people to eat scraps since trash disposal's tricky.
Bang.
"And..."
"...Junyoung?"
Jeong Suhyun entered from outside. Expressionless, hollow-eyed, rifle in hand.
"You're back."
"Yeah, must've been while I was in the john."
"Yes, chatting with them."
He swapped seamlessly with Dojin, who joined Yuri downstairs. Suhyun took the perch.
"I see."
Click. He leaned the rifle by the window and sat.
'Lives with that gun glued to him.'
Suhyun. Probably slept with it too. Smart, given recent shit.
'Whatever.'
Obsessions didn't matter here. Hell, it helped.
"Anyway, about the outing team."
I brought up personnel.
"Leaving you and Lee Yoon at base, taking Yoo Soyeon and Dojin..."
"Hold up."
I'd just started when Suhyun glanced out, aimed the rifle outward, and told the couple,
"Dojin, Yuri. Go downstairs, round everyone up."
"Yes, hyung."
"Okay."
Creeeak. They left.
He pulled the rifle fully out and called me.
"...Junyoung."
"Yes."
I clocked it instantly and moved to the window. Followed his barrel.
There...
"Just a normal family."
A man and woman in their thirties, kid maybe ten, passing the gate. The family eyeing the scarecrow suspiciously...
'But...'
Wait. Kid. A child?
I narrowed my eyes at Suhyun.
"...Status windows?"
"All show up fine."
"Survivors still out there."
Sure, survivors made sense. Even Liberation Army scum couldn't clear every building in Southdong.
But.
'Raising a kid a month in.'
And making it here alive. I narrowed my eyes. Base rules: one warning, then shoot...
'The moment we worried about.'
Suhyun, Jungshik, and I had discussed: parents showing with kids—what then? No exceptions.
But.
'Seeing it... hits different.'
Girl. Through the ash spirit, the grubby, skinny kid clutched something tight.
'Rabbit doll.'
Typical attachment toy. My lips soured bitterly.
'Base is gonna erupt.'
The soft-hearted would push to let them in. Me, Suhyun, Soyeon could decide outside—reject or accept.
Then—
Bang!
Gunshot beside me. Bullet in the concrete by the family.
"...Hmm."
Waaah!
The grubby kid wailed. Parents scooped her, bolted behind Gaeseong High's gate guard post.
Suhyun watched calmly, then asked flatly,
"What should we do?"