Infrastructure Revelation
I rubbed my eyes and sat up. 'Is it dawn already?' The time was 5:04 a.m. Fortunately, there had been no attacks during the night—whether from monstrous creatures, other Awakened, or raiders.
'I was honestly worried.' During the day, I'd assigned the women to night watch, so the men had slept soundly. At night, the women got their rest too, leaving the church essentially defenseless except for my ice barrier come early morning. 'Guess not.' I had no idea why there were no attacks or why our missing people hadn't returned, but it worked in our favor. At this point, it suggested something had gone wrong for them.
'Can't wait forever, though.' It was time to fortify our base properly. To that end, I decided to thoroughly search the church. Assigning tasks fairly meant getting a good grasp of the layout inside.
I stepped outside first to check the barrier I'd set up. 'Hasn't melted yet.' The 3x3 meter Ice Shield was holding strong, its size making it resistant to thawing. No external attacks either—no cracks when I tapped it, just biting cold.
'Three days... maybe a week if nothing hits it.' Without impacts from outside, it should last that long easily. I circled the first floor, confirming up to the front entrance barrier. The distance between front and back doors was considerable; blocking just one side would make defense impossible, so I patted myself on the back for the smart call.
Then I headed to the second floor.
"......"
"......"
Sleeping men and women. I cracked open each door, confirmed everyone was fine, and climbed to the third floor. 'Having individual rooms on the second floor feels risky.' I sat in Kim Kwonyong's old room on the fourth floor, pondering.
After the first night, the women had crashed in the empty second-floor rooms, and naturally, the men followed suit. Everyone claimed a room, so I did too. The third floor still reeked of those tattooed thugs' fishy stench and blood, and the fourth was too high up.
'Whatever.' It wasn't so bad, I decided, shaking my head. Sure, there was raid risk, but it was easier to notice danger from the second floor than higher up. Plus, micromanaging sleeping arrangements would make me a dictator, not a leader. Circumstances left little choice anyway.
With that settled, I headed back to the first floor. Past the prayer hall and sanctuary, I reached the management office that oversaw the whole building. I'd spotted it next to the pastor's office by chance and prioritized checking it.
'Electricity seems fine.' Confirming the lights in the thick-walled room worked, I flicked them on and off. Then I went outside to the first-floor storage area.
'There should be water management somewhere around here.' I scoured the first floor. I'd watched a few online videos about plumbing and sewers—places like this often had pipe rooms in basement-level storage. Normally, you'd call pros to unclog or have apartment offices handle checks. But the world was fucked now. No one for maintenance, obviously.
'Hope it's intact.' I searched for a while. Finally, in the back of the sanctuary, I found a small 1-meter door.
'Why the hell hide it here?'
The door creaked open with a groan.
"Cough..."
Dust everywhere, dark pipes shrouded in grime. I flicked on my phone flashlight. Pipes snaked all over, thick with neglect.
'Direct pressure or tank system?' Direct pumps from below; tanks store in reservoirs. Our Love Church's size ruled out direct, so likely tanks. But that wasn't the issue.
'The water mains...' I inspected them closely. This seemed to be the main supply line. Damage here could fuck water usage. Clean water issues might drain my mana—meant for defense and offense—on drinking supply.
But...
'What the hell?' My eyes widened. The primary water main from the pump or tank was shattered.
'This is it, right?'
I yanked the door open and rushed to the first-floor bathroom, twisting the faucet.
Water gushed out strong. Hot water side? Warm flow, perfect.
I bolted to the third floor, turned on the shower.
Pouring steadily. 'How?' I swallowed hard, watching it. I'd seen the broken main below. Water from underground shouldn't flow.
Back down, I pried open a random pipe cap above.
"Ugh..."
I pinched my nose. A stench assaulted my brain. Old bugs crawled out from the rusty pipes.
Creaks and buzzes. I slammed the cap shut, banged the door closed, and stepped out.
'Ha...' It clicked. Over two weeks post-apocalypse, electricity fine, water fine. Sewers must be backed up, yet no issues.
'No magic bullshit.' Some Awakener with utility powers was maintaining all this infrastructure.
"Hah..." Or the entities behind the outbreak—or Status Window creators—were keeping it up...
'Headache.' I headed straight to Jeong Suhyun's room on the second floor. Dawn haze, I shook him awake. "...Junyoung?"
"Jeong Suhyun. Serious shit."
I dragged him to the thick-walled room and pipe storage, showed everything, explained. Broken pipes, foul stench, yet clean water flows.
Jeong Suhyun poked around the pipe room, face mirroring mine. "...Unbelievable. But it's happening."
"Yeah. Only explanation: an Awakener doing this. Or whoever runs Status Window forces it."
"Makes sense why infrastructure holds."
He narrowed his eyes. I asked, "Didn't check at the office?"
"We did—worked fine, so no clue."
"Right."
He shook his head. Made sense; he'd fretted over electricity, water, sewers. Essential check.
"Anyway, not bad."
"Yeah?"
"Means survivors likely alive. Almost week three. Food aside, they could hold."
"The ability's the issue."
"Yep. If that Awakener dies? Downtown survivors wiped. Zombies, monsters, other Awakened."
"Military or government?"
"No intel. Easiest: check Pyeongtaek's Second Fleet..."
We talked it out for two hours till others stirred. Conclusion: accelerate plans hard.
"Got it. Jeong Suhyun, handle defenses and checks?"
"You heading out?"
"Yeah. Didn't say, but starting today. Want useful Awakened survivors."
"Wake everyone, assemble?"
"Yep. Yesterday's dining spot."
"Roger."
Originally, week of bonding, fortifying, raid prep. But unknown countdown ticking. Threats everywhere: basics like food/shelter/clothes. Awakened, monsters, now shaky infrastructure. Magic/scout/strength/heal/fruit summons? Not enough.
'If power and water cut now...' I narrowed my eyes. Freely using unpaid water, but ability-maintained. Retorts, emergency rations—no power/water, dead.
'Grab more Awakened, brute force it.' Time to move. Rescue, secure safety, Seoul escape routes. No rest.
'Plus damn main and sub quests.'
Main Quest: [No updates]
Sub Quest: [No updates]
[Quests unresponsive]
'Yeah, not that kind of Savior.' City of the Dead's savior wasn't what I thought.
"Here."
"Sleep well?"
"Good morning. Or dawn?"
I stood from the chair as Jeong Suhyun brought the group.