Small Group, Small Conflicts (1)
Park Donghyuk and Lee Euna first assigned me a room off-limits to non-personnel. It looked like a repurposed office, with a simple cot, desk, and locker.
"They'll probably throw a drinking party tonight. That's your chance to strike. They booze it up in that ruined section we came through."
"I-it'd be best if you avoid contact with the others as much as possible. Pretend you're a total outsider with no ties to this mess—it'll make convincing everyone later a lot easier."
"Minhyeok hasn't seen your face, so just say you're the leader of a group rescuing folks from Northdong."
"Might seem shameless or ridiculous, but thank you for helping. We might actually survive now."
They added a few more details like that, then slipped away to "get back to work." It was basically handing the whole thing over to me.
Ha...
I headed outside first, down to the tracks. I wanted to overhear what the residents were saying.
I followed the damaged tracks that Lee Euna and I had walked, toward the residential area with all the tents.
"...!!"
"...!!"
The hum of voices. Mealtime must've just ended; they were gathering to chat.
As I got closer, I heard young women in their twenties.
"You're on night watch tonight, right?"
"Yeah, but at least it's the first shift. Sucks that it's with Mr. Jungshik, though. I'm not close to the guy."
"Wish I could join you. Why won't Donghyuk let us pair up? He won't even let me with my mom and dad."
"I asked him last time—he said if friends stand together, they slack off. Ugh, I'm so sleepy after eating."
"Take a nap. Nothing to do during the day anyway."
"Can't. Gotta sleep around four so I'm good at night."
"What're you talking about? That's why they tell you to nap before watch, dummy."
"Oh, yeah?"
The twenty-something women laughed. As Park Donghyuk said, most were families who'd fled together, so their tones were upbeat. Unlike the sharp, gloomy church survivors.
Of course, with their families intact.
Sure, they hid their anxiety in conversation, masking it as best they could, but it was a different brightness from Choi Yuri's group, who'd suffered direct violence.
But their reaction to Kim Jungshik isn't that bad.
I frowned. By Park Donghyuk and Lee Euna's account, Kim Jungshik's rep should be in the gutter, but these women didn't seem to hate him. Indifferent, at worst?
Maybe they leave families alone.
I hadn't heard Lee Euna had family, but it was possible.
"!!!!"
"!!!!"
I left the women's chatter behind and headed elsewhere. Now, voices of men in their fifties.
"Bro, you asleep?"
"Don't mess with a sleeping guy. Come join us."
"Who can sleep? Too damn anxious."
"Yeah, what if those bastards show up? Next shift in two hours? Uncheol, you with me?"
"Right, bro. But we're keeping our wives and kids alive by doing this shit, scared or not."
"True, but I'd kill to get out of this goddamn underground hell. Double watches are killing me. Fuck, exhausting."
These seemed to be the three adult men still around. Fifties, talking wives and kids—family men, probably from the apartment Lee Euna mentioned.
"What can we do? You saw the chaos last time. Can't drag kids and wives through that. Men gotta suffer."
"Yeah. Lucky we got Donghyuk and Miss Euna."
"Hey, bro, didn't I tell you not to call her 'miss'?"
"Right. No wife for you?"
"Hell no. Probably busy feeding and playing with the kids right now."
"Quiet down, both of you. Let us sleep."
"Jungcheol bro, stop sleeping so much—you'll die."
"Already dying here. Ugh, Kim Jungshik's crew on watch tonight?"
"Yeah, him and the women. We just do afternoon before that."
"Nice. I'm crashing more. Fuck."
Nothing useful there. Only new info: night watch even daytime, and south side anxiety. Matched what Park Donghyuk said.
Nothing here either.
Positively, Park Donghyuk and Lee Euna weren't lying.
People getting snatched south is real.
Plus, Kim Jungshik and women on watch tonight—confirmed from both groups.
Means handle it before then.
I moved on.
Footsteps echoed as I reached the zone's end. A familiar barricade blocking the subway passage.
Lee Euna's ability. So that's...
Seemed like Northdong Station camp's southern Maginot Line. Unlike the stair-stepped north, they'd barricaded every open subway stretch. Humans scarier than zombies, huh.
Guards are half-assed.
Problem: watchers unreliable. Two middle-aged women on chairs in my view—one leg-shaking, one dozing with hand on chin.
But that means Lee Euna and Park Donghyuk's skills are solid.
Flip side: without them, camp crumbles anytime.
I clicked my tongue and headed back to Park Donghyuk's room. No clear fix for this place yet.
Too bad. Good skills, but too risky to leave as-is.
For a second outpost, over-reliant on abilities.
If Lee Euna or Park Donghyuk falls, instant end.
Others exist, but from talks, they didn't grasp outside horrors.
Not like Jeong Suhyun, Kim Yunjin, Choi Yuri, Jeong Dojin.
They'd lived this world firsthand. Jeong Suhyun saw every horror at Northdong Office from day one; others tasted apocalypse bitterness at Our Love Church.
Here, shielded by Lee Euna and Park Donghyuk.
Park Donghyuk's philosophy wasn't wrong. Self-policing, barriers north/south plus watches. Food management kept them alive—competent.
But.
Not thorough enough.
Not ruthless. Cull threats, rule firmly when needed. Only then adapt to crises, react fast, minimize losses.
Too lax.
Residents too exposed. Safe folks aside, watch should've been vigilant—no matter who. No callouts even for dozing.
Tsk.
Park Donghyuk's leadership issue. Or lack of power.
No clue yet.
"Hey."
"...?"
A voice from above. I'd been stealthy—someone spotted me?
I turned toward the room, to whoever spoke.
"U-um, are you from outside?"
A glasses-wearing office drone type. Glancing around nervously, he whispered.
"Our section chief wants to see you. S-said it's important."
"Section chief?"
"Yes. H-he invites you."
Section chief and invite. I nodded. Obvious who in a place like this.
"That chief Kim Jungshik?"
"Ah! Yes. C-can you come? Boss wanted to come himself, but the others stopped him."
Grinning thirties glasses guy. I eyed him, pondering.
"Hm..."
Wanted to talk to them once. But snag: already took Park Donghyuk's job.
Still.
Polite invite like this.
Worth hearing them out. Thought they were irredeemable trash from eavesdropping, but surprise.
Might be more to it.
I nodded.
"Got it. Invitation accepted."
"Th-thank you. This way. We always drink over there."
Glasses guy led smiling. Down tracks to a dead-end corner.
Hidden path.
Explains no voices earlier—they were tucked away.
Far off, a space with bottles circulating.
And.
"Haha! Have some more, chief!"
"Whoa, deputy. Ain't this too much?"
"Nah, gotta drink hard to work hard."
"Work my ass—world's fucked anyway."
"Haha. Bonding with us here's the real job, right?"
"Bullshit."
Hahaha.
Six men ringed two big tables, sharing food, puffing smokes and booze. Didn't look good.
Glasses yelled.
"Chief! Got him!"
"Oh! Inho! Brought him!"
A burly giant shot up.
"Yes!"
"That the guy? Come here!"
Me and Inho—glasses Kim Inho—approached the head of the left table.
There: fifties man with Three Kingdoms build, fierce face.
Clunk.
"Young fella, huh. First time. Name's Kim Jungshik—call me boss or Chief Kim here."
He laughed heartily, bowed politely. Very courteous, unlike Park Donghyuk's zone.
"Ah, yes. Nice to meet you. Kim Junyoung."
I smiled back. No need to antagonize courtesy.
Handshake—he pumped my hand, laughing.
"Knew I was right! Everyone, quiet now!"
"......"
Rowdy, cursing men froze. Robot-like.
Not brainwashed.
Tight chain of command.
Kim Jungshik's leadership shone.
Chief, deputy—silly titles.
Men eyed him warily. Whatever methods, he led well.
I stared curiously; he laughed, sat.
"Drink first?"
Offered red wine—like, take it slow.
"Sure."
I downed it.
Gulp.
Wine after ages. Didn't like booze, just bitter aftertaste. Why folks love it.
Decent.
Smooth swallow. Ashes Veil no reaction—no poison.
One-shot, sighed.
"Good stuff."
But to Kim Jungshik and men, it was weird.
"...Huh, you take drinks from strangers easy?"
He said incredulously. Men gawked too.
"Sometimes."
I trusted myself. Whatever bullshit, I could kill 'em all.