51. Roll the Dice (1)
"Jeong Suhyun. So how exactly did you confirm the numbers?"
A surveillance and eavesdropping ability user, my ass. From what I'd seen of Jeong Suhyun's skills before, the description was just something about opening his eyes and seeing better at night. So how the hell did he spot those guys over 200 meters away and pick them off with a rifle?
Does viewing the Status Window have no distance limit?
"I leveled up the skill proficiency by chance and caught it. Their skills popped up in the air way over there. Vision Enhancement two, Hearing Enhancement two."
And just like that, my hunch was spot on. Jeong Suhyun's ability to view Status Windows had no distance restriction. Which meant that as long as he was awake, he could always get the drop on enemy intel first.
But sensing my silence, Jeong Suhyun shook his head.
"Of course, I can't maintain it for long. And it has to be in my line of sight. Mana's fine, no problem seeing it, but it's just too disorienting."
Jeong Suhyun blinked hard and let out a sigh.
"I see."
But the fact that he could do it was a huge win already. Especially if interpersonal issues cropped up later—he could preempt their info. A massive edge.
Though right now, it's only good for stuff like this.
I glanced outside and grimaced.
"More importantly, three died before, two now, and they still came crawling back."
"Yeah."
After those three got sniped by Jeong Suhyun earlier, that black group must've pegged Our Love Church as hostile. Any sane outfit would've either mobbed us or ignored us entirely.
But these idiots dragged their asses all the way here. Had to mean they wanted something from this place.
Jeong Suhyun drew a sharp breath.
"Could be numbers on their side, or a mental ability user sent them to die, or something valuable here, or they got blackmailed into it. Too many possibilities, that's the problem."
"Fucking clowns. What's so special about this dump?"
After we took the church—right when we confirmed infrastructure ran on ability users—I'd torn the place apart. Nothing but food supplies. At best, some church pervs' sex toys and junk.
"Exactly why it's weird. What's their goal? Something worth dying for? Or do they hate us enough to die trying?"
"Who knows."
If it was looting, they'd have hit us first thing. Revenge? They started the bullshit.
Though they probably didn't expect us to clap back with rifles.
Not that Jeong Suhyun was wrong. Choi Yuri—part of their group—got threatened with her ability, and those assholes smashed the ice wall out front. Their aggression kicked it off.
Still.
Fuck, annoying.
Whatever the cause, them popping up now was the worst timing. We'd just sorted the rear and base—time to push out—and these pricks derailed it.
"...Did you see where they came from?"
"That was the limit of my vision."
Jeong Suhyun pointed. The road I'd taken to Northdong Station before.
"...That's toward the crimson flesh clumps."
Our Love Church had some ritzy housing behind it, but mostly small shops and mixed-use complexes. No signs of life when I scouted this morning.
So these guys were locals?
They didn't know we took over? Didn't see me moving around?
With surveillance and eavesdropping users? Didn't know we'd seized Our Love Church? Didn't see me scurrying about?
Impossible.
No, wait.
I'd overestimated their abilities. Confirmed skills: fire summon, blunt weapon summon, and now vision/hearing enhancements per Jeong Suhyun. Weak shit. Maybe they were too lame to scout us properly.
We'd only held the place a few days. Plus.
We handled it quietly.
Original church crew never returned. Kim Kwonyong and his thugs got quietly culled inside. Bodies burned with the zombies—no evidence.
If their scouts had similar low-level skills, they might not even know what went down here.
That tracks.
Some deal with the black group tied to this place. Today was deal day, but the owners changed and got smoked. Sent scouts to check.
Made sense. But it was all speculation.
I sighed.
"All we know for sure is they had some connection to the guys here."
"Nothing good, that's for sure. And this ain't a good spot."
Jeong Suhyun scowled too.
"Yeah. If they know their people died, they'll make a move."
Problem: Our Love Church crew were scum who killed kids without blinking, kidnapped and raped women, tortured folks. Anyone dealing with them probably wasn't much better.
"Reaper, and 'boss'—the word and the deal. Yuri mentioned it. Ring any bells?"
"Foreign slang's not my thing. Deal's obvious—drugs, women, food?"
"Drugs, huh."
Women made sense, but Kim Jungshik's skills pointed to drugs too. Especially post-government—no one to bust you.
And we didn't know Kim Kwonyong's skill.
Who knows.
"Anyway, clear they traded or exchanged something here."
"Yeah. So what's the plan?"
Click.
Jeong Suhyun fiddled with his rifle.
Grrr...
I eyed the zombies drawn by the shots outside and sighed.
"Leaving 'em be will bite us in the ass. Ice Spear."
Crack.
I watched zombie torsos shatter, thinking of the blacks.
With Jeong Suhyun's rifle, they'd manage without me. But.
"They've got ability users and enough numbers for scouts. They'll try something. Or they're too dumb to think and keep sending people."
Funny thing: the latter seemed more likely. Didn't know Kim Kwonyong's crew got wrecked. Sent weaklings who showed crap skills. Got their heads popped by Jeong Suhyun anyway, still no intel, sent more scouts.
"Can't ignore the chance of the former, though."
Even so, couldn't downplay the threat. These were just a few. Base size unknown, abilities unknown. Maybe cannon fodder.
They approached despite the ice wall—means they know about ice powers.
The first three banged on it. They'd seen it before.
So.
"Best case: abandon Our Love Church, shift base."
"But we haven't secured another yet."
"Exactly the problem."
Plan B: hunt them down. Unrealistic. Richville's huge. Church at the edge, but tons of houses and complexes below. Can't search it all.
Security walls a bitch to breach. Finding them? Mana drain just to smash fences/gates, scour insides. Can't blast everything from outside—noise aside, ice shields guzzle mana. Back gate only? Nah, gotta cover front too, unknowns included.
"So realistically, hunker down and defend..."
Suck.
Jeong Suhyun swallowed hard. Hated it, obviously.
"Makes me miss Rocket Mart."
Weird comment, but I got it. Head already spinning from Kim Jungshik's crew, Park Donghyuk, Northdong Station, crimson flesh. Now blacks stirring shit. Frustrating.
No problems, I'd torch the place.
Couldn't.
"No choice. Gather everyone."
"Kim Jungshik's group too?"
"Yeah."
I'm strong, but one body. Can't guard them and secure/scout bases simultaneously. Church defense or remnant/base hunts—one's gotta go to them.
"Figure something out. Tell 'em to meet in the first-floor prayer room."
"Got it."
We waited till no more blacks showed, then headed down.
Moments later, prayer room. Eleven of us total. Vice-leader on watch outside, we circled up.
"First..."
I briefed Kim Jungshik's crew on everything so far. Northdong stuff. Rocket Mart. Our Love Church. Kim Kwonyong. Today's black intruders.
"Holy shit."
"Fucking rapists. Park Donghyuk was kid stuff."
"And these nigger fucks south of Northdong Station? Killing folks, raping women."
"Spot on. That's why I called you."
I laid out my talk with Jeong Suhyun. Crimson flesh and base scouts? Or hunt blacks in Richville?
Voices rose.
"Country's fucked—why the hell act like animals?!"
"World's ended—live nice for once. What'll they do if shit normalizes?"
"That's why they do it."
"Frustrating."
"Just kill 'em all."
Men chimed in. Kim Yunjin and Choi Yuri couple stayed quiet, listening.
"Quiet down. Why I gathered you."
Kim Jungshik reined in the guys, turned to me.
I nodded, opened up.
"Formally, my base is me and Jeong Suhyun running it. We've taken in you folks including Section Chief Kim. Internal stuff—we'll hash later."
"Right."
"Hold this place. I'll explain slow from the top."
I pulled a Seoul Northdong map, pinned it to the front board. Eyes locked on.
I pointed: Our Love Church, Northdong Station, old downtown.
"Original plan—pre-you guys—was this."
Circled old downtown with crimson flesh.
"Hunt the blood clump zombie cause there. Any base we pick, those things are a threat. Rocket Mart, Northdong Office, Richville—all cleared by us. Church to you."
Men sans Kim Yunjin's group nodded. Our base folks clueless on clumps, just tilted heads.
"Blood clump zombies exist. Haven't seen 'em myself. But these guys are proof."
Pointed at Kim Jungshik's crew, quick rundown on clumps.
Our people nodded.
"...Makes sense."
"Boss is right then."
I shifted hand.
"Then use the three bases as footholds, creep toward Yuseong University. Gather survivors en route, set new bases, pursue original goal."
Traced from church: old downtown, Northdong Station, Yuseong University, Benefit Mart, Cheonggyecheon below.
"Original goal—escape Seoul, as I've said a million times. Clear so far?"
Nods.
Seoul escape was their jam—no pushback. I met eyes one by one.
"But snag. My move time hits, and ironically, our base Our Love Church gets threatened."
"Was that. Talked last time?"
"Yes. Issue: not the small-time group I thought. Sent scouts today."
"...Scouts?"
"Yeah. Despite a few sniped by Jeong Suhyun before, threw more manpower. Used abilities too. Lucky Jeong Suhyun spotted from second floor, drove 'em off. But attack anytime."
"How many exactly?"
"Four."
"Three dead, sent four more?"
Faces soured. I circled Richville around church.
"Anyway, black group's somewhere here."
X'd the whole area.
"High chance: irredeemable scum. Threatened us first, now sending ability users. Dealt with original church evil too."
Jeong Suhyun smoked 'em first, sure. But they forced entry—self-defense on our end.
Tension spiked. Perfect moment, I sighed.
"But can't deal now. Southward push needed—how hunt unknowns? Can't comb secure Richville houses/shops."
Thus, feet stuck.
Can't ditch church yet. Only spot Northdong Station—Kim Jungshik's crew bails. Sit tight? Die slow.
"Hmm, so what's the play?"
Kim Jungshik, perfect timing, grumpy face.
As expected.
Reason he led sans attack skills.
I eyed him subtle, spoke.
"We got no power."
"......"
"Don't fully trust each other yet. No—trusting would be weird. Not even a day."
Silence flowed. All but Kim Jungshik/Jeong Suhyun blinked, confused.
"Age gaps, generations differ, met yesterday. Why trust? Same for you—you don't trust us."
They listened.
"But minimal trust now between groups. I rejected Park Donghyuk, brought you out. Your leader Section Chief Kim followed no questions. You tried giving me trust—via him. I know hard to stifle personal takes."
They nodded slow.
Honestly, they followed 'cause Kim Jungshik. Trusted him, so me. Other survivors? Wary of me. Old downtown clumps was gamble for them. But trusted Kim Jungshik, who trusted our deal.
"So I believe we're allies now."
Nods.
Men agreed. I turned to Kim Jungshik.
"Obviously, deal was this?"
"Yep. Yep."
Leader-to-leader. Can't subordinate them. Can't order. But unite—same goal.
"Shared purpose: escape Seoul. Survive."
Thud.
Slapped table. All nodded.
"Personal reasons aside, city must go. Crowds breed raiders. Church, Station—threatened by people. We felt it: humans scarier than zombies, monsters."
Jeong Suhyun's crew, Kim Jungshik's—lived it.
"Plus infrastructure, population, variants. Reasons to flee obvious."
Skipped family sob story. Knew Kim Yunjin's crew's fates.
"Escape seems far, but doable. Needs your help."
Eyes on me. Kim Jungshik, spot on: "Help how?"
"Nothing extra. Same as before: hold base. But."
Stepped forward.
"Ice Shield."
Boom!
Massive ice shield erupted across prayer room. They'd entered post-smash, so jaws dropped—Kim Jungshik too.
3x3m behemoth loomed majestic.
I pointed.
"Outside's on me. Zombies, black-haired beasts, blood clumps—I'll punch through."
So.
"Inside's you. Watches, meals, beds—allocate by ability/stamina, defend church. No slacking. Unknown enemy. One slip, we all die."
"Obvious, but won't boss tire? Alone."
Jeong Dojin asked. Others nodded silent agreement.
"No choice. Who here can kill?"
Silence. Jeong Suhyun mum, sharp as ever.
"No? Then who fights ranged ability users, armed soldiers?"
None. Checked all 11 skills—nope. As expected, crickets.
"So I do. You handle your jobs."
Eyed seven men: burly mobster-ish Kim Jungshik to timid glasses Kim Inho.
New faces.
"Haha. Fine by us. Team up sane folks who talk straight, do real work. Right?"
Kim Jungshik flipped mood. Stiff guys chimed.
"Yeah... no moving, good."
"Me too. Better than there. Watches? Did tons at station."
"Boss kept yapping."
"Hey now. See? I pick good people."
Kim Jungshik grinned, clapped backs. Laughed.
I nodded. Roughly united.
"I'll scout fast outside, prep exit. Section Chief Kim. Jeong Suhyun."
"Yeah."
"Yes."
"You two coordinate inside. Section Chief—your crew got screwed at Northdong Station?"
"Yep."
Why they followed me.
"Jeong Suhyun similar. Dragged to Northdong Office reserves, screwed by civilians/military. Rest obvious."
Old for some, recent.
"You're the sane ones left. Know world's terror."
Told tales: Jeong Suhyun under month ago, Kim Yunjin's crew days back. Eyes softened mutual.
Kim Jungshik's sanity debatable.
"Trust you two to leverage that."
"Always do."
"Nothing to it. Obvious."
I finished; they shook hands. Good vibes.
"Dismissed. Rules, watches later. External threats too."
"Got it."
"One of you brief outside vice-leader."
"Will do."
Meeting over. Got what I needed. Convinced both sides to hold—for now.
Later trust them or not, this was my limit.
"Chat over there?"
"Sure."
"Junyoung, come."
I followed Jeong Suhyun and Kim Jungshik, sighed.
Base swelled sudden—problems inevitable.
But.
Have to trust.
My first gamble.
Northdong Station. Kim Jungshik's crew. Crimson flesh. Old downtown. Blacks. Main quest. Sub quest. Family reunion goal.
Tried safe everything—ended here.
Expected it.
Bullet fired. No take-backs. Pray it hits right. Or twist it there.
"Prioritize watches, rations. No gripes."
So I'd twist that bullet best I could.