Throw the Dice (2)
The meeting was over, but another one remained. Jeong Suhyun, Kim Jungshik, and I sat together. With seven new people added, we had to coordinate accordingly. Of course, I just sat there listening while Jeong Suhyun and Kim Jungshik handled most of the talking. And honestly, I wasn't really needed.
But they both insisted I stay. Something about needing a mediator. Anyway, the first order of business was the night watch rotations.
Jeong Suhyun spoke up first. "It'd be best if I handle nights and Mr. Lee Yoon takes days."
"Nah, wouldn't the vice chief be better for nights? Old folks like him probably don't sleep much anyway."
Lee Yoon was the vice chief's name. They were dividing the day into 12-hour shifts for day and night, selecting someone to oversee the watch rotations—like the duty officer in the military.
"No. My skill is called Alert Eyes, and it improves night vision."
"Ah, so your skill's better at night, got it?"
"Exactly. It's ideal for watch duty. Mr. Lee Yoon's skill is Animal Taming, and while animals do have better night vision, does his own vision improve at night too? If so, we could alternate."
"Not sure, but I'll ask him."
"Sounds good. I'll talk it over with Mr. Lee Yoon then. What do you think, Junyoung?"
The question suddenly turned to me.
"Seems fine. But standing 12-hour shifts means doing it alongside other duties, right?"
"Yes."
"Then we're good."
This meant setting up dedicated watch rotations overseen by a reserve command staff. It was an efficient strategy without overtaxing anyone. Especially since Jeong Suhyun's skill made a huge difference when he was on duty versus off.
With my approval, Jeong Suhyun nodded. "Junyoung's okayed it, so next item. Kim Jungshik, we've got nine people left after excluding meal duty that day. What do you think about rotating seven of them 24 hours?"
"Hmm. Isn't that too grueling? Plus, odd number—even pairing means four hours each, which is brutal over time. Maybe for a day or two, but long-term?"
"Cut it down to one duty shift then?"
"Eh, but do they even know how to cook?"
"Yeah, we all can."
"We're all old guys here—me, the vice chief, the older ones know how. But the rookies Joo and Hwang? Not sure."
"Hmm. How about pulling the women off meal duty entirely? Honestly, assigning watch to them feels off—their skills aren't combat-oriented anyway. Their stamina's low these days too, so temporary meal prep might be better. Cleanup's communal regardless."
"Heh, young guy's got some sexist vibes. But realistically, it works. I'm fine, but asking our old ladies to cook?"
"Oh yeah, we have summoners, right?"
"Yep. Both D-rank now—700g every six hours."
Main staples like meat or grains differed from Choi Yuri's fruit summoning, which was E-rank but 500g every two hours.
"Kinda awkward. Meat's short, grains are plenty."
"Stew it up, shouldn't be too bad. Plus, you mentioned emergency rations here."
"Yeah, quantity's not an issue then. I'll go ask around outside."
Jeong Suhyun stepped out briefly.
"All good. The guys agreed, and the women too since it's temporary."
"Lucky."
"So, pull two women: ten left. Exclude Junyoung as outsider: nine. Minus two watch heads: seven. Just have the watch heads join the rotations?"
"Nine people?"
"Yeah, station them on the second floor during low-traffic dawn hours. Duty officers handle other tasks anyway."
"So nine total, you and vice chief on 12-hour alternates, rest two for four hours—or one for two?"
"Junyoung, what's better?"
Another question lobbed my way.
"Hmm..."
I pondered. With Jeong Suhyun and the vice chief alternating, one person per shift might suffice.
But watch duty stress or fatigue buildup is worse.
Still, nights meant poor visibility—watch had to be solid.
One slip in vigilance, and we're all dead.
"One for day, two for night."
Days had everyone awake, plus Animal Taming covered it—no need for strict shifts.
"But extend day shifts longer."
Nights, even with Alert Eyes, just enhanced vision—not detail. He could view distant status windows, but fatigue made 24/7 impossible.
"Nine for twelve hours: from 10 PM, two-hour pairs three times fits. Eight people."
"One rests?"
"Gotta rotate sleep days."
"Works, but you and vice chief'll be beat. Manageable?"
"We'll adjust rests ourselves. Effort doesn't matter—if we fail, we die."
"True."
"Days we're watching anyway. Talk to Mr. Lee Yoon about it."
"Bring him now. Have the others watch outside. Wait here."
"Fine by me."
Vice Chief Lee Yoon arrived and explained his skill. "Night vision's the same. Less fatigue though. Just need me awake."
"Alternate then. We'll coordinate later."
"Sure, works for me."
"Good, now go."
"Hey, boss—call me in just to kick me out? Feels like abandonment."
"You got work."
"Aw..."
He got booted right away, of course. That wrapped watch and meals.
"Next: outsiders."
"Hmm. Outsiders? We were outsiders till this morning. Talking about us...?"
"Suck."
"Hey, kidding. Kidding."
Jeong Suhyun and Kim Jungshik bantered. Seemed the meeting thawed their wariness.
But Jeong Suhyun's next words were dead serious. "One warning within range, ignore second: shoot to kill. Thoughts?"
"Killing's too much, no?"
Different views: Jeong Suhyun, murder-seasoned; Kim Jungshik, unfamiliar. Long apocalypse survivor vs. safe basement dweller.
Maybe didn't see the black guys die.
No, sounds carried. They knew death well—value clash.
Jeong Suhyun pressed. "World's changed. Don't know your side's story, but we can't risk it."
"But good people might exist. And instant kill?"
"One bad apple wipes us out. Seen those zombie flicks? Let in the pitiful one, whole country's doomed."
He cited a famous movie.
"But what about baby moms? We're human—emotions kick in."
Kim Jungshik countered with reality. Hard to refuse kids or frail women begging. "Shoot to kill" seemed alien to normals.
"ISIS strapped bombs to babies, tossed at US troops."
Jeong Suhyun stayed ice-cold.
"Whoa... too extreme? No way people..."
Kim Jungshik chuckled awkwardly. But.
"They do. Right?"
"...Can't deny."
He conceded.
"Realistically odd too. No reason such people come here, and housing them's trouble."
Jeong Suhyun jotted notes. "See: Choi Yuri 500g fruit/2hrs, Choi Dongwoo and Joo Seonghyeon 700g meat/rice/6hrs. Daily: 6kg fruit, 2.8kg staples. Factor sleep/watch/unforeseen: less."
He held up a big paper labeled Our Love Church. "Supplies for 5: 2 months. Summoners dilute it, but can't live on meat/rice/fruit alone—limited variety."
"True."
Kim Jungshik nodded.
"Max stretch: 1 year mixed. Accept survivors willy-nilly? Fine if food summoners."
But Jeong Suhyun shook his head. "Weapon summon? Fire/electric magic-like skills?"
His gaze hit me. Prime example here.
"Even Junyoung-level but hostile, or hiding malice? Handle that?"
"...Got it."
"Or night kills on watch specialist vice chief, food summoners like Choi Yuri or Joo? Devastating—rips out our pillars."
"Yeah. Too naive."
Kim Jungshik nodded at me too. Jeong Suhyun using me as example irked a bit.
That's why they dragged me here.
"But Kim Jungshik's not wrong."
Jeong Suhyun pivoted. "We're lopsided—all offense on Junyoung. My rifle's limited ammo. No gun, no means."
True. Our group skewed support: healing, surveillance, food. Even Kim Jungshik's drug summons non-combat. Combat skills? Blunt weapons, spears, strength—melee only.
"Manpower shortage real. Skills specialized, but meals/watch waste slots. Even with seven added."
Everyone bore the load in our camp.
"So what? You two talk alike—same weird phrasing. Huh?"
Kim Jungshik frowned, frustrated but no curses.
Jeong Suhyun grinned. "So, we stick to original: only accept who Junyoung brings in. Defense-first."
Why me again?
"Ah, like us?"
Kim Jungshik brightened.
Jeong Suhyun smiled faintly. "Yeah. If Junyoung brings 'em, baseline trust. He trusts you guys, right?"
"Hahaha, yeah—only our kind works. Reason I didn't bring Park Donghyuk."
"Similar. Junyoung's the trust benchmark. Haha. Plus, original goal: him scouting survivors. We follow."
"Ah, gotcha? Heh, misjudged you, Suhyun."
"All thanks to Kim Junyoung. True boss, Kim Department Head."
"Hahaha, right right!"
They laughed heartily. My face twisted like never before.
What the fuck.
No gold plating, no deeds, no girl—just sandwiched between two dudes. Reality crashed hard.
I got shifting blame to me smoothed it, but...
Fine. Good's good. Their sides meshed well from what I heard.
My embarrassment? Minor compared.
I'm leaving anyway—they're bosses holding fort till I return.
But.
Exhausting.
Human relations too complex. Worse post-Status Window/skills, lacking age or social savvy.
Even these tolerable guys did this.
If my bar for 'tolerable' is this...
Other places avoid people issues? No.
Can armies or orgs function?
I shook my head. Status Windows shattered pre-apoc norms. Our similar-skill base struggled; larger ones without OP leaders? Probably wrecked.
Gave everyone guns. Anarchy. Looters, monsters rampant.
"Next: meal timing."
Could nations rebuild?
"Prep/cleanup excluded—next watch eats first. How to fill gaps..."
Still, our meeting continued. Such worries were distant tales for us yet.