Omen (1)
Two hours later.
"......"
I dragged Bae Sungkwan out.
The reason I waited two hours instead of one was a mix of factors, but the radio transmission was the biggest.
Once they realized something had gone wrong via the radio, there was a good chance they'd send reinforcements. But contrary to my expectation that they'd come to rescue Bae Sungkwan, no one showed so much as a sign of life.
'Too bad.'
The cooldown on Ashes Veil had already finished, and my mana was fully restored. I'd been ready for a surprise attack, but it looked like their group consisted only of Bae Sungkwan and the two dead guys.
Out in the open air, I stared at the man bound head to toe amid the stench-filled exterior buildings of Northdong Station. A guy whose body was wrecked beyond repair, yet somehow still clinging to life. He let out moans of agony, his eyes brimming with hostility.
Bae Sungkwan.
I had to take him with me, but how was the question.
Walking was out—he couldn't even stand with both his shinbones shattered. Dragging him on the ground wouldn't work either. His condition was critical; his internals were ruptured, his collarbone smashed, blood pouring from his mouth nonstop. He was hanging on by a miracle, but dragging him like that would kill him en route for sure.
So, ability-based transport it was... I placed a hand on his shoulder to use Frost Blink, then paused.
On second thought, that wouldn't fly either. There could be eyes watching me from nearby. They'd already figured out something happened to Bae Sungkwan inside Northdong Station, and two hours had passed. Even without snipers, observation was likely.
Maybe I was overthinking it, but the possibility was real enough. Northdong Station had fallen to a single tiny mistake, after all.
Plus, the biggest issue: I wasn't sure if Frost Blink could carry Bae Sungkwan along with me.
So what now?
Thud.
I slung the bag of guns and gear over Bae Sungkwan and hoisted him onto my back. Then I secured him with strips of cloth.
Huff.
His hot breath and feverish body heat radiated against me. Soon, the nauseating mix of sweat and blood filled the air.
'Hoo...'
No other choice. Still, I wasn't planning to carry this bastard all the way back to Our Love Church. That'd suck for me too.
This was bait. If they sniped him or me from afar, I'd Frost Blink after them and crush whoever showed.
Then I could kill Bae Sungkwan, catch the new tail, interrogate them, and squeeze out intel from a healthy captive.
...But.
'So they really think that way, huh.'
No sniper fire as I scanned Northdong Station's perimeter and headed into the old downtown. A place where the second fragment hadn't been purified yet, crawling with flesh masses—perfect for tails to avoid following. If anyone was watching, this was their last shot to strike.
Unfortunately, no tails, snipers, or ambushes happened even as I entered the zone thick with dark red flesh clumps.
'.......'
I upped my threat assessment of the Liberation Army. They'd clearly known something went down here, and if they were watching us, I'd expected some reaction.
'They chose to abandon Bae Sungkwan...'
I clicked my tongue and pressed on into the old downtown. At this point, I figured I'd scrounge some transport for him.
Thud thud.
Near Northdong Station was a high school, and close by, a mid-sized mart and a farm-fresh produce market. The flesh masses wouldn't attack unless I hit their turf, so I planned to grab a cart there.
...Come to think of it, a cart would be useful anyway. Load it up for future moves. Perfect chance.
Rattle.
And as expected.
Thud.
'Nice.'
The mid-sized mart had intact carts left. The interior was overrun with flesh masses, which actually made it easier—no second remnant fetus on the upper floors.
'And this.'
I grabbed some daily necessities while at it. Shampoo, foam cleanser, soap, feminine pads—they'd run low for sure. Peeled a few from the flesh piles.
'That's enough.'
Then I loaded him into the cart. Bound him tight in his twitching state and secured him. Undid the eye bindings due to short cloth but rebound the rest. On top went the necessities I'd picked, guns, radio—all stacked neatly.
Thud.
Rattle.
Rattle.
In the silent world, the only sound was the cart rolling with its human cargo.
The issues: the world had ended, and the guy in the cart was a mangled mess foaming blood from his mouth.
Funny thing—once we hit the old downtown, Bae Sungkwan bulged his eyes and thrashed.
"Mmmph! Grrrmph!"
'.......'
I watched him quietly and realized something. This meant they knew the second remnant's danger.
'Makes sense—they got hit too.'
Otherwise, no need to freak in the dark red flesh world. Those things were hellish to normal humans from appearance to actions. And they overwhelmed with numbers—if you couldn't kill the fetus, attacks never stopped, guns or no.
'Not like the army's coming.'
Play soldiers couldn't handle ruin remnants. Probably fortified like Northdong Station, dodging remnant zones. Or roaming, raiding everywhere.
"...!!!"
As I thought that, Bae Sungkwan in the cart screamed again. Did he see something?
Nothing around me, though.
"Mmmph! Mmmph!"
He thrashed through his gag, then froze stock-still. Staring at me like I was something indescribable.
"...!!!"
Mumbling something... but I didn't care. I'd wring info from him and kill him anyway. Interrogation at Our Love Church.
Thud.
I flipped his head down and kept pushing.
===
Through the old downtown, arriving at the affluent neighborhood. Near Our Love Church.
Screech.
'Hoo...'
I paused for a breather. On the way, I'd tested Frost Blink near Northhyang General Hospital. Problem: it wouldn't move anything over a certain weight.
'Too bad.'
Guns and bags were fine. But carts or people with real heft? No dice.
So I'd dragged the cart here.
'At least no zombies.'
I sighed. Was this right? Remnant hellzones safer for me.
I summoned two Ice Spears and climbed the hill.
Screech.
"Huh, Boss?!"
"Jeong Dojin."
Jeong Dojin stood at the door. He greeted me, then gaped at the cart. Too lazy to explain, I said,
"...Who's, uh, this guy?"
"Get Jeong Suhyun or the vice-leader inside."
"Oh! Got it! Got it!"
He bolted off.
Soon, Jeong Suhyun came down from afar. Must be his night watch shift.
"Junyoung, what... oh."
Jeong Suhyun narrowed his eyes at the wrecked Bae Sungkwan in the cart.
A beat of silence. He sighed.
"Haa..."
"Something wrong?"
"Nah. Just... familiar face."
Familiar face. Probably from Northdong Office. High odds he was one of the sixteen Jeong Suhyun said slipped away back then.
I started to ask, but we'd been outside too long.
"Let's head in first. Oh, and call Kim Yunjin and Kim Jungshik too."
"Got it."
Jeong Suhyun nodded. As he turned, I called him back.
"Jeong Suhyun."
"Yeah?"
"Know who this is?"
I pointed at the radio in the cart, summoning an Ice Spear with my other hand.
He glanced between me and the radio, then answered.
"Ah, guy I met at Northdong Office. Not much of a connection. Don't really know him."
Bullshit. But it meant he'd caught my signal.
"I see."
I nodded with a smile.
"Roger. I'll fetch them quick. He's in rough shape."
Jeong Suhyun smiled back. We climbed the stairs.
===
First-floor prayer room. Kim Jungshik and Kim Yunjin entered.
"Uh, called you, but who's this bastard?"
"Mm. Looks beat to hell. New recruit? Should I use my heal skill?"
Kim Jungshik looked dubious; Kim Yunjin hesitant. Me and Jeong Suhyun sat them down.
Screech.
We placed the fully bound Bae Sungkwan in the center. His face showed more shock than hate—probably stunned by the healthy people.
'Whatever.'
Before explaining, I whispered to Jeong Suhyun.
"Jeong Suhyun."
"Yeah?"
"Your skill. Told the others?"
I'd never heard him mention his status window skill to anyone but maybe Kim Jungshik. With four of us interrogating, it'd be awkward if it came up.
But.
"Ah, that? Told 'em day one."
He chuckled softly.
"Builds trust, right? They liked it more that way. No worries."
"Kim Yunjin and the rest too?"
"Yeah. It's my only trick anyway."
Fair enough. Our crew was solid. No more Northdong Station fuckups. One mistake was plenty.
"Ahem."
I cleared my throat, drawing eyes from their stares at Bae Sungkwan.
Then I recounted everything since I left to scout.
The Northdong Station corpses. Stealth skill ambush. Bae Sungkwan's skills, walkie-talkie, rifle. Cart supplies.
"...That's how it went."
"......"
"......"
Heavy silence. Faces had hardened.
Jeong Suhyun sighed knowingly. Kim Jungshik fumed, snorting. Kim Yunjin was surprisingly cold.
"...So he's the enemy?"
"Yeah."
"Figures. Do we really need to heal him?"
Her face stiffened. Made sense—Liberation Army bastards in uniforms kidnapped her, pretending soldiers.
I told her,
"Need intel first."
"...Right. Shame. Would've been nice if he'd croaked somewhere out of sight."
She narrowed her eyes; Bae Sungkwan flinched.
Made sense—she'd been sexually assaulted by Kim Kwonyong's crew too. Lingering grudge.
'Bloodthirsty.'
"Tch. Kim Yunjin, you say that to his face, he gonna talk?"
Kim Jungshik reined her in amid the sharp tension.
"Still pisses me off. Even I didn't want Park Donghyuk dead, y'know?"
His fist twitched too.
"Both of you, cool it."
Jeong Suhyun stopped them. Reliable as ever.
"Let's test first. Haven't checked Kim Yunjin's heal limits, right? Heal him, note the boundaries. Finish by burning him."
"......"
"......"
Kim Yunjin and Kim Jungshik shut up.
I sighed at the mess.
"...Kim Yunjin, heal him please."
"Ah, uh, sure."
"Jeong Suhyun. Can you interrogate?"
"First time, but I'll manage. Can't fuck up when you risked your neck for him."
"Good."
Bae Sungkwan's face hardened. Plenty to ask: Where they from? Scale? Where they took the women? And why slaughter Northdong Station so brutally?
'Heard some folks won't break under torture.'
Time to test that. We weren't pros—just normals. But could a modern guy from weeks ago resist agony?
I doubted it. No way.