Relocation Debates
"Leaving... you mean leaving the church?"
"You're talking about relocating the base, right?"
Jeong Suhyun and Kim Jungshik's faces grew serious. Of course they did—base relocation was a major, weighty issue.
"Where are you thinking?"
Jeong Suhyun asked. I cleared my throat once and spoke up.
"...I'm considering Hanmaum High School, or maybe Gaeseong High School."
I explained why those two made sense as our next base: their locations and supply access, defenses against the Liberation Army, and even plans for the move after that.
Kim Jungshik, who'd been listening quietly, nodded.
"...Well, given the situation in Southdong."
"Exactly. So I'm weighing safe relocation paths and secure bases."
"Nowhere else appeals?"
"Yeah, staying in Southdong means dealing with urban areas or apartments now, and that's just..."
"Not ideal in every way, right?"
"Spot on."
Hm. Kim Jungshik fell silent then. Jeong Suhyun picked up.
"So you're saying we relocate to one of those two high schools, Junyoung?"
"Yes."
"It's solid, but there might be issues."
His tone sharpened. He let out a low mmm.
"What kind?"
Jeong Suhyun spouted nonsense sometimes, but not on stuff like this. There had to be a reason.
He spoke.
"You said Benefit Mart burned down in that fire, and you wrecked Southdong Office, right?"
"Yeah."
"And earlier, Lee Seoyul said Yuseong University was kinda like a Liberation Army outpost."
"Correct."
Old news.
"So you suggested Hanmaum High School for easy access and Gaeseong High School for post-relocation defense."
"That's right."
"But does it have to be one of those two?"
"Huh?"
What now?
"Didn't they sell Lee Seoyul out at Yuseong University?"
"...Yeah?"
True enough. Details were fuzzy, but from her story, she'd woken up mid-kidnapping after sleeping.
"So why not wipe 'em out and take it over? Seems like the best base spot."
"Yuseong University?"
"Yeah."
But that was a huge problem. Getting there was one thing; we didn't know the internals. As I'd said before, we'd have to punch through zombie hordes, and inside? Liberation Army plus maybe survivors they'd eaten. Plus, smashing an enemy base differed from claiming it as our own. Trashing a few buildings was easy, but a university sprawled way bigger than a high school, with tons more spots to clear. Sweeping high school halls was worlds apart from combing every campus building.
"Hm..."
This was uncharacteristically pushy from Jeong Suhyun. His usual ruthless style, but he seemed oddly urgent. And I wasn't the only one noticing.
"...Isn't that too rushed? And unrealistic. Killing them off and occupying it are different beasts. Getting there is risky, clearing inside even more so..."
Kim Jungshik voiced my exact thoughts. He sensed the weirdness too. Jeong Suhyun trailed off.
"Mmm. True, but we gotta pass through there anyway. Or wait, the high schools first..."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Jeong Suhyun. Something up?"
He wasn't acting like himself today. Kinda spaced out, or off-kilter.
"Didn't sleep enough last night or something?"
I'd dumped a ton on him unilaterally before heading out. Could've fried his brain. Hell, even I couldn't think straight at the cafe with Lee Seoyul.
"Ah."
He froze.
"Yeah... Sorry. Seeing Lee Yoon and Lee Seoyul got me all misty. Head's not spinning right."
"......"
But his weirdness stemmed from elsewhere. I shut my mouth. So did Kim Jungshik. We weren't much different.
Seeing Lee Yoon and his daughter stirred family thoughts. Our goal was reunion, yet we hadn't even cleared one district in Seoul proper.
"Yeah. I miss my own kids too."
Kim Jungshik said bitterly. I asked,
"You have a son?"
"Oh, right, never told you, Junyoung."
He continued. A son nearing thirty, a cop. Off at a training academy in Chungnam Province.
"I see."
"Yeah. Your hometown's Chungnam too, right?"
"Yep. Seocheon—you know it?"
"Nah."
"Got it."
Silence fell after. Bitter-faced Kim Jungshik. Dazed Jeong Suhyun. Even Kim Inho glancing awkwardly from outside.
Sudden mood killer.
I sighed. The vibe had tanked hard.
"Alright, call it here. Atmosphere's gloomy anyway. We'll pick up tomorrow. I'm beat too. Plus, stuff to ask Lee Seoyul, so rest up today."
Morning fetch with her had drained me. And no mood for meetings anyway.
"Yeah..."
"Sounds good."
Kim Jungshik and Jeong Suhyun agreed. Simple meeting wrapped.
===
Next day, Our Love Church bounced back. Made sense—rescuing one family member's kin wouldn't derail us. Just petty envy making Jeong Suhyun's snake heart peek out briefly.
Mental Strength 2.
But my worries didn't pan out.
'Don't sweat it, Junyoung. I'll handle integration. Age ain't just for show.'
Kim Jungshik had boasted confidently at dismissal. Guy led six men smoothly, meshed fast with our base. I nodded trustingly.
"Boss, eat up."
"Oh, right."
Dunno what he did overnight, but next morning, base vibe was normal. No—livelier.
—Murmurs—
First-floor prayer room, now full-on cafeteria with headcount boom.
They're committed.
Various grilled meats, grains, fruits. Simple menu, but plenty. Meat summoner doubled up, feeding twelve easy.
"Wow..."
I glanced at Lee Seoyul. Her face brighter, eyes sparkling at the melon.
"Wow... I love melon."
"...No melon yesterday? Oh, right, watermelon. Wait, so your place never had any?"
Kim Yunjin asked incredulously. Lee Seoyul sighed.
"Yeah... Mostly apples, grapes."
"Why? Melon's delicious, super sweet—everyone loves it. Right, Yuri?"
"Yes."
Choi Yuri and Kim Yunjin grabbed melons. Lee Seoyul crunched fruit, replying,
"Reasons aplenty, but summoner shortage was big. Everyone worked together, ate together. Fruit's a luxury—one slice if lucky. Plus, apples for profs over melon."
"God, that's fucked. Old farts."
"Unnie..."
Kim Yunjin scoffed. Choi Yuri, similar face, probed,
"More than that, Seoyul. You did sack-hauling grunt work—profs skipped?"
Casual speech. Right, same age.
"Uh, yeah. Profs had 'other duties,' but from what I saw..."
That "what" covered plenty: her being a girl, or slacking. Choi Yuri, holding her, pivoted.
"Anyway, you suffered. Our Seoyul. Stories keep piling. Here, eat my meat."
She scooped her share to Lee Seoyul. Kim Yunjin and Choi Yuri doting. They'd swapped tales yesterday, probably. Didn't matter.
Then Kim Yunjin narrowed eyes at Choi Yuri, waving chopsticks.
"Hey, Choi Yuri. Since when's Seoyul yours? She's mine."
"Un-Unnie..."
"Why's she yours? She's mine. Right, Seoyul?"
Good they're hitting it off.
Sure, Kim Yunjin and Choi Yuri playfully tussled over her childishly. But easing adaptation? Fair play.
Anyway...
I eyed the guys opposite. Kim Jungshik and Kim Inho on breakfast watch. Jeong Suhyun command duty. Jeong Dojin sleeping. Lee Yoon, Lee Jeongsu, Hwang Jinseok eating afar.
So... that was Choi the section chief and Joo the clerk?
"No incidents last night, chief?"
"Nah. You?"
"Second floor, nothing. But Jeong Suhyun on duty—bugs were annoying. No repellent."
"Inner areas get cleared by the deputy chief anyway."
"Guard room's the issue."
"True."
No bugs sighted lately. Thought it was cold weather, but Lee Yoon's Animal Tamer skill wiped 'em.
...Insane.
I glanced at weary-faced Lee Yoon eating. Seemed minor, but huge power. Mosquitoes, flies—gone via taming.
Surveillance and pest control.
No wonder such a rare, fitting skill.
"Yeah, but can't make deputy chief night-shift every time. Chasing bugs ain't overtime."
"Well... true."
"Just eat. Grilled meat hits good."
"Right? Tasty. Meat doubled, no shortages, less stress."
"Yep. Sigh, relaxing too much."
"Gotta stay sharp. Vibe says full base move soon?"
"Definite. Heard from deputy."
"Ugh, scary. But gotta move..."
"Yeah."
Vibe solid. Women relaxed yet tense, men too.
"Ahem. Yunjin."
Lee Yoon sidled up awkwardly to Kim Yunjin. Lee Seoyul's eyes widened.
"...Dad?"
"Uh, Yunjin, Seoyul a bit..."
Kim Yunjin awkwardly,
"Huh? Just sit here..."
Plenty seats—even beside Seoyul.
"No, other folks and all..."
Lee Yoon chuckled. Kim Yunjin's eyes narrowed.
"Whoa, this ajusshi's total girl-dad. Hate it. No way."
She hugged Lee Seoyul.
"Ah, no."
Flustered Lee Yoon. Lee Seoyul blinked wide.
"Unnie?"
"Ahem."
Lee Yoon just coughed. Lee Seoyul hid her face, embarrassed. Twenty-year-old daughter—dad prying from friends, Kim Yunjin blocking? Mortifying.
"Lies. Why ask permission to take your daughter? Go, Seoyul."
"Huh? O-Okay..."
Joking? Kim Yunjin released quick.
"Ah, unnie, sorry. Mixed you with Yuri, slipped casual..."
"Casual's fine... Friends?"
"What?"
"Yuri, you too? Treating me weird? Hey, three years ain't..."
"No, Yunjin, Yuri—my daughter first..."
Good vibes. Kim Yunjin and Choi Yuri, family-lost, seemed fine seeing intact ones.
Kim Jungshik handled it.
—Creak—
I stood quietly. Sulky-glaring Kim Yunjin waved.
"Boss, head in!"
"Get some rest!"
Trying low-key exit, but her call sparked group farewells. I bowed slightly.
"Got it. Afternoon meeting at 10 in prayer room."
"Got it!"
Leaving cafeteria, I headed upstairs to check Jeong Suhyun. Midnight command start—he'd soloed second floor pre-Lee Yoon.
—Creak—
"Oh, Junyoung."
"Jeong Suhyun. Better now? If not, I'll cover morning."
8:10 AM. Sleepless night plus off-state? I'd take his shift.
But he shook head.
"Nah. Sitting quiet fixed it. Not some mental attack. Just mopey."
"Could be an issue."
Mental Strength 2. Admit if bad.
Brushing off could crash later. No hospitals in apocalypse.
He laughed.
"Heh. Issues always there, dunno. Took a pill from Jungshik yesterday."
"What kind?"
"Just Tylenol. Headache. Not sure if it was."
"Ah..."
"Cleared stray thoughts. Maybe I was infected? Like old COVID—pop Tylenol."
More nonsense. His always had plausibility, annoyingly.
"Haha, kidding."
"Sure."
Anyway, seemed fine. I sat beside. He still eyed outside, broke silence softly.
"So, why here? Not checking on dark dude."
"Worried about today's meeting."
"The meeting?"
"Yeah. First big one."
Right, I'd proposed it pre-dismissal yesterday. Our trio's unilateral meets shifted post-Lee Seoyul—too many concerns.
"True, you miss what I know. Left internals to me and Jungshik."
"Yep."
"But ask us directly? Personal stuff aside, all base issues—we can spill. No problems. Rules, watches, management—all handled."
"Not just that."
True. No need for meetings on internals—I'd delegated fully.
Gathering everyone? Other reason.
"We'll three run it."
"...Others?"
"Observers, audience-like."
"Then no need to drag 'em?"
"Wait—oh."
"Yes."
He got it.
"Full info share?"
"Right. Group's growing; can't hide Liberation Army or enemies forever."
"...Fair, but Kim Yunjin saw some last time—info's out-ish."
"Not details. Other matters too."
I continued.
"Open meeting lets personal input. They spot our blind spots. Collective intelligence ain't myth."
Trio meets weren't infallible. Good pointers? Adopt 'em.
"Democratic."
"Has to be. Why else stick around?"
"...Your strength? Magic? Safety?"
"No."
True... but. He grinned.
"Whatever. Ends at Seoul anyway. Big meeting's fine. No nonsense folks. Even flexes your power, tightens loosened bonds."
"Think so?"
"Yeah. They agreed. Jungshik liked it yesterday."
True.
"That why you're here?"
He yawned hugely. Eyes still outside—impressive.
"Partly. Might sub command. And key talk first—delayed base stuff to today."
"Aha..."
Yes. Relocation. Pick Hanmaum or Gaeseong today. Came to hash with him pre-meeting.
"Two spots, so your take..."
"Mmm, but."
He cut in.
"Huh?"
"Base talk—might be simple."
"Simple?"
Multifactor choice. I'd mulled Hanmaum vs. Gaeseong till bedtime.
But he shook head.
"Remember Northdong Office, just us two?"
"Oh, that."
Old memory. Decided church to Yuseong route.
"Yeah. I said one way only."
"Right. Left via Bukhansan blocks at Gyeongbok Palace central Seoul; subways risky."
"Yep. Targeted Yuseong."
Persuasive then.
He went on.
"One reject was latter."
"Subways?"
Yeah, underground flooding, submersion issues.
"Right. But rethink: infra intact? Could work. No issues so far means solid."
"......"
He smiled vaguely. I stiffened.
"Dawn thoughts. Far stretches risky—trains blocking maybe. But Northdong Station to Southdong Station? Check it. Infra fine. Northdong held recent too. Subway gets safe move and secure base."
"...Ah."
Am I the idiot?