Yuseong University (1)
Seol Minyoung and Seol Juyeong emerged from the room, clinging to each other. Seol Minyoung's face twisted in a scowl, and Seol Juyeong stood silent with a devastated expression.
They're surprisingly calm.
Once outside, Seol Minyoung didn't erupt into hysterics as I'd half-expected. Then again, if a bunch of concrete-shattering Ice Spears were hovering, ready to impale me, I'd probably keep my mouth shut too.
"Follow me."
I beckoned them curtly. Northdong Station's interior wasn't a key spot for discussions or our next destination anyway.
But the siblings didn't budge. Suppressing a surge of irritation, I addressed Seol Juyeong, who at least seemed open to talking.
"You wanna die here?"
"...Pardon?"
Formal speech. Makes sense—if a psycho with bomb-like powers is threatening you, politeness comes naturally.
"You wanna die in this corpse field? Speak up. I'll kill you right now."
"...No, sir."
"Ugh..."
Only then did the siblings start moving, trailing me cautiously. They hesitated again as I descended toward the subway tunnel below the platform.
Seol Juyeong called out. "...Excuse me..."
"What?"
"This leads underground."
"Correct. That's where my base is. It's safe—good people there. I'll take you to them."
—Step. I crossed the platform, explaining as I went. About me and my group at Gaeseong High School. How we'd gathered survivors and were holding out.
Then I glanced back at the siblings. They looked skeptical, but they had no choice but to follow.
"...Let's go, Minyoung."
They had no options left.
"Listen while you follow."
I laid it out: how I'd tracked them from Yuseong University amid the black fog. Trailing the Liberation Army. Taking them out and watching the siblings enter Park Donghyuk's room.
"That's how it went down. Now I need to clean up Yuseong University, so give me intel on it."
No humanizing bullshit. No sob stories. No explaining why I didn't save Jeon Haechan sooner or why I saved them now. No need to empathize or convince. My goals: clear Yuseong University, intel on the black fog, and details on these two for the base.
"...Why didn't you save Haechan?"
But to Seol Minyoung, that mattered. She'd been screaming like a lunatic earlier, so I'd written her off as unhinged. Now she seemed coherent, using formal speech.
Or maybe she's just programmed for manners.
I replied flatly. "Didn't know you weren't tied to the Liberation Army back then."
"...And us?"
"They killed that Jeon Haechan guy, so I knew you weren't linked to Yuseong University."
"......"
"Any more questions?"
Seol Minyoung, walking beside me, spat out her words thick with rage. "How... how could you have that power and...!"
"Seol Minyoung."
Seol Juyeong tried to stop her.
"...How!"
But she bellowed at me, heedless of anything around us. "With that power! How can you just watch people die?! The Liberation Army—those murderers! Haechan to them! A person died! And he died protecting us, throat slit! We had to just watch!"
"......."
I turned and met her eyes coolly.
"If I'd had that power, I'd have saved everyone! Killed all the bad fuckers, gathered the good ones. We'd all have survived this shit! Not just watched innocents die to those cruel bastards...!!!"
Her voice rose to a shriek, eyes blazing with fury.
I spoke calmly. "That's why I saved the innocents."
I pointed at the siblings.
"...What?"
"That's why I'm off to kill the bad ones."
I jabbed toward Southdong Station.
A stunned reply from Seol Minyoung. "What did you say?"
I narrowed my eyes. "Don't make me repeat myself."
"That's bullshit sophistry! You're just protecting your own ass!!!"
I scowled. My safety and the base came first. Innocents? Save 'em if I could; ditch 'em if not. For getting home, any obstacles got crushed—like when I bombed Benefit Mart.
—Scraaaape. I dragged my pickaxe along the wall.
"......Does it shock you that I knew and only saved you?"
"...How..."
Seol Minyoung collapsed. Seol Juyeong caught her, but her legs had given out.
I crouched in front of her. "I'm the one who saved you."
I locked eyes with her.
The savior demanding tribute right here.
"And the one who can kill you anytime."
I summoned an Ice Spear and pressed it to her forehead.
"!!!!!!"
Her face drained white. Seol Juyeong bowed his head in despair.
"I told you everything straight. Why? Secrets always come out eventually."
That's why I'd spilled it all to the Seols: who, when, where, what, how, why—crystal clear.
"And I offered a deal. Safe base, escort you there."
Jeon Haechan's death sucked. But it confirmed they were safe. Still, I'd explained my side fully.
"They were dead anyway. I saved 'em, and now they bitch about why not sooner? That make sense?...Suppose it does."
Cold truth: the Liberation Army would've slaughtered them there. Even if they'd lived...
".......Northdong Station—who killed those people? Me? Zombies?"
"......"
"Liberation Army. They butchered 'em cruelly. Amputated women's limbs, raped 'em, then killed. The rest in every sadistic way."
And.
"What's near Northdong Station where you were headed? Old downtown. Monster up top—a giant fetus and its six-legged, five-tentacled spawn devouring people, hanging 'em floor by floor."
Northhyang General Hospital's fetus. Crimson flesh choking old downtown. They'd have died going up.
"World's fucked, as you know. Zombies everywhere. Even I avoid urban zones. Why should I take shit from you?"
Zombie-packed cities spook even me. Open fields? I could Ice Shield 'em away, but still.
I turned. Seol Minyoung slumped, Seol Juyeong head down.
"Fine, I rushed it—admit that."
And.
"Didn't respect your say—sorry."
Also, "Dragging you to base by force—sorry. Didn't save Jeon Haechan—sorry. So."
—Let's drop it.
I stood. Truth was, I'd eyed Seol Minyoung's powers for the base and pushed hard. No need for this drama—could've wrecked the Liberation Army tailing them, squeezed info, sent 'em packing.
Hoo...
Life's never easy. Rushed or not, I pressed on. "But I need that intel. It's critical. Seol Juyeong. Right?"
Aimed at him, not the bowed Seol Minyoung.
He answered bitterly. "......Yes."
"Then spill. What went down at Yuseong University? What're the Liberation Army up to?"
I scanned around. Lips pursed tight, he finally spoke.
"...Understood."
"Good. Take your time."
What came out was shocking.
......
"...They gathered people in the central library, then killed 'em?"
"Yes. Minyoung's detection showed three entered yesterday with thirty-six total—now down to thirty-three days later."
"Liberation Army?"
"Yeah. 'Liberation' tattooed small on necks. Took humanities campus three days ago... Probably Hwang Jutae sold 'em out."
Liberation Army. Three days. Hwang Jutae. Matches when I grabbed Lee Seoyul. But wrong—Hwang Jutae was Liberation Army from the start.
"Who'd they hand over?"
"...Bad skills or too-good ones. Don't know what happened. Lucky Minyoung passed with dual powers..."
I glanced her way. Seol Juyeong explained her abilities.
"Minyoung has two. Ultrasound detection, and radio waves—like telekinesis. Lifts small objects."
I eyed the tight-lipped woman. Yeah, she'd yelled earlier about dual powers being similar.
...Come to think, Lee Euna was like that. Barriers setup and apply...
Made sense. My Ice Spears evading detection—different power type.
"Hid it that way. Pretended just telekinesis. But people vanishing lately. Hwang Jutae said he went to find parents in Northdong..."
"Bullshit."
"Right. Never planned to let 'em go. Yesterday someone vanished without detection? Means they killed or something."
"...Guessed as much."
Liberation Army's brutality? Seen it. Probably killing while promising family reunions, or worse in the library.
"...We fled 'cause detection users got called and didn't return."
"Smart. They'd cull base detectors too."
"Yes."
Like Kim Yuna or Choi Hyeok—recruit or kill.
So these two.
"Risked it all to escape."
"Yeah. Minyoung fooled with detection, me and Haechan with skills broke zombie lines. Slipped out in today's chaos."
"Chaos?"
"Three days ago, new survivors arrived. Started grouping up. We teamed, took out our two Liberation watchers, bolted."
New survivors. Three days. Groups.
...Gotta see it myself.
Hard to gauge from talk. And "took out"? Thought regular survivors—got guts.
"Juyeong, your power?"
"...Crossbow summon, like you saw."
He summoned a small hand crossbow and bolts. Efficient. Kills humans quick, zombies too if vital hits.
But...
"...Not great. Miss vitals, just slows 'em."
He sighed. Figures. Zombies? Weak against 'em.
I nodded, switched questions. "Got it. Last one. Black fog? Near Mirae Apartments."
Lee Seoyul's info lacked enemy details. Wanted his take.
But.
"That..."
He paused, then. "...Not sure. Controlled info. Stuck in humanities, hard to know. Just—go there, die."
Even less than Lee Seoyul. I sighed.
"...Thanks. Helpful."
"...No, thank you for saving us."
Seol Juyeong bowed deeply. Head cooled, thinking straight.
Nah, guy's been fine.
He'd been normal leaving Park Donghyuk's room—just watched his sister rage.
Seol Juyeong spoke. "Um..."
I cut him. Seol Minyoung needed time. No plans to escort anyway.
"...Seol Juyeong."
"Yes?"
"...No destination and mind made up? Head to Gaeseong High School."
I turned, Frost Blinked, continued. "Tell 'em twenty-nine-year-old Kim Junyoung who shoots Ice Spears sent you—they'll take you. Final offer."
"Wait..."
Seol Juyeong started, but I was long gone toward Southdong Station.
Die en route? Their fate.
Brother seemed sharp; sister immature for her powers. Gave up convincing her—trouble for base ops. Even if she showed, would cynical Jeong Suhyun tolerate her?
Who knows.
Bullets miss, she's fine.
Intel secured. Clear Yuseong before dark. Late afternoon—enough for humanities and library.
Hoo. I hurried to Yuseong Station.
====
—Step. Out the station, one Frost Blink—target in sight.
Yuseong University. Korea's top contender. Where base folks Jeong Dojin, Choi Yuri, Kim Yunjin, Lee Seoyul studied. Prestigious—I'd eyed it once. Dorm-packed campus.
Now? Glory days gone.
No freshmen or returnees bustling. Main gate half-smashed, road littered with bones, corpses.
Wrecked cars, shredded clothes. Bodies. Blood. Rotting guts.
—Bzzzz.
Swarms of bugs. Horror show obvious.
—Clink.
I checked a body. Light clothes—tees, PJs, track suits.
...Night attack.
Dorms fill late February. Outbreak March 3rd—they were residents then.
Survivors fled to humanities camp...
Lee Seoyul said ~100 there.
Not much time passed.
Grabbed her on the 25th—a week tops.
Yet no signs of life inside. No zombies at gate, no enemies.
Walked, no blink. Found campus map—big unis have 'em at entrances.
Here.
Current: A1. Humanities E1, library E2.
Not corner, but far.
Mountain-top humanities—makes sense. Blinks'd cover quick. Campus under 1km; half to humanities.
Frost Blink to nearby social sciences building. Hopped a few—library ahead.
And Liberation Army holding it, per siblings.
.......
I narrowed eyes. Not what I expected.
Figured internal rot masked as survivor camp.
But.
Hm.
Library front wall: naked women's corpses displayed. Impaled on mop handles, nailed to whiteboards—limbs hacked, flaunted.
...This blatant?
Uniformed men raping one woman. Suit guy spectating. Armed—Liberation Army confirmed.
Ha...
Hollow laugh at outdoor fuckfest. Cats steal fish; they do atrocities.
Dropped down, circled library. Understood the brazenness.
Back side: pristine. Humanities view blocked it.
Yeah. Simple—slaughter from library unseen from humanities.
...Sighed, Frost Blink atop library.
"....Huh?"
Liberation Army spotting me, shocked.
—Crack!
Body convulses, drops dead. Dragged to corner, Frost Blink again.
Target: humanities U-building on hill.
—Step. —Tap.
Roof: two riflemen. Blinked behind left one, staring blankly.
—Choke.
Pickaxe to throat.
"!!!!!!!"
—Gurgle. Struggles, flops. Dragged away. Blinked to right-end guy.
Muscles tensed.
—Whooosh.
Swinging pickaxe.
—Splat!
Twitches like broken toy, down. Cleared roof fast.
No more?
Light guards up top. Scoped positions.
...Two front gate, two back.
Matches Lee Seoyul's night watch.
"!!!!!!!"
Then—noise from afar.
What?
Looked down. Traced source: humanities inner courtyard.
People hauling trays, snacking. Smiling, expectant—like future secured.
Woman handing snacks. Man divvying drinks. Armed guards watching.
They sat, chatted, listened to middle-aged man center-stage.
Some ate, filed orderly inside. I narrowed eyes.
"!!!!!!"
They emerged packed, silhouettes college girls?
40s man arms wide welcoming. Crowd clapping.
"!!!!!!"
"!!!!!!"
Middle-aged shook hands, chatted guards, sent women gate-ward.
Passed gate, vanished below. Cheering crowd nodded to 40s man, dispersed.
......
Watched him, blinked to humanities gate flowerbed.
"!!!!!!!"
"!!!!!!"
Girls chattered, giggling down gate. Escorting men.
......
Then they froze. Voices cut.
"!!!!!!!"
Got it. Nearing library, saw the show outside.
My view: hanging corpses clear.
Screaming, dropping bags, fleeing girls.
"!!!!!!"
"!!!!!!"
Escape blocked. Liberation Army grabbed runners.
One flopped face-down fleeing. Rifles turned on girls, yelling.
Kicked, prodded at gunpoint, dragged to library.
Ha...
Funny—no sound reached me despite screams.
Power.
Noise cut suddenly. Welcomers, 40s man. "Departing" girls. Liberation Army.
Enough. Figured their game at Yuseong camp.
Humanities: pen.
Library: slaughterhouse.
Like farming pigs—breed humans, butcher as needed.
Human livestock.