Northdong Office (2)
Suddenly, the presence of people inside vanished. The rustling sounds, the creaking noises—all of it stopped. I was a bit thrown off by the abrupt silence, but I understood it. Hell, if someone showed up on the fourth floor of an empty building, I'd be startled too. So, choosing my words carefully, I knocked again and called out.
Knock knock.
"Anyone there? It's someone from outside. If there's anybody in there, could you say something?"
...
"The rescue op should be done by now, right? Could you tell me your name?"
A man's voice came from inside—a guy in his twenties, by the sound of it. Exhausted, but laced with caution. To avoid provoking him, I picked my words with care.
"Rescue op? You mean everyone's already been evacuated? I'm here looking for people. You know Happiness Villa up the hill? I came through the mountain path from there."
"After twelve days since this shit started?"
"Yeah. I've got some decent abilities. Oh, name's Kim Junyoung. Twenty-nine."
"...Uh, okay. Got it."
But he still didn't open the door. Feeling skeptical, I asked him outright.
"Mind if we talk face-to-face? I haven't seen another human face in twelve days. And no, I've got no weapons."
I got the caution, but his reaction was overly sharp. Still, he refused.
"Sorry, can't do that."
I frowned and pressed. "Any reason why?"
The answer came quick.
"Your identity's unverified."
"Identity? I'm just a regular guy."
The word felt out of left field, so I shot back. A sigh echoed from inside.
"Northdong's currently occupied by an armed group. Everyone in the shelter moved out except me. Can't talk to someone with an unknown background."
"What the hell does that even mean?"
I couldn't make sense of it. An armed group hunting people? Sure, I could guess that much. But what did that have to do with this office? Had they raided the place or something?
A sigh from inside again.
"Sigh... Can't tell if you're acting or not. Can I trust you? You're not with the group that took over the mart and the church, right?"
"Trust me or not, what choice do you have? I haven't seen hide nor hair of any armed group bullshit. Haven't spotted a single soul from the villa in twelve days."
It was the truth. Armed group? It'd only been two weeks since the outbreak—already? And I had no idea there were that many people in Northdong.
Suspicious.
From our talk, I sensed something had gone down at Northdong Office. Missing people, a wary survivor, and this armed group he'd mentioned.
"Yeah, whatever. Guess I have no choice. Might as well trust you."
Creeeak.
Just as I was mulling over the info, the door swung open.
"Hey."
"Oh, uh, hey."
Out stepped a guy in military fatigues, mid-twenties maybe, with a reserve soldier patch on his chest. Rifle in hand. He glanced at me, then at my bat, and sighed.
"Alright. What do you want here? Nothing special left. Head out nice and we'll let you go."
He wasn't aiming at me—just looking. That made me even more curious. He really seemed to trust me now.
"Nah, I'm just genuinely curious. What happened here? Where'd everyone go?"
"...For real?"
"Yeah. This bat? Just for zombies."
"I see."
He didn't seem keen on shooting anyway. More like holding it for show—or self-defense. He looked a bit flustered that I wasn't fazed by the gun.
"Yeah, for real. Curious about that armed group too, where the original people went, why you're still here... Twelve days holed up, everything's a mystery now."
"......"
But I was confident. I knew that gun couldn't touch me. Even if he unloaded, Ashes Veil and Ice Spear would handle him easy.
"Ugh..."
He muttered something about never dealing with this before, frowning briefly.
A moment later.
"Okay, got it. Come on in."
"Uh, sure."
With a sour face, he led me inside. I propped my bat outside and followed.
"Whoa..."
The room was an office turned living space: TV, radio, computer, bed, even a fridge. Traces of human life everywhere.
He's been here a while.
He eyed me glancing around, rummaged under the desk, and pulled out a file folder.
"Hmm..."
He frowned in front of me, groaning softly. Staring at my bat outside, he nodded like he felt safer, slung his rifle aside, and gestured.
"Kim Junyoung... Kim Junyoung... Yeah, you're really a sixth-year reserve from Northdong. Have a seat there."
He sat on the sofa, deciding to trust me, and waved me to the opposite side. I sat and asked.
"What's that?"
"Oh, after the outbreak, they compiled analog lists of reserves from all areas. Plan was to conscript them to calm the zombie shit... but yeah."
His look said you get it. Probably Northdong reserves roster. I nodded, and he sighed, continuing.
"Anyway, ended up like this. I'll tell you about the survivors. Military and some reserves included, everyone's been airlifted by army chopper to the 2nd Fleet."
"The 2nd Fleet?"
I was stunned. Military rescuing people? And shipping them all to the 2nd Fleet? Their moves made no sense.
He sighed again at my reaction.
"That look—you really don't know. Yeah, army evacuated all survivors to naval fleets at Donghae, Pyeongtaek, and Mokpo: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd."
"Why?"
"......"
A bit rude, but I had to ask. Naval bases were shitty for sheltering civilians. Boats dodge zombies fine, but why go there? And infection risk was inevitable, fleet or not.
But he couldn't answer.
"No idea... That's why I'm still here."
"No one else?"
"Yeah, uh... Let me start from the beginning. We had about fifty people originally."
He explained. Day one, around a hundred gathered at the office. Branch chief, reserves, a few soldiers kept order.
"Numbers don't add up."
"Bitten or infected—quarantined."
"Quarantined meaning..."
I trailed off. He sighed.
"Yeah, quarantine my ass. Just exiled them."
Exiled. Now I was dying to know what went down—and why he looked half-dead.
I chose my words. "Must've been hell with the backlash."
"Yep. But what choice? Bite and they turn zombie right away."
"....."
True enough. No cure, so my silence affirmed it. He went on.
"Lived here till about a week ago. You came up the lower floors—saw the traces, right?"
"Yeah, blankets, clothes, food everywhere. So the chopper was a week ago?"
He nodded. That fit: living remnants, blankets, daily signs. But a chopper a week back? Right when I decided to leave my room.
Why didn't I hear it?
And why leave the food?
I shelved the growing doubts and asked.
"Why'd they leave the emergency rations?"
"Army chopper guys said no need. Shelter's safe, they claimed."
"Fucking suspicious."
If he wasn't lying, this was off. Cursing slipped out natural.
He gave a hollow laugh. "Right? Normal reaction. But everyone else here lost their minds—followed the army no questions. Like you trusting me."
Why drag me into it? He chuckled at my side-eye.
"What if I'd killed everyone and taken over? Charging in like that."
"I've got my reasons."
Status window, but whatever. If he were bad news, he'd have aimed from the start.
He snarked, a bit pissy. "What, think bullets won't kill you?"
They won't. I answered straight. "Yeah."
"...Sorry. I said that shitty."
Now he apologized. Brushing off his self-started jab, I shook my head.
"Nah. I actually have that ability."
"Ability?"
"Yeah. Know about Status Window?"
"...Status Window? What kinda bullshit is that?"
He sounded like I'd spouted nonsense—which made sense from a normie's view. Bulletproof? Yeah.
If I said I had a status window, he'd think psycho too.
I got his crazy stare. But easy fix—demo time.
"Watch."
I'd show him magic.
Ice Spear
A 50cm Ice Spear floated above my shoulder.
"...!!"
His eyes bulged. Ignoring his shock, I pressed on.
"Believe me now? Why I didn't care about your gun. So spill it all. Why you're here, what that armed group's deal is, why people followed the army."