27. Eunha General Hospital (2)
27. Eunha General Hospital (2)
Corpses.
I saw corpses.
Countless corpses.
Walkers, Runners, Sirens.
Even unknown Infected.
And, I saw a scene of destruction.
'......'
The central lobby, in particular, was still in a shattered state, with the dust from bullet impacts mixed with blood splattered everywhere, creating thick, viscous stains.
I quietly looked around the first floor.
Traces of the apocalypse.
And a space where the traces of those gun-toting bastards' fight still remained.
However, it didn't seem like anyone was living here.
If someone had been living here, they would have cleared away the corpses.
One thing was for sure, it seemed like there was something here.
ㅡSseuk
ㅡSseuk
ㅡJjeoeok
ㅡJjeoeok
The floor was covered in sticky liquid.
I turned my head toward the reception center and the path to the internal emergency room.
No signs of life were felt.
The sound of flickering LED lights, the sound of the wind.
ㅡChijijik
If you go straight ahead, there's Orthopedics and Neurosurgery, and at the end is the Emergency Room.
If you go around to the back, you'll find the Emergency Imaging Room and the CT room.
'......'
I sighed and took a step forward.
#
I narrowed my eyes.
There was nothing in the Orthopedics and Neurosurgery area either.
There was nothing in the MRI room, which was splattered with blood, either.
I turned my eyes toward the path to the Emergency Room.
ㅡTak
ㅡTak
ㅡKkiiik
I opened the Emergency Room door.
I'd been to an emergency room a few times, so the interior was familiar. You know, several beds with curtains drawn, the emergency room administration desk, that sort of vibe.
The inside, too, had nothing but traces of bloodstains and flesh.
I returned to the first-floor lobby.
'Nothing?'
Probably.
Then why the hell did those bastards come here and kill the Infected?
I came too late.
I should have just gone that day.
It couldn't be helped.
At the time, the Cheongju Elementary School, where rescue was supposedly coming, was a higher priority than these things.
Well, what can you do about the past?
Still, it seemed like someone was here, so I'd have to check it out...
An 11-story general hospital.
I headed for the central staircase leading to the second floor.
Looking at the wall, I could see what was on the second floor.
Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Urology, Psychiatry, and Infectious Diseases were on the upper side.
In the center, operating rooms were lined up.
Below that were Endocrinology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Proctology, Surgery, Pediatrics, etc.
Looking at that, I climbed the stairs.
ㅡSseuk
ㅡSseuk
I stepped up the clean stairs.
ㅡSseuk
ㅡSseuk
Quietly.
ㅡSseuk
ㅡChak
ㅡSseuk
However.
Around the time I was halfway up the stairs.
I had no choice but to stop.
Because some footsteps were caught between my own.
They weren't my footsteps.
ㅡChak
ㅡChak
The sound of a person moving.
I climbed up with my sound completely deadened.
'Is it an Infected?'
It was possible there were Infected.
Maybe those guys hadn't cleared them out, or maybe ones that had been hiding had come out.
In front of the stairs.
The strangely clean second-floor hallway.
ㅡChak
ㅡChak-chak
ㅡChak
The footsteps were coming from the left.
I took out two hammers and leaned out.
I could confirm the source of the sound.
It wasn't an Infected.
'That is...'
What I saw was several of the special forces soldiers I had seen before, waiting in the hallway.
The sound I heard was a man right in front dragging his feet on the ground.
ㅡChak
ㅡChak
ㅡChak
I saw several figures, presumed to be men, walking at the end of the left path, near the end of the Infectious Diseases department.
'It's those people.'
Their gas masks and I met eyes.
Exactly 3 seconds.
It was the moment they and I recognized each other.
I agonized over what to say.
What should I say?
Nice to meet you?
Hello?
However.
It seemed there was no need to agonize.
ㅡ!!!!!!!!
ㅡ!!!!!!!!!!!
The moment I was about to open my mouth.
They raised their guns and fired at me.
Bullets slammed into the wall next to me.
ㅡPababababak!
Without thinking, I hurled a hammer at the guy right in front.
ㅡKwajik
The head of one man wearing a gas mask was smashed.
Instant death.
ㅡDegureureu
At that moment, something flew toward me.
A grenade, or maybe a claymore, something that stopped right in the state of about to explode.
I threw the thing that was about to explode right back toward the gas mask guys.
ㅡKwang!
My vision flashed for an instant.
ㅡPuchwaaaak!
An explosion that shattered the hallway.
ㅡJjeoeok!
Shattering windows.
Flesh and blood scattering.
ㅡChwaaaaak!
ㅡ!!!!!
"Cough, cough."
Coughing, I quickly hid my body for now.
Because the presence of these men meant there could be more humans here.
'......'
However, even after holding my breath and waiting for 5 minutes, no humans came out.
It seemed that was the end of them.
I saw the gruesomely dead corpses.
'Are they crazy bastards?'
Shooting at a civilian as soon as they saw one?
ㅡTak
ㅡTak
I approached the men.
ㅡKkul-leok
ㅡKkul-leok
Streams of blood flowed down to the floor.
#
End of the hospital's 2nd floor.
In front of the Infectious Diseases department. Waiting chairs.
Several corpses of men in black clothes.
Only one guy was intact.
'......'
Serves you right.
Fucking assholes.
But thinking about it again, doesn't this mean there's nothing left except this one dead guy?
The guns and grenades must all be busted.
'......'
I have to check this guy at least, what else can I do?
What the hell are they, trying to kill a civilian on sight?
I examined the man.
ㅡTak
ㅡTak
Gas mask.
And a RIG with several magazines attached.
A gun that looked like an SMG.
This must have been what made the silencer sound.
The letters 'K7' written in the center.
'Is it Korean?'
Well, not my business.
I looted the firearm.
It didn't look like it, but it weighed about the same as a rifle.
ㅡChak
ㅡChak
Searching the man's chest, I found 6 magazines.
'Are they special forces or what.'
But there was nothing else.
No military equipment like combat knives or grenades.
'Nothing else either.'
No smartphone.
No walkie-talkie.
No notes.
If there was anything to take,
'The RIG and the gas mask, I guess.'
Does this work?
I took off the gas mask.
What I saw was a common-looking man in his 30s or 40s.
Recalling my old reserve forces days, I tried on the gas mask.
It's good.
Gas masks were usually stuffy, but this one was comfortable.
I should take it just in case.
And I also took the RIG. When I put it on, it made a clanking sound, and while it was uncomfortable to move in, it was better than nothing.
'I can give them to the kids.'
1 gas mask, 1 RIG, 1 gun. 192 rounds of ammo.'
Suddenly, my load became incredibly heavy.
But it would be a loss if I didn't take them.
'Especially since they're from the bastards who shoot first.'
That's enough of that.
I really don't know what kind of bastards they are.
The floor was full of blood and flesh. The walls were full of bullet marks.
It meant there were other traces besides the ones from fighting me.
I took a deep breath and looked around.
Overall, the scenery was no different from the first floor.
Just without the corpses.
'They must have cleaned it up.'
More importantly.
What were they doing here?
No, what are they doing here?
Feeling puzzled, I headed to the door right in front of where the men had been.
Infectious Diseases.
ㅡKkiiii
The door opened.
The inside...
'They've set up a whole living space.'
There was quite a bit of food.
Plus, there were daily necessities.
It was to the point where you could call it a living room, not a doctor's office.
The peculiar thing was...
'That is...'
ㅡBbi
ㅡBbi
ㅡBbi
Something about the size of a small laptop making a sound.
On top of something labeled "Extractor", there were about two flask-like things attached, and inside them was blue liquid. Next to it was a blue gauge indicator.
One was 100% full.
One was about 70%. The number was gradually going up. 71.311....71.312
A completely sealed flask.
I turned it this way and that.
Red letters written on the flask.
16.7% on the left.
41.3% on the right.
'......'
Would they use something like this in a hospital?
Probably not.
I'd never heard of doing anything with blue liquid.
So the question is, what is this?
I found a well-hidden button and pressed it.
ㅡKkiiik
The flask opened.
I took out the left flask and held it up.
'......'
That was the moment.
ㅡKkudeudeudeuk
Without me realizing it, the Nexus Core began to protrude from my hand.
Then, veins came out toward the bottle containing the blue liquid.
ㅡKkudeudeudeuk
Text being created.
=========================
Innovation Nexus Corporation.
Confirming Nexus Energy.
Compatibility : 16.7%
User Compatibility : 97.2%
Nexus Core : Improve Stamina available for use.
Nexus Core : Metallokinesis lv.3 can be
Nexus Core : replaced with Improve Stamina lv.1.
Would you like to replace it?
Y/N
=========================
...Replace?
#
I went blank for a moment.
Because I couldn't understand what I had just seen.
The text created by the creepy veins. Nexus Core.
I stared at it for a long time.
Ah, so.
If I press Y right now, does that mean my superpower changes to something else?
Like changing skills in a game?
'.......'
This is ridiculous.
I focused especially on the text at the top.
Innovation Nexus Corporation. The name of IN Company was visible just like that..
Unlike cases where I ate the blood of Infected, or like me, where I was covered in something strange, this time the company name appeared openly from the core.
It really seems like this IN Company is the company that created the Infected and superpowers.
'...Then... IN Company created superpowers, created this skill window-like thing that's like an AI, and also spread the infection.'
I narrowed my eyes.
'Then these people must be people associated with IN Company.'
The act I saw before.
Drawing an X at Green Fresh Market.
Shooting guns at the hospital... was that also to do this?
'Then what on earth are they collecting?'
Infection?
Or something else?
What's the point of worrying about it alone.
I moved.
#
I checked up to the 11th floor of the hospital.
It took a few hours, but nothing came out.
Just half-frozen, hard Infected and human corpses.
From the wards after the 5th floor, really only those things came out.
'......'
I came down to the 2nd floor.
I decided to wait a bit.
Because more might come.
Plus, I was a bit curious about this.
71.311.
71.312.
71.313.
The number slowly rising.
Above, I can see 41.3.
From what I checked earlier, that's the compatibility.
The one next to it was 16.7. That was stamina increase. So that must be something of 41.3.
'Can I obtain a 40% range superpower?'
Watching that gauge fill up, I sighed and waited.
One hour.
Two hours.
However.
'......'
Even though it was 4 AM, no one came.
I thought a truck would come to the parking lot.
72.511.
Or maybe they only come when that's full.
I turned my eyes.
The clean 2nd floor.
They left only the 2nd floor for extraction empty and left the rest alone.
It means their purpose is clear.
'If they're fully armed humans, well...'
Well, with this, they could stop most guys.
But that didn't explain why the truck didn't come.
'......'
I don't know.
#
It was about time to go back.
After some thought, I took the extractor with me.
'It's been 14 days and it's 70% full. That means it fills up by 5 a day.'
It means if I leave it for 6 days, I can obtain a 40% range superpower.
Then it means if I use that on someone with a crappy 10% superpower, they change into someone with a 40% range superpower.
ㅡBbi
ㅡBbi
However.
ㅡ......
As soon as I came out of the hospital, the extractor's sound stopped.
I picked up the extractor to check. The number that was rising inside the hospital. Now it was stopped at 72.711.
That means.
'...This, the extractor must have conditions.'
An infection zone... should I call it that?
Anyway, a condition that can only be obtained in a certain zone.
This makes their motive understandable.
They find the necessary superpowers in the infection zone.
By some method of verification, like drawing an X at Green Fresh Market.
And, in zones with superpowers like the hospital, they deploy those special forces-like guys. Then, they eliminate the Infected and insert the extractor.
'Then the superpower gets extracted.'
With this, they change it to the superpower the higher-ups want, or something like that?
This is the limit of my brain.
'......'
I thought it was an indiscriminate infection outbreak.
It seems like a thoroughly planned, artificial incident.
I am curious, though.
I thought I could look into it while doing other things besides just surviving.
Since they're pulling that shit anyway, if I keep moving to survive, I'll definitely run into them someday.
'They are a group that strangely avoids contact with humans, though.'
Because they are hostile.
For now, one more goal has been added.
'IN Company.'
Keeping only the flask that grants stamina, I left the extractor on the 2nd floor of the hospital and returned.
ㅡBbi
ㅡBbi
It has to be left there for it to rise.
Since it'll stay there if no one comes, I can just come back to get it in 6 days.
If it disappeared, it would mean those guys came and took it.
However, I installed a device.
The door is too obvious, so on the desk where the extractor is, I set it up so that if it's touched, a small piece of paper will fall to the floor behind it.