9. Death Throes (1)
9. Death Throes (1)
The day had dawned.
I took the remaining eggs out of the refrigerator and boiled them.
"Ah."
"You're up?"
"...Yes."
Seo-yoon, with an awkward expression on her face, leaned against the wall, her legs trembling.
I was also a bit awkward.
Since we met for the first time yesterday and had sex for the first time yesterday.
And that, too, several times.
"......"
"......"
Seo-yoon's face turned beet red.
Seeing that, I changed the subject.
"Wait. I'll boil you some eggs."
"Eggs? Are those okay to eat?"
"I picked out only the ones that were fine. You should eat this first."
Eggs have a shelf life of about 40 days when refrigerated.
It's a bit iffy, though.
"Smell them."
"...They seem fine, though."
Then we have to eat them. We're not in a position to be picky right now. I split the remaining 6 eggs between us.
"...Did I eat too much yesterday?"
"That was all going to be thrown away anyway."
And her ability was more valuable than the food.
As for food, well, I can just go outside, rob people, and get some. Especially with the information I just got.
I narrowed my eyes.
"There were no gunshots last night, right?"
"Yes..."
According to Min-jun's information, there were 22 looters at Eunha High School.
And he said there were 18 left, excluding Min-jun's group.
A total of 18 people. A group of looters.
Plus the women they captured. Since they said they killed all the original 50 or so people who were there, they really are a formidable group.
It makes me wonder if Koreans are really this cruel.
Given the nature of Koreans, I thought they'd just grumble a bit and get by somehow.
Apparently not.
'Or maybe there's something in the infection that makes people violent.'
Because there were rumors like that on the community boards.
There seem to be quite a few people...
Same with the apartment. Maybe because it's only been a month, there seem to be survivors.
Come to think of it, if someone keeps a lot of food at home, they could hold out for a month.
Even my own family home keeps a sack of rice, so they could probably last a month or two. If they didn't get infected, that is.
"Um..."
As I was thinking that, Seo-yoon asked, pulling her legs together.
"Why?"
"Now, um, what are you going to do? Looking at yesterday, it seems like this is the last of the food..."
"That's true."
The first thing I need to do right now is hunt Infected. I need to try killing something other than a Walker or a Runner.
That way, I can raise my Nexus Core Metallokinesis to Lv.3.
Only then can I call myself an Ability User.
But I don't have enough weapons for that.
'26 rifle rounds.'
With this, I'd probably die before even reaching the market. In that case, I need to find people.
I need someone I can trust to bring people along.
Join hands with the looters?
That's ridiculous.
I just don't like them.
And besides not liking them, I'm sure the number will only go up if I kill them. That means teaming up is actually a disadvantage. It's not like there's a party system like in a game.
I decided while peeling an egg.
As I thought yesterday, it's better to raid Eunha High School first.
'I need more bullets.'
ㅡTak
ㅡTak
Min-jun definitely said there were no Ability Users. That means there are only 18 people and a few women there.
Plus, they move to the Green Fresh Market underground shopping center at night.
3 groups of 12 people go out to the Green Fresh Market at 10 PM.
1 group of 4 people raids apartments every 3 days.
1 group and 2 people stay behind to guard Eunha High School at night. Right. That explains why Eunha High School was quiet. The reason there are no corpses?
Because they cleaned them up.
The reason there are no Infected? Because they killed them and cleaned them up. Because there are people inside.
In that case, it should be fine for me to attack. At 10 PM.
But...
"Nom... um, why, why are you looking at me like that..."
"It's nothing."
What should I do with her?
Take her? Or not?
Seo-yoon is a guaranteed winning lottery ticket. I know she's a lottery ticket even now, and when my Nexus Core grows and I can use powerful abilities, her ability will become even more terrifying.
Contract.
No need to ask anyone anything.
If I form a group or join one later, when some incident occurs, Seo-yoon's ability alone will end it.
That's why it's dangerous, but that's also why, when I get stronger, she will display a greater ability than anyone else.
'Keeping her inside is safer.'
The problem is this fucked-up world. My house isn't safe.
'But it's dangerous to take her outside, too.'
Honestly, even if I can block bullets, I can't block Infected.
No, wait, this isn't something for me to worry about.
I can just ask her.
"Do you want to come outside with me, or stay here?"
"...Yes?"
"Do you want to come with me to kill people, find food, and kill Infected, or stay here?"
"......"
Seo-yoon, who had been chewing on her lip, opened her mouth.
"What do you think, um, Oppa?"
"Both are dangerous. If you stay here, Infected or people could break in. Then you'd have to stop them alone."
"......"
"If you follow me, I can block bullets. That's my ability. But I can't stop Infected or people from rushing at you. You have to kill them yourself."
It's a different kind of danger, and there are many things that could happen, but that's what I thought.
"I... will stay here."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. I know myself well. I can't do things like killing people outside. I couldn't even kill a fish back in the day."
That was true.
From our first meeting, she had rushed at me without even a kitchen knife. That must have just been a 'let's try something' moment.
"Alright. Got it."
When I answered like that, Seo-yoon chewed her lip and said.
"...Are you disappointed?"
"No."
Rather, it's because she knows how to distinguish what she can and can't do.
I also don't think it would be very good if I went outside and she got killed by an Infected.
It's better for her to stay here and hold a gun.
In that sense, it would be better to teach her how to use a gun in a little while.
#
ㅡTick
ㅡTick
I can hear the sound of the analog clock in the house.
Seo-yoon and I were just at home, doing nothing.
Usually, daytime is sleeping time.
Because we had sex yesterday and slept at night, we ended up being awake during the day today.
I was in the living room.
Seo-yoon was in the bedroom.
ㅡGeuuu
ㅡKieeeeek!
But it seems today is the day for a party.
ㅡDeureureuk
I opened the window.
It doesn't seem to be here, is it near the U-Gwang Apartment shopping area?
ㅡTak
Seo-yoon, who was in the bedroom, scurried out.
"W-what is that sound?"
I said, leaning my head back against the pillow.
"The sound of someone being chased."
"Right now?"
"Yeah."
Seems like a stupid guy.
Or someone who's that desperate.
"It's a common occurrence. Just go back in and sleep. No, wait. Come here."
"Ah. Yes..."
Seo-yoon approached, blushing.
It's really nice that she doesn't say things like "Why aren't you saving them?"
She looks young, but how should I put it, should I say she's mature? Or that she knows her place well?
Well, that's probably why she asked to make a deal. With her superpower.
ㅡKieeeeek!
As I was thinking that, the screaming continued.
I looked outside and pointed at a running Runner.
"See that?"
"Ah. Yes."
"They're like that during the day. They accurately perceive sound and track it."
Daytime is the time of the Infected.
The Infected aren't strong. A Walker is at the level of an adult woman, and a Runner is at the level of an adult man. However, during the day, these things gain senses almost identical to humans.
ㅡKieeeeek!
ㅡAaaaack!
A death cry is heard from far away and then cuts off.
Probably came out because they were short on food and died.
Looking at the apartment side, it seemed to be someone who had been holding out in U-Gwang Apartment until now.
Plus, they were unlucky.
I, too, could never go from here to Eunha High School during the day.
Because there's a big difference between avoiding Infected that are sleeping or staggering around with extremely reduced vision, and avoiding Infected that are moving actively.
"That's why I moved at night. Those guys yesterday, too."
"Ah... so that's why you said the Infected do something like sleeping yesterday."
"Right. Well, just keep that in mind, and for now, I'm going to leave you here and go out tonight. I'm going to Eunha High School to get bullets."
"...High school? Will it be okay?"
Seo-yoon looks at me as if she's a bit worried.
I looked at her and brought the rifle.
"It's fine. Even if it's not fine, I have to go. So, you need to know how to use this."
"...A gun."
"If you press here..."
I taught her how to use the firearm. From how to insert the magazine, to bolt forward, bolt catch, safety, single shot, burst, and automatic fire.
"Pull it."
ㅡCheolkeok
Surprisingly, she was strong enough to pull it properly.
"Good job. Now you can choose between single, burst, and automatic fire and shoot."
"...I understand."
"Try it one more time."
"Yes."
Seo-yoon now knew how to shoot a gun.
I loaded 10 rounds into the magazine for her.
"It's exactly 10 rounds. I'm leaving at 10 PM tonight, so if it's not me, just shoot."
"...Yes."
"When I come back, I will definitely knock six times. Otherwise, it's an enemy, so think of it that way."
"Yes."
The woman biting her lip.
Well, she must have realized by now that the world is fucked.
"That's it. Take the gun and go inside. And never look down the barrel."
"I understand."
She seems like a smart woman, so she'll probably handle it well.
I lay down.
ㅡKkaak
For the first time in a while, I heard a crow cawing outside.
#
Night had fallen.
10 PM.
"I'm going."
"...Yes."
"Six times, you know?"
"Yes."
Seo-yoon greeted me while awkwardly holding the rifle.
It's funny, actually.
That we could meet as a trespasser and a victim yesterday and today, and end up like this.
I greeted her and came outside.
The chilly air of February.
The person's death cry from earlier had long since disappeared somewhere, and only the familiar smell of corpses greeted me.
I passed the familiar hill, checked the three corpses at the GP Convenience Store, and continued along the road.
I dealt with a few staggering Infected and avoided others as I made my way to Eunha High School.
The main gate is visible.
'Um, it's the 401 corridor at Eunha High. If you're there, you can see the whole main gate...'
I recalled Min-jun's voice. 401 is on the 4th floor. They're probably watching this place from that dark corridor over there.
ㅡTik
The time is 10:44 PM.
It's already time for the other groups to have left.
'They might not have gone because Min-jun's group didn't return yesterday.'
It doesn't matter if they're there or not. I'm going to kill them all anyway.
Smelling the rotting corpses, I hid my body and headed toward the back gate.