Implementing Justice (1)
Zombie apocalypse, day 5, 5 a.m. After receiving six rounds of thorough education last night, Aunt Hye-yeon had decided to stay home, and Catherine—now wearing her jumpsuit in her place—stood beside me. Just like yesterday, with the hefty fire axe slung over her shoulder.
"Still, it's a relief the clothes fit since your builds are similar."
"Yes. But this very good. Scratch like this, no damage at all."
Catherine smiled as she scraped the axe blade against her sleeve and showed off the suit without a single scratch. If she weren't holding that massive axe, she could've passed for a foreign model. That fleeting sense of incongruity vanished as heavy footsteps thudded down from the upper stairs—several sets of them.
Soon enough, four men appeared. Leading them was Representative Park Sang-hyuk, followed by his son and two middle-aged men. Each carried a pickaxe, a wrench, and a baseball bat.
The next moment, I scanned their faces and checked the Betrayal Detection on my phone screen.
Betrayal Detection is activated.
Characters within 10m radius: Catherine (9%), Park Sang-hyuk (22%), Park Soo-hyun (42%), Lee Woong-seop (28%), Kim Chan-soo (31%)
What the hell? Why are the percentages like this?
Park Sang-hyuk, the group's leader, clocked in at 22%, but the other three showed even higher. His son, Park Soo-hyun, was the worst at a staggering 42%... At that rate, the kid might stab me in the back depending on the situation. And the challenging glare he shot me only amplified the unease from the Betrayal Detection results.
My wariness toward the high-floor survivor group grew even stronger.
Just then, Park Sang-hyuk approached and extended his hand in greeting.
"We're a bit late."
"No problem. It's only a minute."
He bowed his head in apology despite it truly being just one minute late. His demeanor screamed seasoned professional. Meanwhile, Park Soo-hyun's face twisted watching it all, his gaze turning even more insolent. If it was just resentment at his father bowing to an outsider, that'd be fine... but a 42% betrayal risk acting like that felt off.
Can't have that punk behind me during today's op.
With Catherine's approval, I briefed Park Sang-hyuk's group on the full details of the attempted rape incident. Their expressions darkened—they'd only known the basics before—and curses like "crazy bastard" and "filthy fucker" slipped out midway.
Good. Legitimacy reinforced for now.
Soon after, I gave a detailed briefing on the upcoming operation.
"Your job is simple. We'll take the elevator from the 11th floor down to the 4th together. One of you guards the elevator, and the other three watch the entrance to 403 and the hallway."
"So we just stand guard outside?"
"Exactly. Catherine and I will enter 403 and take down Lee Chang-seop."
The two middle-aged men besides the Park father-son duo brightened instantly at hearing they wouldn't have to fight. Their betrayal percentages dropped 2% each. Satisfaction plain on their faces at getting the easy job they'd requested.
While they couldn't hide their glee, the ever-stoic Park Sang-hyuk cut to the crucial point.
"Minwoo-ssi, when do we get the water you promised?"
"Of course I brought it."
He was asking about the daily 30L deal from our "trade." I opened the door to 1103 and showed him the three 10L water cans inside.
"Take one now. You'll get the other two after the job's done. I trust you all, but I need some 'insurance' too."
"Fair enough. One more question?"
"Go ahead."
"What are your plans for that Lee Chang-seop guy? Police and courts are meaningless now..."
"Leaving that to the victim, Catherine."
The four men, including Park Sang-hyuk, nodded along intently, hanging on his every word as if it were gospel. Like Germans mesmerized by Goebbels' fiery propaganda.
Of course, righteous anger at a shameless criminal was the natural response for anyone with basic morals.
But there was another reason for their eager agreement.
Taking down that criminal scum is great, but if it goes well, we can claim the lower floors too.
In an apocalypse where law and order had collapsed, the "weak" were synonymous with "loot."
Ding!
Rumble...
The elevator control panel lit up with "4," doors sliding open with the arrival chime. Catherine, I, Park Sang-hyuk, and the two middle-aged men stepped out in turn. Park Sang-hyuk's high-school son stayed in the elevator to guard it, while I used my Hacking skill on 403's door.
Hacking
Bzzz... Click.
The door lock disengaged silently, just like before... but then the expected snag hit.
Clank!
Fuck... safety chain. Annoying...
I'd anticipated it but hoped it wouldn't be there. Sure enough, the chain was secured.
The next instant, Catherine stepped up to the slightly ajar door.
"Suuuuh... Hooo... Hup!"
She took a deep breath, hoisted the axe overhead, and slammed it down with force.
Whoosh! Clang!
The awe-inspiring axe strike severed the chain clean in half. With our stealth op compromised, Catherine and I burst through the door and rushed inside. We flung open the bedroom door where Lee Chang-seop should be... only to face an unexpected sight.
"Urk!"
"Mommy!"
Lee Chang-seop scrambling up, his pathetic shriveled dick flopping. That much we'd predicted. But the woman beside him pulling up the blanket? Total surprise. Catherine had said he was a widower.
Uh... well... tie 'em both up first.
After zip-tying Lee Chang-seop and the naked woman beside him with cable ties I'd brought, just before starting the real interrogation, Catherine whispered to me.
"That bitch, uh... that woman is aunties' leader."
She glared at the wavy bob-haired woman, revealing her as the one who'd banished Catherine. I could feel the pent-up "hatred" exploding in her eyes.
Receiving hatred from a woman who's cleaved countless zombie heads with that axe... this auntie's done for too.
As visions of Lee Chang-seop and the unnamed auntie's grim futures flashed in my mind, Catherine grabbed their hair at my signal to begin and dragged them to the living room.
Despite their struggles, she gritted her teeth and hauled them along. Whew, she must have a ton pent up.
Thud crash!
"Agh!"
"Kuhk!"
Moments later, Catherine slammed them onto the living room floor, interrogation underway.
Starting with the attempted rapist, Lee Chang-seop.
"Mister, from now on, answer my questions with just 'yes' or 'no.' No extra bullshit or you'll get hurt. Got it?"
"What the fu—(Stab!) Kyaaak!! You crazy—(Stab!) Grk..."
Ignoring my warning, I jammed the knife 3cm deep into his thigh twice. He clenched his jaw so hard the muscles bulged, tears streaming as if deeply moved by my "gift." Proof that "spare the rod, spoil the child" held true even in modern society.
"Sigh. I said yes or no only."
Scrape scrape.
"Hng... Kuh..."
I wiped the blood from the knife on his stomach, emphasizing the rule again. The freshly "educated" man nodded through pained groans.
With the perp ready to talk, time to confirm the facts.
"You provided a room here to Catherine, right?"
"Yes..."
"And on the second night, you snuck into her room to rape her, correct?"
"No."
"Then whose hand groped Catherine's tits? A ghost's? Be honest, mister. You tried to rape her, right?"
"No."
"Hmm... alright, new rule. From now on, only speak the 'truth' to my questions."
"Yes."
"Asking again. You tried to rape Catherine and failed, right?"
"No—(Stab!!) Oooooow!!"
I drove the knife deeper into his thigh as he yelled "no" again. He screamed, face twisted in betrayal.
The next moment, my voice whispered in his ear as his body stiffened in agony.
"You know General Gung Ye? I've mastered something like his mind-reading art, so I can tell truth from lies. And that was a lie."