Stocking the Warehouse Generously - 13

After falling into this world, I think I lived a pretty happy life. It wasn't exactly the direction I'd expected, though.

Not being able to see my family was undoubtedly sad. Not being able to play ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠online games or meet people on the streets was somewhat inconvenient. But aside from that, my life wasn't particularly sad or painful.

There was Sua. There was Seohee, Roa, and Heea. Sometimes they faced crises or painful situations, but those were burdensome rather than frightening or sorrowful. Because I never doubted that I could break through them.

Even when I saw the strongest monsters or faced a hopeless dungeon, I might have thought it was annoying, but I never thought I couldn't win.

But this was different.

'...'

Maybe I'd been able to live so comfortably because I hadn't met many people until now.

If I wanted to save ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠someone, I could. If I wanted to kill, I could. When monsters lunged at the innocent, I could cut them down without a second thought. I felt no guilt in the process. My body might tire a bit, but there was no reason to hesitate.

But this was different.

"I thought we'd made you understand enough."

"Ah, I think I understand plenty."

"This is Katus's rule. That woman endangered her comrades with her cowardly actions—"

"I know."

I knew. This was forced. Just as Kim Haena had a valid reason back then that left her no choice but to run, the women surrounding her now had their own valid reasons why they had no choice but to kill her.

"But I don't want that."

"Do you think you have the authority to decide that? She was one of ours, and by abandoning her mission and fleeing, she caused us massive damage—"

"I'll... make up for that as much as I can."

Kangyeon glared at me like she wanted to kill me.

"You... why? You're not even close to Haena."

"Ah, I met her once before."

"Did her body catch your eye?"

"I can't say it didn't, but I'm not particularly obsessed."

For some reason, most of the people I'd met were beauties. And it wasn't like I hadn't killed women like that before. Her looks alone couldn't explain my actions.

"If I had to put it into words... I just don't like it?"

I hated seeing people die for unavoidable reasons. They had their society, their rules. The useless must die, and those who couldn't sacrifice for others must be punished. But I couldn't respect those rules.

-Please love her.

Yeowon's words tickled through my mind. She knew about this. And she didn't affirm this principle or Haena's impending fate. Yeowon lacked the power to resist those rules. But instead of resenting Haena or sacrificing her to save the others at the orphanage, she'd asked me. To protect the girl who'd left the orphanage.

"Are you insane? Do you think I enjoy killing Haena?!"

Kangyeon's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sharp gaze poured down on me.

"I know her better than you. I'm closer to her than you are. When Haena became an adult and joined Katus, I was the happiest!"

This was their problem. Their society, their business.

"But I don't want to let this girl die."

Sacrificing the few for the many—I'd seen it too many times. Prioritizing the sacrifice of those who'd done 'not quite deadly wrongs but relatively immoral acts' in unavoidable situations—I'd experienced that exhaustingly often. Turning a blind eye in front of someone I could save, for the sake of everyone, the rules, justice... that had become as natural as breathing for me.

I hated it.

"If I report this to the higher-ups, our Katus leader will see it as a serious incident."

"Ah, really?"

"Another organization in Anseongu has unilaterally taken one of our sinners against Katus's will. This could blow up big...!"

She screamed, scraping together even the deepest cries from her chest.

"Katus has ways to verify reports. Even without that, as long as Haena lives, it'll eventually come out that you're hiding her!"

Everyone had their own reasons. No matter whose side I took, I couldn't resolve the situation perfectly or cleanly. So, at least I'd satisfy my own greed.

'I'll live for myself.' It sounded a bit off, but still.

"Yes, go ahead and make a fuss. What, is a large armed group coming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here? Shooting guns?"

I let out a hollow laugh.

"Don't worry. I can subdue all of you without killing a single one."

"..."

Kangyeon bit her lip hard, lost in thought. Hari approached me with trembling steps.

"Don't overstep..."

"Hm?"

"If Katus cuts off support, where will these kids get food? Where will they go when they grow up?!"

I nodded calmly.

"I'll help."

"Don't talk nonsense! Why would you... what do you want from us? What are you expecting to get out of this—"

The surroundings suddenly darkened.

"Hm?"

It wasn't pitch black. The mart's lights still shone brightly. But outside, it had grown dark.

"..."

Kangyeon bit her lip again.

"Damn it, I didn't think it'd come to this..."

She checked the map, alternating between it and the sky, then sighed deeply.

"At this distance, escape's impossible... Ha, damn it."

Kangyeon looked my way.

"You guys are stronger than we thought. For an anomaly to trigger with just this many people."

"Anomaly?"

The darkness blanketing outside was unnaturally eerie.

"Do you know what this is?"

"Wait if you don't. The status window will pop up soon."

"...Pardon?"

As Kangyeon said, while I hesitated, the status window appeared.

"What is this?"

"Anseongu is a bit special. When a bunch of survivors enter this land, events like this happen. Like it's driving out intruders itself."

"This kind of thing... huh."

The elite monsters roaming here were, of course, much stronger than ordinary people. But if there was a proper organization nearby, if they could mobilize a bunch of hunters, was there any reason to abandon this land? They could occupy it with enough hunters and secure supply points like a few marts and convenience stores—not abundant, but steady.

There was no reason to leave it empty without a trace of humans, like when I first arrived.

That darkness was probably the reason.

"Then... why hasn't it happened until now?"

"We didn't account for your presence. You didn't account for ours either."

"..."

"Normally, Hari's group would be holed up in a safe zone and not counted."

Kangyeon shook her head with a deep sigh.

"What a joke. We were arguing about rules, whether Haena must die or not... and now we're all dying equally."

"Dying? Why?"

Kangyeon glanced out the window, looking annoyed.

"When this darkness falls... all the monsters around rush toward the light."

"Hide in the darkness?"

"The darkness itself will kill us. Once you're in it, you never come back."

"Hmm..."

I quietly tucked away the question 'Would even I not be able to return if I went in?' and continued asking.

"So, how many monsters come?"

"At least enough to kill all of us."

"You came into such a dangerous place without a care?"

"...We didn't think it'd escalate this far."

Despair filled their eyes. Everyone except me, Seohee, and Sua.

"We have no intention of dying."

"...Your resolve to fight to the end is admirable, but wouldn't it hurt less to pick who dies last even now?"

"No one's dying. Anyone trying to put a bullet in their head right now—I'll beat them senseless and confiscate their gun."

Whether fed up or resigned, Kangyeon nodded with a hollow smile.

"Then fight. Let's see."

"As much as you want."

I looked toward the mart's entrance. Countless zombies were piled up, waiting for me.