Chapter 22.
Chapter 22.
That evening.
We parked the two Staria Campers in a quiet vacant lot near the mart. After confirming there were no zombies around, we started preparing the barbecue.
Thanks to the ample supplies, we were able to have a proper meal for the first time in a while. We took out frozen beef and pork and put them on the burner.
Jigeul-jigeul.
The smell of grilling meat spread. It felt like the first time I'd smelled it since the world ended.
"Wow... Meat. Real meat."
Su-jin said with an emotional expression.
"We only ate ramen and canned food in the subway. I couldn't even dream of meat."
"Eat as much as you want. There's plenty."
Yerin put meat on a plate and handed it to her.
The four of us sat around and ate the meat. As if to break the awkward atmosphere, Jung-hoon spoke up first.
"We haven't properly introduced ourselves. I worked at a car repair shop right after graduating high school. It's already been 10 years."
"10 years, you're a veteran."
"Well, I can fix most cars. Campers are no problem either."
Su-jin continued.
"I worked at a university hospital for about 5 years. In the emergency room and surgical ward."
"The emergency room? Then you must be good at first aid."
"Yes. I can even do stitches. Though I can't do anesthesia..."
Useful talents. I'm glad I let them join.
Jung-hoon asked.
"But Min-woo-ssi, what did you do for a living? Seeing how well you shoot the bow, were you a soldier..."
"No. I was just an ordinary office worker."
"What? An ordinary office worker like that?"
Jung-hoon made an expression of disbelief.
"I was lucky. My older brother liked camping, so there was a bow, and somehow I just got used to catching zombies."
I said humbly. There was no need to talk about my ability.
"Still, it's amazing. You caught 300 of them alone..."
"I did learn archery for a long time when I was young... but after that, I just did it as a hobby. Since I was put in danger of dying in this world, my skills improved rapidly."
Jung-hoon shook his head and laughed. He didn't seem to believe the whole story.
Su-jin said, looking at Yerin.
"By the way, Yerin-ssi, you're really pretty in person. I thought you were pretty when I saw you on TV too."
"Thank you."
"It couldn't have been easy for a celebrity to survive in this situation..."
"Min-woo-ssi saved me. We've been traveling together ever since."
Yerin glanced at me. She had a slight smile on her face.
The atmosphere became much softer. We ate meat and talked about this and that.
Stories from before the world ended. Stories about family. Future plans.
"Where are you going to go from here?"
Jung-hoon asked.
"Nothing is decided yet. I'll have to think about it slowly."
"I see..."
Jung-hoon nodded.
The night deepened. The meat party continued until late.
The meat party ended. Jung-hoon and Su-jin returned to the Staria Camper.
Yerin and I entered our camper.
As soon as we closed the door, reality unfolded before our eyes.
The interior was full of supplies. The floor, the seats, and the storage cabinets were packed with luggage.
And one bed.
"Well... we should sleep, right?"
Yerin said with an awkward smile.
"We should."
I answered awkwardly as well.
We both looked at the bed. It was wide enough for two people to lie down. But...
"Um... I'll wash up first."
Yerin hurriedly went into the shower room. Since we have to save water, she'll wash quickly and come out.
I sat on the bed and waited. I was strangely nervous.
A while later, Yerin came out. She was wearing a T-shirt and shorts. Her wet hair was hanging over her shoulders.
"I'm all washed up. You should wash up too, Boss."
"Okay."
I went into the shower room and washed quickly.
When I came out, Yerin was lying at one end of the bed. With the blanket pulled up to her chin.
"Um... I'll stay as close to the corner as possible."
"Okay..."
I lay down on the opposite side. There was a distance of about two or three fists between us.
An awkward silence flowed.
I looked at the ceiling. I could hear Yerin's breathing from beside me.
"Boss."
"Yes?"
"I can't sleep."
"Me neither."
Silence again.
"It's strange. I'm tired, but..."
"It must be because you're nervous."
"I guess so..."
There was a tossing and turning sound. It seemed like Yerin had turned over to her side.
"Boss."
"Yes."
"Turn your back and sleep. That way it might be less awkward."
"Ah... okay."
I turned my back. We lay down facing opposite directions.
Still, I was nervous. I felt like I could feel Yerin's body heat from behind.
"Boss."
"Yes?"
"Are you going to catch a lot of zombies tomorrow too?"
"Probably."
"I'll be more helpful too."
"You're already being helpful enough."
"Thank you..."
It became quiet. I didn't think I'd fall asleep, but before I knew it, my eyes closed.
The next morning.
I opened my eyes.
I felt something warm. I turned my head.
Yerin had rolled over toward me. Almost to the point of touching.
It seems she moved while sleeping. She was sleeping with a peaceful face.
I stayed still because I thought she would wake up if I moved.
"Hmm..."
Yerin opened her eyes. She looked up at me with sleepy eyes.
And she realized her state. That she was almost in my arms.
"Ah...!"
She was startled and backed away. Her face turned red.
"S-sorry! I think I moved while I was sleeping...!"
"It's okay."
"Ah, I'm so embarrassed..."
Yerin covered her face with both hands. Even her ears were dyed red.
I laughed.
"Why, why are you laughing!"
"No, it's because you're cute."
"C-cute, what do you mean..."
Yerin blushed even more and burrowed into the blanket.
It was awkward, but it was not a bad morning.
The next morning.
Today, we decided to leave the camper and focus on hunting. There were still about 150 left until 500.
Before leaving, I called Jung-hoon and Su-jin.
"We're going out hunting today. You two please wait here."
"Understood."
I handed the drone controller to Jung-hoon.
"Please use this to monitor the surroundings. I'll teach you how to control it."
I briefly explained how to launch the drone, how to control it, and how to look at the screen. Jung-hoon nodded and followed along.
"It's not difficult."
"Yes. If a group of zombies or people approach, please contact me immediately via the walkie-talkie."
I also handed him a walkie-talkie.
"And in your spare time, I'd like you to make arrows. The materials are here, and how to make them is..."
Yerin stepped up and explained. For a while, she taught Jung-hoon and Su-jin as I had taught her yesterday.
"Understood. Please go carefully. We'll keep guard well."
Su-jin said.
Yerin and I left on kickboards. They were electric kickboards we had brought from the mart. They were useful because they had little noise and could move quickly.
Today, for safe hunting, we went around quiet places rather than the city center. Because if we went into a place with many zombies, even Yerin could be in danger.
The outskirts of residential areas, near parks, quiet roads.
When we saw zombies, we stopped, shot arrows, retrieved the arrows, and moved again.
"Twelve."
Yerin said while counting.
"Let's go to the next one."
We moved to another location. Another group of zombies appeared. Eight.
As the arrows left the string in succession, they all fell.
"Twenty."
We went around hunting like this. Rather than catching many at once, little by little, safely.
We had a simple lunch of biscuits and water.
"Boss, how many did you catch today?"
"About 90?"
"Wow... already?"
We continued hunting in the afternoon. By the time the sun was setting, we had achieved our goal.
"Did you catch all 150?"
"Yes. 500 achieved."
Yerin smiled brightly.
"Congratulations, Boss!"
"Thank you. Your help was big, Yerin-ssi."
"I only retrieved the arrows..."
"That's a big help too."
We returned to the camper. Jung-hoon and Su-jin welcomed us gladly.
"You've returned safely."
"Yes. Was there anything?"
"It was quiet. A few zombies passed by, but they didn't come this way."
Jung-hoon pointed to the table. Arrows were placed there.
Checking them, the quality wasn't bad for a first attempt. This much was made with quite a lot of care.
"We also made arrows. There are twenty-one."
"Well done. Thank you."
We caught over the goal of 500 zombies.
Tonight, a new ability will be created.
I opened my eyes in the morning.
Yerin was still sleeping beside me.
I remembered last night's dream. A familiar voice. The voice of God.
It said it would give me a new ability since I achieved 500. Wind Negation. That the arrows I shoot will no longer be affected by the wind.
And it said the next goal is 1000. Twice as much as now.
Wind Negation. At first glance, it sounds like nothing, but if you think about it, it's a tremendous ability.
Wind has a big influence on the trajectory of an arrow. Especially at long distances, there are many cases where it misses because of the wind. Even professional archers calculate the wind when shooting, but I no longer need to do that.
Looking out the window, the branches were shaking. As it happened, the wind was blowing quite a bit.
I wanted to test it.
I got up quietly and went out of the camper. I grabbed my bow and arrows.
The wind was blowing hard. Normally, I would have avoided long-range shooting in this much wind.
I saw a tree 50 meters away. I aimed at a specific point.
Swish.
The arrow flew. In a straight line.
The wind was clearly blowing. But the arrow didn't shake at all. It stuck exactly to the target as if there were no wind.
"Wow..."
I exclaimed. It was real.
I shot one more. This time at a distance of 80 meters.
Shook.
It was accurate as expected. It ignored the wind, flew in a straight line, and stuck to the target.
Good. With this, I can easily catch them from afar even outdoors.
"Boss!"
I heard a voice from behind. I turned around and Yerin was standing there.
"When did you come out?"
"A little while ago. Since you weren't there..."
Yerin looked at the arrow stuck in the tree. And she looked at the shaking branches.
"The wind is blowing like this... but the arrow didn't shake at all."
"I got a new ability. Wind Negation."
"Wind Negation?"
"The arrows I shoot are no longer affected by the wind."
Yerin looked at the tree again. The branches shaking in the wind. And the arrow stuck precisely without a single tremor.
"Wow... that's really amazing."
"With this, I can easily catch them from afar even on windy days. I just have to calculate the distance."
"You're getting stronger and stronger."
Yerin said with admiration.
"The next goal is 1000."
"1000? It's a lot, but... if it's you, Boss, you'll do it quickly, right?"
"Well. I'll have to take it slow."
Yerin smiled.
"Still, it's a good thing. Because you're becoming safer."
She was right. As abilities increase, the survival probability also goes up.
The wind continued to blow fiercely. But I had become a being that had overcome the wind.