Life Is Originally Alone (2)
-???
-What the hell.
-What's going on.
The chat window filled up with question marks.
Go Cheon-su's axe had just carved the number '1' into the thorn vine.
Chop! He swung the axe once more, severing the thorn vine completely.
Roooaaar!
The Wood Zombie let out a guttural roar and hurled the remaining vines clutched in its hand to the ground.
At the same moment, the Aggro skill activated.
What was he doing? The answer was simple.
'It noticed me.'
For a brief instant, the Wood Zombie's gaze had flicked his way. The soldier's flailing had drawn its attention first, sending the vines that direction, but there was no doubt—he was on its prey list now too.
'Fucking great.'
Normally, the safest play would be to wait for the soldier to die, then slip out once the Wood Zombie turned back. But if it had spotted him hiding in the bushes, that changed everything. Getting caught out alone would make survival even harder.
That's why he'd seized the chance to sever its ranged weapon first.
Roooaaar!
Even so, he couldn't chop the vines completely short. Luck was on his side that the enraged Wood Zombie had flung the rest away.
"Don't come near me!"
Go Cheon-su shouted, but the Wood Zombie charged at him anyway.
"Raaagh!"
As the Wood Zombie leaped down toward the bushes, Go Cheon-su bolted along the riverbank in a razor-thin dodge. Thankfully, the slope did the work—the thing tumbled sideways like a falling boulder.
Splash!
The Wood Zombie plunged into the river.
Roooaaar!
It thrashed wildly but couldn't properly float, sinking repeatedly.
"Trees floating well on water? That's just a stereotype."
Unfinished wood sinks easier than you'd think. Go Cheon-su climbed back to where the Wood Zombie had originated, scooping up a rifle the victim had dropped.
"Die there already."
Bang! Bang!
Full-auto was useless. He aimed for the face. It was thrashing too violently for a clean vital hit, but luck smiled—he gouged a wound near its eye.
Roooaaar!
Pain must've registered; it squeezed its eyes shut, roaring and flailing in agony.
Go Cheon-su stripped the spare mags and loaded rounds from the other dropped gun, then leveled his rifle at the soldier on the rubber boat.
"Hey!"
The soldier looked up at him in bewilderment.
"Swim across here!"
Roooaaar!
Near the rubber boat, the Wood Zombie was rampaging like a maniac. Terrified of getting snagged mid-swim, the soldier paled and shook his head.
"Hurry up, you punk!"
He'd lost his squadmates, this guy showed up acting like he knew something they didn't, and now this bullshit monster on top. Go Cheon-su's mood soured; he scowled fiercely.
"Wanna end your life right now?"
He was half-tempted to cut the stream and vent some stress. The soldier just kept hesitating, oblivious.
Bang!
"One."
Go Cheon-su fired near the rubber boat.
"Two."
Bang!
The order was all wrong. Maybe that's why the soldier couldn't decide. Go Cheon-su swung the muzzle elsewhere and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Sssshhh!
The bullet punched into the rubber boat. Air hissed out loudly.
Roooaaar!
The Wood Zombie thrashed toward the noise—the closest sound.
"Aaaah!"
Seeing that, the soldier finally dove into the water.
"Gaaah! Save...!"
He paddled like a dog to evade the Wood Zombie, crawling ashore at last. Go Cheon-su jammed the rifle barrel in his face with a grin.
"Get up. You're not dead yet."
Nearby clothing store by the bridge.
Go Cheon-su changed out of his wet clothes and asked, "Where you from? Daejeon Station? Daejeon Complex Terminal?"
The soldier sat bound to a pillar in front of the wall—out of sight of anything useful. Go Cheon-su chuckled dryly at his futile struggles.
"I just saved your ass. Can't you tell me something?"
No unit insignia on the soldier's shoulder. Paradoxically, that told Go Cheon-su exactly where he was from.
"7.5 Division. What the hell kind of outfit is that?"
Unlike Jo Yong-jin, who'd deserted cluelessly and died heroically, this guy was different. Go Cheon-su pulled on the hood of his new hoodie and approached.
"Let's see."
Go Cheon-su glanced blankly at the chat.
"Ha."
Go Cheon-su sighed. "Guys, I couldn't even land a punch on flesh, let alone bone. Can't you see my face?"
Exhausted from losing his team, but the mirror showed a face with decent vibe.
"A loner pulling this off ain't bad."
He was shocked. But he didn't forget his role. Streamers had to clown around nonstop.
To stay on track, he reined himself in like that.
"Anyway..."
Go Cheon-su faced the soldier again. "No name?"
No name tag. Nothing on the uniform indicating affiliation.
"Sharp features, huh."
Long face, keen eyes. Hard to believe he'd screamed at the Wood Zombie—now those eyes glared fiercely at Go Cheon-su.
"What're you staring at."
Poke.
He jabbed the soldier's eye with V-fingers.
"Gah!"
The soldier squeezed his eyes shut, screaming. "Guh! You crazy bastard!"
"Yeah, crazy bastard."
But who was crazier—the guy who'd blown off his own leg?
"Crazy bastard's asking: why'd you blow your leg off? You nearly died for real."
Without a diehard fan, he might've actually bit it.
"Why blow your leg? You guys told us to cross."
"..."
Silence. Go Cheon-su didn't like this type much, honestly.
Bang!
Leg first.
"Guh?"
The soldier gaped in shock.
Bang!
Other leg, no hesitation.
Bang!
Arm next.
Bang!
Other arm...
"Wai..."
The soldier shuddered, mouth agape.
Go Cheon-su lowered the muzzle. "Wait? Hold on?"
He sighed. "Then give me something to work with."
Regular soldier? Nah, he'd treat different. But 7.5 Division pretended to rescue while shoving people to slaughter.
"Radio blasts us to come here, then you block the bridge? Playing games?"
What crime did the folks dying from that deserve?
"Th-that was..."
"Not talking? Die then. I'll figure it out elsewhere."
No time to waste here. Just a quick change.
"W-wait! Okay! I get it...!"
The soldier yelled as Go Cheon-su raised the rifle again.
"7.5 Division! I'm with 7.5 Division...!"
"Knew that."
Go Cheon-su pulled the trigger.
"Bang."
Click.
The man flinched hard. But no shot—Go Cheon-su had just mouthed it.
"Safety on."
He smirked coldly. "Locked, so relax. You're still intact. Oh, minus the few rounds already?"
"Crazy... fucker!"
"Yeah, I'm crazy. So explain how crazy your crew is. To a fellow lunatic."
Jang Seo-yeon and others flocked to 7.5 Division. That mayor from the train too—plenty suspicious.
"You guys rebels or something?"
Jo Yong-jin's unit couldn't cope with the world's end. No prep for it.
Training or not, without tight bonds, unified action was impossible.
"Rebels makes sense."
Plotters to overthrow had contingency plans. Monsters unforeseen? Still, they'd adapt better than standard forces, seize chances.
"Gathering people for what? Cutting the bridge—got your quota, no more room?"
Guesswork. But Go Cheon-su pressed mercilessly.
"No? Say so."
The soldier's face ashen—bullet shock or truth hitting home?
Go Cheon-su dropped his gaze briefly, then locked eyes steadily.
"D-End. Answer me."
Then it hit.
The soldier looked up, stunned. "Wha...? What'd you say...?"
Not just a word, huh. Go Cheon-su replied flatly.
"What? I was gonna join too, so I know."
Go Cheon-su ignored the chat's buzz, pressing on. "Got the code 'cause I was signing up."
"N-no way... You were a key recruit too?"
Key recruit? Vibe said elite gatherer or somesuch.
"Yeah. Promised work with top brass, but got attacked by your guys before details—whole thing botched."
"No... way."
The soldier muttered, genuinely flustered. "Such a screw-up..."
"Yeah, your screw-up sparked this mess. What'd you think seeing you blow the bridge?"
"..."
Soldier speechless, face full of shame.
"But still! This just complicates things more!"
Go Cheon-su sighed at the sudden outburst.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Huh?"
"What'd you peg me as?"
Go Cheon-su said shamelessly, "Combat operative."
"Combat... operative?"
"Yeah. Merc."
Cold-faced, he loomed. "You know from experience. Fighting's in my bones. Mistreat me, I lash out like this."
The soldier groaned, convinced. "Fair, if that's true."
"'If'—it is true."
Go Cheon-su grabbed his collar. "Don't wanna see more blood? Help me join. Or spill future plans—I'll handle entry myself."
The soldier gulped, silent.
"I get it, but you attacked me. Hard to accept you as one of us..."
"Misunderstanding."
Go Cheon-su released him. "Fine. Your face says you get my spot. I'll bank on that."
"Bank...?"
"Help me, I'll take you back. You saw—I'm a field specialist. Can handle your patient ass."
Go Cheon-su eyed the chat, then the soldier. "Your call. Spill what you know, I'll help. Won't even ask for join assist. Up to you."
Ball in his court. Rejection wouldn't shock.
"..."
No answer. Go Cheon-su readied single-shot.
Then—
"If what I know's enough..."
It hooked.