Wear the Mask (2)
With Go Cheon-su joining them, the group headed straight for the stairs first. It was the very same staircase he had climbed up with Song Hana.
"Alright, I'll take the lead."
Bae Young-ho stepped forward and opened the door to the stairs.
-Totally staring. He's aware of him.
'Aware?'
Go Cheon-su let out a hollow chuckle. Were they seriously getting self-conscious from the moment they had to descend these stairs together just to survive and make it back?
'Fine by me.'
Looked like Bae Young-ho was volunteering to handle the dangerous stuff himself. No reason for Go Cheon-su to object.
-Ahh, this is how you open a door.
-Turning the doorknob means opening the door.
"Got it."
-Ouch.
Hurt feelings or whatever—Go Cheon-su was actually hyper-focused right now.
'There are still Red Zombies down below.'
And not just one. By the time they descended these stairs and opened the door at the bottom, they might face several at once.
Swoosh.
He had no choice but to raise his axe naturally.
"Whoa, what the—?"
"Go Cheon-su-ssi?"
The flight attendants turned to him with startled eyes.
"Don't be so intimidating from behind."
"You're scaring us for no reason."
"……."
They flinched at every little thing. Go Cheon-su shrugged belatedly.
"We're gonna run into monsters once we hit the bottom of the stairs. Just getting ready ahead of time."
The crew exchanged uneasy glances but didn't argue further. It wasn't wrong. Better to watch for immediate threats than suspect each other.
Creak.
Finally at the bottom, Bae Young-ho started unlocking the valve lock.
"Hold up."
Go Cheon-su grabbed Bae Young-ho's shoulder firmly.
"What?"
As Bae Young-ho turned with a furrowed brow, Go Cheon-su pressed a finger to his own lips.
"Shhh."
"Wh-what……."
"Quiet."
He moved his finger to seal Bae Young-ho's lips.
-Ah, this crazy bastard!
Bae Young-ho recoiled in shock, mirroring the viewers' reaction, but Go Cheon-su pressed his ear to the door.
"……."
His serious expression froze the whole group, Bae Young-ho included.
"Ah, damn it."
After a few seconds, he turned and said,
"No sounds at all."
It was a thick steel door, but not soundproofed, so he figured he'd hear something outside. Nothing.
"You can't hear anything from in here normally?"
Bae Young-ho gaped at the innocent question.
"No, what the hell are you……."
"Checking if those things are out there."
Go Cheon-su cut him off.
"Didn't Song Hana tell you? Monsters are swarming this side."
If Red Zombies were close, opening the door could mean eating a hit right away.
"Open it slow. Nice and easy."
Go Cheon-su patted Bae Young-ho's shoulder lightly and stepped back.
"What the……."
Bae Young-ho stared blankly, words failing him. The rest of the group did too.
-They think "what the hell is this guy?"
-Points it out then hides in the back. lmao
"Keep it down, folks."
From Go Cheon-su's view, he was just returning to his spot.
'Why? You said I was on his mind?'
He met Bae Young-ho's gaze leisurely.
'If you're gonna lead, at least know what you're doing.'
This ship wasn't a playground for ego trips. Monsters waited beyond every door. Blind ambition clouded judgment—and that was deadly.
"Ahem……."
Luckily or not, Bae Young-ho wasn't a total idiot. He hesitated, staring at the door.
"Ngh!"
But he had a role to play. He fully turned the valve and cracked the door open.
Creak.
A sliver of space.
"Haa."
Bae Young-ho peered out tensely, then flung the door wide.
"……Phew."
Nothing outside. He sighed in relief, turning to the group. Go Cheon-su nodded approvingly.
-Legs tensed up—ready to bolt if something came in.
-Damn, his personality.
Misunderstanding. Unlike the viewers, Go Cheon-su had been poised to strike if anything burst in.
Swipe.
Bae Young-ho awkwardly beckoned the group. No words needed—they followed him out slowly.
'Nothing here.'
Trailing with Heukgu, Go Cheon-su scanned around and tilted his head.
'Where'd they go?'
Given Red Zombies' smarts, they couldn't have gone far. He stayed on high alert.
Twinkle twinkle.
Opening the Mask Scanner briefly, Go Cheon-su's eyes widened slightly.
'On this floor?'
Special Anti-Dust Mask x5 or more.
On this floor.
'No way…….'
The arrow blinked slowly, pointing somewhere, with the text below updated. As they neared the target, did it blink faster? Then the speed meant…….
Go Cheon-su halted abruptly, but the group kept walking unaware.
Roooaaarrr!
That's when it happened. A roar echoed from somewhere.
"Wh-what?!"
"It showed up?!"
"Where……?!"
Seeing the panicking group, Go Cheon-su dashed forward.
"Everyone, move to the railing by the escalator!"
"Huh?"
"Hurry!"
He shouted that and headed to the railing alone.
"What're you……."
The group stared in confusion.
Roooaaarrr!
But another roar shifted things—the engineer bolted to the railing first. The hesitant others followed one by one.
"This is……."
Even Bae Young-ho, lingering last, ran over and asked,
"Got a plan or something?!"
"Listen up."
Go Cheon-su faced them grimly.
"This is do or die."
They lined up along the railing, spaced out. Excluding Heukgu—who monsters ignored—five humans total, by Go Cheon-su's count.
"Monsters'll pick one of us and charge the second they spot us."
"What does that……."
"Look."
Go Cheon-su made a V with two fingers over his eyes, then pointed toward the growing noise. Focus on the situation, ignore the chatter.
"The ones charging now are like bulls."
Excited, they just barreled in. Red Zombie instinct.
"They'll target one person to ram—so dodge when they do."
If they died to a Red Zombie after this, natural selection. No repeats.
The group had overheard his earlier talk with Bae Young-ho anyway.
Roooaaar!
It appeared. One Red Zombie finally emerged.
"Ugh, shit!"
The flight attendants' startled curses locked in its target.
Roooaaarrr!
No hesitation from the charging beast. Go Cheon-su frowned at the incoming Red Zombie and grabbed the arm of the extra flight attendant beside him.
"Wh-what?!"
The attendant panicked and yelled, naturally.
"Let go!"
By then, the Red Zombie was nearly on them.
"Uwaaaah!"
Its target: this attendant. As the Red Zombie accelerated, Go Cheon-su yanked him hard.
Crash!
Collision followed—but not with the attendant's body.
Roooaaarrr…….
The Red Zombie's cry faded below. Go Cheon-su released the huddled attendant and peered over the shattered glass-walled railing.
It had plummeted into the multi-story vertical garden. No sign now.
"Whoa, that's insane power."
He'd known from the elevator siege, but the charge force was no joke.
"You all saw that, right?"
He turned to the stunned group.
"Do the same if more show. Got it?"
"Yes."
Roooaaar!Roooaaarrr!
Speak of the devil—the other two Red Zombies appeared.
The group flinched and realigned against the railing.
-These the same people doubting Cheon-su?
-Yup, do or die.
The Red Zombies roared and charged together.
Roooaaarrr!Roooaaar!
Target…….
"Why me! Why!"
Bae Young-ho.
"Uwaa! Uwaaaah!"
Unfortunately, he'd drawn their full attention. The two Red Zombies zeroed in and barreled madly.
Thud crash!
One dodged—the first Red Zombie smashed through the railing and fell.
"Uwa……!"
But Bae Young-ho lost balance in the chaos. Prime for the next.
"Oops."
Go Cheon-su, beside him, kicked with a helpless shrug.
"Kyaak!"
Crash!
The kick veered Bae Young-ho; the Red Zombie sailed through the breached railing.
-Kicked him like a soccer ball, holy shit lololol
Go Cheon-su eyed Bae Young-ho sprawled on the floor.
"You good?"
"Cough!"
Choking on dust, Bae Young-ho just gawked back in shock.
"If I hadn't kicked you, it'd be your body smashed instead."
Not that he wanted to.
"Now get up. No time to lounge."
He glanced back at the Mask Scanner.
"I've got something to find. Anyone coming?"
The group swallowed hard, hesitant.
"What're you looking for?"
The engineer, still composed, asked.
"Masks."
Blank stares all around.
"Masks?"
"Like, the ones we know?"
"Why masks all of a sudden……."
Not sudden. Go Cheon-su pointed to the handkerchief around his face.
"You think this'll really cut it?"
Better than nothing, but it wouldn't block all airborne dust.
"That wasn't the last of 'em. You know more are coming, right?"
Dodging Red Zombies was one thing; a handkerchief wouldn't stop exploding ones. Hell, he'd just inhaled dust face-planting.
"Seeing you guys, this setup won't work. Need better protection."
If the scanner was legit, Special Anti-Dust Masks were here. Worlds better than rags.
Woof!
Unlike the silent crew, Heukgu barked energetically.
'…….'
Go Cheon-su gave Heukgu no reaction.
'Sorry, buddy.'
He had to apologize in advance.
Reason being…….
'In the end, the world revolves around humans.'
Go Cheon-su bit his lip, eyeing the less endearing humans over his beloved dog.