Han Jia
At Kang Dohyun's words, Jeong Hangyeol felt a flicker of tension.
'How strong is he, really?'
The Phantom Mercenary Group was a major mercenary organization well-known in Sejong City, its reputation having spread all the way to Gumi. The person the Phantom Mercenary Group had come to ask for a favor... he couldn't be an ordinary man.
'Still, pull yourself together.'
He was the leader of the Gumi Student Front Group — a large organization with over five hundred combatants and around three hundred quasi-combatants. The civilian population living within his territory alone exceeded three thousand.
'I am the leader of a massive group.'
Jeong Hangyeol steadied his nerves.
Once he regained his composure, he smiled and replied.
"Hahaha, I see. It's an honor to meet such an impressive person."
Watching his demeanor, Kang Dohyun thought.
'Right, Jeong Hangyeol was a generous, big-hearted man.'
He had many friends and was a good person, which was why he'd become student council president at Gumi University. When the apocalypse struck, he naturally led the students to fight on the front lines against zombies and became the leader of this group.
'But the real reason this group grew was...'
Kang Dohyun glanced at Han Jiyu. She immediately averted her eyes.
'The genius strategist, Han Jiyu. Thanks to her, the Gumi Student Front Group grew.'
Her appearance was plain.
But as a genius strategist, she calculated well, read situations accurately, and planned logistics and supply lines flawlessly. She was Jeong Hangyeol's childhood friend, so she had been by his side supporting him from the very beginning.
To put it precisely —
The Gumi Student Front Group was an organization that grew and expanded continuously because the generous, big-hearted Jeong Hangyeol was backed by the meticulous genius strategist Han Jiyu.
Kang Dohyun began discussing business matters with Jeong Hangyeol and Han Jiyu.
"You requested an assassination, correct?"
"Yes, we did."
The Gumi Student Front Group wanted to keep expanding its influence.
But Gimcheon to the west was controlled by the massive 50th Division, the north was rural countryside, and the south was blocked by mountains. They had no choice but to head east, but that meant clashing with the Gumi High School Group and its allied factions that already controlled Gumi's Buk-gu district.
"You want us to assassinate Choi Yejun of the Gumi High School Group?"
"Yes."
Compared to the Gumi Student Front Group, the Gumi High School Group was very small in scale, but they had formed alliances with other nearby groups and were an elite force, making them quite difficult to deal with.
Especially Choi Yejun of Gumi High School, who had reached level 20 — a high-level warrior.
The Gumi Student Front Group had over a hundred warriors above level 10, but their highest-level warrior was Jeong Hangyeol himself, who only reached level 16.
They were suffering continuous casualties in guerrilla warfare against the elite Gumi High School Group, which was why they had made the assassination request to eliminate Choi Yejun.
Kang Dohyun chatted with the two of them about various matters. But then —
Click.
The door to the situation room opened, and a woman rolled in on a wheelchair.
"Jia-ya! We have guests right now."
"Ah... right. I'm sorry."
Han Jiyu hurried over to the woman, trying to usher her out, but —
"It's fine. It's okay."
Kang Dohyun stood up from his seat.
"Hasn't our conversation ended? I've confirmed the request, haven't I?"
At Kang Dohyun's statement that he had confirmed the request, Jeong Hangyeol and Han Jiyu were left speechless.
Then Kang Dohyun approached the woman in the wheelchair and said —
"You're truly beautiful. I'm captivated at first sight."
"Huh???"
She was flustered, and Han Jiyu beside her was equally flustered.
Her younger sister, Han Jia, had a pure image, but she wasn't an extraordinarily beautiful woman. Moreover, because her sister had a disability, men tended to be somewhat hesitant to approach her.
Both Han Jiyu and Han Jia were flustered, but Kang Dohyun, with a serious expression, politely knelt on one knee and bowed again.
"I'd like to formally introduce myself. My name is Kang Dohyun."
At his polite greeting, Han Jia, though flustered, replied —
"I... I'm Han Jia."
"Your name is truly beautiful too."
Kang Dohyun spoke to her with genuine politeness and courtesy.
"If you have time, would you like to have coffee with me?"
"....."
At his bold date invitation, Han Jia couldn't respond.
"Um... My sister doesn't date men!"
Han Jiyu put up a wall on her behalf. But Kang Dohyun ignored Han Jiyu's words and said —
"Are you embarrassed? Then I'll wait."
He pulled a small flower from his inventory. It was an artificial flower, but in this era, it was a rare sight. More importantly, the other three people were shocked to see him pull something from his inventory.
"A gift. I'll always be waiting for you."
After handing over such an impactful gift —
"J... Jia-ya. Let's go."
Han Jiyu hurriedly led her sister out of the situation room, ending the situation.
Kang Dohyun's real target for coming here was Han Jia.
A plain woman with a disability — that was Han Jia. She couldn't walk, putting her at a severe disadvantage for survival in the apocalypse.
But she was a person with tremendous potential, because upon reaching level 10, she would awaken an incredible trait.
Of course, she had to reach level 10 before her value would be revealed, so it would take considerable time — but she was an extraordinary person.
And besides —
'I genuinely have feelings for her too.'
Han Jia was a woman with a truly good character.
After awakening her trait, she was called the Saintess of Gumi for her kindness in healing so many people.
Kang Dohyun had even been saved by her before his regression.
Han Jia was plain in appearance and couldn't walk due to her disability, but her heart was truly beautiful.
After Han Jia left the situation room, Kang Dohyun put on a disappointed expression.
"Do you like Jia?"
"Yes, I really do."
Jeong Hangyeol, having noted that Kang Dohyun liked Han Jia, asked.
"Should I arrange a place for you?"
"Yes, I'll spend time with Ms. Jia in a truly polite and gentlemanly manner."
The two of them chatted a bit more about Han Jia.
Han Jiyu and Han Jia, having exited the situation room, walked quickly while talking.
"Jia-ya, that man is dangerous. Don't get close to him."
"Why? He's the first person to come up to me and say he likes me so actively?"
Han Jia's expression was too bright. Seeing that, Han Jiyu said with a worried look.
"No, he's truly a dangerous person."
"After the apocalypse... has there ever been a person who wasn't dangerous?"
Many of the men the sisters had encountered were dangerous people. Even among the combatants in the group they belonged to, there were many cruel ones.
Han Jia knew this well.
"Besides... did you see that earlier? Pulling a flower out of thin air? He has incredible abilities!"
The sight of him using an inventory had shocked Han Jia too.
"Sigh...."
Han Jiyu sighed, but Han Jia talked about Kang Dohyun to her sister for a long time.
After that day, Kang Dohyun stayed in the situation room every day, waiting to meet Han Jia.
Han Jia couldn't stay alone for long, so she would come to the situation room for meals or occasionally to meet her sister and Jeong Hangyeol. Each time —
"You're here again today!"
Kang Dohyun would wait for her and express his affection.
"You're still as beautiful as ever today."
After praising her appearance, he would say —
"I heard you like sweet things."
And he would pull out snacks she liked from his inventory, using information he'd gotten from Jeong Hangyeol.
"Wow! Thank you!"
When he handed her chocolate, which had become rare to find these days, she was overjoyed. Then he said —
"Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll find a way to get it for you."
"Just your thoughtfulness is enough."
Han Jia had never had a man express affection for her so actively before, so she was delighted.
Gradually, the atmosphere between the two of them began to warm.
As the atmosphere between Kang Dohyun and Han Jia became unusual, Han Jiyu grew uneasy. But Jeong Hangyeol beside her said —
"Let's just watch and see."
"No, he's an assassin!"
"Hey, he's a powerful ability user who the Phantom Mercenary Group asked for a favor. Besides, you saw him pull things out of thin air."
He was an ability user. An incredibly powerful one.
"It'd be good if he gets along well with Jia."
At Jeong Hangyeol's words, Han Jiyu could picture Jia being used and then discarded, but —
"Jia's value has finally been revealed. After the apocalypse."
At Jeong Hangyeol's words, Han Jiyu was left speechless.
Her sister had a disability, no combat ability, and no special powers.
But the fact that a man who liked her was highly capable... that alone gave her value.
After Kang Dohyun stayed for five days and his romance with Han Jia deepened —
'Now it's time to show my hand.'
He decided he needed to demonstrate his abilities.
So when night fell, he flew high into the sky on his drone.
The place where the Gumi High School Group stayed was a small building right in front of Gumi High School.
And Choi Yejun was staying on the top floor — the safest floor in that building.
When Kang Dohyun arrived at the building —
"Zzzzzzzzzz"
The sound of snoring could be heard even outside the building. Choi Yejun, tall and massive, was completely asleep.
'With other group's combatants on the lower floors... he never expected to be assassinated like this.'
Kang Dohyun pulled out his crossbow. He loaded a mana bolt and —
Thwip, thwack!
"Kuh!"
The bolt embedded in his neck. With a sound like a pig's throat being slit, Choi Yejun died.
You have acquired 843 Zombie Coins.
'Nice! He was carrying a lot of coins.'
Satisfied, Kang Dohyun piloted his drone and left the area.
The next morning, when Kang Dohyun arrived at the situation room, Jeong Hangyeol and Han Jiyu, who were already there, greeted him with excited expressions.
"Mr. Dohyun, by any chance... yesterday??"
"Yes, I handled yesterday's matter."
They had heard from their intelligence sources that Choi Yejun had died. Still, the two of them wanted to confirm additional details, but at Kang Dohyun's statement that he had killed him —
"Nice!"
"The best! The best!"
The two cheered with joy. They had dealt with a troublesome enemy.
"Jiyu, from today, let's officially advance into Gumi's Buk-gu district."
"Understood. I'll execute the plan I've prepared right away."
The two immediately declared the occupation of Gumi's Buk-gu district and began moving busily.
And Kang Dohun smiled.
'Will it really be that easy?'
He watched the two of them with that thought in mind.