Why the Hell Do You Want to Meet? (1)
I strolled along leisurely. Of course, I couldn't run. I'm lugging around these precious bags of snacks right now, you know. Sure, there are eggs too, but fuck that. How the hell am I supposed to survive just eating eggs? I need carbs too. Snacks are a vital source of carbohydrates. Plus, they're delicious.
But this neighborhood... damn. I never came here even before the zombie apocalypse, but the back alleys behind the shops look pretty rundown. Low-rise buildings that must be 40 or 50 years old, houses, a Chinese restaurant and a butcher shop with signs that haven't changed in three generations. It felt like stepping straight into the 1980s just 20 meters away. Our Sane Ddeul Apartment isn't anything fancy either, but compared to this place, it's a palace. Oh, what's that? A neighborhood grocery store? A total hole-in-the-wall shop. The kind you only see in the countryside, and here it is in Seoul. But, hmm. Since I had to walk, I had no choice but to stab the zombies shambling toward me with "Uuuuugh—" groans using my spear, but this area... the zombies haven't been cleared properly. People come and go here scavenging supplies? Must be a bitch. No wonder Yeonsu got bitten.
That somewhat taller building amid this rundown village—like it was slapped together by orcs— the path leading there. As I got closer, I could see the nearby shops increasingly wrecked. Shutters smashed or bent, leaving gaps big enough for people to slip in and out, or windows shattered. Most of those places were stripped bare inside, and the closer I got to the big building, the more obvious it was that the surrounding shops had been thoroughly looted and ransacked.
They've swept this area clean and now they're pushing into the fancier new commercial strip at Gachae Shopping District? That's when Yeonsu and Hye-yun ran into me. Hmm, got it. Ugh, but seriously, clear out the zombies in this neighborhood. With all the houses around, zombies are gathered in little groups everywhere, groaning "Uuuugh," and it's annoying as hell. Of course, that's because I'm munching on my bags and strolling along casually. These fuckers are drawn to light and sound. Do they react to smell too? Hmm. Probably not? If they were, Yeonsu and Hye-yun would've been zombie chow by now. Hell, all the humans would've been gone ages ago. Even with our stench wafting everywhere, we can still sneak around carefully, which is why some humans are still kicking. Fuck, humans are smellier animals than you'd think. I read that online. Plus, ugh. Zombies reek pretty bad too. They're literally rotting away—how the hell would they tell their own stink from human scent?
I mulled over that bullshit in my head, hummed a tune, stabbed with my spear to pile up sand mounds, and kept walking. Crunch crunch crunch. The bags rustled annoyingly on my back, but whatever. Thinking of Yeonsu and Hye-yun's happy faces when I hand it over makes it worth it. Today it's snacks; tomorrow, I'll haul a ton of drinks.
"Pabapabam~ Bam~ Bam~ Bam~ Pababam~" Movie BGM. Can't remember which one.
"Do-dun, do-dun, do-dun! Do-dun, do-dun, do-dun!" Humming away while spearing. Whoosh, sand dune. Spear. Whoosh. I was trying to keep a good mood going with the singing, but something pissed me off. Whenever, wherever, whoever? "Let's meet." What the fuck do you want? Am I supposed to come to you? You come to me. Fuck, I'm a god. But on the other hand... I'm curious. How are those girls doing? They said that human group is the only one left in the neighborhood, and I kinda wanna see how they're surviving. Of course, Yeonsu and Hye-yun would get mad, so no need to get chummy, but still. Curious. So just this once. I'll humor them this time.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm~ Hmm-hmm-hmm— hmm— hmm— hmm— heh-heh-hmm~" About 100 meters left to the big building. At this leisurely pace, 1 or 2 minutes. They've already spotted me. Two guys on the roof patrolling are looking down, and I can see the building entrance. Two people out front. More coming out from inside? Then, from the side.
"Hey, over here, over here."
Huh? Alley. A group of people hiding there. Uncles, aunties, about 8 of them?
"This way."
...Why are they whispering? I glanced at the building, uhh? What the?
"Hurry. They'll see us."
Hmm. I slipped into the alley. The aunties and uncles huddled together—faces smeared black with grime, clothes ragged, looking like they absolutely stink—their expressions desperate and tense. As I approached, they gestured me over and moved in perfect sync, crouching low and sneaking along.
"Duck down. Those guys will see."
The uncle at the rear said that. ...What the hell is this? Anyway, whatever. I'll duck.
"What, you said meet up, so I came. What's this about?"
"Shh. Keep your voice down."
...What. The aunties and uncles knew this street like the back of their hand. They slipped through crumbled walls into a small single-house yard, hopped the fence into another alley, winding around repeatedly. Picking only blind spots invisible from the building? But the problem is, I've got these bags, and the warrior's pretty tall. 2 meters. You think ducking hides that? Plus, why the fuck are we hiding?
Among these shitty houses, the least crappy one. It had a separate garage sized for one sedan. Everyone crammed into the garage. Five uncles grabbed the shutter, exchanged glances, and slowly lowered it without a sound, all desperate not to make noise. Creak, creak, creak as they fully closed it. An aunty in the corner lit a candle.
"Gotta use candles on days like this. Everyone okay with that?"
"Yeah. Fine."
"Usable today."
The aunty placed the candle on a stand and turned to me with a smile.
"This candle's smuggled goods too—if they find out, we're exiled."
"............"
Some uncles and aunties already slumped to the floor. They all looked exhausted. Bad complexions. One younger-looking aunty was coughing. Clutching her face with both arms, cough, cough, sweating cold bullets.
...If I weren't wearing this helmet, I'd wanna scratch my head. This isn't my head anyway, no point scratching, so I just rested my hand on my chin.
"...What's this? Why hide?"
The aunty who'd lit the candle fetched two plastic chairs from the corner, set one by me, and sat on the other. She's the leader. But that plastic chair... it's cracked. I could've scavenged better from the dump.
"I'm heavy; it'd break if I sat." I sat on the floor instead. Yeah. I'm heavier than you'd think. Haven't weighed myself, but at least 200kg. Anyway, from their vibe, they don't seem about to attack me, and if they tried, whatever, you'd all die. Wanna taste sand? So I wasn't tense. Just curious.
"So? What is it? Why bring me here? You wanted to meet?"
The aunty on the chair nodded and spoke.
"Yes, that's right. We posted the 'let's meet' note."
"...Why?"
"Well, actually, the other day... we saw you turning zombies to sand. When we went to pick up Yeonsu and Hye-yun."
"Ah, yeah. That was you guys."
Now that I look, their faces seem kinda familiar... like hell. All smeared black—how am I supposed to tell them apart? Seriously. They could use a wash. But no water, so I won't say it.
"So?"
"Are Yeonsu and Hye-yun doing okay?"
"They're fine. Why? You close with them?"
"Yeah. We... didn't talk much, but they were quiet and good kids. We'd sneak them extra tuna cans sometimes..."
I hadn't heard that. Probably thought it was their rations?
"Hmm. So?"
I shrugged and shook my head.
"Still haven't heard why you wanted to meet. What is it?"
"How are Yeonsu and Hye-yun... living there?"
Curious about the girls' well-being? Nah. But whatever, nothing to hide, and the girls said the scavenging team was okay-ish.
"They're doing great. Overheard while bathing together yesterday—they're getting sick of steamed eggs. So maybe egg rolls next, or if I can snag butter or cream, scrambled eggs wouldn't suck. But that's hard to find."
"...Bat... bathing...?"
"Yeah. Bathed, then played board games, had fun. Oh, cola and soda at home's running low, so gotta farm more soon. Anyway... doing well? Yeah, super well. Seem happy to me. Wouldn't know for sure unless I ask."
The aunties and uncles exchanged looks. Leader aunty leaned toward me, eyes full of intense interest.
"...How do you bathe? By a stream or something? How?"
"Nah, streams are dangerous now. Zombies rotting in 'em—even if it looks clear, drink it and you're dead. Become a zombie."
"True. Can't drink just any water. Disaster."
"Zombie virus doesn't die even boiled."
"Hack, cough."
"...Hey, aunty. You okay?"
The coughing aunty glanced at me. Looks around sideways.
"Who you looking at? I asked. Answer me. Sick?"
"...Yes. I..."
Her throat's wrecked. Raspy.
"Few days now... cough."
"Coughing like that'll draw zombies. You good?"
"Yes... my daughter's starving... cough."
"What about your daughter? Just sitting there hungry?"
"She's sick too..."
"Hmm."
Current mental power's 4. Got nearly 80 coins on the way here despite leisurely stabbing—used one recovery obviously.
I whispered,
Ma'at's Rest
Both hands glowed. I extended one.
"Grab it."
People freaked at the glowing hand. Yeah, yeah. First time seeing magic, normal to be shocked—give 'em a sec. I held out my hand patiently. Aunty glanced around, then tentatively reached... ...gripping just one finger like a teacup. Grab it firm, like a proper handshake. But it touched, so Ma'at's light flowed through her hand. She gasped, eyes wide.
"...The tightness in my chest is gone."
"What?"
People looked back and forth between her and me in shock. Yeah, yeah. Amazing, got it.
"So."
I eyed the amazed crowd.
"Why'd you wanna see me? Just curious if the girls are okay?"