005
005
I ordered Kang Mu-yeol to clear out the area around the Villa.
Kang Mu-yeol left the Villa with eyes full of determination.
'How strong is Level 5?'
I used Coins to raise Kang Mu-yeol's Level to 5.
Kang Mu-yeol was already good at smashing Zombies.
I was curious to see how much stronger he had become.
I watched Kang Mu-yeol's battle from outside the window.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Kang Mu-yeol laughed heartily as he swung his baseball bat.
Every time Kang Mu-yeol swung the baseball bat, a Zombie's head and body were separated.
Peoseok!
The head that collided with the wall turned into powder.
The body that lost its head collapsed immediately.
"Hahahahahahaha!"
The swing didn't stop.
Zombies waking up from a dormant state were slow.
The reanimated ones were put to eternal rest.
It didn't take long to clear the front of the Villa.
There weren't many Zombies to begin with.
Kang Mu-yeol looked around.
There were no standing Zombies left.
Kang Mu-yeol raised his head and looked at my apartment window.
I gave him a thumbs up.
Kang Mu-yeol returned to the Villa with the baseball bat slung over his shoulder.
Knock, knock, knock.
I heard a knock.
I opened the front door.
Kang Mu-yeol was standing there.
"My body feels so light!"
"Come in for now."
Kang Mu-yeol's breathing was only slightly ragged.
Even that returned to normal after a few deep breaths.
"I can't believe it...."
Kang Mu-yeol clenched and unclenched his hands.
It seemed the thrill of the fight still lingered.
"It's all thanks to you, Boss-nim. How can I ever thank you...."
Kang Mu-yeol laughed refreshingly.
"Boss-nim?"
The title suddenly changed.
Didn't he call me Min-jun-ssi?
"Now that I think about it, you're my benefactor, so calling you Min-jun-ssi felt a bit... Is it weird? Should I call you Teacher-nim?"
"Call me whatever you're comfortable with."
"Then I'll call you Boss-nim. Boss-nim is more comfortable."
Before the Zombie outbreak, I was just a job seeker who failed company interviews, so hearing "Boss-nim" felt strange.
It wasn't a bad feeling at all.
"Are you planning on going outside?"
"Why?"
I asked back at Kang Mu-yeol's sudden question.
"You asked me to clear the area around the Villa, so I was just wondering."
"No. I have no intention of going outside. Unlike you, Kang Mu-yeol-ssi, I don't have any combat ability."
"How would that be a problem? I can protect you. Anyway, you're saying you don't plan on going out?"
"For now."
"Understood. If you ever plan to go outside, please tell me. I will protect you with my life."
"I appreciate it."
Kang Mu-yeol had become a Tenant of my home anyway.
Revealing my weakness didn't seem like much of a problem.
In fact, I wondered how many people were stronger than Kang Mu-yeol.
The fact that my combat power was weaker than Kang Mu-yeol's wasn't exactly a flaw.
"Actually, I asked you to clear it because other survivors might come looking."
"Other survivors?"
"Just like how you came to this Villa, Kang Mu-yeol-ssi. You were fine because you fight well, but there's no guarantee that other survivors who come here will fight well, right? It's good to make it as safe as possible for them to arrive."
"Are you planning to take in more Tenants?"
"I'm thinking about it for now."
This Villa goes up to Unit 404, where I reside.
If I think about filling it up starting from Unit 101, a total of 16 households can live here.
I occupy one unit, and Kang Mu-yeol occupies one, so there were 14 units left.
The people who come might not be alone.
If they come as a family, three or four people could live in one unit.
If there are many people in the Villa, I might really feel like a landlord.
Of course, I wouldn't be collecting monthly rent.
I could build a community.
If the Tenants collect Coins, that's practically the same as monthly rent.
-Is anyone there? Please help me!
I heard a woman's urgent voice from outside.
I hadn't even been thinking about a community for long, and already, candidates for Tenants had arrived.
I turned my gaze outside the window.
Two people were running from far down the alley.
One woman and one man.
The woman was holding a square timber, and the man was holding a claw hammer.
The woman and man looked strangely alike.
The man had a youthful face.
Zombies were chasing the two.
To think they'd bring Zombies with them right after I just cleared the area.
"What shall we do? Just give me the order."
Kang Mu-yeol asked.
「Name : Im Ji-ah」
「Job : Chef」
「Level : 2」
「Name : Im Do-yeong」
「Job : Repairman」
「Level : 2」
'I can see their Status Window even though they aren't Tenants.'
Judging by the same surname, they looked like siblings.
Neither was specialized in combat, but they had useful jobs.
They were perfect to accept as the next Tenants.
"Let's save them."
"Then I'll be going."
Kang Mu-yeol picked up his baseball bat and went outside.
Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong ran, avoiding the Zombies.
They couldn't swing the weapons they were holding.
Thanks to Kang Mu-yeol having cleared the area, there were no Zombies in front of the Villa.
Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong naturally came to the front of the Villa.
Zombies popped out from all sides.
There was no visible retreat route.
Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong leaned their backs against the Villa wall.
It seemed they couldn't see the Villa entrance right next to them.
It appeared their field of vision had narrowed due to being cornered.
"Help me! Please!"
They must have shouted out of urgency, but in this situation, it was the wrong thing to do.
The Zombie outbreak had been going on for over a month.
Even if there were survivors nearby, there was a possibility they would pretend not to hear.
Zombies react to sound.
People might ignore it, but Zombies react.
All the Zombies nearby swarmed in.
Im Ji-ah held Im Do-yeong's hand tightly.
"Please...."
Im Ji-ah squeezed out her voice.
Sensing the end, Im Ji-ah grabbed Im Do-yeong's hand tightly.
Tears welled up.
"It's okay, it's okay...."
Im Ji-ah said to Im Do-yeong.
No other words came to mind.
"Noona is sorry...."
A month had passed since the Zombie outbreak.
Since it happened so suddenly, there were no stockpiled supplies.
Their dad, who had gone to get food, never returned.
Someone had to go out to get food.
There was only Im Ji-ah and her high schooler brother, Im Do-yeong, at home.
Im Ji-ah declared she would go get food.
Im Do-yeong followed her.
Saying two was better than one.
They made up their minds and went out holding weapons, but they couldn't swing them.
Zombies were terror in themselves.
That's how they were chased all the way to the front of this Villa.
But now, the end was in sight.
"It's okay, Noona. I'll try to do something."
Im Do-yeong gripped the claw hammer tightly.
Im Do-yeong's hands were trembling.
That was when it happened.
Peoeoeoeok!
The head of one of the Zombies approaching Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong flew far away.
Peoeok! Peoeok! Peoeok!
Zombie heads were separated one after another.
It was Kang Mu-yeol, holding a baseball bat.
The aggro of the other Zombies was drawn to Kang Mu-yeol.
"Come in here!"
"Yes...?"
"Hurry!"
Im Ji-ah pulled Im Do-yeong's hand.
They entered the Villa entrance.
"Ahjussi, you come in too!"
Im Ji-ah shouted at Kang Mu-yeol.
Kang Mu-yeol smiled and closed the glass door.
"What...!? Come in!"
"It's fine."
"There are too many Zombies! It's dangerous!"
Instead of answering, Kang Mu-yeol smashed the head of an approaching Zombie with his baseball bat.
The head was crushed.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Kang Mu-yeol started smashing the Zombies' heads as if playing Whac-A-Mole.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Im Ji-ah watched Kang Mu-yeol's Whac-A-Mole game, speechless.
The swarm of Zombies that had been chasing Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong with the intent to devour them couldn't even approach Kang Mu-yeol and had their heads crushed.
"No way...."
When one person is surrounded by Zombies, you should feel a sense of crisis, but there was absolutely no sense of crisis from Kang Mu-yeol.
It was to the point where the Zombies actually looked pitiful.
"He fights well...."
Im Do-yeong exclaimed in admiration.
He couldn't just stand there admiring him.
There were still many Zombies.
If even one person helped, the chances of survival would increase.
Having made up his mind, Im Do-yeong grabbed the door handle.
Just then, Kang Mu-yeol looked back.
"Wait a moment."
Kang Mu-yeol shook his head.
It meant not to come out.
Im Do-yeong let go of the door handle.
It felt like he had to follow Kang Mu-yeol's words.
"Hahahahahaha!"
Kang Mu-yeol smashed the remaining Zombies.
When there weren't many Zombies left, Kang Mu-yeol suddenly opened the door and came in.
"Hoo, hoo."
Kang Mu-yeol gasped for air.
He seemed exhausted.
As expected, it was impossible to handle them all alone.
That was when it happened.
A cluster of light rose from Kang Mu-yeol's body.
"...Oh!"
The fatigue completely disappeared from Kang Mu-yeol's face.
Kang Mu-yeol opened the door again and went outside.
"My strength is returning!"
Kang Mu-yeol smashed the Zombie heads with lighter movements than before.
He dealt with all the remaining Zombies.
"Hahahahaha!"
He returned to the Villa entrance with a refreshing smile.
Im Ji-ah didn't know how to react.
'Was coming in here a good choice...?'
He looks like a crazy person no matter how you look at it.
"Follow me. Let's go see the Boss-nim."
Should I run away even now...?
I watched the scene of Kang Mu-yeol dealing with the Zombies until the end.
Kang Mu-yeol smashed the head of the last Zombie.
I closed the curtains and sat on the sofa.
Knock, knock, knock.
Soon, I heard a knock.
I opened the door.
I saw Kang Mu-yeol smiling refreshingly, and behind him, Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong.
"Mission accomplished."
"You've worked hard. Come on in."
Kang Mu-yeol entered confidently, and Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong entered hesitantly.
"Im Ji-ah-ssi, Im Do-yeong-ssi?"
Im Ji-ah was startled.
"How do you know our names...?"
"I have a way of knowing. First, sit down. Have you eaten?"
"We haven't eaten yet...."
"That's perfect. Then let's eat together. Kang Mu-yeol-ssi, you eat too."
"Thank you!"
I took out frozen pork belly and grilled it.
The smell of meat filled the house.
Im Ji-ah and Im Do-yeong drooled.
Kang Mu-yeol took it upon himself to heat up the rice, bring out side dishes, and set the utensils.
I placed the plate full of meat on the table.
And said.
"Become Tenants of our Villa."