Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: New Nest (2)
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While Su-hyun worked on picking the locks, the men hustled to haul aluminum panels from the cars and stack them in front of the elevator. Then they headed out to dismantle more vehicles for additional sheets.
A new house. A new nest.
It needed to be turned into a proper fortress.
No amount of materials would ever be enough to reinforce the building.
The fact that they jumped into action without being told spoke volumes about their work ethic.
The rental housing floor on the 10th story consisted of twenty units on the left and twenty on the right.
By now, the women had already picked out the houses they liked from the ones we'd opened and moved in.
Grandmother, Ye-eun, So-eun, and the married woman headed inside to make lunch. They whipped up some kimchi fried rice and passed it out to everyone.
Real cooking skills don't fade.
We scarfed down the delicious meal and got back to opening doors.
The apartments were all empty.
Aside from one old man who looked like he'd died alone or committed suicide, there wasn't a soul in any of them.
A combination of unrented units, places where people had left for work before the apocalypse hit, and ones where residents had gone downstairs for food afterward and met their end—it all added up to an entire empty floor.
On top of that, the shoes and wardrobes suggested most were single-person households.
The last unit on the 10th floor.
I pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong.
...Huh?
Did I hear a rustling sound?
I turned to see Su-hyun, Grandmother, and Jung Eun-seo with changed expressions.
This was the first time we'd heard any noise from inside while opening the forty units.
I rang the doorbell again.
Ding-dong.
Silence.
I definitely heard something.
I knocked and called out.
"Anyone in there?"
Rustle.
Thud.
Cautious footsteps.
Then, quiet again.
I knocked once more.
"If you're there, open up. We've got food."
Scrape.
Sounded like dragging feet.
Extremely careful movements.
And close by.
She must be right at the door.
I said,
"We're not weirdos. We've... moved in next door."
I shrugged at the women as I said it.
"What else was I supposed to say? We did move in."
The women looked amused, their faces lighting up with odd expressions.
No sound from inside yet.
Su-hyun spoke up.
"Hey, if you're in there, could you open the door? We... we just moved in too."
Jung Eun-seo couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
Grandmother didn't make a sound, but she was smiling.
Then a voice came from inside.
"Wh-who are you? N-next door... no one's supposed to move in there..."
A woman.
Her voice sounded pretty young.
Jung Eun-seo said,
"No one's living anymore, so we're crashing here. Anyway, don't you need food? We've got chocolate."
After a moment, the door cracked open just a sliver.
The safety chain limited it to that.
A really pretty woman.
About 165 cm tall? Maybe a bit more.
Nice figure too.
Just a glimpse through the gap.
I nodded.
"Hello."
"Eek!"
Clank.
The door slammed shut.
...Why'd she do that?
Su-hyun smacked my back and pushed me aside.
"Ugh, standing there covered in blood like that. Step back."
Oh.
Right.
I've been slathered in blood so much lately that I'd gone numb to it.
I scratched my head and took a step back.
Su-hyun said,
"Hey, we're really not dangerous. Could you open up just a bit?"
"G-go away. D-don't come closer. I'll... I'll call the police."
...Sigh.
Police...? Those don't exist anymore.
She must be terrified and panicking.
The women glanced at me pointedly.
Yeah, yeah.
Showing my gore-smeared face to a stranger...
I shrugged and said,
"Guess that won't work."
Grandmother sighed and knocked on the door.
"Hey, we'll leave some food out front. That okay?"
She was asking both the person inside and us. I didn't mind.
Su-hyun nodded, pulled a few chocolate bars from her pocket, and set them by the door.
"Left some chocolate bars."
No response.
We decided to leave that unit alone.
Then I gathered everyone.
After prying open thirty-nine doors, it was already evening.
One of the inline skating club guys looked at a unit and whistled.
"Twenty pyeong. Pretty nice. Rent's gotta be steep."
I asked in surprise,
"You can tell just by looking?"
"Yeah. Used to work in real estate."
Huh.
Twenty pyeong, then.
I wouldn't know. I'm clueless about that stuff.
Thought it was fifteen just from the rooms.
Factor in the balcony and all that, I guess.
No wonder it felt spacious.
After dinner, we discussed plans.
The building was wide open right now.
We'd cleared the mart entrance, so anyone outside could just take the elevator up.
We needed to seal the mart properly.
Su-hyun was in charge of that.
"Welding might not work until we've cleared the mart. It's noisy. And the flash..."
That zzzzt and sizzle.
Plus the bright sparks...
Even human beasts with their crap eyesight couldn't miss that.
Su-hyun continued,
"We'll drop the shutters first and silicone-seal the bottom. If we layer it thick, it'll be sturdy... but honestly, if a bunch of them pull hard, they might rip it off."
Hoon's uncle crossed his arms and nodded.
"Makes sense. But we don't have better options right now."
He was right.
Couldn't weld with the mart crawling with human beasts, and silicone alone felt iffy.
I said,
"We'll have to pull night watch."
People looked at each other.
The inline guys exchanged glances and raised hands.
"We'll take shifts."
"Thought my military days were over."
Hmm.
All vets, huh.
Hoon's uncle raised his hand too.
"I'll do it, Teacher."
Okay.
Han Tae eyed the room nervously and didn't raise his.
Good...
Don't volunteer. You'd make me more anxious.
Jung Eun-seo, the inline women, Ye-eun, and Su-hyun raised theirs too.
Hmm.
Knew Eun-seo was tough, but first to volunteer? Ye-eun's adapted a lot too.
And Su-hyun.
Always so diligent.
I smiled and said,
"Then those who raised hands, including me, will rotate watch."
Hoon's uncle shook his head.
"No, Teacher. You and Su-hyun have other work. Rest."
The inline guys nodded.
"Leave this to us. We'll handle the mart."
The women chimed in.
"Su-hyun, rest."
"Saw your hand shaking earlier."
...My hand shook?
Su-hyun's hands were red.
Ah, from using the angle grinder so much.
Su-hyun smiled.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not. Rest."
With that, I stood.
"Alright, that's the plan. You guys sort shifts. I'll rest a bit then head to the mart."
People waved me off.
"Yes, Teacher. Get some rest."
"Rest up."
I turned toward the unit I'd picked.
Su-hyun grabbed my hand and dragged me inside.
Hmm... Unit 1023.
Click.
Door shut.
No lock, so it didn't fully latch.
Whatever.
No cockroaches here who'd bust in.
We could install one later.
The room Su-hyun pulled me into had a pretty high-spec computer.
Probably one reason she chose it. Gamers can't pass up a free rig like that.
"Stay here, oppa. Okay? I'm off to do silicone work. Wash off the blood first."
I smiled and stripped.
"Got it. Call if anything comes up."
"Sure."
Su-hyun paused at the door, ran a hand over my lower half, then shot me a playful glare with a smile.
I chuckled and headed to the bathroom.
6 PM.
I went down to the first floor.
Couldn't see outside.
Shutters were all down.
The people...
Ah, by the side door.
Meant they'd sealed off most of this area.
Following the shutters, I saw Su-hyun wielding a caulk gun loaded with silicone cylinder. Men stood around helping her.
"Su-hyun, going well?"
She saw me and smiled.
"Almost done. Just this bit on the shutter, and we'll leave the broken glass there. Gotta dump bodies outside, and might need to go out sometime. But why'd you come down? Rest more."
I tapped the sword at my waist.
Hoon's uncle said,
"G-going to the mart, Teacher?"
"Yeah. Time to get to it."
The inline guys sidled up to me.
"C-can we watch?"
"What's your name?"
"How old are you?"
Hmm...
Hadn't done intros.
"Han Seong-hun, twenty-five."
"Ah, I'm—"
Shook hands and exchanged names.
Forgot them instantly.
Sorry, not interested.
But they were older than me.
Twenty-eight, twenty-seven, thirty-something.
I put on an interested face, forgot it all, and said,
"Alright, I'm off. Take care of Su-hyun."
"Don't worry about me. You be careful, oppa. No injuries."
I smirked and walked to the mart.
Oh.
Bodies cleared.
Dumped outside, probably.
I rolled my shoulders and peered past the mart.
...A lot.
How to handle them...
Glanced back.
Inline guys watching me, Su-hyun and Hoon's uncle caulking.
Keeping their distance.
Then I'd lure them inside.
I drew my sword.
Sching.
Shouldered open the glass door and stepped in.