Reconstruction (2)
Damn. Forgot to charge the phone again before crashing. Well, no charger anyway.
Thinking that, I listened to the ringtone buzzing in my ear. Ah, my eyes sting. Still not fully awake even after that shower.
While rubbing my eyes, Su-hyeon picked up the call.
"Mmm, oppaaa..."
Still half-asleep. I chuckled and said,
"Yeah, it's me. Everything okay?"
"Mmm..."
Not sure if that was an answer or sleep-talking. She's sleeping soundly, so probably fine. I smiled and said,
"Alright. Sleep more. I'll call when I'm heading back."
"Mmm..."
I hung up. Cute. I sat there giggling to myself for a bit before getting up.
Two Ingrams on my thighs. Bow and sixteen arrows. And dual swords. Not exactly matching this tracksuit, but whatever.
Gonna have to raid a clothing store for some jeans and a white tee. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror, then left the room.
The motel was quiet. Everyone must've stuffed themselves after finally getting a proper meal and passed out.
Stepping outside, the operatives were gathered. A couple had slightly puffy faces, but their eyes were clear. I said to Special Forces Captain Seong Gyu-hyuk,
"Mind guiding me to a nearby clothing store and mid-sized mart?"
Seong Gyu-hyuk nodded with a smile.
"Let's go, Sung-hoon."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Hoo..."
Alley outside the mid-sized mart. I caught my breath behind a parked truck.
"Kraaaargh!"
Crash! Glass shattering. Thundering footsteps. Howling.
Sitting behind the truck, I peeked toward the mart. No shadows heading this way.
The operatives lined up beside me, glancing between me and the alley.
I smirked and said,
"A lot of 'em. Gonna take a while. Let's loot the clothing store we cleared first, come back here later."
One operative raised his rifle and said,
"Sung-hoon, we'll help."
Captain Seong Gyu-hyuk shook his head.
"No. Gunfire's too risky right now. And these are the rounds for Pyeongtaek Base. We need to conserve. Don't shoot unless absolutely necessary."
He glanced at me.
"Leaving this to you, Sung-hoon."
I nodded. Seong Gyu-hyuk and the others nodded back.
He's right. Pyeongtaek Base. No telling how many are there, or if there's cover. If we need to unload, that'll be the time.
We looted the clothing store, returned to the motel, agreed to regroup for lunch, and I rested in my room.
That mid-sized mart we'd just hit. Constant small zombie waves had turned the whole place into their nest. Eyeballing it, 400-500 of them. Every nook packed.
Bow's great for silent sniping, but arrows aren't resupplying well. Barely scraped together nearly twenty.
Ingrams wipe out groups fast, but the noise...
To rack up kills quietly here, it's gotta be the blades.
Leveled up once from that raid—Strength 61 now. ...39 to go. Sense at 100 doubled efficiency. Strength probably the same. Hit 100, and I'll max out melee and ranged.
"Hoo."
But leveling's too slow. One level per fifty? Hit 16 right after new specialization—not bad, but still greedy for more.
Zzzzt—crackle, zzt— Familiar sound. Not loud, but clear. Welding.
Sergeant Song Gyu-tae was thrilled when we brought back metal. Fortifying the motel, no doubt.
Yeah. Turn this into a fortress first, rebuild step by step.
Short nap, cup ramen for lunch, then out.
Down in the lobby: Chief of Staff An Jun-gyu, President Min Jeong-woo, and Captain Seong Gyu-hyuk.
"Ah, Sung-hoon. Heading out? I'll get the team ready."
Seong Gyu-hyuk spotted me and grinned. First time seeing that smile. Relaxed, content. Supplies easing the tension.
I shook my head.
"Nah. Like I said, the mart'll take time. Probably tomorrow."
"That long?"
Surprised. Hmm... Can't exactly say stats need recovery.
Chief of Staff An Jun-gyu smiled.
"What's the rush? As long as we secure it eventually."
President Min Jeong-woo said to me,
"Everyone's grateful, Sung-hoon. Don't push too hard. Staying healthy matters most."
"Thanks."
I turned to Seong Gyu-hyuk.
"How's your sister?"
He nodded.
"Better. Bones aren't broken—just a bad sprain. Won't walk right for a bit, but painkillers and compression bandages from the pharmacy let her sleep. One worry down."
"Good. Glad to hear it."
Bowing to leave, but Captain Seong Gyu-hyuk said,
"So no mission for us today, right?"
President Min Jeong-woo and Chief of Staff An Jun-gyu looked at me. I shrugged.
President Min Jeong-woo said,
"Looks that way. Take a break?"
"Can't. Lunch filled us up—time to start our real mission."
Chief of Staff An Jun-gyu went, "Ah," then,
"Survivors out there?"
"Dunno. Gotta search. Teams 3, 4, 5 finish refueling, then sweep."
An Jun-gyu nodded.
"Need anything?"
Seong Gyu-hyuk thought, then smiled faintly.
"Weapons are good... Radios would be nice, but no dice. Phones it is."
"Right."
An Jun-gyu clapped his shoulder with a grin. President looked sympathetic.
"Be careful. No injuries. Come back if anything—already lost three good men. Let's not lose more."
Seong Gyu-hyuk nodded firmly.
"Understood. Then."
He bowed to me and headed up the stairs.
"I'll head out too."
Bowed, left amid their send-off.
Nice sunlight. Warm, but not bad. Things are looking up. Keep this momentum, we'll build a force to survive the apocalypse in no time.
Everyone's a pro except a few civilians. Solid personalities too.
Coming back from the mid-sized mart, drenched in blood after burning all my strength. Ran into Team 2 operatives carrying and supporting people.
...Survivors.
They spotted me and stopped.
Hurried over and asked,
"Still people holding out."
Captain Seong Gyu-hyuk and the others looked grim. He said,
"More starved corpses than survivors. These folks are in rough shape. Need to sweep faster."
He was right. The young man and woman being carried and supported—healthy enough to last this long. Elderly and kids probably mostly starved by now. Or turned into human beasts.
Glanced at the half-dead survivors barely opening their eyes, nodded to Seong Gyu-hyuk.
Operatives' faces all dark. One muttered, "Sorry."
...Guilt? Why?
Watched the retreating team, puzzled. Then it hit me.
...Ongoing small zombie waves.
My neighborhood had survivors here and there—even with the cockroaches, screams meant someone was farming somewhere.
But not here. Almost no screams. Just that one last night.
Waves scattered and reformed, filling every shop with them. No normal person could farm here.
Helicopters and light aircraft to scout and recruit me? Backfired—starved out the locals.
That's what weighed on their faces. Good intentions, opposite result. Unavoidable.
Weapons to save people. Me for weapons. Helicopters and planes to find me.
Planes and choppers up = people starve.
How many lived here? Most houses they'll search: just starved bodies.
Hands on hips, I sighed.
Good people, good intentions. Results don't always follow.
No one's fault. Just the apocalypse.
Blood trickled from my mouth. Spat it on the ground, gripped my sword hilt, and walked on.
...Rest up. Save who we can—that's their job. Secure the mart so they can eat—that's mine. Recover.