You Will Die (2)

Ju Kang-rim returned to the Samdo Renaissance Hotel, his assigned lodging from Yoo Wol-ryeong, around noon that day. With no need to venture out of the sealed-off Seoul, he was able to come back early. The taxi driver didn't ask a single question as the blood-soaked zombie hunter climbed into the car clutching his menacing weapon.

After washing up and crashing for half the day, he woke again in the evening. Ju Kang-rim rolled around on the bed, peering into the black core he'd obtained from Jang Han-taek during the hunt.

'Jang Han-taek...'

The possession skill was useful for gaining strength quickly, but its side effects meant it wasn't used in combat unless in truly desperate moments. Its original purpose was more for extracting stories from the dead.

'But the lost souls' tales are disjointed, their memories faint.'

Without proper communication, the information gained was limited. But there was one moment when the possession skill truly shone: when mimicking the appearance of the deceased.

'That's why the bastard was so glib with his tongue back at the warehouse.'

Ju Kang-rim had never intended to trust Jang Han-taek from the start, but there had been a sliver of sincerity in his words. It couldn't be helped. The Jang Han-taek he'd spoken to wasn't really Jang Han-taek—it was some other ghost possessing him. Of course his pleas rang true under possession. But to Ju Kang-rim's Canine Eyes, the deception was plain as day. It was almost pitiful watching Jang Han-taek desperately try to fool him, banking on his own possession skill.

'Still, it means civilian zombie hunters keep getting drawn into that Kangryeong faction...'

It was natural for people struggling to survive to be lured by safe, easy paths. But considering the world to come, wiping out the Kangryeong faction sooner would save more lives.

To do that, he first needed to uncover the identity of this "elder."

'Should've interrogated this bastard more thoroughly.'

Ju Kang-rim thought as he stared into Jang Han-taek's black core. Exactly what black cores were remained unknown. They didn't emerge from living humans' heads—only zombies'—so they were presumed to be the substance triggering the zombie plague. But since they could suppress the plague and enhance abilities, they couldn't simply be reviled and discarded.

'The fact that black cores can boost abilities... maybe it means awakeners and zombies aren't so different after all.'

That was why some treated awakeners like zombies. Regardless, without awakeners, humanity's annihilation by the zombie plague was only a matter of time.

But black cores emerging from immortals was a problem. Jang Han-taek hadn't been a zombie. His appearance was abomination-like, but definitely not a zombie. And with Lopez, no black core had appeared.

'Lion Soul Summoning... is that the difference from Lopez?'

Lopez had collapsed on his own before completing Lion Soul Summoning. But Jang Han-taek had met his end upon its completion. Not a normal death, but at least his body hadn't rotted away like Lopez's.

"Hmm... maybe Yoo Wol-ryeong can explain when she gets back."

Ju Kang-rim rolled Jang Han-taek's black core between his fingers, then set it aside. That's when a rustling sound came.

In his moment of surprise, a eerie voice whispered past.

"Huh?"

Thinking he'd misheard, Ju Kang-rim peered back into the black core. Something moved within its mysterious patterns. The black core rustled endlessly, slowly swirling. From that indescribable muddy vortex came Jang Han-taek's final scream-like wail, whispering like a plea. Calling out to someone.

"...Kangryeong Daegun, elder?"

The boss of the Kangryeong faction being called Kangryeong Daegun felt a bit too on-the-nose, but at least it was a proper name. Though it probably wasn't his real one, it could lead somewhere if tracked down.

I'd wondered why Biman had given such precise coordinates before, but apparently an informant had tipped them off about the elder's warehouse in Hapjeong. Thanks to that, not only Immortal Jang Han-taek but even their stockpiled weapons were smashed to bits—a huge boon.

It was a shame to waste the one-use weapons, but US military gear was too easy to trace. He didn't want to give Gerald's faction any leverage while building his own. That was why he'd destroyed everything. Better in no one's hands than Gerald's.

Ju Kang-rim's mind turned to this very Samdo Renaissance Hotel upon hearing the informant worked for King Yeomra. The staff never questioned his bloodied returns, just silently did their jobs. The name was tacky, but they were efficient and discreet. Plus, Yoo Wol-ryeong herself was CEO of "Samdo Security," a zombie-hunting firm. From what he'd dug up, Samdo Security was a subsidiary of the larger Samdo Group—a solid mid-tier corporation, if not quite conglomerate-sized.

'Are there way more people under King Yeomra than I thought?'

It made sense. Rethinking the company names:

'No way Samdo comes from Samdo River, right?'

Ju Kang-rim realized he'd been so fixated on immortals that he'd neglected learning about King Yeomra and the underworld. Of course, King Yeomra and Yoo Wol-ryeong were solid allies, backing him fully—no doubts there. But the same had been true under Gerald. A hero fighting to protect humanity to the bitter end amid its collapse—who could suspect that? Reliable allies were great, but allies whose weaknesses you held were even better.

As Yoo Wol-ryeong brought up Kangryeong Daegun, Ju Kang-rim refocused on the immediate goal.

Ju Kang-rim had already speculated endlessly on Kangryeong Daegun's aims.

Coup d'état, national collapse, civil war—the possibilities were endless. But even if doomed, inferring the goal wouldn't hurt. It'd let him predict the bastard's next moves.

Ju Kang-rim gave a wry smile as he tapped out a message on Biman.

Ju Kang-rim had seen Gerald charm businessmen and world leaders, pulling in talent without hesitation. Just looking at Kangryeong Daegun's antics revealed his small caliber. No clue how he'd gained immortality, but he wasn't anyone special—that much was certain.

'Of course, to civilians like Jang Han-taek or Lopez, immortals must seem mystical and authoritative.'

But after seeing the "real" ones, that'd change. The only people who'd given Ju Kang-rim chills, making him never want to get close, were Gerald and King Yeomra. Ironically, now he worked under both.

Back to the point: what scheme could a ghoul-controlling immortal be plotting in South Korea?

"Huh?"

Ju Kang-rim was taken aback by Yoo Wol-ryeong's sharp, unexpected rejection.

In short: you're in no shape to go out playing hero.

Ju Kang-rim was utterly flustered by this unfamiliar exchange. What, jealousy? Resentment toward a junior growing too fast? Disapproval?

After a moment's thought, he realized what it was. Concern.

'Wait, why?'

He typed Why not? into Biman, then deleted it. On reflection, it was natural for a senior to worry about a junior returning battered, bruised, bones broken, and bloodied. It was just utterly foreign to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ju Kang-rim.

Such a thing had been unimaginable under Gerald.

He almost typed Don't butt into senior-junior talk, you boomer, but deleted it. With King Yeomra chiming in too, defiance wasn't an option.

Ju Kang-rim considered pushing once more but dropped it upon seeing Yoo Wol-ryeong's avatar with hand on hip, frowning.

And so Ju Kang-rim unexpectedly scored a two-day vacation.

Pondering what to do with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it, something suddenly hit him.

"...Come to think of it, I haven't called Mom once since regressing."

"So how the hell are we supposed to vote yes on that civilian control bullshit!"

"Civilian control isn't the issue—the country's on the brink!"

"You really care about the country? Sounds like you just wanna work the whole nation to the bone!"

Sejong City. With Yeouido at risk of abomination spillover anytime, the provisional National Assembly had relocated there. Party offices too.

But location change or not, the ruling party's meeting room was its usual chaos. The difference? It was infighting among ruling party members, not opposition.

All over a bill proposed by the opposition.

The ruling party was fiercely split on whether to support it. Amid killing intent thick enough for fists to fly, Congresswoman Yoo Seo-kyeong's voice rang loudest. She even climbed on a desk, flinging documents everywhere.

"Conscripting every last awakener—what kinda solution is that?!"

"To stem awakener exodus overseas..."

"It's just cheap labor! Look at our soldiers! Conscript 'em cheap, work 'em cheap, and who cares if they die! You really think that'll stop valuable awakeners from leaving with that mindset...?"

"Congresswoman."

Yoo Seo-kyeong, mid-rant, snapped to at her aide tugging her sleeve. Realizing she'd lost it, she grumbled her way down ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the desk.

The aide held out a phone. She started to ignore it, then checked the caller and shut her mouth.

"Let's break for five."

Yoo Seo-kyeong glared murderously at the others, then stepped out phone in hand.

Confirming no one nearby, she answered.

"Yeah, son. Eaten?"

Ju Kang-rim's wry reply came through the phone.