The Tattooed Corpse
Han Jaejeong let out a sigh of relief and cracked a smile upon confirming that Beom-sik and Gaon were safe.
Maybe it was because he wasn't used to feeling like this about himself.
For no particular reason, Jaejeong turned his gaze toward the riverbank and strolled along the park.
A crowd had gathered in the park, all pointing at something.
It was trash washing up along the river's edge.
Trash?
Jaejeong approached the group.
"Did you see it earlier? The river water sloshed around like it was in a bowl."
"Yeah, I saw it too."
The people eagerly recounted what had happened.
Apparently, the earthquake—strong enough to churn the river—had swept garbage and debris ashore like waves crashing in.
That was when it happened.
Rumble!
Startled by the sound of bricks crumbling, Jaejeong whipped around.
The outer walls of a barely standing storefront were collapsing.
Not just one—several at once.
The area was a scene from hell.
People with blood streaming from their heads, others who'd tripped while running and shattered their legs, arms torn open blocking falling debris.
Jaejeong watched the chaos for a moment, recalling the dizzying earthquake from earlier.
It had been a close call.
If the safe zone's outer walls had crumbled under the shock, all their hard work expanding it could have unraveled in an instant.
It might have shrunk even smaller—or lost the entire safe zone.
Typhoons, earthquakes.
Things that shouldn't happen were piling up one after another.
What the hell is going wrong?
He could have turned to help the injured, but Jaejeong didn't.
Plenty of others were already tending to them.
Slipping away from the crowd, he continued along the riverbank.
With so many incidents piling up, he couldn't even tell where he was or how much farther he had to go.
As he walked, he sorted through his thoughts one by one.
Yeouido would soon be fully converted into the safe zone.
Once they inventoried all the supplies inside, the next step was stabilizing the interior.
The military had declared plans for a landing operation.
Of course, Congressman Kwon Jeong-woo insisted nothing was set in stone.
But Jaejeong thought it needed to happen sooner.
When the power cut out last time, they'd needed to get to the mainland immediately to respond.
And it wasn't just electricity.
Gas was the same.
All resources came from power plants, and those wouldn't last forever.
Anything man-made breaks down without human hands to maintain it.
Gazing across the river, Jaejeong's eyes drifted to the severed bridge.
Smashed concrete, cars dangling precariously from the end, skeletal steel beams exposed—he had a lot of thoughts watching it.
Behind it, thick black smoke rising from some unknown spot in the city.
The city was crumbling.
Winter would bring dry air and even more fires.
In the end, there was only one way to solve it.
They had to leave Yeouido.
Hunker down here until energy and resources ran dry, living like cavemen until death—or pioneer a new safe zone.
Foreign countries...
They wouldn't step in.
From what Jaejeong had seen of the virus's evolution, no one could just swoop in and fix this.
Isolation and containment were the best options.
He'd have done the same if he were president of a neighboring country.
Lock it down and monitor.
At least until they understood everything about this virus.
Lost in thought, Jaejeong's gaze landed on something.
A familiar face.
It was one of the Work Leader's sidekicks.
But his expression was off.
Frantic, gesturing wildly to someone across the road—the Work Leader, sprinting over.
He rarely wore a face that twisted.
Jaejeong's instincts screamed something was up.
His feet carried him over without thinking.
The two had discovered something and were heading down the embankment under the bridge.
Soon after...
"Gah!"
They bolted back up like they'd seen a ghost, shoving each other to be first, sprinting toward the Tower.
As the Work Leader passed, their eyes met for a split second.
Jaejeong read it clear: fear, terror, anxiety.
Anyone else might miss it, but not him.
Thud thud thud!
He raced to where they'd fled from.
Peering down from above, nothing stood out.
He planted his foot on a protruding block on the slope and slid down to the riverbed in one go.
Lush water plants.
Beside them, something pale white floating caught his eye.
He knew what it was at a glance, no need to stare.
A corpse.
Bloated from the water, utterly unrecognizable.
Then, something else drew his gaze.
Faded traces of garish tattoos on the body.
Sharp-eyed Jaejeong knew instantly.
This floater was Yong Tattoo—Beom-sik's brother.
Thoughts raced through his mind.
It hadn't been here from the start.
Construction would have found it.
Only one possibility.
The earthquake.
He recalled the park chatter.
The river had sloshed like water in a cup.
Assuming that, it could have drifted from afar, even across the river.
If it died just yesterday, it wouldn't be this decayed.
So, it must have snagged somewhere, then dislodged and floated here.
Jaejeong turned his head slightly, frowning.
To see clearly.
Waddling closer, the suspicious shape sharpened into focus.
This was murder, no doubt.
Footsteps approached from nearby, a mix of several people.
Jaejeong stood and looked up to see the Work Leader, Park Yi-hyun-seok, Minyoung, and soldiers catching their breath.
Park descended the slope alone.
Spotting the floating corpse, his eyes shook.
He's rattled too?
Jaejeong found it surprising.
"What... is this?"
Park couldn't close his gaping mouth, asking Jaejeong.
"A person. Dead. Murdered."
"Murdered? How can you tell?"
Park looked baffled.
It had only taken minutes from discovery to fetching him.
What evidence supported "murder"?
"See the narrow, long gashes on the thigh and flank?"
Park swallowed, grimacing, then nodded.
"Yes. I see them."
"Gotta confirm properly, but from experience, that's stab wounds. Called lacerations."
"Ah, right. You're the detective. Forgot for a second."
Park rubbed his bald head gravely.
Seemed awkward he'd blanked on it.
"What now?"
"What do you mean?"
Park struggled to read Jaejeong's intent.
Jaejeong pressed.
"Investigate? Or let it lie?"
"A man's dead. We must find the killer. First murder in the safe zone."
"Got it."
Jaejeong nodded.
He'd planned to anyway, but wanted Park's take first.
His reaction.
"Ignoring this signals murder's okay. And it's respect for the dead."
Spot on.
Both points.
"Then I need backup."
"Name it. Anything."
"Get Youngman and Beom-sik. Need ID on the body. Have soldiers hold witnesses, keep this locked down. Can't catch the killer otherwise."
"Understood."
Park hurried back up.
Above, Beom-sik had arrived, staring at the floating body.
His gaze trembled violently, then shifted to Jaejeong.
Eyes locking, Jaejeong sighed shortly and looked away.
Meanwhile, soldiers followed Park's orders: sealed the area, detained witnesses, kept the crowd clueless.
Luckily, the earthquake chaos had everyone distracted.
Soon, Youngman arrived, shocked, entering the scene.
Below, Jaejeong and Beom-sik eyed the bloated floater.
"...Him?"
Jaejeong asked Beom-sik, inspecting the body.
Beom-sik nodded without lingering.
The tattoos made it obvious to anyone who knew.
"Uncle and I got this now. Head up."
But Beom-sik's feet wouldn't move.
"Gotta flip it soon, but you don't wanna see. Listen to me."
Tears welled in Beom-sik's bloodshot eyes, turning to Jaejeong.
"Can you catch 'em?"
Staring long, Jaejeong murmured low.
"...Yeah. I can. No—I'll catch 'em. So go up now."
Youngman patted Beom-sik's shoulder consolingly.
But Beom-sik stayed blank—no shove, no nod—just dazed, slowly climbing away.
Watching Beom-sik go, Youngman's gaze turned to the body.
"Stabbed."
"Yes."
"Location suggests left-handed. What do you think?"
Just like Youngman said.
They faced the body's left side—flank and limbs.
"Gotta investigate. Could be right-handed if from the front."
"Ah, right. Forgot it's face-down."
"Happens. Might be lefty, might not. Bigger issue: gotta recover it first..."
"Call soldiers?"
"No. Exhaust everything here first. Don't know origin, but this is our primary scene. Gather all we can before lifting."
"Leave it like that meantime?"
"No choice. Won't take long. Ask soldiers for any camera. And supplies for ziplocks, latex gloves—or rubber if not."
"Got it. And you..."
Jaejeong, heading to the body, glanced back at Youngman.
"Nah. Just looks different on you."
Youngman climbed quickly, soon returned.
Then, per Jaejeong's orders, filmed every inch.
Meanwhile, gloved Jaejeong scoured the site.
Youngman asked.
"Find anything?"
"Nope. Nothing. Even if there was, quake and waves would've washed it. Typhoon too, probably."
"That old?"
Youngman looked shocked.
Nearly a week since power outage and typhoon.
"Drowned a day or two wouldn't bloat this bad. Fat layer'd still be there—easier all around. At least a week. More."
Jaejeong's face darkened.
No clues at the scene.
Only the body and witnesses now.
"Stretcher ready!"
A soldier called from above.
Jaejeong scanned once more, beckoned.
"Yeah. Come down."
With that, soldiers with the stretcher recovered the body.
Infected People