Crumbling Sanctuary
The Yeouido Safe Zone was collapsing with terrifying speed.
The explosion's flames hadn't reached the ground, but the storm that followed left nothing unscathed.
Stacked outer walls shattered and flew in every direction, buildings erupted in thick black fire, and countless people died crushed by flying debris.
And through the choking smoke, zombies swarmed in a frenzy.
Bang! Bang!
Gunshots rang out amid the twang of bowstrings, and three figures burst into view.
It was Anna, Second, and Youngest.
Their clothes were torn and bloodied, their appearances utterly transformed from moments before.
They looked like survivors crawled back from the pits of hell.
"What the fuck is going on?!"
Anna's long, sharp eyes blazed as she snapped.
But Second and Youngest were in no state to answer.
A sudden pillar of fire had shot up from nowhere, followed by a massive white tail appearing out of thin air.
After those two collided, the safe zone was a total wreck.
Zombies poured in from all sides, turning the chaos into pure pandemonium.
And with everyone's skin charred black, it was impossible to tell survivors from the infected.
"Miss, this way."
"That way? You sure?"
Anna shot back at Second's words.
The landscape was so fucked, she couldn't trust it was the right path.
"Yeah. Use the Tower as a landmark. Let's move, quick."
Even after splitting from Beom-sik, the two treated Anna with utmost respect.
But Second's mind was locked on one thing: get Anna out alive, no matter what.
That's when a zombie charged from a pile of concrete rubble pouring from the Tower, right up to their faces.
Bang!
Before Anna could even raise her bow, Second reacted.
White smoke curled from the barrel.
Plop! Plop!
Anna blinked at the sight.
Second and Youngest did too.
They hadn't noticed amid the blackness, but the clear sky had clouded over with storm clouds.
Drizzling drops swelled into a downpour in seconds.
It washed the grime from their faces, slowly restoring their looks.
The three glanced up at the rain, then hurried on.
But zombies darting everywhere kept slowing them down.
Bang! Bang-bang!
Whoosh!
Anna reached back for an arrow and grimaced.
She was out.
Second, too slow this time, kicked a zombie tumbling with his foot.
The torrent shortened their sightlines; the things were on them before they knew.
Crunch!
Youngest snatched a rock and smashed the fallen zombie's skull.
And right then—
BOOM!
A thunderous blast like an artillery shell hit, forcing the three to crouch and reel back.
Dirt and stone shards sprayed everywhere.
A row of gasoline drums under the Tower's front tent had detonated.
The shock launched a running survivor into the air; he slammed into the ground.
"Aaaagh! Aaah!"
He wailed like a madman—what Anna saw were shards embedded in his head.
But then—
Bang!
A bullet punched into the writhing man's skull.
Anna whipped her head; Second lowered his smoking gun.
His eyes weren't right.
Human or zombie didn't matter for pulling the trigger anymore.
Dangerous? Shoot first.
"No, that guy…"
Anna started to protest but chased after the two moving away.
The chaos left no room for words anyway.
As she followed, Anna scanned around.
Rain blurred the details, but survivors littered the area.
A soldier at the Tower's front clutching a rebar in his side, moaning in agony.
One wrestling zombies, bitten in seconds.
A dazed man wandering, babbling nonsense, people shoving past.
It was hell on earth.
But she couldn't help any of them.
All she could do was raise and lower her gun, picking zombies from humans in the swarm.
This way, they'd never find the group.
Even if they did, a twitchy trigger finger might end it all.
"Wait!"
"What's up?"
Second and Youngest turned at Anna's voice.
"What about the others? We just leaving?"
"Right now…"
Second hesitated.
"Sorry to say it, miss, but in this mess, not sure your friends are even alive. If they are, they'll head for the boats. And… don't forget, we left the boss behind too."
Regret flickered across his calm face.
"Sorry. I… I only thought of myself."
"Nah. Let's go."
Second turned back.
Anna followed his back, thinking.
Scattered like this, they might never reunite.
Worst case, like Second said, they could all be dead.
Then Jaejeong's face flashed in her mind.
No. He's alive.
She gritted her teeth.
He wasn't the type to die easy.
If he was, he wouldn't have lasted this long.
But the unease rising from her gut wouldn't fade.
Jaejeong turning monster, attacking people—visions flickered.
Like he was really dead, memories played like a montage.
Why him, why now?
Hospital annex second floor, leaping with her in his arms.
After a mutant battered her limp, carrying her to safety without losing grit.
Stormy evening on the balcony, sheepishly asking for a smoke with that grin.
[Don't you trust me?]
His words from the clothing warehouse echoed.
Yeah. I do.
Regret hit for not saying it then—
Something huge grabbed her hand from nowhere.
She turned, but rain blinded her.
Wiping it away, she opened her eyes: Jaejeong stood there.
His heaving breaths puffed faint vapor.
"How many times I gotta call you?"
He looked down, exasperated.
Probably chased her from afar, yelling her name.
Anna shook her head hard instead of answering.
Rain cleared from her sight; his face sharpened into view.
But words wouldn't come.
Couldn't.
For some reason, seeing him made tears threaten to burst.
Unaware or not, Jaejeong tugged her hand, leading her somewhere.
"Come on. Gotta move fast."
Only then did she hear Youngman and Minyoung catching up.
Clasped in Jaejeong's grip, nothing else registered for Anna.
Just that tight hold.
How long they ran, she didn't know.
Jaejeong overtook Second and Youngest, reaching a corner with her.
He let go briefly to dash ahead, then doubled back, grabbing her shoulders and ducking behind a tent.
In the narrow gap between trees and tent, Second, Youngest, Youngman, and Minyoung piled in behind.
Before anyone could ask why, hundreds of zombies rounded the corner.
Drawn by another drum explosion at the Tower, they thundered past, inches from the group.
Jaejeong turned to Second.
"Where's Beom-sik? Hyun-soo?"
"Boss said take the miss and get out somehow. Headed for the boats."
Second bowed habitually.
"Where'd he go?"
"Seemed like after Gaon."
"Ah…"
Jaejeong nearly forgot.
Beom-sik and Hyun-soo were adults who could manage, but Gaon? No way.
"Good thing, actually. Tough bastard. He'll make it. Head for the bunker first."
"Got it, boss. I'll take point."
"No. Too risky. Watch the old man and Minyoung while you follow."
Second's gaze flicked to Jaejeong's face, stunned.
Unexpected—him worrying about them.
Second and Youngest's eyes wavered.
"Anna."
Jaejeong peeked out, calling her.
No reply.
"What? Why you acting weird?"
He turned, eyeing her blank stare.
"You hurt? Hey, snap out of it."
Another drum blast jolted her shoulders; she'd been zoned out like shellshock.
"Huh? No, I'm fine. What?"
Jaejeong scanned her face thoroughly before speaking.
"Front looks clear of zombies. Nonstop sprint from here? What you think?"
"Yeah. Let's."
Even pointing at the distant bunker, her eyes stayed unfocused.
"What's with the kid? Fuck this. Hold my hand tight and stick close."
He gripped her hand again, charging through the pounding rain.
How far they'd gone—
Jaejeong glanced back to check the group.
"Oppa! Ahead!"
Anna's sharp cry pierced his ear.
In their time together—short or long—he'd learned one thing instinctively.
This tone meant trouble.
Click!
He snapped his rifle up, motion fluid and precise.
Shielding the now-freed Anna with his body too.
Spot on.
Just like her warning vibe: three soldiers ahead, guns ready.
Tower troops heading for boats, who'd spotted and halted the group.
"Lower your…"
Bang! Bang!
The soldier never finished.
Bullets drilled his forehead mid-word.
Brains oozed from the exit wounds.
Two dropped instantly.
The last, cowed by Jaejeong's machine-like precision, dropped his gun in surrender.
But he didn't survive.
Bang!
Jaejeong granted no mercy.
All Tower soldiers.
All out to kill the group.
All complicit in live experiments on humans.
No room for fake surrenders now.
Beside him, stunned Anna looked up.
Too fast for words.
His eyes weren't his usual.
Not the Jaejeong she knew.
A killing machine ruled by murderlust stood there.
She shut her mouth.
Maybe she figured: in this, a selfless martyr was worse than a protector who slaughtered.
The rest stayed silent too.
This was survival—life or death.
Hesitate, and you're target practice.
Moments later.
Scouting ahead, Jaejeong led them forward.
Then, from behind—a pack of soldiers charging.
Rain masked the sound; no one noticed.
They spotted their dead comrades, yelled, and aimed.
Everyone turned at the shouts—too late.
Black muzzles filled their vision.
Youngman scooped Minyoung, turning his back to the guns.
Jaejeong shoved Anna down, raising his rifle late.
Second fumbled his in panic, dropping it.
And then—
Bang! Bang!
Bullets tore through the pouring rain.
Infected