Shadows in the Fog
Late at night.
The lights spilling from buildings beyond the outer wall cast a hazy glow over the Boundary Zone.
In stark contrast, the area around the tent village past the wall was plunged into pitch blackness.
A rustling sound came from the darkness, followed soon after by a man starting to relieve himself.
Having woken from sleep, he yawned repeatedly and even leaned against the outer wall for support.
The Boundary Zone was vast and long, but more than that, it was so late that no other sounds reached him from the surroundings.
In the silence, only the splash of urine hitting the ground could be heard.
Crunch!
The man peeing reacted to the sound of something crumbling underfoot.
The surroundings were total darkness.
The tent village, where light reached, was quite a distance away.
Still, thanks to the reflected light, he could make out a vague shape.
A person? Well, what else could it be?
Someone else out to pee?
That was all the man thought.
There were no toilets in the Boundary Zone.
Men, women, young, old—everyone had to handle their business on their own.
"Mm…"
Just as the man huddled against the increasingly chilly predawn air—
Rustle, rustle.
A human shape flickered in the darkness along with the sound.
Was he seeing things? No matter how many times he checked, it was unmistakably the silhouette of a person.
Pretty close, too.
But after making the noise, it hadn't moved at all.
The man squinted.
Nothing.
Not even the color of its clothes, let alone a face.
Gulp.
The man swallowed dryly and backed away.
No matter how he thought about it, this wasn't normal.
He wanted to ask who it was, but instinct sealed his lips.
The thought that no good intentions could be behind this dominated his mind.
A little further, and he'd escape the shadow of the outer wall.
The shape remained utterly still.
The moment he crossed the line between light and dark, the man bolted toward the tent village like a man possessed.
Two days later.
A thick fog blanketed the Yeouido Safe Zone.
The Work Leader was patrolling the long expanse of the Boundary Zone with his sidekicks, issuing work orders.
"Alright, listen up. Tomorrow morning, the soldiers are gonna blow something up way out there to lure the zombies as far from the safe zone as possible. So what do we do? We tear down the wall toward the riverside and expand the zone. Got it? We'll handle the heavy machinery ourselves, so just follow orders, and we can wrap it up before sunset."
The spot his finger pointed to held a lineup of mid-sized cranes and various construction vehicles, shrouded in fog.
One of the workers watching raised his voice.
"Why the riverside instead of the buildings?"
Similar grumbles echoed from here and there.
"How long do we have to sleep in tents?"
"At least give us proper toilets…"
"I'm going insane wanting a wash!"
The Work Leader scowled in irritation.
"That's why you gotta do good tomorrow, and more plans'll come. You think I'm living it up in a hotel alone? Eating gourmet alone? Don't get greedy. What'd you say when they first opened the gates? You'd do anything if they'd just let you in, right?"
The complaints died instantly.
The workers couldn't forget that moment when life and death hung in the balance.
The infected's guttural roars from all sides, dying screams, desperate pleas pounding on the outer wall.
When everyone had given up on life.
The firmly shut gates opened.
The soldiers pulled their triggers without hesitation, knowing more infected would swarm, just to let these people in.
Countless shell casings scattered like stones on the Boundary Zone floor were proof.
"Yeah, not being able to wash properly is nothing."
"We get food, tents to sleep in—what more could we want? Hang in there a bit longer, and we'll get proper houses to live like humans."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"So let's just do what we gotta do. Those things wandering out there? They were people just like us once. At least we've got a shot compared to them. Anyway, extra orders: Finish as fast as possible tomorrow. These machines guzzle fuel like crazy. Follow instructions without bitching, and we'll call it early today. Good work."
With that, the Work Leader vanished into the fog with his sidekicks.
Seemed like they were repeating the same spiel to cover the whole Boundary Zone.
"Food truck should be coming soon."
Hyun-su muttered, checking his watch.
The slack, deflated mood must've gotten to him.
But no one was really listening.
At first, the group's revulsion at the workers' ragged appearances lingered.
But that faded quick—they were starting to look just like them.
Eating just to survive.
Strange slop that barely qualified as food, doled out in rations. Something you'd dump if you had options, not even worth calling "rice."
The slim comfort? Everyone in the safe zone choked down this devil's porridge.
The Boundary Zone workers stretched it further by adding water.
Hyun-su sat at the edge of the road and sidewalk blocks, following Youngman.
In just a few days, Youngman had become a figure straight out of a fantasy flick—an old wizard, unkempt beard blending into sweat-matted hair, giving off an otherworldly vibe.
His already exotic features meant he no longer looked Asian from any angle.
Black grime streaked his face everywhere.
But he didn't seem to care.
He just stared at the Tower several times a day.
Hyun-su asked.
"Thinking about your daughter?"
"That obvious?"
Youngman glanced again at the fog-shrouded Tower.
"Haven't heard her voice in days. Gotta be worrying you more."
"You talk like you've got kids yourself."
"Missing someone you love doesn't have to mean kids."
"True enough."
"She's a doctor. How rare is that in this mess? Probably living in decent conditions. And honestly, better she doesn't see us looking like this."
"Like what?"
Youngman looked down at himself.
"You know… homeless vibe. Long hair, beard—makes it worse."
"Always ended up like this after a full day in the shop. But what's with those guys?"
Youngman pointed to hulking figures wrapped in intricate tattoos from head to toe.
Beom-sik's brothers, orbiting Anna all day.
Thanks to them, Anna was on edge.
She'd dodge into somewhere to shake them, but they'd ghost after her like they knew.
Keeping distance, shadowing like ghosts—no room to even snap at them.
"Beom-sik said she'd never die before them. That's why."
"Doesn't seem like Anna likes it much."
"What does she like, with her personality?"
Hyun-su shook his head.
From afar, Anna and the hulks looked like they were playing tag.
When she pulled away, they'd space out casually and trail her.
If she glared back, they'd pretend to mind their own business.
"She wasn't always like that. Probably changed after all this."
"Huh? How long's it been?"
"Time doesn't matter. It's how big the trauma is. Get the aftereffects—hysteria—and it might never go away."
"Yeah, looks like it."
Hyun-su nodded.
Just then, Anna's eyes flashed; she stormed toward the hulks.
Caught off guard, they just stood there staring blankly.
Anna was so tall that even facing off, the height difference was minimal.
She quickly spread her legs in a stance, craned her neck side to side, and flashed her signature cocky grin.
"Oppa."
"Yes."
The hulks bowed their heads like they were facing Beom-sik.
Anna beamed, utterly pleased.
"If I need something, you get it for me, right?"
"Ah…"
Yong Tattoo, who'd picked a fight with her before, exchanged awkward glances with his crew.
In this barren wasteland of a Boundary Zone, fetching anything was impossible.
Drinking water was scarce enough to spark daily fights—what could she possibly want?
Then, Beom-sik, having overheard from afar, looked their way.
The Carp Tattoo guy behind him nodded sharply.
"Yes. What do you need?"
"Hmm…"
Anna crossed her arms, pretending to think.
She'd known what she wanted from the start—their flustered faces were just fun.
"I'm dying to brush my teeth. Can you get me a toothbrush?"
"A toothbrush…?"
Carp Tattoo's eyes went wide.
He'd answered on reflex, never expecting a request for daily necessities.
Not that anything else would've been easy.
"What's going on?"
As they hemmed and hawed, a voice from behind made the hulks jump.
Beom-sik, curiosity piqued from watching afar, had approached.
Yong Tattoo forced a smile.
"Yes, she had a request, hyungnim."
"Thanks. You guys must need stuff too, but looking out for me first."
Anna seized the moment to drive it home.
Beom-sik asked, intrigued.
"What'd she say?"
"They promised to get me a toothbrush. I was feeling gross anyway—perfect timing."
"Toothbrush?"
Beom-sik eyed the hulks puzzled.
They just swallowed hard at "promise."
He wanted to ask how, but figured they had a plan and let it slide.
They weren't big talkers anyway.
"Alright, handle it. I'm out."
With that, Anna vanished into her tent.
Beom-sik scanned around, spotted Hyun-su and Youngman, and headed their way.
Left hanging, the hulks' minds reeled.
Yong Tattoo asked.
"Youngest, what're you thinking?"
"Sorry, hyungnim. Big bro was coming, so I just…"
Carp Tattoo bowed his head.
Goblin Tattoo, sensing the heavy air, patted Yong Tattoo's shoulder.
"Enough. It happens. Spilled milk—scolding won't fix it. Let's figure out how to get a toothbrush."
"Haa… A toothbrush, here?"
Yong Tattoo clutched his forehead, looking around.
Workers lounging in the outer wall's shade, endless tents stretching out.
They were the same—no one in the Boundary Zone remembered a proper wash.
Made sense.
Couldn't get one from other zones either.
Production Zone had fences and soldiers guarding it.
Youngest Carp Tattoo, surveying, spoke up.
"Hyungnim, can't we just stall and say it's impossible? She's not even our sister-in-law. Big bro just said protect her—no need to go this far."
"You little shit."
Yong Tattoo's eyebrow twitched at the words.
His eyes, meek as a lamb before Beom-sik and Anna, now flashed murderously.
Startled Carp Tattoo dropped his gaze.
"We may be broke, but we got pride. Keep your promises. Shouldn't have opened your mouth."
"Sorry, hyungnim."
"Already pulling stunts like this."
"Hey, hey, drop it. What do you expect from the kid?"
Goblin Tattoo grabbed his arm to stop him from swinging.
Yong Tattoo lowered it reluctantly, swallowing his rage.
Toothbrush. Get one, somehow.
Racking his brain, his eyes caught someone passing.
His gaze snapped back.
Wait, that guy…!
A man talking to soldiers at the fence.
The detective who'd cuffed him, Beom-sik, and the others back then.
Infected People