The Osori Shelter
As soon as I woke up, I began preparing for departure.
I checked the location on the map; it was about 7 kilometers northwest of my hideout.
'Gaegwang Elementary School, huh... I was searching in the opposite direction all this time.'
For the past five years, my search had been focused entirely to the south.
The zombie outbreak had started in China, spread to North Korea, and eventually crossed the border into South Korea. Because of that, I had operated under the assumption that the further south I went, the fewer zombies there would be.
"Cheonsa, am I heading the right way?"
"Should I practice reading the map a bit more, too?"
"Is that so?"
Thanks to Cheonsa, my worries seemed to vanish for a moment. But as I drew closer to the destination, my efforts to act like everything was fine began to feel hollow.
'I won't trade my life for the vaccine. The math doesn't add up.'
In truth, that was my only leverage. I had left the vaccine back at home. Therefore, if they killed me, the vaccine would be lost forever. They wouldn't risk exposing their shelter's location and giving up the vaccine just to kill one lone survivor.
"Cheonsa, I'm turning off the mic now. If anything happens, contact me immediately. You got it?"
"...Yeah."
Friends, huh. Just like with Cheonsa, the concepts of "friends" or "colleagues" had long since faded for me. Was there really anyone left in this world worth trusting? Whenever skeptical thoughts arose, I would force myself to rationalize them.
'I have no choice if I want to get supplies. Let's not think about it anymore.'
I spotted the sign pointing toward the elementary school. I approached, keeping my body hidden as much as possible. I checked my watch: 9:02 AM.
'High-voltage current running through the gate?'
If Hwang Gyunam hadn't warned me beforehand, I would have been fried to a crisp already. I scanned the inside of the school with my binoculars; it looked like they had intentionally set up screens to block the view.
'Should I go in now?'
9:07 AM. The passing time was forcing my hand. I took a deep breath, exhaling the chains of hesitation.
Creak!
As I carefully pushed the main gate, I saw that high-voltage wires were indeed installed behind it. As I crossed the playground and moved deeper inside, I saw sentries standing guard on the roof.
"?!"
They aimed their rifles at me and exchanged words through their in-ear headsets. Once they seemed to finish their conversation, they lowered their weapons and pointed in one direction. It was a building that looked like an auditorium; I assumed that was where I was supposed to go.
"Stop."
As I approached the auditorium, two more sentries were waiting at the entrance. They glared at me and spoke in a firm tone.
"Drop all the weapons you're carrying. If you try anything funny, we'll open fire immediately."
"You guys are armed, but you want me to disarm?"
"No weapons are allowed inside the auditorium. That goes for us, too."
Well, I supposed it was a standard procedure, but I still felt uneasy. I had even brought my revolver just in case. I could accept giving up the rifle, but I felt a strong resistance to parting with the revolver.
"I'll drop the ammunition and the rifle. But not this."
"No, there are no exceptions."
"This is my first time visiting. I need some insurance, don't I?"
The sentries looked at each other for a moment before shaking their heads. I couldn't gauge their ages because of their hats and masks, but I could hear the experience in their voices.
"You can't enter if you don't follow the procedure. We'll give it back when you leave, so don't worry."
"Hmm."
I had no choice but to put the weapons down. I really wanted to keep the revolver, but they said they'd return it... Honestly, it was a precious weapon to me, but to others, it was just a hunk of scrap metal.
"Thanks for understanding."
"Just keep it safe."
"We will."
One of the sentries approached and gathered the weapons I had laid down. Looking closely, I saw a separate storage box provided on the side. I only entered the auditorium after confirming that my revolver was safely placed in the box.
Just then.
Thud—!
"...!"
As soon as the auditorium door closed, a round object whizzed past my temple at high speed and slammed into the iron door. It was a split second, but I saw it clearly. A white sphere with red stitching.
'A baseball?'
A man was standing in the direction the ball had come from. Even at a glance, he had a sturdy build, and he opened his mouth as if surprised.
"You didn't even flinch?"
"Hey, no way. He must have just frozen in shock."
Beside the man was a woman with her hair tied back. I was starting to feel slightly annoyed, but the moment I recognized the man's face, I was so shocked that I just stood there, mouth agape.
"Player Oh Jeong-hwan...?"
If you had even the slightest interest in sports, it was a face you couldn't miss. The left-handed fireballer who could be brought back from hell. The very player who dominated the Major Leagues with a 100-mph fastball and sharp breaking balls. The world's greatest closing pitcher, whose name was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Even though it had been quite a while since he retired, the appearance I had seen on TV remained unchanged.
"I didn't expect to be called 'player' by a lone wolf. I thought you wouldn't be normal. I'm Oh Jeong-hwan, the leader of the Osori Shelter."
"Ah..."
He offered a handshake with his left hand. I shook it subconsciously, and it felt so hard I doubted it was a human hand. It felt like it was made of stone.
"I've heard the story. It's been so long since I've seen a lone wolf that I didn't believe it at first."
"Ah, yes."
"Are you really unaffiliated?"
"Yes."
I was dazed for a moment because he was such an unexpected figure, but I quickly regained my composure. I was currently in a place that might be enemy territory.
"So you've survived alone all this time?"
"Is there a problem with that?"
Oh Jeong-hwan chuckled and turned his back. He leaned into an old chair and put a cigarette in his mouth.
"No problem at all. But I don't have any reason to believe your words, do I?"
"If you weren't going to believe me, why did you call me here?"
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not the one who called you."
Oh Jeong-hwan's gaze shifted to where Hwang Gyunam, whom I had met yesterday, was standing. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and the girl who had been glaring at me the whole time snapped at him in a blunt tone.
"Honestly, everyone just does whatever they want. If it's going to be like this, why do we even have a leader or rules?"
"No, Jiyoung. I explained it to you enough."
"Oh, you explained it very well. That Inbeom is out with an injury and that you gave the uncle's vaccine to that guy."
The woman had a katana strapped to her back. My brow furrowed instantly. Didn't they say no weapons were allowed inside?
"Wait a minute. Why is that woman carrying a weapon? I heard there were no exceptions."
"If you've got a problem, let's fight."
"...What did you say?"
"Why? Scared?"
The woman glared at me fiercely. Honestly, I just wanted to laugh. She seemed to be under a huge misunderstanding, but I don't go easy on people just because they're women. Whether it's a woman, an Alpha, or a wild dog, anyone who threatens me is just the same enemy.
"Oh, seriously. Han Jiyoung, are you going to keep acting out?"
As the atmosphere grew strange, Hwang Gyunam quickly stepped in to mediate. But the woman's sneer really provoked me.
"I'm sorry, sir. She wasn't like this before, but lately her personality has been a bit..."
"If you're going to make exceptions, return my weapon, too."
"That... Jiyoung is like a bodyguard. You know, like the people who carry swords next to the king in historical dramas."
"Either way, an exception is an exception."
"Well, I suppose that's true, but... please understand this, sir. It's for the safety of the shelter."
Honestly, it didn't convince me, but I decided to hold back for the sake of Hwang Gyunam, who was sweating buckets. ...At least, until the woman named Han Jiyoung added one more word.
"Just leave him be. Let's see what he's got."
Is she testing my patience? If so, that's a clear mistake. I'm not that soft of a person.
"Let's see the bodyguard's skills. To gauge the level of this place, too."
"Ha! You've got some nerve for someone in your position!"
Han Jiyoung stepped down from the table she had been sitting on and approached me. Hwang Gyunam held his head and sighed, while Oh Jeong-hwan just watched in silence. A tacit agreement.
"Hey, pretty boy over there? Don't beg for mercy and look pathetic. I'm not going to go easy on you anyway."
"Your tongue is long."
"You're going to pay the price for what you did to Inbeom, right?"
Whoosh—!
Han Jiyoung threw a punch first. As I leaned back to dodge it, a kick followed immediately. I stepped backward to get out of her range.
"Oh?"
"You'd better try harder if you don't want to lose face."
"Bullshit!"
Han Jiyoung lunged again. She closed the distance in an instant and threw an uppercut aimed at my chin. As I turned my body to dodge, an elbow strike followed like a single motion. I raised my hands to defend. I grabbed her wrist and tripped her, sending her to the ground.
"Argh!"
Han Jiyoung, who had fallen in a pathetic heap, looked up at me with murderous eyes. She scrambled up and drew her katana, which was clearly a top-tier blade that had been very well maintained.
"That's a sword too good for you to use."
"Shut up!"
She lunged with a thrust aimed at my heart. Then, a vertical slash followed from top to bottom. Her form was clean, but too honest. The kind that would only work on zombies.
"Argh!"
I countered by stepping into her range, twisting her wrist to make her drop the sword. Then, as I kicked the back of her ankle, Han Jiyoung couldn't even perform a breakfall and landed hard on her back.
"God dammit...!"
The outcome was already decided. I was holding the sword Han Jiyoung had dropped. Oh Jeong-hwan seemed to have reached the same conclusion, as he stood up from his seat.
"Stop. That's enough."
"Honestly, I'm disappointed. Since it was called a shelter, I thought it was some impressive group."
"It's because it's not impressive that cooperation was necessary."
Hwang Gyunam tried to help her up, but Han Jiyoung brushed his hand away and shrieked instead. She must not be able to accept her defeat. How pathetic.
"It's because I let my guard down! I know your skills now, so let's go again!"
"If you come at me again, I might actually kill you. Be prepared."
"..."
I was serious. I shot a cold glare at the woman who was running wild without knowing her place. Han Jiyoung met my gaze for a moment, then turned her head and tucked her tail between her legs. Only then did I return her sword.
Han Jiyoung carefully took it, sheathed it, and asked in a much more subdued voice.
"Who are you? You're not a civilian, are you?"
"You guys said I was a lone wolf."
"No, not that. Are you... from the school?"
I understood what Han Jiyoung meant. In fact, I had known from the moment we exchanged our first blows. This woman was also from the school. Combat arts, swordsmanship. If you were taught by the same instructor, it was bound to be familiar.
"What class are you?"
"As I thought..."
She stood up slowly at my words and straightened her shoulders, looking quite confident as if nothing had happened.
"I'm Class 11. What about you?"
"Class 4."
"Bullshit. Don't lie."
"It's the truth."
"Are you kidding me? Do you even know who's in Class 4 before saying that?"
Who's in it? My classmates, obviously. As I tilted my head, Han Jiyoung asked as if I were pathetic.
"Do you even know who McGree is?"
"Yes."
"Ha! Who is he then?"
"Me."
"What?"
"That's my codename."
"Uh...?"
McGree. A codename created for me, whose primary weapon was a revolver. Come to think of it, it had been a long time since I'd heard it. Han Jiyoung's face began to turn pale.
"You're the real McGree...?"
"Yes."
"Th-then what is that person's primary weapon?"
"A revolver."
"Where did you hear that...?"
"I left it outside, so go check for yourself."
Han Jiyoung ran out of the auditorium as if possessed. When she returned, she was holding my two revolvers in both hands. Han Jiyoung muttered to herself like a woman half-mad. She stared at me for a long time with slightly unfocused eyes, then suddenly.
"S-Senior!"
"...?"
"Senior! How are you! I am Han Jiyoung of Class 11! It is an honor to meet you!"
Han Jiyoung bowed at a 90-degree angle and didn't move an inch.