The Spy
There were only two voices, but I couldn't rule out the possibility of more. Above all, the opposition was armed with guns, making a direct approach difficult.
"If a gunshot goes off, the zombies will swarm back here."
I decided to eavesdrop for now. Who were these people, and why had they set a trap? Everything was a mystery.
"But I've never seen that guy from earlier before?"
"I guess he was recruited from another shelter."
"Where did he come from?"
"Don't know. I haven't heard anything either. The Boss keeps too many secrets, you know."
"Damn it."
The conversation cut off. Fearing they might hear me, I crept down a couple of stairs. Position-wise, it would be better for me to watch from above, but that would require passing the floor they were occupying.
"I can't stay here long."
The clock pointed to 3:00 PM. Considering the travel distance, I had to leave this place in thirty minutes at the latest. It would be great if I could get something out of this before then...
"What's the Boss saying?"
The voices returned. I slowly climbed back up the stairs to close the distance.
"Whew."
"Why? What's he saying?"
"...He says to keep watching until tomorrow."
"Again?"
A sigh escaped. It was a sigh mixed with clear exhaustion and irritation.
"Isn't this going too far? There's a limit to how much they can dump on us. We aren't CCTV cameras; how many days has it been already?"
"He says we have no choice if we want to catch the Osori bastards."
"Who doesn't know that? I'm pissed because they won't even give us a shift change, you know?"
"Hey, keep your voice down."
"Aigoo, look at the loyal servant. You're the problem. You always say 'yes, yes,' so they look down on us."
They want to catch Osori?
Perhaps offended, they didn't say anything else, save for the sound of a lighter clicking a couple of times.
"They said they'd be here until tomorrow, at least."
I decided to head back for today. Staying any longer would just be a waste of time, and there were a few things I needed to check at the shelter. I slipped out of the studio apartment building and returned to the shelter, sticking to their blind spots.
People were waiting for me from the entrance.
"Senior, you're later than I thought?"
"As expected of you, sir. I was worried for nothing, haha."
"Welcome back, everyone was waiting for you."
Being welcomed by people was a pleasant feeling, even if I wasn't used to it. But I couldn't just laugh and chat while recounting tales of my exploits. The people welcoming me. The Osori Shelter where these people were gathered. Someone was targeting this place, which had suddenly become meaningful to me.
"Where's Inbeom?"
"The doctor took him. It's just a light bruise, so he said he'll be fine if he rests for a few days."
"That's a relief."
"What about you? You aren't hurt anywhere?"
Who was the most trustworthy person in the shelter? Hwang Gyunam, or Han Jiyoung. The person I could talk to about secrets was definitely Hwang Gyunam.
"President Hwang, just a moment."
"Hm? Oh, oh. Sure."
I moved to the rooftop and only started talking after confirming there was no one around. Hwang Gyunam's face grew heavy and stiff.
"That is why I am asking. Is there perhaps a grudge I am unaware of?"
"Hmm... well. Even if there isn't any specific bad blood, these things can happen for any number of reasons. To be blunt, our shelter site is quite good, isn't it? It's only natural that people would start targeting it."
I agreed with him about the site. Since it was an elementary school building, there was nothing to criticize other than the exterior being a bit childish.
"Has something like this happened before?"
"In the early days, it was chaos. Back then, it wasn't so much a 'shelter' concept as it was groups of like-minded people gathering in threes and fours. It would fail, then integrate again, and split apart again through betrayal after betrayal..."
"Sounds like the Warring States period."
"They'd spring up like bamboo shoots after rain and then disappear without a trace. Compared to back then, well, I doubt even 10% of the shelters that exist now have truly settled in."
"Is there a shelter you suspect?"
Hwang Gyunam pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. He didn't light it, just rolled it between his lips for a long time.
"That's strange. I heard they went under a long time ago..."
"I see you have a place in mind."
"What was the name again? Ah, right, Daeheung. They did attack us once in the past. Though that was already two years ago."
"There must be many shelters that fall and are rebuilt."
"That's true... but they haven't been active for a while."
Strictly speaking, the threat didn't disappear just because 'Daeheung' went under. If even one person who belonged to that shelter in the past was still alive, they would know about Osori.
"Do you know where Daeheung is?"
"It won't be easy to find. If they've gone as far as setting traps and watching us, they must be hidden somewhere deep."
"Still, it wouldn't be too far away."
"I suppose so, but... it's just a bit strange."
I was reading Hwang Gyunam's mind. It was a point I was also questioning.
"We're close by, so why haven't we run into them? That's what's strange, right?"
"That's exactly it. If our activity ranges overlap, no matter how unlucky you are, you're bound to run into each other at least once."
In fact, I knew the answer to this question. That was the reason I called Hwang Gyunam instead of Han Jiyoung. I scanned the surroundings once more.
"I think there's a spy inside."
"Ah... I suspected as much, and you're thinking the same thing."
"Since they said it's been a few days, they didn't just set a trap and wait indefinitely. They set the trap according to our plans."
"I suppose so. We've been ignoring the university until now."
Before going out on a search, we divide the zones through meetings. The fact that we haven't run into them despite being close means they know our search direction. In other words, there's a high probability the spy is among them.
"I was only paying attention to Gusan, but to think there was another organization. It's truly not an easy world."
"They'll be among the search team. We have to find them."
"..."
Hwang Gyunam's shoulders slumped. A deep worry clouded his face. The search team consisted of elite members within the shelter. Because they attend all meetings, they know the shelter's weapon and ammunition reserves, the members' personal information, and even the cafeteria menu. The real big problem was that they knew our vision. That grand plan to raid the general hospital and obtain a large quantity of vaccines.
"Please tell the Shelter Chief, President Hwang."
"I'm scared too. The vaccine is something Oh Seon-soo desperately wanted, so I can't predict how he'll react. I don't know about other things, but he definitely won't tolerate the scouting team's plans leaking."
The representative of a shelter must present a vision. People gather around that vision. I, too, had made up my mind to cooperate for the sake of a large quantity of vaccines. Osori's vision was the vaccine, and Daeheung's vision was Osori. The clash of two visions that could not coexist was bound to lead to tragedy.
"Steel your heart."
"Yeah... I should."
Hwang Gyunam crushed the cigarette butt he hadn't even managed to light onto the floor. His back as he walked away looked infinitely pathetic. Of all the versions of him I remembered, he looked the most burdened today.
***
There are moments you must accept calmly, even if you want to look away. Just as you must go through a grueling winter to finally meet spring, there is no conclusion without a process. The auditorium, which felt particularly cold. I was watching that process.
"Is everyone here?"
Oh Jeonghwan asked with his eyes closed. Beside him, Hwang Gyunam was staring into the distance, and Han Jiyoung was doing something else, as usual.
"It's 14 out of the 15 total search team members."
"Who is the one missing?"
"Inbeom."
"Bring him."
Oh Jeonghwan still had his eyes closed. Perhaps he felt he wouldn't be able to hold back if he opened his eyes and saw them. He seemed to be stubbornly holding on, trying not to let his emotions be discovered in his own way.
"I told you Inbeom hurt his ankle. You want me to bring a sick kid? Really?"
It was Han Jiyoung who answered. My junior didn't seem to have heard anything else, as she used her usual tone. A stinging one. A tone that, to anyone else, would seem fearless.
"I said to bring him."
"No, I'm telling you he's injured? If it's an important talk, can't I just pass it on?"
"Ha..."
Oh Jeonghwan's brow twitched. Like an active volcano about to explode. I immediately stopped Han Jiyoung.
"Bring Inbeom, too. He's not that badly hurt."
"Yes, Senior! I'll bring him right away!"
A moment later, Kim Inbeom entered the auditorium on crutches. Only then did Oh Jeonghwan slowly open his eyes. They were like those of a top-tier closer I once saw on TV, stepping onto the mound with the bases loaded and a one-run lead, as if they would ignite at any moment.
"The planned operation is canceled."
At his words, everyone began to murmur. Bald Choi Hyeonho. Self-proclaimed laborer Yoo Taesik. Delivery driver Kim Dohyeok. Factory worker Lee Hyuntae. Swimming instructor Moon Sangho, and so on. I carefully observed the expressions of the search team members.
"The Drizzle Operation?"
"Huh? Suddenly?"
"Is it because of what happened yesterday?"
"Why? Did something happen?"
The personnel who were off yesterday didn't know the situation. I decided to watch how Oh Jeonghwan would catch the spy. In any case, Oh Jeonghwan was the representative of this shelter, and he was the one who had presented the vision.
"They say there was a trap, but in my opinion, it was just a standard alarm system."
Oh Jeonghwan said it nonchalantly. To be precise, he was pretending it was nothing, pretending it was trivial. As if he hadn't noticed the other organization.
"Well, he has to act like that to catch the spy."
I didn't say anything because I knew Oh Jeonghwan's intentions. However, there was one person who couldn't accept this situation at all.
"I'm telling you it was a trap! Think about it logically. The power is all cut off, so how does an alarm system work on its own?"
"Han Jiyoung. You must be mistaken."
"Wow, you're frustrating. There weren't many zombies when we first entered. But suddenly they increased massively! Does that make sense?"
"It's not impossible. If you were careless."
"Are you already getting dementia? Isn't this strange?"
"You're overreacting. If that was a trap, who installed it? Have you ever seen other survivors in this vicinity besides us?"
"Ah, no, that's...!"
Oh Jeonghwan continued to play dumb. When I signaled for her to stop, Han Jiyoung bit her lip, her face turning red.
"What are you going to do now?"
What kind of clever trick did Oh Jeonghwan have? I waited for his next words with a half-doubting heart.
"The Drizzle Operation is temporarily suspended, and for the time being, we will focus on exploration missions."
"All the personnel here?"
"We need to shorten the time as much as possible. Gusan's movements are suspicious."
"Then what about the university?"
"I thought it was unreasonable from the start. We sent elite members yesterday, too, and only the number of injured increased."
"Ah..."
Everyone had an expression that they understood to some extent. From the beginning, there were more people who were skeptical of the Drizzle Operation anyway. Choi Hyeonho raised his hand high.
"But why did you summon everyone?"
"As of today, all personal activities are strictly prohibited. You've all been doing personal activities in your spare time, haven't you? Did you think I wouldn't know?"
"Ha, haha... As expected of the Boss."
"I don't want to give Gusan any excuses for no reason. Anyway, the meeting ends here. Everyone, dismiss."
Gusan was just a convenient excuse. Oh Jeonghwan's true purpose was revealed only to a small number of people after the general meeting ended.
"Everything I say from now on is a secret. You must not tell anyone. Only the people remaining here know this."
Inside the auditorium, only four people remained, including me, Hwang Gyunam, Han Jiyoung, and Oh Jeonghwan.