Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Chapter 10. Midnight Tag Game
Under the coat rack lay a bag. And not just the kind of backpack I used to carry to school, but a proper hiking backpack.
‘Do secondhand shops even sell stuff like this?’
It was a bit worn, but not so much that it would tear when filled, and the capacity was quite generous.
‘With this, I can fit not just clothes, but also food and water, plenty of it.’
Above all, the timing couldn’t have been better.
After finishing my little “shopping” at the clothing store, I’d been planning to scavenge for food and other necessities anyway.
I was originally going to look for a bag at that point, but this saved me the trouble.
A bag is one of the most essential items in an apocalypse. Without one, you’d have to carry everything by hand. And that means you can carry far less compared to having a backpack. Especially if you run into zombies or monsters while holding stuff, you’ll have to choose between dropping everything or dying.
‘Alright, I should pack some spare clothes too.’
Feeling rather pleased, I first grabbed a decent jumper.
One to wear now, and one for later.
‘I should grab a windbreaker too.’
Next came T-shirts, thermal underwear, and sweatpants. The fabric had to be warm but also flexible enough for movement.
Since they weren’t my clothes, I couldn’t pick the perfect size, but I excluded anything too tight or too baggy.
Then came socks. It’s best to have three or four pairs. If your socks get sweaty and you keep moving, you’ll get blisters in no time.
‘This should do for now.’
I rolled the spare clothes as tightly as I could and stuffed them into the backpack. Fortunately, there were a few unisex pieces mixed in, so I was spared the indignity of cross-dressing.
In the apocalypse, you always need backups for everything. If you don’t have one, at least have a substitute.
Finally, I packed winter gear, neck warmer, earmuffs, and the rest of the stuff. I sat down in the dark to rest.
‘I wonder how that guy, Lee Juhun or whatever, is doing.’
Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes, but I did wish him well.
‘Anyway, the fewer people die, the better.’
Obviously, my own survival came first. But still, I preferred for more people to make it through. It’s not like their deaths would help me survive, and for my future plans, it’s better to have more people alive.
Just as I was taking a breather…
Bang!
A sudden gunshot rang out.
I sprang up instantly from under my makeshift blanket of clothes.
‘Which idiot just fired a gun!’
Unless you had serious numbers, shooting a gun was practically suicide.
Especially at night. Not only the sound but also the flash, it looked several times brighter in the dark, and all of that drew zombies.
“Graaaahhh!”
Sure enough, that horrible, grating scream of infected ones erupted all around.
Bang, bang!
Two more shots shattered the night’s silence.
‘You moron!’
Judging by the timing between shots, the shooter was definitely alone.
‘Why the hell would you start shooting on your own?!’
If you can’t wipe them all out, stay quiet and hidden.
It was an old saying among the survivors of Achaia. Noise draws zombies, and if you can’t kill them all, you die. That was the meaning behind it.
Yet this fool was firing off rounds in the middle of the night.
His fate was as clear as day.
‘Damn it!’
I slung my backpack over my shoulders and reached for the door, but I couldn’t open it.
In the mirror of the clothing shop, a group of zombies was reflected.
Three infected ones leading the way, and more than a dozen zombies following behind.
‘Do I go out?’
If I rushed out now and drew their attention, I’d be dead. But staying put wasn’t an option either.
If they took over the storefront, I’d be trapped inside.
‘No, calm down.’
I crouched low and watched them approach through the mirror.
‘Hoo...’
First, a deep breath.
Times like this demand calm.
Panic or impatience will get you killed.
‘Should I just take out the infected ones quickly and make a run for it?’
No, there were three of them, not one or two.
If I took even a little too long, I’d get surrounded and end up as zombie chow. Even if I bolted straight out, the infected ones would probably catch up in seconds. And if some zombie popped up ahead, I’d have to fight it and lose precious distance.
‘What do I do?’
They were steadily getting closer to the storefront. But since the gunfire had stopped, their pace was slowing down.
‘No, at this rate, they’ll stop right in front.’
This was my last chance.
I had to make a decision.
‘I need a ride, something to get on.’
Then, reflected in the shop’s mirror, I saw a car.
My eyes fixed on it. More precisely, on the scene reflected in its rearview mirror. It took me less than a second to decide.
“Graaaahhh!”
“Grrrkh!”
The moment I opened the door, the monsters roared and charged.
I didn’t look back, I sprinted with everything I had. Behind me, more than ten monsters thundered in pursuit. Ahead, three or four zombies appeared out of nowhere.
Whoosh!
A wrench sliced through the air.
Thud!
A zombie blocking my path fell, and almost simultaneously, another wrench embedded itself in another’s skull.
Thud!
Charging forward, I swung my crowbar roughly and smashed the last one’s head.
“Huff, huff.”
Then I immediately reached for the bicycle tied to a tree.
The infected chasing me were already within ten meters.
‘Damn it! Hurry!’
The sound grew closer.
『Ability activated.』
‘Come on, almost there!’
『Altering the lock’s structure.』
“Graaaahhh!”
Just as the infected lunged at me, the lock clicked open.
I grabbed the handlebars and pedaled with every ounce of strength.
“Graaaahhh!”
The infected’s claws slashed through empty air.
I pedaled like my life depended on it, because it did.
Ahead, zombies drawn by the gunfire were already tearing apart a dead police officer’s body.
“Guhhh?”
Don’t look! Don’t look this way!
No, no, don’t you dare!
“Grrrkh!”
Of course, the moment our eyes met, the zombies began sprinting toward me.
Infected behind, zombies ahead, a true no-win situation.
‘Shit!’
I cursed inwardly and swerved hard to avoid the zombie pack.
The moment my speed dipped, the infected behind started gaining ground again.
And my stamina wasn’t infinite.
At this rate, it was only a matter of time before I got caught.
‘How do you work this damn thing!’
Frantically pedaling, I fiddled with the control panel on the handlebars.
‘I’ve never ridden one of these before!’
Then suddenly, I felt the speed surge as the distance between me and the infected widened rapidly.
‘Hahaha! You bastards, it’s an electric bike!’
I cheered silently and pedaled with renewed vigor.
Just then, a zombie popped out of a dark alley, blocking my way.
Thud!
I rammed it with my crowbar and kept going.
‘Brings back memories.’
Back in my Calvertian days, I used to ride horses too.
Well, until I ended up eating them.
* * *
The chase ended about ten minutes later.
Dae-shik swallowed the breath that had risen to his throat and dismounted the e-bike.
“Haa, haa... Damn, that was close.”
Now that his life was safe, a tingling sensation swept through his entire body, like electricity. A backpack, winter gear, clothes, and now a decent means of transportation. Risky as it was, the haul had been worth it.
“Phewww...”
Gripping his trembling legs, he hoisted the bike onto his shoulder and slowly climbed a staircase.
He arrived at a newly built villa, still under construction.
A standalone building, surrounded by two others that had just begun their foundations.
When he’d spotted this place from the hardware store rooftop, he’d nearly shouted with joy.
In times like these, there was no better shelter.
You couldn’t just barge into a house that still had people inside. Those places swarmed with zombies and infected.
And even if you cleared them out, there was still a major issue.
Living in a place soaked with blood and rot was pure torture. But you also couldn’t sleep in an abandoned ruin with no insulation or wind protection, not in the middle of winter.
‘Your face would freeze off.’
If you were lucky, only your face. Given Korea’s fickle winters, a cold snap could turn you into a popsicle overnight.
So finding a nearly finished building ready for sale, that was divine providence.
Climbing the stairs, Dae-shik glanced out the hallway window to survey the surroundings again.
Wherever you go, it’s essential to learn the terrain first. Not right next door, but nearby were convenience stores, restaurants, and several old buildings being demolished for redevelopment.
‘Man, life’s funny sometimes.’
It was a strange, bitter feeling.
Back when the world was normal, redevelopment and home ownership were distant dreams, and now, in the apocalypse, he was reaping the benefits of them.
‘Alright, I’ll crash here tonight.’
He stopped on the fifth floor. Leaving his new ride in the hallway, Dae-shik approached the door. And then…
『Ability activated.』
『Altering the shape of the door.』
『Satiety decreases. Remaining satiety: 40 + 5』
Instead of picking the lock, he warped the door just enough to create a small gap.
‘That should do it.’
He jammed his crowbar into the gap and heaved with all his might.
Creak, crack, crunch!
After two or three good pushes, the door finally gave way.
‘Saved some satiety.’
Impressed once again by the crowbar’s versatility, he grinned and stepped into what would be his temporary home.
“Kaah...!”
The interior work wasn’t completely done, but just stepping into a livable space made him gasp in awe. There was flooring, built-in furniture, even properly sealed windows.
No worries about drafts here. Maybe it was the sense of safety, but his eyelids grew heavy.
‘Come to think of it, I really pushed myself today. I’m gonna have muscle pain tomorrow for sure. Ugh, I can’t…need to find food tomorr—’
And before long, sleep took him.
* * *
The next morning.
“KyAAAAAAAH!”
A young woman’s piercing scream jolted him awake.
The source of the sound, inside the building.