Gotta Kill Them
We each grabbed our clothes and gear and stepped outside.
“…You’re planning to fight with that?”
“Why? Is that a problem?”
An Ga-hee swung the kitchen knife through empty air as she asked. I let out a long sigh and held an axe out to her.
“Use this instead. Last time I watched you, you handled an axe pretty well.”
“For real? These aren’t easy to come by. You’re sure I can use it?”
“Doesn’t matter. We cleaned out the whole camping store—I’ve got several more at home. Besides, this is what you were angling for all along, wasn’t it?”
Her eyes widened a fraction. The way the corner of her mouth curled up was pure smugness.
“Busted, huh?”
“Next time don’t dance around it. Just say it straight. It’s better that way.”
“Got it.”
“So-hye, you good with the shovel?”
I turned to look at her. She flinched, then bobbed her head quickly.
“I’d rather have this than a felling axe, a regular axe, or a hammer. It’s sharper than you’d think, and I can use it as a blunt weapon or even a shield.”
“True, it is pretty versatile.”
Used wrong it could end up half-assed, but given how my ability seemed to be flowing, I’d just have to watch and see.
“Alright, let’s move. First stop is the liquor store—fill these bags completely. That’s objective one. Objective two is the big supermarket. Final objective: the department store.”
“The supermarket I get, but the department store? Isn’t that pushing it?”
“I know. Still have to try. If we can just get inside, it’s jackpot.”
“Fair enough. That place really did have everything. Wait—if we hit the department store, does that mean we can just grab luxury brands too?”
An Ga-hee and So-hye’s eyes lit up like Christmas trees. Both of them tightened their grips on their weapons with both hands.
“The world’s ended and you’re still thinking about designer labels?”
“Hey. This is instinct. We’ve already covered the physiological needs and safety needs to a decent degree. So of course our eyes start wandering that way.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
I still couldn’t wrap my head around it. An Ga-hee, fine—but I never expected So-hye to care too.
“Think about it. How good would it feel fucking a woman in designer clothes and high-end lingerie? Huh?”
“…Okay, when you put it like that, I get it.”
“See! You like us prettier and sexier too. So stop looking down on luxury brands. They’re going to be quietly expensive trade goods with other survivors later on.”
“And the real reason?”
“Before all this I never owned a single luxury piece. Inferiority complex. Happy? Whenever the other girls in my class bragged, it made me so damn jealous I wanted to die!”
An Ga-hee bit down hard on her lip and let out a sharp little shriek. It was cute enough that I reached out and ruffled her hair.
“Hands off.”
She growled, so I pulled my hand back immediately. So-hye, standing right beside her, just stared at me with bright, sparkling eyes.
Stroke, stroke—
“Hehe.”
When I patted her head she nuzzled into my palm like a puppy. An Ga-hee shook her head in pure disgust.
“Ugh. Let’s just go already. I can’t watch that anymore.”
“Then you take point.”
“What!? No, why me? I’m a girl. A delicate girl. You’re seriously putting me out front?”
“You have to earn my trust, don’t you, Miss An Ga-hee?”
“…You absolute cheap-shot bastard.”
An Ga-hee grumbled and took the lead. We followed. The moment we rounded the first alley, a single zombie appeared.
“Kraaaaah—”
—Crunch!
She brought the axe down on its head without a second of hesitation. The first blow made the zombie stagger back; she immediately closed in and buried the blade in its neck.
Thwack!
A few more swings and the head was flopping loosely. Even then the thing refused to die.
“Just fucking die already!”
An Ga-hee lifted her leg and kicked the head clean off. With a wet tearing and shattering sound the skull flew and smashed into the utility pole on the left.
“Hah… hah…”
She wiped her forehead and turned around. A proud little smile sat on her face.
“Well?”
“Not bad. I was worried you might freeze up, but at this level there’s no problem at all.”
“I’ve already killed people. You think zombies are going to faze me?”
I nodded and turned to So-hye.
“Your turn, So-hye. Take point this time.”
“M-me?”
“Yeah.”
“Do I… have to earn trust too…?”
She dropped her gaze, face crumpling into a pout.
“No. I just want to see how well you handle zombies.”
Last night when we mixed bodies, that hot energy had poured into her. I wanted to know how much of an effect it had.
Outwardly there wasn’t much change. Her skin looked a little better, her face a little more beautiful—but that could just be my imagination.
“Okay. If that’s the case, leave it to me!”
So-hye gripped the shovel tight, slipped past An Ga-hee, and took the lead. Naturally An Ga-hee drifted over to my side.
“Can she even kill a zombie?”
“She’s going to be a lot more useful than you think.”
“For real?”
An Ga-hee didn’t look convinced. Fair enough—everything So-hye had shown so far screamed greenhouse flower.
That attitude vanished the second So-hye met a zombie.
Clang!
The shovel smashed into the zombie and dropped it flat. She grabbed the rounded handle and drove the blade straight into its heart.
Thud!
She even put her foot on it like she was digging earth. An Ga-hee’s mouth fell open.
“Holy shit. She actually fights well?”
“Told you. I didn’t bring So-hye along for nothing.”
“Um, how was I?”
So-hye turned around and beamed at us, bright as a golden retriever.
“You did great. Really great.”
I walked over and ruffled her hair; she grinned ear to ear.
“Feel anything different from before?”
“Different?”
So-hye pressed a finger to her lips, thought for a second, then spoke again.
“Hmm. The shovel feels a little lighter than it used to. Zombies don’t scare me as much either. And I don’t get tired as fast, I think.”
“Anything else?”
“Not really? I haven’t noticed any big differences yet. Even the stuff I just said might be in my head.”
Fair. One night of sex wasn’t going to produce dramatic results. Hell, even I barely felt anything the first time I got the ability.
“Why are you asking, though?”
“No reason. You did good. From here on I’ll take point. Stay close behind me.”
“Okay.”
I’d confirmed both women’s combat ability. Now it was fine for me to lead.
Kraaaaaah—!
While we were walking the street, three zombies charged us at once.
“Want help?”
“Should we help?”
“No. Don’t need it.”
First time fighting three at once, but I figured I could handle this much.
Thwack!
I drove the felling axe into the neck of the one coming straight at me. The wet sensation of flesh parting filled my grip, and the stench of blood rolled over me. That foul smell made the corner of my mouth lift on its own.
Thud!
I kicked it square in the chest and sent it flying. Instantly another one swung an arm from the side.
Whoosh!
I slipped the attack easily and brought the hammer from my belt down on its skull. With a heavy crunch the zombie staggered back; I stayed glued to it and smashed its face in.
Crack!
A huge sound and it hit the ground. I planted my foot on its head and stomped. Bone shattered; the feeling of eyeballs and brain bursting transmitted straight through the sole of my shoe.
Fresh energy flooded in right after, flooding my body with new vitality.
Slash!
I spun on the presence I felt right behind me and swept the felling axe in a clean arc. The elegant trajectory sliced straight through the zombie’s neck.
Thud!
As it fell I stomped its head for the finishing blow. Then I finished the last one that was still wobbling toward me with its head flopping.
“Whoa.”
“Waaah…”
When I turned around both women were staring with round eyes. So-hye even gave a little clap.
“I’m really glad I didn’t fight you last time. I almost went straight to the Lord’s side.”
“You’re Christian?”
“No. Atheist?”
“Then why say that?”
“It’s just an expression. Just words.”
“Nn…”
So-hye let out a soft moan. That strangely heated voice made me turn; she was clutching the hem of her T-shirt, face flushed red.
“So-hye, you okay? Does something hurt?”
“N-no. M-more importantly, let’s hurry!”
“I’ll go talk to her. You hang back a little.”
While I was still wondering about the weird attitude, An Ga-hee caught up and they started whispering. The way they squealed and chattered felt off, but I just followed.
What the hell?
I had no idea what they were talking about, but both of them kept glancing at me with those sly little smiles, so it probably wasn’t anything bad.
The moment we entered the park the two women chattered nonstop while clearing every zombie themselves, so I couldn’t feed my ability at all.
“Hey. Just stay behind me instead.”
“Fine.”
“Okay.”
In the end I made them follow and handled every zombie myself up front. We were about to enter the commercial district; I needed to stack as much power as possible.
“From here on, keep quiet. One wrong move and we could draw a whole pack.”
“Got it.”
When we reached the commercial street we’d visited before, both women clamped their mouths shut. Their bodies looked stiff with tension as I moved forward.
First thing I checked was the department store. Still packed with zombies—easily hundreds of them.
Yeah. Not happening today either.
I clicked my tongue and changed direction, heading for the liquor store that had been the original target.
We moved carefully, ducking between cars and alleys. The moment we arrived right next to it—
“This much should last us a few months easy, right?”
“No kidding. This is a real jackpot. Even the kids’ll have to admit it.”
“Holy shit, is this Johnnie Walker Blue!? I could never afford this stuff before!”
The second we slipped into the alley beside the liquor store, voices floated out from inside. Multiple men—I clocked it instantly.
“What are we doing?”
An Ga-hee whispered. So-hye, crouched next to her, had eyes that trembled with faint unease.
“What do you mean, what are we doing?”
I wiped the felling axe with a cloth as I answered.
“We kill them.”
I wasn’t about to share my liquor with anyone.