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Law of Turmoil

Aegyo Ppoomppum Frodo : Does anyone have water to spare...? My stored supply is almost gone... ㅠㅠ Is there anyone who could possibly share some?

Sleepy Neo : At least you still have some left. Stop whining like a spoiled brat and try conserving it.

Chorongchorong Ryan : Is this right? Yesterday, the day before, and now again — those thugs have monopolized everything. In a situation like this, shouldn't people know how to help each other and get along?

Aegyo Ppoomppum Frodo : That's what I'm saying ㅠㅠ Those heartless bastards probably still have a ton left in their food warehouse ㅠㅠ

Hwanan Ryan : That's why I told you we should go with my plan. They were never going to share a single drop anyway, so why keep trying to live together with them?

Chorongchorong Ryan : Even so... what are we supposed to do after we leave? It seems like it'll be hard to find anywhere proper to settle...

Aegyo Ppoomppum Frodo : I agree with Mister Chang-oh! The water's been cut off for a whole week! A week! I haven't been able to wash this whole time! But those bastards are always looking fresh and clean!

Sleepy Neo : Hmph. It is a bit infuriating, I admit. Those pricks sometimes giggle while looking at us. It grates on the nerves.

Paran Usan Keuroni : Still, don't you think we need to be cautious? Making a rash decision like this...

Hwanan Ryan : That time's already passed. We can't keep being indecisive like Miss Ha-rin forever.

Paran Usan Keuroni : .....

Chorongchorong Ryan : Indecisive... indeed, after mulling it over, I think Chang-oh is right. The time for taking our time is over. Honestly, those bastards are shady as hell. We don't know what they'll demand under the pretense of helping us.

Aegyo Ppoomppum Frodo : That's right! Let's escape! Escape! Run away! All together!

Sleepy Neo : Is this a majority vote? Then I'll join in. Honestly, rather than going under those guys, I'd prefer scoping out somewhere else.

Aegyo Ppoomppum Frodo : Right! The water situation is critical! Let's band together, everyone!

Hwanan Ryan : If the people who are just watching silently right now also agree, get ready by 1 AM and come down to the first floor. Even if we get caught, they won't be able to do much if we outnumber them.

Paran Usan Keuroni : Haah... fine. If all of you leave, staying behind would be the real poison. I'll go.

Aegyo Ppoomppum Frodo : That's wise, unnie!

Sleepy Neo : You're a guy. What do you mean "unnie"?

Aegyo Ppoomppum Frodo : Shh. Don't ruin the immersion, please~

*

"Are you going there again?"

Seong Jin-woo asked it while watching Jeong Ji-min put on her shoes at the front door.

A faint shadow fell across Jeong Ji-min's face.

"...Yeah."

"Do you really need to go every day? We can just see each other in the morning. You don't have to keep getting tangled up on purpose..."

"Oppa, I'm sorry, but this is an important time. I have to build up our connections somehow. That way, at least something will fall our way."

"....."

Seong Jin-woo bit his lip hard.

Truthfully, he had noticed from the start that it was a flimsy excuse.

Anyone who wasn't an idiot could tell some kind of deal was going on with the group next door.

But despite that, the reason he couldn't voice his opinion strongly was because of his own situation as a injured man.

As someone wholly dependent on her care, he couldn't afford to pile on any harsh criticism.

Even if he did, it would just go in one ear and out the other.

A sense of powerlessness crushed him.

His girlfriend's changing attitude as time passed played a part as well.

Especially that look in her eyes.

A cold gaze, as if she were looking at a burden.

Every time he faced it, Seong Jin-woo's heart ached like it was being torn apart.

"...Can't you just not go today?"

"Haah... Stop whining. I'm tired of hearing that same old thing."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Sorry. But is it really true that nothing's going on?"

"Huh? What? Oppa, are you suspecting me?"

Seong Jin-woo didn't answer.

Because nothing would change even if he mumbled a denial here.

"I'm really disappointed. We've been dating for over two years. Do you really think I'd actually screw you over?"

"...Aren't you? I'm asking if you aren't."

"Wow, you really did think that, huh."

Jeong Ji-min wore a sour smile.

Seeing her burst into scorn instead of offering an explanation made Seong Jin-woo even more choked up.

"Tell me honestly. Did you sleep with that bastard?"

"Who knows. Figure it out yourself. Even if I'm honest, you won't believe me anyway."

She had a point.

But what was with that brazenness?

His teeth ground together audibly, and his heart pounded like crazy. The emotion taking root in his chest was blazing fury.

"Hey, Jeong Ji-min. So that's how you're going to play it?"

"And what are you going to do about it if I am? What exactly can you do with that leg?"

"....."

At the sight of Seong Jin-woo chewing his lips and searching for words, Jeong Ji-min snorted as if he was pathetic.

"Hmph, skip the useless talk and just take care of that leg. You're eating and drinking thanks to me, so why the hell are you so full of complaints? If someone shows you goodwill, just shut up and accept it."

"You really...!"

It was the moment he raised himself up in a fit of anger.

The door flew open, cutting Seong Jin-woo off mid-sentence.

"What's this, a fight?"

The one asking, with a faint twitch of his eyebrows, was Old Man Ttaekttaeki.

For some reason, he had a somewhat anxious look on his face.

"No, no, a fight? No way. We just had a slight difference of opinion."

"Hmph. Well, as long as that's the case, fine. More importantly, kids, pack your bags right now."

"Uh, uh... yes?"

"I said pack your bags. We have to get out of here now."

Jeong Ji-min was dumbfounded by the Old Man's words, which had skipped right over all the circumstances.

It was the same for Seong Jin-woo.

Pack our bags and get out of here? He didn't mean leave, did he?

Seriously?

So suddenly like this?

Seong Jin-woo's complexion darkened.

The Old Man kept talking, his air still frantic.

"Most of the residents are planning to bail on this place. So we have to go too. Nothing good will come from staying."

"Wait, right this moment?"

"Yeah. It's already been a week since the water stopped. Everyone's gotten impatient, and it's a complete frenzy of people saying they're gonna leave."

"But... why do we have to..."

"So are you planning to stay, missy? Are you really going to stay here, bowing and scraping to that shady Building Representative and his gang?"

"...I don't want that. Yes, I really, really hate it."

"Then it's settled. Get ready."

It was quite sudden, but perhaps realizing the seriousness of the situation from the Old Man's grave tone, Jeong Ji-min took off the shoes she had just put on.

Seong Jin-woo, perhaps because his important moment had been interrupted, asked in a sulky voice.

"But Old Man, how did you find out about this?"

"There's a group chat. Made up of people who hate those thugs."

He was baffled, but it did answer his question.

After that, the two of them hurriedly began packing their belongings.

*

"So, in the end, it looks like the Old Man's group is going to make a move?"

When I asked that, tapping the table with my finger, Jeong Ji-min nodded her head a couple of times, looking excited.

"Yes, yes. They said to meet in the first-floor lobby by 1 AM. The old man showed me the group chat, and everyone is completely serious about it, you know? They've got the vibe like they're really going to go through with it. He said if they get blocked, they'll just smash through with force — you could practically feel the murderous intent through the text, I'm telling you."

Wasn't that a bit exaggerated?

Anyway, she had brought good information, so I didn't bother to nitpick.

I stroked my chin with my hand.

"The time has finally come. Hui-ryeong, Ha-yoon. We're putting the plan into action."

"...Are you really going to go through with it?"

"Of course. I racked my brains coming up with it exactly for a moment like this."

Right, so since things have come to this, we might as well overturn everything properly, don't you think?

I intended to be as flashy and loud as possible about it.

Ha Hui-ryeong agreed with me, a cool smile on her face.

"I like it. Smash it all. It's simple, not complicated."

"...People are going to die. A lot of them."

"That's not our problem. Right?"

"...."

Her pupils wavered ever so slightly.

It seemed Ha-yoon was a bit uncomfortable with it.

But soon, whether she had steeled her resolve or simply resigned herself, she let out a sigh deep enough to make the ground sink.

"Haah... fine. I can't go against you anyway, so I'll follow along."

"Good. That's a good attitude. Never forget your place."

Pleased by the commendable answer, I stroked Kim Ha-yoon's head.

Of course, uncomfortable with it, she immediately protested silently with an annoyed expression.

At night, she stays quiet even when I do much worse things, but at times like this, she gets feisty again.

I just can't figure her out, honestly.

"Um... but what exactly is this plan?"

Just then, Jeong Ji-min, who had been quietly reading the mood, timidly raised her hand and asked a question.

I shrugged.

"Telling you in advance would ruin the fun. You'll find out everything when the time comes."

"Huh...? C-Can't you tell me? Please...? Just a little bit is fine, so tell me, pleaseee...."

I lightly ignored her as she clung to me, throwing a cute tantrum out of impatience. Then, cackling like a third-rate villain, I looked at the clock hanging on the wall.

The hour hand was pointing near the 12.

Alright, if I start getting ready now, I should be able to get there without being too late.

"Let's go flashy. Really flashy."

*

The elevator descended.

In the cramped space packed with people, Kang Ha-jun shot a quick glance at Kim Ha-yoon.

Inside the quiet interior, where everyone was stiff with tension, she never once took her eyes off her phone.

He couldn't help but feel a bit hurt by that.

Their nostalgic connection from their school days.

Though unavoidable circumstances had torn them apart, hadn't they reunited in the end?

But the fact that they hadn't had any real interaction since talking in the bakery felt deeply disappointing to him.

Were those memories from back then only precious to me?

How could you be so indifferent?

With a heavy heart, Kang Ha-jun chewed his lips, then cautiously spoke to her.

"Ha-yoon, where did the two people you were with go?"

"They said they had more to pack. We'll meet up with them in a bit."

"Oh... I see."

"...."

Silence fell again.

He'd managed to start a conversation, but with bitter frustration, Kang Ha-jun couldn't keep it going.

There was no suitable topic, and her demeanor, so changed from before, didn't easily permit anyone to approach.

Tap, tap.

Just then, his older sister Kang Ha-rin, who had been watching, patted his shoulder.

She didn't say anything in particular, but as always, she comforted him with that kind and warm smile of hers.

If they'd been siblings with a smaller age gap, he might have just taken it as mockery.

But Kang Ha-rin had been the young head of the household since childhood, looking after him and their younger siblings.

Just a little—faintly, it was a small comfort.

"Hoo...."

He let out a low sigh.

And right at that moment, with a ding! the elevator doors opened.

As had been discussed beforehand, quite a number of people were gathered in the lobby.

From the sound of footsteps near the emergency exit, it seemed some residents from floors close to ground level were using the stairs.

"Good, looks like everyone's here."

The action leader, Mr. Oh Chang-o, who had come down earlier, roughly counted heads and nodded.

"Then let's go. We need to leave this godforsaken apartment complex. And fast."

With those words, Oh Chang-o took the lead.

For a moment, I thought things were going more smoothly than expected...

"—Where are you all rushing off to?"

Click-clack.

The sound of hard-soled shoes echoed.

And following it, a somehow familiar face appeared at the entrance to the lobby.

"How disappointing. Trying to leave this place without a single word to us. You should have at least given a heads-up. Weren't you taught in school that ostracizing others is wrong?"

Building Representative Seo Nam-woon.

He shook his head as if genuinely lamenting the situation.

Behind him, a large, ill-tempered man appeared, followed by other men wearing nasty smirks.

"Just as I thought. We're not getting out of here so easily."

"Isn't that just the way life is, Chang-o?"

Oh Chang-o glared at Seo Nam-woon's group with a cold, grim expression.

The numbers were roughly even.

But in terms of fighting strength, the other side had the advantage, boasting a majority of able-bodied men.

But the time for turning back was already gone.

Having steeled his resolve, Oh Chang-o spoke with a determined, solemn face.

"If you insist on blocking us, we won't stand by and take it. Even a worm squirms when stepped on. You won't get away without some damage yourselves, you know?"

"I'm sure we would. That is, if we were only dealing with 'you' people."

-Snap.

Smirking, Seo Nam-woon abruptly snapped his fingers.

At the clear chime, an ear-scraping cacophony grew steadily closer.

-Grrrrrrr...

-Gyaaaaaah...

-Grrrk, guuuuh...

The howling of creatures we'd become all too familiar with since the apocalypse began.

Out of the darkness, a horde of zombies gathered around Seo Nam-woon.

The faces of the people watching instantly turned pale.

"Wh-what the hell. How did those things suddenly get here...!"

"What do we do? What are those things, Chang-o!"

"This wasn't part of the deal! Is this right, is it, old man!"

"Unnie, unnie, I'm scared..."

"It's okay. Just trust me. Everything's going to be fine."

....

Chaos erupted all around.

But the zombies simply stared, drool dripping, making no move to attack.

It wasn't that they had developed consciousness.

They merely stayed close, as if guarding Seo Nam-woon's group—their irises still utterly devoid of reason.

"...So that's how it was. Building Representative, you were the one controlling the zombies."

Oh Chang-o swallowed dryly.

With this, a vague suspicion had become certainty.

Of course, it had turned things in an even worse direction.

"Hm? You'd already caught on to some degree, had you?"

"I had no choice but to. When they only attack us and leave you alone, anyone who doesn't feel something's wrong is a goddamn moron and a dimwit."

"Haha, and yet you still attempted something like this? You've got guts."

"We were that desperate. We were so desperate we had to gamble everything."

As Oh Chang-o said this and ground his teeth, Seo Nam-woon's smile deepened.

"Then you should have asked for help. We would have done ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠our utmost to assist you."

"You think I'd want that, knowing what's happened to the girls who sided with you?"

"Huh. Now I feel wronged. We only accepted fair compensation. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world, is there?"

Trash.

Oh Chang-o barely managed to swallow the rage boiling up to his throat.

Seo Nam-woon's nonchalant attitude made his blood boil, but he couldn't afford to snap here.

He knew that provoking them recklessly would only worsen the situation.

Besides, his own daughter was here.

And other people had brought their precious loved ones with them, too.

He couldn't act out blindly like he had during that brawl the other day.

So, in the end, was the only option to swallow his pride and crawl under that bastard's heel?

His reason screamed yes, but his emotions refused.

If he did that, what about his daughter?

She would surely be reduced to their plaything—was that really the right choice?

A storm of thoughts raged through Oh Chang-o's head.

Clap!

What shattered his rumination was the sound of Seo Nam-woon's hands coming ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠together.

"Now, that's enough chitchat. As you can all see, I can control zombies. I can command them as perfectly loyal minions. So I'd appreciate it if you'd stop this pointless resistance. Everyone values their life, don't they?"

He took a step closer, spreading his arms with theatrical flair.

"I'll make you an offer. Come join our side. Then I promise I'll treat you all the same as always. Ah, yes. I'll even share the water you all want so badly."

At those words, the people behind Oh Chang-o stirred.

They knew it was just sweet talk, but it was also true that resisting right here and now would do no good.

Just the zombies visible at a glance numbered in the dozens. And there could be even more behind them.

"Y-you really won't do anything to us, right?"

And so, their resolve was easily shaken.

The reason they'd cooperated with the escape plan in the first place was to preserve their own lives.

Loyalty had nothing to do with it.

"Ms. Sojeong! You know what happened to the person who went over to that man's side!"

"So what!? Do you want us all to just die together, then!? No! I want to live!"

Starting with that one woman, the hesitant people began walking over to Seo Nam-woon's side, one by one.

Like toppling dominoes, people switched sides in rapid succession.

"...I'll trust that you'll keep your promise."

"Yes. Of course."

Seo Nam-woon wore a satisfied expression.

Whatever the process, the result was going exactly as he desired—how could he not be pleased?

His gaze soon shifted to those who remained.

"Chang-o. I really must give you credit for that stubbornness. With your lovely daughter right here, do you really want to keep this up to the very end?"

"....."

The only people left who hadn't gone over to Seo Nam-woon were the leader, Oh Chang-o, and his daughter.

Of course, Kim Ha-yoon had stayed as well.

Kang Ha-rin and Kang Ha-jun hadn't yet made a decision.

The same went for the two men who'd appointed themselves Kang Ha-rin's guard dogs.

Jeong Ji-min, the cunning opportunist, was still glancing nervously at Kim Ha-yoon, who was still looking only at her phone, calculating in her head which side to pick.

Beside her, Old Man Ttaekttaeki was scowling and glaring at Seo Nam-woon.

For reference, Seong Jin-woo still hadn't switched sides—perhaps he wasn't quite over Jeong Ji-min yet.

Had he foolishly failed to sever his lingering feelings? Or was he just indecisive?

Well, only he would know that.

'What do I do...'

Kang Ha-jun agonized.

Like him, his older sister, Kang Ha-rin, also appeared to be deep in troubled thought, her brow furrowed.

"Sis... oppa..."

But when they met the terrified eyes of their two younger siblings, the pair had no choice but to make up their minds.

Let's go.

Just as they resolved themselves and were about to move their legs.

"Stay still."

Abruptly, Kim Ha-yoon grabbed both of their wrists. Her grip was so tight it was almost painful.

Because ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of that, they missed their timing.

"Huh. So it comes to this. If you refuse even after I've given you a chance, there's nothing I can do. I'm no saint generous enough to look after even the foolish ones..."

Seo Nam-woon sighed as if genuinely regretful.

He had finally decided to eliminate these people who opposed him right before his eyes. He was just about to casually wave his hand—

And it was precisely at that moment.

Rrrrrrumble...!

A grating, ominous noise. Then the ceiling began to rattle, and white concrete dust sifted down.

Sensing the anomaly, Seo Nam-woon flinched.

No—everyone was staring up at the ceiling with trembling eyes.

"Nobody move!"

Immediately after, Kim Ha-yoon let out a sharp cry and formed a thick shield of ice above her group.

Seeing this, Seo Nam-woon's eyes went wide as saucers.

'A Player? She was an ability user like me!? That woman!?'

"Get that woman first—."

His bewildered shout couldn't continue.

BOOOOOOOM!

With a deafening roar that rattled the brain, the entire ceiling was smashed to pieces.

The shattered debris split into large and small chunks, raining down upon everything below.

"Kuhahaha!! This is more like it, this!"

And then, a man and a woman descended through the falling fragments.

"Wheeeeew!!"

A sudden, surprise strike—bursting straight through the ceiling.

The man's crowbar, swung with a mad laugh, lashed out.

It couldn't be dodged.

He might be able to control zombies, but his own physical abilities were no different from an ordinary person's.

'...Mother.'

Crunch!

Just before his eyes closed, he felt the chilling touch of cold steel.