The Sniper of the Control Center
151 episodes in, and this guy is absolutely insane! After spending two days drafting a work plan with the assistance of the AI Akina, Jun-ho loaded people and equipment onto the multi-purpose electric vehicle and the electric truck, finally departing from Gahyeon-ri.
For Jun-ho, Park Deok-cheol, and Gu Jeong-mok, the path was nothing new—they had traveled it just a short while ago, so they felt little excitement. However, for Choi Jung-woo and Song Ki-jun, who were leaving Gahyeon-ri for the first time since the apocalypse began, and the three other lucky men who had won the lottery to join the trip, the excitement was palpable.
But as they left the winding mountain roads and merged onto the national highway, the "reality" they witnessed caused their expressions to harden into silence. It had only been about eight months since the outbreak, yet the surroundings of the road, the distant villages, and the bridges looked as desolate as if they had been abandoned for years. Moreover, the dozens of zombies scattered in the distance were enough to make the skin crawl of those who hadn't even seen a zombie in Gahyeon-ri for months.
At the same time, they were able to confirm the truth of Jun-ho’s words: zombies had poor eyesight, and if you were more than 150 meters away, they couldn't distinguish a moving human.
"Whew, it’s only possible to keep this much distance because this is the countryside. The cities must be completely finished," Song Ki-jun muttered, shaking his head as he watched the zombies roaming near several half-destroyed vehicles in the middle of a bridge through his digital monocular.
"Yes. In most cities, it’s nearly impossible to find a place where there isn't a house within a 150-meter radius. Especially in our country’s cities, there are usually thousands of people living within that distance. Once you step outside, you’re bound to have people or zombies within 15 meters, let alone 150."
That was why, when he faced the apocalypse in Bucheon in his previous life, he had learned the fact that zombies couldn't see people well from a distance far too late. Though, by now, most urban survivors probably knew it too.
'Anyway….' Suddenly, he thought of the people living in one of the most densely populated areas among South Korea’s major cities. 'I hope you're doing well. Hang in there until the end, Hyun-woo.'
Now that the government in Jeju Island had sent large-scale troops to Busan, Ulsan, and Incheon, the time would soon come when they could look toward Bucheon.
"…Oppa, are we really going to keep living like this?"
At the words of Han Ah-reum, who was eating rice piled high with Spam and kimchi, Choi Hyun-woo, who had just been about to take a spoonful, paused.
"Whew." With a sigh, Choi Hyun-woo put down his spoon. He looked toward the south from the top floor of the City Integrated Control Center, where they had been living for several months, and said, "Do you think I want to be like this? But what can we do? Those bastards, the MZ Family Gang or whatever they call themselves, released people near Sosa Station. That’s why all the zombies from the southern Sosa station gathered there. Those fucking bastards…."
Choi Hyun-woo stared at the direction of Sosa Station, where black smoke was rising, and spat out curses. He couldn't help it; there were at least three or four times more zombies gathered there now than when the three of them had tried to enter Sosa Station to head to Jung-dong.
Everything was because of that gang of thugs. The group, consisting of low-life internet streamers and petty criminals who had broadcasted around Bucheon Station, was so vicious they could hardly be called human. They didn't kill the people they caught around Bucheon Station directly. How did they do it? They would break the victims' legs or cut their tendons and leave them a short distance from the area they planned to raid just before sunrise. When those people screamed in agony or begged for their lives, it wasn't people who came—it was the zombies.
And right at that moment, the MZ Family Gang would raid other areas, taking advantage of the distraction as the zombies left their spots to feed on the victims. Having witnessed such a situation three times already through the high-performance binoculars Jun-ho had left behind from the mountain overlooking Sosa Station, Choi Hyun-woo, Han Ah-reum, and Kim Tae-young hadn't dared to think about going that way.
"Haa! I know, Oppa. But it’s just frustrating. It’s even worse because we can’t even help them."
"I feel the same way. Ah, seriously, if it weren't for Jun-ho Hyung-nim’s Golden Rule…."
That was exactly what was forcing Choi Hyun-woo to exercise patience. Of course, it wasn't because he had some grand sense of justice and wanted to save people. He just wanted to at least get news of his mother in Jung-dong if he couldn't go there himself. And Choi Hyun-woo was certain that most of the people caught by the MZ Family Gang were taken from the residential areas along Line 1. Because no matter how crazy the thugs were in this world, they wouldn't think of entering the city center where hundreds of zombies swarmed every block less than 100 meters apart. In the end, it meant the survivors they caught were people who lived adjacent to the subway tracks. Since Jung-dong Station and Bucheon Station were only one stop apart, there were definitely residents from Jung-dong among them.
"Still, since these bastards seem to be crossing the line more and more, I think an opportunity will arise soon. Besides, it looks like the owner of the Gimbap Heaven is targeting those bastards, too."
"Ah, that guy? Ugh, he’s truly terrifying…."
Han Ah-reum shuddered. The 'owner of Gimbap Heaven' that Choi Hyun-woo just mentioned was an Alpha that had taken up residence in the Gimbap Heaven building at the Sosa Station intersection. In the war between Alphas that had been going on for the past few months, the one who had achieved the greatest success was that guy, and they estimated he already had about a thousand slave zombies under his command. However, he didn't usually head toward the City Integrated Control Center where the three of them were, or toward Bucheon Station, but mostly toward Yeokgok Station, which led to Seoul. But the MZ Family Gang had noticed that fact and had been appearing near Sosa Station more frequently lately. And that was certain to provoke the 'owner of Gimbap Heaven,' the strongest Alpha in the vicinity. No Alpha zombie would tolerate others taking away its 'food.'
"To think that in a world like this, we have to pin our hopes on a zombie instead of fellow humans… those trashy BJ bastards."
"But Oppa, didn't you used to watch female streamer broadcasts before? Among them, isn't there a streamer you like?"
At Han Ah-reum’s words, Choi Hyun-woo flared up.
"Hey! Say something that makes sense. Our Yeonhan-yeoni is completely different from those thugs, okay? And she doesn't live here. She lives in Seoul."
"Ugh, what kind of name is Yeonhan-yeoni. Anyway, Oppa, let’s just watch for exactly one more week and then go back to the house. I feel like I’m going to get a mental illness every time I see the apartment next to here."
"……."
As Han Ah-reum shuddered, Choi Hyun-woo also agreed silently. Right next to the City Integrated Control Center was an apartment complex, and surprisingly, there were still quite a few people surviving there. However, they were hunted by the Alpha that had taken over the nearby apartments one or two at a time every week. The screams of people being eaten alive reached all the way up here, tormenting them.
"Oppa. Can’t we just try shooting with the air rifle once? Jun-ho Oppa said it too. Zombies return to where they originally lived once the Alpha is dead. Then the people surviving over there would be safe, too. Ah, Oppa, you’re a Marine. Aren't you good at shooting?"
"No. This isn't like the rifle I used in the military, so the accuracy drops significantly once it goes over 100 meters. Missing is a problem, but what if the Alpha notices our position? Then we’re really screwed."
They had blocked the entrance well so only they could use it, but if an Alpha commanding hundreds of slaves noticed they were here, the path to escape would become hopeless. Even if they were lucky enough to get out of the control center, there was no guarantee they could safely reach the house by passing through an open 8-lane road with no buildings nearby except for the stadium.
It was then.
Uaaaaa… Kyaaa….
"Ah."
As if the timing had been scripted, Han Ah-reum’s expression darkened instantly at the horrific screams coming from the apartment side, and Choi Hyun-woo hurriedly approached the window overlooking the apartment complex.
"…Fuck."
On the road behind the apartment, a man and a woman were surrounded by dozens of zombies. And the fact that they didn't attack despite seeing living people right in front of them meant they were entities under the control of an Alpha.
"That son of a bitch. You fucking zombie bastard."
Looking down through the binoculars, Choi Hyun-woo gritted his teeth. A middle-aged zombie, standing somewhat apart from the other zombies, was baring its teeth and laughing. Yes. The Alpha controlling the zombies trying to hunt the man and woman now was 'playing.' It was enjoying and savoring the fear of humans facing death.
"G-go away…! Aack! Aaa…!"
While the skinny young man swung a crude knife made of kitchen knives taped together at the zombies, the woman clinging tightly to his back screamed. But even in that situation, the woman was hugging something she would never let go of—it was a bag of rice and two bottles of water. They had come out for things that didn't even cost a few tens of thousands of won, and they were desperately trying to protect them even in a situation where they would soon die or become zombies.
"So frustrating. You should have worn a backpack, damn it. What are you going to do just holding that? Why are they so stupid? No, how have they even survived until now?"
"Hyun-woo Oppa…."
Although he said that, Choi Hyun-woo was gritting his teeth so hard that blood was flowing from his lips. Because he felt more sorry for the situation than anyone else, Han Ah-reum also bit her lip.
Right then, as if the game had become somewhat boring, the Alpha gave instructions to the slaves. Zombies, who could perform simple actions even if they couldn't handle complex behaviors when receiving an Alpha’s command, dragged the man and woman to him regardless of whether they were stabbed by spears or not. And the moment he saw that scene.
"Fuck! I can't take it anymore."
Choi Hyun-woo, who had put down the binoculars, walked quickly and brought a long box, and Han Ah-reum’s eyes widened.
"Oppa? Really? Are you really going to do it?"
"Yeah. I’m definitely sending that bastard to the grave today, no matter what."
Click!
Choi Hyun-woo, who attached the air tank to the Modified Air Rifle Jun-ho had left at the house, adjusted the scope while aiming at the back of the Alpha’s head.
Click.
After loading a projectile into the single-shot air rifle, Choi Hyun-woo steadied his breath and pulled the trigger.
Pau…!
Immediately after the suppressed gunshot characteristic of the air rifle rang out, the Alpha’s body jolted significantly.
"Uh?"
Choi Hyun-woo was surprised. Because.
Not only had the projectile he just fired hit the back of the Alpha’s head far too easily, but the creature, which now had a hole in its head from a single shot, slowly collapsed forward.
"Wow! I-it hit! It hit, Oppa! Crazy! You’re really crazy, Oppa!"
As Han Ah-reum cheered, not knowing what to do.
"I-is that so?"
Choi Hyun-woo blinked, looking back and forth between the Alpha collapsed down there and the air rifle in his hands. Having used this air rifle for the first time since the apocalypse, Choi Hyun-woo had absolutely no idea that this wasn't a regular air rifle, but a Modified Air Rifle crafted by Baek Ha-il at the shelter, and that the projectile was not a lead pellet but a special tungsten round. He didn't know it was an 'apocalypse-exclusive firearm' that could silently inflict fatal wounds on zombies and humans alike within 150 meters.