Realizing the Difference in Strength
Jun-ho pushed Jun-hyeok away with a firm shove to the back, finally putting an end to his brother’s relentless, cringeworthy attempts at acting cute. Despite the rough treatment, Jun-ho couldn't help but smile inwardly.
The reason he’d given Jun-hyeok a credit card was simple. His brother had quit a perfectly good part-time job just to follow his older brother’s advice, and Jun-ho had noticed him looking a bit stressed about money lately. Holding a staggering 18 billion won in his own hands, Jun-ho felt a deep sense of guilt for having been so indifferent to his only sibling. The excuse that he’d been busy and distracted with the shelter construction didn't hold water. That was why he’d decided to get him a separate credit card.
Was a luxury VIP card with a 100 million won limit too much for a 23-year-old college student? Yes. It was excessive. But Jun-ho was certain of one thing: if it were Jun-hyeok, the height of his extravagance would be spending a few hundred thousand won to treat his friends. That was just the kind of kid he was. If he were the type to be obsessed with money, he would have been greedy for the insurance money and compensation left behind after their father passed away. Instead, Jun-hyeok hadn't complained or questioned his brother’s decisions for a second, choosing instead to earn his own spending money through part-time work.
Sure, he might lose his head for a moment and swipe it for a few million won. But Jun-ho was willing to tolerate that at least once. There were only two years left in this peaceful world. He believed it was better to splurge and live a little now than to regret not doing so when the world collapsed. At least, that was Jun-ho’s philosophy.
"Anyway, nothing happened while I was gone, right?"
"Huh? Oh, same old, same old. But the gym director and the coach keep telling me to try and recruit you back."
Jun-hyeok, who had tucked the credit card into his wallet as if it were a sacred relic, shrugged as he answered.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. I just told them with a smile that I’d ask you, but honestly, it’s annoying... and kind of awkward."
Since Jun-ho hadn't been showing up at the gym like he used to, it seemed they had shifted their target to Jun-hyeok. After a moment of thought, Jun-ho made a decision.
"You should cut back on going to the gym, too."
"Yeah, that’s probably for the best, right? After hearing you talk, I started wondering what the point of learning this so hard is if the apocalypse is coming."
For Jun-hyeok, mixed martial arts had been little more than a hobby turned serious. He’d never dreamed of going pro, and after listening to his brother, he realized that fighting should be treated as nothing more than a foundation—a basic skill.
"Exactly. I’ve told you a few times: nobody walks around empty-handed."
"Hmm."
At Jun-ho’s words, Jun-hyeok swallowed hard. Because he’d trained in MMA, he was actually more aware than anyone of how dangerous an opponent with a weapon could be. How do you deal with someone holding a knife? You run. If there’s no path to run, you land a surprise hit to create an opening and then bolt. Even the coaches and the director, who had been pros, said the same thing. They’d actually tried giving a rubber knife to a short, light-bodied new member and told him to attack, but it had been impossible for any of the coaches or the director to subdue him without getting 'stabbed' at least once.
"So, brother, are you going to learn that now?"
"Yeah, Krav Maga. I have to go all the way to Seoul, but it’s only twice a week, so it should be fine."
While places that properly taught practical military combat systems like Systema or Krav Maga were rare in Korea, they did exist.
"I’ve decided to try out two gyms that have the best reviews. I’ll visit both and pick the better one. Oh, and did the exercise equipment arrive? What about my package?"
"The equipment is here! And your package is tucked away in your room. But what is that stuff? It was an international shipment—is it something you can’t buy in Korea?"
"...There are things like that. I didn't want to have to buy it either, but..."
He wondered what expression Jun-hyeok would make if he knew that single small box had cost over 10 million won. Especially if he saw what was inside...
Jun-hyeok tilted his head, watching Jun-ho, who was shivering involuntarily.
"Huh? What are you talking about? Anyway, I’ll show you the equipment!"
Jun-ho followed the excited Jun-hyeok down to the basement and nodded as he looked at the equipment occupying one wall. A lat pulldown, a barbell and dumbbell set, an adjustable bench, a power rack, a Smith machine combo, and a cable machine. This would be enough to cover most basic workouts.
"How’s the mat?"
"They installed it really well. It’s better than the mat at our gym. But brother, did something happen at the fitness center? I mean, I like that I can work out at home, but still."
Jun-hyeok asked, tapping the rubber mat with his foot.
"Not really. It’s just that it’s a bit awkward to cut back on the gym but keep going to the fitness center."
Since the gym and the fitness center were right next to each other, he often ran into people from the gym. Since he’d decided to cut back on the gym, he figured it was better to only go to the fitness center once or twice a week as well. Of course, that wasn't the only reason.
"There’s just someone who’s being a bit annoying..."
"Huh? What?"
"Never mind. Let’s just eat dinner."
"Whoa, you want to eat as soon as we get home?"
"I bought some 1++ grade Korean beef. You don't want it?"
"What? Me? How could I possibly say no, brother?"
Jun-hyeok, who had instantly changed his attitude, trotted along behind Jun-ho. Then, suddenly, he scanned Jun-ho’s back with a new sense of curiosity.
"But brother. Did you grow taller?"
"I don't know. It must just look that way because my muscles have grown."
Jun-ho felt a pang of guilt but pretended it was nothing.
"No, that’s not it. You definitely seem taller..."
Jun-hyeok was 181 centimeters tall, originally about 7cm taller than Jun-ho. Looking at him now, while he was still slightly taller, the difference felt much smaller than before.
"Then I guess I grew. Hey, hurry up and grab the portable stove and the grill plate. And bring a few cans of beer."
"Got it, got it."
The brothers moved quickly in and out of the kitchen, and soon they were ready to grill meat on the wooden deck in the yard. This was why having a house with a yard was so great.
Sizzle. The beef was grilled on the plate, disappearing into Jun-ho and Jun-hyeok’s mouths over and over again. While the brothers ate, Purdy crunched away on some raw chicken set aside for him on the deck. Some dogs refused raw food, but Purdy didn't care whether it was dry kibble, wet food, or raw meat. That was another advantage for someone who had to survive the apocalypse.
"By the way, did the trip to Busan go well? Did you have a good talk with the lawyer and that person you absolutely had to meet?"
At Jun-hyeok’s question after they’d filled their stomachs, Jun-ho nodded.
"Yeah. I was actually about to bring that up."
Jun-ho briefly explained about Baek Ha-il and Lee Dong-cheol. Of course, he didn't mention what kind of people they had been during the apocalypse or what their final fates were. There was no point in telling him and ruining his brother’s mental state. He only talked about their characteristics and the kind of relationship they would have moving forward.
"So, only Baek Ha-il and his family are coming into the shelter, and you’re only using the lawyer until you get into the shelter?"
"Right. Ha-il is an essential person for our shelter. I don't know his kids that well, but his eldest daughter is in pharmacy school."
"Pharmacy school? Like, to become a pharmacist?"
"Yeah. Even if she’s still a student when the apocalypse hits, she’ll be a huge help to us."
It went without saying, but Jun-ho planned to have a medical room in the shelter. One of the golden rules for fans of zombie or apocalypse stories was 'You absolutely must have a doctor!' and Jun-ho agreed wholeheartedly. But he thought one more thing should be added: you also needed a pharmacist or someone well-versed in chemistry. The ability to have knowledge of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, or to create simple household remedies, was just as important as having a doctor.
Of course, Jun-ho planned to keep the shelter’s medicine in dedicated refrigerators and freezers, storing them as long as possible using vacuum packaging, oxygen absorbers, desiccants, and airtight containers. But even then, it was almost impossible to keep anything other than some tablets for more than 10 years. However, what if you had a pharmacist or chemistry major? And what if the shelter was equipped with professional equipment like centrifuges, incubators, sterilizers, and heating stirrers? Add the support of an AI computing system loaded with medical and pharmaceutical research papers and data, and—
'No one will die because there’s no medicine or because they can’t get simple treatment.'
That was why a pharmacist or chemistry major was just as necessary as a doctor, and since pharmacy school was a six-year course, Baek Su-ah fit the requirements to some extent, even as a student. That was the very reason she had been classified as 'essential personnel' by the cult in the first place.
"That’s huge! But brother... is she pretty?"
"...Just drink your beer, kid."
"So she is pretty? Well, it’s good if she’s pretty and kind."
"Her temper is no joke. And if you’d seen Ha-il even once, you wouldn't say that. He’s a man who’s spent over 20 years working on construction sites, handling all sorts of machinery. His forearms are thicker than the gym director’s."
"You said his name was Baek Ha-il, right? Please tell him I truly respect and welcome him. Seriously."
Jun-hyeok, who had been grinning, suddenly changed his expression to one of seriousness, changing his address from 'mister' to 'teacher' in an instant.
"Then what about the younger brother who’s getting surgery? What’s his personality like?"
"He’s probably normal. I don't know him well, either. Anyway, Ha-il isn't the type of person to raise his kids poorly."
He’d only seen Baek Su-ho in passing a couple of times while waiting in front of the Suho Tool Center, but he didn't seem to have a bad or twisted personality. He just looked like an ordinary college freshman you could see anywhere. Above all, given Baek Ha-il’s character, he wouldn't just stand by and watch his child go astray.
"Still... what if, just in case, he does something trashy? I’ll take responsibility and make him a decent human being."
"Uh... brother, everything else is fine, but go easy on him. Okay?"
Jun-hyeok, who knew better than anyone in the world what kind of person Jun-ho was as a 'brother,' swallowed hard. And in his heart, he sincerely prayed that Baek Su-ho, whom he’d never even seen, was kind—no, just normal would be fine. He knew all too well how Jun-ho, who rarely got angry, changed once he was properly pissed off.
Besides.
'Ugh, look at that arm. Is that even a human forearm? I can’t win against him with strength anymore either, so if I get on his bad side, I’ll really get ripped in half.'
Jun-hyeok shuddered as he looked at Jun-ho’s forearms, where veins popped out like earthworms over muscles tangled like tree roots.
"If you’re done eating, let’s clean up."
"Huh? Oh! I, I’ll clean it up. You go inside, brother."
"Huh? Why the sudden change?"
"What do you mean, why? I’ve always been the world’s greatest younger brother. King-God-General-Emperor Little Brother. Hehe."
"I don't know about King-God or whatever... but sure, whatever. Got it."
Jun-ho shrugged and went inside with Purdy. Watching his brother’s back, which seemed to radiate an inexplicable force even just walking, Jun-hyeok shuddered and muttered to himself.
"I have realized the difference in strength, human..."
The next day. After taking Purdy for two laps around Chuni Mountain, Jun-ho warmed up in the yard and then worked out for two hours on the equipment installed in the basement. Having completed most of his usual routine without going to the gym, Jun-ho finished breakfast and headed back out to the yard with a cup of coffee.
Thwack! Thwack!
In one corner of the yard, Jun-hyeok was practicing with a slingshot. Several metal beads were already embedded in a thick piece of plywood about 50cm square.
"Good aim. You’ve been practicing a lot."
"It’s only 10 meters, and I’ve even got a sight. But brother, is this really effective in a real fight?"
The slingshot in Jun-hyeok’s hand was a professional model made of metal and reinforced plastic, capable of firing steel, chrome, or tungsten beads. Jun-ho had survived a few crises in the early days of the apocalypse thanks to a similar slingshot.
"It’s effective. It’s quite useful against people."
"Really? But... aren't we going to use guns?"
Even though they were the only two in the yard, Jun-hyeok lowered his voice. Jun-ho nodded.
"We’ll use guns, knives, and this too. It’s important to get used to it, so keep practicing."
"Okay. It’s actually pretty fun now that I’m shooting it. By the way, didn't you say you were going somewhere today? Was it Pangyo?"
"Yeah. I’m going to try calling first, then head over in the afternoon."
Today was the day he’d decided to visit 'Dow Computing,' where Yun Yeong-su was likely working. If he was actually working there, the headquarters might be in Pangyo, but the actual workplace was likely the technical research center in Songpa. However, he couldn't just barge into the research center, so he had to visit the Pangyo headquarters first.
The problem was that no matter how much he searched the internet for a company called 'Dow Computing,' its exact size or track record didn't show up clearly. If he searched with keywords like AI, GPU server, cloud hosting, or computing infrastructure, it was classified as a related company, and their website looked decent enough.
'But there are no results or track records that really stand out.'
Of course, that could be the case for a startup, but Jun-ho thought differently. Everyone was having a hard time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was unlikely that Dow Computing, founded in 2019, was the only one doing well.
'Then...'
Jun-ho thought that if Yun Yeong-su was there, recruiting him might be unexpectedly easy.