The Time to Prepare Has Come
“Using something like that as a weapon is exactly why you end up like this.”
Jun-ho spoke in a low voice, wiping the blood from his dagger and the awl onto the clothes of the dead corpse. Cartoons and movies about the zombie apocalypse had ruined people’s judgment. Of course, even Jun-ho, before his regression, had initially thought that a spear made by taping a kitchen knife to a pole, a hand axe, or a baseball bat were excellent weapons. But unless the opponent was another human, those were unequivocally the worst choices when dealing with zombies.
Zombies know neither fear nor pain. They don’t back down just because you swing a spear or a baseball bat at them. Furthermore, accurately striking the head of a fast, mindless, charging zombie with a spear or bat was significantly harder than one might think. Even if you were a baseball player or someone who had diligently practiced spearmanship, what about an ordinary person? Even one is difficult, but if two or more zombies rush you, even if you manage to stab one properly, you’ll immediately be swarmed by the others.
The hand axes and hammers held by the thugs lying dead here were no different. They might have considered efficiency and used their heads to choose them, but the fatal flaw of such weapons is that if you strike too hard, they don’t come out easily. In a desperate situation facing multiple enemies, you can figure out the answer yourself by imagining your axe getting stuck in a skull and refusing to budge.
That is why.
“This is the best.”
Jun-ho tucked the awl and the dagger—a type commonly known as a Fairbairn & Sykes Fighting knife—into his dedicated pouch. If you stab obliquely into the eyes, ears, mouth, or the back and side of the neck, it’s a one-shot kill, whether it’s a zombie or a human. Naturally, it was essential to wear clothing made of a material that wouldn't easily tear or rip even after being bitten a few times, and to wear protectors on the arms and shoulders in case of being attacked by multiple enemies.
Before his regression, Jun-ho had realized this as his clothes grew thicker with the arrival of autumn. When facing multiple zombies at close range, you have to accept that getting bitten a few times is a constant, and you must kill them as quickly as possible by stabbing them in the ears or eyes. Well, he had been too reliant on that, gotten bitten while fighting without realizing his leather gloves were all worn out, and ended up having to pull the trigger of his own pistol.
“I’ll wait here for now. Keep a close watch.”
- Okay.
- Got it.
Jun-ho tidied up the thugs' corpses. He inflicted a few more wounds on the bodies with his dagger to make it look like they hadn't been attacked from behind, but had died fighting two opponents. After placing the bodies in appropriate positions and messing up the living room, Jun-ho sent a transmission.
“Jun-hyuk, do you have a line of sight from there to the first-floor hallway of this apartment?”
- The house you went into? The window is a bit high and really dirty, but...
“I’ll open the window.”
Jun-ho went out into the hallway, unlocked the door, and opened the dust-covered window as quietly as possible.
Creeeak...
- Yeah. I can see you, hyung. From the chest up.
“Good. Keep waiting.”
Jun-ho sat on the living room sofa, where the corpses were scattered. As the musty, unique stench of zombies mixed with the smell of blood, Jun-ho pulled his ballistic mask back up.
A moment later.
- Boss. The guy with the air rifle was throwing a huge fit, and he just sent the guy he was with over to your side.
“Okay.”
Jun-ho stood up from the sofa and entered the bathroom next to the entrance. Then, he activated only the camera of the mini-drone he had placed on the living room display cabinet. The entrance was captured perfectly on the controller’s screen.
- The thug is approaching the apartment very carefully. He’s holding a knife.
- He just entered the apartment. Be careful, Boss.
Jun-ho pressed himself against the bathroom wall and stared intensely at the mini-drone controller screen. Soon, someone’s footsteps were heard, small despite their attempt to be careful. A man who looked to be around 40, short but with a sturdy build, stepped into the entrance with a face full of tension. Like the others, the man was wearing a safety helmet and long sleeves, and he held a knife used for butchering meat in one hand.
A good choice. At least he’s better than the colleagues who left before him. But he seemed just as stupid. Because he entered the hallway leading directly to the living room without even thinking to check the slightly open bathroom door.
The moment the man passed the bathroom door, Jun-ho stepped out quietly, stabbed the back of his neck with the dagger, and covered his mouth.
“......!”
The man with the knife embedded in his neck struggled weakly, unable to even scream. But he wouldn't die immediately. Because the blade had been driven into the jugular vein, barely grazing the airway, he was simply struggling to breathe in extreme pain. He would likely remain alive for about 3 to 4 minutes like this.
Jun-ho tucked his arm into the armpit of the man who was about to go limp with the dagger still in his neck, dragged him out of the entrance, and whispered softly.
“Now.”
Two seconds later.
Pop! With the sound, the man’s body jerked once violently. The man, struck in the chest by a tungsten pellet, slowly went limp. Jun-ho dragged the man to the apartment stairs, left the corpse as if he had died on the stairs, and only then pulled out the knife.
Blood gushed out. Jun-ho changed into a fresh pair of latex gloves and splattered and smeared that blood all over the hallway and stairs. With this, the thugs of Han Chang Development would believe that there was a group in this apartment or somewhere nearby that possessed an air rifle and knew how to handle a knife properly. And while Han Chang-oh would run wild, vowing revenge, Han Chang-sik, who was cowardly and good at assessing situations, would give up on the back gate. With four subordinates already dead, he couldn't afford to lose any more combat power.
“Returning.”
Jun-ho exited the apartment through the window he had left open. Blood must have stained the window frame and the wall, but it didn't matter. He had done it on purpose so they wouldn't know exactly where the base of those who killed their subordinates was.
‘Just wait a little longer. Next time, I’ll send both of you.’
Climbing the mountain secretly but quickly, Jun-ho suppressed the faint excitement and murderous intent generated by his first kill since the regression. Killing was still a sickening feeling.
* * *
Returning to the armored vehicle, Jun-ho changed into the clothes he had prepared in advance and examined the drone footage. As expected, Han Chang-oh didn't enter the apartment and instead drove back to the detached house. Even though he was hot-tempered, he wasn't reckless enough to charge in alone when four people hadn't returned. And from the moment sunset began, there was no movement at Han Chang-sik’s detached house.
Jun-ho also checked the drone footage of the nursing home. The zombies in the nursing home yard and parking lot were the same, but the number of zombies moving along the paved road outside the main gate had increased slightly. Combined with those in the nursing home, there were roughly over 50. They would likely continue to increase as time passed.
He had considered going to the nursing home today, but immediately dismissed the thought. People’s hearts change when they enter and leave the bathroom. If he went now, when there was no special movement and no apparent difficulty or crisis, they wouldn't be very grateful and might even harbor hostility. Since there wouldn't be any threat from Han Chang-sik’s gang for the time being, it was right to keep watching.
* * *
“What? They didn't return? Are they dead? Or did they get taken out?”
“Ah, fuck. I don't know. Since they aren't making any noise, I think they’re dead. I sent three at first, and when they didn't come back, I sent Daebal Ajae, but that guy didn't come back either.”
Han Chang-oh grumbled, squinting his small, narrow eyes—often called 'bird eyes'—as much as he could.
“Hey, are you sure you cleared out everything at the back gate? You didn't just do a half-assed job again, did you?”
At the words of Han Chang-sik, who had a warm and generous impression unlike his younger brother, Han Chang-oh snapped.
“I didn't! I told you I killed them all, didn't I? You’ll know if you go and see for yourself, right? I killed over 50 of them.”
Although there was a bit of exaggeration, it wasn't a complete lie, so Han Chang-oh protested as if he were unfairly accused.
“Alright. I got it, so speak quietly, you bastard. You’re going to blow my eardrums out.”
“Ugh, you’re always such a coward.”
“What was that, you bastard? Who was it that sent you to college and got you an officetel when you were just a student? Huh? Who was it that gave you a million won in pocket money every month without fail?”
“Tch.”
Han Chang-oh, who had relied on his brother from childhood until now, looked away. It was his brother who had cleaned up the various messes he had caused since his school days. And it was none other than his brother, Han Chang-sik, who had turned him from a mere street thug who was only good at fighting into a 'Half-Gangster'. Furthermore, his brother was the only one who had remained calm when the zombie outbreak occurred. It was the day after about 20 people, including employees and some people from related companies, had gathered in Yangpyeong to enjoy water leisure and tourism during the holiday, and had come to his brother’s detached house with six rooms for a barbecue party, that this situation erupted.
Everyone was in a panic, scrambling around, but only his brother acted as if nothing was wrong. In fact, unlike his appearance, he was a coward, so he had been racking his brain intensely on how to resolve this situation. Having finished his calculations, his brother had instantly seized control of the atmosphere by planting an air rifle pellet into the brow of a subcontractor manager who had been squealing like a pig, causing the most commotion, and who had been subtly defying him even in normal times. While monsters were running around outside eating people, he had committed murder as if it were nothing, forcing everyone to submit. In other words, the reason why Han Chang-oh, as well as the other employees, could be this disciplined and united was all thanks to his brother.
“Anyway, what do we do now, hyung? Shouldn't we take people and go search for them tomorrow morning?”
Ting! Han Chang-sik, who had lit a cigarette, exhaled a long plume of smoke and said.
“Give up on the back gate for now.”
“What? Hyung, three of our employees and Daebal Ajae were taken out. Whether it's zombies or whatever, we have to get revenge on whoever those bastards are, right? I don't know who they are, but if I just catch them, I’ll rip their mouths apart...”
“And what if we get hit again while doing that?”
“......!”
“Four were taken out, so there are only eleven of us left now. Even if we threaten the people we caught and bring them over to our side, at most twenty? What are you going to do if a few more get taken out?”
“Ah, so we’re just going to stay like this?”
“We’re going to break through the front gate.”
“The front gate?”
Stubbing out the cigarette he hadn't even smoked a few puffs of into the ashtray, Han Chang-sik smiled with the smile often seen on the real estate channel he appeared on himself, and said.
“Within fifteen days, we’ll clear out all the detached houses. After some maintenance, we’re going to the townhouse area. By then, the electricity and water will probably be cut off, and then the people living in the townhouses will come out and start poking around.”
“Really? Will the electricity and water be cut off by then?”
“Yeah, kid. Do you know how many web novels I’ve read? In them, it usually takes 2 to 3 weeks in situations like this. At the longest, a month, and the electricity and water are all cut off.”
“That damn web novel again...”
Han Chang-sik clicked his tongue at the grumbling Han Chang-oh.
“Ah, this bastard. Kid, do you know how hard web novel writers collect data? Do you know how hard it is to write something plausible and interesting?”
“Tch...”
“I’m already miserable because I can't read the ones I’ve bookmarked... Anyway, you keep the employees in check properly. Don't let them do anything stupid. Don't be stingy with the food; hand it out generously. Got it?”
“Shouldn't we be a bit stingy with the food? Even if we scraped it together from other houses, it’ll be gone in a month.”
“Chang-oh, Chang-oh. In times like this, you have to show generosity to your subordinates. Do you know what the most common and frequent reason for an organization collapsing in an apocalypse is?”
“How would I know that...”
“Listen well. It’s because the head only forces the people below to do things and doesn't treat them properly. Whether the world has ended or not, human life is all the same. So do as I say. Think about why you listen to me so well.”
“...Alright.”
Han Chang-oh, who finally understood when he used himself as an example, eventually conceded.
“But what about the women? Can we touch them?”
At his younger brother’s subtle words, Han Chang-sik chuckled.
“You rascal... Do as you see fit. Just be careful about them getting pregnant, as that’s a headache. How could we survive in a world like this without that fun? Just don't beat them too hard. We have to keep them around and enjoy them for a long time.”
* * *
After dealing with the Han Chang Development thugs at the apartment, Jun-ho had only continued to monitor them for several days and took no special action. As expected, the thugs only poured their efforts into occupying the detached houses one by one. They had created only one small passage at the back gate, which they had locked tightly, and after stacking barricades with various furniture and vehicles, they didn't even go near it. Occasionally, a scene was captured where Han Chang-oh and a few thugs came and stared in that direction, saying something for a long time, but that was all.
And they rapidly expanded their influence toward the front gate of the detached house village. People, regardless of age or gender, were captured, and as expected of luxury detached houses, all sorts of food ingredients from their homes were loaded onto trucks and taken to Han Chang-sik’s house. Furthermore, the solar panels and equipment installed at other houses were all ripped out and loaded up. Compared to what he had obtained by raiding the relay station, it wasn't all that great, but if they installed and operated everything normally, it looked like they could produce 200 kilowatts of power every day. It was quite a lot of power, enough for 15 to 20 ordinary households to use all day long.
Anyway, watching their behavior, Jun-ho could be certain that the Han Chang Development thugs had given up their interest in the back gate direction, that is, the nursing home direction. And at the Hanalreum Nursing Home, the survivors finally began to show movement. The time to prepare was slowly coming.
* * *
“How is life here?”
“It, it’s truly great. I’m not just saying that; I’m sincere. Thank you, Teacher.”
“Me too. Thank you, Mister.”
To Jun-ho, who had visited the container residence with groceries and daily necessities for the first time in a while, Choi Jung-woo and Kim Ha-yun expressed their sincere gratitude while remaining very tense. Kim Ha-yun, in particular, seemed to have a lot she wanted to say regarding her grandmother and the nursing home, but it was obvious she was managing to hold it back. Perhaps it was because she had heard from Choi Jung-woo what kind of 'person' Jun-ho was.
Even though she was a young middle school student, she now knew that it was too shameless to keep clinging to the person who had saved her and her younger brother.
“I didn't come here to hear thanks. Student Ha-yun.”
“Yes, Mister.”
Kim Ha-yun, who was trying her best not to reveal her tension and expectations.
“I confirmed yesterday that there are people at the Hanalreum Nursing Home.”
“······!!!”
“I don't know if that’s all the survivors, but I confirmed four elderly people, one middle-aged couple, and one young man and woman each wearing uniforms. Do you happen to know who they are?”
“Yes! The, the people in uniforms must be Uncle Jaeseok and Sister Su-ah! They work there with my grandmother. Sister Su-ah is a nurse. Uncle Jaeseok is just someone who works there.”
“I see. But.”
Jun-ho continued speaking to the young middle school girl, whose face had instantly flushed red and whose eyes were welling up with tears.
“Our country will be under the influence of a typhoon starting tomorrow. So I’m thinking of going to the nursing home tomorrow or the night after. Since the zombies can't see or hear very well.”
“Yes, yes, Mister Jun-ho! Truly, truly... thank you so much. Sob...”
Even though she must have known that saving her grandmother wasn't his real goal, Kim Ha-yun couldn't help but shed tears of gratitude and emotion.
* * *
It had seemed like dark clouds were gathering since yesterday evening, and by the middle of the night, rain had started to fall little by little. Around noon today, rain accompanied by strong winds had poured down in diagonal lines, and by the time the sun set, the wind had stopped, and only rain continued to fall steadily. It was the perfect situation to carry out a night operation that required maintaining secrecy. Jun-ho, Jun-hyuk, and Purdy, fully armed, boarded the armored vehicle and ascended to the Cheonghaksan Communication Relay Station.