Contact with Them
After I cleared the barricade, footsteps sounded from above.
Better to use someone I already knew than to step out carelessly myself.
"An Suhyeon. You go tell them."
"What?"
"You've got a face they recognize. Call them down so we can at least introduce ourselves."
An Suhyeon just stared at me blankly.
"All of a sudden?"
"Then who else is going to go? That's why I brought you along. Do your job."
"R-right."
He looked completely bewildered. Did he think I was some kind of serial killer who'd just start murdering people on sight?
As I've said before, I don't kill unless I need to.
If a woman catches my eye, I'll make my demands first. If not...
That's when the fighting starts.
Or trade for food, if that's an option.
"Only if there's something I want."
For the record, backing down isn't a choice. If I want something, I take it. That's how I operate in this world.
Voices drifted down from above, and after about ten minutes An Suhyeon came back down.
"They say to come up."
"Good."
I never take the helmet off, just in case. I've already had more than enough experience with blows to the back of the head.
At last I climbed the stairs. Corridors branched left and right, and in that moment I seized An Suhyeon's shoulder and turned him to the right.
My eyes went left at the same time.
I was using him as a human shield, just in case—and covering my own back as well.
There were people... Not an ambush. Just faces peering out from the doorways of other shops.
I spotted a long-haired man. Actually, they all basically looked like that.
Most of the men had grown their hair out long and kept it that way.
At school there was at least someone who managed haircuts, so it had been better there. Places like this were different.
Then my gaze shifted to what mattered most—the women.
Surprisingly, none of them were old. At most they looked to be in their thirties, and there were two young ones. One of them had a catlike face and a mature air about her, like Seol-hwa.
That one.
That bitch. She was my next target.
Target secured. Now I just needed to negotiate and take her with me.
"To introduce myself—I'm someone hunting in this area."
"I'm Gim Sangsu. I hear you saved An Suhyeon. Are you military?"
"No. Just someone doing what he needs to do and moving around. This guy was being chased by zombies near my place."
"I see. That's fortunate. But if you're thinking of demanding something from us, forget it. I don't know if he told you, but we don't have any food either."
Gim Sangsu shook his head, already wary that I might demand something.
He saw right through me.
"I'm not asking for food. I've got plenty."
"Is that so?"
"What I want is a woman."
The moment the words left my mouth, the atmosphere in the place shifted hard.
The scrape of metal rang out from every direction as the men prepared to rush out.
"You son of a bitch! What the hell are you saying?"
"Are you insane!"
They came at me furious, but I stood my ground. The moment I raised the crossbow, they all fell silent.
"You refuse? I'm being as civil as I can. I could just leave, but I'm being nice about it."
"You're a psycho, aren't you?"
A voice from behind made me turn. A short guy with developed muscles was approaching.
"Psycho? I'm talking about a fair trade. I'm not asking for free. I've got something to offer on my end too."
"What are you talking about?"
"You're short on food, aren't you? I'll deliver enough to last you at least ten days. In exchange, you hand over a woman."
After I finished, the place fell into a brief silence.
Gim Sangsu cleared his throat, drawing attention back.
"I find that hard to believe."
"Believe it or not, I'm telling the truth."
"Then I'd like to verify that you actually have that much."
Was he considering the deal? As they wavered, tempted by the food, a woman suddenly burst out.
The cat-faced one I'd taken a liking to.
She was the best of the lot, and she seemed to know it—that's why she came charging out.
"What do you take women for! Am I some kind of object?"
"Woohee, calm down."
Her name was Woohee? Same name as a girl from my elementary school days.
She might even be around my age.
"Sangsu! What the hell are you talking about? Have you lost your mind?"
"No, wait. We're short on food, aren't we?"
"You're selling me? Where did you even pick this guy up! An Suhyeon, you fucking loser!"
Right then she kicked An Suhyeon square in the stomach.
"Fiery personality."
Like with Seol-hwa, the prickly ones were always the most satisfying to watch react in bed.
"You fucking piece of shit!"
Even spicier than Seol-hwa, she cursed him out thoroughly while beating him, then faced me.
"I like it."
"This bastard. He's really insane..."
At that, I kicked the insolent woman square on.
"Aagh!"
"Mouth off one more time and I'll kill you."
At my warning she scrambled back, though her expression still clung to her pride.
"Anyway, that's my only demand."
"Today's not feasible. Tomorrow, show us proof. Or will it take longer?"
To Gim Sangsu's words, I answered that one day was enough.
"Then I'll come tomorrow afternoon. It's too dark here as it is. I'll bring candles too."
"Hmm. Understood."
"Ah, and about An Suhyeon. Keep him here. I don't have a place to put him on my end. Leaving him alone in an empty house doesn't sit right either, does it? He was originally with you, so it's fine, right?"
I couldn't leave An Suhyeon near Soyeon's place anyway, so this worked out perfectly.
I'd confirmed the location. I could come back next time.
"If anything comes up, use this guy to send word to me. You know the location. Looking forward to good news."
No—I wasn't looking forward to anything.
I didn't care how they responded. I wanted her, so even if they refused, I'd take her. Negotiation was only a means to make things easier for myself.
If it ended with a deal, fine. If not, I'd deal with them the hard way.
I'm no saint. Ever since my family was destroyed, I swore to live like a criminal.
And in this world, that approach worked perfectly.
"By the way, An Suhyeon, was it? You said you were scattered? That was a lie."
Noting one more fact, I turned and left.
After Jin Dohyuk disappeared, a meeting was naturally held among those who remained.
In truth, they hadn't been scattered. They had been together from the start.
Except for the "useless" ones.
Woohee, seething with rage, slapped An Suhyeon across the face.
"You crazy psycho! What kind of lunatic did you bring here!"
The civil-defense types lit a lighter and, in the middle of an emergency meeting, resorted to violence.
They hit An Suhyeon, kicked him in the stomach, and pounded his head.
"You bring that piece of trash here when you're already useless? Am I really just an object? You fucking loser!"
"I-I didn't know he'd say something like that!"
"You didn't know? This is really—!"
Woohee was about the same size as An Suhyeon, the smallest of the men.
But she dished out violence without hesitation. An Suhyeon just took it, pathetic as he was.
"Hey, calm down. Woohee."
Beside her, Sangsu grinned as he held her back.
"You really went to the same high school? You should get along. Besides, shouldn't you stop the bullying once you're in college?"
"Bullshit. Losers need to get beat right away. Treating people like objects?"
Woohee kicked him in the thigh and turned away.
"Get him out of my sight. From the start..."
"Woohee."
When Sangsu quietly called her name, Woohee immediately took the hint.
"Fine. Anyway, Suhyeon, you did well. If things go right, we might get some food. I'll make sure you're rewarded for your contribution later."
"Yes, Sangsu-hyung."
With difficulty An Suhyeon left, and soon those inside were barely holding back their laughter.
"Not yet. He can still hear us."
They held in their leaking laughter and watched outside for about ten minutes.
Then they entered a real strategy meeting.
"Wow, he actually made it back alive?"
"I really didn't think he'd come back."
They opened the conversation with mockery.
"We kicked him out with an excuse, and he comes back like that?"
"Lucky bastard. And he even brought a sucker with him."
That was right. They had originally driven An Suhyeon out under the pretext of "going to find food."
When supplies ran short, they had deliberately ordered him to go look for it.
Because he was the most useless.
Woohee shuddered, recalling the man in the stab-proof vest.
"But doesn't he seem completely disgusting? Like a crazy psycho. Asking for a woman. A piece of trash who only sees women sexually. What kind of garbage is that?"
"But is that food story real?"
"Probably is. If he'd planned to trick us from the start, he would've just shot that crossbow right away. Plus he didn't look hungry at all."
The main discussion was how to handle the man named Jin Dohyuk.
"Obviously we're not handing over our Woohee."
"Thanks, everyone. Of course you should say that."
The looks directed at her as she preened were all thoroughly sinister.
Sangsu laid out the plan again.
"If that guy actually brings the food, we hit him from behind."
"But will it be easy? He looked pretty well armed."
"If we rush in carelessly, we could get hit by the crossbow."
The problem was that charging him as a group was too dangerous.
Sangsu still knew the exact way to take him down.
"We make him strip."
"How exactly?"
At that, Sangsu's gaze turned to Woohee.
"From the looks of it, he's after you."
"Me? Men are all the same... Disgusting."
"Just do a little acting. We need to get the food for free anyway."
They harbored no good intentions whatsoever. They had been planning a backstab from the start.
"Since he asked for a woman, you wrap yourself around him and strip all his clothes off. Then..."
"And you hit him from behind? No. I'd have to be naked."
"But if he's bare, we can take him! And if it goes well, we get his weapons too!"
Sangsu grabbed her again and spoke firmly.
"That means we can go back toward the mart. Woohee. You know how I feel, right?"
"But will the food actually come?"
"It has to. If not, we use An Suhyeon as bait again. Just like when we dealt with those greedy ones."
They were spinning their happy little fantasies. Woohee stood up.
"Yeah, that guy's only useful for that much. Ever since high school."
"Being actual classmates makes you a total villainess. Well, he is pretty dull. Not much help either."
"I don't know. He barely even had a presence in the same class."
Anyway, they settled on a backstab strategy and waited for the man to come.
Then, around the next afternoon, the man arrived pulling a cart.
They rejoiced at the sight of the food piled high on it.
"But is that bike moving by itself?"
"It's an electric bike, you idiot!"
"Anyway, An Suhyeon goes out to receive it, and Woohee, you stand by."
They snickered.
While An Suhyeon talked with Jin Dohyuk, Woohee was getting ready and waiting.
They even used their precious water to give her a rare shower, making her as appealing as possible.
It had to happen right around here, and they would strike midway.
Their plan was that shoddy—and conversely, it would collapse easily if someone struck at its blind spots.
"I brought it!"
After An Suhyeon confirmed the food and handed over samples, they brought Woohee out.
"Then we'll take the food first."
"As you like."
The man, who had appeared this time with only one crossbow, watched them take what was in the cart.
With the cart left behind, Jin Dohyuk now moved to take Woohee.
"I don't want to!"
At that, Woohee refused and suddenly started running.
Just as planned.
Sangsu approached Jin Dohyuk.
"Looks like she's showing resistance after all. We can't really force her—just catch her and teach her a lesson."
"...."
The man wordlessly moved in the direction the woman had run.
Now the real game began. Instead of being caught, Woohee would suggest they just do it quickly here, say goodbye to her companions, and leave.
While she forced him to do it here, they would ambush him.
But they didn't know. Jin Dohyuk already knew every filthy detail of their plan.