Hunter in the Bush (4)
Law and order are like a prison cell. They are mechanisms designed to keep what is inside from breaking out. If you try to leave that cage without permission, you face sanctions. You suffer disadvantages. But what if those prison bars were thrown wide open? What if the lock was broken? What if a hole appeared large enough to crawl through? Would everyone inside excitedly scramble to get out? No. There would certainly be those who choose to remain.
Some would suspect the open door or the broken lock, viewing it as a test. Others might not leave simply because they are worried about what others might think. There are even those who would be so terrified by such a situation that they would prefer someone just lock the door again. When social infrastructure collapses and there is no longer a way to restrain individual behavior, there are definitely those who will leave the cage. They might enjoy their newfound freedom to the fullest. They might do all the things they never could before.
There are certainly those who cast off laws, order, morality, conscience, etiquette, rules, and social consensus, doing exactly as they please. I don’t think of myself as a particularly good person. I am not a righteous man. I am an extremely selfish one. The reason I chose those who broke out of the cage as my targets isn't because I’m some apostle of justice. I simply selected people who could help me reduce my own guilt and shame, even if only by a little. It makes me feel at ease. Because I am a selfish bastard.
My first guests were a group consisting of two men. If you ask why I call them a group, it’s because there were two women with them. Of course, those two women didn't join the group of their own volition. Anyone could see they were being held against their will. Seeing them act like that the moment the world turned upside down, those guys were truly something else. They were the ones who bolted the moment the prison door swung open. Those two men did whatever they wanted in a world without constraints. It’s just a bit childish that what they wanted was to hold women captive and rape them. No, wait. Calling it childish doesn't quite fit. Perhaps there is no motive stronger than that?
In a world where money has lost its meaning, and honor has vanished, all that remains is power. Power that can be obtained with a single fist. Or power that is possible if you possess a weapon more overwhelming than anyone else's. That is the reason I chose those two men. Because they were police officers. They had handguns. And live ammunition, at that.
They said the acidic mucus spores would chew up all the metal in this world. But that would probably take some time. Besides, if a gun is well-maintained, it might not have any issues. So, they are invincible. At least for now. If there were rifles or stronger weapons, handguns might become meaningless, but within a radius of about 30 meters, they would still yield excellent results. But it really is the end of the world. For people who are supposed to be police to start kidnapping and raping women the moment things go south? Is that their true nature? Or were they seduced by the sweetness of the power a handgun provides? I don't know. And I don't particularly want to know.
All I want are guests to participate in my experiments. The handguns are just a bonus. Since I’m not going out to hunt zombies, my gear is a bit lighter than last time. A nasal spray and a mask are enough. It’s not like I’m going to be out all day. I drive the combat truck and leave the house. Coming to Yongin was definitely the right choice, no matter how I look at it. It wasn't a place with many people to begin with, and now that the world has ended, even those few have vanished. That’s why I can drive a car like this. Though headlights are out of the question.
Aside from a blunder where I almost drove into a rice paddy, I arrived near my destination without any major issues. It’s a place commonly referred to as a "town." It even has a convenience store. Though by now, everything inside has probably been looted.
The place where the two police officers are is the local substation. It’s perhaps to be expected. They probably judged that it was better to stay at the police station than to carry everything inside somewhere else. That’s why they were able to keep the women locked up, too. In a detention cell or something similar. No, it’s a substation, so there wouldn't be a detention cell. Then where did they lock the women up? Did they not lock them up at all? Anyway, I sling my bag over my shoulder and head toward the substation. There are many buildings, so moving while staying hidden isn't difficult. Thanks to my drone surveillance, I also know there are no other people around here. No infected, either. So, no zombies. Maybe those two cops took care of the zombies, too. Being police, they would have better stamina than the average person.
Because I was moving with such caution, it took quite a while to reach the substation. It wasn't a long distance. Maybe a few dozen meters? But the biggest obstacle in covering that distance wasn't the darkness or the obstacles. It was the worry: "What if someone sees me?" That was the biggest concern. So, I kept repeating to myself that it was okay, approaching with extreme care. It’s okay. There is no one here. Even if there were, it would be a tiny minority, and they would be asleep right now. But still, the suspicion kept bubbling up.
Once I reached the side of the substation, I felt a sense of relief. Am I being timid? Or am I being overly cautious? Ah. Are they the same thing? I must be excited, seeing as I'm acting like this. It’s definitely different from when I hunt zombies. Because my opponents are human. And armed ones at that. People are scarier than spores or zombies. That is true in any situation. Definitely.
Hoo. Alright. Time to start. I hope things go as planned. In fact, I was the one who left the cage first. If you think about it, I left even before the prison door opened. I was already breaking plenty of laws. The item in my hand right now is the same. It’s a mix of smoke grenades and anesthetic gas. Made by the hands of a backyard chemist, no less. Safety? I don't need that. What I need is gas that fills the room like in the movies, neutralizing everyone inside. An item where I don't have to worry too much about the target's health. For starters, it definitely knocked out animals. So, it should work on humans, too. It’s just not 100% certain.
Anyway, I approach the substation and open a small window on the side. And, absurdly enough, it opens. Did they not bother locking it because it wasn't big enough for a person to crawl through? Lucky me. If it hadn't opened, I would have had to break it and shove the gas in. I pull the pin and toss the smoke grenade inside. Then I close the window, hide around the corner, and watch the entrance of the substation.
Honestly, a substation isn't a great place to hole up. For one, the front door is glass. I don't know if it’s reinforced glass, but it’s definitely weaker than a steel door. How on earth are they staying in a place like that? If it were me, I would have moved everything to a safer location, even if it was a hassle.
I heard a "What the!?" from inside. Hearing that sound, I feel my nerves tighten like a bowstring. Will they actually come out? I didn't make the gas weak enough for them to ignore it. The glass door swung open. And then I heard a thud. I carefully poked my head out to look, and one man was lying there flat. With his pants down. Seeing that, I could guess the situation inside. *Sigh.* So that was it. You were busy, weren't you? Even with the world like this, you were still busy raping women? Seeing that man passed out like that, I could figure out the state of things inside. They’re probably all in the same state. That gives me a bit of relief.
I pulled on my gas mask. Then I carefully approached the man. I bound his arms and legs tightly. With this, this man has lost his freedom. I swung the door wide open and carefully stepped inside. The substation was filled with smoke. I waited a moment for the smoke to clear, leaning against a safe spot. I was worried a police officer wearing a gas mask might shoot me with a handgun. It might be an unnecessary worry, but as long as the possibility remains, I have no choice but to be careful. But that worry vanished quickly. As the smoke cleared a bit, I discovered another man lying on the sofa. I didn't even consider the thought, "What if he's pretending to be unconscious and suddenly shoots me?" He couldn't have held his breath that long in this smoke. If he had, he’d be a superhuman. So, I approached the man and immediately bound his arms and legs. Only then did I feel truly at ease. It was as good as over now.
The smoke had cleared quite a bit, and I could see the interior properly. A room inside the substation labeled as the protection room. One woman was lying there. And I found another woman in the back. Seeing them naked, I guess my hunch was right. *Sigh.* Yeah. Seeing them awake earlier, it must mean they took turns standing guard. And they spent their time like this because they were bored. The women had handcuffs on one of their wrists. So, it took a little time to find the handcuff keys. Once I had all four of them bound, the tension finally drained away. No, wait. I shouldn't do that. I can only relax once I’m back at the main base. So, I pulled myself together, gathered the four unconscious men and women, and quickly left the substation.
I brought the car, pulled it up in front of the substation, and struggled to load the four people into the back. Then, I quickly searched the substation. Five handguns, blanks and live rounds, a taser. And handcuffs. There were other things, but I only took these for now. It would have been nice if there were bulletproof vests. Why aren't there bulletproof vests in a substation? Is it because they don't expect to get shot? Anyway, I loaded the gear into the car and left the substation. I drove around in circles, passed through tunnels and rice paddy roads, and took a long way back to the main base.
When I finally arrived at the decontamination room, my strength just gave out. A successful guest reception. And four of them, no less. Wouldn't I be able to find out something with this? If they only offered their devoted participation? Thinking that, the corners of my mouth curled up. Smiling like that, I got out of the car and looked at the back of the truck, where one man made eye contact with me. A man with his mouth gagged and his hands and feet bound. The look he gave me, as if he were screwed, showed the despair in his eyes. Fear, terror. Those things, too.
"Welcome. Thank you for participating in my research."
So, I smiled and welcomed them. With a heart that was genuinely glad.