Feels Like Becoming the Tribal Chief
Duck meat.
It’s fatty and has a remarkably consistent flavor. You can prepare it in soup, smoke it, or grill it—any way works—but the old saying claims that grilling it is especially good for your health, even with all that fat.
And right now, right in front of them, dozens of ducks were gliding peacefully over the abandoned construction site where every last human had been swept away.
Kim Jun quietly lifted his air gun and pulled the trigger in rapid succession.
Ding—clack—ding—clack—
Using slugs would turn the birds into a mid-air explosion show before he could even taste the meat, so he loaded hunting lead pellets and picked them off one by one. The ducks that had been flying in neat formation dropped from the sky.
“Wow, you got them!”
When Gaya clapped and cheered, Kim Jun shot her a quick glare. He had specifically told her to stay quiet, and the sudden noise had cost him an extra bird. He couldn’t exactly scold her, so he focused on nailing one more at the edge of the flock while he still could.
In the end, the total number of ducks that fell to his steady stream of pellets was five.
“Think that’s enough?”
The short winter day was already beginning to fade. Reluctant as he was, Kim Jun decided to call the hunt here. He had hoped for one bird per person, but chasing them any farther would make getting home a problem. Besides, today’s trip was pure hunting, not the usual foraging run. He couldn’t pack the carcasses the way he had with Do Kyung or Emily; leave them too long and every bird would spoil before they could eat them.
Kim Jun moved toward the spot where his kills had landed and scanned the area before giving the all-clear signal.
Clunk.
Eun Ji slipped out immediately and snatched up the first dirt-covered duck.
“All clear. Come straight back!”
“No. I’ll get the last two.”
“I told you not to get greedy!”
Eun Ji sprinted to the two remaining ducks and scooped them up. Kim Jun felt a spike of anxiety, but he covered her completely as she moved with reckless, fearless speed. Gaya, following the plan, kept watch and quietly readied her slingshot and bolts.
After they had secured four birds, Eun Ji pushed through the tall grass to find the last one—
Clack.
Screeeech.
Kim Jun and Gaya reacted instantly. Without a word, both threw open their windows and leveled their weapons at the same time.
“Ah!”
Eun Ji had made a startled noise while looking at something in the grass. Kim Jun was about to shout for her to get back when—
“Found it! The last duck!”
Eun Ji proudly held up all five birds in front of the truck. When she noticed the two of them aiming at her, her expression stiffened slightly. It had been dangerously close, yet strangely enough, no zombies appeared anywhere nearby. Instead, as if telling them to relax, she walked slowly back to the vehicle, opened the rear door, and climbed in.
Gaya awkwardly removed the bolt from her slingshot and dropped it into the dashboard. Kim Jun gently lowered the barrel of his rifle. Seeing their reactions, Eun Ji gave a small laugh.
“You really thought a zombie would jump out while I was collecting the game?”
“Why don’t you ever listen? I said bring them back one at a time, safely.”
“I already checked the whole area.”
Eun Ji pointed at the patch of grass where she had found the last duck. It truly wasn’t tall enough to hide anything dangerous—even a child’s head would have been visible.
“And that grass doesn’t look like it could hide anything. Going quickly was faster.”
“It’s still too dangerous.”
“My eyesight is the best here, remember? I checked first.”
She was right, but the situation had still been far too close for comfort. Kim Jun had gone on supply runs with many of the girls, yet none of them took risks the way Eun Ji did. Gaya had made beginner mistakes, In Ah never touched anything outside her expertise, and Emily always confirmed the area was safe before moving. Eun Ji, on the other hand, trusted her instincts and acted on her own judgment.
Kim Jun lit a cigarette and spoke to her.
“You have to be careful. Back then I tried to move supplies at top speed too, and a zombie that had been hiding inside a store—”
“I heard that story. Rana cried the whole night while telling it.”
“You heard it and still…”
Eun Ji glanced at Gaya, then nodded.
“Yes. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
“Good.”
“Anyway, are we eating these tonight? I’ve never prepared pheasant or duck before.”
“I know how.”
At least Eun Ji’s mental fortitude was strong, right up there with Emily’s. She could sit beside fresh bird carcasses still warm from being shot and casually ask how they should cook them.
“Don’t girls your age usually scream and cry just watching someone kill a chicken?”
“It depends. I went to traditional markets a lot when I was little. I saw chickens and fish get their necks wrung all the time.”
The conversation between Kim Jun and Eun Ji was starting to make things awkward, so Gaya cleared her throat.
“Ahem! Since Jun oppa is handling the prep, I’ll head back and take care of the kids, then set the table. We’ll need a lot of frying pans, right?”
“Pheasant broth makes incredible cold noodles.”
“Then… In Ah and I will try to make it.”
Gaya and Eun Ji took turns chatting with Kim Jun as they drove home. The hunt had gone reasonably well. When they arrived, Kim Jun glanced around and saw that everyone still carried the same heavy mood.
“Are they all still down?”
“Kyaaaack?! What is that?!”
Rana and Do Kyung recoiled in horror at the bird carcasses. Kim Jun grabbed a pheasant by the leg and lifted it playfully.
“Meat for tonight!”
“Oh my god! How are we supposed to eat that?!”
It was oddly cute watching the tall, athletic girl freak out at a pheasant and immediately flee through the sliding door. Rana trembled and begged him not to come closer. In Ah at least knew what they were but made a big X with both arms to show she wasn’t touching them.
Kim Jun told them not to worry because he wasn’t asking anyone else to help, then told them to start boiling water. He went outside to gather a torch and knives.
“Later, get carrots, onions, chives, and lettuce ready.”
“Yes! I’ll handle that.”
Once everyone knew their roles, Kim Jun went out and began the messy work—draining the blood first, then plucking and cleaning each bird until they looked like the raw chickens sold at markets.
“Whoa—”
“Huh? When did you get here?”
Mari had slipped outside and was watching him pluck the ducks and pheasants.
“I spent all day comforting the girls and needed a short break.”
She smacked her lips at the sight of the birds that had terrified the others.
“Preparing these won’t be easy.”
“Want to learn? I’ll teach you.”
“Yes, please.”
Mari had done dissection practice in school, so she took the knife from Kim Jun without hesitation. The two of them began working on the ducks together.
“Here, near the breastbone—if you slide up there’s a spot you can grab. Stab the knife in deep and make an incision.”
“Mmm~”
“Separate the breast, open it up, then cut the wings off separately.”
The ducks, larger than most store-bought chickens, were broken down piece by piece, revealing bright red flesh. They rinsed everything and sliced it into easy-to-eat portions.
“It doesn’t look as neat as restaurant cuts.”
Mari had imagined neat round slices with a layer of fat on the outside and vivid red meat inside.
“Either way, I hope everyone eats well and regains some strength.”
“I agree.”
Mari shook her head, saying it had been exhausting playing psychiatrist all day—listening to every girl’s longing for home, their family stories, and offering empathy. “The kids really are still young.”
“Yeah.”
“Though I’m hardly one to talk.”
Once the ducks were finished, Kim Jun looked at the huge pile of feathers and asked casually, “Think we could make duck-down parkas with these?”
“No one would wear them. Don’t tell Eun Ji unnie—she’d actually try to make them.”
Kim Jun chuckled, picked up the bundles of meat, and headed inside.
That evening they prepared fresh meat for the first time in a while, setting out frying pans and the electric grill. The meat hit the hot surface with a loud sizzle—hiss—
“Ooooh—”
Emily watched the raw meat release smoke and fat with an almost enchanted expression, licking her lips. Nanika stared curiously at the meat she had helped prepare earlier, then asked quietly as it grilled, “This would taste good smoked, too.”
“Next time we catch some, I’ll smoke them.”
“Ah, you don’t have to.”
“Why not? She’s right. From now on we’ll hunt and forage regularly.”
Kim Jun’s words suddenly reminded him of an old variety show he used to watch when he had nothing better to do. The memory felt strangely relevant now.
“There used to be this show where they went to the middle of nowhere—some remote part of the world—built shelters, hunted, and made fires.”
“Oh, that one!”
Emily immediately knew which program he meant. “I actually went on it. Somewhere near the Caribbean.”
“That jungle show? My agency sent someone and I ended up going. I was in the Southeast Asian rainforest. There was a cobra this big—” Gaya spread her hands dramatically. “—and it went bam!”
The conversation turned into a nostalgic exchange about the survival variety shows they had all appeared on. Meanwhile, Rana and Do Kyung—who had been terrified earlier—were now completely fixated on the grilling meat. If left alone much longer they looked like they might start drooling.
The whole scene felt exactly like something from those shows: the young women waiting inside the village while the chief went out to hunt and provide for everyone.
As the meat continued to cook, In Ah and Eun Ji brought out extra dishes from the kitchen.
“Here~ We prepared vegetables so we can eat properly!”
They had fresh mushrooms, lettuce, carrots, ssamjang, and gochujang. When the meat was ready, Kim Jun made a perfect ssam—garlic, a slice of duck, seasoned chives, and a bit of rice—then held it out.
“Youngest first.”
Rana opened her mouth wide, took the whole wrap, and chewed with obvious delight. The gloom that had weighed on her since morning had completely vanished; she was genuinely happy.
Kim Jun made another and offered it to In Ah.
“Our In Ah worked hard in the kitchen all day. You should eat too.”
In Ah had been the one to break the girls’ melancholy earlier, so he wanted her to enjoy the fruits of her labor. She teared up again while eating, but after Eun Ji patted her back she managed to swallow and whisper, “It’s so delicious.”
“Heh.”
Click.
Kim Jun popped open a bottle of chilled soju right there at the table.
Smile. Eat. Live.
He turned the entire meal into a genuinely joyful gathering, and by the end of it every girl who had spent half the day sunk in depression was laughing again.