Chapter 27

23. Junior

Since it had grown dark, I spent the night at the refugee camp in Incheon.

Sleeping among people who had been driven out and were starving was as good as risking one’s life, so I had to be content with basking in the warmth of a drum can with a fire.

As I closed my eyes for a moment, a man approached me, skulking around.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with a face so young he could have passed for a teenager.

He boldly tried to touch my bicycle.

I opened my eyes and warned him.

"Don’t touch it."

Though startled, he still had some defiance and tried to touch it again.

When I quietly took out my pistol, the man finally raised his hands and moved away from me, but a group of people by another fire pit sent me a cold stare.

At dawn, another gang joined them.

They muttered among themselves, then slowly approached me, weapons in hand.

Clubs, iron pipes, bent rebar shaped like brooms, bicycle chains—various crude weapons blurred my bloodshot eyes.

The middle-aged men who had been basking in the fire beside me lowered their heads and quietly moved away.

They didn’t seem to want to help or stop me, but I didn’t care.

I subtly revealed the automatic rifle wrapped in cloth to the approaching gang.

A means of communication in the apocalypse, perhaps.

The young thugs exchanged intense glances and then turned to leave.

After the thugs left, the middle-aged men quietly returned, and I showed them the automatic rifle as well.

"......"

I waited alone by the fire, watching the sun rise.

When the sun came up and the soldiers appeared at the checkpoint, I headed for the military command.

There was only one matter: the numerous capsules that had appeared around the Kairos air-raid shelter.

I intended to report this to the military.

Capsules are under the jurisdiction of the National Council, but since all the council members had fled to Jeju Island, the military was the only place to report it.

Of course, I had taken plenty of photos and recorded the coordinates.

Honestly, I didn’t feel like doing it.

Several times on the way to the command, I felt hesitant and almost turned back.

A picture formed in my mind.

Would reporting this only bring me harm?

But what could I do?

It was something that needed to be reported.

The military might already know, but if they didn’t, the destruction of Seoul would affect me too.

That’s why I had to go, even though the outcome might be bad.

I am a hunter from the old era.

A primitive hunter who must face enormous monsters with only my courage, guts, skills, body, and a meager weapon.

To such a primitive hunter, thousands of capsules are far too many.

*

Two years and two months after the war began, the Republic of Korea’s military split into two factions: the Corps and the National Assembly.

The stronger of the two is the Corps.

The military units guarding the main front lines, dissatisfied with the government’s unequal treatment and policies, rose up.

Since the units guarding the front lines were the core, they had a significant advantage in numbers, quality, and equipment.

They actually started a civil war, relying on their strength.

The faction I was going to visit was not the Corps but their enemy, the National Assembly.

The National Assembly, as the name suggests, is the only regular army of the Republic of Korea, supported by the National Assembly. Though they are at a disadvantage in equipment and manpower compared to the Corps, they have the most significant weapon: legitimacy.

No matter how well-packaged, the essence of the Corps is a coup force united by profit.

While loyalty was maintained during the early stages of the civil war, it began to waver as the war turned into urban warfare and forced attrition.

When front-line commanders, dissatisfied with the excessive attrition, defected to the National Assembly with their units, the Corps had to reconsider their strategy from the beginning.

It might be too hasty a conclusion, but the civil war might end with the National Assembly’s victory.

Even if they win, it will be a victory filled with scars.

I arrived at the heart of the National Assembly.

"What is it?"

Unlike lower units, this place doesn’t accept bribes.

Given the time, security is extremely tight.

Tanks and other armored vehicles are lined up on the ground, and at least ten drones are circling at different altitudes and areas, keeping watch.

There are also ominous signs everywhere.

[ Photography, Climbing, Drone Flight Prohibited – Immediate Execution for Violation ]

I had no choice but to wait in line.

"How did you get here?"

After waiting for two hours, I finally had a private meeting with the clerk.

"Can I meet the monster supervisor? It’s a very urgent matter."

The moment I said that, I noticed the clerk’s expression slightly souring.

"What is it?"

"I found capsules. I discovered a large-scale colony, numbering in the thousands. I have the data and coordinates."

"Capsules?"

"The eggs of the monsters."

I showed him the photos.

The ashen-gray garden that Kairos had seen.

Unlike me, the clerk didn’t seem to feel any emotion upon seeing the garden.

He glanced at the photo and repeated what he had said to the previous petitioner.

"Is that so? That’s serious. I’ll check it out."

The clerk gestured to me.

"You can go now. Next!"

He probably won’t take any action.

He won’t check or report it.

The reason is obvious.

My appearance is shabby, and he doesn’t know much about my past, so he treats me like a nobody and ignores me.

I considered leaving for a moment, but this isn’t a matter to be swayed by emotion.

If a flammable material is piled up in front of you and your house isn’t on fire yet, leaving is a short-sighted choice.

I plan to live at least five more years.

My character is softer than I thought, so I won’t be the last human, but I aim to be one of the last.

"Excuse me, can you connect me to Colonel Jeong Daekyung?"

There’s a rough way to cause a commotion, but I consider myself a rather sophisticated person.

"Colonel Jeong Daekyung?"

"Yes, the one who was dispatched by the National Council."

"Oh, you mean Brigadier General Jeong. Please wait a moment."

Networking is a sophisticated method for someone with a career like mine, though I don’t particularly like it.

"Excuse me."

"Yes."

"Who should I say is here?"

"Park Gyu. Just two characters."

"Park Gyu. Yes, please wait a moment."

After the clerk made a call, he stared at me.

Does he see me differently now?

"Didn’t you know who I was?"

"......"

"Next!"

"......Call the clerk."

"What?"

"Call the monster supervisor! It’s an emergency!"

"Sir?!"

What can I do?

The world has forgotten me.

"Right away!"

This is the best I can do as an ordinary person.

Soon, soldiers with guns approached me.

I stayed still.

Resisting would mean immediate execution.

I waited for the soldiers to handcuff me and even extended my hands when they tried to put them on.

After being handcuffed, I politely said to the person who seemed to be in charge.

"I want to talk to the monster supervisor."

"Let’s start with the investigation first."

So, I’m going to the holding cell.

It’s a good thing.

In the Republic of Korea, you have to cause a commotion to get them to listen.

Even if it’s a bit rough, if I can gain a voice and save millions while preserving the safety of my area, it’s a good deal.

The world is small.

*

A dark interrogation room.

It’s just a small room with a desk and a light.

The handcuffs were removed.

I only shouted; I didn’t damage anything or harm anyone.

If I had touched a soldier or a female soldier, I would have been beaten with a club and forcibly seated here.

"Please wait a moment. I’ll call the supervisor."

The soldier who escorted me here spoke in a businesslike tone without looking at me.

"Thank you."

I spoke as politely as possible.

Here, they are the absolute authority.

The more polite you are, the better.

A moment later, an annoying sound, like metal scraping against steel, came from the corridor.

A cane?

It was similar but had a sharper quality, as if the person was intentionally dragging it to make an unpleasant sound.

What kind of person is this?

Probably someone with a very twisted personality.

"Oh, isn’t it Park senior?"

The moment I heard that voice, I recognized the owner.

I didn’t need to see the face.

That deep, resonant voice was a trademark of someone I knew very well.

"Min told me you were really alive?"

I looked up at her, and I had to manage my expression.

It wasn’t the face I knew.

One of her elegant, model-like arms and legs was gone, replaced by a hideous prosthetic.

I looked at her face.

Even with a deep hood, it couldn’t hide the disfigured scar covering half of her face.

"......Minhee."

This woman’s name is Woo Minhee.

She was my deputy.

She smiled at me like a girl.

"Why didn’t you contact me? Well, you didn’t contact anyone else either, right? I didn’t hear from Kyungmin or Changsu."

"Do you work here?"

"Yes, for a reason."

"Jeju Island? You could have gone, right?"

"I could have, but I didn’t want to."

"Why?"

"You know, right?"

Suddenly, Woo Minhee’s eyes glowed with a eerie grayish light, bright enough to illuminate the darkness.

With a disfigured face, she smiled and flashed a light that seemed to come from another world.

"I hate those two, as much as you do, senior."

"......"

Without looking in a mirror, I could guess my expression.

A subtle, twisted expression, trying to hold back but unable to avoid it.

"Oh, you weren’t supposed to say those two names in front of senior, right?"

Futile.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

It was the same in school.

Always hurting others and getting hurt herself, a self-destructive life.

If her blood volume had been a bit less, she would have ended up committing suicide, but this woman is not to be underestimated.

"Sorry, I didn’t think it would upset you. I didn’t do it on purpose."

But I’ve grown too.

"It’s fine. What’s the big deal?"

When I heard those two names from Kim Min, I felt a faint pang, but it didn’t hurt as much as before.

A slight sting, that’s all.

It’s a completely different feeling from when I heard their names from Jeungpung.

I smiled genuinely and looked at Woo Minhee.

"I overcame it a long time ago."

I’m not sure if I overcame it or if my emotions have dulled, but the fact that our Viva! Apocalypse! forum members instilled a strong mental resilience in me is undeniable.

Why, from an unpopular user to a defender friend, and now to a troll family.

There’s nowhere to fall from here.

"Since we’re talking, how are Han Min and Hyein doing? There’s almost no way for a regular person like me to know about their activities."

"Oh."

Woo Minhee’s face showed genuine surprise.

"Is this really Park senior?"

"Is there a problem?"

"No."

She stared at me with interest for a while.

An uncomfortable time.

After a brief silence, Woo Minhee sighed and spoke.

"Both seniors are in Jeju Island."

"Of course. Are they doing well?"

"They’re probably living well. They are the saviors, after all."

"Saviors... Do you have any news about Min?"

"No."

"I see."

"Anyway, it’s good to see you healthy, Park senior."

Woo Minhee looked at her prosthetic hand, with two steel fingers bent like hooks.

"I’m like this now......"

"......"

Why didn’t you die then?

Anyway, meeting Woo Minhee again seems to be a good thing.

"Capsules. A colony, at that."

At least we can communicate.

"It’s the first time since China. Seeing a colony of this size. Since it’s a ceasefire, we’ll have to consult with the Corps. By the way, what was the maximum range of the field when you were in the military?"

"3,250 meters. To be safe, 3,500 meters."

"Now it’s 5,500 meters."

"Has it increased again?"

"They’re probably learning from us."

Creak—

Woo Minhee adjusted her prosthetic hand.

The sharp, hook-like fingers were probably a custom design she requested from a craftsman.

"Longer~. Longer~. But we have to clear them out, right?"

Woo Minhee stood up.

This relieved me.

She might have a dirty personality, but she’s thorough in her work.

"Meeting like this is fate. I’ll be here for a while, so let’s exchange contact information?"

Woo Minhee gave me her identification number.

Her ID was "REDMASK."

I didn’t really want to exchange, but I had no reason to refuse, so I gave her my ID.

"Skeleton?"

Woo Minhee suddenly laughed and stared at me.

"What? What’s with that reaction?"

"Nothing, just thought of a stupid person."

"......"

Could it be this guy?!

No, it can’t be.

Why would a new hunter, feared as the Red Woman by fanatics, bother with a community for runaways?

After a while, she smiled strangely and handed me a small piece of paper, divided into two colors like litmus paper.

"No kids, right?"

"No."

"Of course, I didn’t think you would, but I asked out of courtesy."

"What’s this?"

"A simple mental resonance test sheet."

"Is there such a thing?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. If you have kids around, have them put it in their mouths. If the color changes, contact me."

"Kids?"

"Scientists say that the awakening phenomenon, like mine, is most likely to occur in the cerebral cortex of teenagers before and after puberty."

"What happens if I contact you?"

"Probably, they and their families will be sent to Jeju Island."

Woo Minhee turned around.

Her prosthetic leg dragged on the floor, making a sound that seemed to tear my eardrums.

"See you again."

She stopped, dragging her prosthetic leg.

Facing away, she whispered in a low voice.

"I still hold you in high regard, senior."

Making a sound that tore my eardrums, she disappeared.

The flower garden of Kairos will be burned to the ground.

Other gardens may bloom around it, but at least my destruction will be postponed.

With a mix of half sentiment and half bitterness, I left the command.

White things were falling on the desolate ruins.

The first snow.

Christmas must be coming soon.