Chapter 2

002. Payment Review. (1)

002.

"Is everything okay?"

The hand holding the phone trembled.

"We told you not to worry. The house is newly built and sturdy. If it really doesn't work, we can hide in the basement. We have plenty of food."

The voice on the other end of the phone was Mom's.

Monsters were rampaging, but fortunately, communication was still working.

Thanks to that, the government had sent a lot of messages.

News programs were running special features, and all kinds of internet broadcasts were on fire.

But for me, the most fortunate thing was being able to talk to Mom.

"Try to hide as safely as possible. I don't know what it is, but it's dangerous."

"Be careful, son. You know your dad. Don't worry about us; take care of yourself. Don't go out to save people. The country will do something."

"I will. I'm going home, so don't go anywhere. If you have to go somewhere else, leave a note or a message."

"Got it. I will. Son, your dad is calling. He says he needs to install something quickly."

Maybe this would be the last call, but I had to hang up.

The thought that this might be the last time I hear her voice made me want to hold the phone forever.

I wanted to run out of the company and rush home.

But I couldn't hold Mom just to hear her voice.

The house on Jeju Island, far away, was their responsibility to secure.

I had to move as quickly as possible to avoid regret.

'What about Dad?'

Unlike me, he was a former special forces soldier and had worked in construction for a long time.

Unlike me, who designs on a computer, he had a lot of experience on the ground. With enough time, he could turn the house into a fortress.

Fortunately, they had plenty of food and water, so I had to believe.

"Mom, be careful. I'll definitely come."

"Everything will be fine. Take care of yourself, son. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom. Tell Dad I love him too."

"Your dad is calling. I have to go. Son, stay strong."

Beep— Beep— Beep—

'Why is he so calm?'

The lack of worry in Dad's voice on the other end of the phone made me even more anxious.

But I couldn't just hold the phone.

Monsters had already taken over the streets.

The green invaders were creating a sea of blood by killing people.

These monsters were already entering the building.

"Move quickly. It's tough, but you have to keep going. You never know when the monsters might come in. Take the food you've received and go upstairs."

The person urging us to move was the secretary of the chairman, who had just returned from an emergency meeting.

The chairman, who was at the company, took charge, and the secretary relayed his instructions.

People who were floundering followed his words like they were hypnotized, moving in unison.

'He's not asking for anything strange.'

The secretary closed off the first-floor lobby and emergency stairs, eliminating the paths for monsters to enter. He led people to move all the food from the company cafeteria and vending machines upstairs.

With the security and management teams leading the way, the process was quickly organized.

Thanks to this, most of the food and supplies were already gathered on the roof and in the 13th-floor auditorium.

Having secured the minimum supplies, he left to hold an emergency meeting with the chairman.

About an hour had passed since the incident began.

"Ah, this is so tiring. Damn. Is this right? The world is clearly ending, so should we really follow the company's orders?"

Lee Dong-chan, who followed me to the roof, wasn't wrong.

"Then what? Are you going to leave here? After seeing that?"

"......That's what I mean. Damn, but we won't die immediately."

The street below was already occupied by monsters.

The smell of blood was so strong that I couldn't even think about going out.

Seeing this, I felt fortunate to be safe for now.

And from what I saw, the chairman was handling the situation well.

My body was tired, and it was hard to follow orders in a world that was ending, but there was no alternative.

'There will definitely be a change.'

The world isn't just going to end.

I was sure of it.

I could be sure of it, more than anyone else.

* * *

Insurance.

A system that compensates for losses in the event of disasters or various accidents.

A system that almost everyone who enjoys Earth's civilization is a part of.

I, like other Koreans, had various insurance policies.

National Health Insurance and National Pension, which are mandatory in South Korea, were the basics.

I also had an insurance policy recommended by an anonymous internet user.

'Some kind of comprehensive insurance.'

When I signed up, they sent me a thick book of terms and conditions.

Unfortunately, I didn't read it and just put it away.

I couldn't even remember the exact name of the insurance.

Ding!

I had forgotten about this insurance.

It was definitely like that.

.

.

.

'Right. That was the name.'

It seemed to be a strange phenomenon that only happened to me.

Fortunately, no one noticed my surprise when I saw the game-like notification message in front of me.

And during this process, I remembered the exact name of the insurance I had.

Comprehensive Doomsday Insurance.

I vaguely remembered that it was designed to pay out in the event of a doomsday.

At the time, I just thought the name was unique and moved on.

'But it really reacts to doomsday?'

It was a real insurance policy that had paid out for a traffic accident.

It even had a dedicated app for claims, making it a very normal insurance policy.

But it was moving in response to a real apocalypse?

Ding!

And while resting on the roof, the insurance evaluated the situation I was in.

'Star-level doomsday? What does that mean?'

The fact that I would receive insurance money was fortunate, even if I didn't understand it.

But I couldn't understand the term "star-level doomsday."

A star, in Earth's terms, would be the sun?

'Is this situation beyond the scale of Earth?'

It was a statement that made me feel the situation was terribly wrong.

'But an apocalypse is a disaster, right?'

The sudden and brutal reality.

Despite seeing it, I felt detached and distant.

And the thought that an apocalypse is a disaster came to mind in this situation.

It was a desperate attempt to avoid reality.

'But it's not a wrong statement.'

It might be a random thought to avoid reality.

But the idea that an apocalypse is a comprehensive disaster wasn't wrong.

Look at it.

The monsters don't just kill people; they destroy cars and buildings.

Injuries, damage, and fires are all happening.

It's like all disasters are concentrated in one place.

In such a situation, insurance might be the most needed thing.

I don't know if there's an insurance company that can handle it.

Ding!

And the message came again, as if telling me not to have false hopes.

I wondered why it was sent in bits and pieces, but it was a million times better than not getting any information at all.

Any information is good.

"Damn."

But this time, I wasn't just happy.

* * *

"Alright, gather the second team."

After returning from the emergency meeting, Chief Choi Seok-jin gathered the team.

Fortunately, everyone in our team was present, as no one was on an external assignment.

Other teams were also gathering.

It was probably to announce the results of the meeting.

"The chairman has made contact with the government. Fortunately, the military is moving, so we just need to wait here."

"Phew. The chairman! I knew it!"

Chief Choi's words brightened everyone's faces.

From the sounds around, it seemed the same information was being spread.

"What about our homes? When can we go home?"

"Yoon Daeri. I know you're newly married. I went to your baby's first birthday party last month. But I can't say when we can go home. I'm in the same situation."

"Ah, no. You know there's a baby at home."

Unlike me, who was just happy to be alive, Yoon Daeri was thinking about his wife and child at home.

Chief Choi, who answered his question, was also a father of two daughters.

Their faces were filled with unbearable anxiety.

"Even if the military is moving, we don't know when this situation will be resolved. We can't leave this building recklessly. If we do, it means we can no longer guarantee safety. Do you understand, Yoon Daeri?"

"......Yes."

"The apartments will be fine. From what I saw, those strange monsters can't open fire doors. So it should be safe for now. Just don't go outside. Make sure to tell your family that."

"Understood, Chief."

Although the situation hadn't improved, the news made people's faces relax.

Yoon Daeri, who understood logically that Chief Choi was right, seemed to be holding back.

After all, if he didn't listen, he would have to run into the monster-filled streets, which he couldn't do.

"We don't know how many days it will be, but today we will organize living spaces. Our job is to organize the 13th floor to create a living space for people. Other development teams will do the same."

Regardless of whether it was good or bad, having a leader in such a situation was definitely efficient.

I didn't usually respect or think highly of the chairman, but he seemed to be handling things well.

Everyone seemed to feel the same way, as there were no complaints.

"And just in case, the security team is recruiting volunteers. People to stand guard and fight the monsters."

"Huh? Fight?"

Kim Sun-ah, who had almost fainted at the sight of people dying, was surprised by Chief Choi's words.

It was understandable that she was surprised by the idea of volunteering for such a task.

"It's a volunteer position. I know it's dangerous, but someone has to do it."

"But there's a security team, right?"

"The security team isn't that large. In an emergency, more people are needed. So if there are no volunteers, one person from each team will be selected, except for the team leaders."

Team leaders had the responsibility of leading their teams.

So the remaining candidates were naturally the men who had served in the military.

Me, Yoon Daeri, and Kim Kwan.

"What! Why are you only looking at the men? Shin Daeri or Sun-ah can go too!"

"How can a woman go? You always say you were in the Marine Corps, Mr. Kim. Isn't this the time to step up?"

Chief Choi's words led to a display of teamwork.

The way they accused and criticized each other, urging each other to volunteer, was impressive.

It was a situation where there would be no volunteers unless they drew lots.

"......I'll do it."

But a volunteer came forward.

It was me.

Everyone's eyes curved into half-moons, unable to contain their joy.

"Seohu. You don't have to push yourself. Other teams might have more volunteers. We don't necessarily have to fill the quota."

"It's fine, Chief. I'm the youngest and a recent reservist. I should be the one to move."

Chief Choi's words made everyone look at me with confusion.

But no one tried to stop me.

The only one who looked a little worried was Kim Sun-ah.

"Seohu, you're a real man. Minhee, this is what a real man looks like. He's amazing, Seohu."

Especially Kim Tae-gyun, who was always praising me.

His smile and the praise he never usually gave me made me feel disgusted.

"Right. Seohu, I never saw you like this. You're a real man. I almost fell for you."

"So, Minhee, can you take me out on a date next time?"

"Hmm. I'll think about it. When you come back from this, I'll seriously consider it."

The crazy collaboration between Kim Kwan and Shin Daeri.

I barely managed to keep my face from crumpling.

Instead of saying I had no interest in her, I just smiled.

'Minhee, I have no interest in you. I don't want to go. I really don't want to.'

I'm not a good guy who ignores my mom's advice to volunteer.

I just want to kick Kim Kwan's ass and send him instead.

But I couldn't do that.

The messages that had come with a ding.

The messages that gave me three days and the mysterious "0th wave" content.

But that wasn't all.

I was destined to fight the monsters.