Episode 84:
Not us.
I don’t know if it was literally ‘they didn’t smell it on us’ or they were shifting responsibility by saying ‘it wasn’t our fault’, but either way, the group relaxed somewhat after hearing that it wasn’t our problem.
Among them, the man who guarded the pavilion outside with the detective and firefighter frowned and muttered.
“Then the other guys are the problem. These aren’t fucking guys.”
“Hey, why are you fighting again?”
“Is this a fight…? “They said there were people here besides us, so they must have created this situation.”
“You can’t necessarily say it’s a man-made problem.”
“Just looking at it, it looks sharp, so why…”
His tone was slow, but there was no way that other people would not know the dissatisfaction that filled him. The woman who said she was the man’s friend massaged the back of her neck and sighed.
“Whether it’s fact or not, I mean you shouldn’t fuck around in this kind of atmosphere, you idiot.”
“Yeah, I always say it, but you better kill your personality.”
And when another man, another friend, nodded with a serious expression, the two joined forces and the man eventually gritted his teeth and sat down next to them.
It was a slow gesture that resembled a slow tone of voice.
“…The kids are crazy about what they said to their friend who came back after a hard time.”
“Even if you get hit a little, you’re still a cheap bastard.”
“Our boots are right, my friend. “You are most beautiful when you keep your mouth shut.”
“If possible, let’s bite that snout too.”
“? why me?”
They said they were classmates at the same university, so they started bickering and exchanging punches so that it wasn’t awkward to introduce them as friends. Although he felt his fists getting stronger, Detective Hong Gyeong-jun did not bother to point it out.
“….”
I just took it in slowly. This is a fairly routine scene where three college students gather together and exchange swear words.
He turned his gaze and asked Han Do-yoon, who introduced himself as a firefighter.
“Surely your attention was elsewhere, right?”
“…Ah yes. yes.”
Even though it was not such a situation, Han Do-yoon smiled and nodded, as was his habit.
“It felt like my nerves were focused on the other side. After getting hit a few times, it was okay to just run away… It was like, ‘If you stop me, there’s another alternative!’”
“Clearly people were the goal.”
“…I guess so.”
The fireman shrugged, still smiling, and then fell silent. It clearly looked like he didn’t want to talk anymore, but the detective didn’t really care.
‘He must have been distracted by his injury, so it’s right to let him rest.’
Then I turned to police officer Kim Yeon-woo.
“Mr. Yeonwoo.”
“Yes, Detective.”
“…This is Lee Jae-heon, whom I met the other day.”
“Oh yes. I know.”
In fact, Detective Hong Gyeong-jun did not tell her that she had met him a few days ago.
Police officer Kim Yeon-woo was a person who was well aware of his limitations and was able to deal with them, but due to his naivety by nature, he could not stop using his mind. I was upset about sending a patient in such bad condition alone, but I deliberately didn’t tell him because I saw him in a bad condition before.
Hong Gyeong-jun swallowed it once again and continued.
“I told you before that it seemed like they were the same group I met.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“It looks like something is wrong there.”
“…yes?”
Detective Hong Gyeong-jun quietly tapped his thigh with his finger. Without even realizing it, a burning flame was pictured in their minds, and the location was a place they had never been to before.
He blinked once and opened his mouth.
“I’ll have to go take a look.”
There were many things I wanted to check.
Detective Hong Gyeong-jun was born with a good memory, and whether he wanted to or not, he lived with quite a lot of things memorized. After coming to this world, that obsession got worse.
The fact that he was paying attention to people he once encountered also meant that there was a good reason.
‘What kind of person… did you say?’
Hong Gyeong-jun remembered a person he met the other day.
He wore round glasses and had a gentle and sincere appearance, but there was something about him that he felt uncomfortable about. Although this is not something he himself would say, as he secretly discovered personal information while being wary of other groups of survivors.
Although it may be a bit excessive to think of it as targeting people who have only seen it once, there were many people in that group who felt a bit strange. Was Jaeheon Lee, whom I met separately a few days ago, also of a similar type?
But it didn’t look the same at all.
“…Where are you going…? No, I’m not saying it’s bad to go and help someone, but going alone is a bit…” “
So, I’m thinking of taking you with me for a few more minutes, but only for those who agree. “I hope Yeonwoo stays here and protects others.”
“Uhm….”
“Like he said, there are two people who need to be saved.”
“That’s true, but.”
Police Officer Kim looked at the detective alternately with the motionless woman with her head buried in the child in her arms with a puzzled expression, while Hong Gyeong-Jun continued his thoughts while looking at her.
‘I was vomiting blood.’
Except in very rare cases, it is difficult for a person to vomit blood. He must not have been in a very good condition since he was vomiting up close to a small bottle of mineral water, but he must have been good at managing his facial expressions.
Hong Gyeong-jun felt vague discomfort and regret from him. He was not the type of person you commonly see, nor was he a person with a sane mind. It’s not something to say to someone you’ve only seen once, but the person most similar to you that you can think of was the last time Hong Gyeong-jun saw him in prison.
It’s an obvious cautionary tale, but…
“I need to check.”
“…What?”
“What kind of people are they?”
He rolled his eyes while holding the wooden block and continued speaking again.
“And… it’s right to help if you can.”
The last resort of killing the living must always be under the guidance of the law.
So I couldn’t let people die in a world like this.
* * *
“I… I’m sorry, guys.”
Kang Min-ah continued speaking in a depressed voice.
“I dragged it on my own and lost my way…”
“Oh no…! Anyway, it’s true that I escaped those monsters!”
“Yes yes yes. it’s okay. On the contrary, I am grateful to you for protecting me.”
Kang Min-ah, who quickly snatched the two students and ran away, did not have a lighter with her as she had already said before. Fortunately, because I instinctively brought the hammer, I was able to defeat the creeping monster and come this far.
But the problem was that I didn’t know the way.
“If Garam had come with us, we would have been able to find the way…”
“Hmm.”
“iced coffee…! “I really didn’t blame you, it’s really okay!”
Fortunately, visibility was secured thanks to a fire starting somewhere. It wasn’t that bright, so it took a while for my vision to adjust to the darkness, but it was still better than when it was completely black and I couldn’t see an inch in front of me.
Of course, I don’t know where the fire came from, but there was no way they could think deeply about that as they were running away in the middle of their rush. All that meant was that we were able to secure a certain degree of visibility.
Kang Min-ah looked around and took a hesitant step.
“For now… let’s hide somewhere. “If you wait, others will come.”
As Lee Jae-heon expected, Kang Min-ah had no intention of going far from that spot. It was a burdensome situation to be separated from the rest of the group in the first place, but it was even more strange to think about taking two students to another place.
While Kang Min-ah was looking to see if she could climb the tree, thinking of a dog-shaped monster, she heard the cautious voice of student Park Da-young in her ears.
“Will you be okay, uncle? “I saw you vomiting blood earlier…”
“…”
“…Is that okay?”
“Uh…”
I couldn’t answer.
Exactly, no words came out.
‘There’s no way it’s going to be okay.’
Kang Min-ah was not unaware of Director Lee Jae-heon’s condition.
He was trying hard to pretend that everything was okay and that it was business as usual, but he couldn’t hide the mistakes that were inevitably revealed. Whenever Manager Lee Jae-heon limped, Min-ah Kang couldn’t keep her eyes on him for some reason, so she would turn her head.
And the more it happened, the further away he became from the ‘Manager Lee Jae-heon’ they knew.
“…let’s do what we can.”
“…yes.”
“It will be more convenient for the manager.”
The person we used to know wasn’t this crazy.
“We have to make sure no one gets hurt.”
Suddenly confusion came.
The Manager Lee Jae-heon they knew was not this strong to begin with, and he liked expensive things, so he always bragged about it to his subordinates. So, I shouldn’t have been so calm in this current environment.
Even in an emergency situation, I knew how to save face. Even if the conditions weren’t right, I thought he would complain as if he shouldn’t have done that, and I expected he would be the first to run away when the monster approached. One day, when I was living in a peaceful day, I had such a funny delusion.
That’s why Manager Lee Jae-heon always acted as if he were a nobleman. He had no obligations, but he had rights, and none of the things he had for himself should dare to go beyond him. So, I remember often arguing with Assistant Manager Jeong In-ho, pretending not to be the case. As if he had dared to overstep his authority.
However, a great person like Director Lee Jae-heon was actually a nobleman to them, and that is why the current situation was funny. This is the person who suffered the most damage for us.
So I suddenly became anxious.
“…I’m sure you’ll be okay.”
I remembered when Jeong In-ho came back alone one day on a pitch-black night.
“Everything will be okay.”
I was devastated to see him spitting out words as if he were dead, with a face I had never seen before. It was because I felt such misery, even though it was nothing, and the anxiety I felt at that time was transferred.
What if someone dies?
“Because you saved me like that before…”
“….”
“We all came out alive together. “The manager was injured that time too, but still… no one died.”
“sister…?”
“It’s really okay, guys.”
If one of us dies.
What if Manager Lee Jae-heon, who has tenaciously survived and was by our side, dies without my knowledge? If something catches you and you can’t return, like that night when you were dragged away by a monster.
So what should I do?
“No one will die.”
“….”
“No one.”
What can I do?
How could I, who am neither brave nor very strong nor fast? what.
“…So don’t worry too much.”
“…We’re okay, sister.”
“Yeah, I’m fine too. Really.”
As she said that, Kang Min-ah thought.
‘The best I can do is hold on.’
That’s why I’m a person who has to go over a cliff to even protect someone. What on earth could he, such a coward, do? I ran all the way here thinking that I could do something.
Kang Min-ah led the two students, struggling to hold back the rising anger.
“I think this tree… would be a good fit.”
“…A tree?”
“Dogs are fast… I don’t know if it’s really a dog, but wouldn’t it be safe on a tree? No, isn’t it? Sorry, I’m not sure. I do not know either. I’m not sure…”
“…”
“…I’ll lift it up for you, so would you like to sit there?”
A voice that trembles terribly.
It didn’t take long for the two students to nod their heads at him.
The first person to climb onto the branch was Park Da-hoon. When Kang Min-ah made a foothold with her hands, he quickly climbed the tree. He quickly climbed onto a strong branch and reached out to his older sister, Park Da-young.
Park Da-young also easily climbed up the tree, holding her younger brother’s hand without hesitation and with the help of Kang Min-ah below. Even though she wasn’t as short as Kwon Yeon-hee, it was fortunate that she didn’t have a very large physique either.
In the process, Park Da-hoon grumbled for a moment as if he had caught his skin by mistake.
“…You, you bird…! If you’re going to upload it, upload it properly! “I’m in trouble!”
“Ah… so you told me to lose weight, you little pig…!”
“You’re so good, I’ve seen you gain 3 kilos, you idiot!”
“Damn it, 3kg! “It’s not even 2.5 kg!”
“Aren’t you a complete loser because you remember all that? “Yeah, you already lost, right?!”
…Kids these days are foul-mouthed.
Kang Min-ah, who felt quite old even to herself, stopped laughing sadly when she heard rustling nearby and said to her siblings.
“It’s there…! Don’t come down, but come down in the morning. huh?”
“Ah yes…! Yes, I understand. Okay.”
“What about your sister?”
“Uh, wait a minute…”
I turned my head like that,
“…”
“…”
“… Manager?”
Manager Lee Jae-heon was seen.
“Chief…”
I call him without realizing it.
The face was looking to the side, as if it had not seen this way, and the familiar smell of blood was felt by the tip of the nose. When Kang Min-ah saw Lee Jae-heon standing among the bushes, Kang Min-ah seemed to be out of breath.
You’re alive.
It was alive.
“…yes? “Mister?”
“Wait a minute…”
“Manager!”
I stopped thinking and ran straight away.
‘It was alive.’
It was alive.
It was alive. They’re not dead. They’re all alive. That’s it. There’s no way that person could die. There’s probably other people there too. Have you come looking for us? is it?
As she went through the bushes, thin tree branches hit her calf and cheek. Because of that, there was a bit of pain around my cheeks, but even that was good. It didn’t matter. Just finding someone other than me was already enough.
By the time I reached out my other hand to him, leaning on the wooden pole, I heard,
“Chief Kang.”
“….”
“…Kang Min.”
A voice came
from right behind me .
“….”
I felt a large hand covering my hand that was resting on the tree.
Unlike the cold end, the hot palm presses my hands together with the blood filled inside, giving strength. Another hand grabs my shoulder and soaks it in blood.
Kang Min-ah stiffened at that unfamiliar touch.
“….”
“Kang Min-ah, you have to see me.”
“…Uh….”
When you tilt your head up, you see that pale face.
A familiar gaze.
“I’m here.”
“….”
That was correct by Manager Lee Jae-heon.
“…uh?”
There was a cliff ahead.
