Chapter 3
The pad screen was filled with numbered requests, ranging from requests to deal with clustered groups of infected, to clearing out sporadic outbreaks covering mountains, and even requests for assistance in preparing for war with other shelters. There were over a dozen other requests, but I didn’t really have any particular thoughts about them.
“Which one of these has the most people?”
“It’s probably the one preparing for war. Why, planning on going there?”
Even in the face of the world crumbling and falling apart, there are still humans who are only concerned with securing their own meals. I call them idiotic bastards, but most consider them to be excellent leaders.
“Nah, those places are a hassle. Fighting infected seems easier for now. I’ll decide later. Let me check the firearms first before deciding. We also need to get more ammo.”
Then Yongcheol asked in a gruff voice.
“How long do you think it’ll take?”
“Who knows.”
“Ah, c’mon! How long do you think? Give me a proper schedule!”
“Geez…”
I twisted my lips as I looked at him.
“My my, the informant is giving orders now. Our Yongcheol has grown up?”
“No! That’s not it! You can’t just say you don’t know! There are clients waiting to die if they don’t hear from you! Don’t you see the money listed there?”
After the apocalypse, new occupations emerged, one being mercenaries like me.
Mercenaries who take money to complete requests.
Unlike soldiers who followed orders from their superiors, mercenaries were driven by money, and that’s why people often entrusted mercenaries with tasks that the military wouldn’t do.
“If I had known, I would have done hip-hop or sports instead of this. May not have become a national athlete like you, but could have been helpful in this world.”
I let out a hollow laugh watching Yongcheol as I reminisce about my days as a national shooting athlete.
“Yongcheol-ah. The shooting league doesn’t teach things like using sniper rifles, you know. All my skills now came from the military, you ignorant child. Didn’t you know?”
“Wow! I’m so unjustly treated. I was going to enlist, but then the chaos happened right when I was about to. What was I supposed to do?”
I chuckled as I elbowed Yongcheol’s arm, which contorted in a way that made his already ugly face even uglier, as he grumbled in frustration.
Truth be told, I’m one of the most expensive mercenaries around—partly because I fearlessly take on dangerous jobs, but also thanks to my former career as a national shooting athlete. Add to that the peculiar fact that I was once a soldier too, so people can’t help but seek me out.
As I continued to ponder these thoughts, Yongcheol spoke up again.
“Hey, what was your rank in the military? Were you like a sergeant or something?”
“Oh my, does our unqualified Yongcheol even know what a sergeant is?”
“Oh! Seriously!”
Yongcheol grabbed the steering wheel and shook his body back and forth as if he were angry, but his antics were so comical that I held onto my stomach and laughed for a while.
“Ah, so funny. Teasing you is the most fun in the world.”
“I don’t find it funny.”
“That’s not for you to decide.”
I chuckled again and responded to Yongcheol’s question.
“Well, whatever my rank was, does it really matter? Whether I had flowers pinned on or diamonds engraved, I’m a deserter now anyway.”
“Well, I guess that’s true. Deserter who’s screwed if caught.”
“Probably won’t get screwed to that extent.”
Deserters aren’t anything special in this situation.
And I didn’t defect like other deserters because I was afraid of the infected or disliked the higher-ups who abandoned us. There was a reason behind my desertion. Because of that damn Captain who didn’t keep his promise to me. If that guy had kept his promise, my brother would probably be by my side by now.
“Lieutenant Min. I promise you. No matter what happens, I will protect your brother.”
“I’ve already spoken to the Seoul unit. So you don’t need to worry. Don’t you know what will happen if you leave here now!”
I didn’t believe that bastard’s words. I should have found some way, by hook or by crook, to return to Seoul… Regret painfully gripped my chest at this thought.
“Even if I end up screwed over, I still want to punch that damn Kim Chang-geun in the face…”
Screeeech!
In the middle of imagining sticking needles into the face of Captain Kim Chang-geun, the car suddenly stopped.
“Shit! You scared me!”
Stepping hard on the brakes, Yongcheol cursed loudly, honking the horn repeatedly. Despite it being daytime when the infected weren’t very active, the noise was too loud.
“Yongcheol-ah. Do you have trouble controlling your anger? What if the infected come swarming because of this?”
“No! Those brats suddenly jumped out!”
“What?”
At his words, I quickly looked out the front window and saw crying children. I scanned them quickly, but unfortunately, my brother was not among them.
‘It’s impossible to run into him like this randomly.’
I chuckled dryly, observing the children again. They seemed like they had just dashed through the woods, with their clothes and shoes all disheveled. Their hands and hair were not in good condition either.
“If they were just infected, I wouldn’t have cared and driven on. I stopped because I’m still somewhat decent! I only stopped because I’m kind! I was just startled!”
“I get it, so shut your mouth now. You’re scaring the kids.”
Without getting out of the car, I just rolled down the window and gestured to the sobbing children. Immediately, they started wailing and pleading louder.
“P-Please save us! Please help us!”
🕂
I walked behind the children, my K2 rifle slung over my shoulder like a shadow. Our softhearted Yongcheol, despite not knowing the way, tried to comfort the children and lead them.
“So you’re saying if we go this way, we’ll reach a shelter?”
The reason the children dashed towards our running car was obvious and simple. They had strayed from the refugee group to search for food and had been attacked by infected. They only wanted us to accompany them on their way back to avoid another attack. It was a cleverly woven request.
“Yes, yes! There aren’t many people at the shelter, so there’s, there’s not much to see… But…”
“Even though there weren’t many people, was there still a shortage of food?”
“Oh, um, well, we were also looking for, for medicine for my, my little sister who’s sick.”
The boy, who didn’t look older than ten, held tightly onto the arm of a small girl with a stubby nose, similar to his own.
“Oh dear. Was she sick? Is she okay now?”
The girl nodded meekly while hiding behind her brother, seemingly scared of the unfamiliar adults.
Yongcheol looked over the children.
Their bodies are covered in wounds, with their faces creased in pain, and they look emaciated, as if they’ve been starving for days.
Yongcheol takes out a chocolate bar from his pocket and offers it to the boy. The boy lowers his head and then passes the chocolate bar to his sister.
“You’re a good boy, taking care of your little sister.”
Yongcheol ruffled the boy’s hair and took out another chocolate bar, peeling the wrapper to hand it to him. The boy hesitates at first but then quickly eats the chocolate bar. It was a messy sight, but he didn’t look the least bit awkward.
“Geez, with the world like this, these kids can’t properly live either… Poor things. How did it come to this…”
He seemed like he wanted to say something about how they ended up being born now, but he stopped himself before finishing the thought.
In truth, adults like me have already experienced the world before the apocalypse, so we know what beauty is, what peace is, and that’s why we can still dream and imagine a future without the entanglement of survival issues.
But…these children now? The kids who are only just becoming aware of their surroundings in this apocalyptic world? Do these kids have dreams? A future? Even if it’s a contradictory sense of peace… They deserve to feel it, but these children have been deprived of that opportunity. That’s likely what’s weighing on Yongcheol’s mind. It’s an understandable emotion.
Yongcheol, as if trying to suppress his overwhelming emotions, gently placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder, his lips trembling as if trying to contain his feelings.
“Just live well! Be happy with your sister, okay?”
The boy stored the remaining half of the chocolate bar in his breast pocket and nodded slowly. Tears shimmered in the corners of his tired eyes. The atmosphere was quite somber. Being immersed in this altruistic mood wasn’t bad, but survival was more important. I straightened my rifle and peered through the scope.
Bang!
The gunshot pierced the tenderness.
🕂
Thank you for reading! ♡
