There Are No Bad Military Dogs

Chapter 40

 

Park Eunjin took a deep breath, almost like a sigh, and continued.

“Mutated infected beings. The truth is, they’ve started appearing on our side as well recently.”

“What?”

I exclaimed loudly.

“Wha… they appeared here? At the shelter?”

“Yeah. Here.”

“What… they got in here? How on earth?”

This place, the shelter in the woods, was really well-made and fortified. The iron fence, as electrified as Yongcheol’s Jeep, surrounded it at a height that was difficult for the infected to climb. And even if they somehow managed to get in, there were plenty of traps and mines among the trees that would explode before they could approach humans.

But how on earth did they get in here? I couldn’t understand it at all.

“I don’t know. They just suddenly appeared from somewhere… They were really fast. They dodged all the bullets too.”

“Yeah. I was really surprised at first too.”

“Of course, we managed to deal with them somehow. But the Major…. that jerk, he… he locked up everyone who fought against the mutated infected.”

“He… locked them up? What do you mean?”

I was incredulous. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“They weren’t bitten, they didn’t have any contact with them, they just fought to deal with them, and he locked them up?”

“Yeah.”

“Why on earth?”

“Why? A new mutated infected appeared, with limited information, and they fought it, so that’s why.”

Park Eunjin gritted her teeth. The fact that all those who had fought and defeated the mutated infected were now locked up meant that this shelter was severely lacking in people who could even handle the regular infected, let alone the mutated ones. Now I understood why Eunjin had seemed so frazzled, and why she had avoided answering when I asked if she knew something.

If the information about the lack of people to fight gets out, this shelter will become a living hell. There are inhumane people in this world who want to harm and trample on humans, aside from the infected. And there’s no need to feel offended by the fact that she doesn’t trust me. It’s just a natural judgment as the leader.

I was inwardly admiring Eunjin’s judgment when she suddenly slammed her fist on the desk, bursting with anger.

“You know what that mayor is saying? He claims the infected have mutated, so the virus must have changed too. He says the transmission method might have altered.”

At that, I couldn’t help but frown.

Of course, it’s natural to have such suspicions with the sudden mutation of the infected. But this isn’t a confirmed fact, and there are hardly any samples to test—so why did he enforce such a measure?

“If we follow the mayor’s own logic, keeping them locked up would be even more dangerous, wouldn’t it? Even uninfected people could get infected by being in contact with them.”

“Ah, exactly!”

Park Eunjin exploded in frustration again. Frustration was palpable in her determined breathing. And the pressure of being the one responsible for keeping this shelter safe.

Moreover, before I came here, I saw about four infected gathered together, including a mutated one. Whether they’re infected or not, keeping them in one place like that… what’s the point?

“The mayor’s claim isn’t completely nonsensical, but… no, it’s too simplistic. If they were at least isolating and observing them, I could understand that better.”

“Yeah, I’d get that more too. But this isn’t that, is it? He’s just spouting his own bullshit logic.”

“Hmm… So do you know why he’s doing this bullshit?”

At my question, Eunjin paused for a moment. It seemed less like hesitation and more like deep contemplation. Eventually, she spoke.

“Well, I think…”

“Yes?”

“It seems like he’s trying to stop the people trying to escape Gangwon right now.”

“What?”

I questioned, bewildered. Eunjin continued, saying I should already know.

“We, no, the Gangwon region has cut ties with the Seoul shelter and has only been going back and forth with Pohang. However, the coastal areas of Pohang are also in chaos, so there are hardly any supplies there. And we can’t even ask Seoul for help now. No, they probably don’t even want to.”

Even without that, the Gangneung mayor is practically acting like a national ruler in Gangwon right now. This is separate from the Gangwon residents’ distrust of the government and military due to the pain of Cheorwon. It’s solely to satisfy his own desires.

“Ah, really…”

As I listened to the story, I sighed in exasperation, and Eunjin ruffled her own hair as she spoke.

“So, as we’re getting poorer and poorer every day, some people can’t stand it anymore. So they’re saying if the mayor is going to be like this, let’s exchange it with Incheon or try trading with Busan. If not, we’ll just all leave. They’re saying they’re doing that.”

Now, the puzzle fits together perfectly. Dripping with sarcasm, I coldly remarked.

“So that’s why he’s locked up all the people who said that? Using the excuse of the mutated infected’s transmission and all that?”

“Yeah, at least that’s what I think.”

Park Eunjin let out a deep sigh. Then, as she began to nibble on her nails, it seemed she was about to say something more. Waiting to see what else she had to reveal, I was surprised by her next words.

“Choi Daero is among them.”

In an instant, my eyelids tightened. Choi Daero, because he is Eunjin’s fiancé. That Choi Daero is now locked up there?

“Wait, hold on. Didn’t you two say you were getting married?”

That wedding, for which I had received a wedding telegram instead of an invitation. At that time, I had no idea what would happen, so I couldn’t confirm my attendance. It was recently if I recall correctly.

Park Eunjin chuckled bitterly and said.

“It was last week. Hah, really. The baby is growing, but the husband is gone, the husband. Does this make any sense?”

“It’s not even funny… Wait. What? You’re pregnant?”

My gaze involuntarily dropped down. Her abdomen was not yet visibly swollen, looking no different from mine.

“Yes.”

Looking at Park Eunjin’s face, who was smiling brightly and giggling a little shyly, something seemed different. It felt strange, or rather, unfamiliar. That’s because ever since the apocalypse, all I’ve seen were people passing away, so this was the first time I’ve seen someone pregnant with new life.

So, it was both moving and fascinating.

“Crazy…”

I covered my mouth and stomped my feet. I was at a loss for words, since it had been so long since I’d seen something like this happening around me. But Park Eunjin gave me a grin.

“Congratulations?”

Congratulations…! Yes, that’s what I wanted to say.

“Of course! Congratulations, really! Amazing!”

If only I could, I wanted to hug Park Eunjin and spin around in joy. But I couldn’t do that. I had to be careful.

“Oh, do you need anything? Like baby supplies, how will you get them?”

Can I get those? I’ll have to check outside. In my excitement, I looked at Park Eunjin with sparkling eyes. Then, Park Eunjin, who had been nervously biting her nails, opened her mouth with a slightly relieved look.

“Then, can I ask you for one favor?”

Wait a minute.

As the word ‘favor’ came out of Park Eunjin’s mouth, my excited heart began to calm down. While it was a joyous occasion, and I had started the excitement, now it seemed that there was something else being asked. And the way she asked, as if she had been waiting for it, made me suspicious. I suddenly thought of my friend back in Seoul.

 

“Let’s do this. I’ll give you information about the infected and details about my mission.”

“Now, wait a minute. No. I’m done. I won’t listen…”

 

As I was hesitating to ask for the Jeep, I wondered if this was how Yongchul felt.

The bright mood from just a moment ago had turned sour. But I couldn’t flatly reject the request of my friend, the first pregnant woman I’ve met since the outbreak…

I just rolled my eyes, not knowing what to do, when Park Eunjin added to her words, as if grabbing me.

“It’s nothing like asking you to find an expensive and good baby stroller or anything. How could you even find something like that in this world? I’m a reasonable person too. It’s just a really simple request. Please?”

She then grabbed my sleeve and pulled on it desperately. I quickly looked at Park Eunjin’s hand and then at her anxious face.

“Haa…”

After letting out a sigh, I figured I might as well hear her out.

“What is it? What do you want to ask me?”

At my words, Park Eunjin’s expression brightened considerably. Beaming, she tightly grasped my hand and smiled sweetly.

“Help them get to the highway. Get them out of there.”

🕂

Thank you for reading! ♡