Chapter 72
Let’s talk a bit about the infected, commonly called zombies.
Most people believe that as the atmospheric temperature rose due to the climate crisis, glaciers melted and viruses flowed out. If that’s true, then what I experienced in the lab and what I saw, what was that? However, since very little leaked out from the research facility, naturally, the virus became confirmed as an ancient weapon buried in the depths of the glacier. Even my superiors believed in this and spoke to me with a sense of victory. Someone who caused this situation must be rejoicing inside.
The infected transmitted the virus through saliva. Biting was the most common form of attack, which immediately infected the victim through the wound with saliva containing the virus.
The incubation period was quite long in the early stages of the virus infection. So, people lived without knowing they were infected until one day, suddenly, bam! It started. The scourge of humanity began. The apocalypse. The end.
However, recently, there is almost no such thing as an incubation period anymore—it might have been the beginning of the virus’s evolution—and infected individuals turned into mindless creatures within about 15 minutes of being bitten. However, the biggest problem this time was the case where the infected person was aware of their infection and had controlled the incubation period.
Anyway, from what’s known so far, the infected were caused by a virus buried deep in glaciers, and this virus’s sole purpose is to spread, infecting and killing humans.
Some people said it was nonsense. The virus would never easily kill its host… such arguments easily collapsed in the face of people’s survival instincts.
Four years have passed since the outbreak of the infected. The reasons ‘why’ the virus occurred and ‘how’ it spread are no longer important matters.
For the people living in the present day, survival is paramount. In the midst of debating life or death, the reason behind some dumb virus is neither knowable nor worth knowing.
I can understand their ignorance. Being ignorant is understandable and unavoidable.
But I don’t accept their willful ignorance and negligence. I believe, no matter how unpleasant to see or hear, no matter how important the can of food in front of you is, we still need to know the reality of this situation clearly. Yes, otherwise, they wouldn’t be spouting such idiotic nonsense like this.
“Really, really, Nuna. Zombies really don’t attack us anymore.”
“Wow, you don’t believe me. Look at your face. You don’t believe it at all.”
I sighed heavily while watching the fools chattering on arrogantly before me. I really can’t hit these guys…
“Yunho-ya. Seungmin-ah.”
“Yes.”
I put my hands on their shoulders—the ones who had repaired Yongcheol’s jeep for me—and forced a smile.
“Infected don’t have brains. Right? A brain is what enables you thick-headed to move your arms and legs while wearing that thick skull of yours. But they don’t have brains, do they? Are their brains consumed by the virus? Even you thick-headed guys can’t think like that.”
“Wow. You said ‘thick-headed’ twice.”
Ignoring Seungmin’s muttering, I continued, emphasizing each word with force, hoping these stupid guys wouldn’t entertain foolish thoughts and instead focus on guarding the barricade.
“Anyway, infected don’t have any thoughts. They didn’t attack you for another reason, not because they spared you.”
I didn’t feel good. Not because I cared so deeply for these two young college students that I was upset or anything. It was because past incidents came to mind.
The grandfather who said waving peach tree branches would kill the infected, only to swing a branch and snap his own neck.
The auntie who said covering herself in mud would make the infected not recognize her, so she showered in muddy water and returned to the earth itself.
The kid who said mimicking the infected’s sounds would make them think you’re one of them, then started howling strangely and went to heaven, and so on.
I don’t know where they heard this stuff, but people who genuinely believed and acted on such completely illogical nonsense as methods. Was this the same mentality as those who collected germanium bracelets in the past?
I felt sorry for their deaths. The price of ignorance was too light to be paid with death.
That’s why seeing these students spouting nonsense in front of me was just… frustrating. I want them to live. Please.
“You guys who learned so much, why are you like this? Nuna is really upset, okay?”
“I’m not actually a college student here though.”
“…You probably learned more than me, at least.”
“I’m a high school dropout.”
“Aish, come on!”
I clenched my fist toward Yunho, but then clicked my tongue and shuffled my feet. In that moment, Seungmin spoke up.
“Anyway, we thought like you at first too, Nuna. But this guy is a witness. A living witness.”
“Seriously, really! There was a horde of zombies right in front of us, but they didn’t bite us.”
“It’s not just him! There are more people who actually experienced it.”
As they went back and forth, I tilted my head back. Looking up at the slightly hazy sky, I thought, ah shit, is my future going to be that gloomy too?
“Ah, Nuna! It’s true!”
Yunho tugged at my arm.
“Nuna, we’re people who have survived until now by thinking reasonably in our own way.”
That’s true.
Those who have somehow survived these four years must have their own thoughts and survival techniques. In the case of these two, it was vehicle maintenance.
“But why are you guys just leaving the barricade alone?”
“We feel relieved now. We know we won’t die!”
“……”
I stared into their eyes. They were asserting themselves confidently, but how to put it…their pupils looked hazily dimmed. As if they were entranced by something, relying on something, believing something blindly.
I know that look in their eyes well. I know exactly where that gaze is directed. No, this can’t be happening here too, all the way from Seoul. An uneasy feeling made my shoulders tremble slightly.
But they didn’t seem to notice my anxiety at all, smiling cheerfully as they spoke.
“It’s all thanks to the newcomers.”
“If it weren’t for them, we’d be dead. Because we believe, we’re alive. We’re really fortunate, right?”
I shut my eyes tightly.
After the world fell into ruin, after humanity was reduced by half, then halved again…
Even though there were people surviving by helping each other in this university shelter, there were more who ranted that violence was human’s innate nature. Those guys were crazy bastards.
But originally in this world, above the crazy bastards were the ultra-crazy bastards. There was a separate group of the world’s craziest bastards.
“These damn pseudo-bastards again.”
Why are they so anxious about not being able to deify themselves? God, what the hell is that supposed to mean? In the end, everything on this earth is just going to hell anyway.
I sighed heavily while fiddling with the rosary bracelet wrapped around my wrist.
“Haaa…”
Then I looked at Yunho and Seungmin.
If I let them go back like this, they’ll get more brainwashed here and get used until they eventually die. If that happens, I’ll have a share in their deaths.
I didn’t want to be involved in anyone’s life or entangled with death. In this case…
“Take me to them.”
“Huh?”
“Guide them to those newcomers or whatever they are.”
…Pulling them away from death was the priority.
Let me just meet them first. Just meet them.
🕂
“So.”
Shin Hae-jun tapped the toe of his crossed leg, frowning slightly.
“Lieutenant Min is outside the shelter right now? Without a rifle, just holding a pistol?”
Yongcheol, kneeling before him, hunched his broad shoulders in a way unbefitting his large stature and deeply bowed his head.
“Ha, haha. Yes, sir. I told him not to go out like that, but he insisted on going out like that. Hahaha!”
Yongcheol forced a laugh in response to Shin Hae-jun, whose glaring eyes shone like a fierce beast searching for Ahyeon. Why doesn’t he just spit on his smiling face? So…
“Are you laughing right now?”
…Yongcheol quickly shook his head.
“No, no. Who’s laughing? Is anyone laughing here? Huh, nobody. Don’t worry.”
Watching Yongcheol try to act clumsily, Shin Hae-jun frowned deeper.
“Are you giggling because you don’t understand the situation?”
🕂
Thank you for reading! ♡
