Chapter 82
The reason Yoon Soojin was flustered was simple. She had no excuse to send Min Ahyeon away.
This place was a shelter that accommodated refugees who couldn’t make it across the river in the past. People gradually gathered, forming the community as it is now. Therefore, they couldn’t turn away refugees who came on their own accord. Of course, identity verification procedures were necessary, but since Min Ahyeon was such a well-known mercenary, they didn’t even need to bother with that.
As much as Yoon Soojin wanted to shout that Min Ahyeon was the biggest lunatic and psychopath in the world and should never be allowed in, she couldn’t. After all, she maintained her own image here, and she couldn’t just kick out a skilled mercenary like Min Ahyeon without reason.
“…You should come in. Whenever you want.”
She had no choice but to allow it.
Min Ahyeon grinned as if Yoon Soojin’s attitude was expected, nodding with a smirk.
“Yes, yes. I’ll come in later after registration! See you later! Definitely!”
That damn woman.
I will definitely kill her.
With that anger towards Ahyeon accumulating in her heart, Yoon Soojin glanced around at the people gathering and then turned to Shin Hae-jun. Suddenly, she addressed him.
“General Shin.”
Shin Hae-jun, surveying the surroundings and gathering various tidbits of information, raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, what is it?”
“You.”
Yoon Soojin glared at Shin Hae-jun with eyes filled with anger, but somehow… it didn’t feel like there was only anger in those eyes. There seemed to be some other emotion mixed in, faintly but distinctly, like a blend of affection.
So Ahyeon became curious. What kind of relationship did Shin Hae-jun and Yoon Soojin have?
“Next time we meet, you’ll die by my hands. So don’t even think about showing up in front of me again.”
Well, whatever it was, Yoon Soojin clearly hated Shin Hae-jun immensely right now. But our Shin Hae-jun is a real man who doesn’t flinch or back down from such threats.
“Oh, Captain Yoon.”
Shin Hae-jun tilted his head as he slung his rifle diagonally over his shoulder.
“You know, those bastards who say that kind of thing to me all end up regretting it.”
He deliberately lowered his gaze, looking down at Yoon Soojin as if staring from the highest to the lowest place.
“Do you want to die too?”
“…..”
Yoon Soojin’s chest swelled noticeably. It seemed like she had more to say. Was it a mixture of affection or sadness? Ahyeon was curious, but unfortunately, she remained rational. Yoon Soojin withdrew her gaze from Shin Hae-jun and addressed Im Do-hyeon.
“Chase them away.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
With that, Yoon Soojin left, and Im Do-hyeon attempted to drive out Shin Hae-jun and Habin using the people around them.
“Now, it’s time for you to leave. Didn’t I tell you earlier? Soldiers aren’t supposed to be here, right?”
“I said go. If you don’t want to get shot and die.”
“You know we’re holding back right now, right?”
As if thinking the people were a shield guarding their backs, they approached Shin Hae-jun and Habin more brazenly. Shin Hae-jun’s face darkened slightly. As someone ordered not to harm civilians, the fact that he couldn’t do anything more here annoyed him. It was then that Ahyeon intervened between them.
“Holding back, what?”
She looked around at the people before spotting a familiar face and smirking.
“Hey, Kim Ahjussi? Long time no see.”
The middle-aged man Ahyeon addressed turned pale.
“Oh, you’re walking well. The leg that I crippled when I beat you before must have healed properly, right?”
“You, you…!”
“Well, you shouldn’t have acted up.”
With a casual demeanor that was more like attacking than respecting the elderly, Ahyeon stood in front of them and spoke in a somewhat loud voice.
“I know what you’re relying on, but I’ll handle escorting them out myself, so don’t worry and just go on your way, alright?”
At that, he shouted out.
“How can we trust that! What if you and those soldier bastards are in cahoots!”
“Wow, you say that?”
Ahyeon let out a hollow laugh and narrowed one eye.
“Me?”
She then placed a hand on her chest.
“I’m a deserter.”
“……”
The people fell silent in an instant.
Oh.
This excuse doesn’t seem to be working.
‘Well, I have been sticking too close to these guys.’
Ha, tsk. What excuse should she make? Ahyeon started pondering, but fortunately, that worry was unnecessary.
“Well, if she deserted in this urgent situation, she’s probably not on their side at least.”
“Come to think of it, didn’t Ahyeon say she came out to find her lost brother?”
“The one she lost because of the military, right?”
“Ah, then she definitely won’t side with the military.”
The voices rising from behind seemed to naturally take Ahyeon’s side, portraying the military as an evil, bad entity.
Though puzzled by the sudden turn, Ahyeon seized the moment and added.
“That’s right. In fact, I was trying to escape from them and ended up here. So? I’ll go register at the shelter. After kicking them out.”
“Oh dear, they even chased you here? They really went too far.”
“Right. Then kick them out and come back.”
“We can trust Ahyeon. We have to trust her.”
Those who took Ahyeon’s side waved their arms vigorously, making the other people move back.
“That’s it! Enough! Go back now!”
“Oh, no. But we should make sure the soldiers leave.”
“Ah! I said it’s over! We have to trust Ahyeon! Do you forget who got medicine for Neighbor Choi? Huh? If it wasn’t for Ahyeon, more people in this shelter would have died! Just trust her!”
Ah, I see now. The reason they came out like this was to repay the help they had previously received from her.
Catching on to the signals they were giving, Ahyeon chuckled.
“Yah, you bastard, getting medicine in a place like this! Enough! Just go!”
“Helping people? Yah, no matter how much you suffer to help, do you think they’ll be grateful? You’re just being used right now!”
Even hearing such words, Ahyeon had nonetheless made great efforts to help those he deemed kind-hearted. These were not acts done with any expectations. She simply did it because she wanted to, because she wanted to help.
She believed that helping others was a basic human value, and the fact that this goodwill was being reciprocated was something to be grateful for.
“Ahyeon-nim.”
As people started to step back, Lim Do-hyeon, once again putting on a calm expression, spoke.
“I believe you’ll come back.”
Then he clasped his hands together.
“Amen.”
You bastard, just do one thing.
🕂
“I think both of you should leave for now.”
I said to Shin Hae-jun and Habin after coming to a secluded area away from the crowd.
“Don’t move around so recklessly outside the Seoul shelter. You’ll alarm the civilians.”
“Lieutenant Min, is this really necessary?”
Shin Hae-jun asked with a somewhat irritated tone, causing me to look up at him in slight surprise, thinking he might be angry.
“Sergeant Oh and I rushed over here like madmen, worried you might get hurt or killed somewhere. And this is all you have to say? I’m disappointed. It hurts, doesn’t it, Sergeant Oh?”
“Yes? Ah, yes! My heart is torn apart too. Aagh!”
“……”
What are you two doing?
Though somewhat bewildered and dejected, I couldn’t just ignore them since they had come this far. So I lowered my head and muttered in a small voice.
“…thank you.”
Thump, I heard Shin Hae-jun approaching.
“What did you say?”
“…thank you.”
“I can’t hear you well.”
“Ah, I said thank you!”
Then Shin Hae-jun’s mouth curled up into a smile. Somehow, I fanned myself and tried to calm my breath.
“That aside.”
Shin Hae-jun quickly composed himself, taking a drag of his cigarette as he looked down at me sideways.
“What’s the reason you want to stay here?”
I also regained my calm and responded.
“I want to learn more about the Savior. Specifically, how they control the infected and how to avoid them.”
“Well, that’s a good idea. However,”
Shin Hae-jun gestured towards Habin, who then took something out of his pocket and handed it to me.
“We also have something we need to do.”
It was a map, with an X marking around the Yeongwol area.
“We’ve located what seems to be a research institute. Conveniently, it also appears to be a den for the mutated infected.”
The research institute.
Space.
My brother.
“……”
Could I possibly find him?
My hand holding the map began to tremble. Shin Hae-jun looked down at me, took a puff of his cigarette and exhaled the smoke. Then he asked,
“We’re departing in a week. What will you do?”
🕂
Thank you for reading! ♡
