Chapter 122
“How am I supposed to…”
“Throw it in the middle of the zombies and have it fight with you or something.”
“And if it gets infected?”
“You didn’t notice? Animals don’t get infected.”
“Wait, really?”
Yohan nodded. In both of his survival runs, he had never seen an infected animal. Bitten, clawed, even killed—sure. But never had a non-human mammal come back as a zombie.
Whether their blood carried the virus or not, he didn’t know. But one thing was certain—they couldn’t be infected.
Only humans could.
There was another peculiarity. Zombies attacked all animals, but mutants never attacked beasts.
“Anyway, get some rest. You look tired.”
Nodding to Yohan’s words, Seri hugged Heukgu tightly and trudged back toward her house.
A harsh week passed, and still, the moon set and the sun rose again. The residents, including the scouting team, buried themselves in their duties—perhaps to forget the battles and sacrifices of yesterday.
In truth, there was nothing else they could do.
A few days later, Yohan visited Rina.
She was kneeling in a corner of the church, hands neatly clasped in prayer. With her lips sealed and body perfectly still, she looked almost saintly as she sat in the sanctuary.
As Yohan approached, the soft shuffle of footsteps behind her made Rina slowly open her eyes.
“Did your god give you any answers?”
Rina only gave a faint smile.
“I guess not. Maybe my faith is too weak.”
Yohan, looking indifferent, sat nearby and crossed his legs.
“I’m assigning your team to a new mission next week.”
“Please say ‘our team,’ Yohan.”
“Right. Our new teammates.”
“But, what can I do? I’m still just dead weight. I try my best, but it’s not easy.”
“You sure don’t look very sorry.”
Rina covered her mouth and let out a gentle laugh. Yohan frowned slightly at her sudden smile.
“Don’t worry. You’re staying behind.”
“What? But—”
“You were only part of the scouting team as a sort of hostage, anyway. Instead, when we go on expeditions, stay in the command room and report anything unusual.”
“…So it was a hostage situation.”
“Don’t take it personally. It’s just our way of doing things.”
“I’m not that upset. Being near you wasn’t bad. I just feel sad that I wasn’t useful. Maybe my genes aren’t cut out for being a Paladin.”
“Spare me the cheesy compliments.”
As they exchanged light banter, the church door suddenly opened with a thud, and Seri stepped inside.
“Oppa, what are you doing here?”
“Oh, just talking to Rina.”
Seri nodded with an “Ah,” blinked a few times, then hesitated at the doorway.
“Something wrong?”
“No, nothing. I was working out and saw your face reflected in the window, so I came in. Let’s go, Heukgu.”
As Seri quietly closed the door and left, Rina gave a faint smile and said,
“She’s sulking. That jealous side of hers is quite endearing.”
“She’s just being dramatic.”
Yohan stood and brushed the dust off his pants.
“Anyway, I came to tell you. If someone dies on the mission, don’t hold a grudge.”
“Understood. You be careful too, Yohan.”
“Yeah.”
Nodding, Yohan stepped out of the church, stretched once, and took a walk around the island.
He heard the hum of threshers, the buzz of farm equipment being moved around, and the clatter of woodworking. The island was bustling.
“Yo, boss man!”
As Yohan approached the place where Sweeper and Hajin stayed, he saw the two men, drenched in sweat.
Sweeper was shirtless, splitting firewood with an axe, while Hajin was doing one-handed handstand push-ups. His bulging muscles were veined and glistening with sweat like rain.
“Two shirtless dudes, drenched in sweat. Kinda gross, not gonna lie.”
“Hey, could you not—”
Hajin grimaced and got back on his feet.
“What brings you here?”
“We’re heading out for another scouting mission. Just came to let you know.”
“Ah, so it’s time to prep?”
At the word “scouting,” Sweeper slammed the axe down hard. Crack! The log split clean in half, and the axe buried itself in the chopping block. He clapped his hands and walked over.
“See? Our captain’s always on the move. So, when do we head out?”
“You two aren’t coming this time.”
“What?”
Both of them blurted out at once.
“This time, we’re letting the new combatants gain some real experience. Just a minimal team will go.”
“New combatants? Who?”
“Pio, Berda, So-hee, Luca.”
“Is there a reason to go with the minimum crew?”
“There’s no guarantee that mutant shark was the only one. We need people to protect the island. And we’re bringing back a lot of supplies, so we can’t fit too many on the boat.”
“Oh, where to?”
“Incheon Port Logistics Center.”
“Ooooh! Hey, can’t you leave one-armed guy here and just take me?”
“No.”
Sweeper pouted like a scolded puppy. Hajin smirked in amusement.
“By the way, Hyuk came by again and got beat up. He’s been coming around for days.”
“Here? Why?”
“Said he wants to get stronger.”
Maybe he was feeling inferior about not being one of the immunity carriers. Understandable. Despite trying just as hard, the gap between them only kept growing.
“Think you’ll be okay? Honestly, that party sounds a little… worrisome.”
Yohan smiled.
“What’s there to worry about? Even if we’re uneasy, we still have to go. Can’t afford to drag others down when it matters. Take care of the island while I’m gone.”
“Sure thing, boss. Just don’t die.”
Yohan waved them off and headed toward Hyuk’s place. From the front yard, the sound of knives being whipped through the air rang out with a chilling intensity.
“What are you doing with all that menace?”
“Oh, hey, hyung.”
“Effort is good, but be smart about it. Your body’s a consumable—don’t just burn yourself out for nothing.”
Hyuk looked glum at Yohan’s advice.
“Why the long face? You look like a puppy that lost its owner.”
“Hajin-hyung and Sweeper-hyung… they’re immune, right?”
“Yeah, you saw it yourself. Is that why you’re so down? Jealous?”
“That’s not it.”
“Then?”
“I just… think it’s a little unfair. They were already strong enough.”
It seemed Junghwan’s death had triggered something in him.
“I feel like the gap just keeps widening. If I want to protect and save people, I need power… but I’m starting to feel my limits.”
“Can’t be helped. That’s not something effort alone can solve.”
No one knew what determined immunity, or what kind of person became immune. It wasn’t a problem one could overcome with effort alone.
All Hyuk could do now was continue to train and fight the way he had before those two were confirmed immune.
“Are you okay?”
“With what.”
“Junghwan’s death.”
“……”
“Sorry. Of course you’re not okay.”
The kid had the nerve to shoulder guilt and responsibility over Junghwan’s death. As if he had to protect everyone.
A well-meaning fool.
“Y’know, in South Korea before the apocalypse, Hyuk—”
Yohan said, his voice flat.
“The people at the top always found ways to avoid responsibility. Whenever something went wrong, they’d blame the subordinates. Said it was their fault for not protecting themselves.”
At the sudden tangent, Hyuk tilted his head in confusion. Yohan continued.
“But in the apocalypse, responsibility means life. You can’t dodge responsibility when someone’s entrusted their life to you. Junghwan’s death is entirely on me. No excuses. Of course I’m not okay. I regret it.”
His gentle tone, the faint sorrow in his expression—it was a side of Yohan that felt unfamiliar, almost like he was someone else.
“Maybe if I had told him not to engage, to stay inside, to hold out a little longer… the outcome might’ve changed. Or maybe our perimeter defense was flawed. I’ve replayed it in my mind a hundred times. It’s not just this time. Every time someone dies, I do. And the resolution is always the same.”
Hyuk looked up at Yohan. Yohan met his gaze.
“Let’s become stronger. Let’s not let anyone else die.”
“……”
“Hyuk.”
Yohan called to him softly. A troublemaker, a stubborn fool, a righteous idiot who didn’t know his place—but Yohan couldn’t let him break.
That too was part of the responsibility Yohan bore for those he had brought under his wing.
“Trust me. You don’t need to feel guilty.”
“…Okay.”
“And don’t get discouraged. There are many ways to become stronger. Through wisdom, strength, courage—don’t give up. You can still grow.”
Hyuk’s face brightened, and he nodded with all his might.
‘This kid was born in the wrong era,’ Yohan thought with a tinge of sadness.
* * *
Yohan went to find Luka, the helicopter pilot. Among the recent additions to their team, Yohan would name Luka the most valuable. That was how impressive Luka’s mobility and performance had been during the shark operation.
“Hey there, young boss. What’s up?”
Luka greeted him with his usual easygoing smile.
That “young boss” nickname was a bit much. There was a decent age gap between them, after all.
By protocol, Yohan didn’t speak formally to direct subordinates in the recon team. Combat roles required strict command and discipline.
Luka’s role was ambiguous. He wasn’t a frontline fighter but contributed heavily in combat situations.
A combat support role.
Technically, he was still part of the trained combat division.
“I told you before—don’t expect formalities from recon members. Hope you understand.”
“You keep saying that. Must really bother you, huh. Don’t worry. I’ve served under young superiors before. Or, would you prefer if I spoke formally?”
Yohan shook his head.
“Do whatever’s comfortable.”
“Then I’ll speak casually. Feels nice to have a younger buddy around. So, what are you dragging me out for today?”
“I need a lift.”
“Just the two of us? A sky date and air drive, huh? Sounds exciting. Wahaha.”
A forty-something grown man, acting like this—Yohan frowned and spread a map in front of him.
“This is the place. Incheon Port General Logistics Complex. Can we get there by chopper?”
“Hmm, looks like a 30-kilometer round trip as the crow flies.”
“We’ll need to detour. Might be sentries stationed at the Yeongjongdo artillery base.”
“Still doable. That distance is manageable without refueling.”
“Good.”
Luka stroked his graying beard and marked the map.
“This route should work. When do we head out?”
“As soon as you’re ready.”
“Then let’s go in two hours. I was in the middle of blending fuel.”
At the mention of blending fuel, Yohan’s eyes lit up. He didn’t know the first thing about what kind of fuel aircraft and ships used or how it was made, but if there was someone who knew, it was worth learning.
“Mind if I watch?”
“Not at all.”
Luka seemed pleased with Yohan’s interest and led him to the fuel storage next to the helipad. The once dusty, empty shed was now spotless, lined with various drums and stainless steel containers.
“This shiny steel canister holds JP-8—military-grade jet fuel. Normally used for jet engines. The ones with yellow stickers are my homemade knockoff JP-8. Missing a couple additives and not quite a golden ratio, so I don’t really trust it. Using bootleg fuel shortens the chopper’s lifespan. I’d rather not use it, but we’re out of proper mechanics, and if the helicopter breaks down, that’s it. But we’re low on fuel too, so…”
He scratched his head.
“Anyway, if you can find more fuel, that’d be great.”
“Where would I find it?”
“Usually, the Coast Guard stations, their control centers, or main HQ. There’s the Incheon Coast Guard Inhyang Substation at the port. They should have plenty in their supply depot. Or raid the warehouses of suppliers delivering to the logistics center.”
“Perfect. I’ll bring back a mountain of it.”
At Yohan’s words, Luka beamed.
