RE: Survival - Chapter 18

“That’s a very dangerous system.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s a world where gathering evidence or witnesses is challenging. If there’s insufficient basis for judgment, it could lead to innocent victims.”

Yohan nodded, acknowledging the point. It was a reasonable argument.

“You’re right. But, sir, do you know why a single leader is feared?”

Old Man Park remained silent. Though it felt odd to lecture someone who had lived many more years than him, Yohan was, at least in this world, more experienced.

“It’s because of the strong deterrent they wield. My decisions are limited to three types: pardon, execution, and exile. And by pardon, I don’t mean forgiving the act itself—that right belongs to the victim. I’m only referring to forgiving violations of camp rules.”

Exile in this world was effectively a death sentence. While it wasn’t immediate, surviving after being abandoned was like threading a camel through the eye of a needle.

Yohan glanced at the five gathered, signaling they could ask questions if they had any.

Seo-jun raised his hand when no one else spoke.

“If banning violence applies only to teammates, does that mean any violent act toward non-teammates is allowed?”

“Acts of intimidation against non-teammates count as self-defense if they’re against confirmed threats.”

“But that…”

“I don’t leave dangerous factors or loose ends behind.”

“So, does that mean you’d allow people to attack children, kill the elderly, or assault women as long as they’re not in our group? Are you trying to turn our people into a gang?”

Seo-jun’s sharp tone made everyone hold their breath and glance at Yohan, who remained impassive. His expressionless face was almost unsettling, as if they were staring at a machine.

“That would, in fact, create loose ends. However… I can’t be the judge of this. I’ve killed many non-teammates and will likely kill more in the future. When I’m guilty of it myself, on what grounds could I stop others? It’d be hypocritical to say killing is fine but violence isn’t.”

“Couldn’t we at least try to talk things through first, or only use threats if they’re truly bad people?”

“One of my friends tried to help a group of children once, only to be killed by them. They were just eleven years old. The idea of judging ‘bad people’ is dangerously vague.”

Yohan shook his head firmly.

“Still, unnecessary violence, in my view, is pointless. Like using violence or assault to satisfy personal desires—I’d rather just kill quietly. It leaves fewer complications that way. I can’t say which is worse, though. That judgment is yours to make.”

Under his breath, Yohan added that he had no desire to associate with people lacking basic decency. There was a clear difference between choosing not to punish an act and actively encouraging it. For Yohan, it was simply that he couldn’t impose a standard on others that he himself wasn’t entirely free from.

“So, about the three men and Seri…”

“Seri acted in self-defense. The three men, however, are subject to punishment.”

“And what punishment would that be?”

“Sir, where are those three men now?”

“The injured one received some treatment—well, as much as we could give—and they’re all isolated for now.”

If his wound was severe, he might have already turned into a zombie. If left in confinement, the scene was easy to picture.

“Let’s exile them from the camp. If they’re still alive, that is.”

These were cowards who had never fought zombies, one of whom was injured. Exile was practically a death sentence. Seo-jun voiced his opposition to this harsh decision, but Yohan was unwavering.

“As I’ve said many times, it’s better not to leave dangerous elements behind. Those three men even tried to raid our supplies during a fight.”

“How do you know that?”

“Hyuk told me.”

Hearing this, Jung-hwan and Byung-jin, who hadn’t been aware of the situation, grimaced. It was infuriating to know that while others risked their lives, these men were stealing supplies.

“If there’s nothing more to discuss, let me get to my main point. We need to divide our numbers. Having too many people in one camp is dangerous.”

“Dangerous how?”

“A zombie wave is coming. Some of you may have already heard about it.”

Jung-hwan nodded.

Yohan explained the concept of a zombie wave. While initially skeptical, the group’s expressions grew grim as he spoke.

When many people gather in one place for a long time, a zombie wave occurs.

The wave begins with the zombies’ collective howling, filling the streets with an awful sound as thousands of zombies scream in unison.

Once the wave starts, zombies converge on a single location. And these zombies aren’t the usual ones; they move faster—closer to a brisk walk—and become more determined to reach their prey.

The terrifying part about this is that zombies, usually content to flail uselessly when blocked, during a wave will climb over one another, stepping on and grasping at each other to reach their prey.

No wall or barrier, no matter how strong or high, can hold them back for long.

There are only two ways to end a zombie wave:

Either all humans in the area disappear, or the mutated zombie that started the wave is killed.

“A… mutated zombie?”

At Seo-jun’s question, Yohan swallowed. Memories of encounters with mutated zombies still made his skin crawl.

So far, fighting zombies had been relatively easy for Yohan. Despite being cautious, his fights since returning might seem almost child’s play compared to the battles he’d faced before.

Yohan recalled his third survival rule in the zombie apocalypse.

Rule three: If you see a red-skinned zombie, flee immediately, or, if possible, kill it first.

Mutated zombies.

There were rare zombies with red skin.

Yohan called them mutated or evolved zombies. They were different from ordinary zombies in every way. Although rare, the devastation they brought was unforgettable.

During his sixth camp, he’d witnessed a zombie nearly three meters tall smashing through steel doors, wiping out a military base with almost a thousand soldiers.

The 974th Amphibious Division.

The soldiers were strong, and their commander was wise.

It had been one of the most well-prepared units for the apocalypse.

And yet, three days were all it took to bring them down.

Mutated zombies were fast, intelligent, or extraordinarily strong. They came in various types, and Yohan hadn’t even encountered all of them. But whenever they appeared, they brought with them fear and chaos.

To be clear, mutated zombies weren’t some mythical necromancers orchestrating grand strategies to destroy humanity. They had only a bit of intelligence. Some would howl when they spotted a large group of prey, rallying nearby zombies to converge. This was how zombie waves began.

“It’s absurd…”

“Yes, it is. I wouldn’t have believed it either until I saw it with my own eyes.”

Old Man Park sighed, feeling the weight of years of scientific learning unravel before him. Science had been meaningless since this catastrophe began, but the realization still stung.

“The only relief is that they’re very few in number. So we have time to prepare. As I said, splitting up the camp is our first priority.”

Mutated zombies target areas with large numbers of survivors, which is why Yohan’s first survival rule was to keep camp populations under twenty.

Everyone nodded.

“So, I plan to go out for a bit. I’ll check the situation with the department store gang, look for survivors at the nearby general hospital, and scout for a location suitable for a second camp. In my absence, the interim leader will be…”

Everyone looked on tensely. Power is alluring, even in a small group, and some couldn’t hide their hope. Yohan announced his choice without hesitation.

“Jung-hwan.”

The reactions were mixed.

Yohan’s choice was logical. While Jung-hwan’s growth hadn’t been fast, it was steady; he consistently handled the rough work and participated in most of the battles.

He wasn’t too lenient nor overly ruthless. And his loyalty to Yohan, seeing him as an older brother figure, had earned him additional favor.

Once Yohan accepted someone into his circle, he supported them fully.

And Jung-hwan’s quiet diligence had already brought him into that circle.

Before anyone could raise objections, Yohan swiftly concluded the meeting and headed with Jung-hwan to the room where the three men were isolated. The room was locked from the outside with a chain. No one was guarding it.

As he turned the handle, a noise sounded from within.

Yohan stepped back slightly and gripped his knife.

“Jung-hwan, open the door.”

Jung-hwan inserted the key into the lock and turned it. With a creak, the door opened, and three zombies lunged at Yohan.

Yohan kicked the first one away, then plunged his knife into the temple of the second.

He ducked to avoid the third zombie’s grasp, its arms flailing past him.

Reaching between its legs, he lifted and threw it. A knife lodged in the eye of the first zombie, and Jung-hwan finished off the last with his own knife.

Yohan sighed in relief. If they hadn’t been infected, he would have dealt with them himself. Exile was just a pretense; he’d planned to pursue and kill them afterward.

Exiled people often harbored vengeful feelings. He preferred leaving no loose ends—a practice he repeated to himself often. Luckily, he hadn’t had to do it this time.

Jung-hwan quietly cleaned up the three corpses.

Only yesterday, these men had been his comrades, and now they were zombies, killed without hesitation. Jung-hwan felt something cold settle deep within his chest.

“Jung-hwan.”

“Yes, hyung?”

“You served in the military, right?”

“Yeah, in the defense industry.”

Yohan asked again.

“So you received basic military training?”

“Yes, but… why?”

Military training didn’t typically include handgun skills, but Yohan dismissed that thought and handed him a .36-caliber revolver, fully loaded with six bullets.

“Why are you giving me this…”

“Don’t ask. Just take it. And remember, the gun isn’t meant for zombies.”

“Then… for what?”

“It’s for people.”

There was weight to Yohan’s words. Jung-hwan held the gun in stunned silence before tucking it into his waistband.

“What about Seri?”

“She’s in solitary confinement.”

“Why isolate the victim?”

“Well… she was demanding to castrate all three of them…”

“…”

After a long pause, Yohan put his arm around Jung-hwan’s shoulders.

“Let’s go. We should check in on Seri.”

Yohan went to the room where Seri was being held, knocked a few times, and let her out. She bounced over the moment she saw him, springing toward him with restrained excitement.

“Seri.”

At Yohan’s quiet call, Seri hesitated, looking a bit bashful, and murmured softly.

“I just… did what I had to do.”