Chapter 158
“Hey.”
Hajin and Noah waved at him in greeting. Yohan raised his hand in a casual salute and then jumped down to the ground with a thud.
Yohan glanced over the supplies as if inspecting them, then looked genuinely surprised. The haul was far greater than he’d expected.
“That’s a lot.”
“There’s more. We’ll need to go back and forth two or three more times.”
Yohan’s eyes widened. He’d heard in advance there was a livestock ranch, but not to this extent. He expressed his honest reaction.
“Excellent.”
“Oh, a praise!”
Noah made a fuss, bumping his fist toward Hajin, who reluctantly tapped it back.
“I heard there are new survivors.”
“Yeah, over at that truck. Hajin found them.”
Yohan nodded, then followed the direction of Noah’s finger. Two survivors were looking back at him.
“Language?”
“They only speak English.”
That’s enough.
Yohan slowly approached them. He immediately checked the condition of the old woman in the wheelchair and reached out to the young survivor holding her.
<Camp leader, Yohan. Nice to meet you.>
<Olivia. Likewise.>
He felt calluses in the handshake.
A trained warrior, Yohan thought, nodding lightly before turning to Hajin.
“Send them straight to Cuisine for registration and a physical exam, then basic military training. I already told Jaeho.”
“Alright.”
“What’s their relationship?”
“The one sitting is her mother. Seems to have dementia.”
Yohan approached the old woman, examining her closely. Olivia stepped in, looking displeased, so Hajin gently held her back.
<What are you doing?>
Yohan answered her.
<Just a quick checkup. Still, you managed to survive.>
Just two people, with a sick family member.
It was pure admiration, but Olivia’s expression stiffened in misunderstanding. Yohan didn’t care and simply kept speaking to Hajin.
“Send them to the island for recovery. She’ll have to work hard for her mother’s sake.”
“Cold as ever.”
“Let the drivers rest. Rotate shifts. Let’s head back.”
Before Olivia could say anything, he walked straight to the truck and drove off himself.
Hajin nudged the dumbfounded Olivia.
<What are you doing? Let’s go too.>
—
‘What a lousy first impression.’
Riding atop the moving truck, Olivia watched the landscape and thought.
Their leader wasn’t what she expected. She might have understood if he was more charismatic or gentler. Instead, what he showed was simple indifference.
To her eyes, the young-looking leader seemed a bit arrogant.
Noticing Olivia’s gaze, Hajin turned to her.
<Why are you staring so intently?>
<I don’t know. I just keep looking.>
Olivia frowned at the direct reply.
She couldn’t tell if he was naive or a player.
She deliberately changed the subject.
<That boy is your leader?>
Jason, sitting nearby, interpreted for Hajin. Hajin nodded.
“Yeah. Not really a boy, just looks young.”
<He’s young and cocky.>
It was more a complaint than malice.
Understandable, really—anyone would be annoyed if their mother was treated like livestock. But Hajin’s reply was completely different from what she expected.
“It’s not good to badmouth the leader. Nobody, including me, will accept that. Right, Jason?”
After Jason interpreted, he added his own agreement and then began extolling how amazing their camp leader was.
Olivia felt strange.
It was as if… she sensed endless trust in their tone.
Just a few words, but the emotions in their voices shifted her resistance to curiosity.
She wondered why they reacted that way.
‘Well, I’ll figure it out as I go.’
Half-excited, half-nervous, Olivia was shocked the moment they reached Cuisine.
She’d been to Auckland once or twice as a child. Back then, it was a vibrant, bustling city—one of New Zealand’s finest.
Now, it was desolate. A dead city, blackened, filled with tufts of debris and bloodstains, the remnants of a ruined metropolis.
Yet, within it, a survivor city shone alone.
Huge iron walls surrounded Auckland Port. They looked crude, but it felt as if they separated two worlds.
Creeeak—!
As they approached, the walls opened slowly, like a castle gate with a pulley.
The survivor camp before her looked completely different from outside—full of life. Her shock was gradually replaced with excitement, and Olivia turned to Hajin in an eager tone.
<Is this your base?>
<This is the checkpoint. It’s the gateway to the camp. Ships come and go here several times a day. You’ll probably be able to enter the main island in about a day.>
Just the checkpoint was this grand? She was amazed, glancing around like a country girl seeing a city for the first time. From afar, a skinny, bespectacled Asian man approached the camp leader and bowed.
“Jaeho, process registration for these two. One is ill, the younger one is her guardian.”
“Yes, thank you for your work.”
Jaeho gestured for them to follow. When Olivia approached, he pulled out a paper with various country flags and languages. He pointed, indicating for her to choose.
‘He wants me to pick the right one?’
Olivia pointed at the England flag and the word ‘English.’ Jaeho nodded and spoke in English.
<There are many survivors of different nationalities and languages. This way, please.>
<You handle multiple languages?>
<For basic communication, yes. We have specialists for more complex matters.>
With a kind expression, he led them away. They soon reached the pier, where various boats and makeshift buildings stood.
<Go inside. There’ll be a guide. Once you’re done, follow the corridor to the orange building at the end.>
He bowed again and left.
Polite guy.
Muttering, Olivia pushed her mother’s wheelchair inside. A woman handed her an empty plastic basket.
<Put all your clothes and belongings in here, then shower and move to the next room.>
Olivia dutifully put her things in the basket and went to the shower. The spotless bathroom was spacious and comfortable, big enough for ten people. When she turned on the faucet, warm water soon flowed.
<Oh, God. My goodness.>
She was so amazed she almost cursed. Hot water. For a second, she wondered if someone was boiling water over a fire, as she used to do.
Olivia enjoyed a proper shower with her mother, cleaning themselves thoroughly. From hot water to body wash, it felt like civilization before the apocalypse.
Refreshed, Olivia looked for her basket of clothes—but it was gone.
<…Huh?>
A stranger stood before her. Olivia covered herself with a towel and asked with irritation,
<Where are my clothes?>
<You’ll be given new ones. Please go to the next room.>
Frowning, she moved on and quickly realized why they’d taken her old clothes.
The next step was a medical exam.
A woman in a white coat examined her and her mother thoroughly—checking for fever, pain, nutrition, and so on.
Just as the embarrassment became almost unbearable, the woman stood up.
<Good job. Please change into these.>
She was handed a long turtleneck, long pants, gloves, and spandex socks. Once she put them on, she was completely covered except for her face, yet it was comfortable.
‘No wonder everyone wears similar clothes.’
Her uneasy mood faded thanks to the post-shower freshness. The careful, thorough process for outsiders turned what could’ve been discomfort into trust.
<Welcome.>
In the final room, she found the same polite Asian man from before. He pulled out a chair and handed her cool water.
<Sit, please. You may have felt uncomfortable, but many outsiders hide wounds, so we have to be careful.>
<It’s fine.>
<You’ll get a day to rest and learn about the camp. If you decide to stay, you’ll be registered as residents. After registration, you’ll move to Cuisine Island for three mandatory basic military training courses.>
<Basic military training?>
The unfamiliar term made Olivia feel like she’d just enlisted. Jaeho, understanding, handed her a booklet. The cover listed topics like camp rules, jobs, and resource distribution, showing just how systematic the place was.
As Olivia stared at the booklet, Jaeho smiled and added,
<You can read it at your own pace. Ask any questions you have.>
She closed the booklet.
<All healthy survivors aged 13 to under 70 must complete basic military training to join Camp Yohan. Disabled, elderly, or injured people need a guardian, who takes responsibility for them.>
<What if… there’s no guardian?>
<Then joining is impossible. We’re not a charity. But I’ve never seen an unaccompanied elderly person survive this long.>
He laughed as if telling a bad joke.
<Basic training covers theory, combat, and real-life scenarios. No matter your job in camp, you must go through all three for your own safety. The schedule is in the guidebook. If you have questions, just ask. Please come back at this time tomorrow to decide on registration. Until then, an escort will be with you, so please understand.>
Jaeho called someone waiting outside.
<Jasmin.>
<Yes, Captain?>
<Guide her, please.>
<Yes!>
A round-faced woman approached, smiling brightly. Jaeho, remembering something, added,
<Oh, if you decide not to stay but enter our territory in Auckland, you’ll be treated as an intruder. I recommend leaving quickly.>
<Intruder… What happens if I do?>
<It depends, but… usually, you’re shot.>
Olivia frowned.
<Why… go that far?>
The man only gave a faint smile.
His words were anything but gentle.
<Camp Yohan doesn’t leave behind any threats.>
Olivia realized—this was no ordinary survivor group.
The word “rescue” they used so confidently had never felt so unfamiliar.
