“hisisuardPostne.t’salsotheveryfirstguardpostmybrotherbuilt.”
“hepositionreallyisexcellent.Youcanseetheroadandthewholevillagefromhere.sthatahyeon-ri?”
uidedbyJunhyeok,YoonSeolheehadarrivedattheguardpostadjoiningthesecretpassageontheindustrialroadside.Sheaskedwhilelookingdownatthevillagevisibleinthedistance.
“o.hat’sSamjeong-ri.Maybeaboutahundredhouseholds?ahyeon-riisthatway.helowervillage.”
“Ah....”
herewerecertainlyquiteafewvillasandmansionsthreestoriesorhigher,alongwithbuildingsthatlookedlikefactoriesorwarehouses,soitfeltmoredeveloped.
“Mybrotherbuiltitherebecauseitletsusproperlywatchtheindustrialroadandthelowervillageofahyeon-ri.”
“ehasanincredibleeyeforterrain.”
“Youcan’treallyseethisplacefromtheroad,right?”
WhenKimJimin,whohadcomewiththem,asked,Junhyeoknodded.
“o.Wecamouflageditproperlytoo,sounlesssomeonelooksextremelycloselywithbinoculars,theywon’tspotit.”
“Butfromhere,youcanseeclearlyevenwiththenakedeye,andusingthatmakesitevenmorecertain?”
“hat’sright.”
WhenYoonSeolheepointedatthescreenofthehigh-performancePZcamerainstalledintheguardpost,Junhyeoknodded.
KimJimin,whohadbeenlookingoverthemonitorscreen,askedaquestion.
“heothermonitorlookslikeregularCC.Wherearetheseinstalled?”
hereweretwomonitorsintheguardpost.newasdedicatedtothePZcamera,andtheothershowedafour-wayCCsplit.
“here’sthesecretpassagetowardtheindustrialroad,andthere’saclosedtunneldownatthatcorner,right?nfrontofthose.heothertwoshowtheroutespeoplecanusetoapproachthisguardpost.”
“Whoa....”
“hat’sperfect.Andyousaidtheturretsarelinkedtothecameras?”
“Yes.herearethreeofthem,withaneffectiverangeofabouttwohundredmeters.neisfordefendingthisguardpost,andtheothertwoareinstalledwithfiringanglesonthetunnelandtheindustrialroadside.”
“Wow!hat’sseriouslyinsane.”
“see.”
KimJiminwasopenlyshocked,whileYoonSeolheeonlynoddedcalmly.
Butshe,too,wasgenuinelystunned.
Atthislevel,itwasmilitarybasestandard—no,beyondthat.nlythefront-linefenceshadstartedactivelyintroducingdroneslinkedtoCCoverthepastfewyears.
'Allofthis....'
hinkingofJunho,whohadplannedandexecutedallthis,YoonSeolheeinwardlyclickedhertonguealloveragain.
Shehadalreadyheardabouthis“precognitivedreams.”
Buthowmanypeoplecouldearntensofbillionsofwoninlessthanthreeyears,thenpoureverylastbitofitintobuildingashelterandpreparingallthesethingswithoutwastingasinglecoin?
Andontopofthat,hehadpersonallygoneallthewaytoAmericafortacticaltrainingandhonedhiscombatskills.
“henthat’s....”
Justthen,KimJiminpointedtowardacorneroftheguardpostwitheyesfullofcuriosity.
'Right.herewerethosetoo.'
ookingthatway,YoonSeolheehadnochoicebuttonodagaininadmiration.
“Yep.hoseareourshelter’sprideandjoy,theattackdrones.”
ookingatthetwodronesstandingbyinonepartoftheguardpost,Junhyeokproudlysquaredhisshoulders.
heotherguardpostshadonlyturretsinstalled,butuardPostnewasthefarthestfromtheshelterandtheonlyoneadjoiningtheroad,sotheyhadbroughtone1andoneA1dronehere.
fanythinghappenednearby,theturretsanddroneswouldbuytimeuntilcombatpersonnelarrived.
“Butinmyopinion,unlessafewhundredpeoplelaunchasurpriseattack,don’tthinktheycouldgetthroughthedronesandturrets.”
“Mm....”
YoonSeolheethoughtbacktoherSpecialForcesdaysandimaginedasituationwheresheandherteambackthenhadtoseizethisguardpost.
henshesoonsaidtoJunhyeok,
“t’strue.venifoneSpecialForcesteamattackedthisplace,theywouldtakefairlyheavylosses.First,identifyingtheturretpositionswouldbedifficult,andthoseflyingdroneswouldbeextremelytroublesome.”
“Andyoucan’tevenhearthem,canyou?You’dhavetoknowwheretheshotsarecomingfrombeforeyoucoulddoanything.hisreallyisinsane.”
“See?knewit.”
Junhyeok’sshouldersroseevenhigher.henhepointedatabuildingonthePZcamerascreenandcontinued.
“Buttheeffectiverangeoftheturretinstalledabovethetunnelreachesexactlythisfar.Sotoday,weneedtoinstallaturretinthisbuilding.”
twasthevillathatcontainedoneofthesafehousesJunhohadmadeinthepast.
YoonSeolheealternatedbetweenlookingatthevilla,theaerialmapofthearea,andthereal-timefeedbeingsentbythereconnaissancedronecurrentlyinthesky,thensaid,
“Weshouldinstallitsoitcanprovidecrossfirewiththeturretabovethetunnel.hen,ifasituationbreaksoutandweleavethroughthesecretpassagetowardtheindustrialroadandmovelikethis....”
“h?Athree-sidedencirclement?”
“Yes.Whoevercomesinfrontofthetunnelwillbeattackedfromthreedirections.”
“Damn.Youreallyaredifferent,ma’am.”
“otma’am...whew.Anyway,let’shurry.”
“Yes,ma’am.”
hethreesoonlefttheguardpostandheadeddowntowheretheyhadlefttheutilitycartwaiting.
“’mtellingyou,it’strue!Whenwasinhighschool,skippedacademyandwentallthewaytowangallijusttoseeBlossom....”
JunhyeokclickedhistongueatBaekSuho,whowaspracticallyspittingashetalkedtotheBlossommembers.
“Suho.Suho.Man,quittalkingnonsenseandgetreadytogo.WantmetotellSeulgi?”
“ah!”
BaekSuhoflinchedinalarm,thensoongrinnedandsaid,
“Comeon,man,youlikedBlossomtoo.Mysisterprobablyknowsthat.”
“WhatmanintheRepublicofKoreadidn’tlikeBlossom?Ah,wait.hereisone.Mybrother.”
AtJunhyeok’swords,theBlossommembers,whohadbeengiggling,openedtheireyeswide.
“Really?Junhodidn’tlikeus?”
“t’snotthathedidn’tlikeyou.ejustwasn’tespeciallyinterested.AndnotonlyinBlossom.Weirdlyenough,eversinceschool,hewasneverinterestedincelebrities.”
“Ah....”
AmongtheBlossommembers,YooJihye,whowasstillaminorbecauseherbirthdayhadnotpassedyet,noddedasifrelievedandasked,
“ButwheredidJunhogo?Whenishecomingback?”
“ewentprettyfarawaytoworkonsomething,buthe’llprobablybebackinafewdays.Maybeeventomorrow.”
“Ah,sohemustbedoingsomethingdifficultagain.”
“’mworried....”
RememberingwhatJunhohaddonewhenhecametotheresortandwhattheyhadheardhehaddoneinDeokso,theBlossommemberslookedpained,assuminghehadgoneofftoriskhislifeinanotherfight.
ButJunhyeok,sittinginthedriver’sseatoftheutilitycart,gaveafaintlaugh.
“otthistime,don’tthink.t’snotreallyahardjob,sohe’sprobablytakingiteasy.Allright,we’removing.”
herouteleadingdownthelowerBukhanRiverandtoPaldangakehadalreadymostlybeencleared.
SoJunhyeokstartedtheenginewithoutworryingabouthisbrotheratall.
***
“Boss!ere!ookatthis!”
ParkDeokcheol,whohadbeenrepeatedlycheckingthesurveillancedronefeedwhilemaintainingaguardposture,raisedhisvoice.
“m?”
Junho,whohadbeenhelpingwiththecleanupafterinstallingarelayonastreetlightonBukhanRiverBridgeandsettingaturretboxbeneathit,hurriedover.
“...!?”
hemomentJunhonarrowedhiseyesatthetabletscreen,Akina’svoicecamethroughhisearphonesasifshehadbeenwaiting.
—Anomalydetected.PersonnelpresumedtobehumanareapproachingfromthedirectionofYangseounnelFouronBukhanRiverBridge.
Sureenough,thescreenshowedapersonjustemergingfromthetunnelandrunningtowardBukhanRiverBridge.
But.
“...uh?Whatisthisnow?”
uJeongmok,whohadbeenlookingatthetabletwithhim,widenedhiseyesandsaidtoJunho,
“tlookslikehe’sbeingchased,doesn’tit?”
“tdoes.”
Withhisgazesunkenlow,Junhoexaminedthescreenshowingthepursuit.
Aboutfiftymetersbehindthepersonwhohadcomeoutofthetunnelfirst,fivemenwerechasinghim.
—Allarearmed.ofirearms.Distanceapproximatelyfourhundredthirtymeters.
“Whatshouldwedo?”
AtuJeongmok’squestion,Junholookedatthebridge.
nthefarsideofthebridge,abouttwentyvehicleswerestandingindisarray,eithercrashedintooneanotherorrammedintotherailingormedianstrip.
Becauseofthat,thepeopleonthatsidewouldnotbeabletoseeJunho’sgroupimmediately.
“Deokcheol.Mr.Songijun.aketheworkersandheadbackthewaywecame.AssistantManageru,standbytofirefrombehindthatSU.”
“Yes,sir!”
“Willyoubeallright?Wouldn’titbebetterifstayedwithyoutoo?”
Songijun,whowasalsoresponsiblefortheahyeon-risearch-and-eliminationteam,asked.Junhoshookhishead.
“o.AssistantManageruandareenough.Andthis...mightbealittledangerous.”
“Ah...understood.veryone,let’sgo.”
Junho’sword“dangerous”clearlymeantdangertothem,nottohim.Songijunimmediatelyaccepteditandhurriedbackwiththeothersinthedirectiontheyhadcomefrom.
“’mready.”
JunhonoddedtouJeongmok,whohadrestedhismodifiedairrifleonthehoodoftheSU,thensaidquietly,
“Akina.owerthedronealtitudealittleandcheckthevehiclesupaheadagainwiththermalimagingthistime.”
—Confirmed.
Junhoopenedthechestportionofhistacticalvestandactivatedhistablet.
Soon,thesurveillancedronefeedplayedinrealtime,showingthevehiclestheman—soexhaustedhewaspracticallywalking—waspassing.
—[]eatsignaturesconfirmed.wopeoplearestandingbyinsidea2015rensvan.ormalbodytemperature.uman.
“...knewit.”
Junhomutteredthememelinewithoutrealizingit.
herewerearoundtwentyvehiclesonBukhanRiverBridge,butnotasinglezombie.
fcourse,therewasahighchancetherewerezombiesinsidethevehicles,buteventhenearestcarwasmorethantwohundredmetersfromthespotwheretheirgrouphadbeeninstallingtherelay,camera,andturret,sohehaddeliberatelyleftthemalone.
Unlesstheymadealoudnoise,thechancesofthezombiesnoticingthissidewerelow.Andzombiesinsidecarsontheoppositesideofthebridgeweremoreusefulleftaloneasa“biologicalalarm.”
fsomeonecamerunninglikethat,thezombiesinsidethecarswerecertaintoburstout.
Butthathadnothappened.
Because.
“Classicmethod.Beenalongtime.”
Junhomutteredunderhisbreath,thenpassedtheSUwhereuJeongmokwaswaitingtofireandsaidtohim,
“AssistantManageru.Keeptheradiochannelopen.Whengivethesignal,fireimmediately.hecodephrasewillbe...‘hereyouare.’”
“What?Ah,yes.”
uJeongmokwonderedwhathemeant,butnoddedforthemoment.
Junho,holdinghismodifiedairrifle,headedtowardthedirectionwherethemanandhispursuerswererunningfrom.
—nteringthreehundredmeters.ighprobabilitytheyhavespottedMastereeJunho.
“Yeah.seethemtoo.”
Seeingthemanapproachingfromafar,Junhostoppedinplaceasifsurprisedbyhim.
henhelookedbackasifhedidnotknowwhattodo,stagedtheappearanceofsomeoneflustered,andsoonraisedtheairrifleinapoint-shootingpostureasifhehadmadeuphismind,slowlymovingforward.
—nteringtwohundredmeters.hepursuershavealsoconfirmedMastereeJunho.
“Pleasesaveme...!elpme...!”
earingthedesperatecryofthefleeingman,Junhoapproachedwithhisweaponraisedandshouted,
“Don’tmove!Comeanycloserand’llshoot!”
“D-don’tshoot!Pleasesaveme!hosebastardsbehindme...please!”
hemanhadalreadycomewithinahundredmeters.hefivepursuersbehindhimseemedstartledwhentheysawtheairrifleinJunho’shandsandstoppedinplace.
hedistancebetweenthemwasroughlyonehundredtenmeters.
heywerewellwithinthemodifiedairrifle’seffectiverange,andatthisdistance,Junhocouldhitthemeverytime.
Pang!Pang!
Junhodeliberatelymissed.
eaimedsotheroundsstruckthegroundbetweenthefleeingmanandthepursuers.
“Aaagh!”
“Ag-gun...!”
hescreambelongedtothefleeingman,andthelatterwastheshoutofoneofthepursuers.
henthemenscurriedbackthewaytheyhadcome,asifgenuinelystartledandfrightened.
Meanwhile,thefugitivecamerunninginapanicuntilhewasalmostrightinfrontofJunho.
“D-don’tshoot!Pleasesaveme!Please!”
“Comeanycloserand’llshoot!Stop!”
“Yes,yes!J-justdon’tshoot!”
hemanlookedtobeinhismid-to-latethirties,andhisstatewasterrible.
ewassoakedinsweat,andtheclothesheworewereragged.
ewascarryingashortspearaboutameterlongwithakitchenknifeattachedtoit,buttoanyone’seyes,helookedlikeasurvivorwhohadbarelymanagedtostayalivethroughallkindsofsufferingintheapocalypse.
owever.
“Putdowntheweaponandcomethiswayslowly!”
“-okay.hankyouso,somuchforhelpingme.”
Asaregressorlivingthroughhissecondapocalypse,Junhocouldtellataglancethatthemanapproachinghimwithafrightenedexpressionwasnotan“ordinary”survivor.
'obag,andnobackupweapon.Andthedirtonthoseclothesandshoes.'
fsomeonehadbeenwearingthesameclothesandshoesforalongtime,dirtanddustwouldneversticktotheminthatpattern.
hosewereclearlymarksthathadbeenputtherejustnow.
Asifsomeonehadwantedtomakehimlooklikeapitifulsurvivorwhohadsufferedallkindsofhardshipandrunawayfromlooters.
Whywouldtheydothat?
—hepursuingpersonnelhavemovedbehindvehiclesattheendofthebridge.heyareincover.
—hepeopleinsidethevanhavebegunmoving.Botharearmed.nehasafirearm.
Becausetheywereallinthesamegroup,andtheirplanwasprobablytolureothersurvivorsinthisway,killthem,andstripthemofeverything.
