ZFS Chapter 22

Won Hyuk looked at Tae Yujun, whose face seemed unusually gloomy.

 

“You said your relationship with Dr. Jang is kind of like that of an adoptive son, right?”

 

“To be exact, he’s my Catholic godfather.”

 

“Oh, really?”

 

“Yes. We first became acquainted at my baptism when I was young. He also served as my godfather during my confirmation. Since then, I’ve treated him like a father. Honestly, he’s cared for me more than my actual adoptive father ever did.”

 

Resting his chin on one hand, Won Hyuk leaned slightly toward Tae Yujun.

 

“What about your adoptive father? Didn’t he treat you well?”

 

“That’s a pretty direct question.”

 

“I just want to know more about you, Father. If I crossed a line, I’m sorry.”

 

“…”

 

“Tae Yujun had no intention of sharing his personal story with Won Hyuk in detail. He decided it was best to keep it brief and factual.”

 

“For certain reasons, the adoption was annulled.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Won Hyuk crossed his arms, a displeased expression flickering across his face.

 

“That’s not the point. When I was going through a rough time, Dr. Jang comforted me. That’s when I started visiting his lab frequently—around the time I was twenty.”

 

“You visited his lab a lot?”

 

“Yes. Even though he was always busy with research commissions for major corporations, he still made time for me.”

 

“What kind of large corporations are we talking about?”

 

“Il-Yung Pharmaceuticals. You’ve heard of it, right? It’s a massive company.”

 

At the mention of Il-Yung, Won Hyuk flinched. It wasn’t obvious enough for Tae Yujun to notice, but his face stiffened slightly.

 

“Dr. Jang did side work for Il-Yung?”

 

“Yes, as far as I know. But… why that face?”

 

“…It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

 

Won Hyuk brushed off the question with practiced ease.

 

“I just thought Dr. Jang focused solely on academic research. I didn’t expect him to work for corporations.”

 

“Oh. Well, he mainly took on external projects. Usually, labs approached him with difficult problems, and he’d solve them. That’s how he ran his lab.”

 

“Right. But I always assumed he only worked with public institutions or university labs. Il-Yung Pharmaceuticals… that’s unexpected.”

 

As their conversation continued, Tae Yujun observed the increasingly serious look on Won Hyuk’s face whenever Dr. Jang was mentioned. It felt like he was hiding something—but it seemed he wasn’t ready to reveal it.

 

“Well then, since we’ve had a good nap, shall we get ready for the night?”

 

Although he hadn’t expected it, Won Hyuk was the one to change the subject first. For someone as persistent as him, it was unusual. Regardless, Tae Yujun stood up from his seat.

 

---

 

The two grabbed some snacks from Kim Eun-jin’s room and took a few bottles of water from the kitchen. They also decided to gather any hard-to-find supplies, just in case.

 

Won Hyuk searched the house efficiently, picking up a few blankets, clean towels, a first aid kit, and other essentials. Before long, he appeared at the entrance, sharply dressed in a clean suit.

 

“When did you even wash and dry your clothes?”

 

“I used the dryer function on the washing machine, then aired them out with a fan. The fabric stayed fine, and they dried quickly. Of course, I ironed them, too.”

 

“They look absurdly expensive. You washed a high-end suit like that… with that method?”

 

“Sometimes, you have to make compromises to get by.”

 

Really particular about fashion, aren’t we? Then again, I washed and wore my cassock earlier, so I’m not exactly one to talk.

 

“You didn’t pack spare shirts or ties, did you?”

 

“I borrowed a few decent ones from her brother’s room.”

 

“You’re not planning to return them, are you?”

 

“Think about everything we’ve done for Kim Eun-jin so far. Besides, she’s not the type to send us a bill.”

 

“Well, that’s true…”

 

“Come on, let’s go already.”

 

Won Hyuk gave Tae Yujun a push on the back. Tae Yujun unlocked the front door and stepped outside.

 

Leaving Kim Eun-jin’s house behind, they carefully made their way down the dark alley, got into the truck, and began driving.

 

From Yongsan, their destination—Wonhyo Bridge—wasn’t far. As long as they didn’t run into any obstacles, they should be able to cross the bridge and reach Yeouido by tonight.

 

After driving for a while, they spotted a road sign pointing toward Wonhyo Bridge.

 

Just a little further, and they’d reach the bridge. Once in Yeouido, they could use the underground pathways. It wouldn’t be long before they met Dr. Jang.

 

Tae Yujun thought back to the strange noise he’d heard during his last call with Dr. Jang—the unknown foreign words, the sudden disconnection. Unease gripped him once more.

 

Lost in thought, he was brought back by Won Hyuk’s voice.

 

“Hey, check the road for me. Which lane do I need to take? This layout’s so confusing.”

 

Tae Yujun leaned toward the window for a better view. That’s when something caught his eye.

 

“Stop the truck!”

 

Screech! The brakes echoed across the empty road as the truck came to a halt.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Over there… across the road!”

 

Tae Yujun pointed toward the left sidewalk. A man was being chased by a horde of zombies just a short distance away.

 

“It’s a person. A living human being!”

 

“I’ll be damn. It really is.”

 

Since the outbreak, this was the first time they’d seen another survivor on the streets. The man looked normal—his eyes, nose, and mouth intact, his limbs unbroken—but he was trembling, stepping back in fear.

 

The zombies were slow, but there were too many of them.

 

“This isn’t right. We have to save him.”

 

“And how do you plan to do that?”

 

Tae Yujun hesitated, analyzing the situation. Fighting the horde head-on wasn’t an option—there were too many.

 

“What if we distract them? Draw their attention here?”

 

“What?”

 

“While they’re focused on me, you help that guy escape. I’ll lure the zombies to the back while you get him out.”

 

“You’re saying you’ll go outside the truck? That’s too dangerous!”

 

Tae Yujun knew it was risky, but he couldn’t stand by and watch someone helplessly be torn apart.

 

“I’ll be fine. I just need to pull their attention and get back quickly. There’s enough distance—I can manage it. Please.”

 

Without waiting for a response, Tae Yujun jumped out of the truck and ran toward the man. The zombies were fixated on their prey, so he needed something loud to divert them.

 

Spotting an abandoned recycling bin on the roadside, he kicked it hard.

 

Clang, clang! The metallic crash echoed, but the zombies didn’t turn. They kept staggering toward the man.

 

Do I need to make even more noise?

 

Tae Yujun shoved the bin harder. With a loud crash, cans scattered across the asphalt road.

 

Some of the zombies flinched and turned their heads.

 

It worked. Come on, over here!

 

He stomped on the cans with all his strength, each sharp crunch drawing more zombies toward him.

 

Now that he had their attention, Tae Yujun started jogging, keeping just enough distance to stay ahead. The zombies flailed and staggered, shambling after him.

 

Meanwhile, Won Hyuk jumped out of the car and sprinted toward the man.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Huff… huff. Th-thank you.”

 

Won Hyuk helped him to his feet and checked his condition. The man, thin and seemingly in his late twenties, had an ordinary appearance. A quick inspection revealed no visible injuries on his face or body.

 

“Sniff… sob. Thank you for saving me.”

 

Clutching the object in his arms, the man trembled as tears welled up in his eyes.

 

“There’s no time. Head over there and climb into the truck bed. Stay quiet.”

 

“Y-yes, I understand.”

 

The man dashed toward the truck. Once Won Hyuk confirmed he was inside, he quickly scanned his surroundings, searching for Tae Yujun. Tae Yujun had successfully lured the zombies away, but he could only keep running for so long. Escape was becoming more difficult by the second.

 

“Damn it.”

 

Thinking fast, Won Hyuk made a beeline for the truck. He grabbed a megaphone near the driver’s seat and leapt into the truck bed.

 

The thin man flinched in surprise, but there was no time to explain.

 

Standing tall, Won Hyuk raised the megaphone to his lips and bellowed,

 

“Sweet potatoes for sale! Delicious pumpkin sweet potatoes!”

 

His voice thundered through the street, far louder than the sound of Tae Yujun’s running footsteps.

 

At once, the horde of zombies shifted direction, shambling toward the truck. Seizing the opportunity, Tae Yujun quietly maneuvered his way back.

 

Screeechikiki, screeeeechikiki!

 

Though he had gained some distance, the zombies were still flailing and surging forward.

 

The gap between them was closing—too close. If he didn’t act fast, Won Hyuk would be caught.

 

On instinct, Tae Yujun thrust out his hand. Won Hyuk flung open the passenger door and reached for him.

 

Thud!

 

Their hands clasped tightly, fingers interlocking. With all his strength, Won Hyuk pulled him upward.

 

“Just get in!”

 

Tae Yujun pushed off the ground and leapt into the truck with the agility of a bird in flight.

 

The moment he landed on the seat, a zombie wedged its hand through the door. Without hesitation, Tae Yujun slammed it shut.

 

“Graaaah!”

 

The trapped zombie let out a guttural shriek. Tae Yujun winced, cracked the door open just enough to free its hand, then slammed it shut again. The zombie tumbled backward.

 

“Hold on tight!”

 

Won Hyuk floored the accelerator. The truck shot backward at full speed before whipping into a sharp drift. The force sent everything inside tilting sideways—including Tae Yujun.

 

“Brother!”

 

 

“Trust a former racecar driver.”

 

With that, Won Hyuk zigzagged the truck at a breakneck pace. The sheer velocity sent Tae Yujun’s hair and clothes whipping wildly with the motion.