Antisocial Chapter 30

Chapter 30. Human

‘Should I give it to you?’

Now that she thought about it, these people were Bo-yeon’s ‘slaves,’ according to Do-kyung. The realization made her feel dizzy.

“No, I don’t…”

“You don’t need them? All of them?”

“…….”

If she agreed, he would kill them all. The three men looked at Bo-yeon, sweat dripping down their faces.

Bo-yeon wanted to escape this situation. If she stayed like this any longer, she’d feel suffocated again.

“First, this guy… Please treat him… Give him water, no, food too…”

Bo-yeon handed the bald man over to Sung-sik and Ji-won.

***

Ji-won and Sung-sik would follow Do-kyung when he went hunting during the day, bringing him supplies.

Do-kyung didn’t exactly protect them, but he would swiftly hunt mutants whenever he found them.

With his care, they could avoid the mutants. Sung-sik, a doctor, was also skilled at raiding hospitals for any supplies they might need.

“How did it end up like this?”

Sung-sik roughly sutured the bald man’s tattered thigh wound and asked.

“Fuck, I just got caught by that monster, what the…”

The toughness of the big guy who said that was no joke. Even though Bo-yeon was watching and Do-kyung had been lenient, he was still in rough shape.

“Wow, you got hit in a fight?”

Ji-won, who had been watching the surgery from the side, spoke with a spark of interest.

“I think you’re really good at physical stuff, hyung. Oh, what’s your name?”

“…..”

He seemed like a fucking crazy person.

“Aren’t you going to run away?”

While being treated like a slave. Hyun-seop followed because his life was in danger. But he couldn’t decide if he could stay here.

“This place is a good place to live. If you keep an eye out, at least you won’t get killed by a mutant.”

“Fuck. Do you think I don’t know that you’re after Do-kyung’s right-hand man position?”

Ji-won and Sung-sik often found themselves at odds over something. Ji-won was dead set on securing the position of Do-kyung’s right-hand man, while Sung-sik, though skeptical, had no intention of leaving this place.

Five months had passed since the zombie outbreak, and while they had been staying low, the government, struggling with its lack of resources, had nearly completely ignored the crimes taking place in the refugee camp.

Murder, robbery, and rape were also common, and the cities that had been abandoned by the government and become lawless zones were even worse. Nowhere was safe.

The sanitary conditions were poor, and women, in particular, avoided washing or dressing up to prevent rape.

Sung-sik, having experienced life in the refugee camp, found Bo-yeon’s behavior strange. Unlike others, she didn’t try to hide her beauty or use it. She seemed to have no particular concerns, just like before the zombie outbreak. Sung-sik suspected that Bo-yeon had been protected by Do-kyung for a long time.

Both Do-kyung and Bo-yeon made sure to clean themselves well. While Do-kyung could endure washing with cold water every day in the middle of winter, Bo-yeon, in his opinion, would likely catch a cold.

Yet there was no sign of that. The two of them must have been using hot water somewhere, and their living conditions were likely much more comfortable than the others’. The house they stayed in was livable, so the place where Do-kyung and Bo-yeon lived would undoubtedly be far better.

Humans naturally strive for a better environment, and Sung-sik was no exception.

Despite knowing that Do-kyung was a tyrant, he chose to stay close, patiently waiting for an opportunity.

If he could gain the same level of protection as Bo-yeon, that would be ideal. But even if that wasn’t possible—if Do-kyung were to die—wouldn’t he be able to take everything for himself?

***

That night, Bo-yeon couldn’t sleep. She was exhausted, but her head ached.

Do-kyung, watching her curiously, had a different expression than usual.

“Why aren’t you sleeping?”

Bo-yeon needed someone to vent her frustrations to, and right now, Do-kyung was the only one.

“I wonder how the world ended up like this…”

Do-kyung’s influence was also a factor in her life turning out this way.

If it weren’t for him…

She would have become a zombie while searching for an inhaler, died in the bunker, or gone crazy there.

She would have witnessed fewer deaths if that had happened. But was that truly better? It was unclear.

Bo-yeon sighed, momentarily distancing herself from reality, and instead chose to share a fleeting thought.

“Where did that meteorite come from?”

“You’re curious about that?”

Do-kyung’s expression suggested he found her question strange, but Bo-yeon didn’t care.

Despite his attitude, he was the type to listen attentively whenever she spoke.

“We humans still haven’t clearly identified the origin of life…”

Though her statement was grand, Do-kyung didn’t argue. Instead, he followed along with her train of thought.

“There are many hypotheses about where life began. Some suggest that if you trace the lineage of all living things—humans, animals, plants, even microorganisms—you eventually arrive at LUCA, the very first cell from which all life on Earth originated.”

LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor)¹ was an abbreviation for the common ancestor of life on Earth.

“A cell, which appeared on the primitive Earth about 4.5 billion years ago, is the common ancestor and starting point of life on Earth. Over time, it differentiated into various life forms suited to the Earth’s environment.”

Do-kyung listened to the mystery that was being revealed in a soft voice and gently stroked Bo-yeon’s head.

“There were scholars who believed that this cell, LUCA, was the seed of life on Earth that originated from space. To back up this story, there’s something called the pan-stellar theory². It is a hypothesis that microorganisms that flew in from space are the origin of life on Earth. Doesn’t that remind you of the meteorite that fell this summer? If you think about this hypothesis, ZB0 may be a microorganism that flew in from a different space than LUCA that settled on Earth.”

The universe is vast. It is so vast that it is impossible to even estimate. The observable universe alone is 93 billion light years in diameter, meaning the distance would take 93 billion years to reach.

“Some microorganisms on Earth have the ability to survive in extreme environments. They can endure conditions without water, vacuums, extreme temperatures, high pressures, toxic substances, and radiation.”

The tardigrade, known as the most resilient organism on Earth, has even survived cosmic radiation in the vacuum of space.

Black mold (Cladosporium sphaerospermum), discovered after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, evolved to absorb radiation and convert it into energy.

“The existence of ZB0 could be strong evidence for the pan-stellar theory—the idea that microbes traveled from an unknown place in space, survived extreme conditions, and eventually settled on Earth.”

“So?”

“It’s scary!”

ZB0 possessed extraordinary vitality, yet it was an enigma—an existence that shattered human understanding. It was unlike any life form ever encountered.

Moreover, it evolved at an astonishing rate, rapidly adapting to Earth through various mutations.

“If the pan-species theory is true and all life on Earth originated from LUCA, then ZB0 could be another seed—one capable of creating an entirely new ecosystem. I’m afraid that we might become the alien species, wiping out Earth’s native life—humans born from LUCA—and taking over the ecosystem.”

What should we do to eradicate such a being?

Is there a cure?

They die if the host’s brain is damaged—so does that mean killing all the zombies would end this?

Is that even possible?

Can this situation really be resolved?

How does the immune system fight against such creatures?

And Joo Do-kyung… who is he, really?

Bo-yeon swallowed her countless questions and instead entertained a conspiracy theory.

“Hey, doesn’t this seem like an alien species trying to take over Earth?”

“Aliens? Seriously?”

“Ah, that’s… But even so, according to the Fermi paradox³…”

Although alien civilizations are bound to exist in the vast universe, Bo-yeon talked enthusiastically about how the probability of humanity coming into contact with a space civilization is extremely slim. The universe is so vast and Earth’s modern civilization is only 100 years old.

“Don’t think too hard about it, just think of one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Kill before you die.”

Do-kyung mumbled with his characteristically indifferent expression.

“Whether it’s an invader or something, if you die, you can’t do anything.”

“……”

It was a really simple and ignorant method.

“If you kill them, you’ll survive.”

“……”

“They say it took 4.5 billion years for LUCA to exist. So, what does it matter if the Earth’s ecosystem changes or if humanity goes extinct after I die?”

“……”

It was a radical statement, but it made sense. Could humanity really be wiped out so easily? After all, they have guns, bombs, and nuclear weapons.

The government had already given up on Seoul. If they dropped missiles on the city, even if they managed to defeat the zombies, rebuilding Seoul would be a monumental task.

It was clear it would cost an immense amount of money. If the government decided to bomb Seoul, they would be defeated in the end.

With so many leaders likely dead in the zombie outbreak, who would have the authority to order such a bombing? And who would take responsibility for the consequences?

That’s why the government abandoned Seoul once it became a zombie hell. They probably hoped to leave it untouched until a cure could be developed.

The situation in other countries was likely similar.

Humans are political creatures, even when there are just a few people gathered together.

In other words, humanity hadn’t yet tapped into its full potential.

“Still, we need to keep thinking about solutions…”

“Someone better than you will handle it. Who are you? What difference does it make if you worry about that?”

“……”

“What does a college freshman know?”

“……”

It was an assault of harsh truths, so painfully accurate. Yet, surprisingly, Bo-yeon felt lighter after hearing those words.

That’s right. There were many brilliant minds in the world.

The so-called “people” were humanity’s greatest strength.

“You’re right. I’m just a speck of dust! Even at places like NASA, where only the most brilliant minds gather, they must be researching ZB0…! If we just wait, the geniuses will figure it out!”

“……”

“With my meager knowledge, I… I’m embarrassed and ashamed…”

“……”

Bo-yeon truly felt a sense of peace and liberation, free from fear and pressure, as she shook off her worries.

She had overcome her great fear of the unknown by shifting it onto others.

She held onto the hope that it would be resolved someday, even if she didn’t know when.

“Well, what good would it do for someone like me to worry about it? Right?”

Bo-yeon whispered, her expression relaxed. Her heart felt much lighter.

“It’s good that you realized it now.”

Do-kyung said it with a hint of complaint, but he couldn’t disturb Bo-yeon’s peace.

“Thank you for listening to my worries.”

“Stop thinking useless thoughts and go to sleep.”

“Yes…”

Bo-yeon closed her eyes, and this time, she was able to give in to fatigue and sleep soundly.

It was a good thing she had someone to talk to.

Communication was important to humans.