ZFS Chapter 26
by horumAfter confirming that the siblings had moved to another room, Tae Yujun felt a wave of exhaustion and relief wash over him.
Traveling all day, fighting off zombies, and the tense process of entering the bunker had worn him out completely.
So, the moment he leaned against the wall, drowsiness overwhelmed him.
“Father, are you sleepy?”
“Yeah. A little.”
“Then lie down and sleep comfortably.”
Won Hyuk folded his clothes and placed them under Tae Yujun’s head.
“Thank…”
Lying on the floor, Tae Yujun started to reply but trailed off, slipping into sleep.
He sank into a deep, dreamless slumber.
Time passed unnoticed, and Tae Yujun remained fast asleep.
What finally woke him was a loud noise—a heated argument, followed by a heavy thud that pierced his ears.
What’s going on?
Rubbing his eyes, Tae Yujun sat up to check the situation.
Near the partition wall, the gatekeepers were locked in a fierce argument with a middle-aged woman.
“We already brought food! So why is the water cut off?”
“Starting today, you have to bring twice as much as yesterday if you want the door opened.
We already told your representative, lady. Why do you keep making us repeat ourselves?”
One of the gatekeepers cracked his neck and swung his arms in circles.
His thuggish demeanor turned outright threatening, making the woman shrink back.
“Just like prices go up, so does our water fee. Why can’t you understand that, huh?”
“You have to at least let us wash! You promised!”
“Then tell your rep to hurry up and deliver the food already.
Why are you dumping this on me instead of taking it up with your representatives?”
As their voices grew louder, people began waking up one by one.
Won Hyuk, who had been sleeping beside Tae Yujun, and a male student nearby also sat up.
“What the hell’s up with them? I thought they were bartering food for water.”
Won Hyuk muttered to himself, and the male student, who looked about college-aged, turned his head and spoke quietly.
“To be honest, they keep changing the terms.
One day it’s allowed, the next day it’s not. It’s driving us insane.”
“Could you explain in more detail?
We’re new here and don’t fully understand the situation.”
When Tae Yujun asked, the male student continued in a rather weary voice.
“You know they have bathrooms and showers over there, monopolizing the water, right?
Meanwhile, we have just one barely trickling toilet, no running water, and not even drinking water.
Oh, sure—if you go past the shutter into the main headquarters of that big corporation, the bathrooms and showers there are fully equipped.
But how are we supposed to go there every single time we need to use the bathroom or wash up?
The place is crawling with zombies. Who would risk their life just to go to the toilet? Who would stand guard for them?”
“So you’ve been complying with their demands just to get by.”
The male student nodded.
“Yeah. They don’t even let us live like human beings.
And now they’re demanding even more food, saying we have to bring double tomorrow. It’s insane.”
Tae Yujun was at a loss for words.
Why is it that no matter where I went, it was always the same?
It seemed as if the humans inside the bunker were worse than the monsters outside.
Memories of what had happened in Gwanghwamun flashed through his mind.
There, the ones at the top had built their own system of control and ruled over others.
Here, it was team versus team, but the essence—selfishness and exploitation—was the same.
“Let us live like human beings!”
“If you’ve got a problem, bring more food!”
The shouting suddenly grew louder.
The gatekeeper’s face twisted like a crumpled newspaper as he raised his thick hand.
The middle-aged woman, now completely on the defensive, took a step back.
“We can’t just stand by and watch this.”
“Yeah, that’s right. That bastard’s gonna hit her at this rate.”
Unable to just sit and watch any longer, Tae Yujun started to get up.
But before he could act, Won Hyuk, who had been sitting still, suddenly stood.
“Brother, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to wash up.”
“What?”
“They said the water’s only running over there. I’ll be back.”
Won Hyuk replied so casually, as if it were no big deal.
Tae Yujun hurriedly followed him toward the partition.
“There’s a fight happening right now. How do you plan to get past them?”
“Just walk through.”
“Brother…! It’s dangerous.”
Tae Yujun grabbed the hem of Won Hyuk’s shirt, but he didn’t seem to care.
He strode right up to the gatekeeper and the middle-aged woman.
“And who the hell are you?”
The gatekeeper barked.
“Me? Just here to use some water.”
“Hah! For real? You think this is a joke?”
The gatekeeper rolled up his sleeves, flexing his thick arms as if to show off his size.
“Not kidding, right?”
“Then take a hint and get lost. You’re not getting past this point.”
“Not getting past?”
“Of course not. Because I’m not letting you through, you little shit.”
“Then I’ll handle it myself, you little shit.”
With that, Won Hyuk kicked the wall. Bang! A deafening crash rang out.
“Wha… What the hell! This guy’s crazy!”
The gatekeeper, caught off guard by the sudden attack, turned red and shouted in alarm. He lunged at Won Hyuk, fists swinging. But Won Hyuk dodged easily, grabbed the gatekeeper’s wrist, and twisted it behind his back.
“Argh!”
“Not flexible enough? Want me to help you stretch?”
A sickening crack echoed as his joint popped out of place. The gatekeeper crumpled to the floor, and murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“Brother…!”
“This wall’s even shoddier than I thought. Pretty thin, too.”
Won Hyuk kicked the base of the partition again. With a few powerful strikes, the wooden planks splintered apart.
“What the hell? He’s breaking the wall?”
“He’s… he’s nuts.”
The commotion drew people toward the partition. But no one on either side dared to stop him. Everyone instinctively knew—they’d meet the same fate as the gatekeeper.
As the partition crumbled into rubble, it sank low enough for someone to step over. Brushing dust from his shoes, Won Hyuk fixed his gaze on the middle-aged woman. She trembled, fear written clearly across her face.
Who the hell is this lunatic? What’s he going to do next?
All eyes were on him. But instead of more violence, Won Hyuk simply extended an elegant arm—like a hotel concierge welcoming a guest—and said,
“Ladies first.”
The woman blinked in disbelief, then scrambled over the wreckage and ran. Won Hyuk followed at a leisurely pace, stepping through the partition.
“Uh… should we go too?”
“I’m thirsty.”
“I need a real bathroom.”
“I want a shower.”
After a brief hesitation, people began stepping over one by one. Tae Yujun stood stunned by how fast things had escalated—but deep down, he felt a rush of satisfaction. The bunker representatives who’d arrived late seemed to share the feeling. They eagerly helped break apart the remaining wall, even exchanging high-fives.
“So the wall was this weak all along?”
“Yeah. Should’ve done this sooner. Feels damn good.”
A male student next to Tae Yujun nodded in agreement.
Soon, Won Hyuk emerged from the showers. He hadn’t been indeed bluffing about washing up—his hair was still visibly wet. One of the bunker reps approached him and held out a hand.
“Thank you.”
“I didn’t do it to be thanked. I just couldn’t stand my boyfriend sitting around filthy without even washing his face. So don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“Boyfriend… washing his face?”
“He’s right over there.”
Won Hyuk gestured toward Tae Yujun, who stood at a distance. The rep quickly masked his surprise and nodded.
“I see.”
“Yeah. Now go ahead—use all the water you want.”
Without another word, Won Hyuk returned to Tae Yujun and flopped down on his back.
“You did well. Thanks.”
“If you’re grateful, you know what to do.”
Won Hyuk tapped his forehead. Tae Yujun simply chuckled and placed his hand there. Humming softly, Won Hyuk melted into his touch.
“But, Father.”
“Yes?”
“How are you still this pretty after not washing your face for two days?”
“Gasp. Has it really been two days already?”
Embarrassed, Tae Yujun tried to hide his face, but Won Hyuk giggled and caught his hands.
“You’re pretty even without washing. Just stay like this.”
“No way I’m leaving it. I’m showering too.”
Tae Yujun rummaged through his bag for toiletries. As he turned and walked off, Won Hyuk clicked his tongue in regretful disappointment.
He really is beautiful… but he never believes me.
Come to think of it, maybe he’s not even human. Otherwise, how could he make this miserable headache vanish so effortlessly? Ah, my adorable, one-of-a-kind Daantax—my painkiller.
With a satisfied smile, Won Hyuk closed his eyes and relaxed.
The temporary partition wall was completely dismantled around 7 a.m. Tae Yujun and Won Hyuk slept for a couple more hours before waking up to receive their meal. Since most of the food had been handed over to the thugs on the other side, what remained was sparse. A single pack of hardtack and a cup of tap water each—that was all.
Feels just like being back in the army, Tae Yujun grumbled inwardly as he tore open the package. His memories of military service weren’t particularly pleasant, and he had no desire to revisit them. But the moment he took a bite of the hardtack, it all came rushing back—the teasing and the unwanted advances that had followed him from enlistment to discharge.
Fortunately, he’d had a strong punch and a resolute nature. If he’d been even a little weaker, things might’ve turned out far worse.
The thought killed his appetite, and Tae Yujun stopped eating.
Just then, something was held out to him.
A sugar star candy.