ZFS Chapter 27

“Eat this if that one’s no good. It’s sweet and tasty.”

 

“Why are you giving this to me?”

 

“You didn’t seem to like the hardtack. So I figured you could at least eat this.”

 

Won Hyuk even poured the star candies directly into Tae Yujun’s palm.

 

“…You’re surprisingly warmhearted. Star candy with hardtack actually means something, you know—and yet you’re just giving it to me like it’s nothing.”

 

“Ha ha, what does it mean?”

 

“What else? A ray of light and a pinch of salt in a dry world.”

 

“Then go on and eat. I’m giving it to you because I like you, Father.”

 

Tae Yujun choked on his own spit.

 

“Don’t eat all my love at once.”

 

“Please stop saying things like that.”

 

Won Hyuk handed Tae Yujun his own share of tap water.

Tae Yujun found his openly affectionate attitude both burdensome and awkward.

But the star candy in his mouth was sweet, and the water was cool, soothing his clogged throat.

 

He couldn’t quite figure him out.

When breaking the partition, he was rough and impulsive.

When killing zombies, he was fearless and cruel.

But when scolding that bald man back in Gwanghwamun, he had listened well to Tae Yujun.

If Tae Yujun stroked his head once and said he liked his hands, he’d do anything—and actually make it happen.

And now, here he was, showing this unbearably sweet, goosebump-inducing side.

 

…The problem was, this man was starting to feel far too over familiar.

This strange man—whom he should still be wary of—was, like the tide creeping over the shore, wearing down the walls around his heart.

 

Tae Yujun chewed the star candy, lost in thought.

Thinking about what this strange companion of his named Won Hyuk meant to him—what he truly felt about him.

Before he realized it, he’d eaten every last piece of the star candy.

 

“Ah—I’m sorry. I ended up eating all of it.”

 

Tae Yujun looked at the empty bag, blurting out in surprise.

Won Hyuk patted him on the head like he was somehow proud of him.

That touch—honestly—didn’t feel so bad.

If anything, it was gentle.

Very much so.

 

---

 

Once it was late into the night, the bunker representative called over Won Hyuk, Tae Yujun, a young man who looked to be in his late twenties, and a middle-aged man.

 

“The water issue is resolved, but starting tomorrow, we’ve got nothing to eat. The food hunt continues.”

 

At the representative’s words, the young man let out a deep sigh. The middle-aged man’s expression wasn’t much better. Naturally, the streets outside were overrun with zombies, and going out meant risking their lives.

 

“Since we have some new people here, I’ll briefly explain today’s job.”

 

The representative unlocked his phone and pulled up a bird’s-eye map of the underground shopping center. It resembled the one Changyeong had looked at earlier, so Tae Yujun was able to get a feel for the layout quickly.

 

“As you can see, this bunker is sealed off on all sides with fire shutters. We usually open the north shutter and head out to gather food. Just outside it used to be Company B’s cafeteria.”

 

“Oh, right. Company B’s headquarters is here, isn’t it.”

 

Above the area where the group was hiding sat the headquarters of one of the country’s leading conglomerates—Company B. Naturally, its cafeteria would be massive.

 

“Exactly. Zombies aren’t interested in human food, so there’s still a lot of usable frozen goods in the refrigerators. Some canned goods and snacks too. We’ve been hauling it all back every night with carts.”

 

“Hmm… is the path dangerous?”

 

At Tae Yujun’s question, the man paused for a moment before answering.

 

“The north shutter’s always crawling with zombies. They slow down at night, but there are still at least a dozen lurking. As soon as the door opens, everyone except the shutter operator has to jump into the fight.”

 

“If that’s the case, I’ve got no problem with it.”

 

Won Hyuk shrugged. He still spoke informally. With the representative and a middle-aged man who looked twenty years older standing beside them, Tae Yujun felt a cold sweat slide down his back.

 

“He’s a foreigner, so he’s not fluent in Korean. He doesn’t use honorifics, so I ask for your understanding. But he’s a great fighter. Really knows how to handle zombies.”

 

“Ah… I see. As long as he’s good in a fight, that’s what matters.”

 

“When are we heading out?”

 

“We’re going now.”

 

“We’re ready.”

 

“Then let’s gear up.”

 

A five-man team was formed—Won Hyuk, Tae Yujun, the bunker representative, the anxious-looking young man named Sin Jehwan, and the middle-aged man. They began getting ready in perfect sync. Each pulled on work gloves and armed themselves with wooden bats or kitchen knives. They were fascinated by the tools Won Hyuk and Tae Yujun brought out—meat tenderizers, kitchen scissors, and a Chinese chef’s knife.

 

“Nice weapons.”

 

“Nothing beats a Chinese cleaver for lopping off zombie heads. But for a solid hit, the meat hammer might be better.”

 

In Won Hyuk’s hands, the meat hammer looked like a terrifying weapon. After double-checking their gear, the five men stepped out of the bunker.

 

“To reach the north shutter, we head that way.”

 

The bunker representative took the lead. As the group began to move, a shrill cry suddenly rang out from nearby.

 

“Jehwan!”

 

A woman from a seated group shot to her feet. She pushed through the others and ran to Sin Jehwan, grabbing his arm.

 

“You have to come back safely.”

 

“Yuna…”

 

“Promise me, okay?”

 

Her voice trembled.

 

“You can’t die, Jehwan.”

 

“I won’t. I promise.”

 

The woman, named Yuna, finally broke down in tears. Tae Yujun could guess what had happened in this bunker so far. There were probably many who had left like this and never returned.

 

“We need to go now. You should let go of him.”

 

The bunker representative gently pried her hand from Sin Jehwan. Urged to move, Sin Jehwan stepped forward, eyes reddened.

 

“Jehwan!”

 

“Just let him go.”

 

“Oh please, enough already.”

 

A middle-aged woman stood and pulled Yuna back into her group. Tae Yujun watched the scene unfold, feeling as if a heavy weight had been tied to his chest. Still, they were heading out now to earn their meals—in exchange for taking in the pair of siblings. They had no choice but to leave the sorrow behind and move forward.

 

The men resumed walking to the north shutter. The middle-aged man was assigned to operate the shutter and keep watch, while Tae Yujun, Won Hyuk, the bunker representative, and Sin Jehwan lined up in front of the fire shutter.

 

“Opening now. Get ready.”

 

The middle-aged man muttered and reached for the switch. Tae Yujun tightened his grip on the scissors in his hand. Through the metal slats, several zombie shapes were already visible. The sound of the shutter would likely provoke them into a frenzy.

 

Clang-clunk.

 

The shutter began rising with a harsh metallic screech. Nearby and distant zombies snapped their heads in the group’s direction—about ten in total. The men’s breathing grew heavier as tension filled the air.

 

Once the shutter was fully open, the men clutched their weapons and hesitated. But one of them boldly stepped forward. It was Won Hyuk.

 

Whish! He swung the Chinese cleaver and slashed the nearest zombie. The others stared wide-eyed as the blade struck the carotid artery dead-on.

 

“Screeee!”

 

“Skreee!”

 

Sensing humans, the zombies began shrieking hideously. Tae Yujun bravely charged out, facing them head-on. He took down one with his scissors, then immediately turned to strike another.

 

“Guhhh!”

 

“Kyaaa!”

 

As the zombies began to fall one by one, the bunker men found their courage and surged out behind them. From there, it turned into a wild brawl. The men fought fiercely, gradually advancing.

 

Won Hyuk even crushed a zombie’s foot by ramming a cart into it, then, as if that wasn’t enough, he lifted the cart and slammed it down on its head. The zombie collapsed on the spot without even making any sound.

 

With the situation roughly under control, Sin Jehwan and the bunker representative started pushing the cart and sprinted toward the cafeteria. Won Hyuk and Tae Yujun ran after them, providing cover.

 

---

 

The place they entered was the headquarters building of Company B. The bunker representative and Sin Jehwan, who had entered the kitchen first, opened the refrigerator.

 

“Please take these.”

 

Won Hyuk and Tae Yujun paired off with their respective partners to collect the food. Smoked chicken breast, canned fruit, extra-large tuna cans, and frozen dumplings were pulled out in large quantities. There were also plenty of room-temperature items like jelly and snacks—enough to share in small portions among more than a hundred people.

 

Thanks to their efficient movements, it took less than ten minutes to fill two carts. The bunker representative wiped the sweat from his forehead and urged them to move quickly.

 

“Be careful on the way out, too. We’ve cleared the area, but something new might show up.”

 

“Understood.”

 

The men formed pairs and pushed the carts, with Tae Yujun partnered with Sin Jehwan. Knowing the return trip would require even more caution, Tae Yujun held his breath, walking carefully while scanning his surroundings. He occasionally glanced at the ceiling and checked even the seemingly empty stores. Whether it was an optician’s or a telecom shop, it was hard to predict what might appear, so it was better to be safe.

 

About halfway back, Sin Jehwan suddenly stopped.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“There, the convenience store.”

 

He pointed to a convenience store, dimly lit by the flickering of a lone fluorescent light.

 

“There shouldn’t be anything left in a convenience store. You know that—so why?”

 

When the bunker representative asked, Sin Jehwan answered awkwardly.

 

“Last time we came, we didn’t take any of the chocolates. There should still be some inside.”

 

“It can’t be much.”

 

“I’ll grab it while I can.”

 

“We don’t have the time.”

 

“I’ll go quickly, by myself.”

 

After a short pause, the representative reluctantly nodded. Sin Jehwan’s face brightened as he dashed off toward the convenience store. It was quite a distance, and it took him nearly a minute to reach it. Tae Yujun felt uneasy about letting him go alone.

 

“Shouldn’t someone go with him?”

 

“Protecting the food here is more important.”

 

The representative was firm in his stance.

 

“Still, someone should at least check on him—”

 

Just then, a loud crash rang out—the sound of something collapsing and scattering.