“Confirm.”
Seonwoo responded calmly to the message. In a situation where things couldn’t possibly get worse, overthinking was a luxury he couldn’t afford.
Ding!
<Area: Shilla Underground City, Bunker No. 14
Purpose of Construction: Stability and utility testing for the Zombie Project
Construction Period: May 11, 2013 – October 16, 2027
Bunker Opening: March 27, 2028
City Inhabitation: March 30, 2028
City Closure: June 13, 2028
Reason for Closure: Data collection on responses to a large-scale zombie outbreak
…
…
…>
The underground city of Shilla.
It was an artificially constructed city meant for experiments, and the people who lived there were nothing more than expendable resources.
This was the true nature of the world Seonwoo had known all along.
While he had some inkling that this place was manufactured, accepting that he was just a disposable test subject was not easy. Even so, his expression didn’t show despair.
“If this world is fake, then somewhere out there, there must be a real one.”
A glimmer of hope amidst the despair—it became the fuel that reignited his will to live.
Ding!
The notification sound interrupted Seonwoo’s thoughts.
Ding!
<Sample Number: 27374
Subject Type: Type C (Born from a test subject)
Gender: Male
Age: 10
Grade: 15
Infectivity: None
Immunity: None
Special Trait: Growth type (Growth conditions unknown)>
“Yes!”
Seonwoo clenched his fist in excitement as he read through the stream of notifications. While the new functions thrilled him, what truly elated him was the grade increase. His heart raced with exhilaration.
Growl!
His stomach interrupted the moment, dragging him back to reality. The excitement quickly gave way to irritation.
“Guess I’ll grab something to eat first.”
“Where did I put the fork and knife?”
Seonwoo swayed his head rhythmically, humming to himself as he prepared his meal. It was just spam and canned corn, but to Seonwoo, it was a feast. Knowing he’d secured it with his own efforts made it all the more satisfying.
“Alright, let’s dig in!”
He tied a napkin around his neck, holding a fork and knife with a sense of ceremony. Even though he was alone, he refused to live carelessly. Giving up on these small acts of normalcy would make him feel far too pitiful, and that was something he couldn’t endure.
Clink! Clink!
He cut the spam into neat slices, placed a bit of corn on top, and popped it into his mouth. A smile spread across his face—it was pure happiness, something he hadn’t felt in ages. Seonwoo savoured each bite, cherishing the fleeting joy.
After finishing his meal, boredom crept in, quickly replaced by a rising sense of unease. He clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, his gaze darting nervously around the room.
For Seonwoo, silence and stillness were far scarier than zombies.
Tap! Tap!
He bit his nails, then abruptly stood up. His eyes lit up with determination as if a brilliant idea had struck.
“First, I need to get stronger. Let’s figure out what’s making me grow stronger.”
He dashed to the storage room and began gathering his equipment. He decided to hunt again before the city’s artificial sun completely dimmed for the night.
“This should work.”
Seonwoo set up by a window, holding his crossbow steady. Although the sun hadn’t fully set, the dim light made it easier to spot zombies roaming the streets. Yet, oddly enough, none appeared.
“Are they all out on a picnic or something?”
Time ticked by, twenty minutes slipping away in a flash. Seonwoo sat motionless by the window, finger poised on the crossbow’s trigger.
“Bingo. Finally.”
A zombie came into view. He kept his aim steady, waiting for it to move into range.
Whoosh! Thud!
The bolt pierced the zombie’s neck clean through, and it collapsed lifelessly on the spot.
“Yes!”
He clenched his fist in triumph, though his palms were slick with sweat. The tension of waiting had worn on him more than he cared to admit.
“Let’s check.”
Seonwoo activated his goggles to pull up his status.
Ding!
<Sample Number: 27374
Subject Type: Type C (Offspring of Experiment Subject)
Gender: Male
Age: 10
Grade: 15
Infectivity: None
Immunity: None
Special Trait: Growth type (Growth conditions unknown)>
“Huh? No change? Doesn’t killing zombies increase it? Maybe I need to be closer?”
He racked his brain, but no clear answers emerged. Still, giving up wasn’t an option.
Instead, Seonwoo threw himself into experimenting.
He shot at the eyes.
He smashed heads with a bat.
He severed necks and stomped on skulls.
But no matter what he tried, the results remained the same.
Ding!
<Sample Number: 27374
Experiment Type: Type C (Offspring of Experiment Subject)
Gender: Male
Age: 10
Grade: 15
Infectiousness: None
Immunity: None
Special Trait: Growth-Type (Growth Conditions Unknown)>
“Damn it! It’s still the same. What’s the problem?”
He had tried everything he could think of, but no solution came to mind.
Whoooosh! Whoooosh!
As Seonwoo wrestled with his thoughts, the artificial sunlights in the underground city began to dim one by one. Although he wanted to continue experimenting, he knew it was too risky.
“Guess it’s time to head back.”
Reluctantly, Seonwoo turned and made his way home. When night fell, the city became the realm of the dead.
Creak!
“Kaaahhh!”
As he entered the apartment, a zombie lunged at him. It must have sneaked in while the place was unoccupied. Startled, Seonwoo stumbled backward and fell to the ground.
“Kaaahhh!”
The zombie threw itself at him with full force. Without thinking, Seonwoo clenched his eyes shut and thrust his dagger forward.
“Screeech!”
His trembling hand registered a heavy sensation. Warm liquid and a metallic stench assaulted his senses. Cautiously, he opened his eyes. The zombie was impaled on his dagger, blood gushing from its throat.
“Ugh, I’m covered in blood again. Gross!”
Back at his apartment, Seonwoo darted to the shower to rinse off the sticky gore. It wasn’t the first time, but the discomfort never lessened. He doubted he’d ever grow used to it.
“Phew! That’s better.”
Emerging from the shower, Seonwoo threw himself onto the bed. As his body relaxed, the earlier encounter replayed in his mind. A shiver ran down his spine, and he clenched his fists.
“I need to be more careful next time.”
The next day, Seonwoo woke up in the afternoon, realizing he’d slept for nearly 14 hours.
“Ahhh!”
Yawning, he reached for his goggles on the bedside table, then slipped them on.
Ding!
<Sample Number: 27374
Experiment Type: Type C (Offspring of Experiment Subject)
Gender: Male
Age: 10
Grade: 16
Infectiousness: None
Immunity: None
Special Trait: Growth-Type (Growth Conditions Unknown)>
“What?! Grade 16?”
Seonwoo shot up from bed.
“How did it go up?”
His mind raced.
“Did something special happen?”
He forced himself to recall the events of the previous day. Nothing significant came to mind—at least not at first.
Tap, tap, tap.
Fiddling with his goggles, he suddenly paused and tilted his head.
“Could it be…?”
An idea flashed through his mind.
“So, the first time my strength increased was after visiting the department store with his uncle. Then it happened again when I went there alone. And finally, after the apartment entrance…”
Piecing it together, a common thread emerged: each time, he had been drenched in blood.
“Yeah, it’s the blood. It has to be.”
Confidence surged as Seonwoo connected the dots. No more hesitation.
“This is it.”
He dashed to the storage room, preparing for his next outing. He packed weapons, essential supplies, and even sentimental items like a photo and necklace.
“Everything looks good,” he muttered, meticulously reviewing his checklist.
His thorough preparation was driven by more than just survival. This time, he intended to uncover the secret of his growth—and perhaps escape this place to find the real world.
“Time to go.”
As he turned to leave, a pang of reluctance struck him. Though artificial, this city held genuine memories. Still, staying here forever wasn’t an option.
“Minimap.”
A large map appeared in his vision, with a blinking green dot marking his location. The goggles responded flawlessly to his voice command.
“Perfect. Let’s do this.”
Steeling himself, Seonwoo took his first determined step forward.
Halt!
But before he could take another, his feet froze. His face was a picture of shock and confusion.
