Blink! Blink!
Blinding sunlight streamed through the cracks of the bunker entrance. Seonwoo squinted, shading his eyes with his hand.
“Where am I?”
Crashed cars. Traces of blood scattered everywhere. The surroundings were in utter disarray.
[14]
“14?”
The number 14 was clearly written on the crumpled iron door. Although his mind was still foggy, he could tell for sure that this was the entrance to the bunker. Seonwoo quickly opened his eyes wide and touched his face.
“I’m alive. Just as I was.”
It was unbelievable. He had been bitten by a zombie, so how was he still alive? But the reason behind this miracle didn’t matter.
He was alive. He hadn’t turned into a zombie. That was all that mattered.
Seonwoo, his face flushed, picked up the goggles that had been carelessly tossed beside him.
Ding!
<Sample Number: 27374
Subject: Type C (Offspring of Experiment Subject)
Gender: Male
Age: 10
Grade: 81
Infectivity: Transmitted through wounds (Green Virus)
Immunity: None
Trait: Growth type (DNA modification detected through blood absorption)>
Specialized DNA Detected: Cellular Regeneration DNA>
<User permissions have increased to Level 5.>
The discovery of specialized DNA, an increase in user grade, and the acquisition of a new X-ray function. While it should have been cause for celebration, Seonwoo couldn’t bring himself to be happy.
“No way… I’m infected with the Green Virus…”
A name he had seen countless times. The very name he encountered every time he searched for zombie statuses. His heart pounded as he stared at the words “Green Virus” clearly written on the status window.
“I’m fine. This can’t be true. Haha, yeah. The goggles must be broken. That’s it.”
Being infected with the Green Virus meant that Seonwoo had become a zombie. Seonwoo touched his face again.
“See? I’m fine.”
Shaking his head in denial, he knew deep down that he couldn’t dismiss the fact he was a zombie. Tears welled up in his eyes, unwilling to accept the truth.
A zombie. But I’m perfectly normal.
No matter how many times he checked, it was evident that he was still normal. It had to mean that the Cellular Regeneration DNA was suppressing his transformation into a zombie. There was no other explanation.
“Green Virus? So what? Don’t dwell on it. What matters is that I haven’t changed.”
Accepting that he had become a zombie was difficult for Seonwoo, but worrying wouldn’t change anything. Accepting the results was the best course of action.
“Now, let’s think about what to do next.”
Calming his mind, Seonwoo closed his eyes. In an inevitable situation, it was wiser to focus on finding solutions rather than worrying.
“Hoo…”
With his thoughts in order, he felt much lighter.
“Am I missing anything?”
For four days, Seonwoo scoured the central center thoroughly. Initially, he sought gloves to prevent harming others. But as he shopped, his list of necessities kept growing. Before he knew it, his backpack was overflowing.
“This should be enough.”
Nodding in satisfaction, Seonwoo donned his goggles, preparing for a final self-check before leaving the bunker.
<Level 1: Basic Interface / User Information / Basic Information of Underground City Shilla
Level 2: Scouter / Basic Mini-map (Location and Building Information within Underground City Shilla)
Level 3: Expanded Mini-map (Map Search)
Level 4: Basic Optical Camera (Zoom In-Out)
Level 5: Expanded Optical Camera (X-ray)>
Having surpassed grades 30, 50, and now 80, Seonwoo’s user permissions had increased. At Level 3, the Map Search feature opened, creating an automatic map of places he had visited—a handy tool outside the bunker.
“Haha. The Optical Camera. This is the real deal.”
Seonwoo chuckled, remembering how the Zoom In-Out function from Level 4 had enhanced his crossbow’s efficiency. It wasn’t a major feature, but it was effective.
“X-ray, huh? How much can I see with this? X-ray.”
Ding!
Shhh!
“Wow!”
The X-ray function exceeded his expectations. Everything but metal was visible. While not completely transparent, the level of visibility was sufficient.
“Alright. Time to set out.”
With a backpack larger than himself, Seonwoo walked down the mountain path along the unpaved road. The road, unused for a long time, was overgrown with grass but still discernible.
“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.”
Humming his favorite Christmas carol, Seonwoo felt sheer joy. The path down the road was exhilarating. Every little thing was a new experience for him.
Buzzing insects. Flowers blooming randomly. Rocks and dirt lying carelessly. Various scents carried by the wind.
Seonwoo absorbed every sensation, not wanting to miss a single thing.
“It’s amazing.”
Among all the wonders, what excited Seonwoo the most was the endlessly high and blue sky. Looking at the sky made him feel as if his body was floating up. As he followed the sky and walked for a while, he saw the end of the mountain path. Although he felt a bit regretful that the delightful hike was coming to an end, the excitement of approaching the real world made his heart pound.
“I must be almost there.”
At the end of the mountain path, a large road emerged. However, the real world that Seonwoo encountered for the first time was far from what he had imagined. The road was a mess, torn up in places, and broken-down cars were scattered about, creating a grotesque scene.
‘What happened here? Is the real world intact?’
A strange sense of worry weighed down on Seonwoo’s heart.
Screeech! Screeech!
The desolate wind swept across the road, rustling a rusty sign that stood alone by the roadside.
[Cheonan Samgeori Rest Area 2Km]
‘A rest area?’
Seeing the sign, Seonwoo’s worries faded away. Anticipation took over instead.
‘If it’s a rest area, there should be lots of people gathered there, right?’
With that thought, Seonwoo’s steps became quicker and lighter, eager to meet the people of the real world.
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
“Huff! Huff!”
Thanks to his hurried pace, it didn’t take long to reach the rest area. He saw old, broken-down buildings clustered together.
“Wow, buildings.”
Eager to meet people, Seonwoo quickly entered the rest area. He ran around, looking at everything. There was a public restroom for multiple people, a snack shop, a store with various items piled up, and a large dining area that could accommodate a hundred people. Although everything had been abandoned for a long time and wasn’t in proper condition, the facilities were all there. However, there was one thing missing—there wasn’t a single person in sight.
“Phew…”
The disappointment matched his high expectations. The accumulated fatigue hit him all at once. Seonwoo sat on a bench and let out a long sigh.
Puff! Puff!
Kicking at the ground, he dug into the innocent soil with his foot, his mouth forming a pout. He looked as though he might cry any moment.
“Ahhhh!”
Just then, a scream came from behind the rest area.
“A person.”
Seonwoo instinctively stood up. The voice sounded urgent, as if someone was in danger. Strangely enough, Seonwoo felt grateful and excited for the voice. The thrill of meeting another person for the first time since entering the real world overshadowed any fear. He ran toward the back of the rest area without thinking twice.
“Get away!”
A sharp, high-pitched voice yelled. Seonwoo saw a small girl with long hair, wielding a club. It looked like a serious fight, though the reason was unclear. But upon closer inspection, he realized the girl’s opponent was familiar.
“A zombie?”
Seonwoo was shocked.
‘So there are zombies in the real world too?’
It was a truth he didn’t want to believe. Everything became confusing.
“Are you just going to watch? Help me or get lost, but decide quickly!”
The girl’s shout snapped Seonwoo out of his daze.
“Sorry. I’m coming now.”
He closed the distance between himself and the zombie in an instant. The distance had seemed quite far, but he reached it in no time, surprising the girl. It was an unbelievable speed. She stared at Seonwoo in shock, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Boom!
With one punch, the zombie’s head burst. That made even less sense.
‘What is this kid?’
The girl was puzzled. Seonwoo looked like he was around her age, but he had the strength to surpass an adult male. The girl’s mind was in turmoil.
“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Seonwoo couldn’t understand why the girl was staring at him. Judging by her frown, it didn’t seem like a good thing.
‘Did I do something wrong?’
Seonwoo alternated between looking at the girl and himself, wondering what could be wrong. Then he noticed the blood splattered all over him.
“Oh, sorry. I was trying to handle it quickly.”
Seonwoo thought the girl was disgusted by the blood he was covered in. It was an understandable assumption, though it was a misunderstanding.
‘What should I do?’
He scratched his head, unsure of what to do. But the girl’s response was unexpected.
“You’re strong.”
She smiled brightly like sunlight. Only then did Seonwoo feel relieved and smiled back at her.
That was how Seonwoo and the girl met for the first time.
Leave a Reply