Hiding a House in the Apocalypse

I once read a post about the most distressing nightmares that South Korean men have before the war, and for someone like me, it's nightmares about being redeployed.

In my case, it's nightmares related to debt.

As a chronic debtor, I received relentless pressure from my enormous debts, and the never-ending stream of documents is particularly memorable.

Notices of payment, seizure orders, collections, notices of trial dates, verdicts, property declaration orders, notices of forced auctions, and more. Various types of "fan letters" from my creditors.

I don't really want to imagine a future where there was no war.

I don't have a job, so personal rehabilitation is out of the question. Perhaps bankruptcy was the only ending?

So, to be completely honest, when I heard the news that a war was coming, I was somewhat relieved...

For some, the apocalypse didn't bring only negative consequences. Some found newfound vitality and even a sense of purpose in the midst of this new change.

My only online friend, the Human Hunter, was a fish that could swim freely only in the turbulent waters of disaster.

Kim Daram visited my hideout, and on that day, as always, the Human Hunter sent me a message.

Message from Defender: When are you coming? Skeleton. I'm waiting with bated breath.

I may not always pay my debts, but I'm someone who keeps promises.

SKELTON: Wait for me. I'll bring a gift.

Even for the sake of my social image within the community, promises had to be kept.

I contemplated my mode of transportation, but in the end, I chose my trusty bicycle.

It's quiet, easy to discard, and, ultimately, if I'm ambushed properly, it wouldn't make a difference.

Since there are no mutations here, something slow but quiet would be the best choice.

Before departing, I maintained the chain and pumped air into the tires, then loaded up an ammo box.

As always, my arsenal consisted of a single rifle, a pistol, and two axes, a minimalist travel kit.

However, this time, unlike usual, I wore a bulletproof vest underneath.

The rifle rounds would undoubtedly pierce it, but it's better to have it than not.

According to the information provided by Defender, there are three major danger zones around the meeting point.

The first is the monster-controlled zone.

According to the Human Hunter's explanation, these monsters don't roam but establish their roots in one place, appearing to be sedentary types. As long as you don't enter their territory, they are generally harmless.

The second threat is the area controlled by zombies.

Many zombies have taken over an abandoned apartment complex and have entered a dormant state. However, some still roam in reconnaissance form, looking for unlucky victims. Nonetheless, the zombie area is located southwest of the meeting point, off the beaten path, and quite far away, so it doesn't seem to pose a substantial threat.

The third threat is the rest of the area.

That's right. The ultimate threat is humans.

Human Hunters couldn't provide a definitive answer regarding where they would be, how they would attack, or what tactics they would use. Unlike monsters or zombies, humans frequently change their positions, devise new tactics and strategies, and set traps.

Nevertheless, he could provide information about areas to avoid and groups of humans to stay away from.

One thing he emphasized was clothing.

Message from Defender: Don't mess with guys wearing red pants if you can help it.

Always being cautious and planning ahead reduced the risks of an operation, no matter how dangerous it seemed.

The relatively dangerous journey was unexpectedly peaceful and smooth.

When I reached the midpoint, the veil of night was gradually falling over the land.

From a hill by the river, I saw ghostly white lights illuminating the abandoned streets.

It was the monster's territory.

An independent species capable of surviving in Earth's environment, their mission was not to kill or exterminate humans. Their role was to gradually transform their surroundings, the areas they had claimed, into something resembling their own homeland.

Humans were considered nothing more than obstacles to be excluded during this process.

Just as darkness shrouded me, the monster's territory was hidden from view. I couldn't discern what type of monster it was, but at the very least, I confirmed that it was a sedentary species.

On the other hand, the human looters I feared the most were nowhere to be found along my route.

Passing through three potential ambush sites, all I found were abandoned vehicles, debris, charred remains, and the scorched bodies.

The threat appeared unexpectedly in a different location.

Zombies.

They were far away from my path, but they were quite active in the vicinity of the path.

I didn't see them, but the eerie chorus of corpses spreading under the pale moonlight implied that their numbers were far from small.

There were at least a hundred of them.

Had they recently awakened from their dormancy?

I cautiously continued along the remaining path, making sure to keep quiet.

We had agreed not to use the walkie-talkies.

Unlike my empty territory, this area had quite a few people and factions, so using walkie-talkies would only reveal our presence.

If the Human Hunter had personal identification number, we could communicate on unique frequencies instead of the risky public frequencies, but I was the only one with personal identification number.

Instead, we had detailed arrangements for the meeting place and expected time, and the Human Hunter sent me a photo of the meeting spot.

The meeting place was beneath a massive fir tree that seemed to stand upright as if it were a gigantic Ferris wheel inclined at the axis of the Earth.

Approaching the theme park, I searched for a similar tree.

There it was.

Although the viewing angle was different, the tree looked as though it was protruding rather than leaning against the moonlight, just like in the photo.

No people were visible in the vicinity.

I pulled out my weapons and slowly approached.

I opened up all my senses, prepared for all possibilities.

After a while, I sensed a presence.

It was a person.

Someone was standing behind the tree.

My heart raced with excitement.

Was I finally meeting the troublemaker from the community?

What did he look like?

Perhaps he would have a surprisingly kind appearance.

After all, human nature had nothing to do with one's appearance.

But this breathing...

It was too faint to be a man's.

Amidst a slight shock, the shadow behind the tree revealed itself.

It was a woman.

A long-haired woman with pale skin resembling the moonlight.

A woman with a quite attractive appearance was looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and fear in her eyes.

She awkwardly waved her hand in greeting.

Instead of responding, I raised my gun and aimed behind her.

"Come out."

There was another one.

Clank.

"I said come out."

I felt a slight movement at the edge of my vision as the woman behind the tree shifted.

"Stay still."

I warned her, pointing at her with the axe in my right hand.

The underbrush rustled lightly.

"Wow."

A young man's exclamation echoed from within the bushes.

Then, like a black shadow bursting from the thicket, a man appeared under the moonlight, raising his hands and slowly stepping forward to reveal himself.

He was tall and had a handsome appearance.

He revealed himself while keeping an eye on me.

"It's the first time. That someone didn't fall into our trap."

Slowly stepping back, I briefly questioned while keeping both of them in sight.

"Are you John Nenon?"

The man smirked.

"No, why would you even pick a name like that? Disappointing. I'm Defender."

I glanced back and forth between the man and the woman.

The man smiled, but the woman turned her head away, avoiding eye contact.

"Both of us. My little sister often posts on the forums, though."

"What?"

I stared intently at the woman.

Was it her?

The person who used to post cynical comments and certifications of murder on the internet, without a trace of such cynicism?

She didn't look like it at all.

Her face seemed rather kind.

Well, you couldn't judge a person solely by their appearance.

The man turned his gaze toward the woman.

"My sister is a hamster in real life, but she's a fox on the internet. Well, it's my account, and I post occasionally too. I leave comments frequently as well."

"Is that so?"

The identity of the Human Hunter was revealed.

He wasn't just one person. They were siblings.

Both of them appeared to be in their mid-twenties, well-nourished and psychologically stable.

"Now that we've introduced ourselves, how about you?"

I smelled the scent of grass burning from their bodies, which I thought smelled like corpses.

I replied briefly, maintaining a blank expression.

"I'm Skeleton."

This wasn't what I expected.

I pointed towards the bicycle with a sense of unexplained regret.

"That's ammunition. Take it."

What could be the reason?

Was it because there were two of them? Or was it different from what I expected? Or was it their overly friendly attitude that made me uncomfortable?

No, I think I know.

Their approach reminded me of unpleasant memories.

A young woman with a beautiful face takes the lead, and when the other party lets their guard down, a man attacks and kills the victim.

It was a common sight in the gang-infested areas of China, but I wasn't part of that team.

A colleague hunter who fell into their shallow trap was hung under a traffic light with his head hanging.

It wasn't that I had a problem with their method, but I just didn't want to see the same scene repeat itself in front of me.

"Why are you so cautious?"

The man asked while transferring the ammunition.

The woman clenched her fist and had been cautiously watching me from the beginning.

After being cautious for a while, she took out something, rolled it up, put it in her mouth, and lit it.

The smell in the air was not from cigarettes but from burning grass.

This was probably the source of the smell coming from their bodies.

"Why don't we go inside for a moment?"

The man, Defender, suggested as he loaded the ammunition onto the cart.

"No, I should be on my way. You go ahead."

"Why are you so guarded?"

The man asked again.

The woman had already taken hold of the cart and was ready to pull it.

"Let's go to our place for a moment."

"What's going on?"

"That bunch over there."

Defender finally showed a clear expression for the first time.

"That's why I need bullets."

*

Defender's base was not in the bunker shelter, but in an old mansion overlooking the theme park in the mountains.

It was more of a mansion than a house.

Overall, it looked old and rundown, but it was equipped with luxurious amenities, including detached houses, warehouses, and garages.

Was this why they chose to kill rather than hide?

The scent of grass burning from their bodies was replaced by the smell of the weeds growing inside a small greenhouse made of vinyl, which was difficult to identify.

Inside, the young woman Defender looked at the upscale box in my hand with curious eyes.

She still seemed wary of me, but her persistent gaze indicated her interest.

"What... is that, Skeleton?"

She soon asked in a timid voice.

"This?"

It was Kim Daram's high-quality cookies. He had brought them halfway eaten, intending to give them as a gift to the human hunter. He thought it might raise Defender's favourability and improve his reputation naturally.

However, the real Defender I saw was not as good as I had imagined. He had one more mouth to feed.

So, I thought about taking the cookies home to eat them myself, but I ended up bringing them along when I received an unexpected invitation.

"It's a gift..."

I reluctantly offered the cookies to the female Defender.

She opened the box and looked at me with a bright smile.

"Skeleton!"

She seemed genuinely pleased.

"..."

I avoided her gaze and looked around the house.

Unlike my underground bunker, the spacious open hall with its sense of space was refreshing to the eyes.

It was definitely an affluent household. Traces of money were evident everywhere.

However, the magic-like erosion and wear and tear unique to the post-apocalyptic era had not spared this place either. There were worn and crumbling parts here and there.

Soon, the male Defender brought out a steaming cup of tea.

"Oh."

He laughed heartily as he looked at the cookies.

"Skeleton! You're a cool guy. A real man I can respect!"

"..."

Unwillingly, the female Defender whispered something into the male Defender's ear.

"My little sister asked why the guy isn't acting like a real man."

"?"

Who's talking about whom?

I glanced at the female side, and she tried to avoid eye contact while pretending to be distracted.

I sighed and spoke up, "What's that crying noise?"

That's the point.

The crying of a child brought me here.

"Let's have some tea for now."

The siblings both picked up their tea cups simultaneously.

I smelled it.

A pleasant aroma.

It had a luxurious scent that was a world apart from the cheap iced tea in my underground bunker.

But I didn't drink the tea.

Don't accept everything they offer.

It's the etiquette of a person surviving in the era of destruction.

But unlike me, the Defender siblings eagerly devoured my cookies.

I couldn't resist, so I grabbed one and put it in my mouth, and as I bit into the cookie, I involuntarily took a sip of the tea.

It was delicious.

A perfect match!

I guess I should have trusted my internet friend a bit more.

As I looked at the empty box with regret, the male Defender spoke up.

"Pioneer."

"Pioneer?"

"There are some guys outside Keystone's house, right? They're in the same category as those guys."

"Is that so?"

"But their quality is far from good."

The male Defender flicked his finger toward his sister.

Upon seeing this, the female Defender unfolded her laptop and showed me the screen.

In the photos taken with a mobile phone, there were several middle-aged men standing awkwardly with gloves on and guns in their hands.

I didn't think there was anything special about them until I noticed that all of them were wearing red pants, and two children were sitting under the armoured vehicle.

"What's this?"

The male Defender sneered coldly.

"Scavengers."

"Scavengers?"

"They use kids to get the people hiding in the bunker, take everything from them, kill the men, rape the women, and use the kids for their business."

"Despicable."

"That's why we're going to kill them."

The human hunter revealed this while wearing a strangely joyful expression as if he was savouring the idea of murder.

For some reason, talking about murder seemed to bring him a great deal of pleasure.

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