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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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While Soo-hyun was unlocking the doors, the men diligently moved the aluminum panels to the front of the elevator and then went back out to strip more car parts.
A new house, a new home.
It had to be completely fortified.
We couldn’t have too many materials for reinforcing the building.
Seeing them go out to work without being told, they were definitely resourceful.
The residential floor, the 10th floor, consisted of 20 apartments on the left and 20 on the right.
The women had already chosen their preferred apartments from the ones we opened.
Grandma, Ye-eun, So-eun, and the new mother went inside to make lunch, preparing kimchi fried rice and distributing it to everyone.
Their cooking skills were truly impressive.
I devoured the delicious meal and continued unlocking doors.
The apartments were empty.
Except for the elderly man who seemed to have died alone or committed suicide, none of the apartments were occupied.
Unoccupied apartments, apartments whose residents had left for work before the apocalypse began, and apartments whose residents had gone downstairs for food and were attacked – a combination of these factors must have left the entire floor empty.
Most of them were single-occupancy apartments, judging by the shoes and clothes in the closets.
The last apartment on the 10th floor.
I pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong-
…Hmm?
Did I hear something rustling?
I turned my head; Soo-hyun, Grandma 2, and Jung Eun-seo’s expressions had also changed.
This was the first time we’d heard any sound from inside after opening 40 apartments.
I pressed the doorbell again.
Ding-dong-
Silence.
I definitely heard something.
I knocked and said, “Is anyone inside?”
Rustle.
Thump.
Cautious sounds.
And then, silence.
I knocked again. “If you’re there, open the door. I’ll give you some food.”
Shuffle.
It sounded like someone dragging their feet.
Very cautiously.
And close by.
They must have come to the door.
I said, “We’re not dangerous. We… just moved in next door.”
I looked at the women and shrugged. “What else am I supposed to say? We did move in.”
The women had amused expressions, as if they found the situation funny.
There was still no sound from inside the apartment.
Soo-hyun said, “Um, if you’re there, could you open the door? I… I also just moved in.”
Then Jung Eun-seo burst out laughing.
Grandma 2 also smiled, although silently.
Then a voice came from inside. “W-who is it? N-no one’s supposed to… move in next door…”
A woman.
She sounded quite young.
Jung Eun-seo said, “No one lives here anymore. We’re just looking for a place to stay. Do you… need any food? We have chocolate.”
After a moment, the door opened slightly.
Just a crack, because of the security chain.
She was quite pretty.
About 165cm tall? Maybe taller.
And she had a good figure.
Even though I could only see a glimpse through the crack.
I nodded. “Hello.”
“Eek!”
Click.
The door closed.
…Why did she do that?
Soo-hyun patted my back and then pushed me.
“Ugh, you can’t stand there covered in blood. Move.”
Ah.
Right.
I was so used to being covered in blood that I didn’t even think about it.
I scratched my head and stepped back.
Soo-hyun said, “Um, we’re really not dangerous. Can you open the door for a second?”
“G-go away! D-don’t come closer! I’m… I’m calling the police!”
…Hmm.
The police…?
There were no police anymore.
She must have been terrified.
The women looked at me expectantly.
Well, whatever.
Showing up covered in blood in front of a stranger…
I shrugged and said, “This isn’t going to work.”
Grandma 2 sighed and knocked on the door. “Um, I’ll leave some food in front of your door. Is that okay?” She was asking both the person inside and us. I didn’t mind.
Soo-hyun nodded, took a few chocolate bars from her pocket, and placed them in front of the door. “I left some chocolate bars.”
No response.
We decided to leave that apartment alone.
Then I gathered everyone.
It was almost evening after unlocking 39 apartments.
One of the inline skating men, who had come upstairs, looked at the apartment and whistled. “Twenty pyeong. Not bad. The rent must be quite high.”
I asked, surprised, “You can tell just by looking?”
“Yeah. I work in real estate.”
Oh.
Twenty pyeong.
I was terrible at that kind of thing, I had no idea.
I thought it was fifteen pyeong, just looking at the room.
Was it that size with the balcony and everything?
It did seem spacious.
After dinner, we discussed our plans.
The building was practically wide open.
I cleared the supermarket entrance, so anyone could come in by simply taking the elevator.
We had to properly secure the supermarket.
Soo-hyun was in charge of that.
“Welding is probably not a good idea before we clear out the supermarket. It’s quite noisy. And bright.”
That whirr, crackle sound.
And the sparks…
Even with their poor eyesight, the human beasts would notice.
Soo-hyun said, “I’ll close the shutters and seal the bottom with silicone. It should be pretty sturdy if I apply it thickly… but honestly, if several people pull on it hard enough, they might be able to rip it off.”
Hoon, arms crossed, nodded. “That’s true. But we don’t have any other choice right now.”
He was right.
We couldn’t weld with human beasts swarming inside the supermarket, and silicone alone wasn’t reliable.
I said, “We’ll have to stand guard all night, then?”
They looked at each other.
The inline skating men looked at each other, then raised their hands.
“We’ll take turns.”
“I thought guard duty was over after the military, I was wrong.”
Hmm.
They had all served in the military.
Hoon also raised his hand. “I-I’ll do it too, sir.”
Hmm.
Stinky, no, Han-tae, didn’t raise his hand, looking around nervously.
Right…
…don’t raise your hand.
I wouldn’t trust you to stand guard.
Jung Eun-seo, the other inline skating women, Ye-eun, and Soo-hyun also raised their hands.
Hmm.
I knew Jung Eun-seo was bold, but I didn’t expect her to be the first to volunteer. Ye-eun had also adapted to this situation quite well.
And Soo-hyun.
She was so diligent.
I smiled and said, “Then those who raised their hands, including me, will take turns standing guard.”
Hoon shook his head. “No, sir. You and Soo-hyun have other things to do, you should rest.”
The inline skating men also nodded. “Leave this to us. We’ll take care of the supermarket.”
The women chimed in.
“Soo-hyun, you should rest too.”
“I saw your hands shaking earlier.”
…Shaking?
I looked at Soo-hyun’s hands; they were red.
Ah, from using the metal cutter.
Soo-hyun smiled and said, “I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Rest.” I said that and stood up. “Then we’ll do that. I’ll leave the scheduling and everything to you. I’m going to rest and then go back down to the supermarket.”
They waved at me. “Yes, sir. Rest well.” “Get some rest.”
I turned to go to the apartment I had my eye on.
Then Soo-hyun grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
Hmm… Apartment 1023.
Click.
The door closed.
It didn’t close completely because there was no lock.
But whatever.
No one here, except for the Cockroaches, would barge in.
We could install a lock later.
The apartment Soo-hyun took me to had what seemed to be a high-end computer.
That was probably one of the reasons she chose this apartment. A gamer couldn’t resist a free high-end computer.
“Stay here, oppa. Okay? I’m going to go work with the silicone. Wash off the blood first.”
I smiled and undressed. “Okay. Call me if anything happens.”
“Got it.”
Soo-hyun was about to leave, then she gently caressed my groin, smiled mischievously, and left.
I chuckled and went into the bathroom.
6 p.m.
I went down to the first floor.
I couldn’t see outside.
The shutters were all closed.
Everyone…
…ah, they were all by the side entrance.
Then they must have sealed most of this area.
I walked along the shutters and saw Soo-hyun holding a caulking gun with a silicone cartridge. The men were standing around her, helping.
“Soo-hyun, how’s it going?”
Soo-hyun smiled when she saw me. “Almost done. I’m just finishing up the shutters and leaving the broken glass parts as they are. We still need to move the bodies outside, and we might need to go out, so… why did you come down? You should rest some more.”
I tapped the swords on my waist.
Hoon said, “A-are you going… to the supermarket, sir?”
“Yes. It’s time.”
The inline skating men shuffled closer.
“Can… can we watch?”
“What’s your name?”
“How old are you?”
Hmm…
We hadn’t introduced ourselves properly.
“Han Sung-hoon, twenty-five.”
“Ah, I’m-”
I shook hands with the men and exchanged names.
And immediately forgot them.
Sorry, but I wasn’t interested.
At least I knew they were older than me.
Twenty-eight, twenty-seven, thirty, something like that.
I put on a very interested expression, completely forgetting their names, and said, “Then I’ll be going. Please take care of Soo-hyun.”
“Don’t worry about me, oppa, worry about yourself. Don’t get hurt.”
I chuckled and walked towards the supermarket.
Oh.
They moved all the bodies?
They must have thrown them outside.
I stretched my arms and looked into the supermarket.
…A lot of them.
How would I deal with them…
I glanced back.
The inline skating men were watching me, and Soo-hyun and Hoon were applying silicone.
To prevent them from coming this way.
Then I would have to lure them inside.
I drew my sword.
Shing-
I pushed the glass door open with my shoulder and went inside.
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Finally updated T_T