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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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Gasps of surprise rippled through the group.
I held up a hand to calm them, then asked,
“The Presidential Office?”
“That is correct. I am Ahn Jun-gyu, Chief Presidential Secretary. May I ask for the name of the person I’m speaking with?”
Ahn Jun-gyu?
I had never heard of him.
Politics was pointless, and politicians were the people who took those pointless things seriously, so I had never paid any attention to them.
But that was just him; the others seemed to have different opinions.
Hoon said in surprise,
“I think it’s really him, Sir. His voice is the same as the one I heard on the news.”
Jun-hyuk nodded in agreement.
“Yes. I think it’s him, Sung-hoon.”
He nodded and said,
“Could you please tell me why you’re looking for me?”
Silence fell on the other end of the line.
i heard a thoughtful hum.
Soon, Secretary Ahn spoke,
“I can tell you, but first, we need to confirm that you are indeed the person in the video. I don’t mean to be distrustful; it’s simply a matter of confidentiality, and I need to report to the President. Would that be alright?”
Then Jung Eun-seo spoke,
“Mr. Secretary. You know the situation is dire. We don’t know why the government is distributing flyers and searching for people, and we need to know if this could put us in danger.”
“And you are…?”
Jung Eun-seo glanced at him and said,
“…Someone close to him.”
Secretary Ahn was silent for a moment.
“Very well. I’ll tell you.”
He continued,
“I don’t know how many of you are there. It seems there are several of you. I’ll address you as a group.”
The group exchanged glances.
This was a conversation with a high-ranking government official.
“As you know, the entire world is facing a catastrophic crisis. Our country is no exception. On the first day of the outbreak, our government convened an emergency committee and initiated a city stabilization plan. However, it failed.”
I already knew that.
If it had succeeded, they wouldn’t be trapped here like this.
Secretary Ahn continued,
“There are several reasons for the failure, but the main reason is that our military experienced the same thing as militaries around the world. Infected individuals appeared in military bases across the country, and within just a few hours, entire units were either dead or infected. We also suspect there were many desertions. It’s not much different from how people were infected in the cities.”
…He had assumed as much.
If the military had survived, they would have done something.
“Our military has been decimated. There are no more police or military to maintain order. We estimate that at least 90% of the population was infected within a week of the outbreak.”
90%?
He thought that was a low estimate.
But it was impossible to conduct an accurate census.
Secretary Ahn said,
“The National Assembly suffered the same fate. The day of the outbreak was the day of a parliamentary session. Dozens of the two hundred or so assembly members present suddenly turned and attacked those around them, and before they could escape, all the members were either infected or dead. All we have left are a few government officials and a small number of elite soldiers.”
This wasn’t unique to their country.
The same thing had happened all over the world.
In the military, in the government, in parliament.
The world had ended on the first day of the apocalypse.
The Secretary continued,
“We have no army. We assume most of them are either dead or infected. But we have weapons. They are just sitting there.”
…Weapons.
His eyebrows twitched.
Secretary Ahn said,
“We will reclaim our military bases and secure the weapons. Rifles, explosives, and vehicles, including combat helicopters. Ultimately, we will use these weapons to rescue the survivors.”
The group’s expressions gradually changed.
I, too, listened intently to the Secretary’s words.
“We are currently organizing a special forces unit to reclaim the military bases. Many talented individuals have joined us, and we are in the process of recruiting more when we came across the video. That is why our government has been searching for the man with the swords in the video.”
Secretary Ahn paused.
Seemingly waiting for a response.
Everyone looked at him.
He slowly opened his mouth but hesitated.
Attacking military bases to obtain weapons.
It wasn’t a bad idea.
But how?
They were currently trapped in the middle of a zombie wave.
Could he leave these people behind?
And even if he went, how would he get back?
“Are you still there?”
Secretary Ahn asked.
He took a deep breath and slowly said,
“Yes. I heard you. First… I need some time to think.”
“What do you need to think about?”
He glanced at the wall of the rooftop.
“First of all, we are currently in the middle of a zombie wave and cannot move. And we have people here we can’t just leave behind.”
Secretary Ahn hummed thoughtfully and said,
“We can discuss that later, can’t we? We can help you. But first, as I’ve repeatedly requested, could you prove to us that you are who you say you are?”
…He hesitated.
…Special forces…
He slowly nodded.
“…Alright. Would it be sufficient if I filmed a video and sent it to you?”
“Yes, for now. And if we meet in person later, you can demonstrate it to us directly?”
“…If we meet.”
“Then we will be eagerly waiting. We hope to hear from you again.”
“Yes.”
I hung up.
Everyone looked at him.
Their gazes…
…But weapons.
Weapons!
All they currently had were bows.
I couldn’t predict the future, whether they would survive this zombie wave, or whether they would be trapped again. Could these people survive with just a few bows and a hundred or so arrows?
Could his women survive?
…Weapons.
They needed weapons.
A dozen K2 assault rifles and plenty of ammunition would be good.
And some grenades, if possible.
…Could they get a mortar too?
…Weapons.
It was a word that made his heart race.
Noise could be a problem, but only for him.
I fought silently, whirling through his enemies and disappearing. No one could replicate his style.
He could avoid combat if he wanted to.
But the others were different.
For ordinary people, if they were in a situation where they needed to use weapons, noise was no longer a concern.
If shooting meant a chance of survival, and not shooting meant death, there was no choice.
That was the reality for ordinary people.
So, it was definitely better to have them than not.
A dozen rifles.
And ten thousand rounds of ammunition.
Over a hundred grenades.
If they had that, even if something happened while he was gone, they would have a chance to survive.
And there was something else.
I had to find my family.
My parents. my younger sister.
I had to know if they were alive or dead.
I had to get out of here somehow.
If I left…
It would be temporary.
My family was important, but my women were also important to me.
I would return to where my women were.
So, while I was gone, these people… my people… they needed to be able to protect themselves.
Especially…
My women.
Soo-hyun, Ye-eun, and Eun-seo.
I didn’t want any of them to die.
Never.
I mind made up, I raised my head.
“Han-tae, go downstairs and bring my swords. And a box of almond choco balls.”
“Yes, hyung!”
Han-tae nodded enthusiastically and hurried downstairs.
I said to Soo-hyun,
“Film this properly.”
“…Are you leaving? Oppa?”
Worry clouded Soo-hyun’s face.
Ye-eun and Eun-seo also looked uneasy.
They were afraid I would leave them.
The others shared the same sentiment.
I shook my head.
“I’m not leaving you. I’ll protect you. But the Secretary has a point. We need weapons.”
To be precise, they needed weapons.
I needed them too, but I was confident I could survive without them. I was immune to Evil.
But they weren’t.
A single bite would be the end.
Tae-young grinned and said,
“Man, I just finished my military service, and now I’m about to be shooting guns again.”
Despite my words, I looked excited.
“Weapons are good. We need them. Hopefully, we can get a lot of grenades too.”
“I… I know how to operate a mortar, Sir.”
Oh.
He knew how to use a mortar.
Jun-hyuk and Hoon, who had just spoken, also looked quite pleased.
That’s right.
This was typical of Korean men.
Even if they were strangers, they would instantly transform into a military unit when the situation demanded it.
The women looked anxious, but the men seemed to be filled with anticipation.
I looked at the women and said, my women.
“…Don’t worry.”
Eun-seo’s face crumpled slightly.
“You always say that.”
It was the first time he’d seen Eun-seo make such an expression.
I caressed her cheek and smiled.
“When have I ever given you cause for concern? Don’t worry.”
Soo-hyun and Ye-eun were also looking at me.
Their expressions…
I wasn’t leaving them.
If I went, it would only be temporary.
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