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Translator: penny
Chapter: 003
Chapter Title: Zombies Occupy Busan
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Arriving at the pier, I confirmed dozens of police officers had gathered.
A police officer wearing insignia approached me.
"I'm the security captain. Did you jump off the ship?"
"Yes."
"Why isn't the ship moving?"
"The ship's full of zombies, so the captain doesn't seem willing to dock."
"Zombies on the ship too?"
I explained what had happened aboard.
The security captain let out a despairing sigh.
"This is big trouble."
Then came the radio chatter.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙The captain says he can't unload the monsters onto land, so the ship remains stationary. Should we consider deploying special forces? We need to assess the situation further. A helicopter is en route. Standing by.
The security captain asked.
"Do you know how many survivors there are?"
"Infection spreads so fast that there are probably very few."
"What do the monsters look like?"
"Think zombies from the movies. They bite and claw to infect."
"Matches the reports we got. Thanks for your cooperation."
The ship would dock eventually.
The police couldn't handle the zombies that would pour out within minutes.
By now, the Japanese passengers who'd landed at Gimhae Airport had likely spread the infection to Busan, Gimhae, and Yangsan.
I gazed at the cruise ship floating on the sea.
It was sunset.
Crimson light embracing the horizon spread across the water like flames.
No time to get lost in sentiment.
I headed to the parking lot and got in my car.
Weeeeng— wiyoyoyong—
Sirens from police and fire trucks approaching.
As I drove, I pressed 1 on my smartphone.
No answer.
It wasn't a good time for calls, so I couldn't connect with Director Cha.
I headed toward Busan Station, where the hotel was.
Wing-ing—
My smartphone vibrated.
"Yes, Director."
- The situation's critical right now. Japanese entering through Incheon and Gimpo Airports are turning into monsters and spreading infection.
"Same here. I caught Crane and secured the documents. I'll head to the hotel and fax them over."
- Military and police are deploying here to contain it. How's it looking there?
"They won't be able to hold it."
The government would focus on defending the capital region, turning this place into zombie paradise.
The first arrivals had been quarantined in temporary sites like Yangsan and Changwon, but zombies had broken out there too, surrounding Busan.
- Virus from the Mt. Fuji eruption, right?
"Seems like it. You'll see some shocking facts in the documents."
- Got it. Heading into another meeting now.
"Take care."
The car entered the hotel district.
Take the convenience store alley, two turns, and the long-stay hotel appeared.
As expected, police special forces had barricaded the road and were aiming guns.
I got out and approached them.
"I need to get to Jessty Hotel."
"Can't let you in. There are bizarre lifeforms inside."
"I'm going."
"Hey! If you go in there..."
Before the cop finished, I vaulted the barricade and sprinted forward.
Whish—
Wind whipped up as I picked up speed.
Turning into the right alley, I faced a horrific scene.
Due to the time difference, things were unfolding differently from before.
Zombies were devouring fallen people from head to toe.
Roughly twenty of them.
The hotel was about 200 meters away.
I had to break through that path.
I pulled the pole from the parasol.
Clang— clang— clang—!
I banged the pole against the wall.
The zombies reacted to the noise and turned to stare at me.
Flesh and entrails tangled in their teeth—gruesome just to look at.
- Kraaaah!
One took the lead, the pack following behind.
I ran back the way I'd come.
The plan: lure them to the special forces and let the gunfire take care of them.
Turning into the left alley, I spotted the police.
Tatata-tang! Tatatata-tat!
Damn it!
Indiscriminate fire, no distinguishing friend from foe.
I quickly ducked behind a wall.
- Kraaang!! Kwaaaang!!
Tatata-tat-tat! Tata-tang!
Zombies poured out, muzzles spitting endless flames.
Gunshots rang on as zombies dropped one by one. Those hit in limbs kept going; only head and heart shots stopped them for good.
More zombies drawn by the noise charged the barricade.
Tatang— tatatata-tat!
- Kwaaang! Krk!
One vaulted the barricade and bit into a cop.
Once it breached, it was over in seconds.
I slipped back into the alley.
Luckily, most had been lured away by the gunfire, leaving few behind.
One, two, three, four.
Manageable.
Clang— clang—!
Banged the pole on the ground; they reacted instantly.
A zombie turned and crab-walked toward me.
Shocking before, but twisted feet and it still walks and runs—inexplicable movement.
- Kwaaang!
Blood dripped from its gums.
I gripped the pole in kendo stance.
- Kuwang!
Pfook—
Stabbed the charging one's heart and twisted.
- Kuwuwewek!
It collapsed; I pierced the next one's throat.
The pole punched through its windpipe.
Pulled it out, and a metallic rattle came from the hole.
- Karrr!
Full swing at the next one's skull.
Clang—!
Dull thud, skull caved in, but it still moved.
Reverse swing.
Clang—!
The zombie wobbled side to side then pitched forward.
Last one remaining.
A zombie grandma shuffling forward, arms spread wide.
Raised by my own grandma, I hesitated a moment.
As her nails brushed my neck, I squeezed my eyes shut and smashed down on her crown.
Kwajik—!
Her skull shattered with a loud crack. Gray fluid mixed with pus oozed out.
Foul stench.
Spinal fluid on the ground foamed white.
I dashed into the alley toward the hotel.
What the hell?
A zombie had entered the hotel's revolving door and was spinning endlessly.
Inside, staff gripped baseball bats and steel pipes, glaring.
As the zombie exited the door, I bashed its head clean off.
Blood and brains splattered the glass. I grabbed its neck stump, dragged it out, and hammered the head to pulp.
My face and body caked in gore.
The hotel staff stared, hands trembling.
"Zombies are heading this way. Block the entrance with furniture—anything."
"Huh?"
"You gonna sit here and die?"
"Ah... no. We'll block it."
Only then did the staff spring into action.
I took the elevator to the 12th floor.
"Director Baek! What the hell's going on?"
Bok Cheol-su, who'd been pacing the hallway, approached with a tense face.
He'd said he was touring the country with his late-in-life youngest daughter to celebrate turning sixty.
"Not sure exactly yet. Hasn't she come back?"
"Sujeong wanted to see Songdo Beach and eat milmyeon, so we looped back here."
"Outside's dangerous now."
"Sujeong mentioned zombies—what are those?"
"Monsters biting people, that's for sure. Wait it out for now. Check the news."
"Got it. Hurry back. You're scary just to look at."
I confirmed Bok Cheol-su entered room 1209, then went into 1205.
Bok Cheol-su.
When his daughter Bok Su-jeong got infected, he chose to become a zombie too.
Could I stop that?
Their story was heartbreaking; I wanted to save them.
But stopping humanity's extinction came first.
I spread out the documents I'd taken from Crane, snapped photos, and sent the fax.
Dusk deepening.
I sat on the sofa, reviewing events from now until a year from now.
Could I avert the end of Homo sapiens?
After much thought, my conclusion: I needed people's help.
In my past life, isolation meant I could only survive, not solve problems.
Now with foreknowledge, maybe I could stop it?
But no certainty.
Zombie strength, natural disasters, meteor strikes, human selfishness.
Those were constants.
- Kwarraa
Faint zombie roar in the distance.
I entered the right room and drew the curtains.
View of Busan Station.
I scanned with binoculars.
Train windows smeared with blood; people with torn necks, backs, thighs staggered out.
Exact match to my memories.
Busan would be fully overrun by zombies within a fortnight.
Then my smartphone vibrated.
Director Cha.
- You in the hotel?
"Yes. Busan's a slaughterhouse."
- Spreading faster than we can predict.
"Martial law for Busan and surroundings soon."
- Could be. Capital's been suppressed by military and police.
Should I tell the truth?
That I'd returned exactly one year from June 2030.
No way the National Intelligence Service director would buy such a wild story.
What if I called it a precognitive dream?
"Director, I had a dream. Exactly one year from now, humanity vanishes. Meteors strike worldwide; ours hits next June. I know it's hard to believe, but..."
My words were cut off.
- Baek Kang! No time for dream talk. NSC meeting's been called—orders incoming. Stand by till then.
In this crisis, of course my story sounded like nonsense.
I would've thought the same.
"Did you check the fax?"
- If this is real, it's dire. Heading into meeting. I'll keep the phone on, but secure areas might cut comms. We'll activate K-Sig5 within a fortnight—communicate through that.
K-Sig5.
The Shadow Net used by my old team, the Five Great Rivers.
After Ju Kang left, we'd switched to K-Sig4.
Reviving K-Sig5 meant Ju Kang was coming back in.
Sig for Signal—a secret network for sharing intel during ops.
Ju Kang's comms expertise joining was a good sign.
Once Director Cha got wind of Hanlight Group's involvement, his actions shifted.
Changing things one step at a time like this.
I checked the time.
8 p.m.
Right around now, Hanlight Group's third son should arrive.
I headed down to the hotel lobby.
A voice hurling curses.
"You know who I am! How can there be no rooms?"
A young man was yelling at the hotel staff.
"Just give me one room! You think you'll get away unscathed if I die because of you? Kick out other guests if you have to—now!"
Perfect.
Oh Jong-seong, Hanlight Group's third son, had appeared.
To thwart Hanlight Group's schemes, I needed to build ties with this guy.
Another name surfaced.
Ma Tae-beom.
Teaming with him early on helped me overcome early hurdles.
Problem was, after he vanished, I'd wasted too much time fighting solo.
In my past life, I'd traveled with helpful folks like Ye Ji-ah and Ma Tae-beom until we split.
This time had to be different.
Couldn't lose those two; needed to recruit more allies too.
Alone, I could never stop humanity's extinction.