CTLI — Chapter 3

“Usually, zombies die when you destroy their heads. But if it’s hard to get a clean shot…”

I lowered my hand and tapped my thigh quietly. His gaze followed, then he nodded.

“I get it.”

“Most of the early zombies have already lost muscle control and started to decompose, so they probably can’t move properly anymore. If you can’t handle it, you can always run and call for me.”

“Okay.”

“But if you ever see a zombie that keeps moving even after its head is destroyed—do not provoke it. Quietly retreat.”

“…Why?”

“There’s a high chance it’s a mutant. They usually only respond to sound or light, but…”

I recalled the last mutant I had seen—its shape so distorted it could hardly be called human, with a massive eye and that gaping mouth filled with countless remnants of human faces… Just the memory made me nauseous, and I furrowed my brow.

I considered telling him about it, but decided there was no need to scare him more than necessary, so I kept my mouth shut.

“They’re different from normal zombies, so be extra cautious. And if, by any chance, you need to take one down, aim for the neck, not the head.”

“The neck?”

I raised a hand and made a slicing motion across my throat. When I explained that their heads had to be completely severed from their necks before they’d finally stop moving, Choi Dohyun paled but nodded. I looked down at him for a moment in silence, then pulled aside the curtain, which was covered in dust, and tidied up the blanket on the bed.

“Of course, I’ll handle things before it ever gets to the point where you need to do anything, so don’t be too afraid.”

“…That’d be nice.”

Choi Dohyun let out a short sigh and ran a hand through his hair. Despite having apparently holed up at home, his hair looked clean and soft, like he’d been washing regularly. His hair had a slightly wavy texture. I found myself staring until our eyes met, and I quickly turned away to shut the drawer that was still open.

By the time I realized there was no reason to avoid his gaze, the awkwardness had already settled thick in the air. I exhaled deeply and gave the bed a few quick pats.

“There’s some dust, but it shouldn’t be uncomfortable. It’s already late, so let’s get some sleep here and head out early in the morning.”

“How long do you think the trip will take?”

It had taken seven hours by car to cross over. And that was with frequent stops along the way to check the zones, which made the trip even longer. Just walking there, doing nothing else, would obviously take even more time.

Besides, Zones 1 and 2 weren’t guaranteed to be safe, so if we were to take the safest possible route…

“If we’re lucky, it’ll take a week. If not, about ten days.”

“A week to ten days…”

“So it’s best for you to get as much rest as possible today.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Choi Dohyun stumbled toward the bed, removed the hip pouch from his waist, and dropped it beside the pillow before collapsing face-first into the mattress. He buried his face in the pillow and pulled the blanket over himself. I didn’t say anything, just quietly made my way to the sofa.

Of course he’d be worried. I didn’t blame him. I still vividly remembered the beginning of the outbreak and the first time the mutants appeared, like it had happened only hours ago.

I had to shoot my own sister in the head while she begged, mangled by a zombie, screaming for me to let her die as a human being. I had to strangle a fellow soldier with my own hands—the same one who had said we should grab a drink once all this was over.

Swallowing down the nausea that churned in my gut, I slumped onto the sofa and leaned back. I grabbed the blanket that had fallen to the floor, pulled it over myself, and turned my head toward Choi Dohyun. His large frame made the blanket rise and fall in heavy movements.

“Why does he keep saying it’s too real…”

He clearly didn’t want to accept this reality. Or maybe he’d just lost his mind, and that’s why he was saying things that didn’t make sense. I understood, but it still worried me. I just hoped he wouldn’t panic and shoot me in my sleep.

Trying not to dwell on the scattered thoughts leaking from his mouth, I closed my eyes and tried to rest.

Unlike the past week, the feeling of emptiness and helplessness had vanished like melting snow. Now, I was focused entirely on a single goal: protecting Choi Dohyun and getting him safely back to the facility.

Maybe—just maybe—I’d stayed in Zone 3 this whole time just to meet him.

---

When I woke up, Choi Dohyun was already up, staring down at a blank sheet of A4 paper. The moment I opened my eyes and saw that strange sight, I was reminded once again that this man was definitely not all there. My voice came out rough and hoarse from sleep.

“What are you doing…”

“Oh, hyung, you’re awake?”

“Do you need a pen or something…”

“Huh? Ah… no, I was just looking.”

Choi Dohyun laughed awkwardly and set the paper down, then hurried over to me. It looked like he’d already washed up—his bangs were slightly damp at the tips.

Still half-asleep, I stared blankly at his hair and blinking eyes before finally pushing myself upright. I’d fallen asleep on the sofa, but now I was in the bed.

“You looked uncomfortable.”

“When did you wake up?”

“About an hour ago? Maybe an hour and ten minutes?”

Diligent, I thought. I yawned widely and ran a hand through my messy hair. It was short, so there wasn’t much to fix, but I stretched and strapped the holster back to my leg. Choi Dohyun had apparently already finished getting ready—he stood there watching me in silence.

“You could’ve woken me.”

“I was just… thinking about some things.”

I nodded and picked up some snacks, jerky, and a bottle of water from the corner. I handed them to Choi Dohyun, and without exchanging a word, we quietly ate our breakfast while watching the sunrise.

Once I’d checked every corner of the room for any items we might have left behind and mentally ran through a terrain simulation, I finally headed toward the front door.

“Are you ready?”

I turned and looked at Choi Dohyun, who had silently followed behind. Unlike yesterday, he looked surprisingly calm. Maybe he’d done some real thinking and come to terms with something. When our eyes briefly met, he smiled with his eyes.

“I’m all set, hyung.”

I nodded and opened the door. Rotting corpses swarming with insects came into view, and the stench pierced my nose—but I didn’t hesitate as I stepped forward. Just in case, I glanced back to check on Choi Dohyun, but he walked along like none of it fazed him in the slightest.

“…”

Could someone really act so calmly right away like that? Then again, it was better than him crying and refusing to move. That’s what I told myself as I kept walking. For all the ominous things I’d said, Zone 3 was quiet, which made our journey relatively easy.

Along the way, we stopped at a large supermarket to grab whatever food we could find, just in case, and picked up medical supplies too. When Choi Dohyun grabbed some unfamiliar spray bottles, I warned him they’d just weigh us down, but he insisted that we might need them someday.

It annoyed me a bit, but I figured he’d give up once he experienced the burden for himself, so I didn’t press further.

We also scavenged spare magazines and protective gear from dead soldiers’ corpses. Every time he picked something up, he would stare at it for a while, but instead of crying, he looked genuinely happy to have something that could protect him. Thanks to that, I could focus solely on keeping watch.

Zone 3 really was peaceful. As we neared the outskirts, I began to hear the gurgling of zombies, and I reached out to hold his hand in case he started to feel uneasy. But instead, he seemed more preoccupied with the fact that I was holding his hand than with the sounds outside.

“Aren’t you nervous?”

“I’m fine because you’re here, hyung.”

Even to my puzzled question, he remained composed. He even tried to reassure me, saying the noise sounded like it was coming from beyond the zone’s boundary. When I pointed out we were heading into the outskirts and it would be more dangerous, he just shrugged.

How could someone who stayed shut in their home until now be this unfazed? But I didn’t ask. As we neared the boundary, the zombies’ shrill cries rang louder, and my body started to tense on its own.

I wasn’t afraid of dying. I was just scared that I wouldn’t be able to protect Choi Dohyun—that he might die because of me.

I wasn’t afraid of dying. I was just scared that I wouldn’t be able to protect Choi Dohyun—that he might die because of me.

[Grooowl…]

And finally, when we reached the edge, I saw a zombie making beast-like noises, peering into the interior of a car. Every time it opened its mouth, maggots spilled out. Its pale, unfocused eyes rolled around constantly, and it smacked its lips as it aimlessly paced in front of the vehicle.

“Do you remember what I told you?”

“…Yeah. I’ll try.”

With a slightly tense expression, Choi Dohyun raised his gun. His stance wasn’t bad. I took a step back and aimed at the zombie myself in case something went wrong. Choi Dohyun narrowed his eyes and, after a brief hesitation, pulled the trigger.

The gunshot rang in my ears, and the zombie collapsed without resistance. It twitched a few times on the ground before going completely still like a puppet with its strings cut. I let out a quiet breath of relief as I saw the bullet had hit dead center in its forehead. At least I wouldn’t get hit by a stray bullet from his aim.

“…It’s dead, right?”

“Yes. Well done.”

I offered some absentminded praise as I moved forward. Just to be sure, I nudged the zombie, but as expected, it stayed limp. A clean kill.

“Hyung, be careful.”

Choi Dohyun hurried over, grabbed my arm, and pulled me a few steps away from the body. Who’s protecting who here? I glanced around and lifted his gun, which he had lowered too casually.

“Zombies are sensitive to sound. It’s possible more will be drawn here. You should get used to always staying alert.”

“Okay. Sorry.”

He immediately nodded, accepting the scolding without protest. If only we had a suppressor, I thought, but no use wishing. I clicked my tongue and swept my gaze around before turning toward the car. I’d only looked inside on a whim, wondering what the zombie had been staring at—but inside the car was a dried-up corpse.

“Choi Dohyun.”

I gave a small wave and called out to him. He stopped scanning the area and rushed over to me like an obedient puppy, peering into the car. He furrowed his brow briefly, then glanced at me as if checking my reaction before speaking.

“Looks like they’re already dead.”

“I know. I’m not talking about the body—look at what’s next to it.”

“…Is that a suppressor?”

At his cautious question, I nodded. Judging by the clothing and scattered gear, the person inside had likely been a soldier or a police officer.

Cars this intact usually had at least one or two useful items inside. Zombies lacked the intelligence to open doors, and the fact that the car hadn’t been disturbed meant no one else had looted it either.

The moment he confirmed there was a suppressor, Choi Dohyun didn’t hesitate. He raised his gun and smashed the car window. He’s going to hurt himself doing that. I instinctively raised my hand to stop him, but the glass shattered faster than I could speak.

With the sharp crack of breaking glass, the window shattered into pieces. Choi Dohyun casually unlocked the door, reached in, and grabbed the suppressor. Was breaking a window always that easy? He was stronger than I thought.

“It won’t last long.”

Turning the suppressor in his hands, he clicked his tongue.

“Ten shots, max.”

He held it out to me, but I shook my head and kept checking the car. I was hoping there might be more useful items, but unfortunately, there wasn’t anything worth taking besides the suppressor. Anything else would just be extra weight.