Chapter 103 – Yeongdo (2)

Before the zombie outbreak, Yeongdo district in Busan had a population of 100,000, which grew to 150,000 after the outbreak, or 170,000 including military personnel.

People flocked to Yeongdo where government buildings and military bases were located.

Though checkpoints at bridges connecting to the mainland strictly controlled entry citing island security, maintaining strict control proved difficult.

Many people entered Yeongdo through connections, money, and emotional appeals.

Now all those who entered Yeongdo were trembling with anxiety.

The constant cannon fire had stopped, and rumors spread that the front line was breached.

Meanwhile, bridges were destroyed and soldiers began rushing to the port.

[We have destroyed all bridges connecting to Busan for the island’s safety. Do not worry. Now that the bridges are destroyed, Yeongdo is safe.]

Though this announcement kept playing on street speakers after the bridges were destroyed, it failed to quell people’s anxiety.

The broadcast continued reaching our ears as we headed toward Yeongdo District Office through the streets.

“Is that announcement also a lie?”

Yerim, who had grown depressed seeing people fall under Dogye Bridge, muttered quietly hearing the broadcast.

Hoffman, sitting beside her, spoke up hearing her mutter.

“It can’t be true. If this world is similar to ours, that can’t be true. The lord or nobles, or what do you call them here – those in power? Anyway, they must have all fled already.”

All the soldiers nodded at Hoffman’s words.

It was both funny and bitter seeing empathy transcend dimensions.

“From what we saw coming here, ships still remain. Not everyone has evacuated.”

When even the Korean army officer, the platoon leader, nodded, David stepped up to defend them.

As people looked at him questioningly, he explained expressionlessly:

“If everyone left, we’d have no one to talk to. It would make planning an escape difficult.”

“Ah. So that’s why.”

The U.S. soldiers who had been looking questioningly nodded at his words.

Everyone else shook their heads at the U.S. soldiers’ reaction.

“If not everyone evacuated, at least one field-grade officer must remain at headquarters.”

I looked around hearing the platoon leader’s final words.

Though anxiety filled the air, unlike the Busan we saw earlier, the streets looked safe.

While garbage had piled up and looked dirty from lack of cleaning, there were no zombies or corpses visible, and besides soldiers, no one carried weapons.

Though not as safe as before collapse, this island seemed to maintain some civilization.

“At least there are no zombies here. And law and order isn’t completely broken like in that city earlier.”

The platoon leader responded to my words as I looked around:

“Well, this was the government’s last stronghold on the Korean peninsula. The government and military managed Yeongdo very strictly.”

The sergeant continued the officer’s words.

“Even soldiers’ families couldn’t easily enter this island. Many joined the military hoping to get their families in, but few succeeded.”

The sergeant pointed at a private sitting quietly at the end while speaking.

“More than a few deserted and were dragged back after learning this. That guy over there came that way too.”

At the sergeant’s words, the quiet soldier cursed softly.

“F*ck, should’ve shoved a grenade in the mouth of the guy who recommended enlisting…”

It was quiet enough that only those with mana could hear.

The sergeant, who hadn’t heard him, continued explaining.

“And soon after, his parents were killed by rioters.”

The corporal next to him nudged the private.

“You couldn’t even get revenge, right? That officer got swept away then too.”

The private ground his teeth at the corporal’s words.

“That’s why when I get to Jeju Island, I’m definitely shoving a grenade in that officer’s mouth.”

This time everyone heard him. Though extremely violent words, no one minded.

Rather than stopping him, the sergeant just warned him to watch his words.

“Hey, until we get to Jeju, don’t say things like that in front of others. You’ll keep us all from getting to Jeju.”

“Yes.”

With that answer, the private fell silent again.

The truck grew quiet after that, with only the broadcast continuing overhead.

The quiet truck soon arrived at the Yeongdo District Office.

The Yeongdo District Office was a typical district office consisting of a large parking lot, a sizeable 6-story building in front, and several small auxiliary buildings.

But it didn’t look like just a district office now.

A checkpoint was set up in front of the parking lot, and multiple layers of barbed wire surrounded the parking lot and office.

Plus, the parking lot was full of military vehicles and armored vehicles.

Like a military base gathering point.

No, it was a military gathering point.

After the zombie outbreak, the Yeongdo District Office became the last government office on the Korean peninsula and the command post for the Korean military.

However, all the armored and military vehicles in that military gathering point now seemed abandoned.

“Don’t tell me everyone fled?”

As David stood up looking at the parking lot with a troubled expression, Zahina raised her hand pointing to the office building at the end of the lot.

“Not everyone. Though not many, people remain in that building.”

Though she noticed people’s presence differently from me, I also knew people were in that building.

I could tell without detecting mana or presence.

Though I did focus mana in my ears, I could hear people’s voices from here.

They were arguing until their voices grew hoarse.

“Are you trying to kill everyone here! What do you mean the military evacuates first!”

Actually, only one person was shouting at the top of his lungs.

“I’m not happy about that either, but I don’t care if the national civil servants who came down from Seoul or Sejong flee. But not the military! How can soldiers abandon citizens and run away!”

Inside the building, one man was venting his frustration at another man.

After confirming people were present, we got off the truck and headed toward the building.

Though the parking lot was empty, there were still people inside the building.

Soldiers and people running through the lobby.

They were so busy they didn’t even notice us entering through the door at first.

But when someone glanced at us and stopped walking, people gradually stopped and looked at us.

They first looked at me in armor, then at the U.S. soldiers, and finally at Zahina.

The platoon leader found an officer among the people staring blankly. He asked a man wearing the same lieutenant rank insignia.

“Lieutenant Im Ha-in from the reconnaissance unit. I need to report immediately, where should I go?”

At the platoon leader’s words, the officer’s eyes widened as he looked at us again.

“Ah, report… The only field-grade officer left now is… Lieutenant Colonel Park? He should be in the second floor conference room.”

Despite the officer’s flustered response, the platoon leader nodded.

We headed straight for the stairs, and at the foot of the stairs, the sergeant spoke.

“Then we’ll wait here. No need for all of us to crowd in.”

The platoon leader nodded at the sergeant’s words.

The U.S. soldiers said the same.

“You guys find spots here too.”

“Yes sir.”

At the commander’s order, the U.S. soldiers also stopped at the stairs.

“Should we…”

Yerim asked me as the soldiers stopped. I shook my head.

“We all go.”

“Okay…”

They hadn’t settled there intending to rest anyway, and we had no reason to split up and wait like them.

The soldiers who said they would rest settled at the stairs,

U.S. soldiers on the left, Korean soldiers on the opposite side.

Unlike their words about resting, they didn’t let go of their guns, ready to move if needed.

“They’re not really resting.”

Seeing this, Yerim blushed as she climbed the stairs.

“They’re preparing an escape route just in case. The soldiers in this world are impressive too. If only we had holy water or priests, we wouldn’t have been defeated so easily.”

David suddenly cut in as Hoffman explained calmly.

“Are priests that important? And is holy water helpful?”

At David’s question, Hoffman looked at me.

“It’s different from this world’s holy water. And how important priests are, the soldiers remaining in Daejeon are probably listening. It’s not something worth hiding.”

I explained instead of the troubled Hoffman.

“So you knew.”

“They wouldn’t have left ordinary soldiers behind.”

The intelligence agency wouldn’t have sent David alone.

Surely among the soldiers remaining in Daejeon, there were others from the same agency as David.

In the end, only our party, David, the U.S. commander and Korean platoon leader went up to the second floor.

The conference room was right in front of the stairs.

Though the conference room door was closed, everyone could clearly hear the shouting from inside.

“Isn’t there any way? Are you going to kill everyone!”

People who just heard the shouting tilted their heads, but the platoon leader resolutely stepped forward and opened the conference room door.

*bang*

Two men stood inside the second floor conference room.

As the officer said, a soldier with lieutenant colonel rank insignia and a middle-aged man with graying hair.

The middle-aged man shouting with a hoarse voice and red face was the owner of the voice I’d been hearing on the way here.

Though he hadn’t heard the door open and continued his tirade, the lieutenant colonel turned to look at us and his eyes immediately widened.

“U.S. military?”

At the lieutenant colonel’s words, his counterpart also stopped speaking and looked at us.

“A knight in armor? And a long-eared beauty? What crazy people?”

While they were surprised looking at completely different things, the platoon leader stepped forward, saluted the lieutenant colonel and began reporting.

“Lieutenant Im Ha-in, reconnaissance company commander, 2nd Regiment, 52nd Division. I came looking for command to make an urgent report.”

“Ah… reconnaissance unit… A surviving reconnaissance unit… Sorry. My mistake.”

The lieutenant colonel who had spoken without thinking apologized to the platoon leader, who continued reporting as if he hadn’t heard.

“…After the shelling stopped and the enemy began crossing the river, these people appeared from the north in a helicopter.

The helicopter was shot down by flying enemies, but they safely landed through some method and joined us.

They introduced themselves to us as U.S. military and people from another world.

After seeing their subsequent actions and appearances, it seemed not to be a lie so we urgently brought them to command.”

Though shortened, it was still a long report, after which both men gaped.

“People from another world?”

“U.S. military! We have U.S. military? Perfect! If it’s U.S. military they must have warships! We can use warships!”

Unlike before, the lieutenant colonel looked at us with surprise while the middle-aged man cheered looking at the U.S. soldiers.

But we could only look at him with pity.

The U.S. fleet was too far away.

Too far to take us immediately.