Magic on the Dead Chapter 58

At the foot of Mount Jeongmang, quite a distance from the Insan-Nogwang Expressway.

The group had taken refuge under a large rock to escape the zombies that had descended on them since morning and the scorching sun.

While navigating several major crises, Eden had been feeling a strange sense of unease. In the morning, and at night just before falling asleep. The zombies were pouring down at precise twelve-hour intervals. It was a disaster so regular, it was as if someone was intentionally releasing zombies at set times.

“I… I really can’t walk anymore. I’m thirsty, I, I think I’m going to die, Director… sob.”

Park Chunbeom finally burst into tears. He seemed quite ashamed to be the first to break down and cry, a grown adult in front of a seven-year-old child who had been enduring bravely without shedding a tear throughout the journey. With his head buried toward the ground, his chest heaved with muffled sobs.

Everyone, who had been sitting huddled in a circle, stared in bewilderment at Park Chunbeom as his sobs erupted.

Park Chunbeom continued to choke back sobs, but no tears came, as if his body lacked moisture. He just kept shuddering, his eyes wet.

Eden turned toward the sorrowfully crying Park Chunbeom. Soon, he poked Park Chunbeom’s temple and asked.

“Does your head hurt or not.”

“hic… Excuse me?”

“Do you have a headache.”

“Yes, yes. I do. I, I’m dizzy.”

“Anywhere else. Tell me everything that feels strange. Can you see straight.”

“I can see fine, but my, my hands and feet suddenly feel really strange too….”

“Stick out your tongue.”

Hajin, who was watching, flinched as if Eden’s command was directed at him.

Park Chunbeom tearfully stuck out his tongue as told. Eden’s expression grew serious as he looked at the parched tongue. There was a deep fissure down the middle of Park Chunbeom’s tongue. It was a serious condition, indicating a fluid loss of at least 5% or more.

Eden took out a 500ml water bottle that was only about a third full and carefully poured water into Park Chunbeom’s mouth.

They had already lost two bags in the past three days, and due to the significant fluid loss while fleeing from zombies, most of the drinking water they had brought was depleted. The water entering Park Chunbeom’s mouth now was, in effect, their last supply of drinking water.

“Drink a little slower.”

Eden clicked his tongue at him for gulping it down frantically, as if he couldn’t miss a single drop.

The others who were watching also swallowed hard. Although they weren’t in as severe a state of dehydration as Park Chunbeom, everyone was just as thirsty, their lips cracked. The group’s lifeless appearance was no different from that of zombies.

“S-sorry. I’m sorry….”

Even after drinking all the water, Park Chunbeom still seemed dizzy, holding his forehead and muttering apologies repeatedly.

“Hey now. You’re about to cry again. Are you going to spit out the water you just drank with your eyes?”

Hajin, who had playfully soothed Park Chunbeom, turned his gaze to the empty plastic bottle. With that, the water was completely gone. Even as he tried not to think about it, he was worried beyond measure.

How much longer could they hold on?

The group was completely exhausted, and the atmosphere was gloomy. Everyone’s nerves were on edge from not having slept properly for days. Someone was injured every other day, and each time, a faint despair gnawed at their minds.

Killing zombies was no longer a struggle for survival, but closer to an act of venting their anger. Even when they saw dismembered body parts or burst heads thrown cruelly onto the road, they would only gag at the smell, and no sympathy could be found in their eyes. Even that emotion was now a luxury.

Ruuuumble….

Eden, who was wiping his dirty forehead, furrowed his brows at the faint sound. A horde of zombies? No. This was definitely…. He stood up from his spot. Tipping his head back, he could see the high sky beyond the leaves that obscured his view.

At a glance, it looked clear and fine, but the clouds scattered like mist fluttered weakly like torn cotton candy at the slightest breeze. It was undoubtedly a flying cloud, a sign of bad weather.

“Did that just thundew…”

Jeong Byeol muttered.

If it rained, they could solve their drinking water problem with rainwater, but moving immediately would be difficult. This was because the raincoats and boots needed for rainy weather were in Jeffrey’s and Park Chunbeom’s lost backpacks.

As Eden was thoughtfully considering their next destination, he glanced behind him. He met the gaze of Hajin, who had been watching him with sparkling eyes for who knows how long. Just as he thought that their eyes had been meeting frequently lately, he abruptly stood up and approached Eden.

“Here, the place we are is Mount Jeongmang, right. There’s a cave around the middle of Mount Jeongmang.”

His somewhat excited voice continued.

“If you follow the hiking trail up, there should be a signpost. I came here with my uncle when I was a kid.”

🃏

Just as Hajin said, the cave was located on the mid-slope of Mount Jeongmang. To call it the mid-slope, they had to climb nearly 1,000 meters above sea level on an advanced hiking trail before they could find it.

It was hard enough just to walk up the path, but occasionally, zombies in hiking gear would appear and disrupt their journey. It was the limit of their stamina. In the end, everyone had to crawl up the mountain like four-legged beasts.

“Uncle, are you okay…?”

Byeol, who had been on Eden’s back the whole time, looked at his complexion with a worried face. Eden looked at his niece, who for once was concerned about him, and let out a weak, wry smile. His condition must have been pretty bad.

【Would it be better to just die here? You’re telling me we have to do this for a few more weeks. Huh? Hahaha… tell me honestly, everyone. This is all a goddamn hidden camera! The Truman Show was a real piece of shit! Hahaha!】

Jeffrey was practically prostrate as he wailed. He muttered in English as if he had lost his mind, but even that was too strenuous, and he soon fell silent. Park Chunbeom and Miso, who would normally have laughed and played along, were also quiet the whole time.

Hajin looked around at the group, who had collapsed in front of the cave and couldn’t move an inch, and then, hngh, he struggled to his feet.

“Everyone stay here. I’ll go check it out first.”

Then, on behalf of the group, he entered the cave, which was encircled by a taboo rope, with cautious steps. The damp smell moistened his nose. He felt like his whole body had become a waterlogged cotton ball.

As he went inside, it was filled with long stalagmites and straw-shaped stalactites. The inside of the cave, which held the accumulated years of sedimentation, was chilly but also felt somewhat cozy. Fortunately, he didn’t feel any presence inside.

Hajin quickly came back out and called the group in. The people, carrying armfuls of dry leaves and branches to use as blankets, settled down against the wall.

“This is practically a hotel.”

After Miso’s soulless mumble, everyone fell silent.

Ruuuumble….

Just then, a heavy rain began to pour from the sky.

🃏

A full day had passed since they had taken shelter in the cave. Morning had dawned again, but dark rain clouds covered the sky, making it dark all around like a late evening.

Eden stood at the entrance of the cave, silently gazing at the rain falling to the ground and the nameless purple flowers blooming next to a tree.

He could hear a noisy conversation from behind, where it seemed they were starting a fire and preparing a meal. Amidst the chattering voices, another voice emerged and tickled his ear.

‘Eden, do you know what happens when it rains in the desert? The hidden flower seeds bloom.’

On rainy days, Leo’s hearty laughter and mischievous eyes would inevitably come to mind. It wasn’t an obsession or trauma. It was simply a natural phenomenon, like a dream he had every night.

Leo was a comrade who had died while carrying out a mission with Eden in Delta Force, and a friend of 15 years who, along with Jeffrey, had been called the trio.

“Mr. Jung Taegeon, can’t you hear me?”

Swishhh— Through the cool, pouring sound of the rain, Do Hajin’s voice broke in this time. Eden, who had swept his wet bangs over his forehead, slowly turned to the side.

“It’s just, I woke up and you weren’t next to me.”

Hajin cleared his throat unnecessarily, as if feeling awkward for having called him.

Eden looked at the ink-black eyes hidden by his bangs and then, without thinking, reached his hand toward them. Flinch. He paid no mind to Hajin, who reflexively pulled his neck back. His long, neat fingers slowly swept through Hajin’s bangs.

As if flustered, their met gaze wavered aimlessly.

“Wh-what….”

“The only part of your face that’s even worth looking at is your eyes, Mr. Do Hajin.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s a waste if they’re covered.”

Hajin, who had been dumbfounded for a moment, soon shot daggers with his eyes. The only part worth looking at? What kind of unheard-of….

“You know your way of talking is really strange, Mr. Jung Taegeon?”

“Way of talking?”

“Whatever you say, I can’t tell if it’s an insult or a compliment.”

“For example.”

Eden’s gaze swept over the flesh under Hajin’s eyes, which was slightly swollen from the morning. Hajin opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.

“You say I’m useless because I’m good and altruistic, and then you say you brought me along because there wasn’t much to lose. Just now, you said the only part of me worth looking at is my eyes. The more I think about it, I can’t tell if it’s an insult or a compliment….”

“If you can’t tell, I’ll make it clear for you.”

“Excuse me?”

“What I just said was a compliment.”

“Geez, how is that a compliment in any way?”

“It means I like your eyes, Mr. Do Hajin.”

Hajin’s mouth, which had been about to retort, quickly closed.

“Ah, of course, strictly from a perspective of camaraderie.”

‘Strictly camaraderie. Camaraderie.’

Eden was mocking him again, throwing the very words he had uttered back at him.

Hajin fumed for a while as if resentful, then let out a short sigh, hyo. He could feel his ears burning as if they would burst. He fiddled with the area around his nape for no reason and eventually covered his face with his palms.

While he was cooling off for a long time, no particular conversation passed between them. They just stared at the pouring rain, and just as Hajin was turning to go back inside the cave.

“They say flowers bloom when it rains in the desert. …Did you know that, Mr. Do Hajin?”

His steps halted at the rather random question. A questioning gaze briefly swept over Eden’s face. Hajin, who was racking his brain, completely unable to understand his intention, suddenly recalled a photograph.

“I think I saw it in an article. I don’t remember which desert it was, but it said after a downpour, flowers bloomed like in a park… right. The color of that flower was similar.”

Hajin pointed to a purple tree peony whose stalk was being bent helplessly by the raindrops.

“Come to think of it, I heard the botanical garden in Yongun City was quite well-maintained. I should have gone before. It’s probably all ruined now, right…?”

His words trailed off like a sigh. The end of the slowly thrown question stuck to Eden’s ear like sticky caramel.