A Survival Guide for a Counselor in the Apocalypse Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 

‘…Fuck.’

I’m sitting with my back against one corner of the parking lot. Why am I sitting here when I should be leaving?

Because they won’t let me go.

At first, they asked why I was leaving. Then they said it was dangerous. Then they said if I kept moving, my ankle would get worse.

If I ran off on my own, pursuers would follow me until the day I died.

‘I shouldn’t have come along in the first place.’

Even when they told me to rest, I had no intention of doing so. I wanted to get out immediately.

I slowly rolled my eyes and looked around. Now that I paid attention, quite a large portion of the people here were patients.

About half were resting because they were injured, and the other half were being organized and directed around.

‘Busy, huh.’

I told Lee Hoin to get some rest too, but maybe he’s the type who can’t sit still… no sooner had he sat down than he got back up to work again.

‘Well… moving your body is one way to stop thinking, I guess.’

There’s a reason people say that when depressing thoughts hit, staying busy can help.

Still, I called him over from time to time and made him rest. It was probably about time to drag him back again.

With that thought, I looked for him.

“…What?”

Hoin, who had clearly been moving around over there just a moment ago, was gone. There’s no way someone that big just disappears.

‘Where did he go in the time I looked away?’

Scratching the back of my head, I grabbed a passerby and asked,

“Um… have you seen a guy wearing the same uniform as me? Really tall.”

“Oh, that student? He probably went upstairs.”

“…Upstairs?”

“There’s nothing like burners here, so he went up to get supplies.”

What kind of nonsense is that?

He went up to the ground level? Where are the mutants crawling everywhere? Not even going outside… just up there?

“When? How many people?”

“About 20 minutes ago? Less than ten people.”

My head started throbbing. This must be why they say you can’t take your eyes off kids when raising them.

“…Did he volunteer himself?”

“They recruited people, so probably.”

He volunteered? What the hell?

‘Why would he?’

Something’s off.

“Where are you going?”

A voice came from behind me, Do Yoseol.

Does he have 360 eyes or something? Seriously, what a freak.

“…Everyone looks busy, so I was thinking of moving somewhere else.”

I scratched the back of my head casually as I answered.

“You don’t have to. Just stay comfortable. You’re a patient.”

“I feel like I’m getting in the way.”

I started moving my feet as if I were changing spots.

 

—

[Chapter 3, Shelter ▼]

You’ve heard that members of the shelter went up to the ground floor to gather necessary supplies.

Among them is ‘Lee Hoin,’ who has been sharing a fate with you.

Hmm, but something’s strange.

Was it really his own decision to go?

He seemed more sensitive to danger than anyone else…

[〉 Go up to find ‘Lee Hoin.’

[〉 Wait for ‘Lee Hoin’ at the shelter.

[〉 Leave the shelter.]

—

 

“If you go, Hoin will be quite upset, you know.”

I slowly turned my head and looked at Do Yoseol, who still wore that kind-looking expression.

“…Are you sure Hoin went of his own will?”

“Yes. All activities are based on volunteers.”

“Really? Guess he changed his mind.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He said earlier he wanted to leave.”

“…Is that so?”

Do Yoseol looked at me for a moment, then smiled.

“That’s strange. He asked me what he should do if he wanted to stay here until you fully recovered, Muyeong.”

This fucking… what is he talking about?

A sharp pain throbbed through my head.

A line I hadn’t processed earlier, because I was too shocked by Do Yoseol’s appearance, flashed through my mind.

“Seems like a sprain. I’ll wrap it with a compression bandage. If we can find anti-inflammatory painkillers, I’ll give you some too.”

A sprain, my ass. It was just a temporary muscle strain. Not a sprain. He probably said that to keep me here.

‘Because of that?’

Did he go up there because of me?

‘…Because he thought I needed rest?’

He acts prickly, but he’s more altruistic than you’d expect. He also has a tendency to throw himself into danger first.

Did Hoin notice the subtle atmosphere of this group? He’s not dumb.

‘This shelter…’

If you look closely, half the people here are injured or sick, and the other half are their caretakers.

In other words, there are no patients without protectors. Seeing that, one thought naturally follows:

‘If you want to stay here, you have to contribute something.’

That thought.

Should I have addressed that first? I told him to move around so he wouldn’t think too much. Damn it.

What the hell am I to him? We just met yesterday. Why?

“…Where did they go?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know where they are right now.”

Do Yoseol laughed lightly.

“How about you rest? Your friend is going this far for you.”

“Don’t you know?”

“Lee Hyun went with them. They’ll return safely. So don’t worry and wait, Muyeong.”

Did he lure him with words like that? Just carry some stuff, nothing dangerous… others will handle that.

Just follow behind Lee Hyun with the gun, and you’ll be fine?

“In any group, there comes a time when you have to prove yourself. Hoin just chose to do that a bit earlier.”

“…Ha.”

A deep sigh rose from my core.

‘All I wanted was a day’s worth of safety.’

I expected too much from this group.

I selected an option on the screen and tightly gripped the steel pipe Hoin had given me earlier.

 

—

[Welcoming companions is always a tricky matter.]

[This is why people say you should choose your companions wisely.]

—

 

I ignored it.

“Don’t overdo it, Muyeong. Nothing will happen, I assure you.”

“I’ll handle it myself. Thanks for your concern.”

“…Alright. I wish you luck. Be careful.”

I gave a quick nod and turned toward the way leading to the ground level.

I could feel a gaze sticking to my back.

When I glanced back, Do Yoseol was still standing there, smiling at me.

‘…’

The moment our eyes met, he began waving his hand lazily.

Crazy bastard.

 

***

 

The brightly lit interior of the supermarket was beyond description… worse than a battlefield.

Bloodstains were everywhere, and the thick stench of blood was so strong it numbed my nose.

It looked exactly like a scene from some horror movie I’d seen before.

I glanced around briefly to check for mutants.

‘None.’

I immediately raised my phone.

That group chat from before.

 

—

Shingi, Hoin, Woohyun (4)

Where are you, Hoin? (just now)

—

 

After waiting about a minute, the unread count dropped by one.

 

—

What’s going on? (just now)

—

 

I didn’t reply, just waited for the number to disappear.

Even after five minutes, there was no response. I looked away from the chat and turned my gaze toward the escalator going up.

Guess he doesn’t have the luxury to respond.

If they were looking for burners or tools to heat food…

Basement level 1. The place that sells household goods. Camping gear would be there too.

‘Butane gas is also sold in basement level 2… so they might have gone there.’

And this place is on the basement level 2.

Pressing myself against the wall, I turned on my phone camera and pointed it toward the entrance of B2.

Step… step…

A mutant was wandering near the entrance.

‘Not here.’

If they had gone into B2, they would’ve dealt with that thing first.

Even if not, there would be signs… blood trails, traces of movement over the ground.

But there was nothing like that.

‘Did they go to the first floor first?’

Maybe they excluded B2 entirely. You can find butane gas on the first floor too.

I stepped onto the moving walkway. I didn’t walk, just stood still. I didn’t want the sound of footsteps to attract another disaster.

Pathetically, I wasn’t exactly fearless either.

‘Yesterday, I just trusted Sa Jaeheon.’

If you brought him along, most things would probably be resolved.

Because he’s the protagonist.

 

—

[What an innovative way to use the ‘original protagonist’… turning him into a meat shield?]

[Such a wicked yet amusing idea, I’ve never seen it before.]

—

 

Ignoring the window that accused me of being wicked, I took a deep breath to steady myself.

Right now, I was nothing more than an extra who hadn’t even gotten involved with the protagonist.

For extras, death is always close, and survival is always far.

‘So I have to be careful.’

Finally reaching the first floor, I stepped off and turned my head…

And froze.

 

—

[A classic scene from the ‘horror’ genre.]

[This calls for the right timing.]

[Sound effect (scream)]

—

 

Right beside the point where the walkway ended…

A mutant was standing there.

Not making a sound. Not moving.

Like a mannequin.

Its bloodshot, fish-like eyes rolled.

Toward me.