A Survival Guide for a Counselor in the Apocalypse Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

The urge to ask ‘who are you?’ rose all the way up to my throat, then slowly subsided.

He’s still only 20-year-old Sa Jaeheon. Even during his first regression, he was around 32, so it’s only natural that his personality would be different.

After thinking for a moment, I concluded.

…If it’s Sa Jaeheon from around the 10th regression.

‘Then I think I could manage while taking care of him.’

Because I have a mental care skill. It’s still only at the level of an ‘amateur,’ but if it’s Sa Jaeheon around that regression count, it might work.

The problem is… in the game, Sa Jaeheon’s regression count is random every playthrough.

This damn random game.

Which means I have to open a random box where about 98% are duds.

Hoping for a 2% miracle.

Can someone as unlucky as me even do that?

‘If we go by game standards, his regression count should be around 400 right now….’

The probability went up by about 0.5%.

…How overwhelming. I’m grateful.

But right now, there’s no sharp alternative.

There aren’t many people that come to mind besides Sa Jaeheon.

“Are you okay?”

At Sa Jaeheon asking again, I checked the HP I had roughly skimmed earlier.

It was 6 HP, but since there was nothing in the status, it wasn’t a very deep cut.

Meaning the bleeding wasn’t that severe.

“…I’m okay.”

By the time I was still unable to hide my shock, it seemed like the people who would leave had been roughly decided, and a few stood by the door with resolute faces.

A boy who had been looking outside through the window connected to the auditorium nodded.

While I had been lost in thought, the discussion must have progressed quite a bit…

“Can you come a bit further inside?”

Supported by the living Sa Jaeheon, I stood up and moved inward.

Now it was really time to open the door.

A boy who looked at least 190 cm tall stood holding the door, and the girl who had asked earlier spoke again as if driving a nail in:

“Once you go out, you can’t come back in. If you go out, we’re going to block this door.”

It was somewhat cold.

But understandable.

Better than putting ourselves in danger out of unnecessary sympathy.

Even after hearing that, those standing by the door nodded, as if their resolve was set.

Click.

The door opened.

Those who froze for a moment at the sight outside soon steadied themselves and moved forward.

The door, which had been open briefly, was shut immediately after the last person left.

Once it was closed and several items were moved to completely block it, only silence settled over the small room.

“…For now, should we at least introduce ourselves?”

The girl said that, and several nodded in agreement.

“I’ll go first. I’m Shin Giyeon, from Class 3-5.”

She added that she had been the class vice president.

No wonder her leadership felt different.

Next, a bespectacled boy with a somewhat gentle impression hesitantly spoke.

“I-I’m from Class 2-8… Kim Woohyun. I’m in the broadcasting club….”

If he’s a second-year, he was probably already in this room and got trapped here.

Next, the boy who looked well over 190 cm opened his mouth.

“Lee Hoin.”

At the name Lee Hoin, I frowned slightly.

‘…Lee Hoin.’

I’ve definitely heard that name before.

His name tag was the same yellow as mine… so he’s a third-year.

Was I close to him? Or did he appear in the game or the novel?

While I was thinking that, Sa Jaeheon spoke.

“I’m Sa Jaeheon, third year.”

As the last one, I answered slowly.

“Nam Muyeong, Class 8.”

After the introductions ended, the atmosphere became bleak again.

Amid that, Sa Jaeheon, who had been watching carefully, spoke.

“Sorry, but one bottle of water.”

“Why?”

“Muyeong is hurt. I think we should at least disinfect it with water.”

At those words, I turned my head sharply to look at Sa Jaeheon.

It was beyond surprising.

What kind of hardship did someone this considerate go through to become a madman?

How harsh must the world have been to you?

“Ah, here.”

As I reluctantly removed my hand from the wound, Sa Jaeheon poured water over it.

Once it was roughly cleaned, he tilted the bottle slightly over my hand and said:

“Your hand too.”

“Ah, yeah… thanks.”

As I quietly let the water run over it, someone added:

“But are we sure it’s not contagious?”

At that, four pairs of eyes turned toward Lee Hoin.

“No, I mean, in zombie movies, it’s like that, right? Maybe this is that kind of thing.”

The reasoning wasn’t bad, but ‘mutants’ weren’t created that way.

[Ruined World] was fundamentally an invasion of ‘Third Parties.’

Something truly beyond human.

Even in the Ruined World, they were called that.

 

—

“That which is far beyond humans. Whether the standard that distinguishes them from humans signifies unreality or reality, either way, something far beyond humans. That was called ‘the Third Party.’”

—

 

And mutants were those who unconsciously rejected or failed to adapt to the changed laws of the world.

‘From the moment they invaded, they’re basically gods.’

If abandoned by a god, one becomes a beast that has lost reason.

Of course, it sounded like a myth.

“If that were the case, the people who got attacked and died would’ve changed too.”

When I said that, Lee Hoin, who had been looking out the window, nodded.

That makes sense, his expression said.

“Does anyone have a phone?”

Shin Giyeon, who brought it up, handed over a clean handkerchief.

Then she tapped near my neck as if telling me to wipe.

Taking it, I lightly pressed it over the wound and sighed.

‘…If we go out, should I head straight to a pharmacy?’

It could turn into an infection.

As that headache-inducing thought slipped in, Kim Woohyun flinched and spoke:

“119 isn’t connecting….”

At that, my gaze moved to Sa Jaeheon’s phone screen, which had been glowing the whole time.

 

—

[Hey, what is this?]

Holy shit, something suddenly came in; I don’t even know where it came from

(photo)

I live in the countryside near a military base, so outsiders rarely come

What is this?

(Comments 121)

— ?

— ?

— Looks like it’s wearing a military uniform? Am I the only one seeing that (Likes: 134)

  └ Nah, you’re delusional lol

  └ It is a military uniform, those monsters are humans turned (Likes: 111)

    └ How would you know that

      └ I saw it change (Likes: 97)

        └ Yeah, I don’t believe you lol where’s the proof

— Are you alive right now?

— Looks like a soldier, it was shaky, but definitely a uniform

— What the fuck, those are soldiers? Then we’re screwed, right? Other posts say there’s zero support 

— What even is this?

—

 

The flood of comments and overlapping posts was filled with confusion.

It would be a mistake to think that military bases, the government, police stations, or fire departments were spared from this destruction.

Everyone in this world was attacked at the same time.

Soldiers and police were in the same situation as us.

Kim Woohyun, who had been frantically trying 119 and 112 alternately, looked on the verge of tears.

Lee Hoin, who had finally gotten through to someone, opened his mouth…

“….”

Then closed it, his eyes trembling.

He clenched his fist tightly.

Even Shin Giyeon, who had been maintaining composure, began showing signs of hyperventilation.

That meant… they had all realized that it wasn’t just here that had become like this.

‘…Hmm.’

It was natural that they all fell into panic.

One was an 18-year-old who had just turned 19, and two were 19-year-olds who had just become adults.

An age where they hadn’t even fully matured mentally yet.

‘A massive event that overturns reality has struck, and they realize there’s no one to save them.’

Even if they weren’t this young, most people would react the same way.

It was obvious enough to be redundant to say.

Even so, Sa Jaeheon alone remained calm.

Even without regression, the protagonist is still the protagonist.

 

—

[Chapter 2, Community of Fate ▼]

Everyone’s hands are trembling, and their pulses are racing.

Like it or not, you are now a community of fate!

Hmm, what should you do?

[〉 Watch silently.]

[〉 Open up honestly and plan for the future together.]

—

 

Damn it. I was wondering why it hadn’t appeared.

This event appears when surrounding characters fall into [Panic].

No matter what you choose, it’s an event where mental stats are randomly reduced.

Who gets reduced, how many, and how much… all random.

‘If I have to find hope….’

Either I suddenly gain persuasion-related skills.

Or I get lucky, and the panic gets removed.

‘Watching is a guaranteed stat loss.’

If anything, the only option worth pressing is [plan for the future]…

As I sighed in frustration, after a slight delay, a final option appeared.

 

—

[〉 Calm them down. (Amateur Psychological Counselor owned)]

—

 

The final option is unlocked by having the trait.

‘There’s no reason not to choose it.’

I exhaled briefly, stood up, and grabbed Kim Woohyun’s phone first.

I gripped his shoulder firmly, but not so hard that it felt forceful.

His face was filled with confusion from [Panic].

I had to handle this properly.

If even one person triggers a mental debuff here, I don’t know what kind of chain reaction would occur.

Think about it.

Trapped in a small room, an uncontrollable disaster outside, no one to save us, and the screams of people we were just with moments ago still echoing.

‘If someone here falls into panic and takes extreme action…’

There’s no telling how far things could spiral.

“It’s okay to cry, but calm down first.”

Four pairs of eyes gathered on me.

I approached Shin Giyeon first and spoke calmly to help her breathe.

“Exhale slowly. Cover your mouth and go slow. Look at me. I’ll breathe… follow me.”

There was no bag, so this was the best I could do.

Leaving her gradually stabilizing breathing behind, I turned my head.

“Don’t get too worked up. You too, stop clenching your fist. You’ll hurt your hand.”

Cutting off these heightened emotions was the priority.

Looking at the eyes searching for answers, I deliberately took slow, deep breaths.

As if telling them to follow.

Kim Woohyun, who had been sobbing, looked at me and unconsciously corrected his breathing.

‘…It would be nice if I had a real solution.’

I don’t.

We’re trapped with nothing.

There are still mutants inside the auditorium, and the best option is to avoid them and escape.

“You can get out.”

Still, I said that.

Of course, an agitated response came immediately.

“How are we supposed to get out? There are still tons of monsters outside.”

I didn’t respond immediately… just looked at him until his agitation settled.

There was no reason to amplify emotions.

After a moment, Lee Hoin calmed down and sat on the floor with a sigh.

Seeing that, I moved again.

Standing near the window, I looked outside.

Within my field of view, I could see ten mutants.

‘That’s tough.’

But not impossible.

To the left of my view, on the right side if facing from the auditorium entrance… there’s a door leading outside.

It connects directly to the playground.

We could exit without crossing the skybridge.

“If we can reach that door, I think we can make it.”

“What door?”

“The one leading to the playground.”

At my flat answer, Shin Giyeon spoke, breathing unevenly.

“…That one.”

Her slow words froze the room again.

“It’s locked.”