A Survival Guide for a Counselor in the Apocalypse Chapter 6

Episode 6

 

A swaying lock. A door without even a crack.

And those eyes, staring at me.

“…Shin Giyeon, Kim Woohyun. You two go to the door too.”

At the same time as I said that, I grabbed Sa Jaeheon’s arm and pulled him. Seeing where I was pointing, Sa Jaeheon immediately moved to block the view of the others behind him.

It was to make sure they wouldn’t panic even if they happened to look toward the side where the mutants were.

As things didn’t go as planned in this urgent situation, the impatience in the air seemed to grow… louder impacts than before echoed from behind.

Even with three people throwing themselves at it, the door wouldn’t break easily.

Bang!

Clank!

Rattle!

Rattle!

Irregular noises rang out one after another.

“…That–”

Sa Jaeheon, who had been about to say something quietly, instead let out a breath.

Because there was no obvious solution.

“If it comes, shove it away with a chair. I’ll handle the rest.”

We didn’t have any proper weapons right now. So until the door broke, we just had to endure somehow.

Looking at the mutant, Sa Jaeheon asked,

“Do you think that thing is intelligent?”

If you ask whether mutants are intelligent… no. That’s a standard type, so it’s not very intelligent.

Even so, I…

“…Who knows.”

I answered that I didn’t know.

“Then we’ll find out by trying.”

Despite the indifferent reply, Sa Jaeheon didn’t lose his resolve and began dragging chairs over one by one.

Soon, a barricade was formed.

Step. Step.

 

—

[……]

—

 

The national ceremony ended.

After a brief silence, the speakers restarted the broadcast from the beginning.

The chaotic noises we created shattered the structured voice of the announcement. Perhaps because of that, more mutants began reacting to us.

“Damn it…”

 

—

[Why did humans come to possess the emotion of panic?]

[They are starting to become severely agitated.]

[You have obtained a temporary trait due to negative emotions.]

[Extreme Fear (04:59)]

It feels like your heart is about to burst…

The probability of mental strength decreasing increases by 15%.

—

 

A damn debuff.

Five minutes. It might sound short, but it’s a full 15%. That pushes it up to a maximum of 65%.

 

—

[Your fingertips are trembling….]

[Mental strength decreases by 1.]

—

 

At this point, it’s a time attack. Before my mental strength drops further and I lose my mind, I have to resolve this situation.

Meanwhile, the mutant at the very front caught on the edge of a chair.

Creeeak…

But as if it didn’t recognize the obstruction, it kept pushing forward toward us.

The moment Sa Jaeheon felt the chair being pushed back, he pushed it forward again… but before long, the chairs couldn’t withstand the force coming from both sides and slowly slid away.

Damn it, the situation was only getting worse. Watching our hastily built defense line become useless so easily, I swallowed hard.

“Hit the corner!”

Shin Giyeon’s shout came from behind. That side was a mess, just like this one.

“Ugh….”

I glanced at Sa Jaeheon struggling to push it back, then quickly let go of the chair.

‘If something won’t work, abandon it fast.’

Only then do your chances of survival increase.

I grabbed the nearest chair I could find. It was reckless, borderline suicidal. But someone had to do it.

So I did.

Better me than them.

At least here, I’m the adult. I should act like one.

‘I hate incompetent adults the most.’

So even like this, I needed to prove my competence. I didn’t want to remain in their memories as a useless adult.

“Nam Muyeong!”

Sa Jaeheon shouted my name, telling me to come back.

‘Too late.’

I was already diving into the mutant’s reach.

I swung the chair toward the lower center of its body. The mutant’s balance collapsed, and it staggered heavily.

 

—

[It’s the historic first attack!]

—

 

As I stepped closer to finish it off…

“Hey!”

Someone shoved me back.

I was thrown backward by the force, but Sa Jaeheon caught me just in time and shouted,

“Hoin!”

…Lee Hoin?

He spun his body wide and slammed the folded chair into the mutant.

Thud!

A heavy impact echoed nearby.

We used the same kind of chair, yet the mutant was sent staggering far back.

‘…Is he really a high schooler?’

Why is his body a weapon? I’ve never seen someone like him at our school.

There was no time to dwell on it.

Seeing Hoin throw the chair aside and signal us to go, I immediately turned to leave…

“!”

At that moment, my vision tilted sharply.

Then it slammed into someone’s back.

“…What are you doing?”

“Hey, just follow me!”

“No, I mean what are you–?!”

What is this?

Like hauling a sack of rice, Lee Hoin hoisted me over his shoulder, ignored my protests, and leapt over the railing.

Soon after, Sa Jaeheon’s voice followed,

“Yeah, I’ll follow right behind!”

 

—

[Oh, I see… ‘Lee Hoin’s character is like this.]

[Very classic. The trope where a character who seems to dislike ‘me’ actually doesn’t hate me that much and helps at a crucial moment.]

—

 

He still seems like he hates me, though?

Blood rushed to my head from the uncomfortable position.

“W-where… where should we go?”

Though we somehow made it down safely, Kim Woohyun seemed to panic, not knowing what to do next. I spoke calmly to steady him.

Even if, in this state, I didn’t exactly look trustworthy.

“Go out the back gate! The one behind the auditorium! The front gate is too far, we need somewhere we can enter immediately!”

Sa Jaeheon, who had landed beside me at some point, took the lead. Shin Giyeon followed close behind.

Lastly, Lee Hoin shoved Kim Woohyun forward, still carrying me, as if telling him to go first.

“Ah– okay.”

And so we ran.

At the back gate, there it was… the convenience store right in front of us.

As the ones ahead took a step inside…

“Hey, hey! Wait.”

Lee Hoin stopped Sa Jaeheon, who was about to open the door immediately, set me down roughly, and entered the store first.

 

—

[Welcome to GU.]

—

 

Ignoring the announcement, Hoin quickly scanned the inside before reopening the door.

He gestured for us to come in.

Watching that, I hurriedly pulled out my phone.

It should be about time.

The moment Cinderella’s magic wears off.

 

—

[11:59:05]

—

 

55 seconds.

Shin Giyeon and Kim Woohyun quickly went inside first.

Now, only Sa Jaeheon and I remained outside.

“Go in, Muyeong.”

…He’s still the “alive” version.

I looked at Sa Jaeheon cautiously, then opened the door and immediately turned toward the chocolate shelf, grabbing one at random.

Strangely, anxiety hit me now.

 

—

[11:59:58]

—

 

2 seconds.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

The random box in my hand felt like a losing ticket.

When I turned toward Sa Jaeheon, he was standing in almost the exact position described in the novel.

 

—

[11:59:59]

—

 

The ticking sound from the corner felt like a guillotine about to drop.

I swallowed.

“Hey, Sa Jaeheon.”

Suppressing my tension, I called out to him.

 

—

[12:00:00]

—

 

One second passed.

From now on…

‘This is the “regressed” Sa Jaeheon.’

“……”

No answer.

No… he didn’t even seem to realize I had called him.

So the regression had definitely happened.

Putting on a casual tone, I spoke again.

“What, you okay? That rough on you?”

My gaze instinctively dropped.

Honestly, I was scared. I even felt like throwing up.

Don’t show fear. Don’t act like you’ve noticed anything changed.

I repeated it over and over, then let out a breath.

So I spoke to him as if he were just a friend who had escaped school with me moments ago…

“…Want this, at least?”

I needed time.

Time to find proof that this was Sa Jaeheon within ten regressions.

‘Ah, damn it.’

Even with bad luck, this is too much.

Of all things, I grabbed chocolate.

He didn’t even like strong flavors. After living so long with heightened senses, the taste he disliked most was… chocolate.

It was too awkward to take it back now. My fingertips tingled.

‘No… this isn’t entirely a bad move.’

Even if he hates it, if he’s within ten regressions, he’ll at least refuse, giving me evidence.

Sa Jaeheon stared at my hand for a moment.

Then…

He took it.