Apocalypse Tyrant

One Among the Flock (1)

Screech—! Screech—!

The sound of fixing paper torn from books to wrists with tape was noisy.

“We’re sending you down because we trust you at least. You know that, right?”
“You bastard— Don’t worry and just store enough water. We’ll come back covered in zombie bastards’ blood, so we need to shower before sleeping.”
“You baaastard—!”

Thud—!

Two men filming a youth drama while lightly bumping each other’s shoulders.

I chewed an energy bar dok— while looking at the vice president and another man who looked exactly like that large build.

“The person in front is Sim Yuhan. The two behind him are Park Woojin and Kim Minjun in order.”

You should know their names since you’re going down together, right?

A familiar voice heard again just as I was enjoying the unique savory scent of nuts.

Ku Yeri, who had brought two bags from somewhere, held out the bags to us and continued speaking.

“You should also pack bags to put food in.”

Me staring blankly at the bags Ku Yeri held out and Ko Janghun hurriedly taking both bags.

And Ku Yeri who now familiarly watched that scene alternately stared at the three who were currently continuing to arm themselves and us.

“Um— So— You’re okay with this, right?”

Screech—! Screech—!

The sound of tape continually wrapping to make thick wrist guards over there, and us chewing energy bars in simple tracksuits.

I ignored Ku Yeri’s suspicious gaze and looked back towards the vice president’s side.

“If anything happens, don’t even look back and come back up. No one will say anything to you if this mission fails—”
“Don’t worry, don’t worry, you bastard. I’ll lead well and bring back bags packed full. By the way, are you going to keep doing that all day? Stop it already, you bastards.”

Thud—! Thud—!

Sim Yuhan who jovially brushed off the vice president’s worry laughed softly while pushing Park Woojin and Kim Minjun’s heads thud— thud— with his large hands.

Only then did the two who had been wrapping tape hurriedly pick up a monkey wrench and small hammer.

Adam’s apples constantly swallowing dry saliva and two hands trembling violently.

While carefully examining faces that vividly showed how nervous they were, a quite welcome face entered my view.

“…Was it Sejun?”

The man who had instantly fainted after being pushed by my kick.

The first survivor we met after entering the library was loitering among the vice president’s group.

“Ah, fortunately it seems nothing happened! Sejun, An Sejun!”

Ku Yeri who noticed An Sejun at my muttering waved her hand happily towards him.

An Sejun slowly approaching us at Ku Yeri’s call.

His gaze secretly scanning me once while smiling and approaching Ku Yeri was very complicated.

“Yeri, nothing happened to you, right?”
“Come on, you’re the one something happened to, you idiot. Seri was really worried, of course you should see Seri first?”
“Of course. By the way, Seri said today with the new people at the store—”

Thud—!

An Sejun looking at me with a disgruntled gaze as soon as I tapped his shoulder, interrupting their reunion.

I gently smiled towards him and handed over an energy bar.

“…Uh— Me?”

An Sejun pointing at himself and asking again at the suddenly offered energy bar.

I nodded my head and opened my mouth.

“Of course. What happened this morning was, how should I put it— an accident with misunderstandings on both sides, right?”
“…Y-yes.”
“So let’s not get awkward every time we run into each other and call it even with this.”

How about it?

I lightly shook the energy bar once more in front of his eyes as if emphasizing.

An Sejun who had been alternately looking at the energy bar and me with a bewildered face very carefully nodded his head.

“…Alright. I made quite a big mistake this morning because I was too surprised too.”
“I didn’t do anything particularly good either.”

Rustle—

The energy bar smoothly moving from me to An Sejun’s hand.

“…Sejun!”

An Sejun who had been staring blankly at the energy bar with a disgruntled face quickly ran to them at the sound of the vice president’s group calling him after giving me an eye greeting.

“…What is this? You wouldn’t even exchange a single word with me strangely, but why are you able to communicate with Sejun? You’re having a conversation?”

Ku Yeri shooting words with a dumbfounded tone as soon as An Sejun left.

“Wow, I’m suddenly speechless. Without even— setting up a spokesperson— smiling brightly— brightly— in a way that doesn’t suit you at all, really.”
“…”

I quietly watched An Sejun hurriedly hiding the energy bar in his pocket as he ran away while still letting Ku Yeri’s words go in one ear and out the other.

“Haa— Well, whatever. It’s an era of diversity. I naturally understand personal preferences.”

Clap—

Ku Yeri who had made a quite irritating misunderstanding clapped her hands then started organizing the situation.

“Anyway! Before the electricity is cut off now, 3 people from our side and you two will go down to basement floor 1 together.”

3 from the library camp and us.

A total of 5 search personnel.

“Before you go down, we’ll send down a smartphone from the opposite elevator to basement floor 1. We’ll play music very loudly, so most zombies in basement floor 1 will probably react, right?”

The internal stairway door we’ll enter basement floor 1 through.

Another elevator located exactly opposite the elevator next to that.

The core of the plan was to use one of the overflowing smartphones in the library camp as bait and send it down from there.

“The basement store is less than 50 steps from the internal stairway door you’ll go down, and if music blares very loudly from the elevator quite far from the store—”
“The path from here to the store will naturally open up very comfortably.”
“Bingo! Thank you. You answered my words for almost the first time. Should I consider this an honor?”

Words of thanks with plenty of sarcasm.

“You’re not answering again. Hey, Janghun-ssi. Mr. Spokesperson, could you at least—”
“But I became curious about one thing.”

A quiet question flowing softly while interrupting Ku Yeri’s words.

I smiled faintly while looking at Ku Yeri who closed her mouth and listened attentively to my words.

“This is a search team organized by the library camp in its own way, right?”
“Um— It seems like a lot of seemingly impressive titles came and went but— you could think of it that way?”
“Then who’s the leader of that search team?”

Me, included in the search team as an experienced person?

Or Sim Yuhan approaching us with that large build over there?

“…”

Ku Yeri raised her eyebrows at my question but gave no answer.

A search team organized very smoothly as if it had been prepared.

No— We probably came right when they were really driven to a dead end and had no choice but to send out camp members to basement floor 1.

A new card that can be used and discarded anytime, not camp members who have shared joys and sorrows on the 2nd floor of the library so far.

Strange people who can be easily sent down while giving overflowing space as if bestowing charity rather than fighting or being kicked out, as if it’s a fair trade.

And 3 reliable people who can control those 2 people.

It was a personnel selection with plenty of intention.

I smiled while facing Ku Yeri who was quietly staring at me.

Young but cunning.

More cunning than the vice president who tried to eliminate threats recklessly—

But the shallow trick of trying to control 2 people with 3 is too young.

“…Since we’re putting in more people, the leader would naturally be Yuhan senior. And we’re already a community sharing the same fate, so dividing things like that is a bit meaningless—”
“What are you whispering and muttering about? The sun will set at this rate, Yeri.”

Sim Yuhan interrupting Ku Yeri’s words as she was hurriedly stringing them together.

He who stood in front of the internal stairway door with his large build gestured with his eyes while looking at us who were preparing.

“What are you doing? Are you nervous already?”

Sim Yuhan meeting my eyes while spitting out informal speech tick tick.

His eyes looking at me already didn’t show a single piece of goodwill, as if he was planning something.

“Then, I’ll send down the bait smartphone to basement floor 1 right away. I’ll have these guys positioned in front of the internal stairway door, so if it becomes dangerous, don’t push yourselves and just come right back up—”
“I said I got it. You’re nagging exactly like Taeha, exactly the same nagging. Don’t worry. That’s why I said we shouldn’t do things like voting and should have gone down earlier.”
“…Don’t push yourself, Yuhan senior.”
“I said I got it— Woojin, Minjun. What are you really doing, you bastards. If even you two are like this, hyung gets very tired, you bastards.”
“Yes, yes!”

Two minions trembling dadadak and sticking close behind Sim Yuhan, and Ko Janghun and me standing behind them.

And library camp people watching us in a long semicircle as if seeing us off.

“Sent down the smartphone—!”

The vice president’s loud shout as he seemed to be controlling the situation from the opposite elevator.

Sim Yuhan who nodded his head at that shout opened the internal stairway door after temporarily moving away the bookshelves.

Screech—!

The internal stairway door opening carefully along with the sound of door hinges.

I who entered the internal stairway last slowly closed the door.

“…It’s much quieter than I thought.”

The internal stairway with no noise heard except the sound of the door opening and closing.

One of the minions whispered softly with an anxious expression.

“Aigoo Woojin, Woojin— Why would zombie bastards camp out here in the internal stairway where there’s nothing to eat? Would you do that if you were them?”

Thud—!

Sim Yuhan who pushed Park Woojin’s head thud— after he made an anxious sound started climbing back up the path he had been going down.

Sim Yuhan glaring at me with fiercely burning eyes while climbing the stairs.

“Hey you. Did you not properly close the 2nd floor door like an idiot?”

Fuck, it’s annoying having to check every little thing like this.

Bang—!

Sim Yuhan thrusting out a shoulder bump with very thick intent while climbing the stairs.

Sim Yuhan who was pushed back slightly with a faint impact sound growled at me while furrowing his brow as much as possible.

“Move.”

Sim Yuhan going back down the internal stairway after checking the 2nd floor door that would obviously be closed while looking at me slowly making way.

“…Hyung, is this really okay?”
“You bastard, you need to control bastards like that from the beginning before they act up below.”

The conversation between Sim Yuhan and the two minions sticking close to his side rings clearly in my ears.

“Fuck, is he anger management disorder or what? Even if he is anger management disorder, what’s he going to do? Taeha might not know, but it won’t work with me.”
“Still… That bastard’s eyes really looked a bit strange—”
“You bastard. The medicine for anger management disorder bastards like that is the rod. They need to get their jaw smashed once to come to their senses after mouthing off however they want.”

I followed behind them while vividly observing the conversation in front that was unclear whether it was being heard by the person in question or deliberately meant to be heard.

I quietly stared at Ko Janghun who had somehow slung on two bags and was positioned behind me, and the closed 2nd floor door.

And those library camp members going down relentlessly.

From the 2nd floor of the central library to the 1st floor.

And from the 1st floor to basement floor 1, our destination.

Sim Yuhan ran through quite a lot of stairs at a fast speed without any fear.

To me it was a very lucky situation, but whether he knew that or not, Sim Yuhan clicked his tongue while looking at us following slowly, then put his hand on the basement floor 1 handle.

“Don’t even make breathing sounds from now on. Especially if you have a fit after seeing a zombie bastard, we’ll leave you behind right away.”

It was clearly a warning for Ko Janghun and me, but rather the minions next to Sim Yuhan seemed more scared as they hurriedly inhaled.

Sim Yuhan who let out a hollow laugh at that sight growled softly as he glared at me to the end, probably disliking me.

“Yeah. A laughing idiot is better than a crying idiot.”

Screech—!

The basement floor 1 door opening very carefully at the end of Sim Yuhan’s whisper that could all be heard.

[♩~ ♪~ ♬]

A song with a clear source echoes through the slightly opening door gap.

“Keeeeeek—!”

And even the roars of zombies going berserk at that song.

“Hiiieek—!”

The two minions already starting to shake their legs at the zombies’ unique monstrous cry that induces goosebumps all over the body as soon as it’s heard.

Splat—!

Sim Yuhan who hurriedly smacked their heads furrowed his brows and jerked his chin forward.

“Keeeeeek—!”

The roars of zombies that seemed quite far away and the empty corridor visible through the open internal stairway door.

Basement floor 1 came into the search team’s view as they leaned against the wall after coming out of the internal stairway door, starting with Sim Yuhan.

Information search and copy computers set up at regular intervals on round tables and large sofas placed for rest.

Copiers continuing at length around the wall-mounted TV that always played English news and the copy room.

And the destination store waiting for us opposite the copy room.

It was a fairly large store with a small cafeteria attached next to it.

“Good. Not a single one in sight.”

Sim Yuhan’s whisper after carefully confirming no zombies were visible.

“Let’s quickly go into the store and grab the food.”
“Yes, hyung.”
“Wait.”

Sim Yuhan who had been hurriedly trying to enter the wide open store furrowed his brow at my restraint.

“You’re just going to enter the store like this?”
“Then fuck, should we do a roll call before entering?”
“We don’t know when the song will end, or if there are zombies that weren’t drawn by the aggro somewhere.”
“That’s why we need to quickly go in, grab food, and get out, you fucking bitch. Just shut up and follow.”
“At this rate, we won’t be able to take out all the food there either.”
“Ah fuck—!”

Sim Yuhan swearing quite loudly as if his patience had run out at my continued objections.

As if realizing the swear he just spat out was quite loud, Sim Yuhan who lowered his voice again whispered like a snake.

“So what are you saying we should do. Are you saying we should have a battle royale with zombies while getting food? If you want to go crazy, go crazy alone nicely, you idiot bastard.”
“At this rate we won’t be able to take out all the food in that store today, and after today the electricity will be cut off so visibility will be more blocked.”

I continued speaking while raising my head to look at the fluorescent lights shining brightly.

“Then it will become harder to come get food from the store, right?”
“Haa—”

Sim Yuhan quickly grabbing my collar while exhaling a deep sigh.

The sound of gritting teeth leaked out buzzing as if barely holding back anger to the limit.

“We can think about that after the food we take out today runs out. Rescue teams might come by then too. And we’ll worry about those concerns ourselves, so just shut up and follow.”
“…I don’t want to.”
“This fucking bastard, are you having another fit.”

Thud—!

I lightly shook off his collar grab and jerked my chin towards the bathroom located right behind.

“Seems like we need to talk a bit.”
“Huh—! Talk? Sure—.”

A sharp gaze as if he had been waiting for this along with a light hollow laugh.

The urgent voices of the two minions belatedly trying to stop Sim Yuhan are heard behind me as I walk towards the men’s bathroom.

[♩~ ♪~]

As soon as I open the men’s bathroom door, familiar classical music welcomes me.

This place greeted me without any problems as usual, as if there had been no effects from the zombie apocalypse.

Rather feeling awkward at the wallpaper not being covered in blood, I searched for zombies that might be hiding just in case.

Bang—! Bang—!

Presences following me in while I was checking the stalls with toilets one by one.

The two minions who ultimately couldn’t stop Sim Yuhan and were dragged along, and Ko Janghun entering last and standing perfectly in front of the bathroom door.

Really— He’s definitely not someone who would die in some random place.

“You bastard— Splitting hairs again.”

Sim Yuhan glared as if disliking my appearance of smirking.

Trudge— Trudge—

“So what did you want to talk about? I’m really speechless—”

Slap—!

Sim Yuhan’s body who had been grinning while loosening his neck left and right as if showing off swayed wobbly—.

I waved the metal pipe tick— that had somehow moved to my left hand and retrieved my right hand that had struck out.

“Y-you fucking bastard—!”

Slap—!

The face containing half bewilderment and half anger staggered to the side once more.

Slap—!

Sim Yuhan’s body staggered slowly towards the bathroom wall each time I struck his cheek.

Slap—!

His body that had barely maintained balance without collapsing even in this situation finally collapsed at a swing with a bit of strength applied from the bathroom wall.

Sim Yuhan falling face down on the floor with a crash—.

This time I used my leg instead of my hand.

Splat—!

A kick embedding squarely into Sim Yuhan’s stomach as he lay face down.

“Guk—! Kuok—!”

Sim Yuhan instinctively curled up his body as soon as the kick struck his stomach.

My right foot persistently striking Sim Yuhan’s stomach as he curled up like a grub.

Splat—!

“Guk—! Kuok—!”

A bizarre noise more like tearing a drum than hitting something.

Sim Yuhan’s body that had barely been letting out sounds of gasping for breath started trembling dadadak and convulsing.