Chapter 7

　　Seeing Shin Haejun for the first time in four long years was, surprisingly, like seeing a ghost. As always, his shirt was buttoned to the top, his tie neat, his leather coat free of a single speck of dust, his leather gloves sleek, his bulletproof vest stretched taut over his chest, and his military boots well-polished. He was far too neat for a soldier constantly on the move in a post-apocalyptic world. It was a testament to his obsessive nature.

　　“Min Ahyeon.”

　　He spoke without retracting his outstretched hand. “A deserter now, are we? Refusing to even show respect to a superior officer? I’m disappointed.”

　　His low voice was clear and intense. Laced with authority, it was as sharp as the sound of dry leaves rustling in the wind. I let out a short sigh and saluted him.

　　“Deserter Min Ahyeon, reporting to Brigadier General Shin Haejun.”

　　“Haha!”

　　Shin Haejun burst out laughing, crinkling one eye. He swiped a finger under the dark circles layered with fatigue, and a corner of his smooth lips lifted in a smirk. “You really haven’t changed. Not one bit.”

　　“I was about to say the same thing. You haven’t changed either, Brigadier General. And not for the better.”

　　“You could have left off that last part.”

　　He patted my shoulder twice, then glanced at Yongcheol. “How about we get in the car? The children might wake up.”

　　“Uh, ah, yes! I-I understand!”

　　Poor Yongcheol. The memory of the beating Shin Haejun had given him was apparently so traumatic that he was still trembling years later. The poor bastard.

　　“Shall we get in the car, too? It’s nighttime, you know?”

　　I let out a hollow laugh at his casual lie. “What are you talking about? You’re the one who just killed all the Infected.”

　　“Ah, was it that obvious?”

　　The gunfire we’d heard coming down the mountain. I’d thought the pattern was somehow familiar, and the moment I saw him, I was certain. Firing a gun with such reckless abandon was a rare thing, after all.

　　“It’s been so long, yet you still remember me. I’m honored.”

　　“You were my instructor, General. Of course I remember.”

　　Shin Haejun shrugged and gave a slight nod. After confirming that Yongcheol and the children were safely in the car, I looked up at him. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of the great brigadier general seeking out a lowly deserter like myself?”

　　Instead of answering, he tilted his head and stared at me. Twilight had already settled. Standing in the silent darkness, he refused to blend in, his presence on full display. His fatigue-worn skin was deathly pale, and the only color on his face came from the deep shadows under his eyes. Yet his firmly set jaw hinted at a powerful resolve, and thanks to the mischievous smile and disorderly gaze that permeated his features, he didn’t look pitiful in the slightest.

　　“Second Lieutenant. You don’t have to be so guarded. I just came to see a dear subordinate I haven’t seen in a long time.”

　　“Cut the bullshit, General. Since when did you ever care about me?”

　　“Your language has gotten rougher. Is it the life out here?”

　　He chuckled and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his coat. How many bullets could I buy with one of those packs… I thought, glaring at him as he offered me one.

　　“In case you don’t remember, I don’t smoke.”

　　“Ah.”

　　He pulled his hand back and let out a dry chuckle, muttering, “Was it Kim Iwon who smoked?”

　　I remained silent.

　　The Kim Iwon he mentioned was a sergeant in the unit I had commanded. A comrade who died four years ago during the defense of the Paju demarcation line. The image of him being torn apart by a horde of Infected was still vivid in my mind. I pressed the bridge of my nose and scowled.

　　“Brigadier General. If you have no particular reason for seeking me out, I’ll be on my way. I have a lot to do.”

　　At that, he stared at me, a cigarette dangling crookedly from his lips. His eyes, as black as the shadows that framed them, bored into me.

　　“Second Lieutenant.”

　　“It’s Min Ahyeon now.”

　　“Right. Ahyeon.”

　　He flicked his cigarette away with a sharp tap and exhaled a plume of pale smoke. Through the dissipating haze, his face was closer. His sharp, meticulous gaze swept over me.

　　“Have you found your brother?”

　　He smiled brightly and extended his hand to me again.

　　“Isn’t it about time you found him?”

　　Ah. I really hate this bastard.

* * *

　　“They say the virus came from the melting glaciers.”

　　That’s what my superior, Captain Kim Changgeon, told me four years ago.

　　“The Arctic expedition team got infected, and, well, after that, it spread all over the world. As you know, it’s not like you show symptoms right away. Infected people walked around not even knowing they had it, then it suddenly flared up, and they started biting people, tearing them up, getting a taste for it, fuck.”

　　As he said, the “zombie virus” wasn’t the kind from movies or books where you get bitten and immediately turn into a flesh-eating zombie. This damn virus lies dormant in the human body, manifesting at irregular intervals. That’s why the initial response was such a mess. How could you possibly respond when you couldn’t even tell who was infected? People who didn’t know they were carriers became the Infected, lost their minds, and as hosts, bit and killed others… and those they killed rose again as Infected. And so, the world began its slide into ruin.

　　“From our perspective, we thought we were fine since there were no Koreans on the expedition team. But then China had to go and… ha. If only they hadn’t dropped the nuke!”

　　China’s population had swelled to two billion, and as the most populous country in the world, it produced the largest number of Infected. Unable to handle the horde, the Chinese government devised and executed a massive plan: they would herd the Infected into one location and drop a nuclear bomb on them. When the first mushroom cloud soared high into the sky, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope.

　　Most people said it was a relief that humanity could use its worst weapon when it mattered most. That was, until the surviving Infected emerged, covered in radioactive fallout. The Infected only die if their head—their brain—is destroyed. If the brain isn’t obliterated, they will crawl their way back to life. The Chinese government knew this, but they foolishly assumed the nuke would melt everyone, brain and all. That was their fatal mistake.

　　The few surviving Infected, thoroughly drenched in radiation, roamed the Chinese mainland. In the end, the government decided to seal off everything except the major cities. Can you believe all of this happened in less than a week? A nuke goes off in the country right above us, the number of Infected explodes, people die, refugees flock south in droves…

　　In the midst of it all, the South Korean government tried to work something out with North Korea, but failed. Most of the refugees who tore through North Korea’s barbed-wire fences were already infected. Just like that, North Korea fell. We were next.

　　“Second Lieutenant Min! Take your unit to Paju, now! Paju!”

　　“You head to Cheorwon! Go! Fuck, if we can’t stop this, we’re all dead!”

　　And so I headed to Paju, thinking that if we could just defend the demarcation line, if we could just stop the Infected from advancing south, the Korean peninsula would be safe. But to speak of defending anything without knowing true fear… how arrogant I was. I tried to erase the still-vivid horrors of that day and looked at Shin Haejun again.

　　“Why are you suddenly asking about my brother? You never cared before.”

　　Lighting another cigarette with his lighter, he raised an eyebrow slightly. The orange glow briefly illuminated half his face, making him look unnervingly cold.

　　“I’ll help you find your brother.”

　　“I’m sorry, what did you just say?”

　　With the cigarette between his lips, Shin Haejun grinned and bent his knees to meet my gaze.

　　“I said, I’ll help you find him.”

　　Then he placed a hand on my shoulder.

　　“So just do one job with me.”

* * *