Red Dot - 117

Chapter 117

The woman continued speaking about her younger brother.

Her younger brother had always focused on making a large sum of money quickly and often got involved in dangerous things. Because of this, she and her brother often fought, as she worked steadily at the city hall and saved money over the years. However, since they were the only family they had, they were very close.

As proof of this, the messages exchanged between the woman and her brother, which she was allowed to read, were sent daily without a single day skipped, and they were always about worrying for and encouraging each other.

A week before the zombie outbreak.

Her brother sent a message saying that he was working under a man named Nam Ki-hyuk, who seemed crazy but promised they could make a lot of money. He sent the message with excitement. The woman questioned him about what dangerous thing he was doing this time, but her brother kept repeating not to worry. He also said that if this job went well, they could go abroad and live together.

The woman felt something was off and sent a message saying, “I don’t know what you’re planning to do, but quit right now.” She also pressured him with messages saying she would report him to the police. Her brother got very angry and, after that, didn’t reply to her messages.

On the morning of Day 1, the same day the zombie outbreak began, the woman had been contemplating whether to report him or not.

Suddenly, the brother, who had been ignoring her, sent a message telling her not to go to work today and to stay home.

Furious about the sudden order, the woman called him. Her brother, speaking quietly as if hiding somewhere, told her to please listen to him and then hung up. After that, no matter how many times she called, the calls were immediately disconnected.

The woman, who was about to be promoted, needed to show great diligence, and since the message came just before she was about to leave for work, she checked the news and online media. There were no articles about any dangers at the city hall or surrounding areas. Since nothing seemed wrong, she, like always, ignored her brother’s warnings and went to work.

While focused on her work and not checking her phone, the woman finally found time to look at the remaining messages from her brother. The content mentioned the “zombie virus” that Junseong had first read about, as well as incredible information on how to survive inside the city hall during the outbreak.

The woman thought her brother was talking nonsense.

That was until she saw the zombies attacking and ripping people apart inside the city hall.

The woman believed that Nam Ki-hyuk, who had foreseen the zombie outbreak and informed his subordinates about it, was the true culprit behind the virus.

The long, detailed conversation history, along with the last phone call that the woman secretly recorded with her brother, confirmed that her words were the “truth.”

And there was one more thing.

“Look at this.”

The woman handed a crumpled, bl00d-stained Polaroid photo.

“This is a picture of my brother that they left behind at the shelter where they massacred everyone on Day 3.”

Tears fell from the woman’s red eyes. The situation in the Polaroid was grim.

A man in his early 30s, who resembled the woman quite a bit, had his head crushed under someone’s foot, his eyes half-open. His face and upper body showed signs of severe beatings, with bl00d everywhere.

A few people were tied up with ropes some distance away, all looking terrified. It seemed like the man had been beaten in front of them to set an example.

Junseong, who had seen a familiar face among the people in the photo, clenched his lower lip.

“Kim Taeju, uncle…”

The man he had met on Day 2, when they were on the road heading toward the Inhan Hospital. He was one of the survivors who had been sent off in the rescue helicopter. Now, in the corner of the photo, he was cowering in fear.

Now, Junseong understood why the woman and the others had been left alone when the attack occurred in the early morning.

“Did you want to show me that I’m being manipulated by your hand?”

The photo of the survivor’s fate, brought by the woman connected to Nam Ki-hyuk, made it clear why she had ended up here. Her group, including Dujae, had been left alive on purpose by Nam Ki-hyuk, just like in the dream, though Dujae was severely injured.

Junseong’s face twisted with rage as he recalled the mocking face of Nam Ki-hyuk.

As the group looked at the horrifying photo, one member, who had spent a week with the woman, held back his anger and asked, “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“You couldn’t, could you?”

Junseong answered on behalf of the woman.

“Uncle, the person who mentioned your name is the younger sibling of that man, who works for Nam Ki-hyuk. He even said you’d be safe if you stayed with him. So, I think you must have suspected she was actually working with Nam Ki-hyuk.”

The woman nodded in agreement, wiping her eyes, and looked at Dujae.

“If I had known that the ones who did that to you, Dujae, were from Nam Ki-hyuk’s side, I would’ve told you earlier. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

She had been helped a lot, whether she liked it or not, over the past week. Though she had been grateful, her suspicion had kept her silent. Now, she bowed her head to Dujae.

“It’s fine. I also have things to apologize for,” Dujae said, comforting the woman, Lim Yuseul. He raised the severed arm wrapped in bandages.

“Junseong told me the guy who cut off this arm was Nam Ki-hyuk. If I had known about Yuseul, I should’ve captured them alive and tortured them, but I’m sorry.”

“That man was Nam Ki-hyuk…” Yuseul clenched her teeth, recalling the terrifying killer they met early in the morning.

“Well, this works out. If I had found my brother and something happened to him, I would have had to kill him with my own hands.”

The other members of the group seemed to understand Yuseul’s anger.

Only one person, except for Do Hanseo.

Hanseo quietly stared at the photo of his younger sibling and some of the survivors, then turned his gaze away. For some reason, he was focusing on the faces of people other than Junseong, one by one.

The man, Son Namsub, who had no idea he was being used.

The woman, Lim Yuseul, who was gritting her teeth with thoughts of finding her younger sibling and seeking revenge on Nam Ki-hyeok.

When the innocence of the two people, who had seemed suspicious, was revealed, Junseong showed a noticeably relieved expression.

However, even so, he did not talk about the dream to those two. He also asked the others in the group to keep his dream a secret.

Junseong had made up his mind that if he had to tell someone about his dream, it would only be to people who had already been verified in the dream.

Just because someone was innocent did not guarantee they would keep his secret, and he could not be sure they wouldn’t be put in danger later. The possibility that they might betray him could not be ruled out, so he had to be as cautious as possible.

“Still, I’m relieved.”

Junseong spoke in a voice filled with relief as he watched the group gathered around the break room table, sharing their stories. However, his eyes were cold and sharp.

“I’m glad I don’t have to throw them out.”

Junseong’s words were clearly “sincere.”

If Son Namsub and Lim Yuseul had been spies for Nam Ki-hyeok, what choice would Junseong have made?

Hanseo, knowing Junseong’s coldness, faintly smiled as he peeked into Junseong’s thoughts.

On the outside, he appeared fragile, as if no one could defeat him, but inside, he was incredibly strong and terrifying.

Only Hanseo could fully see through Junseong’s heart. Junseong knew this, which was why he revealed his true self only to him.

For Hanseo, this was something to be quite happy about.

“Now, even if Chaeyi comes, I can feel at ease.”

Junseong’s face, as he looked out the window at the rain, slowly showed signs of tension.

It would soon be the second time the rain stopped, and perhaps they could take that opportunity to come here.

Junseong did not take his eyes off the window for a while, waiting for his younger sister Kang Chaeyi and his friend Jang Daewook.

But during the three stops in the rain, no survivors were seen around the hospital.

As time passed, no one in the group dared to speak to Junseong.

When Yuseul heard that Junseong had planned to meet his younger sibling here after reluctantly parting from her, she couldn’t hold back her emotions and secretly wiped away her tears. Meanwhile, Junseong just stared out the window with his mouth tightly closed and bloodshot eyes.

[11:48 PM]

In the deep silence.

It was almost the end of the seventh day.

“Junseong!”

“Junseong Oppa!”

Junseong, who had been staring endlessly out the window, reached his limit and collapsed. Do Hanseo, who had been staying beside him, caught Junseong’s body as if he had expected it.