Red Dot - 39

– Chapter 39

‘Could it be…’

A perplexed Junseong entertained a single hypothesis in his confused mind.

‘No. It can’t be.’

With an uneasy expression, Junseong, who had momentarily lost himself in thought, started walking. Hanseo, following him as if it were natural, asked, “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to investigate the nurse’s office.”

There might be some clues in the nurse’s office where Park Hyunje stayed for two days.

Despite experiencing numerous episodes in his dreams, the situation in the hospital had unexpectedly changed, and he believed there must be some reason for it. Instead of a hypothesis, he wanted to find proper clues.

With that in mind, he searched the nurse’s office.

Passing the nurse’s office, which revealed nothing strange, he entered the equipment room connected to it. He went through all the drawers, filing cabinets, and equipment boxes inside.

After a struggle…

“I found it.”

In the equipment room connected to the nurse’s office, Junseong discovered something.

“This is…”

Hanseo, noticing Junseong’s pause, also entered the equipment room, thinking he must have found something. Both of them focused on what Junseong held in his hand.

It was a list consisting of 15 documents, including the cover, titled ‘Evacuation Plan List for Inhan Hospital.’

As they flipped through the first page, detailed information about the real nurse Park Hyunje, whom Junseong knew, including his photo and personal details, was written. Furthermore, there were sinister contents in between.

[Harvestable Organs: All Organs – Grade A, All Harvestable.]

Junseong clenched his lips and turned to the next page. The detailed records of the first evacuee, whose identity he had suspected, were meticulously written down, including harvestable organs.

[Harvestable Organs: Heart – Grade A, Liver – Grade B-, Lungs – Grade A-, Kidneys – Grade A, Kidneys… ]

Junseong couldn’t read it all and quickly flipped to the next page.

The third page contained the second evacuee, the fourth page the third evacuee, and so on.

Until the appearance of the fourteenth evacuee, their evacuation order was correct without a single mistake.

‘What is this…?’

His head felt dizzy.

It wasn’t particularly surprising for organ traffickers to treat people’s organs like commodities, evaluating them as if conducting quality inspections.

However, what confused Junseong was the part written on the cover of this list, ‘Evacuation Plan List for Inhan Hospital.’

Evacuation Plan.

In other words, it was a list created before the evacuation took place.

He didn’t know how this list was made, but the fact that they knew everything in advance, from the order of evacuees to the condition of their organs, was overwhelming.

Just like himself.

If that were the case, it would make sense that organ traffickers had already made their move in this hospital. There were variables that were impossible to occur only from the side he had experienced.

Looking at Junseong’s serious face, Hanseo, who was observing him, spoke as if representing his feelings.

“That boss guy seems to have the same ability as you.”

Junseong’s forehead twitched, unable to outright deny it.

The fact that he thought he could know the future just like himself, even if it was someone with no outstanding abilities like him, was already an unbelievable event.

Whether it was through precognitive dreams or suddenly being able to see the future one day.

Just seeing an ordinary person repeatedly dreaming about future events was enough to suggest the possibility of people with precognitive abilities. It felt like reading a fantasy novel about individuals with extraordinary powers, but one couldn’t assert that such people didn’t exist, especially when he himself was the proof.

However, it didn’t seem like they could see a perfect future. If that were possible, there wouldn’t be such an imperfect list. Even when adding Kang Junseong, Do Hanseo, and Kim Taeju, a total of 17 people had set foot in the hospital’s safe zone, but the list only included a mere 14, excluding themselves.

“That boss person probably has a similar ability to mine, but can only see one future.”

That was perhaps a relief.

If it were the same ability, he would have had to calculate based on the numerous episodes of his dreams. In that case, it would be strange for him to be missing from the list.

Junseong had visited this hospital several times during the many episodes. In some cases, like today when the rescue helicopter was arriving, he had been here since the second day. In those instances, he usually took his younger brother and his friends with him because he needed to take them on the rescue helicopter.

So, the probability of Kang Junseong coming to this hospital was quite reasonable. Thus, he should be on the list of evacuees. Yet, he was completely absent.

In other words, the list was created based on the episodes where Kang Junseong did not come to this hospital.

It was somewhat comforting.

It wasn’t perfect foresight; he was just exploring scenes using a specific route, much like himself.

That provided some sense of relief.

Although he couldn’t consider the boss, who did such terrible things, a good person in any sense.

The rescue helicopter arrived at the scheduled time.

There was no need to have people waiting on the roof in advance.

On the rooftop, a long sheet that Park Hyunje, the real nurse, had gathered to create an ‘SOS’ was present. Also, a note on the rooftop door read, “[Survivors on the 7th floor].”

Seeing the SOS, the firefighters who came down from the rescue helicopter arrived on the 7th floor. The survivors, who had been staying in their rooms, cheered as they awaited rescue, shedding tears of relief. While sending them up one by one with a hoist, a 40-year-old woman with a permed hairstyle fidgeted around, looking for Nurse Park Hyunje.

“We had a good nurse who took care of us sincerely. He was here until a few hours ago, where did he go?”

Although people loudly demanded to find that nurse, Do Hanseo knew that no one would find him.

Hanseo had thrown the fake Park Hyunje’s body out of the window on the 5th floor. The body, dropped among the zombies, was already trampled on, either dead or not attacked yet. The three men, whose information she had gathered, also fell among the zombies.

To avoid scaring Junseong, she deliberately said that she had kept all three men, excluding the fake Park Hyunje, locked up on the 5th floor.

The firefighters, who had to investigate other floors due to the existence of Nurse Park Hyunje demanded by the people, confirmed the empty 6th floor and the completely locked 5th floor. Unfortunately, only those gathered on the rooftop needed to be transported. They had to escape.

“Why aren’t you going?! Why?!”

Taeju’s voice, on the rescue helicopter, was only partially audible amid the rough propeller noise.

There was enough space.

With the original 14 survivors from the hospital’s 1st wave, there were three seats left even after everyone boarded. Usually, in most episodes, he took his younger brother and his friends in the available seats. Now, with no younger brother and friends and only seven people, including Taeju, it was more than enough space. There was no shortage for Junseong and Hanseo to board.

Junseong glanced at Hanseo. Hanseo, with a face that seemed completely unrelated to the current situation, wore a relaxed smile.

‘Just get on. People’s hearts are complicated…’

His mouth felt bitter.

Thirty minutes before the rescue helicopter arrived, Junseong recalled his conversation with Hanseo.

Do Hanseo had a more frightening expression than any time before.

“Not going.”

However, despite that, there was no way to retreat.

Junseong, with determination in his eyes, said firmly.

“Since the last rescue helicopter came, we don’t know when another rescue will come. We have to go this time.”

“If you’re going, then you should come with me.”

Junseong sighed, rubbing his throbbing forehead with his hand.

“I told you. I can’t leave my two younger siblings behind.”

Hanseo’s brow twitched. Whether he liked it or not, Junseong had to find a way to get Hanseo on this rescue helicopter.

“I haven’t been there myself, but the rescued people are usually taken to the temporary shelter managed by the military in Cheongmu City. Anyway, since you’re an immune person with the vaccine, you might end up going somewhere else, but either way, the treatment for the future immune individuals will be at the highest level…”

“Seems like you’re delusional about something.”

Hanseo’s chilling voice echoed. It was a terrifying sound, as if the surrounding air was freezing.

“I have no intention of sharing my body with the country just because I have the vaccine.”

Junseong replied with frustration in his tone.

“But if you volunteer for the vaccine production, this zombie situation will end soon. Your parents are also in Cheongmu City, so you can stay there together and cooperate with vaccine research. Once the zombie situation is sorted out, you two can meet again outside. Why do you keep refusing to leave?”

Hanseo showed a brief sneer.

“Do I have an obligation to volunteer? Even if I had an obligation, would it extend to this zombie nest?”

“Sigh… Hanseo…”

He couldn’t remove his hand from his forehead. It was so frustrating that it felt like he was about to get a fever.

‘Why is this kid so stubborn again?’

Looking at Hanseo, who was stubborn in unnecessary places, it felt as frustrating as forcing down hundreds of sweet potatoes against his will.