Red Dot - 45

One hour later.

Junseong and Hanseo were standing on the 7th-floor emergency staircase with their belongings.

To call them “belongings” was a bit of an exaggeration; it was essentially Junseong’s backpack and machete. Hanseo’s jackknife was always kept in his jacket pocket and was so lightweight that it could hardly be considered luggage.

In addition to the backpack, Junseong also packed emergency rations and a blanket that were in the supplies room. Considering they didn’t know how they would survive until the 6th day, having provisions to overcome hunger, a blanket to ward off the cold, and a lighter for starting a fire were essential. Junseong also made sure to fill the empty water bottle with fresh water.

Junseong looked at Hanseo, who was now effortlessly carrying his backpack, and spoke.

“As I mentioned, we’ll use your abilities, but it has to be done discreetly, away from the eyes of others. No one should find out that you’re the vaccine.”

“Got it.”

Even though they were going to find trustworthy people, revealing Hanseo’s true nature as the vaccine could lead to unpredictable consequences.

Moreover, if they stayed close enough, zombies wouldn’t dare touch them, making Hanseo’s ability truly formidable.

So, Hanseo’s ability had to be kept as secret as possible.

“But even so, you’re trying to reveal it while I’m trying to hide it.”

Hanseo, who chuckled while shining the flashlight ahead, asked Junseong as they descended the stairs together.

“Weren’t you intentionally trying to keep the information about the dream a secret?”

Hanseo was aware of some of the events that had occurred after Junseong intentionally revealed information about his abilities in the dream. Therefore, it was strange that Junseong, who originally wanted to keep the dream-related information a secret, now chose to disclose it to the people they were about to recruit.

“I don’t particularly want to reveal it. But for the people we’re going to find now, I have to.”

Until now, there was no point in telling others about the dream-related information because they had never succeeded in finding that person. However, if they managed to find this person this time, the truth had to be disclosed. Otherwise, even if they rescued that person, they might not receive the necessary cooperation.

Hanseo’s hand gently rested on Junseong’s head, lost in thought.

“You’re working hard, thinking about all these things with this little brain of yours.”

“It’s about the same size as yours.”

“Is that so?”

As they exchanged such playful banter, they continued down the stairs. They had already passed the 5th floor and reached the 4th floor.

Junseong looked at the door to the 4th floor, illuminated by Hanseo’s flashlight, and spoke.

“The person with abilities similar to mine.”

“The Long-Term Trading Boss?”

Junseong nodded, furrowing his brow.

“Have we met this person in a dream?”

“It’s possible.”

Hanseo knew some of the events that had happened after Junseong publicly revealed his abilities to others in the dream. Therefore, she found it curious that Junseong, who initially wanted to keep the dream-related information a secret, now chose to disclose it to the people they were about to recruit.

“I didn’t particularly want to reveal it. However, for the people we’re about to find, I have to.”

Until now, there was no point in telling others about the dream-related information because they had never succeeded in finding that person. However, if they managed to find this person this time, the truth had to be disclosed. Otherwise, even if they rescued that person, they might not receive the necessary cooperation.

Lost in thought, Junseong felt Hanseo’s hand gently resting on his head.

“You’re working hard, thinking about all these things with this little brain of yours.”

“It’s about the same size as yours.”

“Is that so?”

As they exchanged such playful banter, they continued down the stairs. They had already passed the 5th floor and reached the 4th floor.

Junseong looked at the door to the 4th floor, illuminated by Hanseo’s flashlight, and spoke.

“The person with abilities similar to mine.”

“The Long-Term Trading Boss?”

Junseong nodded, furrowing his brow.

“Have we met this person in a dream?”

“It’s possible.”

The hospital had information about the survivors Junseong knew. If he hadn’t met the survivors in person, this would be unknown information.

‘Could it be someone who came to the hospital?’

Just looking at the list of hospital evacuees, it seemed that he knew the order in which they evacuated.

In the dream, depending on his choices, the number of evacuees from the hospital could increase to a maximum of 21. However, if he hadn’t met them in person, it would be unknown information.

‘Could it be someone who came to the hospital?’

Just looking at the list of hospital evacuees, it seemed that he knew the order in which they evacuated.

In the dream, depending on his choices, the number of evacuees from the hospital could increase to a maximum of 21. However, if he hadn’t met them in person, it would be unknown information.

For a moment, a thought passed through Junseong’s mind.

Suddenly stopping his steps and standing still, Junseong was now frozen in place.

“Kang Junseong?”

With stiff eyes, he was frantically shaking, and Hanseo could see his immense anxiety.

Hanseo went down one step and looked at Junseong in the eyes.

“Junseong, look at me.”

Although Hanseo was clearly in front of Junseong, his focus seemed to be elsewhere entirely. No, it was more accurate to say that he didn’t know where to focus at all.

Seeing Junseong in a state as if his soul had left his body, Hanseo furrowed her brow, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him forcefully.

“Snap out of it, quickly. Before it overwhelms you.”

Whether it was due to Hanseo shaking him vigorously or the warning of an impending attack, Junseong finally regained his senses.

“Sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment.”

Hanseo’s hand cupped Junseong’s cheek. He didn’t like the cold touch on his face, which had become cool during his brief lapse.

“What were you thinking about that made you lose your spirit?”

“Just… it’s a bit hard to explain.”

Junseong trailed off, finding it difficult to express himself.

With one hand, he wiped the slight sweat from his forehead and shook off the distraction, soon returning to his usual expression.

“I’m fine now. Let’s go.”

Saying so, he started descending the stairs, leading the way.

‘What was he thinking about?’

Following behind Junseong, Hanseo recalled the anxious expression he had just a while ago.

It resembled the past.

“Our Junseong…”

“Have you killed anyone?”

Right after that question, his face gradually became overwhelmed by anxiety, coupled with hyperventilation. If Junseong hadn’t regained his composure a little late, the situation might have become as agonizing as it was back then.

‘Why? There was no need to kill anyone this time.’

Hanseo, following Junseong down the stairs, observed his pale face, reflecting on the recent episode of distress.

‘Did he hide something from me?’

He seemed to have laid bare all the information about the dream, but apparently, there was something he kept hidden. Perhaps that hidden aspect had a deep connection with Junseong’s trauma.

Hanseo was not pleased with the trauma that held Junseong in its grip.

‘Could it be related to that?’

Regarding her question yesterday, asking Junseong if he had ever killed someone in the dream, he had responded like this.

“I asked earlier, right? In that dream… have you killed someone?”

“I have. Right from the start of the round, I rushed over and killed, killed, killed, and killed again…”

Hanseo believed that Junseong’s trauma was probably related to the ‘guy he killed.’

Even if it was a dream, the fact that someone like Kang Junseong relentlessly chased and killed someone, again and again, suggested that the other party forcefully injected a trauma that would completely shake his mind.

“Until I could laugh, I kept killing.”

As someone who had never imagined the concept of ‘trauma,’ Hanseo, observing Junseong’s pale face as he descended the stairs, found his wounds truly irksome.

“Damn it!”

A young man who seemed to have just reached adulthood cursed as he stomped on an empty water bottle.

“When the hell is the rescue coming?!”

It was the last remaining water. Now, there was no water left, and there had never been any food from the beginning.

A middle-aged woman sitting a bit away on a chair chuckled as she watched the young man.

“He’s quite the hot-tempered student.”

“Why is he throwing a fit every single day?”

A high school girl with a ponytail, wearing a school uniform, squatted next to Hanseo and looked pitifully at the young man.

‘Mom said becoming a college student means becoming an adult… but looking at him, maybe Mom’s words aren’t entirely correct.’

The girl, who lowered her head, rose from her seat. She walked towards a chubby man in his thirties, huddled in a corner, sound asleep, glancing around as she went.

An angry young man, a sullen middle-aged woman, a high school girl with a ponytail, and a thirty-something man who slept all day. These four, with diverse backgrounds, found themselves unintentionally gathered in a laundry shop. This place, one of the stores on the first floor of an expensive office building, was relatively spacious compared to other shops. Even with all four lying side by side, there was enough space to comfortably pass by.

The laundry shop was not bad in many ways. Various types of clothes hung, making it possible to withstand the early winter weather. If it got too cold in the early morning, you could stuff your clothes into the dryer, turn it on, and wear them in a warm state.

However, the problem was food and water.

Initially, water seemed plentiful on the first day, but suddenly it stopped, and now, on the third day, not a drop of water had come out.

‘Thankfully, that guy told us to prepare in advance on the first day.’

The girl sighed, looking down at the remaining water in her hands. After sighing quite deeply, it seemed like she became even hungrier.

The high school girl, standing next to the huddled man in his thirties, gently poked his buttocks with her toe.

“Mister, wake up.”

“Uh, why, Jian…”

Turning his body with hunched shoulders, the man frowned as he looked up at Jian.

“Where did Changmin oppa go? He said he went out early in the morning.”

“Well, why are you asking me about that…”

“We’ve all been sleeping since night, and you’re always sleeping during the day. It’s the lively dawn now, so you might have seen him.”

“I don’t know. Maybe he went to get water since it’s all gone. Judging by how he hasn’t come back until now, he might have run away alone.”

“Oh, come on…”

She waved her hand, telling him not to say ominous things.

At that moment…

Beep, beep, beep, beep-

Clunk-

The machine sound pressing the door lock password and the sound of the door opening echoed. Naturally, Jian, who thought Changmin had returned, hesitated at the unexpected appearance of a stranger.