Red Dot - 77

Junseong bit his lip as he recalled Nam Ki-hyuk’s face, which was eerily looking down at him, blood dripping from his neck.

“Damn psycho.”

Even now, his hands wouldn’t stop trembling. Of all people, it had to be him, the one he hoped it wouldn’t be, who knew part of the future.

While others might not know, Junseong was sure that Nam Ki-hyuk would never use that power for good. Maybe he would use it to fulfill his desires by 200%.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead as his temperature seemed to rise due to Nam Ki-hyuk’s antics.

There was a time when he confided in Nam Ki-hyuk, whom he trusted more than anyone else, revealing what he was searching for in his dreams.

Junseong couldn’t be sure how much Nam Ki-hyuk remembered about the dreams now, but it was clear that he knew about the dream that caused him extreme trauma, the one where he first revealed his true nature. Otherwise, there was no way he could be searching for the key to solving the zombie crisis by repeating endless cycles.

In the end, Nam Ki-hyuk, who found a solution, used it as bait by intercepting it before their group. He used it to lure back the ‘toy’ that he had been playing with, the one he didn’t kill.
Originally, Junseong should have gone to him when the solution was taken from him, whether he liked it or not…

“That’s your big mistake, Nam Ki-hyuk.”

Junseong had no intention of playing along with Nam Ki-hyuk’s fishing.

Junseong turned his head to look at Hanseo. His deep eyes, which never lost their relaxed smile, captivated him, never leaving his gaze.

His obsession with finding a solution was only in his dreams.

To Junseong now, there was a stronger and more certain vaccine than those temporary virus stabilizers and research materials.

He had no intention of handing them over to the government or any high-ranking officials as research materials. However, going to Nam Ki-hyuk to retrieve the incomplete vaccine and research materials, even though he had a more perfect solution by his side, would be insane.
Moreover, Nam Ki-hyuk obtaining the solution in advance was not just for the sake of bait.
“He probably wants to get his hands on a big sum of money.”

Selfish dealings with the government, who are struggling with the sudden zombie crisis.
Or perhaps, even though they were incomplete, threatening and looting high-ranking officials who could suppress the zombie virus with 100 stabilizers. It was probably the real purpose.
Just by seeing someone entering the disaster market where it wouldn’t be strange for anyone to die, it was clear what kind of things he would do in the future.

Junseong didn’t want to have anything to do with such a game.

After organizing his thoughts, Junseong looked at each of his companions and spoke.

“If he went as far as leaving a message, there’s probably nothing inside this building. Maybe he’s waiting outside the quarantine zone.”

Even as he spoke, he nodded in agreement with himself.

If he had to make a deal somewhere, he had to do it in a safer place than the quarantine zone, filled with zombies, like in the quarantine zone, where the other party wouldn’t move.

“Nam Ki-hyuk probably knew I would think like that and left the video as an invitation for me to come find him.”

Suddenly, he clenched his teeth tightly in anger.

Come to think of it, Nam Ki-hyuk liked it when Junseong chased after him, not just when he came to catch him.

The next episode of the dream, surrounded by trauma, where he crawled on the ground and was killed by a zombie.

Even though it would probably be the first time they met in a new dream, he half-obsessively chased after him to kill him, and then he said such things.
“You came to catch me? I don’t know why, but it feels damn thrilling.”
“When you come running with those crazy eyes, I feel like killing you.”
“You should try running away more. Let’s see how far you can chase.”

The next episode, and the one after that.

Nam Ki-hyuk repeated the same words without getting tired.

Of course, for Nam Ki-hyuk, those words were probably the first he ever uttered, but to Junseong, they felt like a soft, creeping ‘curse.’ It felt as if he had repeatedly killed Nam Ki-hyuk to deeply engrave those words into his mind, more than an act of revenge or overcoming trauma from previous episodes.

Brushing his trembling arms with his hands, he continued.

“That guy is a crazy murderer. Yes, finding a solution is important… but… there’s no need to risk your life to go looking for it.”

“But it’s still necessary, isn’t it?”

At the mention of ‘crazy murderer,’ Changmin, who had been stiff-faced, now looked troubled.

Changmin had followed Junseong more closely partly because Junseong had saved him, but also because of the solution they should have found here. As someone who had been educated to prioritize the nation and its people, even if he had to be torn apart by zombies, his goal was to deliver the means to end this crisis to national authorities.

“Even if it’s necessary, it doesn’t mean we have to be the ones holding it.”

Junseong recalled the research materials Nam Ki-hyuk had and said.

“The virus stabilizers and research materials… where do you think they’re most urgently needed?”

“It would be Korea, of course.”

As if asking why such an obvious question was being asked, Junseong nodded and threw another question.

“Then where would someone be desperate enough to trade for them?”

“That would also be Korea… Ah…!”

Changmin realized belatedly.

As Changmin said, Korea was the most in need of the virus stabilizers and research materials to immediately stop this disaster. Rather than letting the country become a zombie nest and perish, they had to acquire a solution at any cost to save the people.

Because it was so urgent, Korea would somehow end up making a quick deal with Nam Ki-hyuk. Before other countries interfered excessively under the guise of assistance.

However, regardless of this, the solution Junseong hoped for would end up in the hands of the government.

Knowing this clearly, there was no need to risk their lives and go looking for Nam Ki-hyuk.

They were neither loyal patriots nor heroes.

“Our job ends here.”

Saying so, he glanced at Nam Ki-hyuk in the CCTV once again.

A determination filled his mind that there would be no more playing into his hands as in the dream.

There was a slight change in the lineup of the group that came out of the security room.

Changmin stood at the front, followed by Gyeong-oh and Jee-an, and then Junseong and Hanseo. In other words, Junseong, who had been at the forefront, was now in the back.

“It’s really okay…”

“I’m not okay.”

Despite Changmin’s kind smile, he spoke firmly.

“I’m still not feeling well, and I’m worried about when I might collapse from exhaustion. I’ll follow the path we marked on the way, so don’t worry and just go.”

Junseong, who had been pondering, closed his mouth with a puzzled expression.

It was only natural for the one who stood at the forefront to be the most tense. Even if he knew that no one would suddenly appear out of nowhere, whether it be a zombie or a person, he couldn’t relax. Especially since it was a path where the ‘variables’ had passed through.

He had to maintain this tense state until they returned to the hideout, but he didn’t want to pressure the person who had just collapsed right before them by making him lead.

Moreover, even if the group were to scatter or move separately due to a rare variable, Junseong had left traces to ensure they could find their way out.

As evidence, there were scattered orange-colored fragments resembling ping pong balls along the straight hallway. They were fragments of the orange ping pong ball used as material to create ‘that’ for emergencies. Following them, anyone, even those who didn’t memorize the paths inside like Junseong, would be able to reach the stairs leading to the blood source lobby.

Giving the flashlight to Changmin at the forefront, Junseong, who stood reluctantly at the back of the formation, glanced at Jian, who was paying attention to his own physical condition, and Gyeong-oh, who was securely adjusting his weapon, and smiled softly. Thanks to their consideration, he felt unnecessary tension slipping away.

“Junseong.”

He turned his head at Hanseo’s low voice from behind. Hanseo wasn’t looking at him; instead, he was gazing at the seemingly identical white wall.

“If the solution… if the key is missing from the research materials that guy took… what do you think will happen to the deal?”

“What?”

Furrowing his brows, Junseong stopped in his tracks. Then, he resumed walking, watching the backs of the three people ahead.

“What are you talking about?”

“Just what I said.”

Bowing his head, Hanseo whispered casually into Junseong’s ear.

“The contents of the research materials are just surface-level. They may look convincing on the outside, but you’ll soon find out they’re hollow after a few tests.”

Stopping in his tracks, Junseong turned his body towards Hanseo entirely and looked at him. Through the faint light of the flashlight shining elsewhere, he could see Hanseo’s expressionless face.

“How do you know that?”

“Curious?”

“Yeah.”

With a small smile, Hanseo offered Junseong the flashlight. As Junseong accepted it, raising an invisible question mark above his head, Hanseo suddenly wrapped his arm around Junseong’s waist.

Dragged abruptly and finding himself embraced by Hanseo’s arms, Junseong saw him touch a white spot on the corridor wall. At first glance, there was a rectangular groove that could easily be overlooked.

As Hanseo’s right hand completely grasped the slightly larger rectangle than an adult man’s palm, a faint green light flowed from within it.

Beep-

With a short mechanical sound, the wall swiftly turned around. Even just the fact that the wall, which he thought was only a corridor, rotated 180 degrees like a revolving door was surprising enough, but beyond it, there was a black space.

Before Changmin, Gyeong-oh, and Jian, who belatedly realized that the wall was acting as a door and rushed towards Junseong and Hanseo, could reach them and reach out their hands, the two were completely swallowed up by the wall.

Ignoring the three people in the corridor, the wall that swallowed Junseong and Hanseo didn’t budge at all.