CH 17

The clinic staff, including doctors, four.

The middle aged people waiting for a checkup, three.

An old person who has a hard time moving, four.

An elementary school kid, one.

And… an E-rank hunter, one.

Assuming that the gate that exploded in front of him was Grade 2, it was the perfect suicide squad.

Not the DC comic’s villain team, but a literal suicide squad.

“It won’t work… It’s true that data won’t work when you are close to a gate.”

“Still, you should try your best to use your phone as little as possible, since they might work later. We have to save battery.”

“Why does electricity keep going out? We are lucky that we have a radio. If there were no disaster broadcasts in this situation…”

“Fuck, there is no meaning! They are saying that it’s dangerous and we shouldn’t come out like a parrot! Why don’t they just get rid of the lockdown? This is why the government is trash now! I didn’t vote for this motherfucker in the first place!”

“Why are you talking about politics in a situation like this in the first place?”

The young lady next to him slapped him as he tried to yell after the young nurse’s words. There was no time for arguments in a situation like this.

The disaster broadcast called it a massive crack.

Not only Yong-in, but also Uijeongbu, Cheonan and Sokcho were all in crisis.

In particular, the eruption at the Mt.Seoraksan side was equivalent to a Grade 1 disaster, so many of the top rankers were headed there.

Jukjeon which was evaluated as Grade 2.5 • The surrounding area was closed off.

Military units and hunters were still fighting…

The beasts, led by beings of hell, easily walked around without being defeated.

The disaster broadcast kept on repeating a heavy advice not to go outside.

Auuuu- uuuu-!

The creepy howling heard outside as the area darkened didn’t make the situation better.

‘We may have to stay for longer than I thought…’

Gyeon Tae-song kept on patting his silent daughter on the back.

“Zio, you will stay really close to your dad at a time like this. Isn’t that right, Zio?”

“…Yes.”

“My daughter, why are you so weak? Look at dad.”

“Does she have a fever? Wait a minute.”

The young lady who was talking with Zio earlier, Lee Eon-jung, hurriedly touched her forehead.

Then she bit her lips as she slapped Gyeon Tae-song’s arm.

“She has a fever! Your baby is burning yet you didn’t notice it even while you held her? Dad’s are always like this! Doctor! Doctor! The baby is sick! Hurry, hurry!”

“Z-Zio!”

Year 20xx, March 23rd

Resin due to the appearance of an unexpected Grade 2.5 crack • Giheung-gu district has been closed.

An Oriental Clinic at Bojeong-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si.

1 Hunter, 12 Civilians

The current time is 22:07 at night.

Six hours into isolation.

***

“Are we going to stay here? We have to at least know people are locked up here!”

“Do you not hear the disaster broadcast? They are telling us to never come out. They are even saying that we shouldn’t use stairs since they are intelligent enough to get inside the building. We are all frustrated with this situation are we not?”

“This is crazy. Are we really going to go crazy waiting for everything to end like this?”

“Aiya, look at the number of young people talking in front of their elders.Then go do it yourself!”

“Why would I have to do that when we have a hunter?”

…

…

“Mister, Zio, how is our Zio doing?”

“Her fever went down to 37.5, the progress seems to be fine… do you plan on leaving? I know how this might sound but just use the child as an excuse and stay here. The rescue team will soon arrive. You have to take care of your children and grandmother… everyone’s moody, so try not to be swayed by public opinion and cool off.”

…

…

[Sizzle- Siizz-… The Grade 1 Crack at Iksan is expected to take longer than originally thought. Amid the growing criticism towards the Government’s forced lockdown without notice, the disaster management team announces that it will deploy rescue helicopters to the surrounding areas.]

…

…

Crash- Hwanghwang!

‘Fuck! It’s locked!’

‘Oh no. Is there anyone inside? Please open the door! Excuse me!’

‘Let’s go up!’

‘It’s blocked by stones, we can’t go! What do we do?’

“…Wow, open it! Come on! They sound like little kids!”

“I-If any monsters come in…”

“You are crazy! If they die out there we will be their killers! Open it!”

…

…

“We are all students at D university. We were hiding at the Starbucks near the school but the monsters broke through the glass and they… they all died… so we all ran away.”

“The hunters from the center are blocking the gate now. The guild… guild, governments, whatever they are all rotten sons of bitches to kill. No one is moving except for the Silver Lion on Mount Seorak and Haetae on Uijeongbu.”

“President Kim Geun-young, that crazy son of a bitch, locking people to their death, and then showing up after ages to talk bullshit! Everyone is going crazy for his impeachment.”

“Oh god. My phone doesn’t work here…”

Oriental Clinic A, 4 students from a nearby university has joined in

March 24, 12:25 in the afternoon

20 hours into isolation

***

Tudadada-

Another helicopter could be heard passing by.

According to the university students, the emergency exit stairs were completely inaccessible from the third floor due to stones.

This meant that the way to the rooftop was blocked.

Some people suggested sticking it out the window, but since a few hours ago the monsters who smelled it have been hanging around.

Zio could see her father’s face darker and darker.

It had been a long time since the nurses ran out of the food they packed as snacks.

Hunger was fine, but the water was the problem.

As thirst grew, people began to shrink at a frightening rate.

Since blood got mixed up with water on the first day, the water hadn’t been turned on since.

There was still room, but if they waited any longer…

The burdens he carried were the elderly and the children. He himself was a hunter.

The eyes around him became stinging.

Gyeon Tae-song had a long time to think by himself.

Zio felt her father’s arm shake as he hugged her.

“…I-I’ll do it. I-I will go out there…”

“Waaah. Daaad!”

A fairly smart child was well aware that she was the smallest among her peers, and that she was more liked than others.

And that’s why there was nothing better than a sympathy vote.

The nine-year old Zio cried loudly as she cried out for her father.

It was the first time she had done so since she was out of diapers, and it was done out of instinct planning.

The eyes that were looking at this side silently turned back.

March 25th, 20:15 at night

Two days into isolation.

***

“My princess, no, did you prefer your majesty?”

“…It’s difficult.”

“Of course it’s hard to cry like that! Fuck… dad was worried with mom about little Zio because you never cried but it seems we were worried for no reason. I didn’t know you could cry so well.”

“I do it when I need to.”

“Oh, yes, yes, I can live thanks to you, really.”

“Zio.”

“…”

“You know, ‘Dad’ is a hunter. Hunters are people who are given power from the sky to save people from the monsters over there. Zio also used to announce that she was proud of her dad being a hunter. Right?”

“But heaven gave him too little strength.”

“You’re right.”

“Don’t go, dad… Honestly, I am just pretending to be strong but I am actually scared.”

“…”

“I hate my grandmother who asked us to come here, and I hate the people who look at us weirdly. I am scared of the monsters, I really am scared. But I can stand it all when I am with dad. So don’t leave Zio behind, dad. Don’t leave me alone… okay?”

“…”

“Okay? Answer me, come on.”

“…”

“That’s an order, Gyeon Tae-song.”

“…Okay. All right, all right, yes. I won’t.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

“Make a copy and sign it.”

“Come on. Copy. Siiign.”

“Good?”

“No.”

“…Zio really is like her mother. Dad used to dig dirt when he was at Zio’s age. Whose daughter are you to be so strong and good at speaking?”

“Everyone says I am just like dad when I go outside.”

“Hahaha, really? You are. Yeah. You are Dad’s daughter. Our Zio.”

My lovely treasure that didn’t hurt even if it was out in the eyes.

***

High (Tae)

Star (Song)

A night where the stars were exceptionally high.

His name was given by the head of the orphanage as a gift.

True to his name, her father, who lived a brighter life than anyone else and was foolishly kind might not be that wonderful of a person.

He couldn’t properly keep the promise he gave to his little daughter.

“Grandma, what about dad?”

“…”

“Eon-jeong-ajumma, where did my dad go?”

Zio, who was sick and exhausted from all that crying, had fallen into a deep sleep.

No one woke such a child up. It was an agreement that the adults came to together.

March 26, 10:15 in the morning

3 days into isolation.

The E-rank assistant hunter was patient and voluntarily left for the sake of requesting rescue.

There were no other volunteers.

***

“…Damn it! Why won’t this come off! Zio, Gyeon Zio! Can you hear teacher?”

“Zio, wake up. What should we do? Isn’t it dangerous for a child to have such a high fever?”

“This is grandma’s fault… yeah? Please open your eyes, I feel sorry for my poor child…”

“O-Oh my god, is that little girl going to die?”

“Student, stop saying such load of crap! Oh my god, isn’t this place supposed to be an oriental clinic.”

“That’s why I said to not let the kid’s father go and just watch!”

A fever that burned through the whole body.

It would be impossible to be treated by an oriental doctor, but rather another doctor.

Because it wasn’t a human disease made for humans.

Gyeon Zio could hear someone shouting beyond the clamor.

【Found you】

The beings from far away.

It was the first gate towards the star and soul, a stigmata.