As we ate dinner, we discussed the leader zombie.

Jung Jin-young set down his spoon and spoke.

“So the leader zombie left the campus?”

“It’s not confirmed, but it’s a strong possibility,” I replied.

We had lured the leader zombie to the College of Humanities. When it couldn’t find us, it might have moved through the nearby back gate. With no signs of the leader zombie on campus, this theory seemed plausible.

“What do we do now? Since the leader zombie took most of the zombies away, the campus isn’t as dangerous anymore. Should we finish modifying the vehicle?”

Seol Yeo-won asked as she swallowed a bite of pork cutlet.

I shook my head.

“Once the vehicle is ready, the first episode ends. We need to decide on our destination before completing the modification.”

It would be risky to finish the modification without a clear plan.

I glanced at the progress screen in the upper-right corner of my vision.

---

• Episode “Safe House” Progress.
• Secure the Safe House (Clear)
• Recruit Players (Clear)
• Modify the Vehicle (Incomplete)

---

Once the vehicle was modified, the first episode, “Safe House,” would be cleared. That would trigger the second episode, “Wanderer,” which required us to survive while aimlessly traveling.

Rather than wandering without purpose, we needed a clear goal before moving forward.

Seol Yeo-won opened her holographic display and checked her progress as well.

“The second episode is ‘Wanderer,’ right?”

“Yeah. In the game, it starts with a quest directing players to head to the Ark.”

From near the fridge, Lee Jung-woo chimed in.

“Doesn’t the third episode start before you even reach the Ark?”

“That’s right. ‘Wanderer’ focuses on survival. The developers designed it to test the players’ capabilities.”

“Which is why most players gave up.”

“Exactly. Most couldn’t handle the timer’s pressure and quit.”

At the mention of a timer, Jung Jin-young looked puzzled.

“Timer? What’s that?”

“You have to survive within a time limit while gaining a better understanding of the game. In the game, it was about reducing the emotional volatility of key characters, fostering interdependence, and building a sense of community.”

“That doesn’t apply to us in real life. We’re not going to start fighting each other.”

“True. But in the game, you’d come across problematic shelters during ‘Wanderer,’ destroy them, and gain new abilities. Of course, things might not unfold the same way in reality.”

“So, what’s your point?”

Taking a deep breath, I voiced my suggestion.

“Instead of sitting around waiting for the timer to run out, why don’t we start clearing the main quests?”

Everyone exchanged uncertain glances.

Seol Yeo-won crossed her arms and spoke up.

“I agree. Clearing the main quests step by step seems like the right approach. Since the Ark is in Seoul and Busan, let’s head to the closer one—Busan.”

“But your family’s in Hanam, isn’t it? Wouldn’t going to Busan take you further from them? Are you okay with that?” Jung-woo asked matter-of-factly.

Seol Yeo-won shrugged.

“Clearing the main quest means moving with the survivors, including your families. That’ll be dozens of people. Do you think it’s feasible to bring everyone to Seoul?”

Jung-woo pressed his lips together, a conflicted look on his face.

He wasn’t angry. If anything, he seemed to feel guilty toward Seol Yeo-won and me.

If the group’s parents were still alive, that would mean at least two more people per family. Managing that many people while completing side quests on the way to Seoul would be extremely difficult.

Closing my eyes briefly, I sorted through the tangled thoughts in my head.

Finally, I turned to the group and said,

“Let’s start by checking on Wan-soo, Hyun, and Hee-yeon’s families, then move on to Gumi and Pohang.”

“Gumi and Pohang?”

Seol Yeo-won tilted her head in question.

“Jung-woo’s hometown is Gumi, and Jin-young and Hye-ri’s families are in Pohang,” I explained.

“So, you’re suggesting we move from Gyeongsan to Gumi, Pohang, and then Busan?”

“Exactly.”

At that, Park Jae-woo and Hwang Deok-rok, sitting on the sofa, raised their hands.

I’d completely forgotten about them.

“Where are your homes?” I asked.

“We both live in Suseong District,” Jae-woo replied.

“Suseong District?”

Daegu’s wealthiest neighborhood.

So these guys were from rich families.

When I asked about Jae-woo’s S-rank quest, it turned out to be the same as ours—checking on his parents.

“Then we’ll start with Gyeongsan, head to Suseong District, then Gumi, Pohang, and finally Busan,” I concluded.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Even Jung-woo, who had been deep in thought, eventually gave a small nod.

As the discussion wrapped up, I noticed a hint of worry in Seol Yeo-won’s eyes.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

She said she was fine, but her expression revealed otherwise.

Even though she had suggested the plan herself, it was clear she was worried about her parents. Hanam and Jamsil weren’t on our route.

Forcing a small smile, I reassured her.

“Seoul has an Ark. They’ll be okay.”

Hanam and Jamsil.

Her parents and mine were more likely to have reached the Ark than anyone else’s.

Standing up, Jung-woo addressed the group.

“Everyone’s exhausted. Let’s just set up shifts for night watch and get some rest.”

Everyone was too worn out for any training today.

We set two-hour shifts for the night watch, starting with Jin-young and Hye-ri.

Staring absentmindedly out the window, I reflected on how my perspective had changed.

I’d once thought venturing out into the torrential rain was suicidal.

But after experiencing it firsthand, the rain turned out to be an unexpected advantage.

It masked our scent and dulled the zombies’ hearing.

With our goal set, we needed to focus on modifying the vehicle tomorrow.

Even though we had successfully diverted the leader zombie’s attention, there was no telling when it might return.

With more people now, there weren’t enough sleeping mats. Some laid blankets on the floor, while others connected chairs to sleep in awkward positions.

Lying on a sofa, I stared at the ceiling.

After last night’s soaking and uncomfortable rest, I felt achy, like I was coming down with a mild fever.

Turning over, I glanced at the others.

Jeon Wan-soo was already snoring, and Choi Hyun was curled up, sleeping like a shrimp.

Lee Jung-woo lay motionless, his hand over his forehead, while Seol Yeo-won ground her teeth in her sleep.

Park Jae-woo and Hwang Deok-rok didn’t seem sleepy, tinkering with the walkie-talkies instead.

Pant, pant. Woof!

Jang-goon padded over to me, wagging his tail.

Oddly enough, just looking at him made all my worries seem to melt away.

Is this why people keep pets?

I placed Jang-goon on my chest and stroked his head.

Through my fingertips, I could feel his tiny, steady breaths.

That faint rhythm stirred up an indescribable emotion within me.

“Please… help us all stay safe tomorrow.”

With a silent prayer to an uncertain existence, I too fell into a deep sleep.

---

It must have been around 5 a.m.

I opened my eyes and got up.

It was already hard enough dealing with the sticky summer heat, but the humidity made it even worse.

Or maybe waking up early had just become a habit.

I looked around and saw Jeon Wan-soo, Choi Hyun, and Seol Yeo-won preparing breakfast.

Jung Jin-young, Yoon Hye-ri, Kim Hee-yeon, Park Jae-woo, and Hwang Deok-rok were still sound asleep. Lee Jung-woo was nowhere to be seen.

Turning to the people who were awake, I asked,

“Where’s Jung-woo hyung?”

“Probably on patrol,” Wan-soo replied.

“Alone?”

“Uh… probably?”

I told them to always move in pairs.

Getting out of bed, I searched through the 5th to the 3rd floors of the student center.

But no matter how hard I looked, there was no sign of Lee Jung-woo.

“Did he go further down?”

At 5 a.m., there was still fog up to the 2nd floor.

I gripped the hunting knife holstered on my leg and was about to head downstairs when I spotted a figure ascending the staircase.

It was Lee Jung-woo.

Lowering the hunting knife, I called out to him.

“Hyung, what are you doing down there?”

“Oh? You’re up?”

He was holding a black plastic bag.

When I asked about it, he gave me a faint smile.

“The weather’s so humid and hot, I thought everyone might get heatstroke, so I grabbed some ice cream.”

He must have gone to the 2nd-floor snack bar for the ice cream.

Still, going out into the fog alone?

As I scolded him out of concern, he patted my shoulder and said,

“The fog only came up to chest level. I just checked the snack bar and came back, so don’t make too big a deal out of it.”

“But still. What if zombies had gotten in?”

Jung-woo gave a wry smile, glanced around to make sure no one else was nearby, and let out a sigh.

What, did he sneak a snack by himself or something?

“I just felt like I needed some experience,” he admitted.

“Huh?”

“You know how it is. When you’re in the fog, it sharpens your focus.”

It was true—being in the fog forced you to heighten your senses because every moment could mean life or death.

When I didn’t respond, he rubbed the back of his neck and continued,

“After spending so much time just defending, I felt like I was losing my edge. I kept hesitating on the way to the lecture hall yesterday.”

“I get that, but why take unnecessary risks?”

“I don’t want to be a burden.”

Was he still hung up on what happened yesterday?

When we entered the lecture hall, a zombie had almost bitten him during an ambush from the left.

I understood his desire to grow stronger and not hold the group back. But venturing into the fog alone was reckless.

“Don’t overdo it. You don’t have two lives.”

“Got it. I won’t do it again, okay?”

As I continued to chide him, Jung-woo smiled contentedly and gave me his word several times.

Then, in a quieter voice, he added,

“I just felt burdened.”

Burdened?

Was he talking about being the leader?

It seemed like the weight of needing to do everything perfectly had pushed him to overreach.

With a deadpan expression, I said,

“You’re doing fine. No one’s saying anything, but you’re being hard on yourself.”

“Try being in my position. You feel judged even for resting.”

“…….”

Sitting around felt like slacking off. Making a mistake drew criticism. And as the leader, there was always the pressure to excel.

Even doing a good job could invite complaints from some people.

No matter how good your solution was, you couldn’t satisfy everyone.

Being in charge meant being criticized whether you succeeded or failed.

Even with just ten people, this group was like a microcosm of society.

As I smacked my lips in frustration, Jung-woo slung an arm over my shoulder and said,

“Come on, let’s go before the ice cream melts.”

“…….”

“You were worried about me, so you get to pick first.”

Jung-woo opened the black bag to reveal ten melon-flavored ice creams.

Furrowing my brows, I looked at him, and he burst out laughing.

---

After cooling off with ice cream and finishing breakfast, we headed to the gym.

We stretched and exercised to loosen up after a stiff night’s rest, while Team B prepared for their outing.

Seol Yeo-won, rubbing her stiff shoulders, glanced out the window and murmured,

“It’s back again.”

Just when it seemed to let up, a light drizzle began.

With the dark clouds gathering, it looked like another downpour was coming this afternoon.

Turning to the group, I said,

“Team B, it’s time to head out. We need to finish the vehicle modifications before the rainy season ends.”

Everyone nodded and started packing their weapons and essential supplies.

Park Jae-woo approached me.

“What team are Deok-rok and I on?”

“You’re on Team A. Focus on defense.”

“Oh, then take this.”

Jae-woo quickly ran to the door, grabbed a walkie-talkie, and handed it to me.

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