31 – but refuses
The reason we kept vigilant humans alive was simple.
This is because it was not clear how large the survivors’ forces were.
The degree of injury can be overcome, but murder is a different story.
If the force is large, it could be a troublesome situation.
So, I saved it…
“The condition is not very good here either.”
Yuri muttered as they walked down the street side by side.
Various people were sitting on the street.
Men, women, grandparents and even children.
They looked at us as outsiders with a slightly wary eye.
There is no life in the eyes like one.
It’s like watching a dying person.
‘Well, it’s a world in the process of destruction, so it’s natural.’
They must have survived the zombie apocalypse, human hunting, and fog.
All of them were murderers, humans who had passed the risk of death.
It seemed very fragile for such a thing.
“Perhaps they are the lucky ones who survived without fighting directly.”
“All these people?”
“There are far fewer people who actively fight than you think. Most of the time, I just avoid it, and somehow I am the type to survive.”
“Hmm.”
They said there is someone who rules this area.
All of them will be following his orders.
Because of the fog, I can’t even get out of the safe zone.
‘Then, how do we deal with the food?’
Although we are moving in small numbers, there is no problem.
When the number of people increases, even food becomes a big problem.
Probably most of them are starving.
Does that person even manage the food?
‘Leave the force and food to others. It’s just a shivering situation.’
To be honest, I didn’t think I would be able to survive for long.
Especially in this apocalyptic world.
“Hey, this is where Minsu-hyung is.”
said the man who guided us.
The place we arrived at was a relatively intact building.
“Then I will tell you in advance, so wait here for now… … .”
“No, we will go too.”
“Yeah? But going all out is… … .”
“It’s not like we did anything wrong. In a situation like this, should I even consider that?”
With a slight frown, the man quickly lowered his head.
It had been that way ever since he defeated the man holding the spear.
A type that is strong against the weak and weak against the strong.
Maybe that’s why he survived like this.
“Then, you can follow me.”
A group of thugs soon appeared.
Everyone was holding a weapon, one in each hand.
The man who guided the man seated in the middle nodded.
“Brother Minsu! A guest has arrived!”
“customer?”
The man raised his head and looked at us.
He stayed that way for a while, then gave a nice smile.
“Hey~ This is a new survivor! You worked hard to get here!”
Surprisingly, the atmosphere is welcoming.
The man slowly got up from his seat.
“But how did you get here? The surroundings were completely blocked by fog, so they would never have been able to break through.”
“I was just lucky.”
“hahahaha……lucky? Yes! Luck is so important in this world! My name is Minsu Kim.”
“This is Lee Ji-hoon.”
A man named Kim Min-soo came forward and held out his hand.
I shook hands as a representative.
‘Well? strength.’
However, the strength of the grip was more than necessary.
Do you want to try it?
I also put strength in my hands.
Then, Kim Min-soo’s eyes narrowed.
“Ugh! hahahaha, it looks like you didn’t come this far just by luck.”
“I did fight a lot with zombies.”
“hahahaha… This… Trustworthy people are here.”
Minsu Kim brushed his hands.
I felt the impression that I had touched it for no reason.
At that time, the man who guided us glanced at us.
He approached Minsu Kim and whispered something.
“Five! You said you took down Yeongcheol on our side?”
“There was a little misunderstanding on the way.”
“Ah, don’t worry. I fully understand this situation.”
While talking, Kim Min-soo pointed towards the table where the sofa was placed.
“If you don’t mind, let’s talk for a minute.”
At his gesture, the standing thugs looked this way and left the room without saying a word.
“Um, what about the women over there?”
“My colleagues.”
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Kim Min-soo looked at the two for a moment and blinked.
“I don’t know what the story is, but it doesn’t matter if I listen to it, right?”
“Ah, of course.”
We sat on the sofa side by side.
Soon after, a woman came in and left a can of beer and coffee in front of us.
“Since you worked hard, you should quench your thirst. Would you like a drink?”
“No, I will decline.”
He didn’t even pay attention to the coffee.
How would you know what to drink here?
“Okay then. First of all, I have to explain the situation here.”
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Kim Min-soo took a sip of canned beer and started talking.
“For now, our kids are holding onto this place.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, to put it simply, it means that we are protecting you.”
protect
The condition of the survivors did not look good enough to be said to be protected.
“If it was a zombie, you must have already been bored, right? Society and public power have already collapsed. What do you need most in a situation like this?”
I didn’t answer anything.
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Kim Min-soo didn’t care and continued talking.
“It is power. And power comes from the number of groups. So we are gathering people in this safe zone.”
“How many are there?”
“There are just over 100 people gathered here right now.”
It wasn’t much, but I couldn’t say it was too little.
Quite a few people have died from zombies and human hunting.
“But when people come together, confusion and quarrels inevitably arise. That is why I am managing the survivors as a representative.”
“Management?”
“Well, nothing great. Allocating food and occasionally sending expeditions into the fog.”
I glanced down at the beer and coffee.
Looking at this, I honestly don’t think the food distribution will be fair.
“In that sense, I will make a suggestion to you.”
As if this is the main point.
The man put on a pod and said.
“Come join our group.”
[The opponent used the skill ‘Negotiation’.]
[The conversation flows in the opponent’s favor.]
[You deflected the opponent’s skill with the attribute ‘Metafiction’.]
At the same time, a message window pops up in front of you.
It is a mental ability similar to that used by Han So-young.
‘Does that mean it’s not just about ruling by force?’
Needless to say, the importance of attributes and skills in this world.
Perhaps the man in front of me made good use of these two things and survived until now.
Well, it’s of no use to me.
“Why are you suddenly suggesting that?”
“As I said, groups need strength. And now is a time when individual strength is more important than anything else.”
“You seem to be overestimating me for knocking out one of your subordinates.”
“Of course not only that.”
Minsu Kim shook his head from side to side.
“Above all, you guys have achievements.”
performance?
“No one has ever survived that fog. They said they were gathering survivors, but only those who luckily managed to escape to the safety zone.”
Indeed, that was the reason why only ragtags were gathered.
“To be honest, even expeditions sent into the fog do not have a very high survival rate. In most cases, weak people do not come back.”
“… … .”
“You are the first survivors to emerge from the fog. That alone will become a symbol for others.”
No matter how you hear it, it sounds like you’re going to use me as a signboard.
“Not a bad suggestion for you either. It’s because I promise you that kind of position.”
“As for status?”
At my question, Kim Min-sung grinned, probably thinking he had bitten the bait.
“As I said, food distribution is under our control. I get about 10 coins for a bag of snacks.”
It was insanely expensive.
You have to kill one zombie to get 10 coins.
Even this is a safe zone.
To make money, you have to go out into the fog.
“But for those who fight a lot, shouldn’t it be fair that there should be some kind of reward? That’s why we give them free food.”
Perhaps those who fight are the subordinates under Kim Min-soo.
The men in front of the barricade must be of that type too,
‘Well, I don’t know if those humans really had any intention of fighting.’
This is definitely a ‘safe zone’.
As long as you are here, monsters will not attack you.
But if you are being distributed food under the pretext of that.
Honestly, it’s a fraudulent play under the pretext of protection.
It’s probably a trick to manage people.
If you’re protecting from monsters,
Even if you monopolize food, you have a justification.
‘Of course, everyone feels strange. The survivors probably don’t have the strength to question that.’
The difference between Kim Min-soo’s power and those of others is clear.
If you press it with force, you can’t do anything.
Well, there could be many more.
It can exert its power because it has a central point.
Perhaps Kim Min-soo’s skill ‘Negotiation’ will be quite helpful there.
“Then, do you manage all the food here?”
“At least the food in the safety zone is all food we store. We have to go out of the fog to get other food.”
A dictator who monopolized food and public opinion based on force and skill.
Whether that’s right or not.
It seemed certain that the ruler of this place was Kim Min-soo.
“How are you doing with us?”
First of all, it seemed that the man in front of me was not stupid.
It is not easy to take power in such a situation.
In that short moment of meeting with us, we grasped the situation,
Because I’m even making a recruitment offer like this.
“Sure, if we can get food for free, we’re good.”
“Oh, then…”
“But I will refuse.”
“Hmm.”
Even in my answer, Kim Min-soo did not openly show his dislike.
At most, he just put on a sullen expression, as if he was a bit regretful.
“Are you dissatisfied with our methods? By selling monopolized food for coins?”
“No, I don’t like it. I don’t really deny that way.”
“Then why?”
Of course, Kim Min-soo’s gang would never be good people.
But even if it wasn’t them, someone else would have done something similar.
Isn’t that what people’s politics is all about?
My refusal was for a more fundamental reason.
“We don’t need that.”
“… … .”
Go under someone who is of no help and act like a subordinate?
Not only me, but the readers who see it will be frustrated.
Are you saying I’m crazy?
‘Negotiation is also with a guy who has something.’
he spare too much, talking too much.
Too much narative for what should be mostly conversation.