FRAP 04

Chapter 04

Eat and Make

“Don’t get out!”

Before Daesik could stop him, Inspector Hwang leapt out of the car.

“AAAGH!”

A horrific scream tore from his throat.

“Damn it! I said don’t get out!”

Inspector Hwang and the blood-soaked infected rolled together across the hood of the car.

— Bang!

A deafening gunshot rang out. The infected who had been biting into Hwang’s shoulder collapsed limply.

“H–Inspector Hwang!”

Just as Juhun was about to get out, Daesik grabbed his arm hard.

“Don’t get out!”

“B-But Inspector Hwang—!”

Daesik’s eyes swept rapidly across their surroundings.

At some point, people had begun running wildly across the road, paying no attention to the cars speeding past.

‘So it’s really starting.’

— Chzzzt, chzzzt.

As if to confirm his suspicion, the radio crackled nonstop.

— Unit 12, homicide at dispatch location.
— Unit 11 was killed by a drunken suspect who went on a rampage!
— The dead got back up and attacked Unit 3!
— Z-Zombies! Zombies! Requesting backup!
— You insane bastards! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!
— Zombies have appeared! The dead are coming back and attacking people—!
— Bang!

After the gunshot echoed through the radio, silence fell over the car once more.

“No good. Once you’re bitten, it’s over.”

Daesik shook his head. There was no time. There was no time to spare for someone already infected.

At that moment, Inspector Hwang—who had been lying on the hood—slowly pushed himself up. His eyes were bloodshot, every vessel ruptured and stained red.

Once it reached this stage, there was no turning back.

Inspector Hwang realized it too.

“G-Go… Juhun… Hurry… both of you… go!”

He screamed, wringing out the last of his strength.

“Inspector!”

“Go! I said go!”

He turned his gun toward another infected charging at the patrol car.

— Bang!

Another gunshot rang out.

Only one bullet remained.

With trembling hands, Inspector Hwang raised the gun to his own temple.

‘Damn it… That lunatic was telling the truth…’

The moment he was bitten, heat flooded his entire body. Despite the early winter cold, it felt like he was standing under the blazing summer sun.

At the same time, an inexplicable murderous urge and rage surged up inside him, accompanied by an unbearable hunger.

— Anyone bitten by the infected turns into a zombie like that guy.

Daesik’s words—dismissed as the ravings of a madman—echoed in his mind.

The conclusion was already decided.

‘…Hah. Never thought I’d be grateful for being an old bachelor with no wife or kids.’

His finger tightened on the trigger.

— Bang!

Another gunshot echoed through the street.

“Open the door! And grab the wheel!”

Daesik shouted at Juhun.

The backseat of the patrol car couldn’t be opened from the inside. Worse, a partition blocked any passage to the front seats.

“What are you doing? Open it, now!”

Juhun, seated in the passenger seat, immediately got out and opened the rear door.

His instincts screamed at him—listen to this man.

Instead of heading for the passenger seat, Daesik ran straight to Inspector Hwang’s body.

“What are you doing?!”

“Drive!”

Daesik shouted as he leapt into the car.

In his hands were Inspector Hwang’s baton, revolver, and ID. The handcuffs that had bound him were already gone.

“How did you—?”

“Is that important right now?! Floor it!”

The moment he finished speaking, Juhun slammed on the accelerator.

— Grrrrk…

Meanwhile, Daesik’s stomach growled like a starving beggar.

He’d used his ability to deform the handcuffs and slip free. The fullness he’d gained from the blood sausage soup was already gone.

‘Good enough.’

At least he’d made it to the front seat.

And waiting there—two hamburger combo meals.

Probably something Inspector Hwang and Juhun had picked up during patrol.

Like a predatory bird snatching prey, Daesik grabbed them.

“I’m eating these. That’s how you survive.”

Watching Daesik shovel food into his mouth like a man possessed, muttering nonsense, Juhun felt disbelief give way to irritation.

But Daesik paid him no mind, stuffing fries and burgers into his mouth.

“How many cops do you think can shoot those things in the head right away?”

The moment he heard that, Juhun realized how hopeless the situation truly was.

Police were trained to aim for the thigh. No matter how urgent the situation, no one was taught to fire straight at the head.

How many people would have the nerve to put a live round into the skull of something that still looked human?

“…Damn it. Thought so.”

Daesik muttered a curse.

“You know something about this, don’t you?”

Juhun asked, his voice trembling as he held the wheel.

“Even if I do, what good does that do?”

Daesik replied, tearing the plastic bag apart into long strips.

“First, we should go together and explain the situation— Wait, what are you doing?”

Unable to ignore the strange behavior any longer, Juhun tilted his head.

Ignoring him, Daesik split the stretched plastic in half and began twisting it together like twine.

“Go where?”

“To explain the situation and get police support—”

“And you think they’d believe me? Did that man believe me?”

At those words, Juhun was left speechless.

“See? No answer.”

“Still, please tell me something. I’ll do whatever I can to convince my superiors.”

Daesik worked silently for a while before speaking again.

“I’ll tell you if you let me go.”

He had absolutely no intention of going quietly to a police station.

Soon, awakened individuals would appear. The infected and zombies would grow stronger.

In an apocalypse, early response was everything—especially when your ability lacked direct combat power.

‘I need to gather what I need, fast.’

To survive, he had to strengthen his ability as quickly as possible.

He didn’t want to waste time persuading people who wouldn’t even believe him.

Worst case, he’d end up locked in a holding cell, surrounded by zombies, and die without accomplishing anything.

‘…Ha, Millic. Is this how you felt?’

An old name surfaced in his mind.

A tragic prophet who ran himself ragged trying to prevent destruction—only to change nothing.

Daesik had no intention of following that path.

‘Getting strong comes first.’

Rather than wasting time convincing people who wouldn’t listen, he’d grow strong enough to change things himself.

That was the greatest lesson he’d learned in his days as Calvert.

“So? Let me go or not?”

Daesik asked, gripping the baton tightly.

He was full now.

If necessary, he’d beat this cop unconscious and escape.

But Juhun’s answer surprised even him.

“…Alright.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I believe you killed a monster, not a person. You saved me. And I believe you know something about this.”

Juhun’s expression was deadly serious.

Daesik slowly nodded and began explaining.

“Alright. First—make guns and equipment more complicated to use than usual—”

Just then, two people charged toward the patrol car.

“Hit them and keep going!”

Juhun squeezed his eyes shut and stomped on the accelerator instead of the brake.

— Crash!

The bodies were sent rolling across the asphalt.

Unlike Juhun, who glanced back in fear, Daesik didn’t even blink.

“Good. Anyway, the infected aren’t completely brain-dead. If their finger’s on the trigger, they might still pull it. Add one or two simple procedures before firing.”

Back in Archaea, there were infected who could still shoot bows. Guns were no exception.

“Anyone with flu-like symptoms, anyone sweating and saying it’s hot, anyone seeing weird things or colors looking off, ringing in the ears, hearing strange sounds, poor emotional control—quarantine all of them. Got it?”

“Yes… But how do you know all this?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

Daesik gave a bitter smile.

Who would believe him if he said he’d been to another world—and Earth had ended up like this?

He wouldn’t believe it himself.

Better to talk only about what was coming.

‘Once it all comes true, maybe they’ll listen.’

To slow the spread even a little, military and police cooperation was essential.

It wasn’t something one person could do alone.

‘That is… if it’s even possible.’

Still, he wouldn’t stake his life on that slim chance—nor would he ignore it entirely.

“If you hold out a little, people who can see status windows like a game will appear. They don’t get infected unless they’re killed. If you can slow the spread until then, there might be hope. Tell them to block everything, no matter what.”

After finishing, Daesik gripped the expandable baton and checked the revolver’s cylinder.

He looked ready to jump out and start cracking zombie skulls himself.

“Let me out here.”

“What?!”

Juhun’s eyes widened.

“But there are zombies everywhere—!”

“That’s the price of the burgers.”

After stuffing even the last fallen fry into his mouth, Daesik pointed out the window.

Only then did Juhun understand.

‘The road… it’s blocked.’

Two wrecked vehicles sat smoking in the middle of the road. Zombies and infected lined both ends.

If they tried to ram through and got stuck, it was over.

“You’re not thinking of jumping into that, are you?”

“Or do you want to try plowing through all that? If we get stuck, we die trapped in here.”

“But—”

The moment their eyes met, Juhun knew.

This man was getting out, no matter what.

He clenched his teeth and nodded.

“Good choice. Talk well. Who knows—maybe you’ll be the hero who stopped this early.”

Daesik smirked and closed the door.

“If we’re lucky, we’ll meet again. I’ll come find you when the time’s right.”

In his hand was a thin cord made from twisted plastic bags. At his waist hung a baton and an empty gun.

Pathetically inadequate gear against the zombies filling the street.

But true veterans don’t blame their equipment.

‘Come on. Showtime.’

Even with this flimsy body and lousy gear—

He was confident he could carve a path through.