[
AN:
- Hello again! This is the last chapter before this fanfiction goes public, so I can actually respond to any mistakes.
- Reminder: don't forget to comment on useful images
- "{}" means English is being used.
]
***
"{In fact, none of us are completely free from prejudice. We all have preconceived ideas about others.} Here, {free from} means the lacking in or unencumbered by."
Sitting forward at his desk, Cheong-San's head was propped up by his hands as he listened to his lecture. Usually, he would pay in his classes because although he had already learned his material to the college level, the Korean curriculum was leagues ahead of its American counterpart in how hard the material was. But in English class, it was practically a breeze.
"Anyone wants to interpret this?" asked their form teacher, Miss Park Sun-Hwa.
Looking around, Cheong-San no one volunteers. But then the sound of a chair sliding turned his gaze to one of his classmates who had stood up.
"Okay. Hee-Su," said Miss Park with a smile.
Looking closely at the girl, Cheong-San noticed she was wearing a very baggy jacket. Her face looked tired; her skin pale, even by Korean standards, and even her hair was in a disarray. While he was curious, he didn't venture beyond the safety of his mind. Girls were finicky when asked about their periods.
"I need to use the bathroom," said Park Hee-Su.
"Ah," nodded Miss Park in an understanding manner. Maybe girls had an innate ability to understand each other? As a male, he knew that they as men shared nothing. "I understand. Go ahead. Okay than. Anyone wanna have a crack at it, huh?"
"I do," said Cheong-San as he raised his hand, "{Pick me, Ms. Park. I think I know the answer.}"
The class giggled at that. It was a known fact that he could speak fluent English. And it was Ms. Park that knew that fact the best, seeing as she always gave Cheong-San full marks on their English exams and assignments.
"Anyone else besides our resident American?" joked Ms. Park. "How about you, class president?"
Nodding, Choi Nam-Ra, the class president, gave her answer. "The truth is, all of us have some sort of prejudice..."
Now bored, Cheong-San decided to take a nap.
As Cheong-San had finally found the best position to rest his head, suddenly music started to play. If he could best describe it, it sounded as if someone used a mixture of sand and coins to accompany the steady beat of a drum. "Isn't this the type of music they put for boss battles?" he murmured.
"Hyeon-Ju?" said Ms. Park.
Looking up from his desk, Cheong-San at the entrance of the classroom was their missing classmate, Kim Hyeon-Ju, looking as if she had come straight out of a UFC match.
The classroom gasped as the poor girl fell to the ground.
"Hey, Hyeon-Ju," said Ms. Park once again. But without a word, the girl collapsed on the ground. This set the class off, almost immediately everyone crowded the Hyeon-Su as Ms. Park called out her name.
"Ms. Park..." said Hyeon-Ju in a dazed voice.
"Yes," said the teacher, distress evident on her face. "You recognized me, Hyeon-Ju?"
"He grabbed me...The science teacher grabbed me and locked me up."
"The science teacher? Did the life science teacher take you, huh? Was it Mr. Lee Byeong-Chan?" Ms. Park asked fervently as she held Hyeon-Ju in her arms.
"He tied me up..." Hyeon-Ju mumbled.
His classmate began gossiping amongst each other over this revelation.
"I knew it all along! Didn't Joon-Young last say her saw her in Science class?"
"So rumors were true?"
"Can I borrow someone's phone? I need to call my parents."
While everyone else was having distracted by Hyeon-Ju's bloody appearance, Cheong-San moved to classroom windows, looking down both ways of the hall. The music continued to play despite no one being around. He thought maybe the music played because a dangerous enemy, like Mr. Lee Byeong-Chan, was nearby. Regardless, he kept watching outside the classroom in case anyone suspicious showed up.
"Nam-Ra," said Ms. Park, "Make sure they study on their own. And please don't say anything to anyone until I come back and confirm the facts. Hyeon-Ju, can you get up?"
Lee Su-Hyeok stepped forward. "I'll carry her."
Looking around, Ms. Park asked for help. "Can someone help Su-Hyeok carry her?"
Wait a minute, wasn't this almost like an escort quest? Maybe Mr. Lee Byeong-Chan's goal was to capture Hyeon-Ju and their job was to get her safely to the infirmary?
"I'll help!" Cheong-San offered.
"I'll help as well!" chimed in both On-Jo and I-Sak.
Running down the hall, Su-Hyeok held the upper part of Hyeon-Ju as he carried her lower parts. I-Sak and On-Jo flanked both sides of Hyeon-Ju to prevent the girl from accidentally falling off from their fast pace. Ms. Park trailed behind them as she ran as well.
Cheong-San was now confused - no matter how far he traveled from the classroom, the music continued to play as loud as before. Maybe this wasn't music that played during dangerous moments, then?
As they entered the infirmary, he saw Mrs. Ahn Si-ha, the school nurse, present with Park Hee-Su. Wasn't Hee-Su suppose to be using the bathroom? Putting the thoughts aside, Cheong-San continued to help Ms. Park and Ms. Ahn in containing Hyeon-Ju, who was now convulsing on the bed.
"Her temperature is way too low," said Mrs. Ahn shocked. "Hold the blanket down so she doesn't kick it off."
Hyeon-Ju jerked back and forth more wildly than before. "Hold her. Hold her."
And all while everyone was busy trying to keep Hyeon-Ju down, Park Hee-Su had already left the infirmary, none the wiser that she was gone.
***
"Are you ok?"
Standing in front of the school, Cheong-San's mind was going crazy as the On-Jo's dad, Nam So-Ju, was placing a bandage on her arm. Near the ambulance, Ms. Park and the Nurse were discussing what to do after another paramedic had put Hyeon-Ju into the vehicle.
Why was the music still playing?! He's been almost through the entire school and the music hasn't stopped! Nothing strange or even remotely dangerous had yet to appear.
"Look at me," said So-Ju to On-Jo. "Were you scared?"
"Definitely." nodded On-Jo.
"Man," exhaled So-Ju. So-Ju then turned to face him, "So what's wrong with her?"
While Ms. Park had said to keep the situation under wraps, no way in fresh hell was he keeping whatever had just happened a secret so that the school would get a better evaluation for their stupid little egos.
"Hyeon-Ju just walked in class and collapsed all bloody and pale," said Cheong-San. "Before she fainted and tried to bite people, Hyeon-Ju said that the science teacher gave her a shot to try and kill her."
"Did she say what the shot was?" asked So-Ju.
Cheong-San shook his head. "No, she just passed out after that."
So-Ju turned to look back at his daughter before patting her bandaged arm. "Just try not to get it wet. Call me right away if you need anything. I'll rush right over. Okay?"
"Okay," said On-Jo, nodding her head.
"Cheong-San," said So-Ju, "take care of my On-Jo for me, okay?"
"Okay, uncle," said Cheong-San, cracking a smile, "can't have anything happen to Cheong-San's number customer."
So-Ju chuckled at that. "Alright, bye On-Jo. Bye Cheong-San."
After On-Jo's dad had walked away, Cheong-San turned to On-Jo. "I need to check something out, can you cover for me?"
On-Jo nodded her head. "I'll just say you needed to use the bathroom."
He nodded. With a quick wave, he jogged back inside the school. Suddenly, the music had stopped playing. Strange, maybe it meant the quest was complete?
Shaking his head, Cheong-San started at his first clue: Mr. Lee's classroom.
***
"We must hurry! Let me go! We need to get that girl back, now!"
Hiding behind the corner, he watched as Mr. Lee was dragged out of his class by the gym teacher and accompanied by Ms. Park.
Making sure no one was around, Cheong-San slipped into the empty classroom. The storeroom door was wide open.
Walking inside the storeroom, Cheong-San noticed how dark it was. Finding a source of light at the back of the room, he saw a laptop screen left open. Next to it was a camera mounted on a tripod. Below the window at the side was an old radiator splashed with blood. At the top of one of the radiator's pipes was a broken zip-tie.
"Wait, is this where he had Hyeon-Su tied up?" Horrified at the realization, Cheong-San pushed on. Sitting down on the chair, he saw that the laptop was left open a word document.
"Observation log? Did he capture Hyeon-Ju for an experiment? That's beyond insane. Searching around, the man's laptop, Cheong-San stumbled on a file. Entering the video, hundreds of videos were stored on the laptop. Curious, he opened the most recent one which had been taken today. The video played, showing Mr. Lee.
"A student was bit by the mouse. I injected her with the benzodiazepine..."
***
The cafeteria was loud, bustling with dozens of students as they ate their lunch. At one cafeteria table, On-Jo stared dreamily at Su-Hyeok from across the room.
After Cheong-San had left, On-Jo decided it was the best time to confess to Su-Hyeok as they walked back to class. As they walked up the stairs, On-Jo handed the pretty boy her name tag. Shocked by the sudden confession, Su-Hyeok asked one question:
"I thought you were going out with Cheong-San?"
On-Jo opened her mouth to dismiss the rumor, but words refused to leave her mouth. Instead, she shook her head. To shy to do any more, On-Jo ran off, not having the guts to continue waiting for an answer.
"Hey," said I-Sak, waving a chopstick in front of her face. "what are you looking at? Trying to see if Cheong-San came back yet?"
"I wasn't looking for him," said On-Jo. Though, now that I-Sak mentioned it, the boy had been gone for a while now.
I-Sak scoffed at that. "Yeah, right. The whole school knows you two are going out on dates. And don't you two already live together?"
"We're not dating," said On-Jo defensively, "it's just more convenient for me to sleep over at his apartment because my dad is gone at night sometimes. That's all."
Annoyed, I-Sak let out an exasperated sight before eating her food.
"I'm serious."
"Mm-hm, sure. yeah." nodded I-Sak.
Seeing that I-Sak wasn't convinced, On-Jo leaned closer to her. "You can't tell anyone, okay?"
"About what?"
"Well," began On-Jo, glancing at Su-Hyeok who was goofing around with his friends. She shook her head. "Nevermind."
"Hey, come on," said I-Sak, elbowing her arm now. "You can't just tell someone you have a secret and stop there."
"Stop it."
"Tell me."
"Please, stop it."
I-Sak was quiet for a moment before saying a bomb of a statement. "You slept with Cheong-San, didn't you?"
On-Jo choked on her food. Coughing it up, I-Sak sat next to her next wiggling her eyebrows up and down. "You did. I got it, am I right?"
"Are you insane!" said On-Jo, the food cleared from her throat. "I told Su-Hyeok I like him."
"What?" said I-Sak, as if not comprehending her words.
On-Jo took a deep breath and repeated her previous words. "I told Su-Hyeok I like him."
"You mean?" asked I-Sak, leaning closer to her. "WHAT?"
Due to I-Sak's outburst, several people look at the two. Quickly pulling her down, On-Jo shushed her. "Quiet!"
"Oh, my god. I can't believe it," said I-Sak, shellshocked at the revelation. "Are you insane?!" I-Sak then proceeded to excitedly tap On-Jo's arm. "Him? Su-Hyeok?"
"Quiet."
Nodding, I-Sak took several glances at Su-Hyeok. "How'd you do it? What did you say? Did you ask him on a date or what?"
"My name tag," replied On-Jo bluntly.
"Oh," teased I-Sak, "so you threw yourself at him. So? What did he say?"
On-Jo munched on her curry before continuing. "Well, that's all."
"Huh?" asked I-Sak confused, "he didn't say anything?"
"Mhm-hm."
"You couldn't even tell the vibe?"
"Mhm-hm."
Sighing, On-Jo leaned away from her food. "I'm going crazy."
"You're making me go crazy." I-Sak snapped back.
***
"{This is insane - crazy! This is fucking bullshit! A 'MOTHERFUCKIN ZOMBIE, are you kidding me?!}"
Inside the storeroom, while I-Sak and On-Jo were going crazy over boy troubles, Cheong-San was literally going crazy.
"This all makes sense now! Being born Korean, Hyeon-Ju, the music playing, and this damn scroll!" shouted Cheong-San, clutching the scroll in his hand.
As a fan of movies in both lives, there was one thing that South Korea was known for besides k-pop, Hyundai, Samsung, k-drama - wait, scratch that, Koreans were known for a lot of things. But that was beside the point. In the movie industry, South Korean films were infamous for their zombie movies. A couple of years ago, The Train To Busan was such a hit overseas that within less than a year, a sequel was made. Unfortunately, the sequel didn't live up to the hype and flopped hard.
"There's a price for everything..." he muttered. He should've known better. This was basically the plot of so many novels that he read online. What was the point of giving someone like him a pseudo-system if he didn't try to use it? What could the person/people/something that put him in this world do to make him use it?
It was simple. Force the player to adapt to the environment. Or die trying.
Cheong-San knew it was illogical to blame a possible zombie outbreak entirely on him for having an overpowered tool like the magic scroll, but strangely enough, giving parameters to an unknown situation like this helped him relax.
Outside, screams tore throughout the school grounds.
"Shit! It's already happening." Looking outside the storeroom window, Cheong-San saw students running for their lives. And if Mr. Lee's video were correct as it seemed to be, not only the school, but the whole city would soon fall under chaos.
As a gamer, Cheong-San applied some aspects from games to real life. For example, him eventually expanding their restaurants would fall under the tier of a storyline quest while something like doing his homework was a side-quest. Well, now that the magic scroll awarded [Investment Points] for things like doing math problems or working out, it was better to say he was farming for points.
Balling both hands into a fist, Cheong-San looked around the storeroom for things he would need to rescue his friends.
"It's time to grind."