[The Walk Back]
9:30 AM – Ruins of Seoul, En Route to Underground Parking Lot
Kyung-min adjusted the strap of his bag, feeling the slight weight of the Lesser Beast Core inside. The others walked ahead, their pace steady but tired. The hunt had taken its toll, and now they were finally heading back.
No one spoke much. There wasn't anything to say.
It had been a brutal few hours. They had fought, killed, scavenged, and barely made it out without injuries. The Bloodfang Hounds had been aggressive, more than they should have been. Even Seok-hoon had commented on it earlier, though no one had an answer as to why.
Kyung-min kept his head down, matching their pace. The view of him hadn't changed.
He was still the weakest among them.
Still just another body trying to survive.
And that was fine.
That was exactly how he wanted things to be.
[Small Gains, Small Comforts]
As they neared the underground parking lot, Tae-sik stretched with a groan. "I'm calling first rest when we get back. My damn shoulder's killing me."
Do-yoon let out a tired laugh. "Too bad. I already claimed it before we left."
"You piece of shit—"
"Should've said it earlier."
Kyung-min listened to their banter quietly. It was normal. The kind of conversation people had to remind themselves they were still human.
Still alive.
They had found some extra supplies on the way back—some abandoned ration packs, half-destroyed medical kits, even a few spare weapons too damaged for direct combat but still useful for parts. It wasn't much, but in this world, anything was better than nothing.
Ji-hye was the first to speak as they reached the entrance. "We should split what we found. Everyone gets a share."
Seok-hoon nodded. "We'll sort it out inside."
The conversation ended there as the metal barricade of the underground lot came into view.
[Underground Safe Zone]
9:50 AM – Underground Parking Lot
The air inside was noticeably cooler, the damp scent of concrete and old fuel mixing with the faint traces of sweat and blood. The parking lot was dimly lit by scattered glowsticks and a few emergency lights that still had power.
As they stepped in, a few people stirred from their spots, their tired eyes scanning them for anything useful.
"Did you find anything good?" one of the waiting survivors asked.
Tae-sik tossed a ration pack toward them. "Couple things. Nothing crazy, but it'll help."
There were no thanks. No smiles. Just quiet nods of acknowledgment. That was how it worked now.
Survival wasn't about generosity.
It was about necessity.
The supplies were divided quickly, some given to the injured, the rest stored in their designated stash for later use.
It wasn't much.
But it was enough to get through the night.
[Settling Down Before Nightfall]
Seok-hoon stretched, exhaling through his nose. "We rest for now. Once it's dark, things will get worse."
He didn't need to explain. Everyone already knew.
The city was different at night.
The monsters changed.
Some became more aggressive, others only emerged when the sun was gone.
It wasn't safe to move in the dark.
Ji-hye sat down against the wall, unwrapping a ration bar. She glanced toward Kyung-min, her expression unreadable. "You should get some rest too. No telling what tomorrow's gonna look like."
Kyung-min gave a small nod, lowering himself onto a crate. His body was tired, but his mind wasn't.
He wouldn't sleep yet.
Not until he was sure nothing was coming for them tonight.
The others, however, didn't hesitate.
One by one, they found their spots, weapons within arm's reach. Sleeping in shifts was an unspoken rule.
Because in this world—
You only woke up if you were lucky.