Day 3 – 5:12 AM, Collapsed Shopping District
"Shit, shit, RUN!"
Kyung-min's lungs burned as he sprinted through the ruins of a collapsed shopping district. The twisted remains of storefronts and shattered glass blurred past him, his mind focused on one thing—escaping.
Behind him, the monster moved.
A grotesque, centipede-like corpse, its countless legs made of shattered bones, dragged itself forward in unnatural jerks. Its hollow sockets—where eyes should have been—locked onto him with a predatory stillness.
A notification flared in his vision.
[System Notice: You cannot defeat this entity.]
[Your class is non-combat. Escape is recommended.]
No kidding.
He forced himself to move faster, even as exhaustion clawed at his limbs.
The others were gone—scattered into different directions. The last thing he saw was Seok-hoon pushing Ji-hye away from the collapse, Min-jun stumbling behind them, Tae-sik cursing as he disappeared into the alleys.
Kyung-min had no idea if they were alive.
His focus was on surviving the next five seconds.
He turned sharply into an alleyway, nearly tripping over a pile of debris. The monster's legs scraped against the pavement, its massive form pressing through the tight passageway.
He wasn't going to make it.
Then—
"Over here!"
A hand grabbed his wrist.
Kyung-min barely had time to react before he was yanked into the shadows, pulled behind the collapsed remains of a storefront counter.
A girl—taller than him, her silver hair streaked with blood—held up a finger to her lips.
The creature skittered past.
Its grotesque body twitched, writhed, listened.
And then—slowly—it moved on.
Kyung-min exhaled a shaky breath, his hands still trembling.
"…Thanks."
The girl didn't respond immediately. Instead, she studied him—her gaze sharp, assessing.
Finally, she sighed.
"You're not a fighter," she murmured.
"Not yet."
Something about the way she said those words unsettled him.
But before he could ask, she stood up, offering her hand.
"Come on," she said.
"If you want to live—stick with me."
Kyung-min hesitated.
Everything about her felt off.
From the way she had pulled him into cover at the exact right moment—not a second too soon, not a second too late—to the way she spoke, like she already knew something about him.
But he had no time to doubt.
He took her hand.
Her grip was firm, pulling him to his feet in one smooth motion.
"We need to move," she said, already turning away.
Kyung-min followed without question.
5:25 AM – Weaving Through the Ruins
They moved fast, slipping through collapsed alleyways and shattered storefronts. The girl led the way, navigating the ruined streets with ease.
Kyung-min struggled to keep up. His legs ached, his breath ragged, but he forced himself forward. Stopping meant death.
After a few minutes, she finally spoke.
"You're slower than I expected."
Kyung-min shot her a glare, still catching his breath. "Sorry I'm not used to being chased by undead centipedes."
She smirked slightly. "You will be."
His stomach twisted. What the hell does that mean?
She didn't explain.
They turned another corner—and nearly ran into Seok-hoon.
5:30 AM – The Last Six Survivors
Seok-hoon had his blade raised instantly. Ji-hye was behind him, her posture tense. Min-jun and Tae-sik were further back, both looking equally exhausted.
Six people left.
That was all that remained.
"You're alive," Seok-hoon said, lowering his weapon slightly. His gaze flickered to the Silver-Haired Woman. "...And you're here too."
She tilted her head. "Disappointed?"
Seok-hoon exhaled. "No. Just surprised."
Kyung-min's eyes narrowed. They knew each other.
The others noticed her too, exchanging silent glances. There was something unspoken between them—a wariness.
Even Ji-hye, who rarely showed concern, looked uneasy.
Tae-sik muttered, "Guess we're stuck together for now."
No one disagreed.
Not because they trusted her.
But because right now, they had no other choice.