Free Web NovelJunho had not gone out of his way to build the container residence separately only to house candidates he would bring into the shelter after the apocalypse broke out.
The area around his shelter—that is, the “safe zone” that could be monitored twenty-four hours a day through each guard post and the PTZ cameras—was extremely wide.
Roughly half to two-thirds the size of Yeouido?
Most of it was mountain, but behind the shelter there was a first-grade spring, and in front of it a valley stream flowed. It made no sense to leave such a vast area unused.
That was why, when Park Deokcheol, Park Sunhee, and Jo Yuna first joined, he had told them to build vinyl greenhouses.
But that had not been for farming food for those three and the shelter members.
He only checked them once a week for abnormalities, but in the ultra-low-temperature freezer warehouse, enough food to last more than thirty years was still stored untouched.
The food in the low-temperature storage room right beside the kitchen alone was enough for the current shelter members to eat for another two or three years.
They had not even finished the meat and seafood in the freezers of the several commercial refrigerators placed in the kitchen.
Because everything had been vacuum-packed with oxygen absorbers and desiccants, then placed in sealed containers, the expiration period had been dramatically extended compared to ordinary frozen storage. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
In other words, if it were only a matter of feeding the shelter and the people living there, including Junho, there was no need to farm outside at all.
But as if proving that no plan in the world was perfect, people continued to be necessary, and if he was going to feed those people, he could not rely only on the food prepared in advance.
Also, those people—cruel as it might sound—would have to become the first personnel to face the enemy if, by any chance, his shelter was directly attacked.
They would have to show responsibility, the “price” for being allowed to live in an incomparably safe place while enjoying a level of civilization that was now difficult to find anywhere else.
And in Junho’s view, Go Jeongnam, who had led the elderly people and the rescued students well while staying at Hanaareum Nursing Home, was more than qualified to spend the rest of his life in the container residence.
And it was also time for Hanaareum Nursing Home to take on another role.
“...Understood. I’ll handle Elder Go Jeongnam’s matter myself. Anything else? Nothing more?”
—Well. Something happened at our shelter too, you see?
“What? What is it?”
Junho’s expression grew even more serious.
But then.
—Hehe. But actually, if you call it big, it’s big, and if you call it nothing, it’s nothing. So come back and check it yourself, boss.
“What...?”
—It’s just one of those things. Anyway, I’ll let the others know you’re safe, boss. Akina will handle communications and drone control.
—Akina. Taking over. Welcome back, Master Lee Junho.
Immediately, instead of Yoon Youngsu, AI Akina’s cold voice flowed through the channel.
Junho was dumbfounded.
But judging by Yoon Youngsu’s attitude, it was clearly nothing dangerous or serious, so Junho shook his head and said,
“Send two surveillance drones and two delivery drones from the shelter. As for what to put in the delivery drones....”
—Confirmed.
It was a cold, businesslike answer completely different from the noisy Yoon Youngsu, but feeling an inexplicable sense of relief, Junho ended the communication.
***
“I put everything in here, Sunny. Want me to help?”
“No. I’m done too. Suho, you can take it now.”
“That right? You girls stay here. I’ll carry it.”
For about a month, Baek Suho had not gotten used to Park Sunhee’s beauty and blushed every time he saw her. But now, he treated her like a neighborhood younger sister he knew and casually shouldered the cargo box before walking away.
As a celebrity—and an idol in her prime—Park Sunhee might have felt a bit strange about that, but she was much more comfortable now than she had been then.
Because not only she, but everyone in the shelter knew who Baek Suho liked.
“Sunny, Sunny. Suho, you know he said he’s going to the nursing home again this weekend too?”
Kim Hayoon, whose hair had grown quite a bit and was now tied in a ponytail, closed the underground storage door and looked toward the stairs Baek Suho had gone up first as she spoke.
“He must have someone he wants to see. They said he fell for her at first sight.”
“Hehe! It’s so funny. He used to go all slack-jawed every day looking at you and Yuna.”
“What can he do? He says she’s prettier than idols to him.”
“What? No way. I mean, she is pretty too, but you’re way prettier, Sunny. Honestly, I don’t even think it’s close.”
At Kim Hayoon’s firm tone, which was not very middle-school-like, Park Sunhee smiled.
That was right. Baek Suho had fallen at first sight for Lee Seulgi, the part-time academy teacher Junho had rescued along with several high school students when he dealt with EoktenZ.
So whenever he had the chance, he wanted to go to Hanaareum Nursing Home to see her. The problem was that there were not that many reasons for anyone from the shelter to visit the nursing home.
Only once or twice a month, when they went to receive rabbits or chicken meat, or to deliver supplies the nursing home needed.
And the work that Junhyeok or Choi Jeongwoo had usually handled had, at some point, become something Baek Suho desperately insisted on tagging along for.
“But Seulgi and the high school girls and boys there have pretty much given up on going home, right? They’ll probably have to keep living at the nursing home, won’t they?”
“Probably? Well, Junho will handle that.”
“Ah! But when is Uncle Junho coming home? I hope he comes back soon.”
“Why? Do you miss Junho?”
At Park Sunhee’s subtle question, Kim Hayoon nodded without hesitation.
“Yes. You know, to me, Uncle Junho really feels like my real uncle. And also, Junseo gets anxious when Uncle Junho isn’t here.”
“I see....”
Park Sunhee could understand how Kim Hayoon and Kim Junseo felt.
She herself was somewhat similar, but the two siblings had literally been saved by Junho at the moment death was right in front of them.
On top of that, thanks to Junho’s consideration, they had been able to hold a proper funeral and send off their grandmother, their only blood relative and guardian in the world.
In the end, even though the siblings were still young, their gratitude and trust toward Junho were high enough to pierce the sky.
And now that Junho was absent for an extended period for the first time, even those two siblings—children who had matured early and become composed in a way unlike most kids these days—had no choice but to feel anxious.
“Oh, and Sunny. Junseo and Jiwoo made gifts they said they’re going to give Uncle Junho when he comes back. I mean, they never give me anything even though I’m the one taking care of them every day. Aren’t those little things seriously ridiculous? Honestly.”
“Haha....”
Park Sunhee could only laugh.
“Oh, right. But Sunny.”
At that moment, Kim Hayoon, who had been climbing the stairs with her, suddenly pretended to look around, then pressed close to Park Sunhee and spoke in a low voice.
“I know we packed clothes and all kinds of things because new people are coming. But doesn’t it feel like there’s way too much women’s stuff?”
“...Yeah. There must be women among them.”
Since Junho had not said who he was bringing, Park Sunhee had no idea that the people coming to the shelter with him were Blossom members she knew well.
“Ah, Sunny, you can’t say it that casually.”
“Hm? Why?”
As Park Sunhee tilted her head, Kim Hayoon looked at her with frustrated eyes and said,
“Sunny. I don’t know how many women there are. But in my opinion, there’s a really high chance they’re people Uncle Junho saved, like you or me. Then what do you think will happen?”
“What do you mean, what will happen? Obviously....”
Park Sunhee, who had been about to answer, suddenly flinched and shut her mouth.
For some reason, an ominous thought had occurred to her.
“In a world like this, they were saved by a man like Uncle Junho, who’s got a good body, fights incredibly well, and is handsome. No, wait. I should take back handsome. Cancel that. Anyway.”
“.......”
Park Sunhee wanted to argue that he was handsome enough, but she felt like doing so would expose her feelings, so she kept her mouth shut.
Kim Hayoon kept chattering at her.
“The way I see it, there’s a high chance at least one of them has fallen for Uncle Junho. So, Sunny. You need to stay sharp too.”
“M-me? Stay sharp? Why, why would I...?”
“...Ugh, never mind. Ah, this is so frustrating. I’m going to the doctor.”
Kim Hayoon let out a deep sigh, shook her head, and walked away.
“H-Hayoon?”
Left alone, Park Sunhee called after Kim Hayoon in bewilderment.
But Kim Hayoon only glanced back at her, shook her head again, and headed toward the annex where the medical room was.
Left alone like that, Park Sunhee finally realized the source of that ominous feeling.
“There’s no way that would happen... No matter what, people don’t fall for someone that easily....”
She muttered that.
But then she realized that she herself was precisely someone who had fallen for another person that easily, and had no choice but to correct what she had been saying to herself.
“Right. One person could easily be like that. So I have to stay sharp... Good.”
Park Sunhee had no idea that the number of women coming to the shelter with Junho was a full five.
***
“No, all this is....”
“These are basic supplies. There’s more besides these, but you’ll receive the rest once we reach the shelter.”
The people, who had almost fainted in shock when the delivery drone descended from the sky and lowered a fairly large cargo box, were now full of excitement as they busied themselves examining the items taken out of the box.
“For now, just change clothes. Body armor and helmets are mandatory, so everyone wear them.”
The group did as instructed and came out changed into the work clothes and combat uniforms sent from the shelter.
“Whoa, isn’t this the kind of thing U.S. soldiers wear?”
“Seriously. This is amazing.”
Yoon Seolhee and the combat team were extremely pleased with the Gore-Tex combat uniforms and tactical vests fitted with Level 3 ballistic panels.
On the other hand, the Blossom members looked a little awkward in the brown work clothes that Park Deokcheol, Park Sunhee, and Jo Yuna had briefly worn in the past.
But as expected of top-tier girl idols, they did not look bad in them.
And more importantly, although the color was a little odd, functionally, the clothes were far superior to the everyday clothing they had been wearing just a moment ago, so they seemed to accept them well enough too.
However, they did not quite understand why Junho had specifically told them to put on these work clothes already.
In any case, perhaps because she was wearing a {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} combat uniform even better than what she had worn during her Special Forces days, Yoon Seolhee approached Junho with a brighter expression than usual.
“Thank you. I never dreamed we’d receive something like this already, here.”
“There are a lot of drones at the shelter. You’ll probably be even more surprised once you see it.”
“I see. More importantly, you said it’s quite far from here, so shouldn’t we get moving quickly? Since we’ll probably have to sleep outdoors tonight, if we want to secure a good spot....”
“No. We’ll get there soon. We’ll probably arrive before sunset.”
“...Pardon?”
Not only Yoon Seolhee, but the others as well looked at Junho as if asking what he meant.
Junho grinned and led Yoon Seolhee to a secluded spot at the dock.
Then, after clearing away the dried brush, he lifted the waterproof camouflage tarp.
“Ah...!”
As Yoon Seolhee stared wide-eyed at the utility cart, Junho said,
“This one can carry cargo and still fit two or three people. And there are a few more utility carts the gangsters used in that warehouse over there. If we ride those, we’ll get there quickly.”
Now that the Daeseong syndicate had been destroyed, the dock the gangsters had used was now shelter property and an intermediate base.
That was why Junho said,
“In a world like this, the better you save things, the better you live. All right, everyone. Let’s loot.”
Aside from the solar power equipment and the communication and surveillance gear, he planned to carefully gather up every other useful item.
After all, that was why he had told them to send work clothes.
