Chapter 95 - The Girl Wants to Be M*rdered

**Chapter 95: The Girl and the Zombie (7)** * * * ** "........." I gently extended a stick with a mirror on it ahead of me before turning the corner. And as expected, reflected in the mirror were zombies standing idly in the alleyway. Were they waiting for something? The zombies stood motionless under the scorching sun, staring into the empty air as if nothing existed. At least they didn’t seem to be on alert for us, which was a relief. ─Tap, tap. ["Left, two, not on alert."] ["Understood. Recalculating route, on standby."] I quickly signaled to Yeon Yi behind me, indicating what I had discovered. I moved my right index finger sideways to show the direction I had checked, lifted both my middle and index fingers, bending them slightly to indicate there were two zombies inside, then finally covered my eyes and crossed my arms to make an X. Although unfamiliar and awkward, this method was effective given the current scenario where making noise was not an option. Unexpectedly, I found this way of communicating rather fun, it added to the atmosphere. These kinds of things are enjoyable, aren’t they? ─Tap, tap. "........" How long was it? What felt like seconds dragged on like hours. ["Route change. Go straight for now. Reassess the situation later."] ["Understood."] Yeon Yi, quickly catching my gestures, marked the location of the zombies on a small map and suggested a different route. With a bold stroke, the red pen in her hand vividly marked over the existing black lines, showing a path deviating from our original route to the supermarket, suggesting a roundabout way by moving past another block. Simply put, combat was forbidden. The decision to reassess once reaching the next corner was a sound one. While the roundabout route was longer, there was no reason to drain our energy by attracting the attention of zombies before even reaching the supermarket. Moreover, the terrible stench released when zombies are killed could potentially summon all the nearby zombies if we weren't careful. The reason we almost got cornered by zombies while escaping from the previous shopping center had been due to several wounds we inflicted on the zombies during our escape. This was also the reason most of the weapons we carried this time were blunt, like sticks. If we were to gash open a zombie's body and its fluids sprayed everywhere, then the ensuing disaster would be beyond our control. Of course, to prevent such a scenario, Yeon Yi’s map detailed potential escape routes and which buildings might offer some safety. "........." "........." Step by step. We verified the path Yeon Yi had drawn and responded with a nod before carefully moving forward, making as little noise as possible. And, the important map that outlined the route was: ─Tap. [──「'Go!'」] [".....That means 'attack,' Hee Ah."] [".....Heehee."] A small, pale hand extended upwards, reaching towards our chests. Yes. That's the ultimate reason we aim to avoid or minimize combat. "...........♬" It was because inside, moving towards the supermarket with us, was Hee Ah, bundled up in thick clothing. In truth, we didn’t want to bring Hee Ah into a situation this dangerous. Naturally. Who among us actually desired to bring such a young and delicate child into this deadly gamble compared to us? Even if someone had insisted Hee Ah should come along, questioning why she couldn't partake in gathering supplies, we would have gone and taught that person a lesson with these sticks in hand. After all, they're not even human. However— ‘......I don't want to.' ‘Hee Ah…?' ‘──I don’t want to…! Why am I always the one left alone...? I don't want to be alone anymore…!! Don't leave me behind...! Please let me go with the sisters....!!' ──Cling. Seeing Hee Ah crying and clinging, begging us not to leave her, we found ourselves forgetting everything and freezing like ice. Where had her mature demeanor gone? She was pulling on our clothes just like a child throwing a tantrum, and we were reminded that she was still a child, not our age. Hee Ah, who always silently comforted us. Had we unknowingly placed too heavy a burden on her, we wondered. Nonetheless. This and that were two separate matters. I and Yeon Yi intended to keep Hee Ah out of danger, while Hee Ah firmly insisted on accompanying us. A battle that wouldn’t end until one side yielded. A tense tug-of-war with nobody willing to back down. And then. ─Tap. ‘In any case, it's equally dangerous for her to stay here alone.’ ‘.....Jung Eun!?’ The long stalemate turned a new corner with Jung Eun, who had been resting her chin in thought beside us, finally speaking. ‘To bring back at least a month’s worth of provisions, all three of us need to go. Otherwise, Hee Ah would have to stay here alone, with the risk of zombies infiltrating the house.’ '.....But still! You know how dangerous it is there, don’t you, Jung Eun?' 'I also don't want to bring a child into that place, Yeon Yi. Do you really think I've lost my mind?' A strong force was added to the opposite side of the rope we held. That force was the truth. '─But, if we die or find ourselves in danger, what do you think would happen to Hee Ah, waiting alone here? You know that better than anyone, don’t you?' '.........' 'If we're in danger, Hee Ah is in danger. But there's nothing we can do to protect Hee Ah if she’s alone in this house. It’s better if Hee Ah stays nearby and we can protect her with all our strength.' 'But... still...' The words hung in the air. It was a harsh truth that none of us wanted to acknowledge. Even Jung Eun, who spoke those words, wasn't happy about it, evidenced by the frown on her forehead; it was clear she didn’t want to put Hee Ah in danger, either. Yet, this was Jung Eun's way of making a decision for Hee Ah's sake. Over the past 40 days, some zombies had climbed over each other to breach the walls. While this was more frequent at the beginning, when zombies surrounded us and heightened our vigilance, we managed to fend them off without fail... But there was no guarantee that the horrific scenario wouldn’t unfold again. Recently, with more frequent contact, the latch on the main gate had become loose as well. In effect, leaving Hee Ah here was fraught with significant risks. And if we consider a worst-case scenario... If we were bitten and turned into zombies, Hee Ah would have to survive alone in this house without food or a guardian. Our demise could directly lead to Hee Ah’s demise, suggesting that keeping her close, as per Jung Eun's opinion, might be more prudent. Even if we were safe, we couldn’t guarantee Hee Ah’s safety. If we found ourselves in mortal peril, Hee Ah left alone here would be in just as much danger. Thus, the conclusion that putting Hee Ah in harm's way was ironically for her safety. A painful and unavoidable conclusion we had to reach. Well. ['──Heehee.'] ".........." Seeing Hee Ah, beaming with excitement at venturing out with us, perhaps we would have surrendered regardless of those reasons. ....... By the way, how is Hee Ah managing to express laughter through gesture signals? ['Heehee~'] "???" No, really, how is she doing that? ** Walking and walking some more. Though we had been tense with apprehension at the dangerous journey ahead since morning, thanks to Hee Ah's presence, we found ourselves relaxed and able to walk a bit more lightly. Fortunately, no one dropped anything out of nervousness nor strayed onto a wrong path. Then, as planned, under the scorching sun at noon when they were at their slowest— ─Swwish. "........" Broken cars that seemed far from intact, webs of cracks sketched on glass. And in between, shattered windows and glass doors of entrances. "......We've arrived." We had reached the supermarket parking lot. ** * * *