Chapter 25: A Greater Threat

As they journeyed towards the camp with Seung-ho and Joon-young, the group's apprehension mingled with a glimmer of hope. The thought of finding safety and potentially reuniting with Ji-hoon, Min-jae, and So Mi at the camp buoyed their spirits, yet uncertainty lingered in the air.

So Mi and the others followed closely behind Seung-ho, their senses alert to any signs of danger. Along the way, Joon-young shared stories of survival, offering glimpses into the challenges and triumphs of life in the post-apocalyptic world.

As they neared the camp, the group's anticipation grew palpable. The sight of makeshift shelters and bustling activity ahead filled them with a mixture of relief and trepidation. They wondered if they would find any traces of their companions within the camp and finally be reunited.

As they neared the patrol post, Seung-ho's voice broke through the tension, his words a reassuring beacon. "We're approaching the patrol post," he announced, his tone calm yet authoritative. "They'll likely conduct a routine check for any signs of bites. It's standard procedure for anyone entering the camp, whether they're returning from scavenging or seeking refuge."

As they approached the patrol station, a group of guards came into view, led by the same man Ji-hoon and So Mi had encountered the day before.

"You're back. Are you alright?" The leader's voice carried concern as he addressed Seung-ho and Joon-young. "Who are they?" he inquired, his gaze shifting between Mr. Park and the others.

Seung-ho stepped forward, gesturing towards So Mi and the group. "They're survivors we encountered on our way here," he explained. "They were separated from their group and were headed in the same direction as us."

The leader's expression softened slightly as he regarded the newcomers. "I see," he replied, nodding. "Well, welcome to our camp. We'll need to conduct a brief inspection to confirm that you're not infected though and you'll have to drop your weapons and the packs on your backs as precautions."

After they had relinquished their weapons and packs, the leader gestured towards two guards and instructed them to escort the group for inspection.

"We need to register our supplies, so we'll catch up with you after the inspection," Joon-young explained as he and Seung-ho parted ways from the group.

The guards escorted them to a nearby building that resembled a makeshift hospital. Gesturing for them to wait, one of the guards approached a man who seemed to be overseeing operations. After a brief exchange, the man directed the guard to a woman who had been engrossed in her work. The guard moved to the woman and spoke with her for a while before they both moved towards the group.

Approaching the group, the woman introduced herself with a warm smile. "Hello, it's nice to meet all of you. My name is Eunji, and I'll be overseeing your inspection, follow me" she said, stepping forward to address them.

Instructing them to follow her, she led them down a corridor, she stopped in front of two closed doors, one marked "Male Inspection" and the other "Female Inspection."

"Please wait here," Eunji instructed, gesturing towards the doors. "I will be conducting the female inspection in this room. In the meantime, one of my colleagues will assist the males in the adjacent room."

Just then, a man approached, accompanied by a few others. Eunji exchanged a brief nod with him before turning back to the group.

"This is Sang-hoon," she introduced, indicating the man beside her. "He will be overseeing the male inspection process. You can trust him."

With that, Eunji and Sang-hoon led their respective groups into their designated rooms, ready to commence the inspection process.

So Mi, Min-ji, and Miss Kim followed Eunji into a room where they were instructed to strip for inspection.

"So, what's your story?" Eunji asked casually as she prepared to begin.

"What do you mean?" So Mi inquired.

"I'm sure you must have been through a lot before arriving here" Eunji clarified.

"Well, yeah, we had to leave our apartment because of the infection, and then survive in the open. But we got separated from the rest of our group because of an infected, and we're currently on our way to meet them" So Mi explained.

"You don't plan to join the camp then?" Eunji asked, finding the story familiar.

"Not for now, at least. We had to stop here because we can't reach the rendezvous point without passing through here" So Mi replied as the inspection commenced.

"I feel like I've heard this before. Do you know Soo Won?" Eunji suddenly asked, causing So Mi's heart to skip a beat. Miss Kim and Min-ji, who had been listening to the conversation while also undergoing inspection, had varying reactions upon hearing Soo Won's name.

"How do you know Soo Won? Did she pass through here? Is she in the camp?" So Mi bombarded Eunji with questions, her curiosity piqued.

Eunji paused for a moment, seemingly considering her response before speaking again.

"Yes, I know Soo Won. She passed through here just yesterday with Ji-hoon" Eunji confirmed, her expression thoughtful.

"So she was with Ji-hoon, and Min-jae? He was with them too right??" So Mi pressed, her heart racing with anticipation.

Eunji hesitated, her gaze shifting between So Mi and her companions. "I'm not sure. I only met Soo Won and Ji-hoon" she replied.

So Mi's mind raced with possibilities, her heart torn between hope and uncertainty. Had the others made it to the rendezvous point? Why wasn't Min-jae with them? Was he okay?

As the inspection continued, So Mi and the others' minds were unsettled as they thought over the information they had just gained. A little while later, the inspection was over, and So Mi wanted to try and gain more information on Soo Won and Ji-hoon's whereabouts when they were interrupted by sounds from outside.

…...........

A monstrous roar sounded, reverberating through the entire camp, before all hell broke loose. The patrolling guards spotted a giant monster rushing towards them, its massive form casting a shadow over the panicked chaos that ensued.

The leader of the patrol station tried to rally them together but the guards had either abandoned their posts or were awestruck by the giant monster rushing towards the camp.

The same could be said inside the camp, as Seo-jun tried to control the situation and help people evacuate safely, it seemed to be useless though as apart from a few everyone else ignored him and ran for safety.