Chapter 3: Shadows of Uncertainty

Ji-hoon entered their unit, finding Min-jae anxiously waiting. He seemed relieved to see him back safe and then, immediately asked what happened.

Ji-hoon takes a deep breath, realizing he couldn't hide the truth from Min-jae. He carefully explained the situation, choosing his words to convey the gravity of events without delving into the gruesome details. Min-jae listened intently, his eyes reflecting a mix of fear and confusion.

As Min-jae took in the information he just received, Ji-hoon thought about what should be their next move. He didn't believe that burning the bodies would be a permanent solution to the problem at hand since nobody even knew how the infection or whatever it was had started.

Eventually, he just decided to focus on what he knew from the situation he witnessed. First, he could say that from what he saw, they seemed like real life representation of what zombies are.

From mindlessly attacking humans, to the corpse of the woman rising up after death. The man also was still moving even after getting his head bashed in by a bat so he seemed to be exactly what a zombie would look like in real life.

Apart from that, it was only after all their limbs had been destroyed that they finally stopped actively attacking since they couldn't move. So he wasn't sure of what weaknesses they could have, he could try and convince everyone to cut off their heads or destroy it completely but he was sure from what he saw of everyone's reaction that nobody wanted to have anything to do with the zombies.

Moving away could also be a solution and they could even report the situation to the police but who's to say the infection hasn't already spread outside, after all the man must have contracted the infection somehow.

As he contemplated all the options available, he decided that safety is the most important thing right now for them.

Thinking about their survival, he believed food and water should be the first and most important thing at the moment. It's a practical approach, ensuring they have essential supplies in case the situation escalates further.

He couldn't help but struggle though with the decision to dip into the money their parents saved for them. The uncertainty of the situation made him hesitant, as spending their savings felt risky without a clear understanding of the extent of the crisis.

After careful consideration, he decided to postpone the decision to use the money until the next day, hoping for more clarity on the unfolding situation.

Getting out of his thoughts, Ji-hoon noticed that Min-jae was still lost in his thoughts and noticing his anxiety, reassured him that its probably nothing serious and they'll wait until the next day to assess the situation.

Ji-hoon, feeling the urgency of the situation, checks the internet on his phone for any news or information about the recent events in their vicinity. He hoped that the search results could reveal the extent of the outbreak and whether it's a localized incident or something more widespread.

As he checked through the result, he couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be some posts of people talking about things like that occurring at various places around the world but the details of what each person wrote seemed weirdly improbable even for someone like him that experienced a zombie attack first hand.

One of the posts was a user claiming to have encountered zombies in a different country, detailing an outbreak that mirrored what Ji-hoon had just witnessed, others seemed more exaggerated as someone claimed the zombie had super strength and was faster than a car.

As he scrolled through more of the posts, the bizarre and seemingly fictional nature of some of the posts only helped to add to the confusion and uncertainty he felt surrounding the situation. Ji-hoon found it challenging to discern truth from exaggeration amid the chaos.

Ultimately, he came to the realization that continuing to muddle through the situation would only hinder his progress. Closing the posts, he decided to just wait and see what happens the next day just like he planned to initially.

Not being able to calm down after what he witnessed, he decided to go for a walk.

After informing Min-jae of where he was going and persuading him that he would be fine, Ji-hoon walked out the door.

Thinking back to So Mi who had brought a meal for them earlier, he thought he should check up on her and her friends.

He took a deep breath and turned left, thinking of the events that occurred almost an hour ago. As he walked past two other units, he gathered his thoughts and knocked on So Mi's door, feeling a mix of apprehension and curiosity.

The door opened, but it wasn't So Mi who answered; instead, it was Soo Won. Her appearance was striking—dark, flowing hair framed a face that held an air of composure, even in the midst of the unsettling events.

Soo Won spotted Ji-hoon and recognized him immediately. She greeted him with a smile, "Hey Ji-hoon, how have you been? Did you enjoy the Japchae I sent?"

Ji-hoon replied, "Yeah, it was delicious. Thanks for that, Soo Won. Min-jae and I appreciate it a lot."

Soo Won was pleased to hear that and asked, "No problem at all. So, what brings you here today? Are you looking for So Mi?"

Ji-hoon explained, "Well, after what happened earlier, I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay with all of you."

Soo Won nodded understandingly and said, "I see. Yeah, we're doing fine, thanks for asking. So Mi and Min Ji were a bit shaken up, but they're feeling better now."

Ji-hoon was relieved to hear that and said, "That's good to know. If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know."

Soo Won smiled and said, "Thanks, I appreciate it. We're all good for now though."

Ji-hoon bid farewell and continued on his way outside the apartment.

He couldn't help but notice that the corpse were tied up instead of burnt like they agreed to, he guessed it made no sense for them to burn the corpse and then call the cops after with no proof of what had occurred.

What surprised him more though was the fact that the cops weren't here even after it had been more than thirty minutes since they were called.

Walking out of the building, he looked out into the quiet evening, the sun cast long shadows on the bustling streets.

People moved about their business, seemingly unaware of the recent turmoil within the apartment complex.

However, beneath the façade of normalcy, an unsettling tension lingered in the air. The familiar sights and sounds of the city felt different, as if cloaked in an unspoken unease.

Despite the outward appearance of routine, after what he witnessed in the apartment earlier, Ji-hoon couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The setting sun painted the sky with hues of orange and pink, yet an invisible weight pressed upon him, hinting at a reality beyond the surface.

As he ventured into the seemingly ordinary streets, the underlying tension grew more palpable, leaving him to question the true nature of the world around him.