Chapter 24: New Allies

As Ji-hoon and Soo Won followed Sang-woo towards the leader, they couldn't shake off the nervousness gnawing at them. The weight of the camp's scrutiny pressed down on them as they approached the leader's quarters.

Upon arrival, Sang-woo ushered them inside where they were met by a young man engaged in a conversation with a middle aged man. Turning towards the door, both men stared at them as they entered the room.

Sang-woo took the lead as he introduced them to the leader "these are the newcomers" he said.

"Welcome" the leader, now apparent as the younger man, greeted, his voice carrying an air of authority.

He got up from his seat and moved towards them "I'm Seo-jun, the leader of this camp. I've heard about your arrival and the circumstances that brought you here." He said with his hands outstretched towards them.

Ji-hoon and Soo Won exchanged quick glances, Seo-jun seemed ordinary, while his voice did sound authoritative, he also came off as friendly but compared to the way Min-joon and Hye-jin had described him, he was handsome no doubt, with black hair and brown eyes that made him look anything but ordinary, he wore a blue shirt with black trousers, still he was relatively ordinary compared to their description.

Ji-hoon shook his hand as he thought about this " I'm Ji-hoon and she is So Won. We'll be on our way so you don't have to worry about us" he introduced them and said.

"You don't have you be in a hurry to leave, you can take your time and if you like, you could even stay, we always welcome other survivors" Seo-jun said.

"We appreciate it and we'll consider that if we ever need a refuge, but we have to go" Ji-hoon replied him.

"It's okay then, Sang Woo can lead you around the camp if you change your mind, and if you don't, be careful out there." Seo-jun said and he took his seat.

Ji-hoon and Soo Won said their goodbyes and Sang Woo lead them out leaving Seo-jun and the older man who didn't say a word throughout.

"Are you planning to leave immediately?" Sang Woo inquired once they were outside the leader's quarters.

"Yeah, but we should say our goodbyes to Min-joon and Hye-jin first" Soo Won responded.

Since their arrival at the camp, Ji-hoon and Soo Won hadn't seen the couple, who had been occupied with registering the items they had scavenged.

Ji-hoon and Soo Won followed Sang Woo to where Min-joon and Hye-jin were gathered with a group of people near the entrance of the same building they had been examined.

"I'll get your packs for you while you say your farewells." Sang-woo said before walking away.

Approaching Min-joon and Hye-jin, Soo Won greeted them with a smile. "Hey, we're about to head out. Just wanted to thank you both for your help and hospitality."

Min-joon smiled warmly in return. "No problem at all. We're glad we could assist you. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out."

Hye-jin nodded in agreement. "Stay safe out there. Hopefully, we'll meet again under better circumstances."

With a final exchange of farewells, Ji-hoon and Soo Won turned to leave the building, ready to embark on the next leg of their journey after getting their packs. Looking through to confirm their things were complete, they resumed their journey to the rendezvous point.

Soo Won had suggested that they stay to have their baths and clean up before leaving but Ji-hoon had said that he didn't think it was safe to stay too long at the camp so they had left.

...…..

So Mi and the others found themselves following Mr. Park a day after leaving Jae-ho.

As the group followed Mr. Park, their steps synchronized with the rhythm of their collective trust in his guidance. With his phone serving as a beacon of direction, the doubt they had been coping with when they were with Jae-ho was completely absent as they moved towards the rendezvous point.

"So, how much farther until we reach the rendezvous point?" Min-ji inquired, her voice laced with anticipation.

Mr. Park glanced back at the group, a reassuring smile gracing his lips. "Not too much farther now," he replied confidently. "We're making good progress, and we should arrive soon."

Relief washed over the group as they continued on their path, each with their own thoughts as they pressed forward towards the hope of reunion and safety at the rendezvous point.

Their steady progress to the rendezvous point is halted though when they come in contact with two survivors, who seemed to be on edge and ready for a confrontation as the group approached them.

Mr. Park raised a hand in a gesture of peace as they drew nearer. "Hey there" he called out cautiously. "We're just passing through. No need for trouble."

Seung-ho and Joon-young exchanged wary glances, their grip tightening on their weapons. "Who are you?" Seung-ho demanded, his voice tense with suspicion.

So Mi stepped forward, her demeanor calm and reassuring. "We're survivors, just like you" she replied, hoping to ease the tension. "Is he okay? He's bleeding badly, shouldn't you treat that?"

Seung-ho's expression softened slightly as he glanced back at Joon-young, who seemed to be favoring one arm, which was indeed bleeding. "It's nothing" Joon-young muttered, attempting to brush off the concern.

So Mi's eyes narrowed with concern as she took a step closer, inspecting the wound. "It doesn't look like 'nothing' to me" she remarked, her tone firm but sympathetic. "Let us help you. We have some medical supplies with us."

Seung-ho hesitated, still wary of their intentions, but the urgency of Joon-young's injury was evident. "Fine" he relented, albeit reluctantly. "But no tricks."

With cautious cooperation, So Mi and the others tended to Joon-young's wound, cleaning and dressing it as best they could with the supplies they had on hand. As they worked, the tension in the air began to ease, the earlier wariness that Seung-ho and Joon-young had displayed gradually dissipating.

"Do you guys belong to a camp?" Seung-ho asked as Miss Kim treated Joon-young's wounds.

"Camp? No, we don't belong to any. Do you guys belong to one?" So Mi asked.

Seung-ho nodded, a flicker of relief crossing his features. "Yeah, we do" he replied. "We're part of a survivor camp not too far from here. It's been our refuge since everything went to hell. We're currently scavenging for supplies for the camp."

So Mi exchanged a glance with the others, silently acknowledging the allure of a safe haven in such uncertain times. "That sounds like a smart move" she remarked. "We've been on the move, trying to find a place to regroup and gather our bearings."

Joon-young winced slightly as Miss Kim applied a bandage to his wound, but he offered a grateful smile nonetheless. "Thanks for the help" he said, his voice tinged with genuine appreciation.

Miss Kim returned the smile, her eyes reflecting a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos. "No problem," she replied. "We're all just trying to survive out here."

Seung-ho observed the group thoughtfully before speaking again. "Where are you headed?" he inquired, his tone more curious now. "If you're looking for safety and stability, our camp might be able to offer that. We could use more capable hands."

So Mi listened to Seung-ho's offer attentively before responding. "Thank you for the invitation," she began, her tone respectful. "But we already have a destination in mind. We'll keep your offer in mind for the future, though."

As So Mi began to respond to Seung-ho's invitation, Joon-young interjected, his curiosity evident. "Where are you headed?" he asked, his gaze shifting between So Mi and the others.

So Mi hesitated for a moment, exchanging a brief glance with Mr. Park before deciding to answer. "We're headed to Pinaencheo Oasiseu" she replied, her tone measured. "It's where we've arranged to meet with others we got separated from"

Mr. Park shot So Mi a warning look, but it was too late. The words were already out, and Seung-ho and Joon-young exchanged surprised glances at the revelation.

"That is really close to the camp, we can go together. And you can't there without passing the camp so I guess there's no choice" Seung-ho said

So Mi nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. We appreciate your guidance," she replied gratefully.

She wouldn't trust them immediately after what happened with Jae-ho but they would know if they were going the wrong way immediately with their map so she didn't think there was anything wrong with going together and everyone had to agree with her even Mr Park.