Chapter 19: Confrontation

On the surface, tension hung heavy in the air as the group found themselves with their only way forward blocked by an infected. Jae-ho, their guide and the leader of the group, assessed the situation quickly, his eyes narrowing as he calculated any other options they had.

"We need to take it down, quietly" he whispered after coming to a conclusion, his voice barely audible above the rustling of leaves and the distant sounds of the city.

The others nodded in agreement, they had also realized they didn't really have a choice, their expressions grim as they prepared to confront the looming threat. This would be their first confrontation with an infected after all, they had always been more focused on avoiding and sneaking around all the infected they had met previously.

"We need to stop it from making any sounds that would alert other infected. So, Mr. Park and I will sneak up on it and try to destroy its vocal cords or larynx," Jae-ho announced, laying out the plan. "Everyone else can join after that. Our goal is to completely incapacitate it, and maybe kill it. So, we'll focus on its limbs and head. Do we all understand?"

The group nodded in agreement, ready to execute the plan. With determined expressions, they prepared to engage the infected and eliminate the threat.

With their plan in place, Jae-ho with a metal bat in hand and Mr. Park with a golf club stealthily approached the infected, moving silently to avoid detection. As they got closer, they could see the infected standing motionlessly, its attention seemingly focused on something in the distance.

Taking advantage of its distracted state, Jae-ho and Mr. Park swiftly closed the distance, moving with precision and purpose. With a quick nod to each other, they launched their attack, targeting the infected's throat in an attempt to disable its ability to make noise.

Their coordinated strike was successful, and the infected let out a muffled grunt as it staggered backward disoriented. With its ability to alert other infected compromised, the group seized the opportunity to converge on the creature, attacking with all their might.

Limbs and heads were targeted, blows raining down on the infected from all sides as they fought to subdue it. Despite its struggles, the infected eventually succumbed to their onslaught, collapsing to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Breathing heavily, the group stood victorious over the fallen creature, relieved that they had managed to overcome their first fight with an infected. But their victory was short-lived as they knew that they would have to engage in more fights from now on.

"We can't stay here for long, we should move on after this" Jae-ho said after catching his breath, retrieving a lighter from his pocket and igniting the infected.

"What are you doing?" So Mi asked, her expression a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"What does it look like? Ridding the world of one of these monsters, obviously. Or would you prefer to cut off its neck? Would that be better than burning it for you?" Jae-ho replied bluntly, ignoring her as he watched the infected ignite with satisfaction.

So Mi stood dumbstruck by his reply, but she also understood that unless there is some sort of cure for the infected that they weren't aware of, then Jae-ho was right. The others also seemed to understand this as they silently allowed Jae-ho to burn the infected, averting their gazes.

"We can go now" Jae-ho declared, seemingly satisfied with the extent to which the infected had burned.

Jae-ho led the way as they continued their journey. It wasn't long before darkness fell, and they were forced to seek refuge in a shelter. Finding an empty apartment, they thoroughly checked every room before being assured that there weren't any infected present, and settled down to rest in the living room.

"How should we arrange the night watch now that Ji-hoon, Soo Won, and Min-jae aren't here?" Min-ji asked, once everyone had arranged their belongings for the night.

"Mr. Park and I could take the first watch" Jae-ho suggested.

"Then Min-ji and I will take the second watch. We'll switch every three hours" So Mi proposed.

With their watch set for the night, the group settled into their sleeping arrangements, weary from the day's events. Mr. Park and Jae-ho assumed their positions, keeping a vigilant eye on their surroundings.

As Mr. Park settled down on a seat, he kept a wary gaze on Jae-ho, a stranger whose motives he couldn't fully trust. Despite Jae-ho's apparent assistance, Mr. Park remained cautious, unwilling to let his guard down. Jae-ho didn't strike him as the kind of person to help other out of goodwill especially since he basically canceled whatever plans might have had before to lead them to Pinaencheo Oasiseu.

Pulling out his phone, Mr. Park attempted to check their current location using the map. However, to his frustration, there was no connection, leaving him unable to confirm their whereabouts. Resigned to trusting their instincts, he switched off the phone and resumed his watch.

Hours passed without incident, and soon it was time for So Mi and Min-ji to take over the watch. Mr. Park and Jae-ho retired to rest, while the others kept watch through the night.

As dawn broke, the group stirred from their slumber, ready to resume their journey. With renewed determination, they set out once again, uncertain of what challenges lay ahead.

Ji-hoon and Soo Won had intended to resume their journey towards the meeting point after Ji-hoon had calmed down, but they faced a setback when they realized there was no connection on their phones, leaving them unable to pinpoint their location on the map.

Despite this, they chose to press forward, hoping to stumble upon another manhole leading out of the sewers. As they continued on their path, a newfound bond had formed between them, forged through the trials they had faced together and sure to help them face whatever challenges they might face going on.