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The next day, the rain stopped. Faint sunlight peeked through the dark clouds, and a few zombies wandered out of the villa building.

Perhaps because they slept on the stairs or the bare floor, they stretched their joints and muscles. Some zombies left the area, but quite a few remained inside the building.

Gloomy zombies still huddled inside the villa. A gurgling sound came from beyond the entrance.

“It’s about time to move.”

I lowered my head and turned on my phone. A short message appeared in the silent chatroom.

Uncle’s words to focus on the signal. To act as soon as the sound is heard.

It wasn’t a simple action. For safety, to minimize danger, a plan was made. I didn’t say much. Whatever happened, it didn’t matter to me.

‘Whether people die or the farm is revived, as long as I survive, it’s fine.’

I swung a hammer in the air to ease my tension. Literally, as long as I survived, it was enough.

People die? Take their resources. People live? Work hard on the farm and harvest. Whatever happens, as long as I survive, it’s a victory with nothing to lose.

Of course, it’s better to drive away the zombies.

‘The scarecrow isn’t effective. What should I make to drive away zombies? Should I hang an upside-down zombie cross on a tree? A reverse cross might work.’

As I was lost in thought, the signal to start the operation came.

Bang, bang, bang-

The loud alarm of cars placed on the street. Across the villa, Uncle stuck his head and hand out the window, pressing the alarm button on the smart key repeatedly.

“Kreeeak!”

The zombies rushed nervously towards the cars. They banged on the car windows, hoods, and bodies.

It was a fun stress relief scene. The zombies, probably annoyed by the heat and humidity, rhythmically smashed the cars. Bricks, baseball bats, pipes—cheerful sounds of impact.

More zombies joined the free car demolition service.

Zombies ran out of the villa building, happily banging on the cars.

Bang- bang-

Uncle skillfully lured the zombies away. As the alarm was about to stop, he switched keys and set off alarms from cars further away.

Then, it was time to go out. Zombies crowded the street, some a bit further away.

“…Should I go a bit later?”

I paused for a moment, holding a handgun, hammer, and rooftop key. I slightly lowered the bag on my back.

Actually, I don’t need to go all out. My role is to enter the indoor farm, and there are others with the same role.

If I don’t go, someone might die, but that’s also a gain. On the other hand, if I go out and get hurt, it’s a huge loss.

Then.

Tap tap tap, a soft knock on the entrance and Jeondohyeong’s lowered voice.

“What are you doing? We need to open the rooftop door. No, Uncle Park Yang-gun hasn’t come out either. Really, what are you-”

“Uh, I’m coming.”

Seeing Jeondohyeong at the door, there must be no zombies beyond the entrance. I carefully opened the door with the safety chain on, checked, and quickly went out.

Jeondohyeong stomped his feet.

“Did you go to the bathroom? Why are you so late?”

“Be quiet. There are a lot of zombies outside.”

“Where’s Uncle Park Yang-gun?”

“Here, you brat.”

Park Yang-gun appeared from behind. Like a professional thief, he made no sound.

We whispered and headed straight to the rooftop. I unlocked the door with the rooftop key. The rain-soaked rooftop appeared, and I locked the door again.

In case zombies could come up.

“Ladder, ladder.”

Jeondohyeong moved busily with enthusiasm. He struggled to move the ladder previously placed in the corner of the rooftop for evacuation.

The distance between Peace Villa and Farm Villa was narrow, so the plan was to place the ladder on the railing and move from rooftop to rooftop.

Jeondohyeong suddenly looked at us, about to shout something, but suppressed his voice.

“Hey, help me.”

Park Yang-gun and I glanced at each other. His blunt gaze met my indifferent gaze.

Honestly, it’s not something we enjoy or are good at…

“Isn’t the ladder a bit dangerous? It’s almost five floors high. Scary.”

“Isn’t there any safety equipment? Safety regulations exist for a reason.”

We raised reasonable questions, but Jeondohyeong, perhaps driven mad by the heat, started jumping in place and spouting nonsense.

“This is driving me crazy. People who only do dangerous things and those who climb gas pipes bare-handed are now talking about safety. How far is this anyway?”

He approached the railing, leaned over, and stretched his hand. His fingers touched the opposite villa.

About 1M apart.

“You could jump over from here!”

I subtly checked what others were doing. If others are slacking, I’ll slack too.

But the people of Villa Street were each doing their part. Uncle was setting off alarms to lure, the elderly were opening windows wide, shooting slingshots or throwing heavy objects, and those with the same role as me were heading from the rooftop to the indoor farm building.

Suddenly, I made eye contact with people from the opposite villa, crawling over the ladder to the farm villa.

Even if they die, it doesn’t matter, but no need to look bad.

“Jeondohyeong! What are you doing! Set up the ladder!”

“No-”

“I’m dying of frustration!”

I slapped Jeondohyeong’s back hard and immediately took the ladder. It was quite heavy, but I managed to place it on the opposite villa’s railing.

Even if I dropped it carelessly, the narrow gap made it automatically latch.

“Hold tight.”

I ran down the ladder. And so, I arrived at the Farm Villa next to Peace Villa. Three from Peace Villa and three from another villa caught their breath at the rooftop door.

And with a bang, they opened the door.

***

There was no hesitation.

They were people already adapted to the apocalypse, murderers who had tasted blood. Above all, zombies were enemies to be killed in front of precious lettuce.

There were a few zombies left inside the building, but people hunted them down fiercely.

“Kill them!”

“You ruined our farm!”

Short weapons for fighting in the narrow villa stairs and corridors were swung fiercely. Sometimes, they kicked zombies in the chest, sending them tumbling down the stairs, or sprayed fire extinguishers in their faces.

The zombies didn’t go down easily.

“Kreeaak!”

They threw bricks while retreating, and even with a broken arm, they grabbed with the other and dragged.

One cunning zombie hurriedly went back and brought more zombies. Countless footsteps and presences were felt below the stairs.

Blocked from view, I couldn’t see the outside situation. Whether the lure still worked, how many zombies were coming to the farm villa, whether the cover was effective. No time to stick my head out the stair window to assess the situation.

The unknown became pressure.

‘I really hate zombies. Even if we fight and win, there’s nothing to loot.’

I shivered and quickly pressed the doorlock password. The door opened at once.

“Come in quickly.”

I went in first, followed by Park Yang-gun, Jeondohyeong, and an unnamed street person. Two people were killed by zombies.

Through the quickly closing door, a zombie’s face appeared. Mouth wide open, spitting saliva, screaming.

“Kreeeeak!”

Just before the outstretched hand came through the door, it slammed shut. Quickly locking the door. Bang bang bang, the sound of knocking.

I sighed in relief.

‘Done. Survived.’

The entrance door is invincible. Entering the farmhouse with food and water was a victory.

But the street person stared blankly at the entrance door, then suddenly shouted and started punching the door.

“You bastards! They died because of you! They’re dead! Why, why!”

He must have been close to the dead, his voice almost a scream. His slurred words sounded like zombie growls. It was as if zombies were communicating through the entrance door.

Then, click click, the sound of buttons being pressed, followed by a sigh.

“The farm is ruined…”

“What?”

I hurriedly turned and entered the indoor farm. The dimly lit room from the dark clouds, the eerie purple light from the recently turned-on plant growth lamp.

Jeondohyeong and Park Yang-gun slumped their shoulders, looking at the pots. Park Yang-gun flicked a lettuce leaf.

“No water, no sunlight. It’s over. This tastes bitter, can’t eat it.”

“Ah…”

The tiny leaf swayed weakly. The lettuce that had been growing well barely grew. Weak, small, unattractive.

I worked hard to make these pots. My labor went into this lettuce.

I thought it was fine if the farm failed when people died, but seeing the wilted lettuce felt strange. My invested time…

“Is it still alive? If we water it again-”

“It’s not dead. We can revive it. It just tastes bad.”

“That’s a relief.”

As long as it’s alive. Taste isn’t that important. It’s not lettuce grown to sell. As long as it’s edible, it’s enough.

‘But it still feels bad.’

Click click, Jeondohyeong took pictures of the lettuce and tapped his phone, probably posting in the group chat. Anyway, since we entered the indoor farm, it was a situation report.

“So, what do we do now? Even if the lettuce is alive, with zombies still outside. We’re trapped.”

Beep-!

I filled the coffee pot with water and pressed the button. Zombies? The zombies who ruined the farm? The cause of the lettuce almost dying?

The anger I felt when I first got rejected from the scenario contest slowly rose. My effort not yielding proper results.

“No. It’s unfair if only we’re trapped. They should be trapped too.”

“…Huh? What do you mean?”

The water in the coffee pot boiled. Hot water. The ultimate water-based weapon combining fire and water.

I approached the window overlooking the villa entrance and opened the mosquito net. Zombies were still entering the farm villa.

I poured the hot water over them.

“Kreeaaak!”

“Kreeeak!”

Zombies jumped, enveloped in white steam. I spoke coldly.

“From now on, take turns pouring boiling water. Any zombie entering or exiting, just kill them.”

Starve to death inside the villa building or get scalded by boiling water.

The unnamed street person, sitting in front of the entrance, looked up. Having found an outlet for his anger, he started moving with vigor.

He filled a kettle with water, put it on the gas stove, and took the coffee pot from me.

“I’ll do it. Torturing those zombie bastards.”

 

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