Chapter 122


    I looked over at Hwang Ji-Hye.


    “I want you to serve as the deputy leader. Will you be okay with that?”


    "Yes."


    “And Mr. Hwang Deok-Rok, if you could please take charge of the headquarters.”


    Hwang Deok-Rok, who had been sitting still, widened his eyes at my sudden request and pointed to himself. He seemed to be having a hard time believing that I was speaking to him.


    "Pardon? Me?”


    “Yes. Please organize documents that each department prepares every month and give them to Hwang Ji-Hye and Lee Jeong-Uk here.”


    "No… I don’t think I’m a good fit for this…”


    “Weren’t you the leader of Shelter Barrier?”


    Hwang Deok-Rok scratched his eyebrows, looking extremely ufortable.


    “The leader of Shelter Barrier is Do Han-Sol.”


    I smiled gently at him.


    “From what I’ve heard, the survivors of Shelter Barrier seem to follow you as well. It’s never easy to make people believe in you and follow you during tough times like this. I think you’re more than qualified.”


    "Is that so…”


    Hwang Deok-Rok scratched his head, not knowing how to react. However, it wasn''t long before he nodded and replied that he would give it a shot.


    I then looked over at the principal, who was sitting on the left.


    “If you could please take care of the children, as you’ve been doing so far. You’ll be in charge of the children from Shelter Silence and Shelter Barrier as well.”


    “In that case, we’ll need more teachers.”


    “Please select those who you think will be suitable.”


    "All right."


    The principal bowed slightly after giving his reply. I then directed my gaze over to the white-haired elder seated next to the principal.


    “It would be great if you could cultivate some crops on Achasan.”


    “I noticed somend that would be suitable for farming on our way here. I think I’ll need some youngsters to help me level the ground.”


    “I''ll hang official sign-up documents for each department in the lobby on the first floor tomorrow morning. We’ll allow survivors to choose which departments they want to work in.”


    All the leaders nodded energetically.


    I quietly rubbed my chin and went back over the things we discussed to see if I had left anything out. Suddenly, I remembered something that had almost slipped my mind.


    “Onest thing. I wanted to hear everyone’s opinion about the two dogs we picked up from the middle school.”


    “Dogs?”


    All the leaders blurted out the word ‘dogs’ at the same time, as though it had been pre-nned. I nodded and continued.


    “You must have seen the middle school at the border of Gwangjang-dong on the way here.”


    The leaders furrowed their brows ufortably as the image of the unspeakable atrocity that they had seen came to mind. I briefly exined the incidents that led us to finding and rescuing the two of them, and also how they had saved the children’s lives, ording to Do Han-Sol.


    The leaders exchanged looks that were full of worry and concern. I knew that this would be a difficult issue, and it would take time to resolve. Everyone was probably on the same page; kicking them out was ufortable, especially since they had saved the children’s lives, but living under the same roof with them seemed unimaginable.


    I smiled with satisfaction as the leaders contemted this issue. I could see the humanity left in them. As the leaders continued to hem and haw, Lee Jeong-Uk looked around at them and spoke up.


    “Let’s hear what they have to say first.”


    “I agree.”


    “Same here.”


    “That’d be a good idea.”


    All the leaders agreed with Lee Jeong-Uk. I nodded and called Kim Hyeong-Jun and Do Han-Sol in. The two of them had been chatting quietly in a corner. I asked them to bring the two men over. Do Han-Sol asked us to wait a bit and left the lounge.


    After a moment, the two men entered the lounge.


    The two men looked around the lounge in awe, their mouths falling open as they took in the sight. After a moment, the taller man spoke.


    "So that''s why they didn''t let anyone in. Those damn bastards.”


    The leader and the twelve Believers had ordered the other dogs to stay in the apartments nearby while they hoarded all the food to themselves. I knew more than anyone else how angry the two of them would be, now that they realized what had been happening behind the scenes.


    The men stood at the end of the long table, staring nkly at us.


    The taller man seemed to stand rather stiffly. The short man swallowed before speaking.


    "Are we… Even allowed to be here…?”


    “We’re going to keep our promise,” I told him.


    "Pardon?"


    I inteced my fingers together.


    “I told you, I’d spare you if you cooperated.”


    The two men looked at each other with rather shocked expressions. I slowly rested my chin on my hands.


    “We have two options for you to consider. You may choose the freedom that you’ve been desiring, or you may live with us.”


    “Can I have a minute with my friend?”


    "Of course."


    The two men walked over to where the liquor was on disy and started whispering. After a moment, the two of them returned, determination on their faces. The short man wet his lips and began to speak.


    “To be honest… We don''t think we deserve to be here. None of you here gave up on your humanity, but the two of uspromised ours in the face of our own reality.”


    “...”


    My eyebrows twitched as I listened to his statement.


    He sure knew how to talk.


    The man looked around tactfully.


    “I also know that if we choose to be set free, we’d most likely die before we even get to Busan. But… If we choose to stay here, I know that we’ll get into conflicts with others.”


    “That’s something you’ll have to face. Is that the reason why you want to part ways with us? Because you’re afraid of conflict?”


    I let my tone grow serious. The shorter man offered a bitter smile.


    “I don''t want to cause any more trouble. I''m afraid to have to live with others again. This is our… answer.”


    “It sounds like the two of you have given up on your lives. Or am I misinterpreting what you’re saying?”


    “We have no intention of giving up our lives.”


    “So you’re really going to walk all the way to Busan?”


    "Yes."


    I crossed my arms and leaned my back in my chair. I looked around at the other leaders’ faces. They all seemed to be in deep thought, but none of them seemed to know what to say.


    My eyes met those of Lee Jeong-Uk. He saw my face and clicked his tongue, then put a hand on his face.


    “You two young fellows.”


    "Yes?"


    “Enough with the clumsy acting.”


    “Pardon?”


    Lee Jeong-Uk frowned, taking the two men by surprise. Lee Jeong-Uk clicked his tongue again, more strongly this time.


    “You don''t want to cause trouble? And you’re afraid to have to live with other people? So you want to die?”


    “...”


    “Close your eyes and speak the truth. Tell me you want to live here. Don’t blurt out some stupid answer that you’ll regretter on.”


    As the two men listened to Lee Jeong-Uk, their heads sagged. Lee Jeong-Uk looked at the two dispirited, disheartened men and continued to speak.


    “The two of youmitted a sin, there’s no doubt about that. Don’t speak as if you’re some person of great significance. But do you think we’re some saints or something? Hwang Ji-Hye here is a woman whose first reaction is to point guns at people’s heads.”


    Hwang Ji-Hye, who was sitting quietly, frowned as though she felt insulted by him. She looked over at Lee Jeong-Uk.


    “Why do you have to phrase it like that?” she said incredulously. “And when did I point a gun at anyone’s head first thing when I met them?”


    Hwang Deok-Rok, who was behind her, let out a roar ofughter.


    "Haha! I also heard that you pulled a gun on Soo-Hyun in Shelter Silence before anything else. That’s when I thought I’d better be careful around you.”


    "Excuse me? Hwang Deok-Rok!”


    Hwang Ji-Hye sighed and red at him, and he shrugged his shoulders and avoided her gaze. Lee Jeong-Uk gestured at the two men with his chin and continued where he had left off.


    “Everyone here has killed at least one person. Do you actually think that we made it this far while keeping our hands clean? Hmm?”


    “...”


    The two men swallowed as Lee Jeong-Uk’s words sank in. Lee Jeong-Uk stashed his hands in his pockets.


    “Everyone here knows that you have been living as dogs. But the two of you still deserve a chance. Either live here like a human being, or go outside and die. Your choice.”


    “And what if we don''t get along…?"


    “Keep trying. Keep trying until the day you die. Keep trying to live like a human being and to get along with others. Instead of doing something stupid like going outside and dying, live like it’s yourst day, every day.”


    “And if we still fail…”


    “If that were to happen, I’ll use my authority to kick you out. If you cause trouble, I’ll kill you with my own hands.”


    Lee Jeong-Uk red at the two men with a serious frown. Their Adam’s apples shuddered violently. After a moment, the taller man, who had been standing stiffly, started to cry.


    As I watched his tears trickle down, I wondered how much they’d had to go through to survive amongst the other dogs, acting tough so that the other dogs wouldn’t look down on them.


    Lee Jeong-Uk''s words had been rather rough and blunt, but thanks to him, they were able to open up to us.


    The shorter man patted hispatriot on the back,forting him. The taller man only cried even harder. All the leaders around the table watched him bawling his eyes out with expressions of sorrow.


    I nced over at Do Han-Sol and asked him to escort the two men out. He smiled in satisfaction as he did so.


    When the two men had gone, Lee Jeong-Uk began to grumble.


    “One man crying, and neither of them saying what they really want…”


    Lee Jeong-Uk trailed off with a click of his tongue. I tilted my head and looked at him.


    “What if the two of them were actually up to no good?” I asked him calmly. “What would you have done?”


    Lee Jeong-Uk looked at me in surprise.


    “You don’t actually think they’ve eaten human flesh, do you? They probably pretended to eat only because they’re trying to act like dogs.”


    “And how do you know that?”


    “You couldn’t tell? Their eyes, their expressions… They don’t have the same crazy eyes as the other dogs I’ve met so far.”


    “So you don’t know for yourself, huh?”


    I smiled and gently raised my eyebrows. Lee Jeong-Uk saw my smirk and clicked his tongue vigorously. His expression grew annoyed.


    “Can you stop teasing me? I know you’re an expert on these kinds of things. Do you really think that I haven’t noticed you watching everyone’s reactions almost since the start of this meeting?”


    “Hahaha!”


    I burst outughing, and Lee Jeong-Uk shook his head. The officers gave the two of us bewildered looks.


    I took a breath and said to Lee Jeong-Uk,


    “I wasn''t certain. But now that I heard them speak, I’m certain. I’m certain that the two of them haven’t eaten human flesh.”


    “I knew it. You were feeling them out.”


    “I did think that they seemed too skinnypared to the other dogs… But then, how’d they survive until now?”


    “They probably survived by eating all sorts of things, probably things that were beyond questionable.”


    Lee Jeong-Uk punctuated his answer with a smack of his lips. Hwang Ji-Hye, who had been listening to our conversation, spoke up.


    “No, wait a minute. Then why didn''t those two deny that they hadn’t eaten human flesh? That makes it even weirder.”


    “Would you have believed them if they’d said that they hadn’t eaten human flesh? Especially when we found out they were dogs?”


    I phrased my answer calmly, and Hwang Ji-Hye stayed silent.


    She knew that everyone would have just frowned at them if they’d insisted that they hadn’t eaten human flesh.


    I softened my expression with a smile.


    “Those two wanted to stay here from the beginning. However, as long as we viewed them as dogs, there was no way they could juste out and say that they wanted to stay here.”


    “But still…”


    “Instead of hiding their past as dogs, they chose to reveal their past and join us. They’ve put their lives in our hands. That''s how desperate the two of them are. And how honest they are.”


    That was my cold, honest reading of the situation. Hwang Ji-Hye crossed her arms, her lips pressed together in a thin line. Lee Jeong-Uk, who was seated next to her, continued the discussion.


    “If they really had eaten human flesh, they would’ve separated themselves from the group as soon as we got away from the hotel. They would have had absolutely no reason to stick around until now.”


    Hwang Ji-Hye nodded slowly.


    All the leaders seemed to agree with Lee Jeong-Uk. Lee Jeong-Uk sighed.


    "They are a bit stubborn… But the way they talk and act, they’re no different from normal college kids,” he said in a low voice.


    "They’re probably twenty? Twenty-one? That seems about right,” I added.


    Lee Jeong-Uk nodded, his expression rather neutral. After a moment, Park Gi-Cheol spoke up.


    “What would we have done if you weren’t the leader, Lee Jeong-Uk!”


    Everyoneughed in agreement. Lee Jeong-Uk scratched his head and smacked his lips, probably feeling embarrassed. I smiled heartily as I looked at Lee Jeong-Uk.


    ''I''m d I have you here with me.''


    Someone that was on the same page as me, someone that knew what was going on without me having to tell him everything.


    Lee Jeong-Uk was that somebody to me.


    I sighed and got up from my seat.


    “A big thank you to all of you who attended the first meeting of the Survivor Rally Organization. I’ve been able to make it this far thanks to all of you.”


    As I rose to my feet, all the officers stood as well. Their faces were full of life. I could sense the firm determination in their faces.


    We had finally arrived at our new home.


    I smiled a satisfied smile.


    “We’ll wrap today’s meeting here. I’m looking forward to spending time with every single one of you.”


    “Same here!”


    The leaders pped in unison, ushering in a new beginning.


    We still had a long way to go, but with these people, I was confident that we could ovee anything that got in our way.