Chapter 11: The Promise of a New Beginning
Translated by Vine | Proofread by Lust
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An Ordinary Life
At Choi Yuna’s question, Kim Taehyun felt a pang of sadness. Her words echoed the deepest desire of anyone living in this zombie apocalypse—a wish for an ordinary life.
“An ordinary life… Of course, I want that back,” Taehyun replied, his voice wistful. He, too, longed for the normalcy that had once seemed so dull. There was a time when he even sought out the kind of thrilling excitement found only in novels. But now, the mundane days he had taken for granted were gone, replaced by a nightmarish world that strained his sanity. If not for his family, the thin thread keeping him grounded, he might have lost his mind already.
So when Yuna spoke of regaining normalcy, it sounded like a sweet offer—almost too sweet.
But…!
“If you had said that back at the survivor camp, I would’ve gladly followed you. But the Yuna standing before me now… isn’t she practically no different from a fanatic preaching doomsday?”
“Heh. So, you think I’m no different from a cultist?” she responded, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Yet, despite her seemingly calm demeanor, Taehyun could sense an unsettling change in her. The Yuna he remembered from the camp had been a kind-hearted girl, dedicated to helping the wounded survivors. Now, she exuded a different air, one more akin to the zealous missionaries risking their lives to spread their beliefs in the ruins.
‘I want to believe it’s just my imagination…’
But Taehyun desperately hoped his instincts were wrong. After all, Yuna was the one who had saved his and his family’s lives. If even his savior had turned into something resembling a cultist, he felt he might lose his grip on reality.
“Hmph. Do you believe in God, Taehyun?” Yuna asked suddenly.
“What? Why bring that up now?”
“It’s a simple question. Did you believe in God or any religion before all this?”
“…Yes, I did.”
Before the apocalypse, Taehyun and his family had been devout Christians, attending church every weekend. But once the world collapsed into chaos, his faith in God had crumbled alongside it. Despite countless prayers and desperate pleas, there had never been any response.
“Heh. Some people put their faith in money, others in power. But at a time like this, when everything seems so pointless… what do you believe in, Taehyun? What can you cling to when you close your eyes?”
“I… I don’t know. I prayed to the God I once believed in, but… there was no answer,” Taehyun replied, a wave of unease washing over him.
Now, the only thing he could rely on was himself and his family.
Yuna smiled faintly, as if she shared his sentiments. “That’s to be expected. God doesn’t see us, after all.”
She continued, “We weren’t abandoned by anyone. We’re not suffering because of some divine punishment. The reason our lives are this miserable… it’s not a trial from God. It’s just that we were unlucky.”
“Unlucky?”
Yes, that was it. The reason behind their suffering was nothing more than bad luck. There was no special sin they had committed, no transgression deserving of such torment.
“Are you saying that because we were unlucky, this zombie apocalypse happened?” Taehyun asked, incredulous.
“Yes. Because of bad luck, we’ve found ourselves in this nightmare. Because of bad luck, we lost dear friends. Because of bad luck, our lives are constantly threatened.”
Taehyun wanted to refute her words, to accuse her of being delusional. Yet, deep down, he couldn’t help but agree. Could it really be justified to see his family’s plight as a divine test? What terrible sins had they committed to deserve this?
‘No, that can’t be right.’
Taehyun and his family had been ordinary, upstanding citizens. There was no way they had done anything to warrant being cast into hell.
“But that indifference from God… it’s ending now. It’s time for us to rebuild what’s been lost, to create a new order out of this chaos.”
“And how are we supposed to do that? Do you really think we can? Even if there’s the faintest hope, shouldn’t we be waiting for the government to rescue us…?” Taehyun trailed off, skeptical of Yuna’s claims.
“Clinging to empty hope for months on end doesn’t make sense. If nothing changes, what’s the point of waiting any longer?” Yuna replied firmly. “The government hasn’t responded. What could possibly change if we wait another month?”
Taehyun turned away, unable to deny the truth. Beneath the vain hope for rescue, his family had been eking out a miserable existence with dwindling resources. Despite everything, they had continued to hold on, hoping against hope.
“But that despair ends here. It’s time to stop being a fool who waits for salvation. The one I follow has spoken to me: ‘Gain strength. With that strength, rebuild a new city from these ruins. That will be our new world.'”
“…”
Her message was clear: if the government couldn’t save Gyeongju, then they would have to save it themselves. Yet, despite the passion in Yuna’s eyes, Taehyun couldn’t help but tremble.
“Is that even possible? All the survivor camps in Gyeongju are hostile to outsiders.”
“I know. I’ve already met with most of them. Some agreed with my ideas, though they didn’t believe I could actually achieve them. Others laughed at me, calling it a delusion.”
“Then why…?”
Taehyun’s voice was tinged with skepticism. The plans Yuna spoke of were grand, but how would they eliminate all the zombies? How would they rebuild Gyeongju? The city was divided, with every group fending for itself.
“So, I’ll prove it to them. As I told you, I’ve met with many people. They all doubted me. But soon, I’ll show everyone in Gyeongju the power of the one I serve.”
“You really think you can do that?”
Yuna’s eyes shone with a fervor that made Taehyun instinctively nod.
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Back in Gyeongju, Yuna resumed contact with the surviving camps, declaring her intention to restore order to the city. Initially, no one took her seriously. Many ridiculed her as delusional or worse, but because she was known as a healer, news of her proclamation spread quickly through the community.
Even without electricity, satellite internet still worked, allowing people to exchange information. Naturally, there was a dedicated Gyeongju community website where news traveled far and wide.
The reaction was less than encouraging:
– “Here comes another attention-seeker.”
– “Another fool trying to play hero.”
– “Yeah, right. Like any of us have the luxury to think about ‘normalizing’ the city.”
– “I heard Seoul is doing better, but it’s all rumors.”
– “Even in the bigger cities, it’s survival of the fittest. I’m just glad I’m one of the strong ones, haha.”
Some were more sympathetic:
– “I mean, isn’t it what everyone wants? To restore normalcy?”
– “There’s nothing wrong with dreaming, even if it seems impossible.”
But the consensus was grim—most people believed Yuna’s fate was sealed.
Even in the Gyeongju community, there were few voices expressing support:
– “Yuna’s practically signing her own death warrant.”
– “What a waste. Such a shame.”
– “We should’ve just taken her in when our camp was collapsing.”
Most were unwilling to lend a hand. Resources were limited, and survival was a struggle for everyone. Even those who had some semblance of security were more concerned with their own needs than extending help to others.
“I don’t blame them,” Yuna murmured. “People only have one life, and they’ll do anything to protect it.”
[Is that so?]
But Yuna didn’t think it was wrong. People had sacrificed their morals to survive; it was only natural in such times. But she was determined to change that.
“Their nightmare ends here. When the promised day comes, a new chapter in history will begin.”
[History?]
“Yes, a new era will dawn. And the name to be etched in that history is Bahamut, the merciful and mighty dragon deity I serve.”
[Bahamut…? That sounds… ominous.]
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
[No, nothing… I just have a bad feeling about this.]
As Yuna’s gaze fell upon the kneeling members of the cult, the ominous feeling only grew stronger. It was as if the dragon could sense that the time for regret had already passed.
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