XG 73 - Wow, you could say that with a clear conscience?

Kim Sung-Ho gazed at his wristwatch with a SpongeBob picture, which he wears every day. It was a birthday present from his mother, only worn for no more than five months. The battery was still running, but who knows when it will finally stop moving?

Just the thought of it made him upset and he missed his parents even more.

“How old are you?”

“53.”

“Oh… you are older than my father. That’s about right too. He looks much younger than you. How old is your daughter?”

“26.”

“Oh! Brother Xunsu is older than her!”

“Little princess, what are you trying to say?”

“Nothing. I just think seven years is quite a gap.”

“... Stop trying to matchmake me.”

“How would I dare to wrong you? I’m actually thinking of L.L.”

“Did you even ask him whether he wants your thoughtful gesture or not?”

“It’s just a thought, why would I need to ask him? Mr. Do, what do you think about L.L.? He’s the handsome blond guy just now. He’s single, clean of drugs, not even smoking. Wealth… I suspect he’s actually quite rich…”

“Money does not matter now.”

“Tsk. Brother Xunsu, be more optimistic! We need the patient to have the will to live!”

“Are you trying to say money is the motivation to live?”

“You don’t?”

“... I’m not obsessed with money.”

“But you have to admit money is important, right?”

“... L.L. will agree with you.”

“Because he’s a man of class.”

Kim Sung-Ho blinked his teary eyes and smiled at Wong Xue Guo’s antics that continue to irritate Kang Xunsu. He admits he was lucky to meet Uncle Vihaan, and then encounter Aunt Suzie and big sister Xue Guo.

They never treat him much differently just because he could not feel pain, allowing him to feel belonged and get comfortable with his own skin around them.

“My daughter, Wheein, hates rich men.”

Wong Xue Guo and Kang Xunsu paused their argument to stare in bewilderment at Do Eunhyuk instead. Lee Su-Hwa giggled as the dark cloud hanging above her head dispersed slightly. Even if her English was not as good as Do Eunhyuk’s, it was actually better than her niece’s when it comes to listening.

“Wheein ah, she has a bad history with a rich man. She had sworn to never like any narcissistic rich man any more," Lee Su-Hwa told Kim Sung-Ho for him to translate to others.

“L.L. isn’t a rich man. He’s good-looking, humble and all his savings could barely cover his monthly expenses,” Wong Xue Guo corrected with a straight face.

“Wow, you could say that with a clear conscience?” Kang Xunsu mocked.

“Of course! Which bank is now working anyway? All his savings are put there, so he only has a measly few bucks left. He’s lucky he still has a job and has employers that are willing to feed him, house him, and cloth him.”

“... You know, that sounds like me.”

“Me too,” Kim Sung-Ho agreed with Kang Xunsu.

Wong Xue Guo blinked at the boy. “Since when are you employed?”

“When I follow Aunt Suzie and you.”

Wong Xue Guo: “...”

She does not know how to deny that when the reality was exactly as he said. Kim Sung-Ho had been spotted working as an errand boy with Ash back at the laboratory when he was not training.

“What happened to the shelter you were in previously?” Wong Xue Guo changed the topic and asked Lee Su-Hwa.

“This… it’s actually the second shelter we found.” Lee Su-Hwa said awkwardly. “The first shelter we went to was a clothing factory. We left because there’s not enough food… and because they look down on the elderly.”

“Like the two Mr. Park?”

Lee Su-Hwa nodded. “We are angry with that decision, especially when the Park brothers had been helpful to them. They had been rather righteous in telling the elderly to be kind to youngsters since they had lived long enough.”

“That’s cruel of them.” Kim Sung-Ho pressed his lips, raising his chin to reveal his eyes underneath his bangs. It had gotten long enough that it always pokes his eyes, but the bangs were still his safety net, and he was afraid to let anyone help him cut it.

“So the three of us followed Mr. Parks to leave and seek the second shelter. It’s the hospital.” Lee Su-Hwa released a heavy breath. “It’s not exactly a safe place. The survivors occupied the ground and first floor, locking the other floors filled with those monsters. Occasionally, they will form a small group to kill zombies and search for supplies. Brother-in-law took a bite to save someone, but they dared to say because they are grateful for his help, they will only chase him out and not kill him. That guy saved by Eunhyuk does not even speak up for him.”

Do Eunhyuk patted his younger sister-in-law’s back. “No use to be still angry with them.”

Lee Su-Hwa’s lips thinned. “Anyone will be angry with them for a long time if they experience the same thing."

She may usually be an amiable person, but their actions just make her wish for those people to suffer karma.

“In a twisted sense, they are truly ‘kind’,” Wong Xue Guo mulled. “I don’t know what our base did to those infected, but it should be similar if they have no chance to be ‘cured’. Ah, not similar, since those who became zombies will be killed."

The communication device let out a beep. Chen Yibo, who had joined the lookout in case they spotted Do Wheein and the two men might have some difficulties nearby, spoke from the communication device.

“We have a company of seven. They are all men, likely here to search for food.”

Wong Xue Guo thought, 'Do they look like good guys or bad guys?'

She sensibly did not ask and followed Kang Xunsu to join the lookout duo to judge them by herself. Kim Sung-Ho stayed behind to protect others. Do Eunhyuk’s complexion looked a tiny little bit better after eating six packets of noodles, so his transformation progress should have slowed down, buying more time for himself.

What an expensive way of prolonging such a small amount of time to live.

The newcomers did not immediately enter the premises and chose to look around the street. They were rather careful, but not careful enough that one of them slipped on the slippery road. It should not be funny, but the sight of seven men holding onto a baseball bat decorated with metal nails was slightly amusing to Wong Xue Guo.

They looked to be within their twenties to thirties, the age of their prime. Some looked like street thugs, and there was also one who looked like a slick corporate worker. Right behind the group was a guy with a cowardly expression, likely wishing to be at a safe place in his mind.

"They look like the type that would insist on searching the store for food for themselves if we tell them there's no more food," Wong Xue Huo mumbled under her breath.

Why was it that their first trip out would be this packed in the schedule? She thought only the protagonist in movies would experience multiple events in a day.

"Scare them away?" L.L. asked, his gun ready.

"No." Shooting will create noise that will attract zombies. The trio returning with the zombie will be the one in trouble later.

"Do the same thing as before?"

"Too risky. Unfortunately, only young master Yibo could speak Korean, look strong, and know how to use a gun well. Can you follow me to urge them away?" Kang Xunsu asked with a wince.

"I don't mind."

With that, the two of them held their guns and stepped into view at the front entrance, pointing the nuzzle at the incoming men.

The slick-looking office worker was panicking from the sight of guns pointing at them and nearly knocked his weapon onto the guy beside him.

"This place is occupied. Please go to another shop." Chen Yibo's words were polite, but his threatening gestures were demanding them to leave.

"What the fuck?" A guy wearing only a university jersey during the winter stepped forward with a sneer. "Since when did this place belong to you, huh? Do you think you are strong because you have guns?"

Without the translation, Kang Xunsu could still read their body language. He was quite disappointed that the jersey guy was fearless towards guns.

It will not be easy to settle things.