The Girl Wants to Be Murdered

TL/Editor: Butter Cat

Status: 4/week mon-thurs

Illustrations: none

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〈 Chapter 95 〉 888. The Chapter of the Girl and the Zombie (7)

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**

"........."

And sure enough, reflected in the mirror were zombies standing motionlessly in the alleyway.

Waiting for something, perhaps. They were standing still under the hot sun, staring at the empty air.

If anything, I should be grateful that at least they don't seem to be on alert for us.

—Tap, tap.

['Left, two, not on alert.']

['Understood. Recalculating route, stand by.']

I immediately relayed what I had found to Yeon-ah behind me using simple hand signals.

I moved my right index finger sideways once to indicate the direction I had checked, raised my middle and index fingers and slightly bent them, wiggling them to show there were two zombies, and finally, after pointing at my eyes, I crossed both arms to make an 'X'.

Although the movements were clumsy and awkward, it was a good enough method considering our current situation where we couldn't make any noise carelessly.

Unexpectedly, I rather liked how it helped set the mood too.

This kind of thing is fun, isn’t it?

—Tap, tap.

"........"

And so, what felt like an hour but was only a few seconds passed.

[''Change route. Proceed straight ahead like this. Then reassess situation.']

['Understood.']

Yeon-ah, quickly grasping my signals, immediately marked the location of the zombies we had just confirmed on the small map and suggested a different route.

Swish, the red ballpoint pen in Yeon-ah's hand moved vigorously across the paper.

Over the existing black straight line, a new crimson line was drawn, bypassing the path that turned the corner towards the supermarket and instead indicating a slightly longer detour, going one block further.

In short, combat was prohibited.

It was a reasonable decision to proceed to the next corner and reassess the situation.

Although it was a slight detour, there was no need to attract the zombies' attention and waste our energy when we hadn't even reached the supermarket yet.

Furthermore, the horrible stench that rises when zombies die could potentially attract every zombie in the surrounding area.

Previously, the reason we got surrounded by hordes of zombies while fleeing from the building complex was specifically because of the few holes we made in the zombies bodies while escaping.

That was also the reason why most of the weapons we had brought this time were blunt weapons like wooden clubs.

If we were to inflict large wounds on the zombies and the bodily fluids inside splattered everywhere, there was no way we could handle the disaster that would follow.

Of course, to prevent such a situation, Yeon-ah's map had detailed markings of where to escape to and which buildings would be relatively safe to enter.

"........."

"........."

Step by step.

After carefully confirming the path Yeon-ah had drawn, we nodded once to signal our agreement and began to carefully move forward, trying not to make a sound.

And that paper with the crucial path drawn on it—

—Tuck.

[──「'Let's go!'」]

['.....That means let's 「attack」, Hee-ah.']

['.....Heehee.']

A small, white arm stretched upwards.

The small hand that barely reached our chests gently took hold of the paper.

Yes.

This was the ultimate reason why we were trying to avoid or minimize combat as much as possible.

"...........♬"

Because Hee-ah, bundled up in thick clothes, was among us, moving towards the supermarket right now.

Frankly, we didn’t want to bring Hee-ah on this dangerous mission.

Isn't that obvious.

No one sincerely wanted to bring a child, infinitely younger and more vulnerable than us, on this life-threatening gamble.

If anyone had to die, it should be us. That was the shared opinion between me, Jung-eun, and Yeon-ah.

If anyone had argued it was unfair that they had to go while this child didn't, insisting Hee-ah should also help gather supplies, we would have rushed to beat that bastard senseless.

With the wooden clubs in our hands.

Because someone like that wouldn't even be human.

But—

'...I don't want to.'

'Hee-ah…?'

'──No...! Why, why do I have to be alone again…? I don't want to be alone anymore…!! Don't leave me behind…! Please, let me go with you, unnies…!!'

—Waaah.

Seeing Hee-ah clinging to us, crying and shouting for us not to leave her behind, we could only freeze up and forget everything we had been thinking, as if turning to ice.

Where had the mature Hee-ah from before gone, and seeing the child pulling on our clothes like a little kid throwing a tantrum, we were once again reminded that Hee-ah, despite acting mature, was still very much just a child.

Hee-ah, who had always silently comforted us.

Perhaps we had been placing too heavy a burden on this child.

But still.

That was that, this is this.

Yeon-ah and I tried to dissuade Hee-ah from coming on this dangerous mission, but Hee-ah was determined to follow us no matter what.

A war that would never end until one of us backed down.

It was a tense tug-of-war where no one wanted to give in.

And then.

—Tap.

'It's just as dangerous for her to stay here alone, anyway.'

'.....Jung-eun!?'

That long standoff entered a new phase with Jung-eun's words, who had been quietly sitting beside us with her chin resting on her hand, lost in thought.

'If we want to secure at least a month's worth of supplies on foot, all three of us need to go. That means Hee-ah will have to stay home alone. In this house where zombies could break in, all by herself.'

'.....But still! Jung-eun sunbae, You know how dangerous it is there, right!?'

'I don't want to take the kid there either, Yeon-ah. You think I'm crazy or something.'

A strong force was added to the other side of the rope we were pulling.

The name of that force was truth.

'—But if we were to die or get in danger from the start, you know better than me what will happen to Hee-ah who would be waiting for us here alone, no?'

'.........'

'Us being in danger means Hee-ah is in danger too. But we can't protect Hee-ah if she's here by herself. In that case, it's better for Hee-ah to be near us, where we can protect her with all our might.'

'Even so.... Even so.....'

Words dropped away.

It was an extreme argument, but a cruel truth we couldn’t deny.

Of course, even Jung-eun, who said those words, didn't seem to want to put Hee-ah in danger, judging by the furrow in her brow instead of a sense of satisfaction.

But this too was Jung-eun's own way of choosing what was best for Hee-ah.

In fact, during the past 40 days, some zombies had managed to climb over the fence by stepping and trampling on each other.

Although it had happened frequently only in the beginning when zombies surrounded the house, and they were quickly taken care of after being caught by us who were on high alert then… there was no guarantee that such a horrific event wouldn't happen again.

Lately, the latch locking the front door had also become somewhat loose from the constant pounding.

In other words, leaving Hee-ah here alone also entailed a great risk.

And, this is just a hypothetical, but.

If we were to be bitten and turned into zombies, Hee-ah would have to survive alone in this house, without any food or guardian. That too was a big problem.

It meant that since our deaths would indirectly lead to Hee-ah's death anyway, it might be better to keep Hee-ah by our side and protect her, as Jung-eun had suggested.

Even if we were safe, there was no guarantee that Hee-ah would be, and if something were to happen to us and we were in danger of dying, Hee-ah, who would be alone at home, would also be in danger.

In the end, we came to the conclusion that putting Hee-ah in danger was for Hee-ah's safety.

It was a truly unavoidable, and difficult conclusion to accept.

Well.

['──Heehee.']

".........."

Seeing Hee-ah's beaming smile, perhaps excited to be going outside with us, I think maybe we would have surrendered even if it hadn't been for that reason.

.......

By the way, how is Hee-ah expressing laughter through hand signals?

['Heehee~']

"???"

No, seriously, how?

**

Walking and more walking.

We, who had been tense with anxiety about the dangerous journey ahead that morning, were now able to walk more comfortably, thanks to Hee-ah's presence.

Fortunately, we didn't drop anything or take a wrong turn because of our nervousness.

And so, as planned, at noon, when the zombies' movements became most sluggish under the scorching sun.

—Swish.

"........"

Cars that looked like they hadn't been spared a single scratch, and spiderweb-like cracks on their windows.

And the shattered windows and glass entrance door here and there.

"......We're here."

We arrived at the supermarket parking lot.

**

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