A/N: This chapter is for last wednesday update.
XG 85 - Morbid interest in watching a person dying
Wong Xue Guo does not have any morbid interest in watching a person dying, but she does not have a chance to reject that offer.
It was unclear when Minho was bitten, so there was no accurate timespan on how long a person without that gene would last before they died. To be honest, not even the time travelers knew how to save those people without a gene when they got bitten. The only plausible way was to deactivate that gene, but it was a way none of their researchers had discovered how to yet.
But it was truly anti-climactic when Minho suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing in a span of five minutes after they found him. His lips were silently calling for ‘Hyung’, the last word he uttered before he left the world in fear.
There was not even a chance for them to experiment with anything to save the guy.
To those without the gene, being bitten by zombies was like being injected by a fast-acting poison.
"Minho! Shit! Stop playing and wake up!" Kang Hansik shook Minho's body fiercely, but no matter how harsh he was, Minho had no response. Blinking his tears away, he continued to try to wake up Minho and finally stopped when Oh Junghan stopped him from possibly dislocating Minho's neck from the harsh swinging.
The rest of them left the grieving Kang Hansik beside Minho's body and searched around the shop for any supplies.
Chen Yibo approached the Park elder brother. "Mr. Park Donghae, can I ask for a favor?"
Park Donghae’s face softened as he gazed at the polite Chen Yibo. He has a grandson younger than Chen Yibo, but he was in Seoul with his parents, uncertain of their living status. "No need to be so formal. Calling me ‘Grandpa Donghae’ is fine. What do you need?"
"Do you recognize stone sharpeners for knives? Can I possibly trouble you to look for it around the shop if there's any?"
It was actually a task given to Kang Xunsu from Suzie Yap but he was not overly familiar with that item to accurately search for it. She had forgotten to grab one from home and there was none at their villa in Penang Island, much less in Musihada Laboratory. So they could only go out and search for one.
Blades would go dull after using it frequently and a dull blade was dangerous if they could not cut their enemies.
"I will keep an eye for it," Park Donghae agreed since it was still a small request.
Forming a small group as a search team, the remaining stood guard for any danger. They do not know why the zombies left or were curious to go find out.
The kitchen was the first place to look for food and Wong Xue Guo collected the remaining usable knives after placing them inside a Tupperware as their sheath.
Standing beside the hunched-back Kang Hansik, Oh Junghan looked around the shop without specific focus in mind. The low murmurs as the group moved around scavenging goods entered his ears as his mind gradually came to a decision.
He hesitated for a long while before he could finally open his mouth. "... Hansik, I want to join their group."
Oh Junghan's words broke Kang Hansik's muddle mind and he finally looked away from Minho’s body.
"Are you out of your mind!" Kang Hansik stood up so abruptly he nearly slipped from the blood on the floor.
Oh Junghan exhaled. "I've thought of it. My parents aren't here and I have nothing tying me to the base. I also disagree with how the Headmaster and that lawyer took charge of the school. I always have a feeling that sooner or later, something will happen in the base. Hansik, do you want to come too with your parents?"
"I can't leave!" Kang Hansik was angry that Oh Junghan wanted to leave and wanted to scold him. But who was he to stop him?
His buddies had followed him, treating him as their big boss, but he failed to protect them. His confidence in his own strength was crushed the moment he saw their remains. He needed to stay because of his parents and to help his buddies' families. Even if he was annoyed with his useless parents, he was not annoyed to the extent of disregarding them.
"... Hansik, you need to be careful."
"I know," Kang Hansik waved away his advice irritatedly. "I don't trust them anyway."
Kang Hansik and Oh Junghan did not know each other before the apocalypse. They only knew each other after seeking shelter at the school. They have different types of personalities so they do not interact unless needed. Today's outing was considered their second time working together as a group.
Oh Junghan has no interest in being a leader of the team and has no complaints of the younger guy taking that position so they never argued. On the other hand, Oh Junghan's silence affirmed Kang Hansik's belief that the older man was weak and only have the trait of a follower.
It was also because Oh Junghan was willing to take a step back and have a milder temper that Kang Hansik did not dislike him and was willing to listen to him once in a while.
"Go and ask now before we get dumped," Kang Hansik grumbled in annoyance.
"Got it." Oh Junghan gave the younger man a small smile before making his way to Kang Xunsu.
Kang Xunsu spared some attention to Oh Junghan while half of his attention was outside the shop.
"Can I join your group?" Oh Junghan asked Kang Xunsu directly. Knowing their style, he bluntly sold himself, "I'm a programmer in a network company before this. I'm good with numbers and keeping track of things. My physical strength isn't much, but I can still work."
"I can't make the decision alone… right, little princess?" Kang Xunsu glanced at Wong Xue Guo.
She had just noticed them talking and wanted to know if they saw something outside, only to be called out without knowing what they were talking about.
"Make what decision?" Wong Xue Guo asked.
"He wants to join our group, good with computers and math."
Oh Junghan was curious about Wong Xue Guo's identity because he had originally thought, at the very least, it was the blonde guy called L.L. who would have another part of the power in decision making among the group.
It was a little surprising that a guy like Kang Xunsu would listen to a young woman.
"My main job is a programmer but I could do other things," Oh Junghan said with more politeness to Wong Xue Guo.
"Why do you want to join us and leave the shelter base?" Wong Xue Guo tilted her head in puzzlement. Her action was the same as wondering why this guy would give up a cushioned job and pick a grueling one.
“I believe your group will go far and will be able to survive for a long time. There should also be reasonable rules established in your base and I prefer staying in a base with proper rules than poorly made ones.”
The headmaster in the school shelter had randomly made rules and abolished them according to his own whim. No one dared to defy him, because he had many people siding with him due to promised benefits.
Oh Junghan had only known them for less than a day but was able to gauge something. There were originally two groups, and the other was then absorbed into Kang Xunsu’s group. They did not know each other before and only helped Do Eunhyuk and his group because they would be useful. He does not mean anything degrading, but if they accept Lee Su-Hwa and Ash in their group, Oh Junghan would also have a chance in joining.
In his eyes, his value was not any lesser than Lee Su-Hwa and Ash.
Kang Xunsu laughed and complimented. “Good judgment.”
“Does a programmer able to work together with researchers?” Wong Xue Guo asked.
“He could do computer maintenance if he couldn’t work with them,” Chen Yibo offered a choice.
“I could do that as well!” Oh Junghan quickly agreed. He does not have much experience with fixing computers, but his ten-year-old computer was still working well as he often, with his own hands, replaced it with newer parts.
“Do you have a family?” Wong Xue Guo eyed Oh Junghan carefully. In her opinion, if he was not an orphan, he should have had a family with him. If he comes with them, he will surely bring his family along.
“No. They are divorced and living with their own family. I’m living alone.” Oh Junghan had been living this way since high school with his parents hardly paying attention to him. Their lack of interest also resulted in him showing no interest in them.
“I don’t mind, but I can’t make the final decision either.” Wong Xue Guo turned to Kang Xunsu. She was on the fence with the decision and there was nothing about Oh Junghan that stood out to push her to accept him.
“He looks decent and trustworthy enough. Sensible and willing to work hard when needed,” Kang Xunsu noted half-heartedly, but his words had Oh Junghan’s heart bloom into flowers.
This was the first time someone ever praised him this much, so much that his cheeks feel a little hot.
With this, Oh Junghan joined their group.