Junho had not gone out of his way to build the container residence separately only to house candidates he would bring into the shelter after the apocalypse broke out.
The area around his shelter—that is, the “safe zone” that could be monitored twenty-four hours a day through each guard post and the PTZ caras—was extrely wide.
Roughly half to two-thirds the size of Yeouido?
Most of it was mountain, but behind the shelter there was a first-grade spring, and in front of it a valley stream flowed. It made no sense to leave such a vast area unused.
That was why, when Park Deokcheol, Park Sunhee, and Jo Yuna first joined, he had told them to build vinyl greenhouses.
But that had not been for farming food for those three and the shelter mbers.
He only checked them once a week for abnormalities, but in the ultra-low-temperature freezer warehouse, enough food to last more than thirty years was still stored untouched.
The food in the low-temperature storage room right beside the kitchen alone was enough for the current shelter mbers to eat for another two or three years.
They had not even finished the at and seafood in the freezers of the several comrcial refrigerators placed in the kitchen.
Because everything had been vacuum-packed with oxygen absorbers and desiccants, then placed in sealed containers, the expiration period had been dramatically extended compared to ordinary frozen storage.
In other words, if it were only a matter of feeding the shelter and the people living there, including Junho, there was no need to farm outside at all.
But as if proving that no plan in the world was perfect, people continued to be necessary, and if he was going to feed those people, he could not rely only on the food prepared in advance.
Also, those people—cruel as it might sound—would have to beco the first personnel to face the enemy if, by any chance, his shelter was directly attacked.
They would have to show responsibility, the “price” for being allowed to live in an incomparably safe place while enjoying a level of civilization that was now difficult to find anywhere else.
And in Junho’s view, Go Jeongnam, who had led the elderly people and the rescued students well while staying at Hanaareum Nursing Ho, was more than qualified to spend the rest of his life in the container residence.
And it was also ti for Hanaareum Nursing Ho to take on another role.
“...Understood. I’ll handle Elder Go Jeongnam’s matter myself. Anything else? Nothing more?”
—Well. Sothing happened at our shelter too, you see?
“What? What is it?”
Junho’s expression grew even more serious.
But then.
—Hehe. But actually, if you call it big, it’s big, and if you call it nothing, it’s nothing. So co back and check it yourself, boss.
“What...?”
—It’s just one of those things. Anyway, I’ll let the others know you’re safe, boss. Akina will handle communications and drone control.
—Akina. Taking over. Welco back, Master Lee Junho.
Imdiately, instead of Yoon Youngsu, AI Akina’s cold voice flowed through the channel.
Junho was dumbfounded.
But judging by Yoon Youngsu’s attitude, it was clearly nothing dangerous or serious, so Junho shook his head and said,
“Send two surveillance drones and two delivery drones from the shelter. As for what to put in the delivery drones....”
—Confird.
It was a cold, businesslike answer completely different from the noisy Yoon Youngsu, but feeling an inexplicable sense of relief, Junho ended the communication.
***
“I put everything in here, Sunny. Want to help?”
“No. I’m done too. Suho, you can take it now.”
“That right? You girls stay here. I’ll carry it.”
For about a month, Baek Suho had not gotten used to Park Sunhee’s beauty and blushed every ti he saw her. But now, he treated her like a neighborhood younger sister he knew and casually shouldered the cargo box before walking away.
As a celebrity—and an idol in her pri—Park Sunhee might have felt a bit strange about that, but she was much more comfortable now than she had been then.
Because not only she, but everyone in the shelter knew who Baek Suho liked.
“Sunny, Sunny. Suho, you know he said he’s going to the nursing ho again this weekend too?”
Kim Hayoon, whose hair had grown quite a bit and was now tied in a ponytail, closed the underground storage door and looked toward the stairs Baek Suho had gone up first as she spoke.
“He must have soone he wants to see. They said he fell for her at first sight.”
“Hehe! It’s so funny. He used to go all slack-jawed every day looking at you and Yuna.”
“What can he do? He says she’s prettier than idols to him.”
“What? No way. I an, she is pretty too, but you’re way prettier, Sunny. Honestly, I don’t even think it’s close.”
At Kim Hayoon’s firm tone, which was not very middle-school-like, Park Sunhee smiled.
That was right. Baek Suho had fallen at first sight for Lee Seulgi, the part-ti academy teacher Junho had rescued along with several high school students when he dealt with EoktenZ.
So whenever he had the chance, he wanted to go to Hanaareum Nursing Ho to see her. The problem was that there were not that many reasons for anyone from the shelter to visit the nursing ho.
Only once or twice a month, when they went to receive rabbits or chicken at, or to deliver supplies the nursing ho needed.
And the work that Junhyeok or Choi Jeongwoo had usually handled had, at so point, beco sothing Baek Suho desperately insisted on tagging along for.
“But Seulgi and the high school girls and boys there have pretty much given up on going ho, right? They’ll probably have to keep living at the nursing ho, won’t they?”
“Probably? Well, Junho will handle that.”
“Ah! But when is Uncle Junho coming ho? I hope he cos back soon.”
“Why? Do you miss Junho?”
At Park Sunhee’s subtle question, Kim Hayoon nodded without hesitation.
“Yes. You know, to , Uncle Junho really feels like my real uncle. And also, Junseo gets anxious when Uncle Junho isn’t here.”
“I see....”
Park Sunhee could understand how Kim Hayoon and Kim Junseo felt.
She herself was sowhat similar, but the two siblings had literally been saved by Junho at the mont death was right in front of them.
On top of that, thanks to Junho’s consideration, they had been able to hold a proper funeral and send off their grandmother, their only blood relative and guardian in the world.
In the end, even though the siblings were still young, their gratitude and trust toward Junho were high enough to pierce the sky.
And now that Junho was absent for an extended period for the first ti, even those two siblings—children who had matured early and beco composed in a way unlike most kids these days—had no choice but to feel anxious.
“Oh, and Sunny. Junseo and Jiwoo made gifts they said they’re going to give Uncle Junho when he cos back. I an, they never give anything even though I’m the one taking care of them every day. Aren’t those little things seriously ridiculous? Honestly.”
“Haha....”
Park Sunhee could only laugh.
“Oh, right. But Sunny.”
At that mont, Kim Hayoon, who had been climbing the stairs with her, suddenly pretended to look around, then pressed close to Park Sunhee and spoke in a low voice.
“I know we packed clothes and all kinds of things because new people are coming. But doesn’t it feel like there’s way too much won’s stuff?”
“...Yeah. There must be won among them.”
Since Junho had not said who he was bringing, Park Sunhee had no idea that the people coming to the shelter with him were Blossom mbers she knew well.
“Ah, Sunny, you can’t say it that casually.”
“Hm? Why?”
As Park Sunhee tilted her head, Kim Hayoon looked at her with frustrated eyes and said,
“Sunny. I don’t know how many won there are. But in my opinion, there’s a really high chance they’re people Uncle Junho saved, like you or . Then what do you think will happen?”
“What do you an, what will happen? Obviously....”
Park Sunhee, who had been about to answer, suddenly flinched and shut her mouth.
For so reason, an ominous thought had occurred to her.
“In a world like this, they were saved by a man like Uncle Junho, who’s got a good body, fights incredibly well, and is handso. No, wait. I should take back handso. Cancel that. Anyway.”
“.......”
Park Sunhee wanted to argue that he was handso enough, but she felt like doing so would expose her feelings, so she kept her mouth shut.
Kim Hayoon kept chattering at her.
“The way I see it, there’s a high chance at least one of them has fallen for Uncle Junho. So, Sunny. You need to stay sharp too.”
“M-? Stay sharp? Why, why would I...?”
“...Ugh, never mind. Ah, this is so frustrating. I’m going to the doctor.”
Kim Hayoon let out a deep sigh, shook her head, and walked away.
“H-Hayoon?”
Left alone, Park Sunhee called after Kim Hayoon in bewildernt.
But Kim Hayoon only glanced back at her, shook her head again, and headed toward the annex where the dical room was.
Left alone like that, Park Sunhee finally realized the source of that ominous feeling.
“There’s no way that would happen... No matter what, people don’t fall for soone that easily....”
She muttered that.
But then she realized that she herself was precisely soone who had fallen for another person that easily, and had no choice but to correct what she had been saying to herself.
“Right. One person could easily be like that. So I have to stay sharp... Good.”
Park Sunhee had no idea that the number of won coming to the shelter with Junho was a full five.
***
“No, all this is....”
“These are basic supplies. There’s more besides these, but you’ll receive the rest once we reach the shelter.”
The people, who had almost fainted in shock when the delivery drone descended from the sky and lowered a fairly large cargo box, were now full of excitent as they busied themselves examining the items taken out of the box.
“For now, just change clothes. Body armor and helts are mandatory, so everyone wear them.”
The group did as instructed and ca out changed into the work clothes and combat uniforms sent from the shelter.
“Whoa, isn’t this the kind of thing U.S. soldiers wear?”
“Seriously. This is amazing.”
Yoon Seolhee and the combat team were extrely pleased with the Gore-Tex combat uniforms and tactical vests fitted with Level 3 ballistic panels.
On the other hand, the Blossom mbers looked a little awkward in the brown work clothes that Park Deokcheol, Park Sunhee, and Jo Yuna had briefly worn in the past.
But as expected of top-tier girl idols, they did not look bad in them.
And more importantly, although the color was a little odd, functionally, the clothes were far superior to the everyday clothing they had been wearing just a mont ago, so they seed to accept them well enough too.
However, they did not quite understand why Junho had specifically told them to put on these work clothes already.
In any case, perhaps because she was wearing a combat uniform even better than what she had worn during her Special Forces days, Yoon Seolhee approached Junho with a brighter expression than usual.
“Thank you. I never dread we’d receive sothing like this already, here.”
“There are a lot of drones at the shelter. You’ll probably be even more surprised once you see it.”
“I see. More importantly, you said it’s quite far from here, so shouldn’t we get moving quickly? Since we’ll probably have to sleep outdoors tonight, if we want to secure a good spot....”
“No. We’ll get there soon. We’ll probably arrive before sunset.”
“...Pardon?”
Not only Yoon Seolhee, but the others as well looked at Junho as if asking what he ant.
Junho grinned and led Yoon Seolhee to a secluded spot at the dock.
Then, after clearing away the dried brush, he lifted the waterproof camouflage tarp.
“Ah...!”
As Yoon Seolhee stared wide-eyed at the utility cart, Junho said,
“This one can carry cargo and still fit two or three people. And there are a few more utility carts the gangsters used in that warehouse over there. If we ride those, we’ll get there quickly.”
Now that the Daeseong syndicate had been destroyed, the dock the gangsters had used was now shelter property and an interdiate base.
That was why Junho said,
“In a world like this, the better you save things, the better you live. All right, everyone. Let’s loot.”
Aside from the solar power equipnt and the communication and surveillance gear, he planned to carefully gather up every other useful item.
After all, that was why he had told them to send work clothes.
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