1979, Manager Kim is Inheriting Dictatorship! - Chapter 10



Only Krnovel

Episode 10

It must have been a fairly large business in the neighborhood, as the store had all the leisure equipment one might need.

I selected the best-looking rubber boat and its eight-horsepower propeller motor to power it, and loaded them onto the vehicle.

Of course, I didn’t forget to bring life jackets for safety and a short-range radio that I was lucky enough to find.

After completing all preparations, we returned to the vicinity of Paldang Bridge and spent the night quietly.

“I’ve packed my bags.”

“Let’s hurry.”

Considering that it was winter and the days were short, I woke up earlier than usual and left my temporary shelter.

The place to launch the rubber boat is near Deokso Station, where there are relatively few infected people and the current is weak.

You don’t even need to look for directions; just follow the river and you’ll be in Seoul.

“I took the trouble to bring it, but it’s a shame.”

“There is no choice because the space is limited.”

Because the rubber boat was smaller than expected, we had to leave most of the supplies we brought here.

Of course, this was also our farewell to the old compact car that had been our footsteps and a place to rest for so long.

“Take care, Boong Boong.”

Private Lee Hyeon-su, who had been diligently maintaining the vehicle, waved his hand with a regretful face.

And now, we pumped air into the boat that had become Bbung Bbung No. 2 and set it afloat on the water.

“There is no shaking place?”

“Yes! It seems okay.”

I was worried because of the large load, but the rubber boat floated on the water without any problems.

“Coco!”

With Coco finally on board, I finally started the motor.

Vroom!

The rubber boat that left the dock slowly accelerated and soon crossed the middle of the river.

The cold wind is getting stronger.

The surrounding scenery quickly passes by.

We moved forward along the edge of the apocalypse that seemed impossible to cross.

The collapsed Misadaegyo Bridge and the ruined city of Hanam ripple across the dark gray background.

“Did you find your nephew’s location?”

“I plan to go to my sister’s house first.”

After going through all the text messages we had exchanged, I finally figured out that my sister’s house was in an apartment complex in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu.

If Yebin is at home, I will rescue her, and if not, I will find her no matter what.

But before we went to Mokdong, there were still two more places we had to stop by.

I looked at Seoul, where black smoke was rising, and exhaled white breath.

“First of all… let’s go to Cheonho-dong.”

“Yes? Why?”

“Isn’t Hyunsoo’s home the closest?”

The area I see ahead is Hanam City, and right in front of me is Cheonho-dong, part of Gangdong-gu.

In terms of distance, the person closest to his/her hometown among the three was Private Lee Hyeon-su.

“Really?”

Private Lee Hyeon-su, who was listening, was startled, as if he didn’t know that I would go to Cheonho-dong first.

“We’re going there anyway. Let’s start from Cheonho-dong and go all the way to Seogyo-dong and Mok-dong.”

But that was only for a moment, as she kept rubbing her reddened eyes at the words that said it wasn’t a lie.

Although he didn’t show it on the outside, it seemed like he was quite worried about his grandmother who was alone.

“Thank you, thank you very much. I really appreciate it.”

“Are you crying again?”

“I’m not crying, Sang-baem… … .”

Private Lee Hyeon-su, whose expression had been gloomy until then, tries to smile at Corporal Oh Chan-il’s words.

I sat quietly between them and gave them each the cigarettes I had shared on the first day at the checkpoint.

“Instead, we help each other to the end. Until we save every single one of our families.”

“of course.”

“We were a team from the beginning!”

I have learned through experience that two is better than one, and three is better than two.

As long as they have a common goal of saving their family, this team will not fall apart easily.

We personally lit the cigarettes of the people next to us and promised to cooperate until the end.

Hehe.

Of course, the four of us including Coco.

* * *

The Han River, which runs through the middle of Seoul, was so calm that it was almost a desolate peace.

But this is only a fragment of the apocalypse, and if we look outward a little, we can see the reality.

A gray city with black smoke rising everywhere, as if a war had broken out.

The roads that vehicles were supposed to pass through were clogged with abandoned cars and collapsed checkpoints.

I can confidently say that the human figure seen through them is not a living human being.

My companions and I, who witnessed the death of the city with our own eyes, sat down with serious faces.

“Then there will be problems after getting off.”

“How about getting a car?”

“No, probably not even 100 meters.”

Unlike rural areas with low population densities, Seoul is a large city with over ten million people living together.

Even the slightest sound of a car engine, let alone a gunshot, would cause infected people to rush in.

Even if I were to walk, I don’t think I’d be able to get through that hellish place alive.

Realizing that the situation was more serious than we thought, we put our heads together and thought about it for a while.

Boom!

But at that moment, Coco, who had been lying on one side of the boat, suddenly jumped up and started barking.

“They’re back again?!”

“Stop making a fuss and grab your gun!”

Surprised by this, Private First Class Oh Chan-il and Private First Class Lee Hyeon-su quickly took out their guns and loaded them.

But this is in the middle of the river, a place where not a single person, let alone an infected person, can be seen.

“Coco?”

Coco, with her front paws up on the boat, is looking somewhere and wagging her tail.

Following the guy, I looked around and saw a floating restaurant in Hangang Park.

“Huh? Are you a person?”

“It seems like he’s calling out to me.”

On the rooftop of the floating restaurant, what appeared to be a family was sending out a rescue request.

The sight was so gruesome that the voice could be heard even from here, far away.

“What should I do?”

“Hmm, I have a child too.”

Because of the nature of the restaurant on a boat, it is safe from infection as long as the bridge connecting it to the land is removed.

But on the other hand, if all the materials were gone, it would be like a floating coffin.

The two people with soft hearts were at a loss as they kept looking at my face.

“Let’s make contact first. Let’s ask about the situation around here and give them a few biscuits before leaving.”

The only favor we can give, as we must conserve resources, is a few biscuits.

I turned the motor steering wheel of the rubber boat and slowly approached the floating restaurant.

“Sal, please save me! Here! Here!”

There were four people locked up, and the one who appeared to be the father was the first to greet us.

He started asking us questions as if he was going to get off at any moment as soon as the boat approached.

“What unit are you in? Can we go to the hospital first? My daughter is sick right now!”

“I’m sorry, sir. This is not the rescue team.”

“Huh? What is that… … .”

“I am a civilian and these are soldiers returning home. We were just passing through.”

Not a rescue team? The man sat down, his face turning pale.

“I have something to ask you.”

But that was only for a moment, as I instinctively ate dry saliva as I took the food out of my bag.

I held out the biscuit to him and told him where we were going.

“We are heading to Cheonho-dong now. Is there a safe route nearby?”

“Oh, all the major roads are blocked by cars. We had to pass through there too.”

“Walk?”

“I came by bike.”

A bicycle? Wait, why didn’t I think of that?

Unlike cars, bicycles make less noise when moving and can even travel faster than running.

At the same time, there was no better means of transportation than this, as it could cross blocked traffic.

“By any chance, do you need a bicycle?”

At that moment, the man swallowed dry saliva and stuck his face out of the railing and asked.

He is quick-witted.

Seeing his attitude clearly indicating that he wanted to negotiate, I raised my hand over the gun hidden under the boat and responded.

“Do you have it now?”

“Yes! We have one for each person. It’s foldable, so it’ll be easy to carry around on the boat.”

“What do you want? Food?”

“No! Father, please do me one favor.”

“Not food?” The man asked earnestly, his lips quivering, his hands clasped together.

“We’ve been stuck here for a week. Could you please get us a boat on the way back? Please, I beg you. If we continue like this, we’ll all die.”

In some ways, it’s a wise choice.

In a situation where there is no hope of rescue, the best a man can do is escape.

“… …Is a duck boat okay?”

“Yes, yes! That’s enough!”

I made furtive eye contact with my companions and asked for their opinions on what to do.

The two of them naturally agreed, and I, judging that the risk was not great, nodded as well.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Thank you! Scheduled Mom! Bike! Hurry up!”

As the man hurriedly gestured behind him, a woman who appeared to be his wife came carrying a bicycle.

After I received all the folding bikes, I gave them some extra biscuits and water.

“Eat, even something to eat… … .”

Perhaps he didn’t know that he would be given food, but the man eventually shed tears and kept nodding his head.

“It will take about a day.”

“Yes, yes! I’ll wait here!”

After finishing the bartering, we left the restaurant with a few brief greetings.

Vroom!

The boat goes down the river.

The anonymous family waved until the boat was completely out of sight.

But none of us could give back to the family who had regained hope.

The sky is too cloudy to hope for, and the city below is painted gray.

Nothing will change.

Because hope has always been like that.

* * *

After riding down the river for about 30 minutes, we finally arrived near Gwangjin Bridge.

I pulled the boat right up to Gwangnaru Hangang Park and quietly turned off the motor.

Fortunately, the surroundings were quiet.

After determining that there was no danger, I anchored the boat in a nearby rock crevice and came ashore.

“I guess you can’t see it at this point?”

“That’s enough.”

The rubber boat will be our future means of transportation, as well as a base and a hiding place.

My companions and I hid our boat and supplies among the tall grass and escaped the bushes with only guns, ammunition, and a small amount of food.

Before leaving, I gave a final message to Private First Class Oh Chan-il and Private First Class Lee Hyeon-su.

“You must never fire a gun until I give you the order. If you see something, send a signal first by radio, and never let your distance from each other exceed 20 meters.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“If you make a mistake, all three of us will die. From now on, you must trust me completely and follow me.”

I don’t ask for much.

What I tell you not to do, don’t do it even if it kills you, and what I tell you to do, you must do no matter what.

After impressing this point on these two, I put down the folding bike I was carrying on my back.

“Let’s go.”

So we got on our bikes and quickly left Gwangnaru Hangang Park.

The bicycle, which picked up speed as the man had boasted, passed freely between the cars.

Private Lee Hyeon-su’s grandmother’s home is Cheonho Yuwon Apartment, about 1.5km away from here.

If you want to return before sunset, you must arrive safely without a single mistake.

I, at the forefront, slowly seeped into the gray city and the forest of buildings.