I Became The Necromancer In The Post-Apocalyptic Zombie World

Chapter 32

—–CROW—– 

Seo-ho had no intention of becoming trash… mostly.  

He planned to be a demon to those who dehumanized him, but he wasn’t going to randomly rape or pillage innocent people. 

If he were that kind of person, he wouldn’t have saved Han Mo-ah from the dormitory in the first place.

“I’m sorry.  With things the way they are, I don’t have much to offer a guest…”

“No, please, don’t worry about that. I don’t expect anything.”

The woman led him to the living room table.

‘She let me inside her home on our first meeting…’

He glanced at a young girl peeking out from a doorway near the living room, watching him.  

She looked like she was in the lower grades of elementary school.

‘She has a young daughter and still invited a strange man inside…’

There weren’t many explanations.  

His first impression and the quality of the food he’d given her likely played a role, but two possibilities came to mind:

—She was either incredibly naive, or

—She was desperate enough to rely on even a stranger.

Especially a stranger who presented himself as a benevolent helper.  She was probably desperate enough to gamble.

“I felt it would be rude to let you leave without offering you a meal after you’ve been so kind.  Please, join me.”

The woman smiled warmly as she arranged some of the food from the bag on the table.  

Despite her smile, she didn’t look well.  

It wasn’t from hunger, but exhaustion.  

The daughter, still watching from a distance, seemed energetic, so it wasn’t a lack of resources.

“Thank you, I’ll gladly join you.”

He needed information, so he agreed to eat.

—*Clink, clink.*

Despite the zombie apocalypse, she set the table with proper utensils and served the food carefully, treating him like a proper guest.

“She doesn’t seem concerned about conserving food.”

The portion she offered him was quite generous.  

It was a modest meal compared to pre-pandemic standards, but considering the importance of food, it was a significant amount.

“Are you looking for other survivors, Seo-ho-ssi?”

They made small talk during the meal, exchanging names, ages, and pre-apocalypse occupations. 

The young mother’s name was Baek Min-ah.  She was twenty-seven, incredibly young, as he’d suspected.

“Yes, I have a surplus of food, so I felt I should help others.”

“…You’re a very righteous person.”

Min-ah smiled, relieved by his explanation.  

She’d probably harbored some suspicion, but she seemed to have decided he was a good person.  

He wasn’t bothered by the praise, even though this was his first act of genuine altruism.

“Have you and your daughter been surviving here alone, Min-ah-ssi?”

Once they were more acquainted, he carefully inquired about their situation. 

He needed information to decide what to do with her.

“…Actually…”

Perhaps the meal and conversation had increased her trust in him, because Min-ah stroked the girl’s hair and began to explain.

“We were surviving here with Hyun-seo’s father.  He left a week ago to search for food.”

Min-ah referred to Yoon Hyun-seo’s father as “Hyun-seo’s father,” not “my husband.”

“…If you don’t mind me asking, what is your relationship with Hyun-seo?”

“Ah, yes… I’m not actually Hyun-seo’s biological mother.  But I’ve raised her since she was young, so we’re practically family.”

She wasn’t blood-related to Hyun-seo.  

She’d known Yoon Kang-hyun, the girl’s father, since childhood.  

After his wife passed away, she’d stepped in to fill the void.

“Hyun-seo started calling me ‘Mom,’ so at some point, I just became her mother.”

Hyun-seo, having finished her meal, stared at him blankly, clutching Min-ah’s clothes.

“She definitely is young.”

Just Twenty-seven.  

These days, that was young even for marriage.  

Having an eight-year-old daughter meant she’d either had a child incredibly young or…

Not the biological mother…

“Still, it’s unlikely she’s a virgin…”

Twenty-seven.  

Most Korean women her age would have already lost their virginity. 

Especially given her attractive appearance. If he looked like her, he’d have become a successful influencer through social media, even if not a celebrity.  

And if she was willing to act as a mother, she must have had feelings for the girl’s father.  They must have had sex.

“That’s admirable. I don’t think I could have made that decision.”

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but I’ve had a crush on him since we were young.”

Min-ah looked at Hyun-seo with affection, a wistful tone in her voice.

“So, when his wife passed away, I couldn’t just abandon him and Hyun-seo when they were grieving.”

“You didn’t get married? If you loved him, you must have considered having a child with him, like a sibling for Hyun-seo.”

It was a slightly rude question, but he didn’t care. He was their benefactor; they wouldn’t mind a little rudeness. 

 He needed information.

“Well… there were circumstances… we haven’t registered the marriage yet.”

“Not yet” was meaningless in this world.

“So, no marriage, and the child wasn’t planned…”

He’d learn more about the circumstances later, but a thought occurred to him.  She’d loved this man since childhood and was willing to raise his daughter as her own.  She might not have been with any other men.

‘..Could she still be a virgin?’

A glimmer of possibility sparked a smile.

“Um… Seo-ho-ssi.  It’s really difficult to ask this of you after you’ve helped us so much…”

Min-ah spoke hesitantly after they finished eating.  

She adjusted her posture, a deeply apologetic expression on her face.

“C-Could I ask you a favor?”

As expected, she wanted something.

‘I knew she’d given me too much food.’

Such generosity towards a stranger usually had an ulterior motive.  Inviting him inside and offering such a large meal, coupled with her husband’s absence to find food… the pieces were falling into place.

“Since you’re looking for survivors… could you please look for Hyun-seo’s father?”

Min-ah pleaded, her eyes filled with desperation.

“H-He must be alive somewhere! He’s a firefighter! So please…!”

She grasped his hand tightly with both of hers. 

Tears welled up in her tired eyes.  Her exhaustion stemmed from worrying about Yoon Kang-hyun.  

The man she’d loved her entire life.  She was struggling to care for his daughter, unsure if he was even alive.

‘And I’m the one who showed up.’

He was a beacon of hope in her despair.  It made sense that she’d invite him in without hesitation.  She was desperate to find the man she loved.

“Yes, don’t worry.”

He gently covered her hands with his own, offering a reassuring smile.

“That’s why I’m traveling around. I’ll find him for you.”

Min-ah’s anxious expression transformed into a radiant smile.

“Really… thank you so much. I don’t have anything to offer you in return… I don’t know how I’ll ever repay this kindness…”

She squeezed his hand tightly, bowing her head and weeping.  Hyun-seo, seeing her mother cry, started to tear up as well, clinging to her clothes.

“You have plenty to offer.”

He smirked, looking down at Min-ah.  Just then—

—*Ding.*

“…A message?”

The familiar notification sound of the status window chimed.  A [Side Quest] window appeared before him.

[Side Quest – A Family Without Its Pillar

You have devised a plan to form a peaceful and passionate relationship with a newly encountered survivor.

To do this, you need to increase your intimacy with survivor ‘Baek Min-ah’.

Increase your intimacy with her through various methods.

‘Baek Min-ah’s’ Intimacy: 11%]

“This is perfect.”

He’d planned to raise her intimacy level anyway. 

 A side quest was a bonus.  Based on past rewards, it would likely include shop points.  He’d gain Min-ah and quest rewards.

“And if she’s a virgin on top of that…”

He glanced at the hint of cleavage visible through Min-ah’s dress.  

A woman in a nice dress, living in a new, luxury apartment…

“She’d look amazing in some milf attire.”

He licked his lips, already imagining what he’d dress her in and what he’d make her do.

“I’ll look for Kang-hyun-ssi and visit again soon.  You’ll always need food, right?”

“A-Are you sure you don’t mind?”

“It’s not difficult for me to travel, and I have plenty of food.”

“…To go to such lengths… I’m so grateful that someone like you exists in this world, Seo-ho-ssi.”

Min-ah wept tears of joy, having found a lifeline in her despair.  Of course, his actions were all for the sake of raising her intimacy.

He bid them farewell and left the apartment.  He found a discreet location and gathered the nearby zombies.

“Everyone, attention! Find the man in this photo.  If you find him, bring him to the front of this library.”

The zombies, as if possessing intelligence, listened intently.  They passed the photo down the line, each one carefully studying the image.

“They look like ordinary office workers like this.”

He stood on the steps of the National Library near Min-ah’s apartment, looking down at the horde of zombies. 

They dutifully examined the photo one by one.  

The sheer number of them, scrutinizing the image, made them resemble overworked company employees.

“I’ll say it again: if he’s alive, don’t kill him.  If he’s dead, bring his body here.  Understood? Disperse! Find him quickly!”

At his command, the zombies dispersed without a word.  The last zombie in line returned the photo.

“I wonder how long the command will last.”

This was also a test.  How far would the zombies follow his orders?  Could they remember a human face?  And for how long would they obey?

This quest had multiple benefits.

“He’s probably not alive.”

Min-ah was hopeful, but it had been a week.  If he hadn’t returned to his family in that time, there was only one answer.

“Now it’s just a matter of time.”

Seo-ho returned to the department store, happily plotting how he’d claim Baek Min-ah.

****

A few days had passed since Lee Seo-ho took Ryu Da-hee from the dormitory.  

A week later, he would returned.  As the day approached, Oh Na-yeon grew increasingly despondent, holed up in her room.  

Scattered across her pillow were numerous pregnancy tests, each displaying a single line.

“This can’t be happening… this can’t be happening…”

Na-yeon pulled the covers over her head, staring blankly at the latest test in her hand.  Another single line.  

She wasn’t pregnant.

“He came inside me so many times… he filled me up completely… until I felt like I would burst…”

She hugged her knees, muttering in disbelief.  

It didn’t make sense.  

Seo-ho had relentlessly filled her womb with his semen, especially during her most fertile period.

“He didn’t spill a drop… it was all inside me.”

She kept repeating the words, unable to accept the reality.  

The thought that Seo-ho might be sterile briefly crossed her mind, but that couldn’t be true.  

It didn’t matter whether the problem lay with her or with him.  The important thing was whether she was pregnant.  

And what would happen to her if she wasn’t.

“…Seo-ho oppa…”

She whispered the name of the man she longed to see, trembling as she hugged herself tightly.  

The fear of being abandoned consumed her as she cried herself to sleep.

—–CROW—–