Undead Love In DeadlandsVolume 1

The stench of decay and blood hung heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the horrors that had befallen their world. Hwang Jin, his face grim, moved with silent efficiency, his makeshift weapon – a sharpened piece of metal – glinting menacingly in the dim light. Mr. Im, however, was visibly shaken, his eyes darting nervously at every shadow.

"Hwang Jin," Mr. Im whispered, his voice trembling, "are you sure about this? You should have stayed with the others."

Hwang Jin, without turning, simply replied, "It's okay."

As they ascended the staircase, the air grew thicker with the stench, and an eerie silence hung over the building. Just as they reached the landing, a sickening thud echoed from above. A creature, its body contorted at an unnatural angle, tumbled down the stairs, landing with a sickening crunch. Dust rained down from the ceiling, and Mr. Im recoiled in horror, his grip tightening on his makeshift weapon.

"What... what was that?!" Mr. Im stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

Hwang Jin, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a predatory glint, remained silent.

They continued their ascent, each step a cautious, agonizing endeavor. The silence was deafening, punctuated only by theoccasional drip of water and the faint, unsettling sounds from within the school.

Finally, they reached the principal's office. The door, once a symbol of authority, now seemed to loom over them, a menacing portal to the unknown. Hwang Jin, his heart pounding, cautiously pushed open the door.

And then, chaos erupted.

A horde of creatures, their eyes glowing with a malevolent light, surged out of the office, engulfing Mr. Im in a wave of claws and teeth. The old teacher, caught completely off guard, was thrown back, tumbling into the adjacent janitor's closet.

Hwang Jin, reacting instinctively, charged into the fray.

He moved with a speed that belied his slight frame. He weaved through the creatures, his weapon a blur of motion. He used his agility to his advantage, dodging and weaving, striking with lightning speed. He targeted their weak points – the heads and spines – with ruthless efficiency. One creature lunged at him, its jaws snapping shut inches from his face. Hwang Jin, with a swift movement, sidestepped and drove his weapon deep into the creature's skull. It let out a gurgling sound and collapsed to the floor.

Mr. Im, trapped within the janitor's closet, fought back with a surprising ferocity. "Leave Hwang Jin!" he yelled, his voice hoarse. "Don't let them get you!"

He used the cleaning supplies as makeshift weapons, hurling mops and brooms at the creatures that clawed at the door.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the last creature fell, its lifeless body slumping to the floor.

"It's quiet," Mr. Im whispered, before his voice cracked. "Hwang Jin!" he screamed,frantic now, fear taking over.

Hwang Jin, wiping the sweat from his brow, calmly replied, "Sir, I'm here."

Mr. Im, bruised and battered, emerged from the closet, his eyes wide with a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Mr. Im looked at the number of infected on the floor, his breath hitching as he processed the brutal carnage. Each body bore marks of a precision that unnerved him. Their skulls cracked, spines shattered, and limbs severed—this wasn't just survival. It was systematic destruction. His gaze slowly shifted to Hwang Jin, who stood in the middle of it all, his makeshift weapon dripping with dark, coagulated blood.

In his mind, a flurry of questions overwhelmed him. *Who is this kid? Are the rumors about him true?* Mr. Im's eyes traced the boy's calm demeanor. *He hasn't shown even an ounce of fear since we started. And how… how did he stop all of them alone?*

"Mr. Im," Hwang Jin called out suddenly, snapping the teacher out of his spiraling thoughts. His voice was steady, almost cold.

"Y-Yes," Mr. Im stammered, shaken.

"Let's go. We're wasting time," Mr Im said, already turning toward the principal's office.

The two entered cautiously, their footsteps muted against the bloodstained floor. The air inside the office was suffocating, thick with the smell of decay and mildew. Papers and books lay scattered across the desk and floor, remnants of the chaos that had erupted during the first wave of the infection.

They moved into the principal's office, where Mr. Im quickly searched through the drawers and shelves. His hand stopped when he found the school's layout map tucked behind a stack of papers. Just as he pulled it out, a rustling sound behind him caught his attention.

Without thinking, Hwang Jin instinctively turned and struck, his weapon flashing through the air. It missed, but it wasn't the sound of a creature. It was Byung Chul, the student council president, who had appeared out of nowhere, causing Hwang Jin to react in reflex.

Byung Chul, surprised but unharmed, quickly dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the sharpened metal. However, the strike had connected—just not where it was meant to. His nose was broken, blood pouring from the wound.

"Ah!" Byung Chul winced, "what the hell?!"

Mr. Im, still disoriented by the chaos, recognized the student council president and rushed to Byung Chul's side.

"Byung Chul?" Mr. Im asked, his voice quivering. "What are you doing here? You're… alive?"

Byung Chul wiped the blood from his nose, glaring at Hwang Jin. "I wasn't going to sit around while my school falls apart. I thought I could help… but I guess that didn't go as planned." His voice was tight, but there was an edge to it—an edge that had survived in the midst of all the destruction.

Hwang Jin, standing silently, gave no response.

Mr. Im stared at Byung Chul, his thoughts racing. " Are there others? Are any of them alive?"

Byung Chul's face tightened. "They're all dead. The rest of the students... most of them got infected. But there is one male student"

Mr. Im glanced around, horror sinking in. "Thats some good news, let us go for him we have survivors too."

Byung Chul turned and motioned for them to follow. "Thats good to know some students are holding up"

Byung Chul is a tall, well-built student standing at 6'1". He has sharp features, neatly combed black hair, and a clean-shaven face that highlights his angular jawline. His piercing dark brown eyes hold a sharp, analytical look, often scanning his surroundings with precision. Despite the chaos, he maintains an air of composure and confidence that makes him stand out.

As they left the office and moved down the hallway, a grim silence descended. Mr. Im struggled to process the gravity of the situation, but Hwang Jin walked calmly, as though none of it truly mattered. They reached a classroom, where a horrible sight awaited them.

The student had taken his own life, hanging from the ceiling.

Mr. Im's breath hitched as he saw the lifeless body. He could barely process the tragic scene. "No..." he whispered, his voice breaking.

Byung Chul rushed to the hanging body,

"Help me you!" referring to Hwang Jin. Mr.Im also joined. They got the body down .

"Sir we need to get back" Said Hwang Jin as he grabbed his arm.Mr Im nodded, Byung Chul eyes became red ,with tears running down his cheeks.

Mr. Im swallowed hard, trying to push back the rising wave of despair. He forced himself to follow the others, though his heart weighed heavy with the burden of all that had been lost.

The group returned to the classroom where Seung Min and the others had been waiting. Seung Min's face lit up with relief when he saw Mr. Im holding the school plan, his anxiety momentarily replaced by hope.

"You actually found it," Seung Min said, stepping forward eagerly to take the plan. His usual nervous demeanor gave way to a rare moment of confidence.

"Yeah, but it wasn't easy," Mr. Im replied, his voice weary.

Ah Rim, lounging against a battered desk , watched the exchange with a smirk. The sight of Byung Chul entering the room immediately caught her attention, and her smirk twisted into a mocking grin.

"Well, well," Ah Rim said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "If it isn't our oh-so-glorious president. Still strutting around like you own the place, huh?"

Byung Chul turned sharply, recognizing her instantly. "Ah Rim? You're alive?"

"No shit, Sherlock," she retorted, rolling her eyes. "What'd you think? I'd just roll over and die? Sorry to disappoint."

Byung Chul frowned but kept his composure. "I didn't mean it like that. It's just... surprising, that's all."

"Yeah, well, last time I saw you, you were busy following Jim around like a lost puppy," Ah Rim shot back, her voice rising. "How'd that work out for you?"

A flicker of pain crossed Byung Chul's face, but he hid it well. "They're all dead," he said evenly, though his voice carried the weight of guilt. "Maybe you were smarter than the rest of us for not following him."

Ah Rim scoffed, leaning back with a shrug. "Damn right I was." She crossed her arms. "Guess I've got more brains than you gave me credit for, huh, President?"

Byung Chul didn't respond, choosing instead to turn to Seung Min. "What's the plan for the school?"

Seung Min spread the blueprint across a desk, his fingers tracing various sections. "This school is massive," he explained. "Some areas have been blocked off for years due to old incidents and structural issues. They've been waiting on renovations, but it never got done. Then there are areas that have never even been opened for use. With all the chaos now, it's impossible to know which parts are safe and which are completely inaccessible."

He pointed to a specific block marked on the plan. "We also got separated from some survivors . They're trapped somewhere on the other side of the campus where there are less of those things. I think I could use this somehow to get to them"

"Survivors on the other side?" Byung Chul repeated.

Seung Min nodded, his voice steady but tinged with urgency. "They're cut off from us. Without this plan, it would've been like walking blind, but now we have a real chance of reaching them."

Byung Chul studied the plan closely, his analytical mind already piecing together a strategy. "The blocked areas will make this tricky, but if we plan carefully, we should be able to make it through without too much trouble."

Ah Rim snorted"Oh great, another genius with a plan. Hope this one doesn't get us all killed."

Byung Chul shot her a sharp look but didn't rise to her provocation. Instead, he turned back to Seung Min. "We'll need to move carefully. If this plan is accurate, we'll have to work our way through one of the older, restricted areas."

"We move at dawn. The infected are less active during the early hours. It gives us the best chance to cover ground without too much trouble." Said Seung min.

The group exchanged glances, a mixture of hope and fear etched on their faces. For the first time in what felt like forever, they had a semblance of a plan—and a sliver of hope.