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Chapter 09…
The government built a refugee shelter at the foot of a nearby mountain.
The shelter was completed in just two days.
“Construction,” so to speak, meant nothing more than erecting tents, connecting temporary power lines from a supply grid, laying extension cords everywhere, and distributing relief supplies like field beds and blankets—voilà, a refugee camp.
Our family, who had been staying at a motel, was also sent to this hastily built shelter.
“Colonel Cha, this way please.”
“Oh, yes. Thank you.”
Thanks to my father being a regional defense force commander, our family was given the best tent available.
It was close to the washing area, shower facilities, and the supply management office—but at a reasonable distance from the toilets.
Though in the end, it was still just one tent among many in a refugee camp.
“Hmm?”
While unpacking our things inside the tent, I saw Doo-hyun walking past carrying bundles of electrical cables and steel pipes.
“Hyung!”
He noticed me and smiled brightly.
“Why are you here?”
“I came for a part-time job.”
“A part-time job?”
“I lost my job, so I’ve got to do something to survive. Ha… I used to have a full-time position too.”
“Insurance?”
“If I had it, I wouldn’t be here.”
“Fair enough.”
The “insurance” we were talking about meant disaster insurance.
In simple terms, it was coverage for property damage caused by spatial distortions or monster waves.
The problem was—it was extremely, extremely expensive.
In this era, disasters weren’t floods or earthquakes. They were monster invasions and military bombardments.
Naturally, the premiums were astronomical.
And very few people could afford them.
How could ordinary people pay millions, even tens of millions of won every month?
Then what was the government doing?
With spatial distortions occurring dozens, even hundreds of times a year, it was impossible for the government to compensate everything.
The government’s role now was limited to building shelters for people like us who had become refugees overnight and distributing relief supplies.
Fortunately, Korea had a strong pool of hunters, so society could still function. In developing countries, governments often collapsed entirely, unable to provide even this level of support.
“Hyung, what about you?”
“Same here. How could regular people like us afford insurance? Still, since my father is in the military, we might get official housing eventually. Just have to wait a bit.”
“That’s good… I don’t even have that. Sigh.”
Doo-hyun let out a deep breath.
“I used to live in a small studio apartment nearby, but it collapsed from the bombardment. I might not even get my deposit back.”
“……”
Man.
I felt like crying for him.
“Hyung, what about you?”
“Me? I’ll figure something out.”
“I’m jealous, hyung. Sigh… I wish I could awaken too.”
“Anyway, I’ll probably be here for a few days. Let’s say hi when we pass by.”
“Yes, hyung. Take care.”
Doo-hyun bowed slightly and walked toward where more tents were being constructed.
Damn kid… working hard.
But he wasn’t the only one.
Many of the workers building the refugee camp were residents from our apartment complex.
People who had lost everything overnight were trying to earn daily wages doing manual labor just to survive.
‘I guess I’ll help out too.’
I didn’t have anything else to do anyway, so I rolled up my sleeves and headed to the site.
* * *
“Ugh-cha-cha.”
I placed two large water containers filled with drinking water inside our tent.
“Oh my~ That must’ve been heavy, good job~?”
My mother, who was preparing dinner, smiled softly.
“It’s nothing. This isn’t even hard work.”
“You’re so dependable, my son.”
Just a few days ago we had lost our home and become refugees, yet there wasn’t even a trace of worry on my mother’s face.
That was probably because she was a very strong person.
She used to be an athlete and coach—badminton, to be exact.
When she was active, she was an Olympic gold medalist, beautiful, and had an incredible figure. She was extremely popular.
Even now, if you search her online, you can find photos of her younger days—and she’s still stunning.
But her strength wasn’t just because she was an athlete.
She had basically raised me and my younger sister alone.
My father, a naval special forces officer, was often deployed and rarely home.
And after humanity began facing monster invasions, he was out on missions several times a month.
So my mother had effectively raised us alone, sending her husband off to war without a single complaint, always greeting her children with a smile.
Even when my father died, she gritted her teeth and overcame her grief.
That kind of strength was shining through even in this hopeless situation.
I respected her just as much as I respected my father.
“I’m going for a walk.”
“Alright.”
I left the tent and walked along the mountain slope.
Life in the refugee camp was mostly boring.
Those who had jobs or school—like my father or sister—at least had routines. But people like my mother, a housewife, or me, someone waiting to enlist, had nothing but idle time.
Still, this boredom was useful for me.
It had only been about ten days since I regressed.
I needed time to cool my head and think.
It had only been ten days since I killed people I once believed were comrades.
Before that, I had spent three years consumed by revenge, eyes burning red the entire time.
In other words, I wasn’t exactly sane right now.
And the me of this timeline, and the me who had lived ten years as a hunter through countless hells—were practically different people.
So for now, I decided to rest in the refugee camp, stabilize my mental state, and think about the future.
“Hmm? Hyung!”
About an hour later, as I was heading back, Doo-hyun called out to me.
He was riding a motorcycle with a delivery box attached—he must’ve become a delivery rider.
This guy really had a chaotic life.
In just a few days, he had gone from apartment security guard to day laborer to delivery rider.
“Now you’re a rider?”
“Yeah, well.”
Doo-hyun grinned.
“What about you, hyung?”
“Me? I’m unemployed.”
“You’re not registering as an Awakened?”
“I’m thinking about it. Not sure yet.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to register?”
“Probably. I’ve got military issues to sort out anyway.”
“Oh right, you said you were unlisted.”
“I was preparing to join as an officer through the academy, but that’s probably impossible now.”
“Officer?”
“Yeah. I wasn’t planning to stay in the military long—”
“Wait.”
Doo-hyun suddenly narrowed his eyes and stared at me.
“Hyung… didn’t you say you’re 34?”
Ah, crap.
“Yeah… 34.”
“34 and you were going to become an officer?”
“Uh… well.”
“Now that I think about it, that’s weird. You look way younger than 34.”
“I, I gotta go.”
“Hey, wait. Explain yourself.”
“Sorry! Talk later!”
“Hey! Hey!”
“Drive safely!”
“You’re not 34! And you shot at me before, you bastard!”
“Uh?”
“Stop right there!”
Vroom!
Doo-hyun chased me on his motorcycle.
I might actually get caught at this rate.
“Nice! I got a delivery call!”
“A call?”
“You’re dead!”
Doo-hyun turned his bike and sped off somewhere.
“….”
Even in a situation like this, he still wanted to take delivery calls?
What incredible survival instincts.
As I was thinking this while approaching our family tent, suddenly—
Bang! Bang bang bang!
Gunshots rang out.
“…!”
Instinctively, I drew my pistol and scanned the surroundings.
The shots came from right next to our family’s tent.
“Oppa!”
My sister Eunha had just returned, her face pale with fear.
“Take Mom and get out of here.”
“Okay!”
I handed my mother over to Eunha and cautiously approached the adjacent tent.
I wasn’t wearing a plate carrier, so it was a bit risky—but I was awakened now.
As long as it wasn’t a headshot, I could probably withstand a few bullets.
I entered the tent in a low aiming stance and pulled the flap aside.
“…Ah.”
I sighed and lowered my gun.
Inside was a familiar middle-aged man sitting blankly on the ground. Nearby lay what appeared to be his wife and child—both shot in the head.
I remembered him.
He used to run a fried chicken shop in our apartment complex’s commercial district.
“Heh… it’s over… it’s all over… hehe… fuck…”
He was laughing weakly.
“This fucking world… hehe… monsters, whatever… if you die, it’s over anyway, right? Huh? Heheh… haha… sob…”
It was impossible to tell if he was laughing or crying.
But one thing was clear—he had completely broken.
Slowly, he placed the gun into his mouth.
“Ha.”
I sighed and stepped out of the tent.
Bang.
A gunshot rang out behind me.
* * *
Suicides were not rare in refugee camps.
Think about it.
What kind of place gathers people who lost their homes, businesses, and families overnight?
Refugee camps were filled with despair and grief.
Especially newly built ones.
Some people endured, like my family.
But many could not.
‘I should register as an Awakened and move us out.’
I was fine, but I couldn’t let my mother and sister stay here.
Who knew when another suicide or shooting incident might happen?
“It’ll take time before housing opens up… there are no vacant military residences right now…”
Even my father looked worried as he spoke during dinner.
“Dad.”
“Speak.”
“I’ll handle housing.”
“You?”
“I’m going to register as an Awakened. I’ve got military issues to resolve anyway.”
If I registered as an Awakened, I would be exempt from military service.
Not only that, the government would provide housing, a car, and even a generous allowance.
Of course, nothing in this world is free.
I would likely be assigned to dangerous duties.
But to escape refugee life quickly, registering as an Awakened was the only option.
“Don’t do it.”
“…What?”
Wait. What did I just hear?
“If it’s for housing, don’t. Just enlist normally and serve a regular military term.”
My father’s words were completely unexpected.
