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Chapter: 30
It didn’t take long for them to finish getting ready to leave. While the others talked with Morton, Edwin replaced the cooling hose.
“It’s a little unstable, but… I think we can move for now.”
Edwin checked under the hood with an uneasy expression.
They had replaced the cooling hose—the biggest problem—but with all the patchwork done on the truck from constant breakdowns, it was a miracle it ran at all. All they could do was hope it would get them to their destination without any more trouble.
“That’s a relief.”
Kalif nodded after checking the vehicle’s condition. Then he turned his eyes to the back of Ji-gu, who was silently staring at Morton and Sam.
“Sam, up.”
“Woof!”
Following Morton’s signal, Sam hopped up into the cargo bed and lay down obediently.
Morton buried his face into Sam’s fluffy neck with a faint, bittersweet smile.
“Stay well, Sam.”
Not understanding what was happening, Sam simply lolled his tongue happily in his master’s arms.
“I’m leaving Sam in your care.”
Finishing his brief goodbye with Sam, Morton approached Ji-gu. His faint smile made it hard to read what he was truly feeling.
“Morton… Will we meet again?”
“Well… If it’s meant to be.”
“We already met like this—that’s fate enough.”
Morton blinked in surprise at Ji-gu’s unusually calm tone, then chuckled and nodded. Ji-gu pulled a radio from his inventory.
“We’re heading for Ranger’s Shelter. I already tuned this to our frequency. We’ll keep it on for an hour every day at noon. If you make it to the shelter, call me.”
“…All right. I will.”
Morton accepted the radio and nodded, though his eyes wavered.
But they likely wouldn’t meet again.
Deep guilt, regret, and sorrow were carved into the wrinkles of the old man’s face. Ji-gu instinctively sensed this would be their final moment.
“It’s a promise!”
“Of course.”
Both of them forced a smile, pretending everything was fine.
“Well then, we’ll be heading out.”
“Take care, Morton.”
“See you again, Grandpa Morton!”
Vrrrm!
The engine roared with an ominous sound as the truck started. The group called their farewells toward Morton.
Only Sam, still not understanding, waited to see if Morton would get on the truck.
Morton gently stroked Sam’s head as the dog tilted it in confusion, then stepped back and waved at the truck as it rolled away.
Vrrrm—voooom!
Just as Edwin had said, the truck sounded strained, but for now, it moved.
The truck picked up speed, corn stalks rustling loudly as they scraped past the windows.
The rattling vehicle drew farther and farther from the farm. Ji-gu watched the shrinking farm in the cracked side mirror—now no bigger than a fist—then suddenly jolted forward and leaned out the window.
“Wait—HEY! Stop!”
Luke’s panicked shout rang out. Something had rolled out of the cargo bed onto the road.
It was Sam.
Screeeech!
The truck skidded to a stop. Thankfully, Sam didn’t seem seriously hurt—he rolled once on the ground, then sprang up and dashed full-speed toward the farm.
“Oh my god—Sam!”
Morton’s shout echoed faintly in the distance.
Ji-gu watched Sam leap into Morton’s arms without hesitation, and Morton—startled, yet somehow relieved—held the dog tight. Ji-gu turned away without regret.
“Go!”
At Ji-gu’s bright voice, Edwin hesitated only a moment before stepping on the accelerator.
The truck still rattled, nothing had changed. Nothing was over—not even begun—but somehow the air felt lighter.
Ji-gu looked back at the disappearing farm, resting his chin in his hand and smiling faintly.
Goodbye, Morton. Goodbye, Sam.
I hope we meet again someday.
“How about this?”
“That’s a tire rim.”
“Then this?”
“That’s a bicycle chain.”
“…Damn.”
Wrong item again. Clicking his tongue without a hint of regret, Ji-gu dug back into his inventory.
“This is bad…”
Edwin muttered helplessly, trying to ignore the parts Ji-gu continued dumping into thin air.
They had barely started celebrating escaping the endless cornfields when smoke began rising ominously from the engine. Soon, the whole thing was billowing.
“Hey, can you fix it?”
Luke stared at the smoke curling upward.
“I need to check if we have the parts… but honestly, we might have to abandon the truck.”
Sweat-soaked, Edwin wiped his neck and sighed heavily.
“Then I’ll look around for another working vehicle.”
Since when is he this cooperative?
Edwin eyed Luke suspiciously.
“No need to look at me like that. Even I don’t want to be stranded in this heat.”
“…Then please do.”
“Leave it to me~”
Luke waved lazily and disappeared into the maze of abandoned cars.
Edwin let out another sigh. Ji-gu patted his shoulder.
Summer had crept in, and even the wind felt feverishly hot. Just standing still on the sun-baked asphalt made it hard to breathe. Heat shimmered on the road.
Their faces reddened from the heat as they searched vehicles under the blazing sun.
A decent amount of time passed, but they still hadn’t found any usable parts or a working vehicle.
Edwin glanced around with a troubled look, then walked toward the tangle of wrecked cars. Luke had been oddly quiet—no usual bickering with Maya—which only made him more worried.
Thankfully, he soon spotted Luke rummaging through a small sedan not far away. So he had been looking for a working vehicle after all.
But why is he digging through the passenger side?
If you want to check if a car runs, you check the driver’s seat.
Suspicious, Edwin approached quietly and spoke.
“Find anything?”
“AH—holy sh*t! You scared me!”
Thud!
Luke jerked in surprise, scrambling out of the car. Something heavy fell from his arms.
“…Is that a gun.”
So that’s why he was rummaging around.
Edwin’s face hardened. He bent down to pick up the fallen gun—but Luke snatched it up first with a panicked yell.
“W-wait—!”
But at that moment, a hand shot out from beneath the sedan and seized Luke’s wrist.
Blackened veins under pale skin, cracked nails—clearly not the hand of anyone alive.
“F***—!”
Luke cursed, terrified the claw-like nails would scratch him, and raised the gun reflexively.
The disaster happened in an instant.
Just as Luke aimed under the car and pulled the trigger, another hand grabbed his ankle.
Losing balance, Luke toppled backward—and the gun fired.
Bang!
Edwin stared blankly in the direction the bullet flew.
“Edwin!”
Ji-gu’s horrified face tilted in his vision.
Only then did Edwin realize he was lying on the ground. His thigh burned like fire.
“Oh god—! I think the bullet grazed an artery!”
Peggy’s voice trembled as she checked his wound. Too much blood was pouring out. To make matters worse, the bullet hadn’t gone clean through—it was lodged inside.
Ji-gu’s expression darkened instantly.
His vision turned red, as if soaked in blood, and instinct screamed danger.
