Alex once again woke up to Paul’s energetic singing.

  He had slept late because he was sneaking around and wanted to sleep in today.

  But there was just something so irritating about his neighbor’s off-key singing.

  Alex wasn’t sure whether it was the lack of harmony in pitch…

  Or the joyful and passionate act of singing so early in the morning.

  “Ah—did I wake you up?” Paul said, feeling guilty while peeping at Alex.

  He had woken up to see his neighbor had returned and just knew that he must have done something shady.

  But he also looked quite tired, so Paul felt pity for the violent man.

  Paul had planned to wait for him to wake up naturally, then ask him to repent of his bad deeds.

  But he got bored and started listening to worship music on his headphones.

  Then, he guessed, he got too excited and forgot himself.

  “What do you think?” Alex rubbed his forehead and rolled his eyes.

  “It’s your fault though for sneaking around at night. Where did you go anyway?” Paul said indignantly.

  “None of your business, and secondly there’s nothing you can do about it.” Alex figured this guy would notice his absence, but he didn’t care.

  From his dealings with him, this NPC named Paul must have been programmed to be a good person.

  Good people don’t gossip about strangers or sell secrets.

  Instead, they naively confront the person with no hidden agenda and baseless confidence.

  Besides, Alex viewed him as an NPC, so it didn’t really matter what Paul did as long as it didn’t get in his way.

  Mainly, Alex hated dealing with stupid people the most.

  “Did you steal something or worse—commit murder?” Paul asked seriously.

  “If I did, then do you have the ability to bring the person back to life? Or better yet, force me to return what I stole?” Alex sharpened his gaze.

  “Calm down, brother. I just wanted to offer prayers for the soul of the dead and plead for forgiveness for not stopping you.” Paul waved his hands and explained.

  “What about the matter of theft?” Alex raised an eyebrow.

  “Well… I plan on persuading you to return it, or going so far as to apologize on your behalf.” Paul scratched the back of his head.

  “Why go so far for me?” Alex asked, more amused than bewildered.

  After all, the thought process of the stupid can’t be understood by the normal man.

  “It’s not you particularly. I would do this for anyone. The reason why I’m so fixated on you is because you are a lost soul with a heavy weight.” Paul said somberly while placing a hand on Alex’s shoulder.

  “And what do you know of my suffering? Of the weight I bear?” Alex grew irritated at what he felt to be an attack—

  Reminding him of all the things he had lost and all the things he missed.

  “I don’t know anything about you, but the fact that you are heavy in soul is clear for everyone to see.” Paul smiled.

  “If you don’t know or understand, then don’t meddle in my business.” Alex shrugged off the hand on his shoulder.

  Then he stood up and headed for the shower.

  “Wait, you haven’t answered my question yet!” Paul grabbed Alex’s leg.

  “Let go, you idiot.” Alex tried to yank his leg away.

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  “Brother, wait first! Telling me where you were last night wouldn’t take less than a second!” Paul wrapped his arms around Alex’s leg.

  “A second that I waste.” Alex retorted.

  “I promise I won’t ask any questions. It’s just that I felt lonely without your presence.” Paul exclaimed.

  The others in the room turned to look at the two of them weirdly.

  “Shut up,” Alex felt a vein bulge and his fist clench.

  “I know you never liked me, but I do quite like you, and the bed felt so cold.” Paul’s words made the others gasp in shock.

  They looked between the two of them ambiguously.

  “Alright, fine! Nothing happened, alright? Now let go before I kill you,” Alex said through gritted teeth.

  “I knew you were a good person.” Paul released his hands and wanted to pat Alex on the back.

  But Alex was already out the door the second he was free.

  After that, Alex had to take a walk around the base just to clear his head.

  Then he went outside the base to hunt zombies and clear his mind.

  Eventually he returned by lunchtime and sat at a table to eat.

  Paul appeared as happy as ever and sat down beside him.

  Alex glanced at him and snorted.

  “Are you angry because you thought I was judging you? I was just worried about you.

  I never judge anyone and always try my best to work for the salvation of their soul.” Paul was sincere.

  Alex, though, rolled his eyes.

  Who cares about an NPC, he thought.

  He was about to retort when he was drawn by a commotion.

  The head of the base walked to the front of the cafeteria through the door.

  He was more normal-looking than expected.

  But he did give the vibe of a scholar, especially with his glasses.

  Alex noted the key NPC of this base as he stood surrounded by guards.

  He still wore a neatly pressed white lab coat, and his face was serious and stern.

  “Hello everyone, and congratulations for making it alive through the recent events.

  Some of you have lost loved ones or friends along the way. For that, I’m truly sorry.

  As a doctor, my number one priority is to heal people.

  It makes me sad to know that some people slipped out of my care, but that’s just how life is.

  Unfortunately, I’ve come with bad news for all of us.

  As you know, I’m a doctor, and delivering bad news is part of the job description.

  That doesn’t make it easy for me, though, and I bear some guilt toward you all.

  Now, no one is new to the recent news of the zombies’ unusual movement.

  They have been more active even during the day and appear to be more relentless.

  That is one of the major reasons for all of us being here.

  The crisis we are about to face is related to the zombies.

  Very soon, a horde of large scale will be upon us…”

  At this, the crowd broke out of their silence into agitated murmurs.

  Alex frowned, and Paul trembled.

  “I know that we fear these zombies—and with good reason too.

  But I felt that you should be aware of this not to give you a cause for fear, but to warn you.

  Make your preparations, and so will I.

  I am striving without rest to find a solution by following the voice that has guided me all this while—

  To turning this hospital into a base and freely allowing anyone to enter.

  Now I hope it guides me further in my conquest.

  That will be all, and I wish you all good health and life.”

  The Manager bowed slightly, then left.

  Paul finally felt less uncomfortable and sighed in relief.

  He opened his mouth and turned to Alex—

  But he found no one there.

  Scratching the back of his head while wondering when he left, Paul shrugged and went off to help an old lady struggling in the crowd to find a seat.

  Alex, on the other hand, was already following behind the entourage that had just left.

  The doctor in his white lab coat walked the halls with powerful steps.

  His expression was always calm and focused, as if he was constantly studying whatever was in his line of vision.

  “Do you wish not to walk side by side because you fear me?” the doctor said bluntly, his head still forward.

  Alex knew he must be speaking to him and felt no fear.

  He had been brazenly following him since he left the cafeteria.

  “I thought you would continue pretending not to notice me,” Alex said, amused.

  “I’m just used to patients stating their problems before I speak. But you’re right—the hallway isn’t a place for consultation,” the doctor said, opening his office.

  Then he made a polite gesture indicating Alex should walk in first.

  “Your office is quite tidy,” Alex sauntered in and said ambiguously.

  “I’m glad you think so. After all, it did take quite some time to arrange everything you disarranged,” the doctor said as he walked over to his leather seat.

  Alex sat on the chair opposite him.

  “You said I was afraid. Honestly, I did expect you to at least punch me for making a mess of your office, but you can forgive me, right?” Alex said while picking up random objects.

  These objects had been placed neatly on the table and now landed on the floor.

  “My bad.” Alex was obviously provocative and not at all sorry.

  “Be careful,” the doctor said. He made no move to pick anything up, and he didn’t spare more than a glance at it.

  “You’re quite calm,” Alex praised.

  “I used to work daily in a place where a single slip-up cost a life. Being calm and steady in all situations is a necessity for the job.” The doctor pushed up his glasses.

  “I guess so. Do you think I’m one of your patients, doctor?” Alex smiled.

  “I see everyone as patients in need of healing,” the doctor said sincerely.

  “But I didn’t come here due to an illness, but for you to answer my questions.” Alex scoffed.

  “Ask away,” the doctor replied.

  “Who was Seo Rina?” Alex shot the first question.

  “A brilliant nurse who fancied herself a doctor but couldn’t make it as one,” the doctor replied.

  “But I seem to remember seeing her dressed as a doctor,” Alex said. He clearly remembered how that crazy woman looked.

  “She had learned traditional Chinese medicine and sought to prove herself, but she wasn’t qualified to be a doctor.

  But the hospital sought her knowledge on Chinese medicine, so they allowed her to pretend to be a doctor.” He replied.

  It was starting to make sense why she was so crazy.

  The answer was that she was never a normal person in the first place.

  Who on earth asks a hospital to allow her to pretend to be a doctor and tricks their own mind into believing it?

  “Where is she now?” That was the most important question to Alex.

  “This hospital wasn’t always a base.

  In the beginning of the apocalypse, it was still just a regular hospital.

  People transformed, and chaos ensued on that fateful day.

  I was hiding in my office, but I remember someone coming into the hospital.

  I saw the person through the glass window behind me that—as you can see—has a view of the hospital’s entrance.

  It was a young man with powerful and weird abilities.

  He fought through the zombies and took Seo Rina away,” the doctor narrated.

  “Why didn’t you go with him?” Alex asked in suspicion.

  “There was no need to because I had already received a calling from the whispers.” The doctor smiled at this statement.

  Alex had the urge to roll his eyes at another fanatic.

  But unlike Paul, who followed a legitimate religion before the apocalypse and wasn’t as crazy…

  The doctor sounded quite eccentric.

  “So Seo Rina is gone,” Alex pressed.

  “I imagine her to be with that young man,” the doctor shrugged.

  He was right. In a place far away from the hospital base…

  Jae-Hyun was recuperating in an empty apartment with Seo Rina in the same room.

  Jae-Hyun was being tended to by Seo Rina, who was blushing while bandaging his upper body.

  “Like what you see?” Jae-Hyun chuckled while grasping her soft hand.

  “Don’t you realize how injured you are? So be serious for once.” Seo Rina glared at him.

  “Being scolded by the cool beauty is worth it,” Jae-Hyun chuckled.

  “Who wants to scold you?” Seo Rina glared at him with red cheeks.

  “Why don’t we use that mouth to better use?” Jae-Hyun grabbed Seo Rina and placed her on the bed.

  Seo Rina clenched her fist and cursed in her head but still gave him a shy, annoyed glance.

  Her eyes, though, held disdain at their depths.

  Back at the base, Alex was digesting the information.

  Knowing that mad woman’s tendencies, she should have come out by now to cause trouble.

  It looked like someone had intervened and was keeping her in check.

  But that could wait until after he completed the system’s quest.

  “Let’s talk about the diary,” Alex smiled.

  “Let’s talk then,” the doctor replied.