Apocalypse's Teacher - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

There are lunatics in every world.

***

If there’s one thing that improved after the world ended, it was the disposal of trash.

With societal norms gone, you could just throw trash anywhere.

Splat-!

As the zombie corpses I threw outside hit the ground, I poked my head out the window and let out an exclamation.

“Oh.”

The sight of meat chunks scattered everywhere was quite grotesque.

It wasn’t a pleasant sight for the kids, so it would be best to seal this window.

‘Let’s see, now that the cleanup is done…’

I clapped my hands, looking at the penthouse where all the zombie corpses had been cleared, mopped, and disinfected.

“This is living.”

The room was enormous.

Even at a rough estimate, it was easily over 100 pyeong.

It was spacious enough for me and the kids to live comfortably.

‘I didn’t expect there to be a second floor.’
Th is was c o pi ed f r o m k in gm tl . o r g

My eyes turned to the stairs in the right corner of the house.

No wonder the ceiling was high; there were stairs behind the scattered furniture, leading to two more rooms.

It was a reassuring sight.

Not just the psychological comfort of being in a penthouse, but practically, being on the top floor meant we could secure the emergency stairs, the only access point.

‘Plus, Hyesung and Dabin can play around freely here.’

The kids had been running down the hallway due to a lack of a proper play area.

They would be the happiest to see this place.

While I was chuckling at the thought, the kids started bringing their belongings into the penthouse.

“Mister! Thanks for your hard work!”

“Oh, Jinwoo, you’re here. And Dabin and Dayoon too.”

Good-natured Jinwoo, mischievous Dabin, and timid Dayoon arrived first.

“Where are Ki-hyun and Hyesung?”

“They’re here.”

Ki-hyun, who came in a step later, answered.

Looking down a bit, I saw Hyesung holding Ki-hyun’s hand tightly, her mouth agape.

“It’s huge…!”

Hyesung’s eyes sparkled.

She was already excited, wiggling her hips in anticipation.

Laughing at her reaction, I greeted Hyesung, who then let go of Ki-hyun’s hand and ran towards me.

“It’s a secret base!”

Hyesung sprinted towards the stairs to the second floor.

She crawled up the stairs and entered one of the two rooms, poking her head out the door to call me.

“Mister, come up quickly!”

T hi s w as c o p ie d f r om ki n gm t l . o r g
A deeper smile spread across my face.

Seeing the kids so happy made all the hard work worth it.

At this moment, I forgot all about the firearms and booby traps I had used up and headed up to the second floor to join Hyesung with a spring in my step.

***

The three essential elements for human survival: clothing, food, and shelter.

The only one that hadn’t been completely resolved was shelter.

Now, we had a complete home.

Standing by the penthouse window, I gazed at the view below.

‘Is this what they call a city view…’

Though the window offered a full view of the cityscape, the apocalypse rendered it bleak.

The gray, gloomy world outside felt desolate, bringing a sense of emptiness.

I let out a hollow laugh.

I usually tried to ignore it, but moments like this made the gap between the world I knew and the current reality painfully clear, dampening my spirits.

‘…No, let’s not dwell on it.’

T h i s w a s c o pi ed f ro m k in g m t l . o r g
If lamenting could bring back the old world, it would have returned long ago.
Th i s w a s c o p ied f ro m k i n g mtl . o r g

I took a deep breath and turned around.

Ki-hyun was lying on the sofa, listening to music through her earphones.

Jinwoo was meticulously organizing the still-unpacked items.

Dabin and Dayoon were whispering secrets to each other.

Looking up to the second floor, Hyesung was busy decorating her secret base.

I pondered.

What could I do for these kids?

How did I want these kids to live?

After much thought, I came to a conclusion.

‘Like human beings.’

I wanted these kids to live like human beings.

Even in this broken world, I wanted them to grow up to reach out to strangers, just like the day I first met them.

I wanted them to be people who could bring hope to others.

Thus, my role was clear.

I had to be a mentor, a role model for these kids, not just a teacher.

I had to teach them how to live, to ensure they wouldn’t be pushed around and collapse.

I smiled.

‘It’s good to have a lot to do.’

Since the apocalypse, I had never been this active, never looked forward to tomorrow.

For the first time in a long while, I felt joy in living.

***

That evening, I called Ki-hyun, who had been listening to music all day.

“Ki-hyun, come with me somewhere tomorrow.”

“What?”
T h i s wa s c o pie d f r om k i ng m t l .o r g

She frowned.

Her face clearly showed how much she didn’t want to go.

Understandably, there was no urgent need for supplies, so she probably wanted to rest indoors.

But.
This w a s c o p i ed fr o m k i n g m t l . or g

“I have someone to introduce you to.”

It was best to introduce her now while we had some time; who knew when the next opportunity would come?

“Who?”

I grinned and replied to her question.

“A madman.”

Not just any madman, but one you needed to know to survive in this world.

***

I once mentioned that in a ruined world, some madmen prioritize their pleasure over survival.

I talked about a lunatic who’d trade a pack of cigarettes and three bottles of water.

With this much information, you should have a rough idea.

That’s right. The person we’re about to meet is one of those madmen, someone who trades survival supplies for alcohol and cigarettes, a suicidal maniac.

You might wonder why I’d introduce such a person to Ki-hyun, but there’s something to consider.

How has someone who readily trades survival supplies for alcohol and cigarettes managed to survive until now?

The conclusion is simple.

“A craftsman?”

Th i s w a s co p i e d f r o m k i n g m t l . o r g
“Yeah, a craftsman. There’s a guy who survives by selling his skills. I heard he used to make medicine at a pharmaceutical company before the world ended, but I don’t know for sure. Don’t care either.”

T h i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m k i ng mtl . org
He’s a ‘craftsman.’

Before the world ended, he was a skilled professional highly regarded in society.

And in this collapsed world, he wields power akin to a king.

Ki-hyun’s face lit up with curiosity.

I chuckled and elaborated.

“They’re practically the only ones who can provide the benefits of civilization in this world.”

“So, what does this craftsman sell?”

“Various things. Medicine, chemical supplies, clean water, and even spices.”

“…But there’s something I don’t get.”

“What?”

“If he’s so great, why does he live dangerously outside? He could become part of the ruling class in a shelter.”
Th is w a s c o p i ed fr o m k i n gmt l . o rg

So that was her question.

I smirked, looking ahead as I replied.

“That’s why he’s a madman.”

“What…”

“We’re here.”

Ki-hyun, who had been about to say something, fell silent.

Her gaze shifted forward.

About a 20-minute walk north from the hotel in Seodaemun, we arrived at a grimy container yard.

Ki-hyun’s face showed astonishment.

“…This is a perfect place to die.”

“I told you he’s a suicidal maniac.”

I casually responded to Ki-hyun and walked up to the bell installed at the entrance of the container yard.

[—]

The noise from inside startled Ki-hyun.

“…Electricity?”

“He has quite a few batteries. That’s why he wastes them like this.”

As we exchanged brief words, the container door creaked open.
T h is w a s c o p ie d fr om ki n g m t l . o r g

Out came a middle-aged man with a shabby appearance rivaling that of any homeless person.

“Long time no see, old man.”

“Huh, you’re still alive?”

The middle-aged man frowned.

I chuckled at his consistent reaction.

“Of course, it would hurt my pride if I died while you’re still alive.”

“Crazy bastard…”

“Right back at you.”

The middle-aged man, Mr. Park the craftsman, laughed.

I called him Mr. Park for a simple reason.

He never told me his real name.

After a good while of laughter, Mr. Park noticed Ki-hyun standing behind me and spoke.

“Who’s the kid? Did you have one while I wasn’t looking?”

Ki-hyun flinched at the sudden attention.

Her face stiffened.

“…What.”

Maybe she was trying to maintain her pride.

With a fierce look, Ki-hyun glared at Mr. Park as I answered.

“My student.”

“Student? You? What crazy scheme are you planning, dragging a kid along?”

“It’s not like that. I came to get some supplies and introduce her to you.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. Let’s see, what did you bring?”

Mr. Park’s eyes sparkled.

I shook my head slightly and pulled out a carton of cigarettes from my backpack.

“Can we use some water?”

Mr. Park took the cigarettes.

Then he frowned deeply.

“Ugh, menthol again.”

A thought crossed my mind.

‘He’s so damn picky.’

Every time we met, it was like this, making him impossible to like.

End of Chapter