Chapter 572
Tak Jeongyun was 's hidden ace, its true trump card.
The acting skills she had honed over many years in Daehakro, her fresh face, flawless vocal projection, and Seomun Ihwa's storytelling all came together, and she absolutely soared.
-She really feels like an actual nurse... and like she's genuinely gone crazy... it's so realistic.
-TT__TT I'm about to cry.
-I'm staying up all night, damn it.
-I was gonna do Miracle Morning, but screw it, everything's ruined.
-Damn, this is so freaking good.
-The apocalypse boom is coming.
As the episodes progressed, Director O's bold directing, which ruthlessly cut scenes at double speed, played a huge role.
It felt as though viewers were peering directly into the chaotic mind of the regressor, Tak Jeongyun.
Fast pacing. Twists that kept hitting people in the back of the head. Combined with chilling music.
There was a tension that made people's fists clench unconsciously and their palms sweat.
"And the current status?"
"Entered the Top 3 in the Korean market. In Asia, it's climbed to seventh overall."
The trends were changing in real time. User drop-off was negligible.
"At the current rate, day-two completion is projected at 18%."
Accordingly, the completion rate rose as well. Andrea looked at the screen.
Between the rapidly passing scenes, Tak Jeongyun died after watching Myeong Jeha and On Jihwa's desperate struggle through the control room CCTV, and died again while reading patient records in the hospital all the way to the end.
Having completed all the preliminary investigations, Tak Jeongyun's eyes changed.
At last, the foreshadowing that had been thrown out in previous episodes began falling into place.
"Search the third floor right now. Patients, guardians, nurses—anyone who just received something delivered, contact the delivery guy immediately."
"What? Suddenly?"
"Yeah. Call and ask who Yujin is."
"...What are you talking about?"
"It's important. You have to do it. If they say, 'Who's that?' and have no idea what you're talking about, ignore them. But if anyone reacts unpleasantly or knows the name Yujin, send me that number immediately."
"No, at least tell me why—"
"Hurry! There's no ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) time!"
"I have to go to the pharmacy—!"
"I'll go!"
Tak Jeongyun sent Do Gyeoul away like that.
Then she hurried off while making a call.
"A seizure patient on the fifth-floor terrace!"
-Huh?
"Resident Kang Hyeonwoo has to go!"
Before Hyeonmok's seizure, she changed Kang Hyeonwoo's destination from the emergency room.
Hyeonmok had already been hospitalized in the ICU for three months, and Kang Hyeonwoo knew the child personally.
"We've got a seizure patient!"
He headed to the fifth floor.
Tak Jeongyun had successfully pulled one helper away.
Do Gyeoul checked every patient and guardian who had received deliveries and called the delivery workers.
-Yujin? Huh? What?
-Who's that?
-Was the customer's name Kim Yujin...? I don't really check things like that.
But all of them were dead ends.
Eventually, Do Gyeoul spoke to the nurses whom Myeong Jeha had given food to.
"Ah, it's too sweet. I can't eat this."
"Then can I have it?"
"Come to think of it, something funny happened earlier. The daugh— no, no. I've been infected too. Anyway, the delivery guy who brought this."
Do Gyeoul called Myeong Jeha.
-The person you are trying to reach is unavailable...
[Call Catch Service: 010-XXXX-XXXX]
Myeong Jeha briefly lowered his phone from his ear and checked the missed call.
At the same time, Tak Jeongyun called Do Gyeoul.
-Teacher! I think I figured it out! I saved the delivery guy's number, and his profile picture says Yujin... but it's a kid!
"What's the number?"
-Huh?
"What's the delivery guy's number? Hurry!"
The moment she heard it—
Beep, beep, beep, beep.
"010... 1234-4444."
Staggering on the staircase, Tak Jeongyun immediately recalled Myeong Jeha's phone number.
Muttering the numbers under her breath, she looked half insane.
-It's done now.
"Go down to the first-floor lobby. On Jihwa should be there. Tell her the Planning Director wants to speak with her guardian."
"...When?"
"Right now. Tell her it's confidential because the information just came in. If she asks what it's about, say you don't know. Tell her the Planning Director discussed it privately with the hospital director and she'll only hear about it if she goes there."
"When did you hear this? And right now the system—"
"Stop interrupting and listen."
Tak Jeongyun grabbed Do Gyeoul's shoulders firmly and looked her in the eyes.
There was power in her gaze.
Something like fierce obsession.
"Tell On Jihwa to hold her bow because they need to measure it precisely."
"Uh... I don't really understand..."
"And then go straight to the fifth floor."
Tak Jeongyun gave Do Gyeoul no explanation.
"When you get there, you'll find security personnel. Join up with them. Make sure they bring a radio."
Tak Jeongyun ran downstairs.
-Now it's really done.
At the same time, she sent a message to Myeong Jeha.
[Hey, I got this delivery in the main building earlier, but the order's wrong. Come back and take it.]
"Huh? What the hell?"
In the middle of making deliveries, Myeong Jeha tilted his head.
[Come to the fifth floor.]
Frowning, Myeong Jeha called back, but nobody answered.
"Ah..."
He immediately turned around.
Arriving near the emergency room, Tak Jeongyun called Kang Hyeonwoo.
"Hyeonmok's having a seizure on the fifth floor! It's serious!"
-Huh? Where?
"Go to the terrace! Hurry!"
-Between a hospital director causing chaos because of delirium and a child on the verge of death, Kang Hyeonwoo would choose the latter. He knew plenty of medical staff had already gone to the former.
"Miss On Jihwa!"
Do Gyeoul stopped On Jihwa, who was walking through the corridor with her mother.
"Ha..."
At the same time, screams began echoing in the distance.
Some people ran out in panic.
Some were already bitten as they ran.
"Just in time."
Fortunately, the lobby had not yet filled entirely with infected people.
Tak Jeongyun smashed the pressure valve of a high-pressure oxygen tank in the treatment room near the emergency room with an IV stand.
Bang!
"Kyaaah!"
With screams already erupting in the emergency room, the sound of heavy metal colliding joined in, and commotion spread from afar.
Hissss—
Compressed oxygen burst out.
Tak Jeongyun poured alcohol over it.
Then she shouted.
"Fire!"
Running away from the emergency room, she threw a lighter onto the oxygen tank.
The spark fell in a precarious arc.
BOOM—!!!
With a tremendous explosion, the fire shutters descended.
Running up the stairs, Tak Jeongyun shouted,
"Fire! Fire! Everybody evacuate the building!"
All the countless lives she had been forced to abandon.
"Fire! Get outside!"
She wanted to cling to a pathetic hope.
She wanted to get even one more person out of the hospital.
"Fire! There's a fire!"
"Kyaaaah!"
"Everyone! Evacuate!"
"What? Fire?"
"They said there's a fire! Mom! Wake up!"
"Jiwoo!"
People around them began flooding out of the hospital.
The sprinklers activated, suppressing the smoke, but the infected were trapped inside the emergency room.
As Tak Jeongyun climbed to the second floor, she committed arson once more.
Clank.
Having learned how to lower the fire shutters without going to the control room, the regressor headed straight to the fifth floor.
"Ah! You came!"
There waited Do Gyeoul, the silent On Jihwa, and one security guard.
"Contact the control room over the radio right now."
"Say what..."
"Tell them there's a stabbing incident in the emergency room and an arsonist on another floor. Tell everyone to evacuate outside."
"No, things are already crazy—"
The radio in his hand never stopped.
-Arsonist heading to the fifth floor.
-The arsonist is wearing nurse clothes. Identity unconfirmed!
-Emergency room windows broken.
-Shortage of guards on the first floor! Requesting support!
-Kraaagh... save me...
-Run! We're all gonna die...!
-First floor, explain the situation. First floor?
-Grrk... urgh...
-Respond!
-KRAAAAGH!
Hell unfolded beyond the radio.
Do Gyeoul and the security guard looked alarmed.
Their brows furrowed anxiously.
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.
Tak Jeongyun's phone rang.
-Hey. What menu did I supposedly get wrong?
It was Myeong Jeha.
"You're on the fifth floor."
-So?
"Come into the special treatment room."
Without explaining, Tak Jeongyun hung up immediately.
Then she snatched the security guard's radio.
"This is the fifth floor. Police support is on the way and should arrive at the main entrance shortly. All remaining guards, come to the fifth floor."
-What are you talking about? Who is this—?!
"Orders from the Planning Director. Explosives have been planted in the hospital director's office. I repeat, everyone come up immediately."
-What? Explosives?
"Broadcast an emergency evacuation immediately."
The security guard panicked at Tak Jeongyun's sudden actions.
"Teacher, what exactly are you talking about?"
"Things."
"At least explain—!"
"Hey!"
Myeong Jeha approached from afar.
"You're the one who called, right?"
"So you came."
"If you're just causing trouble for a refund, it won't work."
Myeong Jeha's attitude was rough.
Standing half a step away from the group, On Jihwa merely observed them.
But with her right hand hidden behind her back, she typed a message into her phone.
Input: Mom, something's weird here. Let's get out first—
But the message failed to send.
[Please check your data connection.]
-Aaaahhh I'm so scared TT__TT
-Showing all the loop scenes like this is insane, seriously.
-God Ihwa really lives up to her name T_T this is incredible.
-Starting fires on purpose is crazy, she's so freaking cool.
-Unnie... where have you been all this time... TT_TT
-The casting was literally divine. Her acting's so good, it's like they hired a real nurse.
"Just a moment, ma'am."
The Planning Director panicked.
His steps toward Hyeonmok had been blocked by On Jihwa's mother.
"Hoo..."
"You wanted to discuss treatment methods..."
"Mm. Mm."
"The director promised last time that he'd personally take responsibility for Jihwa's recovery. I've trusted him completely."
"Ah, the director."
The Planning Director mistakenly assumed that something had already been arranged between the hospital director and Jihwa's mother.
-Attention, everyone. Please evacuate the hospital immediately. Explosives have been planted— Kyaaaah! What is that?! Kyaaaah!
At that moment, the scream-filled announcement blared through the speakers.
On Jihwa's mother's expression stiffened.
* * *
Clank. Clank. Clank-clank-clank-clank—!
Faced with an unprecedented crisis, security had lost nearly half its manpower. Beyond the security shutters, survivors and infected people were mixed together.
"Stop standing around in shock! Shut down all the elevators!"
"Y-Yes, sir...!"
By the time they reached the fifth floor, panic had already engulfed the patients, guardians, and bewildered medical staff.
"Hurry! Run over here!"
"Kyaaaah—!"
People were crossing the bridge connecting the annex to the main building.
"We're closing it! We're really closing it!"
"Wait! Wait!"
Clank.
And then the high-pressure oxygen tank was thrown.
The planned explosion.
BOOM!
Part of the bridge was damaged, and the security shutter descended.
The eyes of the veteran nurse who had orchestrated the explosion shone with something different.
"Ah... finally..."
Her murmured words of joy were heard by one archer, who watched with eyes that seemed to be calmly assessing the situation.
* * *
The entire university hospital came into view.
On the first floor, infected people poured out through the shattered windows of the emergency room and invaded a newly arrived ambulance.
Some headed toward the annex.
Others to the rehabilitation center.
Others to the parking lot.
Others to the funeral hall.
And some outside the hospital.
"Kyaah! What is that?!"
"Oh my..."
"Please stop... Aaaagh!"
Spreading outward like cancer cells.
One became two.
Two became four.
Four became sixteen.
Fast.
At an absurd speed.
"Grrrk...!"
"AAAAAH!"
The survivors trapped inside the hospital were not much different.
All of them became infected.
Clank. Clank. Clank-clank-clank.
Pressure began building against the shutters.
Tak Jeongyun led her carefully chosen helpers up the stairs.
Since they had no idea what might happen below, she simply said they needed to lock the emergency exits.
"Damn it. What the hell is this?"
Myeong Jeha grabbed the wrist of the silently climbing Tak Jeongyun.
"Think of it as a deadly virus spreading through the hospital. Black Death, rabies, smallpox, Ebola, plague."
"Huh?! Really?!"
Do Gyeoul reacted the most strongly to the mention of a disease with a high fatality rate.
On Jihwa remained silent.
"Then shouldn't we be getting outside? Why are we going up?"
Myeong Jeha pointed out the obvious.
Tak Jeongyun said nothing.
"I'm scared..."
Hyeonmok, nestled in his father's arms, muttered softly.
"It's okay. Hyeonmok's okay."
...
The father comforted his son, while Kang Hyeonwoo watched worriedly, afraid another seizure might strike.
Six security guards surrounded them front and back.
None of them had the courage to turn on the radios at their waists.
They seemed unable to recover from what they had witnessed earlier.
"Where are we going?"
One of the guards finally asked.
"The eighth-floor auditorium."
Tak Jeongyun smiled.
"Why there?"
"...There just happened to be an event at our hospital today."
She could make use of the information she had seen on the computer.
[K-Heroes Selection Ceremony in Cooperation with the Armed Forces Medical Command]
"Let's survive somehow. Together."
On the eighth floor, a two-star general was trying to call the hospital director.
"What in the world is happening?"
But all he got was the automated message saying the call could not be completed.
The ten soldiers inside the auditorium stared only at the banner hanging above the stage.
[The K-Heroes Who Protect the People]
* * *
At last, everyone had gathered.
Facing the two-star general, Tak Jeongyun briefly explained the situation.
"I'd like the medical helicopter on the roof to evacuate the elderly, the injured, and children first."
"No... ha... this can't be..."
Tak Jeongyun turned on the security radio.
-Guhk... AAAAH!
-Help... help me...
-Mom...
Where had the radio fallen?
Nobody knew exactly.
But it wasn't hard to imagine what was happening on the other side.
"Let's introduce ourselves first. Jeon Chungyeop. Major General of the 1st Infantry Division."
"Lee Donggyun, head of security for the main building, along with five others. The only equipment we have left is six batons and two stun guns."
"Uh... Kang Hyeonwoo. Third-year emergency medicine resident."
"My name's Lee Gyuman. I'm Hyeonmok's father... and, well... I'd appreciate it if everyone could help my son. I know it's shameless. He had another seizure earlier... he's really in danger."
"Kim Kangil. I was just making deliveries and had terrible luck, ah..."
"Han Jiseong, fire captain from the Seoul Fire Aviation Unit."
"New ICU nurse... Yoo Yeonji."
"Lee Jeongmin, ICU."
Introductions ended one after another.
Everyone's gaze shifted to the still-silent On Jihwa.
"Archery... On Jihwa."
-Ah, finally.
-Please, this time TT_TT
-I've gotten so attached now, I really want Unnie Jeongyun to survive.
-It finally feels like something might work.
-TT_TT Let's get out now.
If they simply reached the rooftop under the soldiers' protection, they would succeed.
But there was a problem.