Firearms are probably the most efficient weapon humanity has ever created.

    They are particularly effective against humans.

    It’s not just about shooting someone to kill or injure them. Simply carrying a firearm when interacting with others or revealing oneself is enough to restrain the other person’s actions.

    You could call it an etiquette-inducing device that makes others humble just by its presence.

    The offensive power against humans is undeniable.

    After all, weren’t firearms specifically designed to kill humans?

    There’s a saying that their power is reduced against monsters or zombies, and while I partially agree, I can’t fully agree. A tool’s utility depends on how it is used.

    In any case, firearms are essential for surviving in the post-apocalyptic era.

    As I’ve said repeatedly, humanity’s greatest enemy is humanity itself.

    But this is Korea.

    In Korea, obtaining firearms is not only difficult but outright illegal, unlike in the United States.

    One could prepare for the apocalypse in America, but even there, it’s a double-edged sword.

    The initial difficulty of a country where everyone is armed to the teeth versus a country where firearms are banned is as different as heaven and earth.

    Think of the once-popular battle royale games.

    What fun would it be if you landed and immediately got shot?

    There needs to be a phase where you loot, brawl with fists, and compete in smaller skirmishes.

    Of course, it would be more fun for me to have a firearm from the beginning.

    This was when Kim Elder was still alive.

    Kim Elder owned a hunting shotgun.

    During normal times, it was stored at the police station, but during pest control season, he would take it out and flaunt his laughable shooting skills.

    “When I was in the military, you know, some North Korean spies infiltrated. I hid behind some acacia bushes, holding my breath, and when one of them appeared from behind a tree, bam! I planted a bullet of liberation right between his eyebrows!”

    Later, through personal connections, I found out that Kim Elder had only served in the reserves and had never participated in any counter-spy operations. Nevertheless, his shotgun was a decent weapon.

    Being a shotgun, it had high stopping power and could be handled adequately even by someone who wasn’t a skilled marksman.

    But such a weapon was insufficient for future preparedness.

    My eyes were always on the nearby air force base.

    Since it was shared with the U.S. military, it housed American equipment. According to rumors, there were also hunters specializing in anti-monster operations stationed there.

    Getting hunter equipment would be the best outcome, but what I really wanted were several combat rifles and a large stockpile of ammunition.

    However, that wasn’t easy.

    How could I possibly infiltrate an air force base guarded by both Korean and American forces to steal weapons and ammo?

    My initial plan was a bit rough.

    If a war broke out with China, that air force base would be a primary target.

    The U.S. military base right next to it would make it a prime candidate for preemptive nuclear strikes in Chinese war plans.

    Once the nukes were dropped and the base was in ruins, I would stroll in wearing protective gear and retrieve the weapons and any usable items.

    This was my rough draft of a plan.

    It sounded absurd, but if I wanted high-quality weapons, this seemed like the most realistic option.

    Sure, I could try acquiring firearms through Southeast Asian gangs or Russian sailors, but at best, they’d only deal in pistols.

    However, as reality turned out to be harsher than anticipated, and the world’s flow diverged from my expectations, even someone like me, Park Gyu, began to feel anxious.

    SKELTON: “How can you acquire proper assault rifles in a country like Korea or Japan, where security is tight and firearms are banned?”

    We live in an era where people create group chats and communities for everything.

    Naturally, there’s also an online community for those preparing for the apocalypse.

    That’s Viva! Apocalypse!—a haven for eccentric folks like me.

    Membership isn’t open to just anyone.

    You need a Galaxy Link satellite internet device developed by the world-renowned entrepreneur Melon Musk, and on top of that, you must pay a hefty monthly fee of $100.

    Despite the lavish prerequisites and steep cost, the community had quite a few users, enough to have a dedicated Korean board.

    I posted my question there and soon received multiple replies, though none were particularly helpful.

    Most were irresponsible suggestions like raiding police stations or small military bases with like-minded comrades to loot armories.

    Even my respected mentor, “John Nae-non,” didn’t have practical advice to offer.

    Korea’s law enforcement wasn’t lax.

    You might pull off a heist, but in a country plastered with high-resolution CCTVs at every corner, there was no guarantee of safety afterward.

    Just as I was about to give up on the $100-a-month community, an unexpected proposal came from an unlikely source.

    “This is a bunker, isn’t it? One of those apocalypse prepper things everyone’s building these days.”

    The proposer’s name was Kim Wang-soo, an employee of the construction company I had hired for my first bunker.

    He was of Chinese nationality—more specifically, ethnic Korean from China.

    Until he revealed his identity, I had assumed he was a native-born Korean.

    He looked younger than me, dressed better, spoke with a trendy accent, and carried himself with a modern vibe.

    Unlike other employees who tilted their heads in confusion at my request to build a bunker in the middle of nowhere, Kim Wang-soo showed great interest.

    “There are many like you in China. Party officials and capitalists with connections to the Party are all rushing to build bunkers in rural areas—much bigger and more serious ones than this.”

    It wasn’t just interest.

    Kim Wang-soo possessed significant knowledge, insight, and even information about China that I was unaware of.

    “A war? Sooner or later, it’s bound to happen, don’t you think? It doesn’t make the Western news, but all the provinces near Inner Mongolia have been overrun by monsters. Millions, maybe billions, have died. The Party is desperately trying to contain it, but honestly, it’s over. It’s only a matter of time.”

    He seemed to envy my bunker and the resources I had to build it.

    “You must’ve made a fortune. Such a vast plot of land and all that equipment.”

    “Hit it big with crypto.”

    In truth, I’d never touched crypto or even stocks. I was an ultra-conservative investor.

    A call came through on my first cellphone—the one I hadn’t used in years, keeping it active only for emergencies.

    The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number.

    I hesitated, but when the same number called again, I felt uneasy.

    Checking the surveillance monitors in my bunker, I spotted an unfamiliar vehicle parked near the property.

    A man stood outside, looking anxious, one hand in his pocket and a cigarette smoldering between his fingers.

    The moment I saw his face, I froze.

    It was Kim Wang-soo.

    A flood of questions filled my mind. Should I meet him? Ignore him? Prepare for a confrontation?

    Before I could decide, he made his move.

    He opened the car door, spoke to someone inside, then sprinted toward the bunker with shocking speed.

    In his hand was a weapon.

    An axe.

    Of all things, an axe.

    “...”

    Picking up the first phone, which had rung twice with the same unknown number, I dialed it back.

    “Ah, boss?”

    Kim Wang-soo answered warmly, his voice unnervingly casual despite the urgency in the situation. Even while running at full speed, his breathing remained steady and unbroken.

    “Kim Wang-soo? What’s going on? Why the sudden call?”

    “I just wanted to bid you farewell before leaving Korea.”

    “Farewell? Where are you?”

    I stepped out into the open, revealing myself.

    In the distance, I saw Kim Wang-soo’s characteristic broad, charming smile spread across his face, his energetic demeanor as radiant as ever. He was quickly closing the gap between us.

    Ten paces away.

    Suddenly, he pushed off with his foot, surging forward with explosive speed.

    From within his sleeve, a hidden axe emerged, its leather casing discarded in midair as it traced a sharp arc.

    Watching the axe flying toward me, I let out a shallow sigh.

    Thunk!

    The axe buried itself deep between the shoulder and neck—not mine, but his.

    Kim Wang-soo’s face twisted in shock as he struggled to turn his head, looking back at me. But his neck was no longer obeying his commands.

    Every spasm of his muscles caused the embedded axe to tear further into his flesh, spurting fresh blood between the ruined sinews.

    I stepped aside, releasing the axe lodged in his body, allowing him a clearer view of me as he collapsed.

    Kim Wang-soo flailed desperately, swinging his axe wildly, but each attempt missed me by the smallest margin, slicing through empty air.

    “A... a soldier...?”

    I shook my head.

    “A gangster? N-no...!”

    “Why did you do this?”

    I exhaled lightly, fixing my gaze on the man who was now bleeding out in front of me.

    “If you had asked, I would have given you this place.”

    Kim Wang-soo’s lips curled into a faint smirk.

    “Sha... xiang di mei...”

    Those were his final words.

    As his body slumped to the ground, a phone tumbled from his pocket.

    Still warm, his lifeless face unlocked the device’s screen with ease, revealing the familiar messenger interface.

    The conversation thread was filled with simplified Chinese characters, unreadable to me. Yet, amidst the text, I recognized an image—a penguin emoji sold in Korea.

    Tilting my head, I stared at the tiny penguin character asking, “When are you coming?”

    “...Hah.”

    There was no time for reflection.

    The sirens began to wail—a deafening roar signaling an imminent nuclear strike.

    At that moment, our Kim Elder was still alive.

    *

    How much time had passed since the storm had subsided?

    The Geiger counter chirped, signaling that it was finally safe to venture out.

    Climbing into the old four-wheel-drive vehicle I had carefully tucked away in the shelter, I headed toward the airbase.

    It was a cautious move. Just in case.

    But then—

    “What the... is this some kind of sick joke?”

    The words slipped bitterly from my mouth.

    Beyond the collapsed buildings lay a mountain of firearms and weapons, scattered and abandoned.

    No Hunter equipment, unfortunately. Still, this haul was nothing short of miraculous—a jackpot. Enough to arm a private army and then some.

    In hindsight, my rough plan to scavenge weapons from a military base after societal collapse had proven to be correct after all.

    I glanced toward the spot where Kim Wang-soo’s vehicle had been parked.

    The charred wreck of the car lay on its side, grotesque and blackened, a grim relic of the past.

    Even now, I occasionally wonder.

    If Kim Wang-soo hadn’t made that deal with me, could he and his family have survived?

    I don’t think so.