* * *
Fear alone wouldn’t accomplish anything.
I took a deep breath and forced my voice to sound as calm as possible.
“Sir, you need to stay focused and move. Water, food that stores well, a portable radio. And wrap a knife in a cotton cloth. It’ll be useful.”
“O-Okay!”
My composed tone must have helped.
The caregiver, frozen in shock, finally moved.
I heard the rustling of bags as he repeated my words, gathering supplies.
Meanwhile, I steadied my breathing.
I had spoken with confidence, but my hands were still trembling.
To calm myself, I focused on a positive thought.
“At least no one came to visit today.”
My younger siblings usually came on this day, but they hadn’t finished school yet.
If they had arrived already… Just imagining it was horrifying.
Besides, getting caught in a dungeon was far better than a gate.
Since dungeons were large-scale, the Bureau would detect them quickly, and rescue teams would be dispatched promptly.
Unlike gates, which could disappear or close at any moment, dungeons wouldn’t vanish until they were cleared.
Even if we were absorbed, we would likely remain at the dungeon’s entrance, meaning we just had to endure in the bunker for a few days until help arrived.
And considering the Bureau had entrusted me—a “valuable sample”—to this hospital, they had probably made proper preparations.
“I-I’m ready! Jehee, let’s go!”
The caregiver placed the packed supplies on my lap and started pushing my wheelchair toward the door.
I grabbed his wrist.
“No. You need to go without me.”
“…What? Why are you saying this all of a sudden…?”
“The underground bunker won’t have a place to isolate me. If my fever spikes, I can’t be around civilians. It’s too dangerous.”
“Ah…”
When my body reacts, I release poison.
A substance so potent that even B-rank Awakened individuals gag from the smell. It could potentially kill ordinary people.
I can’t go to the bunker.
That’s probably why the hospital staff, who were banging on VIP room doors, hadn’t come for me.
They knew they couldn’t take me.
Maybe if this had happened three months ago, back when my fevers were rare… but now… it was impossible.
I tried to appear calm, to keep my caregiver from feeling too guilty about leaving me behind.
After all, he had taken care of me for years.
If he left me here, I didn’t want him carrying that burden.
“But… I can’t just leave you in this dangerous place, Jehee.”
“It’s fine. Believe it or not, I’ve survived a gate before. Don’t worry about me…”
“I won’t leave you! I’ve cared for you for five years! Lately, I’ve spent more time with you than my own children! How could I abandon you here to die?”
“…Sir…”
“I refuse to leave alone! If I must, I’ll stay with you. I’ll be your eyes, your legs. We might be able to hold out longer together. We can survive this!”
“…”
I had no idea what difficulty level this dungeon would be.
But if it was large enough to swallow a building this size, it wouldn’t be low-tier.
Even if it were, what could an ordinary person do against monsters?
Staying with me would only increase the body count from one to two.
He must have known that.
He must have been terrified of staying in a dungeon filled with monsters.
So why was he so stubborn?
I was grateful for his determination to stay with me.
But at the same time, I was frustrated.
Yet… I understood.
Because I had once made the same choice.
I remembered the moment the darkness swallowed Taehwan.
“Taehwan!”
When I screamed his name in shock, his hand instinctively reached out to me.
An eternity compressed into a single instant.
I knew—if I grabbed his hand, I would be dragged in with him.
I might die.
But I still reached out.
I pulled him toward me, wrapping him in my arms.
Because he needed me.
I didn’t think I could save him, but at least I could be by his side.
I didn’t want to regret that moment, even if it was our last.
The caregiver must feel the same way now.
If he left me without doing anything, the guilt would crush him.
For him, this was a survival instinct—not for his body, but for his mind.
So I had to give him something—some way to help me, some small task—so he could leave with less guilt.
Something that would ease his conscience while ensuring he didn’t stay with me.
Thankfully, an idea came to mind.
“In that case… can you move me to the isolation ward?”
Hearing my calm request, the caregiver finally began to settle down.
“The isolation ward…?”
“Yes. I’ll last longer there than in a normal hospital room. It’s built as securely as the underground bunker. It’s also a space I’m familiar with, and I can be alone.”
“T-Then I’ll stay with you…!”
“No. After you take me there and go down to the bunker, you need to tell the rescue team that I’m in the isolation room once they arrive. That way, both of us can stay safe.”
“Ah…! I see. Someone needs to tell them where you are.”
Honestly, I’m not sure if the isolation room is as sturdy as the bunker.
It’s just a space meant to accommodate people with special conditions like mine, so I can only assume it’s better than a regular hospital room.
Even if it’s not as strong, it’s a completely sealed-off area, so maybe—just maybe—even if monsters enter this hospital, they won’t be able to find me.
…I’ve been in this hospital for a long time, but since I haven’t moved around much, I couldn’t think of a better place to go.
“Ah, I understand. I’ll do that.”
“Thank you.”
Even if all my hopes about the isolation room turn out to be delusions, I still achieved my goal—I convinced the caregiver.
As soon as I let go of his hand with a small smile, he moved immediately.
The wheelchair shot forward at an incredible speed.
As expected, none of the staff stopped us or told us to take the elevator.
They were all too busy trying to move as many patients as possible.
A matter of selection and focus.
That was their job—saving as many lives as they could.
And just like that, I arrived at the isolation room.
Clang.
As soon as the thick metal door opened, I pushed the wheels of my chair forward myself.
“Go quickly.”
“Please, Jehee, stay safe!”
“You have to make it to the bunker, too.”
“Trust me! I’ll make sure to inform the rescue team!”
By the time we finished our conversation, the hallway was empty—everyone had already gone downstairs.
But I believed in him.
He may be old, but he was still the one who had pushed my wheelchair and helped me move all this time.
His stamina was extraordinary, and he knew the hospital’s layout well enough that he would definitely make it to the bunker safely.
He also had a mission—to inform the rescue team of my location.
That alone would ensure he’d do everything in his power to protect himself.
I listened to his hurried footsteps fade into the distance, then gritted my teeth and pushed the door shut.
“Ugh…!”
Clang.
The heavy metal door sealed shut, and almost immediately, a searing headache struck.
Thump. Thump.
My heart pounded, like massive steel marbles crashing against each other inside my chest.
The overwhelming shock spread up to my skull, making my entire head ring.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
“Wow… great timing…”
My vision spun.
Even just sitting still in my wheelchair felt impossible.
I didn’t need a thermometer to know my fever was spiking again.
My breath grew ragged.
Heat surged through my entire body.
I should check if the isolation room had any supplies to last me through this, but I could barely keep myself upright.
As if the timing of the fever wasn’t bad enough, the pain was far worse than usual.
My throat burned like it was being scorched black.
I needed water.
Desperately.
“Haa…”
Thankfully, the caregiver had placed my bag on my lap before leaving.
There was a water bottle inside.
* * *
