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Episode 35

ECHOES OF FINALITY: THE LAST RESPITE

Eugene took a slow, shaky step toward the broken building, the weight of the situation pressing down on him like a heavy stone. His throat felt dry, and he could hardly breathe, the air thick with the smell of sweat and fear. Everyone had seen what had just happened-how Yon had thrown himself out of the building, vanishing into the unknown. The room was still filled with the sound of fighting, but Eugene was numb, unable to move as he tried to process what had just transpired.

The doctors-those twisted, monstrous versions of themselves-were still locked in battle with the group, but their numbers had been thinned. Boram, with the help of the army officers, had managed to capture Byung-hun, and one of the officers was now dragging him away. With the doctors reduced from twelve to nine, the group had gained some breathing room. Still, the room felt suffocating, and Eugene couldn't shake the image of Yon flying out of the broken building.

He looked outside, his eyes scanning the scene. The only thing he could see was the trampoline with the zombies trapped within it, struggling to get free, but there was no sign of Yon. The deafening silence that followed made his heart race, and he struggled to breathe. His voice was stuck in his throat, the weight of loss threatening to crush him. Had Yon really... had he really gone? The thought pierced him like a thousand shards of ice, each one digging deeper into his chest. No, he couldn't lose Yon. He couldn't.

Before Eugene even realized what was happening, his knees gave way beneath him, and he collapsed onto the ground, a guttural sob escaping him. His entire body trembled, and his mind felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. His chest ached with an unbearable emptiness as tears rushed from his eyes. He stared up at the sky, the tears blurring his vision, feeling completely crushed inside. The chaos, the danger, the horrors surrounding him-all of it faded into nothingness. The only thing that mattered was Yon, and now he was gone.

But just as Eugene thought he might drown in his grief, a sound broke through the crushing silence. A shuffle. It was soft at first, almost like a whisper. Then it grew louder. His heart leaped in his chest, the raw emotion of the moment causing his pulse to quicken. A hand-a familiar hand-slid into view, its fingers barely touching the floor of the broken building. Eugene's breath caught in his throat. Yon's hand.

Wiping away the tears that blurred his vision, Eugene bent down, his heart pounding as he leaned over the edge of the building. And there, hanging onto the edge with all his strength, was Yon. His face, though dirtied and strained, broke into a smile as he looked up at Eugene. It was a smile filled with warmth and relief, but also one that said don't worry, as if nothing had happened.

In an instant, Eugene's heart exploded with a mix of emotions-relief, joy, disbelief-all flooding through him at once. Without thinking, he reached down and grabbed Yon's arm, pulling him up with all his might. The momentum sent them both tumbling backward onto the ground, Eugene's back hitting the floor with a heavy thud. They lay there for a moment, the weight of the world seeming to shift as the tension finally eased.

"You-" Eugene started, his voice trembling, but before he could finish, Yon placed a hand gently over his mouth. "Shh," he whispered softly, his voice calm yet urgent.

Eugene froze, his mind racing as Yon lay on top of him, his body warm against Eugene's. The world outside seemed to pause, and Yon's eyes flicked toward the others in the room. The tension in his gaze was unmistakable. He signaled for everyone to remain quiet, his hand moving in a subtle gesture that instructed them to stay silent.

The group, still caught in their own struggles, were momentarily confused. But they understood Yon's unspoken command and, without hesitation, fell still, their movements coming to a halt as they glanced at one another, processing what was happening. Slowly, they began to take a step back, inching away from the doctors who were now left aimlessly searching for something to fight. But the doctors couldn't see them. They flailed about, confused, but unable to locate their prey. It was a strange sight-these creatures, once so vicious and driven, now appearing like lost animals in search of their next meal.

"Ah. It seems they can't see," Sae Joon Hyun thought to himself, his eyes narrowing as he observed the scene. The realization came like a weight lifting from his chest. If the doctors-these zombie-turned monsters-couldn't see, then the group had a chance to move undetected.

Sae Joon Hyun glanced at Jaeyeon, his eyes meeting his friend's. Jaeyeon's sharp gaze confirmed the conclusion. Without another word, they both nodded, silently conveying their plan. Eunhye and Yuri shared a look, and then nodded to In-Ha. The others, too, followed suit, each of them exchanging quick, meaningful glances before settling into their roles.

The silence was thick in the room, broken only by the soft sound of footsteps as they moved in sync. Chen, always the quiet one, crept to the door of the room, his movements fluid and deliberate. He swung it open just a crack, his gun ready as he positioned himself for backup. Minji and Young, along with Jay, Ji-hoon, Charyeong, Karthik, and Yunha, were all prepared, their chains clinking quietly as they stood in readiness, waiting for the moment to strike.

Jaeyeon and Sae Joon Hyun moved together, quietly shuffling behind Ji-hyun, whose back was turned to them. Eunhye, Yuri, and In-ha were right behind Hye-jin, while Mina and Jeha positioned themselves behind Lee Jaehwan. Minyoung, Zera, and Hailey stood behind Han Hyunseok, while Yohan and Hamin were behind Choi Seung-min. Clara, Meher, and Su-yeong stood strategically behind Nam Joon-woo, ready to act at a moment's notice.

Julien and Florian, ever the protectors, took the children and began to move them out of the room, as per the silent instructions passed between them. Yon, however, didn't move. He stayed lying on top of Eugene, knowing that any slight movement could risk the entire operation. His body was still, his gaze intense, but his fingers gently squeezed Eugene's hand, a silent message of reassurance.

The room was now perfectly synchronized, everyone in their places, ready to act. Yon didn't rise, knowing that every second of silence was precious. The plan was in motion, and every member of the group knew their role.

The room was filled with a heavy, almost suffocating silence, broken only by the soft exhalations of the group. The tension that had been building since they first entered the building seemed to release all at once. They had done it. They had finally captured the doctors-the twisted, zombie-turned monsters who had been terrorizing them for so long. The ambush had been executed with perfect precision, a timing that left no room for error. Those who had been holding chains had immediately moved, expertly binding the doctors as the others held them back, ensuring the capture went off without a hitch.

Done. It was done. A collective sigh of relief filled the room. The fight was over. The doctors-some of the most dangerous and unpredictable enemies they had ever faced-were finally restrained. Their bodies slumped in exhaustion, their breath still ragged from the intense struggle.

But then, Mina's voice broke through the quiet, her words carrying an unexpected weight.

"Oh, wait!" she said, her tone sharp with realization. "We can't go back to the base. It's crawling with zombies, and a very dangerous one at that."

Boram's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, the sudden turn of events forcing her to rethink their next steps. She glanced over at Mina, then at the rest of the group, processing the implications of the situation. Her mind raced, and for a moment, the explanation seemed secondary to the immediate danger. With a quick decision, Boram grabbed her walkie-talkie and contacted one of her team members. It wasn't long before the army officers who had been down with the captured doctors returned, making their way back up via the elevators. Some remained behind to report on any lurking zombies, ensuring that no surprises would catch them off guard.

The group was momentarily free from the immediate danger, but the exhaustion hit hard. As the last of the officers climbed into the room, everyone slumped to the floor. The adrenaline that had kept them going during the fight was now gone, and in its absence, pain flooded their bodies. Every muscle screamed in protest, every bruise felt ten times worse than it had a moment ago. The fight was over, but the toll it had taken on their bodies was only just beginning to reveal itself.

On one side of the room, the captured doctors were huddled together, their eyes filled with fury and frustration. They were surrounded by armed officers, their guns aimed at the restrained figures, ensuring that no one would be able to escape. The doctors' resentment was palpable in the air, but they knew the game was up. The numbers were against them now-there were too many of the group, and too many officers to take on. Their twisted plans had failed, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Hye-jin, the one who had once been a leader of the zombie doctors, was the loudest. Her screams echoed through the room, filled with anger and disbelief. "Ugh! You even managed to figure out our weakness!" she screamed, her voice crackling with rage. As she spoke, the transformation from her zombie self to her human self began to reverse, her monstrous form dissolving into the human one she had once known. Yon had figured it out. He had understood their weakness-how, unlike him, Hamin, Su-yeong, and Jaeyeon, the doctors lost their ability to communicate once they turned into zombies.

But Yon knew that the true power had always been in their ability to use their superhuman strength to their advantage, a side effect of the virus that had never fully turned them into the mindless zombies they were meant to become. Hye-jin's screams were filled with frustration, the bitterness of realizing that her secret was now out in the open.

Yon, exhausted from the battle, had no strength left to argue with her or anyone else. He simply lay there, his head resting gently on Eugene's shoulder, his body too weak to move. The fight had drained him, but there was comfort in being close to Eugene. As time passed, Yon's muscles slowly began to cool down, and his body started to relax, though it was clear that the toll of the battle had left its mark. He could feel his exhaustion creeping through his limbs, but for now, he allowed himself to rest.

The room felt heavy with the tension of what had just happened. Hye-jin's screams were relentless, and Ji-won, who had been lurking in the background, was visibly frustrated, his hands clenched into fists. It was clear that they had all underestimated the strength and determination of their captors. Even Clara, who had been so set on using the remote to torment Sae Joon Hyun, was now silent, having realized the futility of her actions.

The doctors were defeated, but they were not content. Their faces were filled with resentment, the kind that only comes from having been caught-caught not once, but twice. They had known from the moment they had realized their own transformation that they were no longer the hunters. Instead, they had become the hunted, and nothing had gone according to their plan. When they first discovered their zombie powers, they had hoped to ambush the friends who had been tracking them. But the tables had turned. The friends had found them first, and now they were the ones trapped and restrained.

Boram took a deep breath, trying to push the weight of the moment aside. She looked at the group, sensing that the exhaustion was finally taking its toll. "I feel everyone is relaxed enough," she said, her voice steady but laced with concern. "So then, what happened back at the base?" she asked, switching to English, a language that had become their common ground in times like these.

Meher, still standing nearby, spoke up in reply, her voice clear and calm. "One of the zombies learned to use the gun."

The room fell silent at her words. Boram's eyes widened in disbelief. She had expected the zombies to become more dangerous, but this? This was a new level of terror.

Before anyone could respond, In-Ha, who had been listening closely, spoke up, his voice soft but confident. "Well, it was a given, considering the zombies are evolving. Don't worry. It's just one of them. If we find a cure quickly, we won't have to worry."

Boram's expression darkened, the weight of the situation settling over her like a storm cloud. "Even after we find the cure, how do we mass save the people?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry. "If we save them one at a time, it will be useless because they might get bitten again."

Minji, always pragmatic, nodded in agreement. "With Jaeyeon's ability to command them, it might just be possible."

The room grew quiet again as everyone processed the gravity of what Minji had said. Jaeyeon's ability to control the zombies could be their key, but even so, it wasn't a perfect solution. They would need to act quickly, decisively, and with extreme caution.

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