Chapter 172
Z-Day. (7)
The filming of ‘Z-Day’ continued. Sometimes, they had a feast to use up the overflowing budget.
One day, Lee Joo-hee, the writer of ‘Z-Day’, visited the set for the first time.
“Hello, writer.”
“Lee-an, I’ve been watching your acting. You’re exactly like K that I imagined.”
She had been checking the footage through the director Park even though she didn’t show up on the set.
“Are you done with your busy work?”
“Of course. Now I’m going to stay on the set all the time.”
Lee Joo-hee had been unable to come to the set because of her family situation. Now that she had put out the urgent fire, she could watch the remaining filming with the director Park.
“Let’s film quickly since the writer is here. Cue!”
The staff clapped the slate according to the director’s signal.
***
The zombies who went against the government’s will were immediately executed. Then who would fill the place of the executed zombies?
The soldiers solved it by catching the wandering zombies outside the barrier.
Kim Jun-hee headed to the barrier with Na-woo-shin.
In the early morning when everyone was asleep, they sneaked into the high tower and watched what the soldiers were doing.
“Those zombies are out of control. How do they make them like you?”
“Vaccine. Hwa-woon Pharmaceutical’s half vaccine.”
A soldier tore off the ragged shirt of a zombie who was tied up. The soldier who examined the zombie’s neck stabbed a long needle. Na-woo-shin flinched as he watched the situation through the telescope.
“They inject the vaccine into the place where they were bitten by a zombie.”
“Then why don’t they run away as soon as they get the vaccine? They have better physical abilities than humans anyway.”
If they need to get the vaccine periodically, why don’t the zombies attack this place together?
Kim Jun-hee smiled bitterly at his words. Na-woo-shin couldn’t take his eyes off him because of his expression that he saw for the first time.
“They can’t run away.”
At the stage of finding their sanity after getting the first vaccine, they remember their human lives like a carousel. From the first time they felt their parents’ touch to the memory of their loved ones.
Strangely enough, they only recall happy memories. To make them attached to their lives.
“Where do the zombies who regained their sanity go?”
“Lab.”
They get lost in the memories that come in like waves and stare blankly. Then the soldiers take the zombies to the lab warehouse and tie them up.
“They get their blood drawn at the lab. Like pigs in a butcher shop.”
“What?”
“If they don’t lose their sanity or appetite while getting their blood drawn, they are people like you, Woo-shin.”
Kim Jun-hee led Na-woo-shin. They had seen enough, and they would be caught if they stayed here for too long. They headed to their hideout through the dark alley.
“Was there no one like me in the lab? Is that why they are all looking for me?”
“I’ve seen only one person like you so far.”
“What happened to that person?”
Kim Jun-hee didn’t answer. Na-woo-shin sighed deeply as he saw him close his mouth. He always drew the line at important questions.
“I think you guys can raid the Hwa-woon headquarters and get the complete vaccine. Why don’t you do that?”
“Then we would also suffer a lot of casualties.”
“Are you also using me to become like me?”
Kim Jun-hee smiled silently. Did he hit the nail on the head?
Na-woo-shin, who became confident, looked closely at Kim Jun-hee’s face and swallowed his saliva. Kim Jun-hee’s expression, which only smiled with his mouth, felt creepy.
Na-woo-shin stepped back.
“You’re also using us to survive.”
He couldn’t say anything to that. He had seen with his own eyes what the government was doing and what would happen to him if he entrusted himself to the government.
“That’s true, but you guys…”“Can’t use you?”
“What?”
“They used us.”
Kim Jun-hee stared at the air with an emotionless face.
Kim Jun-hee approached Na-woo-shin, who stepped back, and brought his face close.
“Before the end came with the outbreak of the zombie virus… humans enslaved other humans, they say.”
“…”
“They made them slaves because they were of different races and made them slaves because they became monsters. That’s humans for you.”
“So what?”
‘Don’t be scared, Na-woo-shin. I’m a valuable human to him.’
Thinking that, Na-woo-shin widened his eyes and met Kim Jun-hee’s eyes.
“So, what are you going to do if you become like me?”
If he could have the zombie’s unbelievable physical abilities and immortality and still not eat humans.
Kim Junhee laughed out loud for the first time. It was not a creepy or emotionless laugh, but a pure and innocent one, like a child.
“I’m going to kill them all.”
“What?”
“All the humans, I’m going to kill them all.”
He felt happy just thinking about it. Naushin felt a chill run down his spine as he heard his voice, laced with laughter.
‘I don’t like this.’
Kim Ganghyuk was watching them from a distance.
He was a radical who did not understand why Kim Junhee was trying to persuade Naushin.
They had already secured the vaccine human they wanted, so they should just lock him up and start the vaccine research to become ‘perfect humans’.
“What a waste of time…”
He kicked the ground and ran to another area.
He was patrolling in case the soldiers found his hideout, but he was surrounded by them.
“Class 2 wanted criminal, H. Kim Ganghyuk.”
“How did you find my location?”
The soldier who caught Kim Ganghyuk offered him to betray K and join the government side.
“Why should I do that?”
He also asked him to reveal the location of his hideout and kidnap Naushin, a command disguised as an offer.
“If you do as we say, we will give you the vaccine developed from Naushin’s research first.”
“Don’t act like you’re doing me a favor. You just want to use me. I don’t trust humans.”
“No, you will trust us.”
The soldier showed his hands, indicating that he had no intention of attacking. The soldiers moved aside, as if to let him go.
‘You’re letting me go even though I refused your offer?’
Kim Ganghyuk gave a suspicious look at the soldiers who were letting him go. He kicked the ground and headed to his hideout.
***
“Cut! Okay! Good job.”
Director Park smiled at Lee Juhee, who was sitting next to him.
“What do you think of this writer?”
“He should have come sooner. If only I didn’t have to do all the housework…”
It was different to watch the screen and to see the scene in person. Lee Juhee regretted her words.
‘More than I expected…’
Kim Minjae portrayed Naushin, who was conflicted between his situation and his duty, very well, but Lee Juhee was impressed by someone else.
He had a weight in his movements, expressing the zombie. Even though the lines could be cheesy or childish, Ian pulled them off.
‘I wish Eom Jihwan, who plays Kim Ganghyuk, was a bit better…’
But acting directing was the director’s responsibility, so Lee Juhee decided to keep her mouth shut.
Director Park monitored the footage they had just shot.“Wow, the chemistry is great.”
He exclaimed as Kim Minjae and Ian’s faces got closer. He sounded like he had just had a sip of beer.
“This drama will be known as a bromance drama, not an action zombie drama.”
“Any publicity is good publicity.”
“This writer has become a commercial writer already.”
The writer smiled slightly at Director Park’s words.
***
Eom Jihwan realized that the atmosphere of the set was focused on Ian. He knew there was a difference between the lead and the supporting roles, but this seemed too unfair.
‘Is his acting that great? It’s nothing special.’
Director Park and the production staff were not the kind of people who discriminated against actors. It was just a thought caused by his jealousy, but Eom Jihwan’s mind could not go back.
During a short break, he ran into Ian, who was washing his hands in the bathroom.
“Are you done with the shooting today, Jihwan?”
“Yes. You still have some left, right?”
“Good job. I have a few more scenes to shoot.”
He must have a lot of scenes as the lead. Eom Jihwan felt a surge of resentment and blurted out without thinking.
“Why did you break the sponsorship deal with Cheonghwa Group?”
“What?”
Ian did not expect Eom Jihwan to ask him so directly. He widened his eyes in surprise.
“I refused because I didn’t like it.”
“Was it more important than getting exposure?”
“I don’t know what you’re trying to say, but if you’re done with the shooting, you should go home early.”
Ian was already on edge because he had to do another action scene. Eom Jihwan, who had opened his mouth once, did not stop.
“How long do you think your group will last? Don’t you need to raise your value, even if you’re alone?”
Ian crossed his arms. Jin, who found other people’s fights the most entertaining, was hovering around Ian, looking restless.
[What? Are you picking a fight?]
‘Let me hear what he has to say.”
[Before, there was that weird giregi bastard, and now this… Why do these things always happen in the bathroom… Did I offend someone?]
Ian listened silently as Eom Ji-hwan continued to speak with a smug expression.
“You know it’s a short window for group activities, right? We can’t even do group activities right now, so don’t I have to survive on my own? Whether it’s a sponsor or whatever.”
[What the hell is a jack-of-all-trades sponsor?]
[He’s just getting arrogant and losing his sense of reality because he’s getting some work. There are tons of kids like him.]
Ian raised one eyebrow.
Eom Ji-hwan spoke in a mocking tone, but underneath his pretense, there was jealousy towards Ian. He thought Ian had it easy because he had a good face, while he had to do dirty things to climb up the ladder.
“What if your group member never recovers? If you’re going to stop your activities because of a few hate comments… That’s the end of your group activities, too. Aren’t you just being prideful for nothing?”
“Haha.”
Just a few hate comments? Ian laughed out loud and then hardened his expression.
“Hey.”
“…Huh?”
“What are you trying to do with me?”
He didn’t care about his subtle jabs before. He was only wasting his energy by talking to himself anyway. But.
[He crossed the line when he touched our member.]
He didn’t feel anything for Eom Ji-hwan, but he had some pity for him. If Ian had been Kim Yong-min in his previous life, he might have accepted the offer from Cheonghwa Group without hesitation.
[I don’t think Eom Ji-hwan worked that hard, though.]
He had to do several retakes today because of Eom Ji-hwan. Ian sighed deeply. He didn’t feel like arguing with him because it was too absurd.
“Ji-hwan.”
“…”
“Stop messing around and focus on your acting. Don’t bother me with your petty provocations.”
Eom Ji-hwan’s face turned red with embarrassment as Ian spoke to him casually.
Ian left him alone and headed to the set.
[I’ll be more famous than that bastard.]
Eom Ji-hwan clenched his fist as he was left alone.