I'm an Unknown Actress, But Everyone Knows Me

”First, we understand that something serious has happened. However, we should first contact higher authorities and confirm the exact situation.”

The two-star general spoke calmly.

Tak Jeongyun stomped her foot in frustration.

”It’s going to rain soon! Lightning will start around eight o’clock. We have to begin evacuating as quickly as possible—”

”And how can you be so certain of that?”

”...The weather forecast—”

”Everyone seems quite shaken. Take a moment to catch your breath. What are you waiting for?”

The two-star general gave orders to his men.

Every second mattered.

Tak Jeongyun shouted at Kang Hyeonwoo.

”Give him the Planning Director’s number!”

The two-star general, who had been about to call the hospital director again, paused.

”The director can’t answer. He’s the one who fell. Then shouldn’t you contact the person directly beneath him?”

The two-star general looked at Kang Hyeonwoo once, then Tak Jeongyun, and sighed.

”It seems you know something in detail. Let’s talk among ourselves. You too.”

Calling over the head of security, the two-star general headed deeper into the auditorium.

* * *

”Excuse me.”

”Yes?”

”Can I borrow your phone? My data connection isn’t working.”

”Ah. One moment... huh? Mine isn’t working either.”

”Does anyone have data?”

On Jihwa borrowed a security guard’s phone.

[Input: Mom, it’s Jihwa. I’m in the auditorium on the eighth floor.]

The moment she sent the message, a call came immediately.

-Jihwa! Are you okay? The ex, explosion—

”I’m okay. There are soldiers here. Mom?”

-Oh, thank God... thank God...

”If you can get outside the hospital, just leave.”

-What are you saying—!

”I’m hanging up.”

On Jihwa said only what she needed and ended the call.

Another call came immediately, but she ignored it.

In the distance, Myeong Jeha was trying to call someone. Frustrated, he kicked a chair several times.

After returning the phone, On Jihwa looked toward Do Gyeoul.

She, too, was trying to borrow a phone.

”By the way.”

On Jihwa stared at her.

”I’ve been thinking about this for a while. You two are weird.”

...

At her sharp tone, even the soldiers nearby turned their attention to Do Gyeoul.

”If there really were some virus, people would just quarantine things. They wouldn’t lower shutters and run away.”

”...What?”

”And how did you know the virus started below?”

...

On Jihwa was an athlete who focused on one target.

She had held a bow before memorizing multiplication tables.

As far as mental control went, she could be considered one of the best in the world.

Thrown into the professional world since childhood, she couldn’t possibly be clueless.

A finely tempered athlete.

”How did you know the upper floors were safe?”

She knew how to create variables before situations spiraled out of control.

More precisely—

”You caused all that chaos downstairs because you were sure, didn’t you?”

She was someone capable of keeping her balance no matter what happened.

-Holy crap.

-TT_____TT Don’t say anything!

-If she’s right, Jeongyun’s whole plan is screwed.

-The general’s already suspicious too TT_TT

-Jihwa... please...

-Honestly I’d be suspicious too.

”Nya—.”

Angry that her owner still hadn’t gone to bed long after bedtime, the cat complained.

Jumping onto the sofa, she pressed her front paws onto his shoulder.

”Mmm. Meonji’s angry.”

”Purrrrrrr—”

”Good girl.”

Ji Haebeom, his eyes fixed on the screen, soothed the cat by kissing her forehead.

Han Yeoreum’s expression as she looked at Do Gyeoul held the strength that belonged only to someone confident in their own judgment.

Eyes carrying a dry defiance.

A look that said she wouldn’t simply do as others wished.

”Haven’t seen that face before.”

It was exactly the face Ji Haebeom wanted.

* * *

Ding.

A small electronic sound echoed through the dark hospital.

One elevator that everyone thought had been disabled began moving.

[Cargo Only]

Several men covered in blood stepped out.

”Damn it, this is killing me....”

-Gangster bros 😯😯😯😯

-So they really survived.

-TT__TT Feels like they’re gonna stab everyone at the survivor camp and only take the pilot.

-Scary as hell.

Someone was being carried piggyback behind the gangsters.

”Nice. Things go smoothly if we just do what you said.”

”Th-thank you...”

”No need for thanks. So what’s next?”

The man appeared to be a funeral hall employee.

His ankle dangled at an unnatural angle, apparently broken after being stepped on.

”Since we have to transport bodies out of sight... toward the back—”

”Okay. He says over there.”

Security had only shut down the regular elevators.

The body transport elevator still worked.

They headed upward.

”The Planning Director says he’s coming here...”

The two-star general groaned quietly.

He had no idea what was happening anymore.

”Sir.”

”Hm?”

”The communication networks are unstable. K&T and S&K are down. Only RG U+ is working.”

”...And.”

”It seems the infected are real. Look.”

A soldier held out his phone.

The crisis had struck right during rush hour.

-Kyaaaah! What is that?!

-Cl, close the doors!

-Move! Hurry!

-What is that...?

The infected who entered the subway spread to the next station.

Then the next.

At transfer stations they spread to other lines.

On the roads, a bus driver whose neck had been bitten crashed after slamming the brakes.

An infected person crawled through an open window and bit a pedestrian.

All of it was spreading through social media.

...

The two-star general fell silent.

Then—

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

To those whose phones still had service, a message arrived.

[Ministry of the Interior and Safety]

As of 16:00 today, an unidentified outbreak of violent behavior and assaults has occurred at a general hospital in Jongno District, Seoul (Hanguk University Hospital), and nearby areas. Vehicles operating near the region are advised to reroute, and citizens are strictly prohibited from approaching the hospital vicinity.

Tak Jeongyun spoke with a pale face.

”Excuse me.”

Because this emergency alert had spread—

something that had never happened before.

The number of infected was increasing exponentially despite everything she had prevented at the beginning.

Because the infected who had failed to enter the hospital had all run outside.

”We don’t have time.”

Bang! Bang!

Chaos erupted outside.

* * *

”God, this is driving me insane!”

Unable to contain his anger, Myeong Jeha repeatedly kicked a chair.

”Please calm down—”

”Do I look calm? I can’t reach my kid!”

Myeong Jeha collapsed onto the floor.

”I don’t know what the hell’s going on. Just bring out your boss, that old guy or whatever. I need to get out.”

”We’re discussing operations—”

”Forget operations! There’s a helicopter, right? We just leave! Hey, old man, you’re a pilot, right? Then you can fly that thing. Great.”

Anxiety had devoured Myeong Jeha’s reason.

”What is all this commotion?!”

The two-star general emerged from the recording room inside the auditorium with a frown.

”So we’re just gonna sit around? Is now the time to observe the outside? Damn it, are you even a soldier?”

”How dare you speak to the general—”

”Right now, saving the greatest number of lives comes first.”

”Fine. Then save some of the lives here first before talking about the majority. Send a rescue signal or something! You’re obviously somebody important!”

After watching the footage and reading the emergency alert, the two-star general unconsciously muttered,

”Even if we send a rescue signal, I don’t know if the government will answer.”

Everyone froze.

”What do you mean?”

”The Presidential Office is only ten minutes away by car.”

...

”So in a crisis like this, who do you think gets protected first?”

The auditorium fell silent.

A hellish silence settled over everyone.

* * *

The infected shook the shutters.

Clank. Clank. Clank-clank-clank.

The seams of the first-floor shutters had begun to loosen.

* * *

Darkness was falling outside.

The blood-stained university hospital appeared once more.

The camera shifted smoothly.

The Presidential Office.

Several vehicles were moving through the underground bunker.

”VIPs 1 through 3 are [N O V E L I G H T] moving. Provide protection.”

”VIP movement confirmed. Support Team 2-1 proceeding.”

Men with radios moved busily.

-Ah... shit, they’re gonna start fighting over the helicopter.

-TT_TT If I thought no help was coming, I wouldn’t give up the helicopter either.

-This is insane.

-What about our baby Jihwa, damn it!!!

-Hyeonmok... did you get a helicopter pilot’s license?

-Damn it TT__TT

-Hyeonmok: Like hell I did.

Inside a moving car, the President picked up his phone.

”Situation report.”

He spoke briefly.

The driver pressed the accelerator.

The navigation displayed their destination.

[Gyeonggi, Hwaseong City...]

The 51st Infantry Division.

They had completely abandoned Seoul and were heading toward the underground bunker beneath Gyeryongdae in South Chungcheong Province—the final fortress.

-Jongno District is currently paralyzed. Because Hanguk University Hospital entered emergency conditions, the wounded and infected were transferred to Gangrim University Hospital and Baekseon Hospital, but—

”So?”

-To summarize the results, both hospitals ended up in the exact same state as Hanguk University Hospital.

”So the infection spread.”

The President sighed.

News arrived every second.

An unprecedented disaster had begun devouring Seoul.

* * *

-Assuming help won’t come is reasonable.

Among the panicking people, Tak Jeongyun alone remained calm.

-But what does it mean when he deliberately says that in front of civilians?

After experiencing countless hells, she could now calculate everything perfectly.

-...It’s an unspoken signal.

Her tired voice was rough.

-That there won’t be any more rescuers.

Their eyes met.

The two-star general still had the eyes of an upright soldier.

But he smiled like a hyena that had clawed its way to the top.

-It means we’re leaving by ourselves.

-No way, holy shit LMAOO

-Never trust the military or police in an apocalypse T_T

-Then what was the point of coming here, assholes?

-But honestly... what else can they do? It’s obvious nobody’s coming because of the President.

-If you’re a soldier, that’s exactly what you’re supposed to do lololol That’s professionalism.

-TT_TT Jihwa...

”Let’s organize things. First, the infected have spread outside rapidly. Second, communications are down because of it. Third—”

The two-star general folded his fingers one by one.

”What do the infected react to? If they’re the kind that can be shot on sight, then we’ll take that risk.”

”General!”

”Protecting civilians is my duty. Even if people throw stones at me after this is over, I have to confirm it.”

His words sounded convincing.

Very convincing.

”All right. Divide into groups of three and scout. Team A, search the eighth floor. Team B, head down to the seventh floor. If infected are present—”

Bzzz.

Tak Jeongyun’s phone vibrated.

A memo had arrived through file sharing.

[On Jihwa said earlier that you were suspicious. She asked how you knew only the lower floors would have infected.]

Without showing it, Tak Jeongyun checked it on her smartwatch.

[She asked if you caused all that chaos downstairs because you were sure.]

Tak Jeongyun looked toward On Jihwa.

On Jihwa had apparently been watching her all this time as well.

-Right. Suspect me.

Tak Jeongyun turned away.

A faint guilt remained.

-Stay here and wait for your mother.

-Holy crap.

-So that’s why she separated the two of them.

-Ah... she’s leaving Jihwa here to reassure the others.

-TT_TT Jihwa won’t leave without her mom.

-That’s too cruel.

The forums exploded.

Because Tak Jeongyun’s selfishness was directed toward On Jihwa.

On Jihwa had been with from the very beginning.

Naturally, she was someone viewers couldn’t help but become attached to amidst this hell.

A minor who lost her mother beyond the shutter.

The sight of her trembling alone remained vivid in everyone’s minds.

Everyone remembered the tiny, frightened On Jihwa who looked like she would collapse from fear—

The girl everyone assumed would survive—

Rolling down the stairs and dying a horrible death.

-That’s why I brought you here.

But no one could completely hate Tak Jeongyun.

-TT_TT I hate this, but I understand...

-Better one sacrifice than everyone dying again...

-Can’t the women just leave together?

-Then what about Hyeonmok?

-She’s been carrying everything alone for so long that I just feel sorry for her. My heart hurts.

Because they remembered Tak Jeongyun sitting on the stairs crying.

They remembered her desperately trying to save people.

Watching her struggle, find solutions, and endure countless hopeless days had made everyone pity her.

Han Yeoreum and Tak Jeongyun.

Both acted too well.

Their conflict could only become more intense.

And what we call this—

-Aren’t you guys getting way too invested? LMAOOO

—the sign of a masterpiece.

Immersion.