Lee Ho-beom was a survivor from Ulsan.
Tadadadak.
As he cracked two eggs into a frying pan greased with oil and turned on the gas stove, he thought to himself:
"I never thought I’d be able to live like this again."
An utterly ordinary life.
Compared to the days spent in group shelters or makeshift camps, this felt like a dream he hadn’t dared imagine.
Each day was new, filled with gratitude and wonder.
He still vividly rembered the mont he first arrived here.
When he’d reached the apartnt complex, he had been skeptical.
In Ulsan, apartnts were excellent spots for scavenging essentials like clothes and food, so he assud the sa logic applied. When the guides said they would show him to his accommodation, he expected to be led to a gymnasium or a basic shelter.
But when he discovered that the entire apartnt complex had working gas, electricity, and running water, it was like soone had struck him on the back of the head with a hamr.
Although the apartnt required so cleaning, it was equipped with essential appliances: a rice cooker, washing machine, dryer, refrigerator, and even a seemingly useless TV.
The kitchen ca fully stocked with basic utensils, and food and water were easily accessible from the nearby store.
Although money was required to purchase these supplies, they’d initially received financial support, so he hadn’t worried about it.
“I still can’t believe this is real.”
There were monts when he wondered if he had actually died at the hands of the vampires and this was just a hallucination conjured by his dying brain.
"That all of this cos from the power of one man is unbelievable."
He first learned about that man, Kim Jaehyun, through the rescue team.
The rescuers often ntioned his na when treating the wounded.
At first, Lee Ho-beom had dismissed it as fanaticism, suspecting them to be part of a cult. But when he witnessed gravely injured individuals recover miraculously, his skepticism wavered.
Having been personally saved by Ha Dong-geon, it wasn’t difficult for Lee Ho-beom to believe in such stories.
He had seen with his own eyes a man who wielded mysterious powers to obliterate berserk monsters in an instant.
And when he believed in Kim Jaehyun’s existence—
"Strength surged through my body."
Exhausted from carrying Choi Do-yeon on his back, he suddenly felt vitality return to his limbs.
It was an experience he’d never had before, as if his faith had been tangibly rewarded.
He clearly rembered the mont when his weak, malnourished body had been invigorated in an instant.
“Thank you again for today.”
The miracle he experienced at his lowest point was sothing he would never forget.
Feeling grateful for the small daily miracles in his life, he finished preparing breakfast.
After scooping fresh rice from the cooker and setting out so seaweed, Lee Ho-beom called out toward the bedroom:
“Hey! Choi Do-yeon!”
When there was no response, he opened the door to find her bundled in a blanket like a cocoon, fast asleep despite him waking her earlier.
“Hey! How long are you going to keep sleeping? Get up!”
Shaking her awake, he was t with her groggy, half-asleep reply:
“…Just ten more minutes…”
Frowning, Lee Ho-beom yanked the blanket off her.
Choi Do-yeon shivered briefly, curling herself into a ball, and mumbled:
“Five more minutes…”
“Ugh, forget it. I’m eating without you.”
Frustrated, he stomped back to the kitchen and started eating.
He cracked open an egg, letting the yolk run over his rice, and mixed it with a spoon.
Wrapping a bit of the mixture in seaweed, he took a bite and repeated the process a couple of tis before Choi Do-yeon finally erged from the bedroom and sat across from him at the table.
“Thanks for the food.”
Her smile and casual words lted away his irritation, and he let out a deep sigh.
“I’m such a pushover.”
It had been over a week since the two of them started living together in this apartnt.
Both had lost their families and naturally relied on each other, so living together felt inevitable.
Despite this, they remained just friends, which bothered Lee Ho-beom, though he didn’t show it.
He didn’t want to ruin their peaceful routine.
“What ti do we need to leave?”
“Right after this al.”
“Huh? But I need to shower.”
“You have a hat.”
“No way. Today’s the first dungeon raid!”
Choi Do-yeon hurriedly shoveled food into her mouth before rushing off to the bathroom.
Shwaaaa—
The sound of the shower echoed through the apartnt as Lee Ho-beom finished his al and cleared the table. He prepared for their outing.
“Goblin Dungeon, right?”
Over the past week, they had attended training sessions on firearms and Goblin Dungeon strategies. Today was their first field practice.
Each team consisted of eight mbers. For Lee Ho-beom and Choi Do-yeon, their teammates were three married couples.
Although all eight were first-tirs and understandably nervous, an overseer would accompany them, so there was no need for excessive worry.
Lee Ho-beom glanced at his hand, deep in thought.
“Should I say sothing?”
At that mont—
Crackle!
A faint spark of blue electricity flickered across his hand.
He had discovered this ability only four days ago.
He had felt an odd energy stirring within him, and through experintation, realized he could generate electricity.
“It was definitely back then.”
Just before stepping through the flaming portal called Namdaemun, he had felt a terrifying aura emanating from across the Taehwa River.
Everyone present had felt it.
The oppressive killing intent had sent everyone into a panic, with so descending into chaos.
“Ever since that mont, I’ve sensed this strange power inside .”
He was certain it was connected to the vampires.
If this power truly originated from them, it might be a precursor to turning into one.
He had heard rumors of vampires possessing mysterious abilities.
The thought chilled him, but he buried the suspicion deep inside, sharing it only with Choi Do-yeon.
“If this power really cos from them, I might not survive.”
For now, he kept it a secret.
“No good will co from revealing it. I need to hide it as much as possible.”
He tried manifesting the power again, this ti more strongly.
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