After the world ended, daylight became a time of danger.
The violence that people had once concealed behind laws and morals now revealed its true nature, unrestrained by the masks it once wore. That savagery could no longer be hidden under the bright sun—if anything, the sunlight only fueled it.
People became nothing more than coin purses to each other.
No different from monsters in a game.
Just creatures that dropped money when killed.
Neighbors who had held grudges were long dead, and strangers were easy prey.
Even those you were once close to—one solid strike, and they were gone for good.
Family? If there was genuine affection, maybe they'd stick together.
The bonds of family are stronger than most think.
But more people saw the end of the world as a chance for a fresh start.
So many died. So many killed.
In this ruined world, daylight was an inconvenient time to move around.
The thought of someone out there hunting you was deeply unsettling.
Korea may not have guns, but it had Skills.
There were countless ways to kill a person from a distance in an instant.
Just from what I'd seen, there were dozens—no, hundreds.
So I moved quietly, sticking to deserted alleys.
Meeting Yeonju had changed me.
She was the woman who turned a pathetic, cowardly bastard like me into something resembling a human.
A prostitute? No. To me, she was the most noble, lovable woman in the world.
Would I ever see her again? I hoped so.
I wanted to see her smile again, to sleep with her again.
If I went back now, could I hold her? No—would she even still be there?
I didn't know.
She was younger than me but smarter, wiser, more mature.
I really hoped I'd see her again.
Please, let her survive this godforsaken world unscathed so we can meet again.
Lost in thought, I finally spotted the officetel.
Kim Yeji—a woman so beautiful she could rival a celebrity.
There was something I needed to check with her.
I'd made it here undetected, and as I quietly climbed the stairs, my mind raced.
What had happened to her? Was she still inside? Or had she gone out?
My thoughts were a mess, but my steps carried me stubbornly toward her door.
Finally reaching her floor, I approached slowly, silently.
I checked the piece of blue tape I'd stuck to the doorframe.
It was still there.
I couldn't believe it. She'd actually listened to me and stayed inside for the past week.
I raised my hand to ring the bell but hesitated.
Wait… she doesn't know it's me.
If I ring it, how would she know I'm the same guy from before?
You fucking idiot. You didn't think this through.
After standing there for a while, I finally pressed the bell. Whatever, let's see what happens.
Yeonju had taught me many things.
The most important was confidence—the best thing I'd learned from her.
I used to be a spineless coward, tiptoeing through life, obsessed with not making mistakes.
But now? No need for that. No more pointless perfectionism.
No response came after I rang the bell, which made me uneasy—but then I remembered I'd told her not to respond.
Silence was normal. So how was I supposed to get her to open the door?
Knock. Knock.
"Yeji. It's 'us.'"
Would that make her come out? Would she recognize me?
Click. Clack.
The sound of locks disengaging made my heart race.
I can't believe this stupid code actually worked.
Creeeak—
The door didn't open all the way. The security latch kept it ajar by just a sliver.
Had she lost weight? Her face looked thinner, her expression uneasy.
"You kept your promise, so I came to reward you."
The door closed, then the latch was undone.
When it opened again, Yeji stepped back, turning away.
Her eyes flickered with fear—and confusion.
She was seeing me for the first time.
Had she expected men in black suits, moving in groups?
Instead, here I was—wearing a plain T-shirt, jeans, a small backpack, and a machete.
Disappointed?
As I stepped inside and locked the door behind me, Yeji—now in a white T-shirt and sweatpants—watched me with fear and doubt in her eyes.
She sat on the edge of her bed, then glanced at me as if realizing she'd given me an invitation.
"Relax. I'm not gonna do anything."
She seemed to ease up a little, but the tension didn't completely leave her.
Still, she was calmer now.
I walked to the center of the room and sat down.
"First, I owe you an apology—for how I acted before."
My sudden shift in tone confused her.
"I killed the four men who came for you. I raped you. I lied to you. I made you do weird shit for a week."
Her expression turned even more bewildered.
"I'm not asking for forgiveness. I just needed to say it for my own sake. Forget all the bullshit I told you. Live however you want. But since you kept your promise, I'll reward you."
With that, I opened the Shop and bought as much food as I could see.
Rice, canned goods, ramen, snacks… This insane Shop had everything, so I kept tapping until a mountain of food piled up in front of me.
Once I'd said my piece and stacked the food, I stood to leave.
"Hey."
Yeji called out just as I was about to walk out.
"Not enough?"
She looked straight at me, her voice clear—most of her fear gone now.
"What was the lie?"
"The 'us' thing. There is no 'us.' Just me."
"Anything else?"
"That I'd kill you? Honestly, I never really wanted to."
She hesitated, then spoke again.
"Can we… keep doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"You giving me food if I stay inside."
"Huh?"
I couldn't understand this woman. What the hell was she saying?
"I don't know what you're thinking, but… I like it."
"You like staying locked up in exchange for food?"
"Yeah."
"Do you even know why I said all that?"
"Wasn't it to sleep with me?"
Hah. I almost laughed.
Of course. In this insane world, the survivors were the insane ones.
Kim Yeji wasn't normal either. No, she definitely wasn't.
This world was even crazier than I thought, and the ones left alive were just as crazy.
"So you're saying—you don't go outside, don't meet anyone, I bring you food regularly, and sex is fine too?"
"Yes."
You goddamn idiot, Sungcheol. Why were you trying to groom Minji when there are women like this?
I was speechless, but I couldn't just stand there, so I asked:
"How is that a good deal for you?"
"Sex won't kill me. I can't get pregnant. Anyone with an STD is either dead or cured by potions. But going outside for food? That could get me killed. And you don't seem like you want to kill me."
I fell silent.
She wasn't wrong.
Especially for someone like her—with a useless Skill—stepping outside was nothing but stress and terror.
She'd probably picked [Exchange: Can of Beer] thinking it'd help her barter for supplies.
But bartering meant dealing with people—and that meant danger every single time.
If a guy like me brought her food regularly, maybe that was the better option.
"So… we keep doing this?"
"As long as you don't just take the food and run."
"You trust me?"
"No. This is a transaction."
"Transactions rely on trust."
"This is face-to-face. You're not gonna scam me right in front of me, are you?"
I couldn't follow her logic.
Was she smart? Or just stupid?
I should've known when she picked [Exchange: Can of Beer].
She was either insane or had a few screws loose.
"This is insane. You're really okay with this?"
"If it were a group of guys, I wouldn't be. But you're alone. And you're being honest. You're… kinda handsome. Are you actually a good person?"
"A good person who raped you? Do you even remember what I did?"
"I remember. You came inside me and left. How could I forget?"
"And you think I'm a good person?"
"You didn't know? In this world, not killing someone makes you a good person."
I had no response.
This really was the end times.
I thought I'd been living recklessly since the world went to hell, but…
I must've fallen behind the trends of this insane new world.
"Ha. I really don't get it."
"So… you won't do it?"
As she spoke, she slid off her sweatpants.
Then slowly pulled off her T-shirt.
Her D-cup boobs, cinched waist, alluring hips, and smooth legs were an open invitation.
"Are you… in your right mind?"
"Does it matter?"
"Ha. Yeah. If the world's insane, what's the point of being sane?"
I wanted to grab those big boobs, suck on them, squeeze them.
I wanted to push inside her and listen to her moans.
But not today.
She was tempting, but I wasn't in the mood.
Probably because I'd spent all night fucking Yeonju.
Yeji?
If she kept her end of the deal, she'd be a woman I could visit anytime for a meal.
No need to rush.
"Call me a pathetic bastard who can't even eat without help if you want. Not today. I didn't come here to fuck you. But I'll take your deal. One week. I'll come back in a week. If you stay inside till then, the deal stands."
Yeji crossed her legs and watched me.
Every time I saw her, I was struck by how attractive she was.
A woman like this, available whenever I wanted?
Now that was a happy thought.
"Okay."
"When I come back, five knocks means it's me."
"Sure."
Still sitting there, legs crossed, fear gone—I left her like that and walked out.
I still didn't get it, but…
Yeah, she wasn't normal either.
I stuck the tape back on the door hinge and headed home.