I examined the wound.

    It was teeming with maggots, filling every crevice.

    Using gloved hands, I swept them away and inspected further.

    It was too late.

    The injury was far too severe to salvage. Surviving this long was already a miracle.

    Gold lay there, unable to even lift his head, staring at me with eyes full of resignation.

    “Gold...”

    Slowly, I shook my head.

    Gold closed his eyes and lowered his head.

    He had never done anything particularly noteworthy for me.

    And I was no different.

    Yet, for some reason, this creature stirred something special within me.

    Maybe it was because there were no expectations between us from the beginning.

    I wanted to do something for him.

    But what could I do for someone who was clearly about to die?

    No—there was one thing.

    “Gold.”

    I called out to him.

    He turned his weary eyes toward me without lifting his head.

    “Let’s go home.”

    He struggled to raise his head.

    “If you’re going to die, you should at least die at home.”

    Gold let out a faint wheezing sound. He couldn’t even manage a proper bark.

    As he lifted his head, dried blood and maggots mingled with pus fell from beneath his fur.

    But we didn’t need words to communicate.

    Gold slowly nodded and stuck out his tongue.

    “...Wait here. I’ll bring the truck.”

    He lowered himself back down.

    “Can you walk?”

    Gold tried to push himself up but quickly faltered.

    “It’s okay. Don’t waste your strength. I’ll be right back. Don’t you dare die on me.”

    Gold replied with another faint, wheezing sound.

    As I mounted the motorcycle, Silver wagged his tail, looking at me curiously.

    “You stay here.”

    Silver tilted his head, wagging his tail in confusion.

    I pointed toward Gold.

    “Over there. Stay with your dad.”

    He wandered off in the wrong direction.

    I turned to see what he was doing and found him squatting to relieve himself.

    Turning on the motorcycle’s headlight, I sped off.

    The distance between Gold’s hiding spot and my territory felt endless on foot but was only moments by vehicle.

    Of course, nothing in the apocalypse ever goes smoothly.

    With a rustle, I removed the camouflaged tarp of dirt and gravel covering the garage entrance.

    Whirrr—

    The hydraulics groaned as the sloped entrance—slow but sturdy—began to open.

    Clang! Clang!

    I quickly checked the electric truck for any issues.

    After pulling out the vehicle, I had to reverse the entire process to ensure my garage remained secure. Without it, I risked losing everything.

    Today, however, luck was not on my side.

    The truck’s battery was acting up.

    I hadn’t used it much, yet the voltage was erratic.

    The batteries I used daily for 365 days a year were perfectly fine, yet this rarely used truck’s battery decided to fail.

    Perhaps those small South Korean manufacturers weren’t wrong about durability. I muttered to myself as I begrudgingly swapped out the battery.

    Underneath the truck, I replaced the main battery and double-checked the voltage.

    Normal.

    Though the night was cold, the remnants of summer’s humidity left my forehead and back drenched in sweat.

    I drank some water and used the restroom.

    No matter how urgent the situation, preparation was critical.

    After ensuring my weapons and emergency supplies were in order, I started the truck.

    Since I was uncertain about the vehicle’s condition, I avoided steep slopes, taking a gentler route past the old home of Kim Elder and onto the road.

    I left the headlights off.

    My eyes were already adjusted to the dark, and I knew this area like the back of my hand.

    To the north, a few lights were visible, but the south was almost entirely dark.

    The southern region had been a battlefield, strategically evacuated by the government.

    Most of the population from smaller administrative districts had been absorbed into nearby cities.

    Though this created population pressure, it had been a necessary decision at the time to combat scattered crises.

    Amid World War III-scale conflict, zombies, monsters, and mutations emerged, rendering small military and police units ineffective against the chaos.

    What else could they have done as entire cities turned into zombie dens?

    In the distance, a roar echoed.

    Was it a mutated dog?

    No, something else—something unknown.

    Not only dogs mutated.

    The Maya Language Board occasionally reported sightings of mutated boars, deer, crows, and even wildcats in the southern regions.

    Particularly concerning were reports of mutated wildcats, confirmed through bounty notices posted on local boards.

    This was uncharted territory for me. Strange creatures were to be expected.

    But the sound I heard as I neared Gold’s location truly worried me.

    Bark! Bark! Bark!@@@@

    The growls of mutated dogs—several of them.

    The sound pattern was familiar.

    It was the noise they made while establishing hierarchy among themselves.

    Could it be that the ones who had attacked Gold had returned?

    It was possible.

    For the briefest moment, I felt as though I heard a faint whisper of thanks.

    And then, I quietly watched him close his eyes for the last time.

    “...”

    Strangely enough, I didn’t feel the same drowsiness I had back then.

    It was odd.

    In the heat of battlefields where thousands died every day, I often felt sleepy.

    Yet here, in this quiet, serene place, not a trace of that fatigue emerged.

    Silver raised his head high and let out a mournful howl.

    As if bidding farewell to his departed father, he howled a few more times before approaching me.

    I inspected Silver’s bloodied wounds, stroking his head, all the while gazing at my dog, who would never open his eyes again.

    “...Your father was as brave and fearless as you.”

    I didn’t plan to bury Gold.

    He would remain here, in the house where he was born and raised, to decompose, turn to bones, and eventually disappear, following the old ways of his kin, the wolves.

    *

    I brought Silver back to the bunker.

    There, I treated his wounds, gave him a light wash, and even provided a meal.

    But this little guy turned out to be surprisingly picky.

    He wouldn’t even touch frozen meat.

    Sniffing at it, he pushed the entire bowl away with his paw.

    Instead, he devoured the fresh meat I’d caught the day before with gusto.

    Typical of a creature born and raised in the wild, I thought.

    What should I do? Should I start hunting?

    Judging by how Gold’s pack had survived, there must have been plenty of game in their territory.

    To raise a creature this large, I’d have to hunt daily. But could I really adapt to such a lifestyle?

    Then again, learning to hunt might not be a bad skill to have for long-term survival.

    If I was going to care for him, hunting was non-negotiable.

    But all of this turned out to be unnecessary.

    The next day, Silver vanished like the wind.

    All he left behind were a few tufts of fur, a different shade than his father’s. He chose freedom over human companionship.

    It was the Defender siblings who unexpectedly brought news of him.

    “Skelton, did you see the photo I sent? Even mutation dogs have puppies! Isn’t it adorable?”

    The aerial photo she sent showed the mutation dog pack I’d encountered that night. Among them, a small silver-furred figure stood proudly.

    Recalling the slightly dimwitted yet brave and proud pup, much like his father, I found myself smiling involuntarily.

    “...Yeah, it’s cute.”

    Even if humanity’s era came to an end, these creatures’ time wouldn’t.

    For a moment, I imagined the lineage started by Gold eventually ruling over this peninsula.

    Anonymous1532:

    You should thank your dad. I feel like shooting you mutts on sight every day, but seeing your dad’s face keeps me from doing it.

    To be honest, Gold’s offspring seemed more deserving of survival than most humans on our forum.

    “...”

    Tap, tap, tap.

    SKELTON:

    Worse than a dog.

    “Ah.”

    I had lost my composure.

    The emotions Gold and Silver had stirred in me had led to an uncharacteristic outburst.

    The reaction was instant.

    Anonymous1532:

    What? You little—? Did this mutt just insult me? Who the hell are you? Where do you live? Skelton? Skelton? You insect! Show your face, name, and location right now!

    “...”

    Well, I’d already started this. Might as well finish it.

    SKELTON:

    Your mom.

    Anonymous1532:

    You’re done! I’m sending soldiers and hackers to track you down and crush you!

    SKELTON:

    ????

    I’d added two more retorts.

    A rare mistake for someone like me.

    But the response was overwhelming. A flood of compliments poured in.

    Foxgames:

    Skelton! I unblocked you! Open your DMs, and I’ll give you a royal account!

    rokagg:

    Skelton, you legend!

    Defender:

    Suh-seobang!

    Anonymous458:

    LOL, legend!

    mmmmmmmmm:

    Oh, this guy knows how to play!

    gijayangban:

    Hmm... interesting.

    Perhaps the courage to engage in these insults was Gold’s parting gift to me.

    But good fortune never lasts.

    The K-walkie emitted an unusual sound.

    Sensing trouble, I checked the device.

    It was Woo Min-hee.

    “...”

    I’m someone who thrives under pressure.

    No matter the situation, I pride myself on remaining calm and making rational decisions.

    Right now, that meant answering the call.

    I took a deep breath, masking any tension, and responded casually.

    “Hey, Min-hee! What’s up? Great weather we’re having, huh?”

    “Senior, you’ve been online, right?”

    “Nope, not at all.”

    “Really?”

    “Really. I haven’t been online.”

    “Can I come visit your bunker?”

    For a moment, I covered my mouth to stop myself from saying, “Why would you come when you’re not well?”

    “Can I? Right? I can come, right?”

    “There are... things at my place I’d rather not show anyone.”

    “It’s fine. It’s fine. I just want to confirm something.”

    “...”

    This was bad. Very bad.