“I will introduce you to our leader.”  

The guild member said to Cheol-gon.  

Cheol-gon, feeling joyful, followed him.  

While walking, he hesitantly spoke to the man.  

“Umm, should I call you ‘Manager’ or something?”  

“Call me however you’re comfortable with. Now we’re going to be like family.”  

“Haha, is that so? Anyway, before coming here, I met someone I knew.”  

The manager’s footsteps paused for a moment.  

“Someone you knew?”  

“Ah, it’s not someone I’ve known for a long time. It’s someone I met after the doomsday…”  

“Did you tell that person that you were planning to join us today?”  

“Uh, well, I did mention it to them.”  

The manager sighed, seeming troubled.  

His expression clearly showed he was displeased.  

Sensing the manager’s mood, Cheol-gon felt a bit flustered, but since he had already brought it up, he decided to convey the request.  

“Actually, they also want to join this side. I know their location, so could you please meet with them?”  

“Ah, so that’s what it was.”  

The annoyed look on the manager’s face softened.  

“I’m sorry, but as you know, the queue is quite long.”  

“Just hear me out. Those people are from a special forces unit.”  

“Huh?”  

The man showed a surprised reaction.  

“…You mean they’re active-duty special forces, not former?”  

“Yes, real soldiers. They have guns and I even saw them arrive in a military vehicle today.”  

“Interesting.”  

As the man started listening to Cheol-gon with an intrigued expression, Cheol-gon thought he understood the interest.  

“As the manager said, there are so many people waiting, and it takes time just to talk to them. There are quite a few survivors who have already gone back because they couldn’t wait that long.”  

“That’s true.”  

“These people have good character and clear abilities. I can vouch for them. So could you perhaps move them up in the queue somehow…?”  

“Alright.”  

“Oh, thank you!”  

“Not at all.”  

The pale-faced manager said with a slight smile.  

“We should be the ones thanking you. For how much you’re offering to help.”  

“Huh?”  

“You said they want to join us, right?”  

“Ah, yes, that’s right.”  

“Then, come this way.”  

Focused on the conversation, Cheol-gon only now realized he had arrived at his destination.  

The door in front of him.  

He thought the leader of the Gangwon-do Survivor Union must be there.  

Without hesitation, Cheol-gon opened the door.  

But…  

“Uh, it’s dark in here.”  

The room was filled with darkness.  

Cheol-gon called out to the manager but received no reply.  

‘Did he leave already?’  

Perhaps the leader had just stepped out for a moment.  

As Cheol-gon was about to search for the light switch to sit and wait,  

Suddenly, a faint red glow flickered in the darkness.  

‘…?’  

Something – a mysterious, beautiful form – suddenly lunged at him from the darkness.  

“What the–!”  

It was a sudden attack, but Cheol-gon instinctively drew his sword.  

As a warrior-class awakened being over level 10, his reaction speed was fast enough to easily fend off an average monster’s ambush.  

But,  

Crack.  

Faster than Cheol-gon could swing his sword, the form sank its fangs into his neck.  

“Ugh… Aaaaargh…”  

Colour was drained from Cheol-gon’s face, and he collapsed to the floor.  

“Hmm? This man seems quite useful.”  

The form that attacked him spoke.  

The one who responded was the hiding manager.  

“Is that so?”  

“Yes. You said he’s a warrior-class awakened, right? Among the ones I’ve seen so far, he’s likely towards the upper class, maybe slightly weaker than you or on par.”  

“I see. I had thought he was a mediocre individual.”  

“Can’t be helped. You can’t judge a person’s abilities just by looking at them. It’s impossible to fully grasp their capabilities just by appearances.”  

At that moment, someone else joined their conversation.  

“If the taste suited you, I’m glad.”  

A man with fresh bite marks on his neck.  

“You’ll make a fine servant.”  

“Thank you…”  

“Manager, there is one thing I need to relay.”  

“Hmm? What is it? Just continue bringing in any individuals suitable to become servants, and have the useless old people and children eaten by you as you see fit…”  

The manager relayed Cheol-gon’s earlier words.  

Hearing the story, the “Queen” said,  

“Interesting, that there were former warriors in this world.”  

“In that case–”  

“Such individuals would make better servants than those ordinary folk. We can afford to push the other survivors back a bit. Try to bring these ones as soon as possible.”  

The manager bowed his head briefly and left the room.  

Cheol-gon could only stare blankly at the scene.