11. Escape plan: Proactive strategy

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

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Hyo-rung's voice trembled as she voiced her concern. "Is it really necessary for all of us to go to the broadcast room?" she asked, her tone soft but laced with anxiety. "Isn't it safer to stay here? The teacher told us to find a safe place and wait for help. Can't just a few of us go?"

Nam-ra, who had been listening attentively, spoke up. "This room is very close to the entrance," she pointed out, her voice calm but serious. "If more zombies come this way, we would be the first to face them. The doors might not be able to hold if there are too many."

On-jo nodded in agreement, adding her own perspective. "The doors to the broadcast room have proper latches," she explained. "We wouldn't have to keep guard all the time, which means we can rest properly. Besides, it's safer for all of us to stay together. Splitting up would make us more vulnerable."

Cheong-san, who had been deep in thought, now chimed in. "The broadcast room is on the second floor, right? That means it's more secure than being on the ground floor where zombies can easily break in. We need a place where we can fortify ourselves better."

Joon-yeong, sensing the importance of reinforcing their argument, added, "We need to gather information about what's happening outside. If we stay here without knowing what's going on, we could miss critical updates on rescue operations or any instructions for survivors. The broadcast room has a computer; we might be able to access the internet and get the information we need."

"But what about the zombies outside?" Hyo-rung asked, her worry evident.

"We'll have to be careful," Su-hyeok reassured her. "If we can distract them and move quickly, we can make it. And once we're there, we'll be in a better position to plan our next steps. It's a risk, but staying here without any idea of what's happening outside is even riskier."

"It's better if we stay together. I don't think splitting up is a good idea," Dae-su murmured.

After hearing Dae-su's statement, a slogan came to Jin-soo's mind from the movie he had seen in his previous life. He quickly resisted the urge to stand up and say, 'Apes together strong' by holding his fingers above his head.

"Now think about the ways to exit this room," Cheong-san muttered.

On-jo after a moment, suggested, "We could use the fire alarm," she proposed, her voice tinged with determination. "It'll create enough commotion to draw them away from the doors, giving us a window of opportunity to escape."

The group fell silent, considering her suggestion. It was I-sak who broke the silence, her expression thoughtful but cautious. "But On-jo, the noise might attract even more zombies to this floor. What if it doesn't work as we hope? It could make things worse."

Cheong-san nodded in agreement. "I-sak is right. The sound of the fire alarm will travel far. It might draw zombies from other parts of the school towards us instead of away from us."

Su-hyeok, always the pragmatist, added, "And once we set it off, we can't turn it off. It might cause a bigger problem than the one we're trying to solve."

Woo-jin looked around at the group, his face showing his inner conflict. "We need to think about the long-term consequences. If we make too much noise, we could be surrounded from all sides. We need a plan that minimizes risk, not one that potentially increases it."

Hyo-rung, still visibly anxious, nodded vigorously. "I agree. It's too dangerous. We need to find a quieter way to move."

Dae-su, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. "Maybe we can find something else to create a distraction without making so much noise. Something that won't draw zombies from everywhere."

On-jo bit her lip, realizing the potential flaw in her plan. "You're right," she admitted reluctantly. "I didn't think about the noise attracting more zombies. We need another way."

Jin-soo, who had been mulling over the discussion, suddenly brightened. "As there are only six to seven zombies outside, how about letting them inside one by one—" he began, but Na-yeon interrupted, cursing him, "Do you want everyone in the room to die?"

Nam-ra frowned at Na-yeon and interrupted, "At least let him complete what he was saying."

Ji-min, too, scolded her, "If you don't have any idea, just shut up and listen. I'm getting tired of your behavior, Na-yeon."

Jin-soo narrowed his eyes at Na-yeon but continued, "If we just create a small gap in the sliding door and let a zombie in one by one, we can kill it without attracting much attention from the zombies in other rooms and floors. We could use my knife to do it quietly and efficiently. This way, we can clear the immediate threat and then move to the broadcast room more safely."

The group fell silent again, weighing Jin-soo's suggestion.

Joon-yeong was the first to speak, her tone measured. "It's risky, but it might work. If we can manage to control the situation and deal with the zombies one by one, we might be able to clear a path without causing too much noise."

Cheong-san nodded thoughtfully. "It would require precision and teamwork. We'd have to be very careful, but it's a plausible plan."

Nam-ra added, "It's definitely less noisy than setting off the fire alarm. And if we can pull it off, we won't have to worry about zombies swarming this area from other parts of the school."

Su-hyeok looked pensive. "We'd need to make sure everyone is ready and in position. Any mistake could be costly, but it does seem like our best shot at moving quietly."

The others too weren't to reluctant with the idea proposed by Jin-soo and nodded their heads in support.

Na-yeon, clearly irritated but slightly subdued by the collective agreement, muttered, "Fine. Let's just hope it works and doesn't end up getting us all killed."

Jin-soo glanced at Dae-su and Gyeong-su, his eyes serious but resolute. "Dae-su, Gyeong-su, I need you both to stand beside the sliding door and give a slight opening for just one zombie to enter inside, then quickly close the door back," he instructed, his voice steady.

He then turned to Su-hyeok, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san. "You three, grab chairs and stand a bit away from the door. As soon as the zombie comes through, block it with the chairs to slow it down. Once it's restrained, I'll finish it off with my knife."

Joon-yeong, sensing the gravity of the situation, interrupted, "We also need a backup plan in case things go south. We need weapons to defend ourselves if more zombies get in."

Jin-soo nodded in agreement. "Everyone, find something that can be used as a weapon. Anything that can help us fend off the zombies if things go wrong."

The group dispersed, searching the room for makeshift weapons. They grabbed brooms, pens, chairs, water bottles and anything else that could serve as a tool for defense. Within minutes, they were back at their positions, ready and tense.

Jin-soo gave a final nod to Dae-su and Gyeong-su. "Alright, let one zombie in. Be careful."

Dae-su and Gyeong-su moved cautiously to the door, their hands trembling slightly. They pulled the door open just enough for a single zombie to stumble through. But in their nervousness, they fumbled and the gap widened too much. Four zombies lurched inside, their bloodied forms advancing rapidly.

Two of the zombies were immediately intercepted by Su-hyeok, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san, who blocked them with their chairs, struggling to hold them back. The other two, however, were more agile. One lunged at Jin-soo's while the other sprinted and jumped straight at Nam-ra, who was standing nearby, her eyes widening in fear as the zombie closed the distance.

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