12. Plan derailed, team regroups

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

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Jin-soo's knife flashed as he swiftly sliced through the neck of the zombie lunging at him. The creature's head snapped back, and it crumpled to the floor, lifeless. Without a moment's hesitation, Jin-soo turned his attention to Nam-ra, who had fallen while holding off a male zombie with a chair.

"Nam-ra!" On-jo and Joon-yeong shouted in unison, rushing to her aid.

Jin-soo, closer than the others, sprang into action. He dropped his knife, grabbed the waist of the zombie attacking Nam-ra from behind, and executed a powerful suplex, slamming it onto the ground. The zombie thrashed for a moment before Jin-soo retrieved his knife and drove it into the creature's throat, silencing it.

As he glanced over at Su-hyeok and the others, he saw that they had managed to take down the two zombies they were struggling with. Metal stands from the chairs had been used to stab the zombies in their necks, and they lay motionless on the ground. Jin-soo let out a sigh of relief.

He turned back to Nam-ra, who was still on the floor, visibly shaken. He walked over and extended a hand to help her up. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Nam-ra nodded slowly, her face still pale with fear. "I'm fine," she managed to say, though her voice was shaky.

On-jo and Joon-yeong reached her side, expressions of worry etched on their faces. "Nam-ra, are you hurt?" On-jo asked, kneeling beside her.

"I'm okay," Nam-ra repeated, her voice growing steadier. "Just a bit shaken up."

Su-hyeok, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san joined them, their faces a mix of concern and relief.

The group gathered around Nam-ra, offering words of comfort and support. Jin-soo looked around, ensuring that everyone was accounted for and unharmed.

"We need to be more careful," Woo-jin said, his tone serious. "That was too close."

"I know," Jin-soo agreed, his expression grave. "We can't afford any more mistakes like that."

Their attention then turned to Gyeong-su and Dae-su, who stood by the door, looking guilt-ridden and ashamed.

On-jo's frustration bubbled over. "What were you thinking?" she snapped. "You almost got us all killed!"

"We're sorry," Dae-su said quietly, his face flushed with embarrassment. "We didn't mean for that to happen."

"It was an accident," Gyeong-su added, his voice barely above a whisper. "We were trying to follow the plan."

"Accident or not, you need to be more careful," On-jo continued, her anger still evident. "One mistake can cost us our lives."

Cheong-san stepped forward, raising a hand to calm the situation. "Enough," he said firmly. "Blaming each other won't help. We need to stay focused and work together."

Jin-soo nodded in agreement. "Cheong-san's right. We need to move on and be more vigilant. Gyeong-su, Dae-su, just be more careful next time."

The group fell silent, absorbing the gravity of their words. The tension eased slightly as they realized the importance of unity in their dire situation.

"Let's get ready to move," Nam-ra said, her voice regaining its strength. "We still need to reach the broadcast room."

"Not so fast," Na-yeon interjected, glaring at Gyeong-su. "We can't just ignore what happened. This welfie almost got us all killed!"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Gyeong-su retorted, his face flushing with anger. "It was a mistake, and we apologized."

"A mistake?" Na-yeon shot back. "You always mess things up. Maybe it's time you stop being a burden to everyone."

Gyeong-su's hands clenched into fists. "You think you're so perfect, Na-yeon? At least I'm trying to help, unlike you!"

"Enough!" Cheong-san's voice cut through the argument, his expression stern. "We don't have time for this. We're all in this together, and we need to support each other."

Jin-soo placed a hand on Gyeong-su's shoulder. "Cheong-san's right. Fighting won't solve anything. Let's stay focused on surviving and getting to the broadcast room."

Na-yeon huffed, crossing her arms but saying nothing more. Gyeong-su took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

The group exchanged glances, the gravity of their situation settling in once more. They couldn't afford to be divided.

Su-hyeok glanced at the door, his eyes widening as he saw four more zombies had been attracted by the noise they made earlier. "Guys, look at the door," he said, his voice low but urgent. "There are seven zombies again."

The group turned their attention to the door, their expressions a mix of frustration and fear. Jin-soo took a deep breath and addressed the group, his tone steady and commanding. "Is everyone ready?" he asked, his eyes scanning the faces of his friends. He paused for a moment, his gaze lingering on Nam-ra, who nodded her head, biting her lower lip.

"We need to stick to the plan," Jin-soo continued, his voice resolute. "Everyone get in position."

The group moved quickly, assuming their previous roles with a newfound determination. Su-hyeok, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san stood ready with their chairs, prepared to intercept the zombies. Joon-yeong, On-jo, and the others found makeshift weapons and positioned themselves strategically around the room.

Jin-soo turned his attention to Gyeong-su and Dae-su, who were still by the door. "You two, let the zombies in one by one, just like we discussed," he instructed, his voice firm but not unkind. "Be careful this time."

Gyeong-su and Dae-su nodded, their expressions serious. They approached the door cautiously, their hands steady as they prepared to execute the plan. They opened the door just a crack, allowing a single zombie to stumble through before quickly closing it again.

The first zombie lurched into the room, its grotesque form advancing slowly. Su-hyeok, Woo-jin, and Cheong-san moved swiftly, blocking its path with their chairs. The zombie struggled against the barrier, its growls filling the room.

Jin-soo moved in quickly, his knife flashing as he delivered a precise blow to the zombie's throat. The creature collapsed to the floor, lifeless.

"One down," Jin-soo muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Get ready for the next one."

Gyeong-su and Dae-su repeated the process, letting in the zombies one by one. Each time, the group worked in unison to subdue and eliminate the threat. The room filled with the sounds of struggle and the sickening thud of bodies hitting the floor.

Despite their initial fear and uncertainty, the group found a rhythm. Their actions became more coordinated, their movements more precise. They worked together with a shared purpose, their survival instincts driving them forward.

As they dispatched the last of the seven zombies, the group paused to catch their breath. The room was littered with the remains of the undead, but they were all alive and unhurt.

"We did it," On-jo said, her voice filled with a mix of relief and exhaustion.

Jin-soo nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "We need to move quickly before more zombies are attracted to the noise. Let's get to the broadcast room."

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