HORROR IN PLANNED ASSIGNMENTS

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the dimly lit room, Sae Joon Hyun gathered the fellow survivors in a tense huddle. Sae Joon Hyun's voice cut through the silence, his words heavy with the weight of their situation.

"Did you get it?" he questioned, his gaze scanning each face for signs of understanding. Hailey, a determined look in her eyes, nodded in affirmation.

"To sum it up, we are safe at night. And we must lock them up so they can be treated later, right?" Yohan read aloud, his voice echoing off the walls of the room.

"Now we are more than four. Locking them up will be as easy as tearing up a sheet," Jaeyeon remarked casually, his confidence evident in his demeanor. Yuri, standing beside him, nodded in agreement, her expression resolute.

"Thank god no more perfumes," Eunhye chuckled, sharing a playful glance with Yuri. A soft slap on the shoulder from Yuri only fueled their camaraderie. "Nah, they'll be there~"

Eugene, deep in thought, pondered, "How on earth did they fight them?"

Sae Joon Hyun, ever the strategist, tapped his finger thoughtfully on the table before speaking. "So then let's team up. Our goal is to lock up every single one of them." His words hung in the air, a call to action for the group.

"We are eighteen," he continued, his voice steady and determined. "Minji, Yon, Eugene, and Minyoung in team one; Me, Yuri, Charyeong, and Jay in team two; Eunhye, Jihoon, Mina, and Yohan as team three; and Jaeyeon, Zera, Song, and Hailey as team four. Young will stay here with In-ha to look after her. Anyone with any issues?"

The room fell silent as each member of the group processed the plan, their faces reflecting a mix of determination and apprehension.

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[Team four]

As dusk settled over the desolate streets, Jaeyeon, the lone male among the group, couldn't help but snort in amusement at the situation. "Heh... I am the only guy... it's weird. That dumb Hyeong..." he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with a mix of humor and disbelief.

Hailey, close behind him, clutched onto the back of his shirt, her grip tight with apprehension. "Oppa, where are we going?" she asked, her voice betraying her fear.

"Where? The main road, of course," Jaeyeon replied casually, his smirk evident even in the dim light of evening. Before Hailey could protest, they found themselves standing at the crossroads, faced with a horde of snarling creatures.

"Shall we?" Jaeyeon's smirk widened as he posed the question to Hailey. With a determined nod, they squared their shoulders and gripped their weapons tightly, steeling themselves for the battle ahead.

Sensitive to sound, the creatures let out deafening snarls as they advanced towards Jaeyeon and Hailey. Without hesitation, Jaeyeon lunged forward, driving the long shaft of his weapon through one of the creature's arms. It groaned in pain as he tossed it into the waiting car, where Zera sat behind the wheel, ready to spring into action.

"Pull in," Zera commanded loudly, her voice cutting through the chaos and drawing the attention of the creatures. As they swarmed towards the jeep, Jaeyeon revealed a rifle from the bag in the car and took aim, his movements swift and precise.

Groans echoed through the deserted streets as Jaeyeon picked off the creatures one by one, expertly tossing them into the back of the jeep. With each shot fired, the group inched closer to their goal, their determination unwavering in the face of danger.

As the last of the creatures fell, Zera revved the engine and sped towards the open gates of the mansion where Yunha and Hailey stood guard. With a burst of speed, she crashed through the gates, sending the creatures toppling to the ground.

With a collective sigh of relief, the group hurried to force the creatures inside the mansion, where Hailey bolted the gates securely behind them.

"Phew... that really was something," Yunha remarked, wiping the sweat and tears from her face.

"Yeah, well, more to go," Jaeyeon replied, his tone resolute as they braced themselves for the next challenge that lay ahead.

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[Team one]

As the chaos unfolded in the dimly lit streets, each member of the group found themselves battling against the relentless onslaught of grotesque creatures. Minji, her hands steady but heart racing, launched bullets from her rifle with precision. But the unexpected recoil sent her flying backward, a grimace of pain contorting her features as she hit the ground hard. Gnashing her teeth, she quickly scrambled to reload the magazine, her determination undeterred by the setback.

Meanwhile, Minyoung scanned the surroundings for a means of escape, her eyes darting frantically in search of a vehicle. "There is no one who can drive here other than me though," Minji muttered under her breath.

"And I can't stop fighting either," she interjected, her voice laced with frustration as she continued to fire at the encroaching creatures.

Eugene, tears streaming down his face, moved with agility, ducking and dodging the grasping arms of the creatures. But one of them closed in on him with alarming speed, causing him to stumble backward in a desperate attempt to evade its grasp. As he fell to the ground, the creature tumbled over him, its weight bearing down on him with crushing force. With a blaring wail of pain, Eugene struggled to defend himself, using a rod to block the creature's advances.

"AH!" His cry pierced the air, drawing the attention of Yon, who spun around with knives in hand.

"EUGENE, FIGHT IT!" Minji's voice rang out urgently, her eyes filled with concern as she watched the scene unfold.

But Eugene, biting his lower lip in agony, could only shake his head in despair. The creature, fueled by an unexpected surge of strength, pressed forward relentlessly, causing the rod to bend under the force of its assault.

Yon, seeing Eugene's plight, wasted no time in coming to his aid. With a swift and decisive motion, he plunged his knives into the creature's arms, forcing it back with a grunt of pain. He then positioned himself between Eugene and the creature, his movements fluid and calculated as he deftly dispatched the assailant.

As the creature fell, groaning and writhing in agony, Yon collapsed on Eugene, his breath ragged with exertion. "Y-Yon, are you okay?" Eugene's voice trembled with concern as he reached out a hand towards him.

"Yes, I am fine," Yon replied, his voice strained but resolute. With a gasp, he pushed himself up and offered a hand to Eugene, pulling him to his feet with a determined grimace.

Together, they ran, the sounds of groaning and screaming creatures fading into the distance as Minji continued to blast their limbs with her rifle. Yon, not releasing Eugene's hand, reached for a bottle from his waist bag and sprayed its contents around the writhing figures, causing them to recoil in pain and confusion.

Meanwhile, Minyoung circled the truck around the creatures, crashing into the horde before falling onto their backs. With a coordinated effort, Minji, Yon, and Eugene kicked and shoved the creatures into submission, cramming them into the back of the truck until it was overflowing with writhing bodies.

With the creatures secured, Minyoung sped towards the mansion they had identified as their sanctuary. She positioned the truck with its back facing the front door and skidded to a stop with a deafening screech.

But their relief was short-lived as Minji dashed towards the front door, only to find it locked tight. Panic rose in her chest as the sound of banging filled her ears.

"What do we do now?!" she cried out, her voice trembling with desperation.

Yon, quick to act, hurled a stone at the window, shattering the glass with a resounding crash. Without hesitation, he reached through the broken casement, his hands bloodied as he struggled to unlatch the window.

With a sharp intake of breath, Yon pushed open the window, the glass cutting into his skin as he climbed inside. With Minji's help, they unlocked the truck's back gate, unleashing the horde of creatures upon the mansion.

But as the creatures flooded inside, Yon realized he was still trapped within the house.

"H-Hey! Yon is still inside!" Eugene's voice shook with panic as he clung to Minji's arm.

"I know, kid, stop shaking me," Minji replied, her tone terse as she struggled to maintain her composure in the face of danger.

As the minutes dragged on, with a click, Yon locked the door behind him. He finally emerged from the window, his face pale but determined. "Yon, what was that, you idiot?" Minji scolded, her relief evident in her voice despite her harsh words.

"I'm... I'm fine," Yon reassured them, though the pain etched on his features told a different story.

"Yon, please don't do that again," Eugene pleaded, his eyes wide with fear.

"Oh, Eugene. Did I startle you?" Yon's attempt at humor fell flat as he winced, his injured hand clutching his side.

"No, I'm fine. Your hand must be hurting, isn't it?" Eugene's concern was evident as he reached out to tend to Yon's wounds.

"...No, I'm fine... really..." Yon's voice trailed off, his eyes distant as he struggled to mask his pain.

Meanwhile, Minyoung, her hands gripping the clutch with fierce determination, aggressively wheeled the vehicle around, signaling for them to get in. As they hurriedly climbed aboard, Eugene tenderly wrapped a cloth around Yon's injured wrist, his expression filled with worry.

"Okay?" Eugene's voice was soft, his eyes searching Yon's for reassurance.

"Hm? Are you okay is the question," Yon replied, his hand squeezing Eugene's in a gesture of camaraderie.

"I am sorry. I just... I don't know why..." Eugene's voice trailed off, filled with guilt and uncertainty.

"No, it's alright. We are still sane, after all," Yon reassured him, his grip on Eugene's hand firm and reassuring.

"Sane..." Eugene repeated the word, his thoughts drifting as he glanced around at the blood-smeared streets and the horrors they had just faced.

"There's something about this kid," Minji pondered, her gaze lingering on Eugene's face as he wiped the blood from his hands.

As they drove away from the scene of their latest battle, the echoes of screams and groans fading into the distance, the group was left to contemplate the harrowing realities of their new existence in a world overrun by nightmares.

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[Location: Seoul convenience store, South Korea.]

As the survivors returned to their temporary refuge, In-ha greeted Eunhye and her team with a weary smile. Eunhye, her exhaustion evident, nodded in acknowledgment as she sank into a chair next to In-ha.

"I think we are done for now. The first lane is clear..." she muttered, her voice tinged with a mixture of relief and fatigue.

Mina, her eyes reflecting the weight of their recent battles, couldn't help but snicker softly as she reflected on their encounters with the creatures. "When they show this in television movies, the thing that comes to my head is how can they take on a hundred men all together. Now I know. They are lethargic, can't see, afraid of fire, won't know if there's no sound, and have a number of other weaknesses..." Her words trailed off.

"Not for too long," In-ha remarked cryptically, her expression grave as she scanned the group.

"What is it?" Hailey's voice trembled with apprehension as she turned to face In-ha.

"I think the evolution is progressing too quickly. If we don't clear all of this as soon as possible, we are in for a ride," In-ha replied, her tone filled with urgency.

As the group processed In-ha's ominous words, a jeep pulled up outside the store, interrupting their conversation. Zera stumbled out of the vehicle, her face contorted in anguish as she clasped onto Yohan for support.

"THEY ARE NUTS!" Zera's voice cracked with emotion as tears streamed down her face. "what's wrong?" Yohan's concern was evident as he gently patted her head, trying to comfort her.

"THAT WAS HELL! I COULDN'T! THEY LOOKED HORRIBLE!!" Zera's words came out in sobs, her distress palpable.

"Hey now, it was alright compared to what we faced at the airport," Jaeyeon's voice cut through the tension as he offered a semblance of reassurance from behind them.

As the group gathered together, their faces drawn and weary from the battles they had waged, they knew that their fight was far from over. With each passing day, the creatures evolved and adapted, posing an ever-growing threat to their survival. In the face of such uncertainty, they could only cling to each other for support.

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[Team two]

Sae Joon Hyun's voice sliced through the tension like a jagged knife. "I feel like whenever I am with you, things go south..." His accusation hung heavy in the air, thick with the weight of their shared history and the present danger looming around them.

Yuri's response was swift, a subtle but pointed nudge to his arm. "I wouldn't go that far. Rude," she retorted, her tone laced with equal parts frustration and defiance. The exchange crackled with unspoken resentment, a reflection of their strained relationship amidst the chaos of their current predicament.

But Charyeong, ever the voice of reason, interjected softly, her words trembling with suppressed emotion. "Oppa. Seonsangnim. This isn't the time for bickering..." Her voice trailed off, choked by the sight before her.

Perched atop the roof of a dilapidated house, they surveyed the scene below with a mixture of dread and disbelief. The streets were littered with twisted corpses, the remains of those who had dared to defy the monstrous horde that now held the city in its iron grip. The beasts prowled with savage intent, their snarls echoing like a symphony of death.

Each creature wielded weapons with a crude, almost primal proficiency, their crooked hands stained with the blood of countless victims. They waited with predatory patience, hungry for the slightest sound to betray the presence of their next prey.

As Charyeong trembled, tears threatening to spill from her eyes, she knew that their only hope lay in silence and stealth. But with every passing moment, the oppressive atmosphere seemed to suffocate them, pressing in from all sides like a vise tightening around their throats.