> Everyone in the room stared at the zombie kneeling like a dog.
And at the little girl who commanded it like she owned death itself.
Seo Ha-eun adjusted her hoodie and scratched Cheddar's skull like it was a stress ball.
No one dared speak.
Not until one trembling boy whispered,
> "W-We're all gonna die…"
> "Only if you keep standing around like idiots," Ha-eun snapped. "The infected are spreading fast. Once one breaks in, the rest follow like roaches on sugar."
A few caretakers were still frozen. One was crying.
Ha-eun squinted at the bitten janitor lying on the floor, clutching his arm, pale and sweating.
> "Three minutes," she muttered.
> "H-Huh?"
> "Three minutes before he turns. Maybe two if he's weak."
> "W-Wait! You—You said you could control them, right?! D-Don't let me turn into a monster, please!"
> "I never said I could save anyone," Ha-eun replied coldly. "But I can delay it."
She stepped closer, eyes glowing faintly with an unnatural purple light.
Her hand hovered over the janitor's trembling body.
> "I can bind your body to my will before the virus finishes eating your brain. You won't be dead. Not yet. But you won't be alive either."
He whimpered.
> "Do it."
Ha-eun exhaled and pressed her fingers to his forehead.
> [Command Corpse Activated]
Infection Stage: 82% (Controllable)
Undead Bound to User: Seo Ha-eun
Time Limit: 5 minutes (Initial)
The man's eyes glazed over. His body went limp.
Then slowly, he stood.
Everyone screamed.
> "H-He's one of them!"
> "No," Ha-eun said sharply. "He's one of mine."
---
The door burst open.
Another zombie—this one blood-soaked and faster—lunged inside.
Before anyone could react, the half-turned janitor tackled it with brutal force, slamming its head against the wall repeatedly.
> BANG. BANG. BANG.
Silence followed. Blood dripped down the wall.
Everyone looked at Ha-eun.
She looked back, bored.
> "I told you. You listen to me now."
---
A new System Message slid into her view:
[System Linked: Apocalypse Survival Interface (Restricted Access)]
[User: Seo Ha-eun — Age: 8]
[Race: Human (???)]
[Title: regressor, betrayed one, child of decay]
Skills:
- Necromancy Lv. 3 – Raise one zombie (Corpse required)
- Inventory Pocket Lv. 1 – Store non-living items (Limit: 10)
- Death Link
- Command Corpse Lv. 1 – Control newly-turned undead within 3m for 5 minutes
Passive:
- Cold Resistance (Minor)
- Undead Affinity (Major)
She smiled to herself.
---
One of the kids finally asked, "Who are you?"
Ha-eun turned her head slowly, dark eyes glowing faintly under the emergency light.
> "Seo Ha-eun. Age eight. Orphan.
But if the world wants to end again…
Then I'll be the one standing on top of the corpses when it does."