Dead Man Walking: Living By Day, Dead By Night
Chapter 318: Here there Be Monsters Part I

Zane had decided to head west into China proper. Rather than attempt to make his way to North America. Which at the moment was an impossibility for him. However, there was just one problem with this goal of his. He was currently in South Korea. Or what was South Korea prior to the collapse of human civilization?

If he wanted to enter China, there were really only two options. First, he could go back through North Korea. But considering the stir he had caused when he escaped from Pyongyang, walking through the entirety of North Korea without getting caught.

Well, that was easier said than done. Which left one other option for Zane and his merry band of misfits. He had to go west, through the Yellow Sea in order to reach the shores of China. There were, of course obvious risks involved with this.

Or, maybe not so obvious, rather unknown risks. The fact of the matter was, the world was changing in ways that made it more difficult for humans to survive. Especially if they wanted to survive without awakening.

It wasn't just undead monsters that humans now had to contend with. But rather the animal kingdom as well. For tens of thousands of years, humans had been at the top of the hierarchy. There were no real predators that humans had to worry about.

Not necessarily because humans were the strongest, or the fastest, or exceptionally gifted in endurance among all living beings. No, the reason humans sat at the top of nature's hierarchy was because they were the most intelligent of all gods' creations.

Well, at the very least, the most intelligent humans were vastly more intelligent than all other lifeforms. Zane had questions about whether or not the average human was more intelligent than several other species on the planet. It was, after all, a few great men in history who propelled humanity to the lengths it had achieved prior to its near extinction.

Everyone else was sort of just a cog in the machine that these men used to create a civilization in the first place. Or so was Zane's outlook on life. However, things had changed recently. The animal kingdom was starting to vie for the throne which the humans had left behind.

Humans were no longer greater in number. Nor was their advantage in intelligence valid. After all, the animals of the world were rapidly evolving into creatures straight out of fantasy. And Zane suspected that what lurked beneath the water's surface was no exception.

By all means, they would be the most fearsome of all creatures on this earth, as the oceans had commonly spawned throughout history and its many stages. It was because of this he dreaded crossing the sea. But… Did he really have a choice?

If he went to North Korea, after everything he had done to escape, well, it would be a hell of a fight to escape with his life intact. Whereas the sea presented a path to peace, but also a path to potential doom. It was something that Zane debated on as he gazed at the fork in the road.

One path led north ,the other to the west where the shores of the yellow sea were. Decisions, decisions. Ultimately, Gwen grew impatient and scolded Zane for his lack of determination.

"Would you just pick a path and stick with it? My god, what happened these past two years? Did your balls just suddenly drop off or something?"

After being chided by his friendly "sister" Zane ultimately sighed and decided on the path with a potential route of peacefully escaping from the Korean peninsula.

"Fine! West it is! But I swear to god, if we encounter something fucked up like the bloop! I'm going to yell I told you so!"

Gwen smirked when she heard this. It was perhaps the most conceited grin Zane had ever seen in his life. And yet she did not say a word. Instead, she simply walked beside the man until they reached the coast line. Where she was quick to ask if he had any bright ideas on how to cross the sea between them and the shores of China.

"Well, I don't see a boat anywhere, do you? Please don't tell me you intend to make a raft out of logs. Or perhaps a canoe?"

You could not pay Zane to attempt something so stupid. In fact, he was quick to comment on the most viable solution to the problem.

"Would you shut up? Inchon is not far from here. There's bound to be ships on the docks that are free for the taking. I mean it's not like most people are going to go to the sea when the zombie apocalypse begins! So hurry up, you're slowing me down!"

Gwen didn't question Zane, she was simply busting his balls because of the fact that he had kept her locked up for nearly two whole years in the void. Which had been a complete and total nightmare for her and her siblings.

In the end, Zane and the others arrived at the city of Incheon, which like all other human cities, or what remained of them was the domain of a Horde King. But frankly, Zane had been in Korea long enough, and wanted nothing more than to escape after the two years he spent in Seoul.

Because of this, he and his group maneuvered through the city while avoiding detection, and eventually arrived at the docks. Where sure enough, a variety of ships sat at the docks. Just waiting for someone to take them.

After some time searching for a ship that had enough fuel to cross the sea. And was large enough to contain them all. Zane and the others eventually found themselves on a relatively large fishing boat. One that they boldly took into the Yellow Sea.

Whether or not they would come across any sea monsters? Well, that was something Zane would have to leave up to fate. But surely his mother wouldn't let anything bad happen to him right? Right?