UNDEAD ARISING

Chapter 9 - The Pure Crimson

"I still can't believe you got in first before me... I'm proud of you, Chaey. But it should've been me..." Jaehyun stated as he pats Chaeyoung's head. She's still wearing the uniform he aims to be wearing first. He wasn't hesitant to voice out his bitterness but nevertheless, he's proud of his friend. Jaehyun is competitive in nature but there are just things you can't do anything about if fate's favor is directed towards another. 

Chaeyoung came back to the dorm around 18:00 hours after she has dispatched out during daybreak. There wasn't much left to investigate especially when the zombie Aris killed was nowhere to be found. They only found the trails of blood heading north but the trail went cold a click from where it was stabbed. Aris took a sample of the blood's remnants, intending to give it first to Jin.

She can't tell Jaehyun and Ryunjin everything about the investigation but they weren't insistent in knowing either. They knew these kinds of operations is confidential.

"If Ryujin and I got accepted, do you think we'll also be assigned directly to the colonel as well? I want to see him do some cool stuff, you know... the rumors about him are exciting to witness." Jaehyun said, pursing his lips as he watches the busy girl fold her clothes. 

"You applied for him so I guess he will take on newbies since he took me in... Also, I think everyone who got promoted came from his direct team. I think he's training leaders at the same time."  Chaeyoung answered.

"I hope so. I want to be captain... really bad." The guy replied. 

"But did you see him in action... are the rumors true?"  Ryujin asked while helping the other girl fold some of her clothes for her transfer. It's been going on for some time now that the rumors even reached the academy. 

Aris skills were said to be above what military offers in training. Even if skills were mostly acquired through experience, rumors said Aris' skill set was already polished when he entered the academy.

"Honestly, I don't know... I was frozen in the instant that class 2 attacked." Chaeyoug sighed after answering him. 

"Well then, let's see for ourselves tomorrow during the test. I'm pretty sure he'll come at us, Ryujin." Jaehyun confidently stated as he leaned back against the bed with both hands resting behind his head. 

After packing everything necessary for the transfer, Chaeyoung drove herself to the crimson quarters where she was then spotted Joy who gasped as soon as she saw those cheeks, "Oh my God! I knew you could make it to Crimson!" Joy exclaimed as she runs where the other girl was parked before greeting each other with the tightest hug. 

Joy was her senior and they were close. Joy wasn't present at the courage test since she was on her birthday leave which she had begged Aris for almost a year. Despite only having a few hours of talk during an assembly that was only held once, they kept track of each other's performance and Chaey was proud when Joy got accepted to the team she applied for 2 years ago. Chaeyoung was not able to express her pride for her senior with every news of promotion since they never saw each other again since the assembly. Joy was one of the few people she quickly felt comfortable with.

However, Chaeyoung's eyes were caught by how her new home looks. This square, concrete building is all red and the name it was given suits it well. 

"So, Crimson... because it's red?" Chaeyoung asked which made the other chuckle, "Yeah and because we bathe in blood. True story. Every day we bathe in Zs blood. Crimson is better than Stinkers because you know how those ghouls stink. The team thought the initial nickname is a cringe so they changed it."

"What was the squad's first name?" the younger asked.

Joy sighed, rolling her eyes at the same time as she answered, "Bloody Bucket. It's the general's idea."