All Chapters of THE VARIANT: ZERO HOUR: Chapter 1
- Chapter 6
6 chapters
1. DEATH AT THE TIP OF A NEEDLE
CRACK!The sickening sound of a jawbone being forced open echoed in the waiting room, a spray of thick black fluid instantly staining the white linoleum floor."Motherfucker! Get back, you dog!"Jaemin cursed with everything he had. His body slammed hard against the floor, his breath knocked out of him as one hundred and fifty pounds of dead weight crushed his chest. Above him, Dr. Ahn, the surgeon who had given him a friendly smile just ten minutes ago, had become something straight out of his deepest nightmares.The doctor's lower jaw was ripped open, all the way to his ears, revealing wildly twitching cheek muscles and teeth gnashing with bloodlust. Thick saliva mixed with black blood dripped down, landing right on Jaemin’s cheek. The putrid, coppery stench of rot assaulted his nostrils, making his stomach churn violently."Jaemin! Big bro!"In the corner of the room, blocked by overturned waiting room chairs, Jihoon screamed hysterically. The twelve-year-old boy was curled into a
Last Updated : 2026-03-14
2. RAIN OF CORPSES AT THE EVACUATION ROUTE
"RUN, JIHOON! FUCKING RUN!"Jaemin’s voice cracked, raw and filled with pure panic. Behind them, the howls from dozens of blood-caked mouths echoed off the corridor walls. The slap of bare feet and nursing shoes on the linoleum floor sounded like the relentless march of a meat grinder, closing in fast.Jihoon, his brain still lagging from the shock of seeing the dead surgeon, tripped over a fallen IV pole. The boy would have gone down hard if Jaemin's right hand hadn't shot out and yanked the collar of his jacket."Get up, kid! Hold on tight!"Without wasting a single second, Jaemin ducked, scooped Jihoon up by the waist, and hoisted the twelve-year-old onto his hip. Jihoon was heavy, but the adrenaline flooding Jaemin's system made him feel like he was lifting an empty sack of rice.Jaemin pushed his legs into a desperate sprint down the VIP Corridor.The scene on either side of him was like a haunted house attraction with an unlimited budget. The doors to the VIP inpatient rooms wer
Last Updated : 2026-03-14
3. A SAVING SHOT FROM THE THIRD FLOOR
SHATTER!The thick tempered glass finally gave out. Thousands of sharp fragments exploded into the lobby like a rain of transparent bullets.On instinct, Jaemin spun around, pulling Jihoon into a tight hug and turning his back to the glass explosion."Ugh, fuck!" Jaemin cried out. A palm-sized shard of glass embedded itself deep in his left arm. Fresh blood immediately soaked through his shirt, turning the plaid flannel a dark, wet red. A hot, searing pain shot up to his shoulder, but he had no time to complain.The broken-necked woman-monster crawled through the shattered window frame. Its movements were no longer human; its shoulders cracked and popped with every jerky motion, its ruined legs dragging across the broken glass, leaving a long trail of blood. Its head, tilted at a ninety-degree angle, stared at Jaemin with a horrifying, bloody grin."Bro, your arm is all bloody!" Jihoon shrieked in panic, his voice nearly gone from constant crying."I told you to close your eyes, Ji!"
Last Updated : 2026-03-14
4. PARASITE IN THE ARCHIVE ROOM
"Don't move, or I'll splatter your brains all over those boxes behind you."The sharp click of the Glock 19's hammer being pulled back echoed coldly in the stuffy, dusty archive room. The black steel barrel of Min-Ji's gun was locked perfectly, aimed straight at the center of the forehead of the middle-aged man cowering in the corner."M-mercy! P-please, don't shoot! I'm human! I'm not one of those monsters out there!" The man, Kim Minseok, sobbed hysterically. His dirty white doctor's coat trembled along with his shivering body. He held both hands high in the air, while his other arm clutched a worn, brown leather messenger bag to his chest."I know you're human, you pig," Min-Ji hissed, her voice dripping with cynicism. She didn't lower her weapon a single millimeter. She looked at Minseok like he was a dead cockroach. "The question is, are you a useful human, or are you just dead weight? Because in a fucked-up situation like this, I'd rather just shoot the dead weight now so it sto
Last Updated : 2026-03-14
5. A BLOODY SLAP FOR THE CREATOR
The silence that had blanketed the Archive Room lasted only two seconds before it exploded into pure violence.CRACK!The toe of Min-Ji’s military boot slammed into Minseok’s jaw with the full force of a soccer player taking a penalty kick. The sound of cracking bone mixed with the sickening tear of flesh.Minseok was thrown sideways, slamming into a steel shelf and sending files cascading down on top of him. The middle-aged man groaned in agony, spitting on the floor. Three of his front teeth came loose, mixed with a thick clot of dark red blood that dripped onto his already filthy white shirt."You son of a bitch! The apocalypse out there is because of you?!" Min-Ji roared. Veins bulged on her neck, her eyes red with an uncontrollable rage.One kick wasn't enough. She racked her Glock 19 with a sharp, violent motion, pressing the cold steel barrel right against the temple of Minseok, who was curled on the floor, whimpering and clutching his face."I'm gonna blow your fucking head of
Last Updated : 2026-03-14
6. JINWOO AND THE BLACK TIDE
"Jaemin! WTF, open the door, you asshole! It's me, Jinwoo!"The hoarse shout from behind the steel door was enough to make Jaemin’s heart leap into his throat. He instinctively glanced at Min-Ji, who still had her pistol aimed at the entrance. The former fixer’s face was hard, her jaw clenched tight."Don't touch that lock, Jaemin," Min-Ji hissed, her voice cold. "That could be someone who's been bitten. The second this door opens, we're all dead.""That's my goddamn friend! He's a cop!" Jaemin shot back. Ignoring Min-Ji's threat, he pressed his face against the cold surface of the door, peering through the small, rusted keyhole.The sight outside made his breath catch.In the third-floor hallway, under flickering, short-circuiting lights, Jinwoo was leaning against the door. His brown police uniform was in tatters, ripped in several places and soaked with dark red blood. His breathing was heavy and ragged, his trembling hand gripping a standard-issue revolver. But most importantly, J
Last Updated : 2026-03-14