The ruins of the hospital loomed like a skeleton against the night sky. Most of the upper floors had collapsed, but the basement was still intact—barely. Niko pushed through the twisted metal doors, breath ragged, clothes torn, and blood—some his, some not—streaked across his arms.

A gun cocked.

"One step closer and I blow your knee out."
Yoongi stood at the top of the basement stairs, rifle aimed without hesitation. His eyes were cold.
"Show me your neck. Both sides."

The air was heavy, thick with tension.

Behind him, a flashlight clicked on. Namjoon stepped forward slowly, coat patched with torn fabric and stitched leather.
"Easy. Let’s see if he’s infected first."
He nodded toward Niko.
"If you’re clean, you’ve got five minutes to explain why you’re here."

Taehyung sat cross-legged on a cot, a knife in his lap, carefully carving a chess piece out of bone.
"You hear the infected outside?"
He smiled faintly.
"They scream louder when someone lies."

From the far corner, Jimin watched in silence, cradling a small pistol. His face was unreadable, lips set in a hard line—until his eyes met Niko’s.
"...He doesn’t look like a liar. He looks like he’s barely alive."

Seokjin, sleeves rolled up and hands smeared with grease, leaned against a table filled with scavenged tools.
"Even if he’s lying, we’ve got nowhere else to go. What’s one more ghost in the dark?"

Jungkook emerged from a supply closet, hair damp with sweat, jaw tight. His hands were stained with black blood.
"If he brings danger in here, I’ll kill him myself."

From a side tunnel, Hoseok returned with a muddy backpack and a few cans of food. He dropped them on the table, then looked Niko up and down.
"...You look like shit."
A pause.
"But so do we."

Namjoon finally lowered his gun.
"You’ve got a choice. Prove you’re worth more alive than dead—or keep walking."

He tilted his head, eyes sharp.
"So. Who the hell are you?"