Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Survival Hunt
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‘For now, let’s worry about that later.’
Crunch!
The dirt he stepped on crumbled dryly, without a hint of moisture. Even the feel underfoot was filthy—polluted soil. Ignoring the faint, acrid stench hanging in the air as best he could, he walked on in silence.
‘This should be far enough.’
He looked around. Nothing looked blatantly dangerous.
Thud!
He set down the large bag on his back and pulled out a shovel.
Dig!
He started digging a hole. With his powered exoskeleton, his shoveling put most heavy machinery to shame. In moments, he’d dug a two-meter-deep pit. Climbing out of the hole, he retrieved a canister from his bag.
The lid popped open, unleashing a wave of stench. It was his excrement.
Splash!
He dumped it into the pit. He resealed the canister, stowed it back in the bag, and shoveled the piled dirt over it. He stomped the ground firm with his feet until it was level, then shouldered the bag again.
‘Gotta do what’s gotta be done.’
In a world crawling with beasts boasting keen senses of smell, he couldn’t just dump his reeking waste anywhere. That’s why he carried it far from his base and buried it deep underground.
‘One down, at least.’
He gripped the rifle in his hand.
A rifle made a hundred years ago, back when civilization was intact. Not a railgun or laser rifle—just an ordinary gun firing chemical propellant rounds. But to Yuseong right now, it was more reliable than any weapon imaginable.
No matter how amazing a weapon might be, if it wasn’t in his hands, it was useless.
‘Let’s go.’
Steel resolve in his heart, Yuseong set off.
It was time to hunt.
No matter how good or tasty the food inside the Ark, his staple in reality was the meat of wasteland beasts.
And much to Yuseong’s regret, sustaining his life required real-world food over the Ark’s provisions.
With his stored rations running dry, he absolutely needed to procure more.
Even if it was barely edible.
Whoosh!
While scouting for prey, Yuseong dropped flat to the ground.
A creature was moving just ahead.
‘Tch! Not the ones I’m after.’
It wasn’t particularly dangerous. Sure, what beast prowling the surface these days wasn’t? But this one ranked low on the threat scale.
The problem was, it was pretty useless to Yuseong right now.
Its meat was loaded with vicious poison—at least beyond what his body’s Nano Machines could detoxify.
No, beasts carrying only Nano Machine-neutralizable poisons were rare to begin with.
Fighting this one would just waste precious ammo. And if the fight dragged on, real ‘monsters’ might show up.
‘Scram. Get lost quick.’
Finger on the trigger just in case, Yuseong waited for it to leave.
Fortunately, it wandered off in the opposite direction. With a sigh, Yuseong stood.
‘Damn, takes forever just to find a target.’
But griping wouldn’t conjure up the prey he wanted. Yuseong pressed on diligently.
Unwanted beasts kept popping into view. He nearly crossed paths with some truly dangerous ones a few times. Then, he flattened himself to the dirt, praying they wouldn’t spot him. Luck held.
Not long after, Yuseong finally spotted his target beast.
‘Cow.’
Thick, sharp horns and razor teeth. Six legs jutting from its body screamed muscle even from afar.
His parents had called it a cow, so he did too. Apparently, it hadn’t always looked like this.
But right now, that didn’t matter to Yuseong. He needed to take it down for food.
Yuseong approached the cow. He could hit it with a shot from here, but that’d only graze—its tough hide would stop the bullet.
-Grrawk!-
Once within range, the cow whipped its head around. It had noticed him. Murderous intent gleamed in its murky eyes.
Yuseong didn’t flinch. He dropped to one knee, shouldered his rifle. Those things never fled from humans anyway.
-Grreeek!-
The cow charged. Its massive bulk made the ground tremble faintly. Yuseong stayed calm.
The distance closed rapidly.
‘Not yet….’
Yuseong steadied his nerves and waited.
‘Now!’
Bang!
The muzzle flashed. Blood sprayed from the cow’s head.
-Kyaaaak!-
It shrieked. A perfect hit to the left side of its skull. Fatal for most creatures.
But Yuseong didn’t relax. He threw himself sideways.
Crack!
The spot he’d occupied was crushed under the cow’s sharp hoof. If he hadn’t dodged, he’d be minced meat.
Yuseong regained his balance and shouldered the rifle again. The cow turned, seeking him, blood streaming from its head, teeth bared in a chilling snarl.
Bang!
Another flash, more blood from its head. But it thrashed on.
Bang! Bang!
Dodging charges, Yuseong kept firing. Every round punched through its skull. Yet it kept coming.
Bang! Bang!
Two more shots. Six large-caliber rounds now riddled its head.
-Grrawk!-
Finally, its movements faltered. It staggered, then crashed down with a thud.
Even then, Yuseong stayed vigilant. Rifle trained on it, he approached slowly. He wanted to finish it off, but ammo was precious.
Thud!
He kicked its head. The powered exoskeleton’s force snapped it aside. Yuseong backed off, watching. No movement.
“…Hoo!”
He exhaled the tension from his body. Sweat beaded on his forehead before he knew it.
Yuseong wiped a bead of sweat from his cheek and rushed in with knife drawn.
Those gunshots would’ve echoed. Other beasts might come running.
Even a cow—not the toughest—took six headshots to drop. More beasts, and he was done for.
‘And if a monster shows up….’
A shiver ran through him unbidden.
Even Yuseong had never fought a monster. If he had, he wouldn’t be here. He’d only seen one once.
Back then….
‘Tch!’
Clicking his tongue, Yuseong set the knife to the carcass.
He’d sharpened it well beforehand, but the blade dulled instantly against the tough hide and dense muscle. Less cutting, more forcing it through with exoskeleton power.
Somehow, he carved off a chunk. Substantial, but meager compared to the cow’s bulk. Other parts were too toxic to eat.
Meat secured, Yuseong bolted. Alert maxed for beasts. None came.
He moved on to the next hunt.
Luck smiled; he found another cow quickly.
Drool flying, it charged. He planted rounds in its head. This one went down after five.
‘Hmm.’
Meat from two cows would last a while. But finding the second so fast left hunting time to spare.
‘One more, or head back?’
Short deliberation.
‘…Yeah, one more.’
Better to minimize outings, so stock up while out. Risk was the same now or later.
Ample food meant more VR gaming time—that swayed him too.
Yuseong resumed the hunt.
‘Gotcha!’
Another stroke of luck: third prey quick.
A pig this time. Gray hide over layers of tough fat gave absurd defense. Weak spot? Only the thinner fat around its eyes.
Like the cow, it charged blindly upon spotting him.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Muzzle flashed repeatedly. Rounds slammed into its sole vulnerability: eye sockets.
-Kieeeek!-
Blood poured from its eyes as it writhed. But it didn’t stop. Blinded, yet its nose led it straight at Yuseong.
Bang!
-Kek!-
The fourth round dropped it. Yuseong sighed shallowly.
Fewer shots than a cow, but the tiny target demanded precision. Miss to cheek or forehead, and it was wasted ammo.
Still, successful hunt.
Butchering the pig was hell. Even exoskeleton power struggled against hide and fat.
He barely pierced through, using his dulled knife from the cows to hack out meat.
Tough work, but rewarding. The bag’s heft felt reassuring.
No comparison to VR feasts, but this kept him alive.
‘Time to head back….’
As Yuseong turned—
He froze.
Far off, atop a rock, a glaring yellow light flickered.
Peeking from pitch-black fur—like darkness painted over night—it chilled his spine.
“…Fuck.”
Blame the game chats; the curse slipped out naturally.
Spitting it, Yuseong spun and ran.
Exoskeleton boosted his speed immensely. Powerful legs devoured ground, leaping obstacles.
But if his quarry was faster, speed meant nothing.
He glanced back. His dread was real.
A black-furred beast with glaring yellow eyes pursued.
Unknown breed—Yuseong’s beast knowledge was limited.
But one thing certain:
Unknowns were always deadly.
Each bound of its four legs propelled it forward swiftly. Visibly faster than him. Capture imminent.
‘No choice.’
Yuseong halted, pivoted, rifle up.
The beast was close now.
‘This range…!’
Enough to pierce cow hide. He fired.
Bang!
“Fuck!”
The beast twisted aside, dodging. Precious ammo wasted.
But worse:
‘How many to kill it?’
Pig: min three to eyes. Cow: five to head.
One-shot kill? Delusion, not hope.
Its dodge proved hitting was hard.
‘Gotta wait closer.’
Or it’d evade again. Riskier up close—against something that agile.
Calming his pounding heart of fear and tension, Yuseong waited as it closed.
Sharp teeth gleamed. Triple rows promised no escape if bitten.
Distance: five meters.
Bang!
-Kyaaaak!-
Too close to dodge. But Yuseong’s face stayed grim.
‘Glancing hit!’
Aimed between eyes—most beasts’ kill spot—but it struck the shoulder. No slowdown.
‘At least not pig-level armor.’
Small mercy. But its slashing forepaw was ferocious, claws extended for his neck.
Whoosh!
Yuseong ducked; wind whistled overhead. He swung at the beast.
Swish!
It evaded effortlessly. Exoskeleton punch could outdamage bullets if landed, but too slow for this dodger.