Chapter 32

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Ace

Chapter: 32

Chapter Title: Healer Upgrade and Shop Debut

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Han Yejin's skill, Healing Touch, seemed pretty useful now that I'd upgraded it to level 3.

It still wasn't up to my standards, but from the perspective of an average Awakener, this level would be more than sufficient, right?

Zombie hordes didn't leave a single scratch on me, no matter how many swarmed, so I didn't need a Medical Specialist's help. But other Awakeners would be fighting tooth and nail against zombies, and even if they avoided bites, they'd end up rolling on the ground or bumping into things, picking up all sorts of minor injuries.

Those little scrapes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would pile up, dragging down their performance in battle. Ignore them, and they could lead to the worst outcome—death.

So the best approach was immediate treatment the moment a wound appeared. Yejin's freshly upgraded skill couldn't handle fatal injuries yet, but it was now capable of healing the tiniest scratches in an instant.

Once her skills level up more, maybe she could charge coins for treatments like a hospital?

Others who picked Medical Specialist like Yejin wouldn't level their skills anywhere near as fast. Getting her to level 3 was only possible thanks to my absolute support. Right now, earning coins meant hunting zombies—a task dominated by Combat Specialists. No one was investing in Medical Specialists or other support traits. The rest were probably dreaming of skill upgrades they couldn't achieve.

When you have a huge lead, why not push it further and grab as many benefits as possible?

"Hey, you're promoted from basic onahole doll to onahole healer now."

"Still an onahole, though. But hey, I'm fine with that."

Yejin smiled brightly at being called an onahole, taking it in stride.

Now, I wanted to test that part of her skill that instantly heals scratches and shallow wounds. What exactly qualified as a "scratch" or "shallow wound"?

Easy enough to experiment on...

Oh, perfect test subject incoming.

"Hang tight for a sec."

I stood up and opened the window. Nearby, someone was desperately fleeing a zombie horde. People usually hunkered down at night and didn't wander around, but this one was perfect timing, whatever their reason. It was too dark without streetlights to make out details, but I could grab them, inflict a wound on purpose, and have Yejin heal it.

"Let's head outside. You're coming with me this time."

"Me? Uh... you'll protect me, right, oppa?"

"Of course. You're mine now, so protecting you is a given."

I wrapped an arm around Yejin's waist—ignoring her obvious statement—and headed out the door.

Chasing after the person fleeing the zombies, I spotted them ducking into a dead-end alley.

What the...? Anyone familiar with the area knew entering a dead-end was suicide unless you were on my level. They'd either die to zombies or turn into one.

Guess I'll save them first and figure it out later. I dropped down near the person, who was trembling at the zombies in the alley.

"Kyaaah!"

She screamed in a woman's voice at our sudden appearance, but I ignored it and charged the oncoming zombie horde.

"W-Wait, zombies over there!?"

I blew past her panicked voice, mowing down the zombies as fast as possible. She must've attracted more than I thought, but it took less than five minutes to clear them all.

"Incredible..."

"Right? My oppa's the best!"

As ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I swept through alone, the woman gaped in awe, while Yejin beamed like it was her achievement, nose in the air.

Earlier, it was too dark to see her clearly, but now in the light, I was stunned.

Whoa, this beauty?

Her charm stats wouldn't lose to Yejin's at all.

She was a bit taller than Yejin—maybe just under 170cm—with a face in her late twenties. Pretty face, too. In this zombie apocalypse where most women couldn't even do makeup, she held her own against Yejin up close.

Yejin looked a tad younger, so maybe she edged her out?

But Yejin had one thing this woman couldn't beat: those massive assets on her chest.

Yejin was already on the busty side, but this woman's were ridiculously bigger. Must be inconvenient in daily life.

Yejin's looked even larger without clothes, from memory. Made me want to strip this one down for a real look.

"Th-Thank you so much for saving me!"

Lost in her looks, I stared blankly until she bowed in gratitude. Though her chest's jiggle as she moved was more distracting than her thanks.

Up close, I noticed minor scratches all over her, especially on her arms—like from fleeing.

Perfect. I'd saved her to test Yejin's healing level anyway.

"Yejin, heal her up. With that skill you just upgraded."

"Okay, oppa."

"Huh? What's that...?"

She looked baffled, unable to follow our conversation, but I ignored her and got to work.

Yejin approached and used her skill on a wound on the woman's left arm. The scratches healed visibly, like time rewinding.

"Wow... my wounds are gone."

"Whoa, all healed! Though bigger ones don't seem affected. Still, this is impressive!"

The woman marveled at her healed wounds, while Yejin looked pleased to prove her worth.

Even better that her injuries were all similar scratches. No need to deepen one to test limits. At Healing Touch level 3, it could instantly heal wounds shallow enough to stop bleeding quickly, but deeper ones only sped up recovery, not instant heal.

Test complete. Now, what to do with her...

Appearance-wise, I'd love to drag her back and have my way, but that'd violate my no-freeloaders policy.

She'd need some utility to be worth keeping.

As I pondered,

"Mom! There you are!"

Someone shouted, rushing toward us. I turned to see.

"Sohee!"

The woman ran to meet her. They embraced tightly.

Wait—mom? She's married?

And the shouter sounded like a daughter. A mother-daughter reunion?

"Mom, where'd you go? You scared me vanishing like that. I told you not to leave my side..."

"Sorry, Sohee. I saw a convenience store that looked safe and tried going in, but zombies swarmed, so I had to run. Oh, those people over there saved me."

"Huh? Them?"

Sohee—the younger woman—and her mom approached us.

Sohee didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠resemble her mom much, making me doubt the relation. If mom was tall for a woman, Sohee was short—eyeballing it, under 155cm.

Mom had a refined beauty; Sohee had dyed blonde hair and sharp eyes, like a pretty delinquent blonde.

And the clincher: mom's explosive bust versus Sohee's flat chest—total cliff.

Did she get all her genes from dad? The difference was wild.

As I sized up Sohee, she glanced me over and bowed 90 degrees.

"Thanks for saving my mom! Without you, she'd have turned into a zombie."

She'd eyed me with some disdain at first, but bowed politely. Surprisingly courteous.

"And that lady healed me too. Must be a Medical Specialist."

"Really? Thanks for that too!"

Sohee bowed again at her mom's words. More polite than she looked.

"Mom, let's go. Can't stay here long."

"Got it. Thanks again for saving me~"

The mom waved goodbye, and they left together.

I watched their retreating figures, a bit regretful, when I felt my clothes tugged. Yejin pouted beside me.

"Oppa, you just let them go like that?"

"What?"

"Seemed like that woman caught your eye."

How'd she know? Reading my tastes already?

"What, kidnap her? I'm not that sleazy."

"...Then why'd you do it with me?"

"Back then, no one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to handle my urges. Now I've got you—no need for extra onaholes. Like I told you, I don't keep freeloaders who just eat."

Her jealousy over my wandering eyes was kinda cute.

"Sigh, if you say so. Confirmed everything you needed?"

"Was checking your skill. Worth investing coins to upgrade."

Seeing her heal made me think of boosting my skills plus hers. Or even leveling her up.

At level 10, extra traits unlock—maybe snag a good one and give it to her?

Lots to consider, but this zombie apocalypse was getting fun.

And tomorrow, something even more entertaining would drop.

The next morning, a new system window appeared before my eyes.