Chapter 69
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: God's Apostle
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Thank you! Thank you so much!”
“Messenger of God!!”
“You saved us from crisis again!!”
Remembering that there was no group to clear out the zombies at the apartments over in Guro last time, I rushed over and wiped out all the zombie hordes here too. The people hiding in the apartments came rushing out and started praising me once more.
Do these folks really think I'm a messenger of God?
Using magic to sweep away hundreds of zombies at once, I could see why they'd believe that.
That said, I hadn't staged anything to look like a divine messenger—I'd just gone along with their worshipful vibe. For them to actually buy into it for real left me a bit flustered.
“Ahem! Well then, I'll be on my way. Everyone, stay vigilant against zombie attacks and take care of yourselves!”
“Yes, Messenger!”
“Please stop the world's destruction!”
“We believe only in you!”
Playing along with their cult-like devotion to me as God's chosen one was getting exhausting. Having to act all stern and dignified unlike my usual self was a real hassle.
But I put up with it for two reasons: I could monopolize all the zombies spawning here, and these people were offering up half their coins to me without fail.
They hadn't forgotten my instruction to hand over coins every time I came to their rescue. Very commendable.
The amounts weren't huge since they were all weaklings, but as the saying goes, every little bit adds up.
Ah, if there's one person at the Guro apartments who still looks at me unkindly, it'd be that woman with the compound bow from last time. She's pretty attractive, but compared to Yejin or Miyoung, she falls short.
Her charm stat's probably around a 3 or 4.
If Yejin and Miyoung are celebrity-level, she's just pretty for an average person.
She gives off this vibe that stirs up a desire to dominate, but I don't go around messing with just any girl, so I let it slide.
Still, she's apparently the strongest there—among the coins others pushed her to offer, she had the most.
She doesn't seem thrilled about handing over coins she earned herself, judging by her poor poker face, but since she's giving the largest share under pressure from the others, I'll cut her some slack.
Looks like I raked in a good haul of coins today. Time to check my status window.
My level jumped up by 2.
And even though I'd blown through all my coins yesterday and today on skill upgrades, they'd recovered in a flash.
I must've gathered this much by pulling all the aggro from zombies in the area and snagging some from nearby regions too.
Now, how best to spend these coins? Since I upgraded my base fortification skill today, I should level up Equipment Crafting to match.
Equipment Crafting Lv. 11 upgrade successful.
Craftable equipment list expanded.
Coin cost for crafting slightly reduced.
I was excited to see what new items I could craft now when a new system window popped up.
Equipment Crafting skill reached Lv. 11.
Recycling Search skill acquired!
I'd suddenly gained a new skill.
Recycling Search Lv. 1
Detects nearby items eligible for Equipment Decomposition.
Search range increases with skill level.
Current Range: Within 5m
Hmm... It's basically a support skill for Equipment Decomposition.
That skill lets people with my Technician trait convert items they made back into coins, but you had to check each one manually. This new one lets you scan everything within 5 meters at once.
Not immediately useful, but handy in its own way.
If I ever clash with a big group, I can loot them, use Recycling Search, and decompose everything into coins.
Now, let's check the new equipment list.
One new item had been added: a smartphone.
A smartphone out of nowhere? Curious, I checked the cost—500 coins.
“No way, 500 coins? Do I really need to make something like this... The communication networks are trashed, so calls probably won't even work.”
With smartphones' main purpose gone, why bother? But there had to be a reason it was on the list, so I crafted one.
The freshly made smartphone looked just like the ones I knew.
But inside, there were no apps—just phone and text functions.
I poked around hoping for internet or something, but no such luck.
So what's the point?
I tested the call and text features. With satellites down and networks wrecked since the zombie apocalypse started, I doubted it'd work.
And it didn't. Useless.
I tried texting and calling numbers I remembered—nothing connected.
It wouldn't be on the list just to waste coins.
Pondering its purpose, I had an idea.
“Wait... does it only connect to other smartphones made by Technician skill?”
I spent another 500 coins and made a second one. Checked the number on the new phone, then called it from the first.
- Bzzzzt~
Sure enough, the technician-crafted phone in my hand vibrated like crazy.
I answered, held it to my ear, and spoke into the mic of the other.
“Hey hey hey~!”
My voice came through the speaker clearly. No idea why normal phones don't work but these do, but now I could contact people at the base even when away.
Guess I'll make a third. One for me, one at the base for Yejin or Miyoung to handle messages, and the last to Sohee since she's out and about.
I gave her an alarm bell today for emergencies, but it only signals danger—no details. Calls or texts would give precise info, so this is better.
Glancing at the sky, I saw the sun setting—dinner time already.
More zombies respawned today than expected, so I'd spent longer outside.
Too bad tomorrow's day 6 of the zombie wave—no respawns.
How great would it be if zombies spawned daily?
Though it'd be a nightmare for everyone else.
Before heading home, I hit up a gym for the exercise equipment I'd promised Yejin, stuffing it all into my subspace.
Grabbed some board games and comics too, to kill boredom.
Back home, Yejin greeted me excitedly. Inside, Sohee was waiting in my room for some reason.
“Oh, you're back?”
“What are you doing here? Offering your virginity or something?”
“As if! I had business with you, so I was waiting!”
Sohee snapped at me, her voice dripping with irritation.
Business with me? I racked my brain but drew a blank.
As I pondered, she approached and pulled something from her pocket—a small orb, a skill orb.
Checking it, it was Bullet Crafting, exclusive to Weapon Crafters. Lets you make ammo, and higher levels give free bonus bullets. Essential for gun users.
“Hmm... Useful skill. Where'd you get it?”
“Picked it up hunting zombies hard. Don't need it myself, so here—take it.”
No reason to refuse a freebie, so I took the Bullet Crafting orb from her.
I don't use guns, but if I recruit a gunner later, pairing them with a Weapon Crafter and this skill would be perfect.
Who knows when that'll happen.
“I had something for you too—perfect timing. Here, take this. Yejin, you too.”
I pulled the smartphones from my subspace and handed them over.
“Whoa, Oppa, these are phones. Why? Calls and internet don't work anyway.”
“Made 'em with my skill. No internet, but calls and texts work between us. Use 'em when you need to reach me.”
“Awesome! If anything happens at home while you're out, I'll call right away!”
Yejin beamed, holding the phone to her ear.
“Yeah, I'll use it if I need to tell you something. Thanks.”
After Sohee's thanks, she headed to her room.
“Oh, and I brought this too.”
Once she was gone, I showed Yejin the comics from my subspace.
“Huh? Comics?”
“For boredom at home. I'll dump them in the fifth-floor room—organize 'em yourself.”
“Got it! Leave the storage sorting to me!”
I filled her in on everything else I'd brought, then turned in for the night.
The next day, as I stepped out wondering where to head next, my smartphone buzzed.
Checking it, a call from Sohee.
“Yo, Sohee. Calling already? Miss my voice or what?”
“Shut up with the bullshit! Anyway, I was hunting zombies and spotted some weird guys, so I called.”
“Weird guys? What kind?”
“Dunno what they are, but people driving cars are coming. I'm hiding and watching—they're heavily armed with guns, heading into this area.”
What the hell?
Heavily armed with guns, coming here...
Wait, could it be?
“Are they coming from the south?”
“Uh... yeah, seems like it.”
I had a pretty good idea who these heavily armed intruders were.
And not just coming alone, but as a group, fully kitted out—the intent was obvious.
I told those bastards to think it over till the end of day 7, and they couldn't wait?
Time to teach them a lesson.