Chapter 72
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: The Gorilla's Sacrifice
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I never imagined the gorilla would take the revolver from me, hesitate for just a moment, and then immediately press it to his temple and pull the trigger.
I'd deliberately loaded it with all six bullets right in front of him, so unless he was a complete idiot, he knew full well it was fully chambered.
And sure enough, the gorilla knew it too—he squeezed his eyes shut in terror right before pulling the trigger. That meant he understood exactly what would happen: death.
Yet he pulled it anyway.
If I hadn't cast Barrier on him beforehand, he would've blown his own brains out with that revolver.
What he did was shocking in so many ways.
I never thought I'd see someone willing to sacrifice their own life for others in this world. I'd figured true selflessness like that was something I'd only witnessed back home, never here.
How many people in this world would choose death based solely on an empty promise that pulling the trigger would save their men?
Honestly, I don't think even I could do that.
And the gorilla made this choice in less than five minutes.
This kind of decision? Even if you gave someone hours to mull it over, most couldn't make it. But he decided in seconds.
Of course, his men were riddled with holes from my Shadow Pierce, time running out fast—but even so, the hesitation was too brief.
It speaks volumes about how much he'd always put himself last for his crew. Otherwise, no one could pick self-sacrifice that quickly in a do-or-die moment like this.
The gorilla stared at the revolver in bewilderment, as if he couldn't believe he'd pulled the trigger and survived.
From his perspective, it must've been baffling.
He'd pulled the trigger, heard the bang, smelled the gunpowder... and yet here he was, alive.
I approached the gorilla, who stood there dumbfounded, speechless.
"You've got some real guts. You pass."
"...H-Huh? Pass?"
"Yeah, you pass. True to my word, I'll save all your men. Of course, you'll be working under me now."
If I could properly use healing magic, I'd patch them up right here on the spot—but that's not feasible, so better to leave it to Yejin.
That way, they get healed, and her level goes up too. Win-win.
Thing is, I didn't hold back with the magic, so there aren't many left breathing.
Anyone pierced straight through the heart or brain died instantly on site. The others have holes clean through their bodies, blood pouring out—if left like this, massive hemorrhaging will finish them off.
Out of the 30 or 40 who charged me, fewer than 10 are still clinging to life. And that includes the rat bastard the gorilla fingered as the instigator.
"Let's talk at my base for now. That rat over there..."
"P-Please, spare me! I beg you, spare me!"
The rat, who'd been quietly eavesdropping, crawled over desperately the moment I mentioned him, pleading for his life.
I grabbed him by the throat with one hand and hoisted him up.
"Gahk!"
"Hey, weren't you the one who wanted to throw down with me? Right?"
"G-Guh... Y-Yeah, th-that's true, but..."
There was a chance he was lying, sacrificing the rat to save the others—but after seeing the gorilla's actions, I doubted it.
I considered snapping his neck right there, but then thought better: keep him alive for now, toss him to the zombies later, turn him into one of my mutants.
Turning every Awakener who attacks me into a zombie for the mutant gacha is the most efficient play. Haven't done it lately, though.
It requires rounding up zombies first, setting up a scenario where they die without fighting back—kinda annoying. Plus, with Zombie Waves handing out coins on a platter, grinding zombies directly was more profitable anyway.
But this guy's solo, and he's a Weapon Crafter to boot. Chuck him outside, and he'll get bitten for sure.
"For now, I've got other uses for you, so you're spared."
His face lit up the instant I said I'd let him live. Wonder if he'd make that expression once he realizes I'll zombie him later.
"Alright, let's move all the survivors."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The gorilla, who'd been on his knees, jumped to his feet now that I'd promised to save them.
If my place wasn't too far, I could've fetched Yejin for on-site healing—but it's a trek. By the time I bring her, some might croak. Better to haul the wounded back myself.
Question was how to transport them...
That's when I spotted the truck they'd arrived in.
"Hey, Gorilla!"
"Y-Yes?"
"Load up every last one still breathing into that truck and drive straight down this road. I'll grab the healer and meet you here."
The most time-efficient plan: one group hauls the wounded, the other rushes the healer back ASAP.
"Got it!"
"Good. Haul ass straight here—no detours."
With that, I bolted toward home. A promise is a promise; time to save his men.
This time, I pumped myself up with some black magic body enhancement.
My sprint speed jumped by 1.5 times, at least.
Cut a 10-minute full-tilt run down to about 5, arriving home fast. I flung open the door to my room where Yejin was with Sohee.
Yejin, hanging with Sohee, looked startled as she turned to me.
"O-Oppa? Sohee said some weird guy showed up..."
"Forget that. Come on, you've got work to do."
She leaped into my arms without a word, and I rocketed off toward the gorilla's approach vector.
"U-Uwaaaah! Y-You're too faaaast!"
Full speed with body enhancement, Yejin bouncing in my arms like she was losing her mind. No time to baby her right now, though—priorities.
Soon I spotted the truck barreling our way and leaped down to a spot in clear view.
"Gorilla! Stop!!"
The gorilla, behind the wheel, slammed the brakes with a shocked face as I popped into view. Tires screeched across the pavement, and the truck lurched to a halt.
I set the dazed Yejin down once it stopped.
"Wounded guys inside. Heal 'em up quick."
"Ugh... head's spinning. O-Okay..."
Yejin wobbled toward the truck. The gorilla hopped out and approached me.
"She can heal them? You sure...?"
"She's got the Medical Specialist trait. Should be able to manage."
As I chatted with him, we walked over to watch Yejin work.
"Kyaaah!"
Yejin screamed and toppled backward at the sight of someone riddled with holes.
"O-Oppa... I have to heal these people?"
Yeah, probably too gruesome for a normal person. Not many get to see slasher-flick gore up close and personal in real life.
The Haedong Faction wounded last time were milder—no fatalities, no bloodbaths, just hanging on.
Here? Only the ones teetering between life and death survived.
Tough sight for the weak-stomached.
"Yejin, can't handle it? We have to do this. Puke if you must, just push through."
"Ugh... O-Okay..."
She choked back vomit and shuffled to the truck's patients.
"Might not fully recover them otherwise, so max your skill to level 10. I'll cover the coins."
Recalling it was level 6 last time, I transferred 3,000 coins to bump it to 10.
"D-Done, up to 10. Here goes."
The gorilla and I watched from the side as she laid hands on them one by one.
"L-Level 10? How do you even...?"
"You check the zombie kill rankings? I'm number one. Think I'd be short on coins?"
"R-Right... Makes sense if you're the boss. Even 3,000 coins tracks."
Already calling me boss now that he's signed on.
I held out my hand to the gorilla.
He tilted his head, confused.
"Uh... what's this?"
I answered his question right away.
"Hand it over."
"Huh?"
"Your coins, punk!"