19. Strange Group
19. Strange Group
Whether there's an army, or a group with firearms I don't know about,
It's not my business.
Because the very fact that they killed people means they aren't a proper group, even as an armed one.
I just had to do what I had to do.
I came out through the underground mall path.
A bank building visible right away.
Then an intersection to the left.
An intersection to the right as well.
It's definitely more run-down compared to my hometown, Seoul, but as the center of Cheongju, it's a place that still shows traces of a bustling downtown.
As soon as I came out, I hid inside the pharmacy building right next to me.
Because there were too many Infected on this side.
ㅡThwack!
ㅡCrunch
I cleared out some Infected near the entrance inside the pharmacy.
That took quite a while, and there were so many that I almost had to give up.
'...Let's just go around.'
I veered off to the side path and found a side door.
Since I'd been here a lot after getting assigned to Cheongju, finding the entrance was easy.
A side door made of glass.
I intercepted and cleared out the bastards that were on this side from a distance, then moved carefully.
ㅡTap
ㅡTap
ㅡTap
Carefully to the right.
Went around to the side.
ㅡKkii-eek
The door was open because the incident happened when the mart was open.
'......'
It seemed like an Infected party was being held, and there were no looters or survivors who had cleared this place out.
Well, with this many, they wouldn't even think of coming here.
'If I make a gunshot sound, there's no hope.'
But killing them with a weapon is also impossible.
However...
'I don't think I should go in here.'
Green Fresh Market. A large mart that dominates Korea.
Well, these days large marts are running deficits, and some are closing down... but there were still a lot of people.
Therefore, it was natural that the damage was significant.
The inside was swarming with Infected, and I felt like if I went in right now, I wouldn't even be able to recover my bones.
On top of that, there were quite a few dark spots, perhaps because of a problem with the electricity on the first floor,
And there were too many blind spots.
I have to go inside to catch the Siren, but there are more than one or two problems.
Besides, according to a community post I saw before, the Siren is a bastard that hides among Walkers and Runners and screams.
I thought about it about three times.
'...This won't work.'
The moment the Siren hiding among the Walkers and Runners discovered me and screamed, it was clear that the Infected would swarm here.
'Still, should I try an experiment?'
Because I've never seen a Siren scream before.
As it happens, I saw one Siren in front of the counter over there.
The distance is enough, and there's enough room to hide, so I thought it would be good to try and provoke the bastard first.
I picked up a broken kitchen knife and threw it slightly slowly.
Just enough so the Siren wouldn't die.
ㅡThwack!
The broken kitchen knife struck the back of the Siren's head.
Then.
"....!!!!!!!!!"
"No, fuck."
The sound was louder than I thought.
What kind of sound is this? Seriously.
Clearly, it seems there's a reason why the bastards at Eunha High School struggled.
ㅡ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ㅡKieeee
The Infected coming in, enough to make the ground shake.
From above the mart.
And I heard the sound of Infected swarming from outside.
ㅡCrunch
After smashing the Siren's head with a hammer, I quickly ran to the pharmacy outside.
#
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Nexus Core : Metallokinesis lv3 [2/100]
===================================
Inside the pharmacy.
I grabbed some headache medicine, medicine I knew, and a few chewable vitamins.
The reason I'm doing this bullshit is because the Infected that swarmed because of the Siren still haven't disappeared.
It seems like they'll leave in about 30 minutes, though.
'It would've been troublesome if I got caught inside.'
It's not that I can't catch it at all. It's just that this is only the case because I provoked it from afar; if the Siren had discovered me, it could've been dangerous.
'.......'
At times like this, it would definitely be better to have a lot of people.
Especially if I put a few of those guys holding weapons in front and I just tap-tap-tap from behind...
'......'
If only that were possible.
Where would I get people?
There's still too much I don't know about superpowers. Right now, the only samples were me and Seo-yoon, and I even killed Han Min-woo, who had obtained a superpower.
But going to Mirae Middle School or Cheongju Elementary School was a bit...
Mirae Middle School is too far, and Cheongju Elementary School is close, but the people inside didn't seem like very good people. Because a kind person isn't necessarily a good person.
'Is it the necessity of a group?'
The era of superpowers.
It's certainly dangerous with just me and Seo-yoon.
'Yeah.'
Surviving as a pair in a world like this was arrogance from the start.
Moving around to raise my ability alone was also arrogance.
Of course, if I get stronger here, there would be no problem going around alone, but in my current state, going outside alone was too big a risk.
Let's go slowly.
Slowly.
'Seo-yoon has an ability too.'
I need to see what happens if I raise Seo-yoon's ability, see other people's abilities, and especially find out about that compatibility.
#
It was just as I was about to head back a bit quickly.
The city area beyond the Green Fresh Market ahead.
Gunshots were heard.
ㅡ!!!!!
ㅡ!!!!!!
The sound of gunfire continued. However, it was somewhat muffled.
And the sound was quite small too.
'...What is it?'
Yeah, it felt like something muffled was attached to it.
A different gunshot sound from the ROK military's K2 rifle that I'm well acquainted with.
ㅡ!!!!!
ㅡ!!!!!!!
This is a bit curious.
I scanned the surroundings.
A tall building.
I thought I'd be able to see it if I went up to about the 7th floor of the pharmacy building I was in.
I found the stairs, picked the lock, and went up to where the Aerobics Center was on the 7th floor.
ㅡKkii-eek
A space that felt like middle-aged people gathered to dance aerobics.
There were no Infected, but there were bloodstains everywhere inside.
Traces of the people who were here escaping at the time of the incident were visible.
I could even see the ladies' bags over there.
Anyway, that's not important.
ㅡClack
ㅡSlide
I found the window and opened it.
First, I could see the inside of the mart swarming with Infected.
The place where the gunshots came from is over there.
ㅡ!!!!!!
ㅡ!!!!!!
Gunshots were still ringing out in the distance.
That's the city area about two blocks ahead...
When I poked my head out, I saw flashes in the distance at Cheongju Eunha General Hospital.
It seems the group firing those guns is over there.
'...A hospital?'
Was there a survivor group at the hospital?
But it's strange to think so.
Because there's no way a survivor group would be blasting guns inside like that.
'On top of that, I don't see anyone on the hospital rooftop or the front or back entrances.'
It's just giving off a fucking gloomy vibe.
But it's hard to understand why they'd be doing that shit at a hospital if they were the military.
'Is it the military that came to find medicine or something?'
But if it's the military, shouldn't they be going for rescue first?
Since there's Cheongju Elementary School and places like that right now.
'Then are they rescuing survivors at the hospital too?'
I don't know.
The sure thing is to go and see.
It looked difficult to move to that side because the Infected were swarming due to the gunshots.
So I waited.
I can't see inside the hospital well from here, but I'll be able to see the road leading out to the intersection in front.
About an hour like that.
ㅡ!!!!!!
ㅡ!!!!!!!
Leaving behind the gunshots that rang out for an hour.
Soon, the gunshots subsided.
And.
'That is....'
A truck exactly like the one Seo-yoon drew left the hospital.
It looked like it had something powerful attached to the front, as it was smashing through everything, Infected and all, as it exited.
Some group came to the hospital and left. Or, a group at the hospital came out.
Or a warlord-like group went to the hospital to hunt to raise their superpowers.
These seem possible, though.
It's just not certain.
I felt frustrated.
I'd rather just live with the flow if there were an army going around rescuing people.
Since unknown things keep popping up...
For now, it's better to go back.
But it was just as I was about to do that.
ㅡVroom
I felt that unknown vehicle coming this way.
ㅡClunk
ㅡClunk
It parked in front of Green Fresh Market, with a bumper on the front that could push away Infected, pushing them aside.
ㅡKkii-eek
Then, people got off from the back.
To be precise, people dressed like special forces.
Special forces with gas masks on their faces, black clothes, and holding something similar to an SMG, not even a rifle.
Then, they spray gunfire at the Infected running towards them.
The Infected fall like falling leaves.
ㅡ!!!!!!
ㅡ!!!!!!!
They cleared out some of the surrounding Infected, then soon took something out from inside.
A radio?
Or something like a communication device?
'.....?'
Anyway.
They held it up to the mart side, did something for a minute, then made an X sign with their hands.
ㅡ!@$!@$
ㅡ!@$!@
Then the humans board again.
They quickly disappeared to another side.
'What kind of bastards are they?'
I narrowed my eyes as I watched the humans disappear at high speed before I could even go out.
#
I quickly returned to the villa for now.
Seo-yoon greets me.
I wash up and check the food.
'It's gone.'
At most, a few weeks.
If I combine the food at Eunha High, it would last a few months, but I can't take everything there.
But I can't break through Green Fresh Market alone.
And it's a bit iffy to move.
"What's wrong?"
"No. I just came by for a moment."
Even just staying still
The group I saw earlier is bothering me.
Because I can't confirm what kind of bastards they are.
For one thing, they don't seem like guys acting for the public good.
'......'
This, I'll have to move even busier.
Collect people with superpowers too.
Check the hospital and those... guys with guns. Try to make contact with them once too.
Get some more information. And think about escaping Cheongju once too.
#
That's why I came to Eunha High School.
"......"
"......"
Because I know there are two women here still.
With the thought of experimenting on these women. If a good superpower comes out, I'll take them.
The women were doing well.
I greeted them.
"Have you been well?"