96. Intelligent Colony (1)
96. Intelligent Colony (1)
22nd, early morning.
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Nexus Core : Metallokinesis lv5[20/100]
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One above Cheongju.
One below Cheonan.
I returned after dealing with two Abominations.
My current Metal Manipulation ability allows me to lift 2000kg at lv.5.
For now, I could force a defensive barrier by surrounding the area with iron.
I don't know what I'll be able to do at lv.6, but it'll definitely be better.
'...Regeneration, is it.'
Hunter and Abomination.
These are the Infected I've confirmed can resurrect.
Infected whose negative compatibility changes.
What is the principle behind the Hunter and Abomination resurrecting?
The soldier I caught back then said they regenerate based on corpses and Infected...
'No clue.'
I should've asked Lee Cheol-woo about this.
I only asked for the most important stuff and planned to ask about the minor details later, but it's a shame the man died alone.
I wondered if I should've kept other researchers alive, but what's dead is dead.
I'd have to check that later when I meet the remaining IN Company troops.
For now, I needed to further reinforce our base and the Multi.
Well, calling it a "Multi" is basically just the front yard.
'Once some trust is built, I can merge them.'
Normally that wouldn't work, but since I've already placed the contract on Seo-yoon, merging them wouldn't be bad.
However, since I-Pension can't accommodate all those people right now, we're living apart, but in the future...
If we ever move, I thought it would be better to merge them.
Since it would be good to combine our main base, which has surveillance, with the Multi, which has offensive ability users.
'...Sigh.'
Well, all roads lead to Rome, so even if I do it this way, I'm building a group, so it's not bad.
I just needed to figure out how to organize it without being in a rush.
Especially since I confirmed the Abomination regenerates, I had to wait for about a month while also killing Abominations.
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Nexus Core : Metallokinesis lv5[20/100]
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80 left. Assuming it goes up by 10 every 3 days, I can reach lv.6 in 24 days.
I don't know how it'll go up after that.
Since I've established the routine, it was time to reinforce the Multi.
#
Headed to the Multi on the afternoon of the 22nd.
Coming to the Multi for the first time in about 3 days.
I thought Infected might have come, but they didn't. The people holding guns in high tension were startled when they saw me, but soon felt relieved.
The ones standing guard were one man and one woman...
"....Uh..."
"What were your names again?"
"Ah. I'm Lee Woo-jin."
"...I'm Park Ji-min."
"Right, Woo-jin, Ji-min. Nothing happened?"
"No."
"No."
A slightly awkward conversation.
Well, can't help it. It is awkward.
No need to force a change.
"What are the others doing right now?"
"Ah, they're probably resting."
"True, they have nothing to do. In 3 days, they would've finished packing everything, and there aren't any hidden Infected or anything, right?"
"No."
"Nobody broke in?"
"No."
Anything else to check?
No, that's it. I can ask that inside.
"Alright, got it. Just asking, did you guys have any fights or arguments?"
"Uh... no."
"Good."
This is enough.
I headed inside.
I saw Kim Ha-eun and Lee Jin-woo sitting in the pavilion ahead.
The man and woman... no, the couple, stood up when they saw me.
"Jin-woo."
"Ah, Yu-seong-ssi. You're here."
"Living the good life, huh."
"Haha... since we aren't working."
"You'll have to start doing some now."
"Ah, you mean the farming."
"Yeah."
Since this area is wider, I'll probably have to bring Kim Young-jin here to do the farming.
Unless I wrap it completely in barricades.
"How are the people?"
"They're doing well. It's much better than before, after all."
"What about me?"
"They're favorable. Though they are cautious because of that contract ability or whatever."
"Well, I haven't done anything. There isn't anyone shady, right?"
"No. Those kinds of guys all died... back at Choi Hyuk's place."
"Ah."
Right, that would be the case.
Those would be the people he selected and kept.
People who wouldn't think of stabbing him in the back.
Or people who could be controlled because they had weaknesses.
And even if there were, it's actually fine because of the contract.
"Did you stand guard? For the 3 days. I saw some people out front."
"Ah, yes. We're rotating in pairs. 2 hours each."
"Doing well. And one person is resting?"
"Yes."
Since there are 13 people, one person is left over.
Good.
Now it's time to raise these guys a bit.
There's no reason to raise the others here.
If Lee Jin-woo has high compatibility, I'll raise him first.
"Hyun-jun is there, right? Go call him for me."
"Ah, yup."
Lee Jin-woo walked away, ppol-ppol-ppol.
#
"You still haven't decided?"
"Yes..."
A slightly dejected man said.
I asked.
"Why?"
"Well, I don't think it's good if I'm the only one who gets raised. Power is good to have, but... if I'm the only one who levels up while others have no abilities, I think it'll be a bit..."
"Hmm..."
This is a new line of reasoning.
Conflict, huh.
Usually, a 20-year-old guy would just say, "Oh, fuck yeah, let's go!" right?
I sighed.
"That's why I have the contract ability."
"Still."
"There might be jealousy... and stuff."
"You think way too fucking deep."
"......"
"But there's no need to think more. I'm going to raise them too. It's already decided."
"Oh, me too?"
"Eh?"
Lee Jin-woo and Kim Ha-eun looked surprised.
"Ha-eun, you definitely have to be raised. Jin-woo, I'm raising you so you can use some strength here. And who else. Right, Bae Ju-a. The woman who has the Light Ability. Bring her too. Explain it to her on the way. That we're raising levels."
"Yup."
Lee Jin-woo walked away, ppol-ppol-ppol again.
A while later, Jin-woo brings the woman with short hair.
Bae Ju-a standing awkwardly.
"I'm raising her too. I'll give you 10 minutes to get ready to go."
"Yes...?"
#
So, for two days, I hunted Flowers inside Cheongju and raised their abilities.
Day 24, daytime.
I narrowed my eyes as I watched the barricades appearing.
"Rather than a barricade, it's definitely closer to a wall with form. Did you call it a Solid Wall in English? It's literally that."
"...I thiiink so."
Solid Wall.
Literally translated, a wall with form.
But it was hard.
ㅡThud!
ㅡThud!
ㅡThud!
Enough to withstand about ten hits even if I hit it hard with a giant rebar?
At this rate, if I build a huge wall with this, it seems like it would become a fortress.
"Ha-eun, what was your compatibility again?"
"Ah, hold on. 64.4."
"Is that so."
I think the fortress ability I saw before was 80 or 90.
I guess that's the higher-tier ability of the barricade. Well, I'd have to see that fortress ability to know for sure.
'...Seeing these abilities, this is definitely magic.'
Metal manipulation might be considered a superpower, but making a wall? Making a fortress? It's strange.
Well, if I were to question strange things, the ability to make a bunker would be the first to question.
But what I actually saw was this barricade ability.
Next, the water ability was powerful as expected.
Though, for lv.4, I thought of something like a water jet cutter, but it wasn't quite that.
Just a bit stronger than a water cannon?
A little weaker than a water jet cutter.
Well, that alone was enough to kill most Infected, and when I tested it on a Hunter, it was enough to kill a Hunter too.
It doesn't pierce the body, but...
'Nice.'
Unlike his words before, Kim Hyun-jun looked excited.
Well, his ability got that strong, so he should be excited.
However, because of that, I set strict conditions with the contract. Well, he didn't seem to have any intention of doing that, though.
"Ju-a."
"Yes."
The Light Ability... I'm not sure.
There's a risk of blindness, so I couldn't use the ability strongly.
"You... it would be better not to use that ability. Only use it when it's really dangerous."
"I... think so too."
Still, one good thing is that she can install new light sources?
"You can bind the light. Like a lamp."
"That's right."
"Hmm..."
It's a really good ability if the electricity goes out.
It's also a very good ability when patrolling at night.
"Let's experiment with other things later. With me."
I'll have to see if I can heal the blindness by taking Eun-bin later.
It regenerates internal organs, so it would definitely work, but there are no test subjects right now.
"Yup."
Next is Lee Jin-woo.
It's strength enhancement.
"Jin-woo, well, you know all about that."
"Ack."
"I've already done it all."
"Ah."
Lee Jin-woo making a stupid sound.
Well, he's fine.
"Now, gather everyone. I have something to talk about."
"Ah, yup."
#
I raised them to level 4, and told them to defend after supplying them with firearms.
I didn't originally plan on this, but since I placed the contract on everyone, it's not a Multi anymore, but practically a second main base unit.
"Oh... wow."
"Does it not hurt?"
"Ah. Yup."
So, I cast the contract again, brought Eun-bin, and shot some heals at them once.
I also brought Kim Young-jin and introduced him.
"This person will do farming-related work here. I hope everyone follows his words well."
"I'm Kim Young-jin. Please take care of me."
I also gave them a radio that can connect to this side from the inside.
So they can contact us immediately if something happens.
And I took Ha-eun separately and installed barricades at the pension side too. I also installed a few lights with Ju-a's ability.
Also, since it turned out like this, I made a bunch of barricades that largely surround the main base and the Multi.
It's a bit hard to hide now, and I thought it would be better to leave it like this.
Well, it was close anyway.
After that, I took Tae-jun and brought the seeds and food from inside the cold storage and installed them at the Multi.
I made Kim Young-jin and the people start farming now.
"Potatoes and sweet potatoes, right."
"Yes."
"True, rice or wheat would be tricky to harvest. How many days does that take?"
"I only harvested once back then, so I'm not sure... uh... if I calculate it, I think they'll all grow in about two weeks."
"Hmm."
The lv.4 farming ability reduces the period by 80%.
That means it grows that fast. It also grows healthily if there's fertilizer and water.
"You know how to grow them, right?"
"Yes. I heard it until my ears hurt back there."
"Then I'll leave it to you. There aren't any Infected here anyway."
"Yup."
I also went around the area and cleaned up around the main base and the Multi.
Even though it's a rural area, there were broken vehicles or dead bodies and such.
'Summer is getting close again, too.'
I shouldn't let any problems arise.
#
Three days passed like that.
The 28th.
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Nexus Core : Metallokinesis lv5[30/100]
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Killing 2 regenerated Abominations again, and the road in the early morning coming down.
ㅡChijijik
The radio rang as I got closer to the main base.
"Yeah."
ㅡHyung.
It was Tae-jun's voice.
His voice sounded a bit urgent.
"Why. Is there a problem?"
ㅡThose Sentients attacked.
Sentient.
Sentient.
Attack.
The PTSD from the previous logistics center came up.
"Anyone hurt or dead?"
ㅡNo.
Then that's a relief.
But it was an unexpected situation.
"Where? The main base? Or from the Multi side?"
ㅡThe main base.
"Any damage to supplies?"
ㅡ...We detonated the claymores. Now we only have guns left.
"Alright, got it."
Not just passing by, but an attack.
It meant that any place could be attacked when I'm not there.