Chapter 63
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: The Zombie on Hope Bridge
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I open my eyes. Zixuan's face comes into view, nestled tightly in my arms, breathing softly and steadily. I recall how she whined yesterday about not wanting to be apart from me, so we ended up sleeping together.
Well, we were both exhausted anyway, and I didn't think we'd progressed to that point yet, so we literally just held hands and slept.
I gaze endlessly at her beautiful face, and finding her so lovable, I plant a light kiss on her forehead. A smile appears on her lips, as if she's having a good dream.
Hoping my guess is right and it's a pleasant one, I get out of bed and leave the room. In the hallway, I run into Maria, wearing an apron. She sees me and beams brightly.
"Leader, you're up? I prepared breakfast."
I follow her to the dining room. On the table are potato pancakes, fried potatoes, and potato salad. It's all potatoes, but to me, who's been eating only canned food, it's a luxurious feast.
"I tried my hand at it. First harvest of potatoes. Apparently dug up after we left yesterday."
"Ah, I see."
Now that she mentions it, it hits me. These are potatoes we grew ourselves in this shelter—with everyone else's hands, not mine. I pick up a piece of potato pancake with my chopsticks and pop it into my mouth.
The crisp texture of the frying hits me. Munch munch. As the rich potato flavor spreads in my mouth, I look at her expectant gaze and say,
"It's delicious."
Not just empty words—it's genuinely good. Perfectly seasoned, just like my mom used to make. Maria smiles radiantly.
"I'm so glad. I was worried it might not suit your taste... Is Zixuan still sleeping?"
I nod.
"Yeah, she's out. I'll ask her to join when she wakes up later."
Maria nods with a confident expression.
"Leave it to me."
I finish the neatly prepared meal she set out, take a sip of bottled water, and stand up.
"You worked hard yesterday... Just know this—we're always rooting for you, Leader. I'm sure the other survivors feel the same."
"Thanks."
I respond to Maria's encouragement with a gentle smile.
After leaving the military factory, I check the Diablo RX parked by the entrance. Thanks to last night's chaos, it looks rough even at a glance.
I run my hand over the dented parts and check the status window.
「Diablo RX」
Durability: 38/70
Speed: 19(+5)
Stability: 10
Description: Custom motorcycle made by Mechanic Park Si-hyun. Features high durability and speed. Speed +8 for the creator only.
As it appears, the durability has dropped significantly. I place my hand on it and use Machine Repair (Lv.1) to fix the Diablo RX.
With one use, durability rises to 68. Just 2 short of max. No need to repair further, so I hop on the Diablo RX.
On my way out of the shelter, residents I pass greet me. I reply casually to their greetings and head outside.
The first place I head to outside the shelter is the 'Hope Bridge' connecting the island where I encountered the Tyrant yesterday to the city.
When we ran into the Tyrant yesterday, it had been standing stock-still on the bridge without the slightest movement. Thinking back, that's odd.
Based on the two hypotheses I came up with yesterday.
First, if it was the Salvation Church's doing, they wouldn't lure it to Hope Bridge. They'd pull it deeper, toward Shelter Apocalypse.
Second, even if it's the Activist trait, it's strange. A monster with the Activist trait standing still on a bridge doesn't make sense to begin with.
Even if it heard our gunshots or the truck's exhaust, it should have approached us, not stayed frozen in place—that's nonsense.
Which means... there might be a third possibility. That's why I'm heading to the bridge to investigate that third option.
Shelter Apocalypse isn't far from Hope Bridge, so I arrive quickly.
I hide the Diablo RX behind a metal barricade and scan the bridge.
The bridge is packed with broken-down vehicles. I walk, retracing my steps to where the Tyrant had been. Something reflects the sunlight, stinging my eyes.
A silver whistle with a slightly broken tip. Doesn't seem important, so I set it down.
'This is where it was standing yesterday.'
I stand still at the spot. Then, something catches my eye.
'That...'
A zombie I hadn't noticed in the darkness yesterday dangles from a tower on the bridge, tied with rope. I craft an iron ladder and climb up.
I cut the rope and grab the zombie with one hand. It snaps its teeth, trying to bite me—clack clack. I realize the zombie's face looks familiar.
'This guy...'
Its face is deathly pale and glowing red, but it's definitely the male NPC I met at Shelter D.
'Was the Tyrant stopped because of this guy?'
What the hell did this NPC do to end up tied to a bridge tower? Captured by Salvation Church followers? Or...
'Shelter D's doing.'
It keeps snapping its teeth at me, but when it can't bite, it gurgles and vomits blood. No answers from a zombie.
I sever its neck, ending its life. I rummage through its pockets, pull out a wallet, and check the name: [Jang Tae-hwan].
'Now head to Shelter D and ask about Jang Tae-hwan?'
If it's Shelter D's doing, they won't answer easily. But I have someone reliable there: Yiuna.
'Yiuna might know about him.'
I head back to Shelter Apocalypse, grab a box of canned goods as promised last time, and lead armed residents to Shelter D.
If it's Shelter D's work, it's enemy territory—I can't go alone.
The residents atop the steel walls point guns at me with lifeless, starved expressions, like they haven't eaten a proper meal. As Yiuna said, their food rations are in dire straits.
I lower my hand, signaling them to stand down, and say,
"I have someone to meet."
"Who do you want to see?"
"I want to meet Yiuna."
"You need our leader's permission to meet."
"Leader?"
"We'll fetch the leader now."
The leader's probably Sophia. Two residents soon disappear. I wait. As I stand there quietly, Shelter D residents lower their guns slyly and ask,
"Uh... how's Shelter Apocalypse doing?"
"What situation are you asking about?"
I know what they mean but play dumb. They look pitiful and say,
"Our food rations have been cut off. We have guns and ammo, but... no food to eat right now."
"You want sympathy?"
They look at me piteously, then shake their heads.
"If possible, we'd like to trade guns and ammo for food. Even one can of canned goods—no, two. Our kids are starving."
In the game, an shelter's situation drastically affected item values.
-By the way, some veterans played as merchants exploiting this.
This world, blending game and reality, is no different.
Shelter D's food situation is at rock bottom. A single can there might trade for a rifle, probably.
Not that a rifle's useful to me...
The guns they have are likely just rifles at best, and with the massive stockpile at the military factory, I could mass-produce them with my abilities anytime.
Thinking that, I gesture to the residents beside me. They pull cans from a box and toss them lightly.
The cans whistle through the air and drop at their feet.
"Uh, uh."
They catch the cans in a daze.
"Well, I have no intention of taking advantage like that."
"Th-thank you!"
They look at me with moved expressions. As we wait silently for Sophia, one asks awkwardly,
"Sorry for everything until now. Ben said Shelter Apocalypse was dangerous, so..."
"Ah, now you know, that's what matters."
"Uh, could I ask about Shelter Apocalypse's situation...?"
"Well, same as any other shelter. Struggling..."
Truth be told, I can't call it struggling. It's 500 times better than here. But I can't say that, so I brush it off vaguely.
That's when she appears from behind them—a woman, Sophia.
"Have you all finished talking?"
Sophia stares at me with a gaunt face. She looks starved too. She opens her mouth, looking at me.
"I called Yuna. She's working in the shelter right now... If you have time before that, care to chat with me briefly?"
"If we go outside, maybe."
Chat... We're not exactly on good terms, and what would we even talk about? But she puts it that way, piquing my curiosity. Of course, no desire to talk inside Shelter D.
Who knows what tricks they'd pull.
"I'll come out. Wait."
Sophia staggers off the wall. Not acting, is it? Soon, she opens the gate and steps out alone.
Unexpected. I figured she'd bring minions.
"Uh, could we move somewhere out of sight?"
"As you wish."
I say it on purpose, but she shows no reaction.
She wants to talk inside a building out of wall view, and I oblige her request. We head into the building.
The first thing she does upon arriving is.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Kneel before me and apologize.
"I was just..."
"What are you doing?"
I ask coldly.
"Apologizing for what I've done..."
"You shamelessly stole our food while pretending to be good neighbors, and now you apologize?"
It was when we first reached the factory district. I left Zixuan and went to raid the military factory, and in the meantime, our 'good neighbors' looted the truck.
We got the stuff back, but they took all the food.
Recalling that doesn't raise my blood pressure much.
It was expected, and that food wasn't a big deal to me anyway. But thinking about how she's threatened me and us constantly since...
I slap her cheek hard. It reddens.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
But instead of her usual venomous face, she just weeps and keeps apologizing.
Apocalypse All-Purpose Machine