Chapter 75
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Shelter C's Triumph
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Confirming that the Tyrant had entered Shelter C, Archbishop Michael believed the war was over. The residents of Shelter C wouldn't be able to stop that merciless tyrant.
Having controlled it himself, he knew full well just how monstrous the Tyrant was. All they had left to do now was wait here for it to rampage through the shelter.
But soon enough, he sensed something off. The Tyrant that had gone inside should have been carrying out nonstop acts of violence as per his orders.
So the shelter's interior should have been in an uproar. Yet beyond the barricade, aside from the Sentry Gun's firing sounds, there was no other noise.
Not even the screams of people that should have been there, let alone the gunfire. Sensing something was wrong, he led the Salvation Church followers inside the barricade.
The area inside the barricade was quiet. As if nothing had happened at all. Michael looked around frantically for the Tyrant. But the Tyrant was nowhere to be seen. Nor were there any traces of it.
He had clearly witnessed it entering with his own two eyes just moments ago, leaving him utterly baffled.
"What, looking for something?"
As he scanned the area, a young man appeared from further inside.
"You...!"
"What, looking for the Tyrant or something?"
"Where is it?"
Only then did Michael realize something was very, very wrong, growling threateningly at the man. But despite his intimidation, the man just smirked as if it were nothing.
"Why should I tell you?"
Michael ordered the Chasers following behind him to attack the man before his eyes. Obeying his command, the Chasers charged fiercely at the young man.
But before they could even reach him, something burst through the building wall. A massive android robot, looking like the Tyrant mechanized, grabbed a Chaser by the throat.
Crack.
Its neck snapped. The Chaser's body crumpled into a ragdoll. It still seemed alive, somehow managing to move in that state, but its combat capabilities were completely gone.
Soon after, unidentified weapons mounted on both shoulders of the android robot spat fire, ending the Chaser's life.
Even as the Chasers all rushed at the android robot, it was pointless. The Salvation Church followers fired their rocket launchers at the robot, but a mere one or two shots didn't even make it budge.
One of the Salvation Church followers cried out in a face twisted with terror.
"It's a monster sent by the devil!"
"Monster? Who was it that sent the real monster?"
Calling this machine with the cool name Hercules a monster—how rude. The man—Park Si-hyun—muttered that inwardly and sent a signal.
At the same moment, those who had been hiding in the building swarmed out and overwhelmed them.
The bishop next to Michael was shredded into rags by Johnson's bullet. The bishop beside him had his throat slit by Cheonghan's sword. The one next to that...
Natasha's superpower lifted his body into the air before slamming him down hard, bursting his head open. They tried to fight back too, but everything was blocked by Olivia's shield.
Michael realized there was no chance of victory. With a resentful glare at the 'culprit'—Park Si-hyun—he charged at him.
Unlike the bishops who had only received zombie control abilities, he had undergone body modification as well. Thanks to consistent injections of various drugs, his physical prowess surpassed most mutant zombies.
He swung his sword with all his might as he lunged. It was at such an incredible speed that an ordinary person wouldn't even react. But Park Si-hyun wasn't ordinary.
Having reached level 41, and wearing Aegis, his strength and agility matched Michael's—no, exceeded it. Easily dodging the sword, he pulled the trigger of his acid shotgun toward him.
It was newly made. The acid shot hit his head. In that instant, he sensed death. A fleeting life-flashback crossed his mind.
'When I first joined the Salvation Church...'
But the flashback couldn't continue. Before he could recall anything, the bullet tore through his head. Splatter! His head exploded.
Even with his head blown off, his body twitched. One more shot, two, three. For the archbishop at the 'pinnacle' of the Salvation Church followers, it was a somewhat anticlimactic end.
The other bishops and followers met the same fate—either killed or taken prisoner.
"We won!"
As Leader Iserna shouted while slicing the last Chaser's throat, the residents began cheering. The war between Shelter C and the Salvation Church ended in Shelter C's 'perfect' victory.
"You're leaving?"
I nodded at Iserna's question.
"Personally, I'd love for someone as capable as you to stay..."
I gave her a faint smile as she openly showed her regret.
"There are people waiting for me."
It had been nearly six days of going radio silent without direct contact, so Zixuan must be waiting anxiously. Of course, I'd let her know through Queen that I was safe...
But that was two days ago already, so she was probably furious—extremely furious. Worries about how to appease her already furious self started bubbling up.
'I miss her already.'
In any case, having heard my answer, Iserna didn't try to hold me back further. Instead, she even provided a truck to carry Loki and the android robots.
I'd half-expected her to go 'bleat' and say she couldn't let them go... but whether because of the tech lab incident or not, she was more magnanimous than in the game.
"Can I come visit to see Loki sometimes?"
Having apparently grown fond of Loki in the meantime, she asked, and I nodded. Maintaining good relations with a powerful shelter like Shelter C was ideal—more than welcome.
"You're leaving?"
"Yeah."
I nodded at Johnson's question. He sheepishly handed me a box. Wondering what it was, I saw it was filled with mithril.
And on top of the box was a skillbook. The item from capturing the Tyrant. I'd yielded ownership to Johnson's party since claiming it felt awkward, but now they were yielding it back.
"Give this to Zixuan. Anyway, sorry about last time. Hope we can keep up the good trades going forward."
"Thanks."
Who could've predicted Johnson and I would end up in this mutual helping relationship? Perhaps thinking the same, he smirked, and I let out a smirk too.
It was the moment we completely severed our long—or short—bad blood.
After bidding farewell to his party members, I got in the truck and left Shelter C.
At Hope Bridge, Zixuan and a few residents had come out to greet me, as if Queen had tipped them off in advance that I was coming.
I gave them a light bow in greeting while approaching her with a tense face.
Zixuan walked toward me too. And raised her hand. I'd braced for a slap on the cheek, but she just gently caressed my face. She used Healing.
"No injuries?"
"None."
I'd gotten some scrapes, but Olivia's healing had fixed them. An awkward silence fell for a moment. Debating what to say—or if I should—I spoke first.
"I'm sorry."
Still smiling brightly, she asked back.
"What for?"
"...For leaving without a word."
"And?"
"And..."
What else was there? As I pondered, she pressed her lips to mine. Her warm body heat transmitted through my lips. With eyes closed, immersed in it, she pulled away and hugged my chest.
The next moment, she pinched my chest.
"...You really don't get it? You left me all alone."
Leaving alone = leaving behind alone.
Wasn't that the same?
I thought that inwardly but apologized to her unconditionally. My instincts were screaming. Pointing it out here would only make her sulk more.
"I'm sorry."
Clinging to me, she whined.
"Perfect timing, just perfect."
"I had days like that with my wife too."
"Didn't you say you were born in a lab?"
"...Isn't my original body's wife still my wife?"
I could hear Professor Alex and Vinny chatting behind us as they watched, but I pretended not to hear and hugged Zixuan.
She bit my nape like payback, leaving a hickey, then smiled loosely and asked.
"By the way, what's with all that stuff you brought?"
She showed interest in the truck I'd brought. I shrugged and said.
"Android robots to protect our shelter. And..."
"And?"
"The foundation to develop our shelter even further."
The mithril box from Johnson—I planned to use the mithril inside to build 'work android robots.'
With that substantial amount, and Metal Transformation at level 10, I could make at least ten or more.
"I don't know what it is, but... if Si-hyun says so, it must be something amazing, right?"
"I'll show you soon. Oh, Zixuan."
"Yeah?"
"Want to go to a resort sometime?"
"A resort?"
"There's a great spot. I'll take you."
"Just us?"
"Of course together."
"Where?"
"Bahara Mine."
The Bahara Mine accessible via the treasure map. Though removed in the latest version, it was once as famous as the Star Hall.
The scenery was beautiful, but the best part was there were no zombies at all. Inside, it was a peaceful resort-like rest area. Of course, in the VR game, it was just a minor bonus.
"I'll need to decode the cipher... but it's probably not far from here."
The treasure map required cipher decoding.
Fortunately, Shelter Apocalypse had Gouri No.1, expert at cipher decoding. Gouri No.1 could definitely crack the treasure map's cipher.
Entering the munitions factory, I first built Gouri No.1. It was still in the decomposed metal state from Hansol University, so I parallel-linked it with No.1.
「Connection stable.」
"Good?"
「At this state, it could control dozens of android robots no problem.」
"That's a relief."
「But, Master.」
"Yeah?"
「Who's that kid?」
"Talking about Loki?"
I pulled out Loki's AI module. Queen's pupils shook like an earthquake.
「Could it be Master doesn't need me anymore and is trying to discard me... so he brought a new woman... mumbling.」
"...Have you been watching Korean dramas? This is Loki... male type."
I had no idea if gender mattered to AI anyway...
Queen's face visibly relaxed. Wait, why are you relieved?
「Anyway, Loki... Dr. Elena's AI?」
"You know it?"
「Heard of it. A failure.」
I felt like Loki's AI module flinched.
「Please connect me.」
As she asked, I installed Loki's AI module into the supercomputer from Shelter C. Soon, Loki's hologram appeared before us.
「What? A failure?」
「Welcome. Failure.」
The two AIs' first encounter.
「Looks dumb as a module just from appearance.」
「What? What? Dumb as a module?」
「Dummy.」
...Looks like they got off on the wrong foot from the start? Queen tore into Loki sharply, and the dim-witted Loki floundered without a proper retort, eventually bursting into tears.
"Queen, you can train it properly, right?"
「Master, it'd be really frustrating, but...」
「I, I hate her! Hate!」
Loki even threw itself flat on the floor.
「I'll give it a try.」
I didn't miss the gleam in Queen's eyes. It was the moment Loki's future was decided. Well, pitiful, but... I couldn't keep training it myself forever.
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