Chapter 82
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Diablo Pursuit
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"A monster presumed to be Diablo has appeared."
Queen showed me a photo captured by the surveillance camera mounted on the roadside. It looked like dozens of zombies had been shredded with scissors and then clumsily stitched back together—a grotesque appearance.
No doubt about it: Specimen 37, Diablo. For a creature like that to be wandering along the riverbank... Had it somehow sensed Bunny's presence? I tilted my head and asked her.
"Has it noticed us here?"
"It's not that it sensed Bunny's presence. It seems to be pursuing the truck carrying the survivors."
"Survivors?"
"The survivors that Master already knows about."
Survivors I knew? Queen immediately swiped away the photo of Diablo and displayed an image of the truck's interior.
'Those are...'
I narrowed my eyes.
The women in the truck's driver's seat and passenger seat were indeed survivors I recognized, just as Queen had said.
Sophia, the former head of Shelter D's supply team and someone I'd once had a bad history with, and Alicia, the party leader from Team Apocalypse who had been based out of Shelter A.
This was a combination even I hadn't anticipated. How on earth had these two ended up in the same truck? And why were they being chased by Diablo?
"If things continue like this, they'll eventually get caught by Diablo. Master, shall I deploy Security Drone 2?"
"No need. It's impossible to face Diablo head-on without sending Heracles anyway. I'll go myself."
Diablo was certainly a monster comparable to—or even surpassing—a Tyrant in terms of overall abilities. But honestly, I didn't think it would be that tough of an opponent.
It only matched a Tyrant when considering comprehensive abilities; as I mentioned before, in terms of pure physical prowess, it fell short.
And not just a little short—it was considerably inferior. To that extent, the Tyrant I'd faced in simulations was a true monster.
"But it could be dangerous."
"When has it ever not been?"
I shrugged and left the workshop, boarding the Diablo RX. The name I'd given it, inspired by the creature itself. Time to meet the real Diablo, my trusty ride.
Muttering to myself, I revved the accelerator and headed to the riverbank. From a distance, I could see the truck being chased into the water.
"Shall I prepare the boat?"
I shook my head at Queen's question.
"No, that's not necessary."
I placed my hand on the barrier. Soon, a bridge began to form. Not a wide one like Hope Bridge, but just wide enough for me and the Diablo RX to cross.
It consumed some AP, but since it was just transforming and using up the barrier's metal, it didn't take much. The Diablo RX started racing across the newly formed bridge.
Thanks to the Diablo RX's insane speed, I reached the other side in an instant. By then, the truck they were in had plunged into the river.
Damn, whoever gave that order had guts. Charging a whole truck off that height.
I'd worried they might crash into the debris from the collapsed bridge, but fortunately, they splashed safely into the river.
Soon, they began floating up from the deep water below. I quickly used Metal Generation and Metal Transformation to create a net and hauled them out.
"Puha."
As they coughed up water frantically from their noses and mouths, I turned my head toward the bridge. Diablo was glaring at us with a ferocious face.
I raised my middle finger and said.
"What're you staring at, you bastard?"
As if it understood my words, it leaped toward us. Impressively fast. But I was one step quicker—I decomposed the spot where it was about to land.
Splash.
Kicking up a massive spray, it dove into the deep water like a belly flopper. With Sophia and Alicia slung over my shoulders, I turned and gunned the Diablo RX.
It could swim to some extent, but in its current state where it could barely keep up on land, there was no way it could catch the Diablo RX.
I used Metal Decomposition on the bridge. The temporary structure I'd built crumbled away. Far off, Diablo poked its head out of the water, staring this way.
It looked angry, or maybe amused. Just like the psycho boss from the game that terrified countless newbies with its eerie laughter.
Soon, it started swimming not toward the island, but back to the mainland. Of course, I didn't expect it to slink away quietly.
It would definitely try to cross to the island again soon, one way or another.
Fine... let it come if it dares. It didn't matter. Even if it somehow made it across, Shelter Apocalypse could handle it now.
Plus, there were no zombies around here for it to command.
As I thought that, my shoulder twitched. Well, more precisely, Sophia, who was draped over my right shoulder.
Soon, she spoke first. Her opening words were an apology.
"...Sorry. We never meant to lead it here... It just kind of happened."
"It's fine."
If I hadn't rescued them, Diablo never would have noticed this place. In the end, result-wise, I was the cause.
'Not that I planned to leave them alone anyway.'
I'd have to fight Diablo eventually. It was just coming a bit sooner than expected, which actually put my mind at ease.
I'd already made the "Enhanced Sentry Gun" to prepare for it.
"By the way, Alicia, you're awake, so you can drop the act."
"...Haha, you knew?"
Alicia turned to me with an awkward, embarrassed look.
"What happened between you two...? No, let's talk after we get back."
I returned to Shelter Apocalypse with them. The interior was tense; the residents were heavily armed and waiting for me.
"Leader, I heard from Queen. What about Diablo...?"
Jason bowed stiffly at the waist and asked about Diablo. I shook my head.
"It didn't make it across."
Well, more accurately, it couldn't.
"Ah, that's a relief."
He let out a sigh and nodded.
"But we'll need to stay on high alert for a while."
"Yes!"
Zixuan came out to greet us. She rushed over, scanning me up and down, but then spotted Alicia and made a strange face.
"Alicia?"
"Haha, first time talking like this since back then. Guess we ran into each other by chance?"
Alicia spoke with a weary expression, then lit up at the sight of Deshun armed with the Hybrid Z—but her face stiffened instantly.
Deshun stared back at Alicia with a hardened expression.
From what he'd told me, this was him reuniting with his former party leader—the one who'd abandoned him (or more precisely, let him escape).
"Deshun, you're alive?"
"Funny you should say that after shamelessly ditching me. Since you're here, I guess Shelter A fell, huh?"
He pressed her aggressively with a fierce look. I started to intervene but held back. They had their own history.
"...Yeah, it did. Even with you there, it was touch-and-go. No way just the two of us—and that Kim Hoon guy—could hold it off."
That's how I learned Shelter A had fallen. It felt strange. In the game, sure, it was just another shelter that got wiped out by variant zombies after Scenario 1. But since I'd stayed there once, the feeling lingered.
'The people there are probably all dead too.'
Deshun's face twisted in complicated emotions, then he shook his head and retreated back into his quarters. Alicia stared at his back with a conflicted look before bowing her head.
Like she had no face to show.
"Anyway, what happened to you? Sophia."
Zixuan cast Healing on Sophia, whose body was covered in bruises. Not only the bruises but even her once-severed fingers began regenerating.
Sophia bowed her head in thanks to Zixuan, then started telling me her story.
"After I escaped... I wandered the city aimlessly and ended up staying at Shelter E. And there... I met the Paradise Merchants."
I doubted my ears for a second.
"The Paradise Merchants... you mean?"
"I'm not sure if they were really from Paradise, but they introduced themselves as such and were trading supplies with the shelters."
The so-called "Paradise Traders," wandering outside Paradise and bartering goods. Nicknamed "gangsters" by players because even though neutral, they'd turn hostile if you had something they wanted.
'But Paradise Traders only show up during events like Thanksgiving...'
Was there some connection to the Tyrant's appearance? Thinking it over, I suddenly remembered something and asked her.
"So, what happened to those Paradise Traders?"
"They all lost their lives to that monster. I thought they had some hidden trump card since they were so confident..."
"Their cargo is probably still there, then?"
"Yeah. There were nine trucks packed full. They didn't show me what was inside, so I don't know exactly..."
Another nickname for Paradise Traders was "Golden Goblins." They carried around heaps of rare goods, ripe for the taking. For example...
My eyes gleamed as I glanced at the toy-like gun on Alicia's hip.
A plasma gun.
'No, not just plasma guns—probably mithril too.'
Maybe even adamantium.
...Slurp. My mouth was watering.
Just kidding.
Anyway, we had to secure those Paradise Traders' cargo. If it fell into someone else's hands—like the Salvation Church—it could spell big trouble.
"Where were those trucks?"
"West of Shelter A. I don't know the exact spot, but near a subway station."
Definitely a bit far distance-wise.
But Diablo was prowling outside. If we took a boat out and it ambushed us, we'd be at a disadvantage.
'In that case...'
Looks like I'd have to take out Diablo first.
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