Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Way Back
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"What should I call you?"
"My name's Choi Seung-hyun, but just call me Oppa. I'm twenty-seven."
"Yes, Oppa."
She flashed a beaming smile as she said it.
It was the kind of ultimate smile that explained why she always topped the visual rankings.
Even I, not a fan, felt myself getting pulled in.
I'd scavenged enough to fill an extra backpack.
Aside from the break room, everything was prop storage, so there wasn't much worth taking.
Yun-ji found sneakers that fit her feet, and I grabbed an extra sledgehammer.
Now I could bash zombies with dual hammers.
I stared out past the public hall, pondering escape routes.
The floor of the public hall had completely collapsed. Unless I climbed the walls like before, there was no way to reach the freight elevator on the opposite side.
And even if I could, it was crawling with zombies that wouldn't fall down.
I might manage alone, but not with Yun-ji in tow.
Freight elevator: scrapped.
The central elevator? I'd wrecked that one.
Debris from the fourth-floor collapse had buried it.
That left the stairs, but they wouldn't be easy either.
I'd have to fight zombies on every floor, and the first-floor lobby—accessible to civilians—would be a zombie paradise like this place.
Haa... Having someone to protect sure limits my options.
I watched Yun-ji grunt as she hauled stuff out of the storage room.
Beautiful girls make anything look picturesque... No, wait—my eyes locked onto the glass window beyond her.
How had I missed it? It was glaringly obvious on the wall.
I rummaged through the prop storage again.
Jackpot.
I found a usable rope.
It seemed sturdy enough for body weight, but it was too short.
Peering down, it ended between the second and first floors.
That was fine—I could jump it, and I'd catch Yun-ji.
I shook the anti-fall iron grate a few times, and it popped right off.
Yun-ji, watching from the side, went wide-eyed.
"Oppa, you're insanely strong."
"Thanks to you."
"Huh?"
"It's a thing. Don't worry about it."
I slung on Yun-ji's backpack too and gripped the rope.
"Ever rappelled before?"
"I did indoor climbing for a variety show."
At least she wouldn't freak out on a line.
"When the rope ends, just jump. I'll catch you below."
"You can really catch me?"
"You're under fifty kilos, easy. I can handle that much. Just don't scream and fall quietly."
Looking down, two zombies shuffled around the corner.
They weren't there before—had they sensed something?
"I'll handle those and signal you. Come right down."
"Got it."
Thanks to college sport climbing, my body remembered the motion.
I rappelled to the end and leaped toward the ground.
"Grrr..."
Hearing me descend, the two headed my way.
At least being behind the building kept the horde from swarming all at once.
With champion's focus, I raised both sledgehammers and smashed their heads simultaneously.
I yanked the hammers back to rip out their throats before they could scream.
Now I could handle two at once.
Confirming no others nearby, I signaled her down.
She wobbled crossing the window frame, but rappelling was surprisingly steady.
Stepping into wall cracks, dropping a foot or two at a time—soon she was at the rope's end.
"Oppa, you down there?"
"Don't worry, jump."
She glanced at me, then squeezed her eyes shut.
No more panty peeks, please—hurry up and jump.
Just like I said, arms tucked tight, she leaped.
I braced my arms, supporting her legs and back.
She was lighter than expected; barely any impact.
"Caught you fine, so open your eyes."
One eye first, then she looked up at me.
Her sky-blue eyes and trembling lashes were perfectly harmonious.
Down her perky nose to moist, parted lips.
Those plump, tempting lips were too hard to resist.
I leaned in without thinking, covering her slightly open mouth.
Chup... smack... smooch...
I wanted to slip my tongue in but held back—she'd freak.
Pulling away, a thin saliva thread formed then snapped.
"O-Oppa..."
"Payment for the catch. I'll ask permission for anything else, so relax."
I set her down, and her face flushed a beat late.
She might explode at this rate.
Her reaction confirmed it: zero immunity to guys.
I handed her backpack to the flustered Yun-ji.
"What're you doing? Put it on."
"R-Right! Yeah!"
Her flailing was so cute I wanted to bite her.
Never led a girl like this before, but it felt natural.
Guess this is what Dominant trait feels like.
Not bad.
I readjusted my packs and headed out with Yun-ji.
I swiftly cleared zombies lurking behind the building and escaped the main road.
"No zombies here."
"I already handled the alley ones. Zombies don't come back without food."
Zombies were freakishly sensitive to smells and sounds.
They caught the tiniest noises and tracked human scent we couldn't even smell.
But no flesh scent? They ignored you.
My favorite spots from before were mostly ruins now.
Bitterly, I took Yun-ji's hand and hurried through restaurant row.
We'd walked nonstop without fighting, but the overpass wasn't in sight yet.
Yun-ji followed without complaint, but she looked exhausted.
"Tired?"
"N-No, I'm fine."
"Fine my ass. If you collapse, I'm the one screwed. Let's rest."
"Sorry."
We ducked into a chicken joint on the first floor of a commercial building.
I'd cleared it before for beer runs to the media center.
Black, tar-like liquid stained the floor and walls.
The zombies I'd killed were melting away.
Just like the game.
After a while, downed zombies dissolved like this.
Mimicking decay, but now in reality.
Better than watching them rot for days, I guess.
I handed Yun-ji water and an energy bar.
"Eat."
"What about you, Oppa?"
"Me? This."
I pulled draft beer from the dispenser.
Only a day old—still ice-cold.
"I want beer too."
"You won't get wasted after one?"
"I hold my liquor."
She puffed her cheeks.
She'd improved a lot since we met.
We clinked glasses lightly and chugged.
Even in this crumbling world, draft beer tasted the same.
Another thirty minutes of walking, and the overpass appeared.
Cross the main road, climb the hill, and home was mine.
Over sixty zombies I'd killed had melted, leaving black liquid puddles everywhere.
Dozens more trampled through it.
Scattered human limbs—non-zombie ones—suggested survivors got jumped here.
Fresh meat? Zombies don't leave it alone.
More than I thought.
I could swing hammers hard enough to clear them.
But I hated getting slimed in that sticky crap.
I get prickly if I skip a shower even a day.
Most mismatched guy for a zombie apocalypse.
Already twenty-four hours unshowered—way too grimy.
Covered in that filth on top? Ugh, no thanks.
Then a lightbulb moment.
Wait—if it's from the game...
Modeled after petroleum tar—it burned great.
In-game, you'd stack zombies, melt 'em, then torch for barricades.
About thirty scavenging corpses.
Thirty points to me.
I gave Yun-ji, hidden nearby, a mask.
"Put this on. It's gonna stink."
Tested the convenience store lighter—worked fine.
"It's gonna get hot—stay hidden no matter what. Don't come out till I get back."
I ripped a car door off nearby.
Fire would spread fast; needed a heat shield.
Overpass pillars had flipped cars everywhere—hard for zombies to swarm.
To boost speed, I dumped 10 points into Agility.
Jump the black pools—no dirty shoes.
"Hey, you fuckers—over here!!"
I roared and sprinted toward the overpass pillar.
"Kraaa!!"
Rooting around, they all snapped heads up toward me.
Even distant ones somehow got the memo and lurched over.
Come all you want—it's about to be a firestorm.
"Raaah!!"
I literally flew.
Leaped high enough to clip the overpass, landing under the pillar.
Impact flung cars, splashing liquid.
"Fuck, I jumped to avoid this shit."
Grumbling, I stripped off my shirt.
Wouldn't want it catching fire and worsening things.
I rolled the shirt tight and lit it.
As expected, the black-stained parts ignited first.
Timing it for their approach, I hurled the bundle.
It hit the ground, and flames erupted like a movie effect.
Whoosh~
"Kaa... Kraaa...!!"
Spectacular.
I'd used fire tactics as a soldier in-game a few times, but IRL blew the screen away.
Zombies thrashing amid crimson flames, vanishing in a dance—beautiful even.
Shielding with the door, I ran to Yun-ji.
She greeted me pale-faced.
"O-Oppa! That was too dangerous! What if something happened to you—how would I survive?!"
Tearing up again.
Agh, so damn hot.