Drum Mags, Jams, and Familiar Voices
Surprisingly, there were a few options.
The Goblin Merchant naturally recommended the most expensive drum magazine.
"Human. For those bullets, the 75-round drum magazine is the best."
"How much?"
"150 gold per magazine."
Insane price.
I never expected a single magazine to cost this much.
My budget was around 500 gold, so I had to be frugal.
"Don't you have anything cheaper?"
"There's a 50-round drum for 80 gold."
The price dropped sharply.
Honestly, drum magazines felt a bit unreliable. In Tower Escape, they had a pretty high chance of feed failures.
If your gun's durability was high, malfunctions were rare... but my rifle wasn't in top condition.
I'd maintained it as best I could, but worn-out parts were worn-out.
Someone might say buying Tower-made stuff would fix that. But the inter-floor merchant usually sold used goods. Higher failure rate, obviously.
But facing a zombie horde without extended mags... that's rough.
Being solo made sustained firepower super shaky. Plus, the 3rd floor was zombie central—no avoiding fights.
"What other high-cap options besides drums?"
"60-round casket magazine. 120 gold each."
Eastern Bloc 7mm rifle, so the options sucked.
If it were NATO rounds, there'd be better quality stuff. Though it'd probably cost even more.
After agonizing, I picked four 50-round drums. Filling them with ammo wiped out almost all my gold.
Combined with what I had, about 250 rounds total. I'd die before burning through that.
"Got some change left. Trade it for pistol mags and ammo?"
"Sure."
One pistol mag cleaned out the rest.
'Tired...'
I quickly set up a spot and crashed for a little over an hour. Woke up, scarfed down my saved cup ramen—broth and all—and finally felt some energy return.
'Must be the skills. Kept Perfect Sense active the whole 4th floor.'
No time to whine here. Once I escape the Tower, I'd eat and sleep my fill, then stream and bitch all I wanted. A Tower Escape vet's real escape story? Viewers would eat it up.
"Human! Five minutes left!"
I gave my gear one last check and reviewed the plan.
Never going down to the 2nd floor. No matter what, escape the 3rd completely. 2nd was crawling with hunters, bad spot for my Stealth Skill.
Good thing I had everything for the 3rd floor's direct exit.
'Straight to the toxic zone.'
Gas mask. Tower-made, no hesitation.
"Human! Even after escaping the Tower, buy from me! Got it?"
I almost flipped him off but held back.
Fwaaash!
Moments later, I arrived in a rusty-smelling small city.
'This... highway tollgate?'
Rarely dropped with a clear landmark. I headed slowly toward downtown.
Destination: abandoned hospital. Highest-risk zombie nest, direct exit location. Best farming spot on 3F. Prime hot zone, no question.
Once there, zombies wouldn't be the worry. Other hunters probably cleared it already.
The road to get there? That was the problem.
Saaah...
A chilling wind made me shiver. Use abandoned cars and trash piles as cover...
Soon, downtown appeared.
And right on cue, zombies infested it. At least ten. My grip tightened on the rifle.
'Dodge for now.'
Bang!
Gunfire echoed from afar. Zombies reacted, starting to shamble slowly.
Sound was faint, so sluggish. Everyday noise here, I guess.
I noted the direction and hid. Shadow Walk.
Zombies missed me completely and shuffled past.
'Whew.'
Still a ways to the hospital. Passed a nearby down-ramp exit, entered a single-family housing district.
Had to pick between elementary school or houses... Chose the latter, more obstacles and alleys.
Couldn't dodge zombies from here on.
Click.
Zombies dotted the narrow alleys. One spotted me, mouth gaping wide. Nauseating stench hit.
"Kieee..."
Before it could scream louder, I punched a hole in its head.
-Headshot
The zombies charged straight at me.
-Headshot
Quick cleans while pushing inward. Calm aimed shots, no Perfect Sense. Waste it on these? I'd collapse first.
But...
Click, click.
"Huh? Why isn't it firing?"
Next zombie, trigger pull—dry. I didn't count every shot meticulously, but 50-round mag should've had half left.
"Kieek!"
-Pistol
Drew pistol, cleared the rushers, checked rifle chamber. Empty. Magazine feed failure.
'Don't do this to me.'
Shoved the bad mag in my subspace pouch, swapped a new drum. Smaller capacity, but auto-load was a godsend. Forgot how I lived without it.
Click.
Reloaded pistol too, pressed on. No more jams, thankfully.
-Headshot
-Headshot
Clearing enough space for one body to pass. Then, unfamiliar presence from behind.
Thud!
Urgent footsteps. About 4-5 hunters. Closer for details, but no time. They were after me.
'Spotted 'cause of zombies.'
Expected this. Hurried through the houses, donned gas mask.
Toxic zone ahead. They'd hesitate. Even with masks, smoke limited vision.
"Damn it. Lost him!"
"That bastard looked tasty... chase?"
"Nah, let him go."
Yeah, to them, I was prime loot. Solo with solid gear. Snowfield troll leather, subspace pouch, Eternally Burning Heart.
Hell, even the unheard-of instant-kill dagger.
'How'd I reach 3F? No way I'd die to those punks.'
Grinding teeth inside the mask, found a temp hideout. 2nd floor construction site, less smoke.
"Huff, huff..."
Scanned surroundings, pulled the jammed drum. Inlet bent, round stuck. Smacked it on wall—nope. Wound the spring again.
Click!
Finally, rounds fed properly. Spring issue, as expected.
'Scared me.'
This skill leveled a ton lately too. Usable outside? Hunter mishaps in news suggested yes.
Up to the 3rd floor of the unfinished building—no more smoke worry. Toxic fumes sink.
Wanted to rush the hospital, but haste makes waste.
Best loot spot and direct exit? Hot zone. Scout, enter at the right moment.
Sun setting, so bunk here tonight.
'3rd floor should be fine.'
Just housing nearby—no sniper risk. Unfinished but 4 stories, ceiling equivalent.
Set wire traps on 1st/2nd stairs. Saved grenades, but noise would alert.
Plus, dummy figure from trash/cloth on prime 3rd-floor spot. I curled in a half-rotted box.
'Out soon.'
First after escape? Bath. Then food.
Too long in Tower—primal urges raging. But thinking back, I wasn't classy or smart before either.
'Stream hiatus without notice. How many followers dipped?'
Bang, bang!
Dusk brought more gunfire. Sound carries better at night. Can't survive without outside thoughts.
Yuki from 4F—should've got her number. Barely 10 minutes together, miss her like hell. Even the goblin merchant crossed my mind.
Forced sleep, woken by noise—hours later, dawn. No overnight guests.
Geared up, scoped hospital. Zombies swarming. Gaps probably hunter-cleared.
'That way?'
Not enough ammo for new paths. Brought ~250, ~170 left. Solo eats rounds fast.
Glug.
Chugged water, masked up, pierced smoke. At sniper spot near hospital, peering in... gunfire from dangerous direction.
Rat-tat-tat!
'Huh? That's the warehouse district?'
Top loot zone with hospital. Attacking that? No amateurs. Best avoid.
But then—explosion opposite.
BOOM!
Grenade. Worse.
'Hunters fighting hunters.'
Quick think—hospital it was.
No time. Clash draws crows fast. Near = danger.
"Hah..."
-Burst fire
Whoosh!
Mowed the horde, slipped through 1st-floor broken window. Shadow Walk.
Shhht.
Vanished—zombies lost target, wandered or turned.
These things had dead senses; stealth worked great.
Just enter the morgue passage below. But... no letting guard down.
Extended Perfect Sense down the filthy hall. As expected—wire traps.
6F and 5F had exit campers; 3F wouldn't lack.
'Damn, fresh install...'
Certain. Hunters hiding in hospital basement.
One grenade and smoke to flush? Doubtful.
Exit so close, yet stalled. Up to 2nd, wait for them to clash with others. New campers possible, though.
2nd empty, thankfully. Looting ward, footsteps on stairs. Held breath, Shadow Walk.
Fwip!
But the voices... eerily familiar.
"Fuck! Mask and ricochet, of all things..."
"Boss said don't stand like an idiot. Duck during firefights..."
"Shut it, auntie. How am I supposed to know bullets bounce?!"
"You moron..."
"...Head to 3rd anyway. Easier to breathe there."
Not on good terms...
No Tower auto-translate. Pure Korean.
'Korean hunters here...'
But no guarantee they'd side with me. Especially with my loot value.
They headed up to 3rd.