Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: PMC Mercenary
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Goal: Create a zombie virus vaccine
⚙ Scenario 2 ⚙ PMC Mercenary Background: You are an elite rookie mercenary with the multinational private military company Titan Security. Just before the zombie outbreak, you've been assigned to escort a VIP client. You must enter a city overrun with zombies alongside your team and evacuate the VIP client, Yui-na, to a safe location. Initial Skills: 【Threat Detection】: Instinctively sense threats from enemies outside your field of view or hidden ones. 【Tactical Marksmanship】: Slightly increases accuracy and reload speed with all types of firearms. Goal: Ensure the survival of VIP client 'Yui-na' and escort her to a safe location. ⚙ Scenario 3 ⚙ Graduate Student Background: You were an ordinary grad student suffering under your advisor's constant nagging and thesis pressure. On the day the zombie outbreak hit, you smashed your zombified advisor's head with your major textbook and escaped the campus with a sense of sweet relief. Now, your sole goal is to survive in this hellish world. Initial Skills: 【Perseverance】: Greatly reduces the chance of detection by zombies when hiding in tight spaces (cabinets, under desks, etc.). 【All-Nighter Master】: Fatigue accumulation is halved. You stay fresh even after pulling all-nighters for days. Goal: Survive for 1 month 'Overall, they all seem fine?'
The researcher had high critical hit rates and could debuff zombies with chemicals.
The mercenary detected threats and took down enemies directly with firearms.
The graduate student sounded lame, but it was a stealth character guaranteed for solo survival.
All the starting setups had clear pros and cons, making the choice straightforward.
'Mercenary it is here.'
I was immune to the zombie virus thanks to my perk, so no need for vaccines or treatments. The grad student could survive inside buildings with hiding spots, but outdoors, survival wasn't guaranteed.
Above all, I'd entered this planet aiming for 'guns' as my firepower, so the mercenary was the optimal pick.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Selected PMC Mercenary.] [Starting the scenario.] ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The scenery around me changed in an instant.
I felt the firm texture of asphalt beneath me as I opened my eyes. The acrid smell of burning filled the air.
I turned my head to survey the surroundings. I was in an area with several tents, beyond which military trucks and barricades were visible.
'A makeshift temporary camp, huh.'
"Hey, rookie."
'Not bad as a starting point. Guess we head to the city on foot? It warped us right after the zombie virus spread...'
I was deep in thought when suddenly I sensed something approaching from behind. My body reacted on reflex, spinning around and swatting at it.
"Whoa, what the hell. No need to react that sharply."
The man glanced at his reddened hand with an incredulous look.
Before me stood two rough-looking guys and two women, all armed.
"Who are you?"
"Who are you? Did you take something before the mission? Hmm... this is a problem. Might have to call in a replacement teammate."
That was when it hit—like plugging a USB into my brain, a flood of information poured in. Carlson, Sera, the Las Vegas casino...
Unfamiliar names and places mixed with memories that weren't mine, causing a brief dizzy spell. I instinctively realized: these were the original owner's memories.
The white guy in front of me, with a scar above his eyebrow, was my squad leader and C-Team leader at Titan Security, Carlson.
"Carlson. Sorry about that. I was lost in thought, so my reaction was slow."
"Hmph... Doesn't seem like it, considering you just looked at me like you had no idea who I was."
"Squad leader, don't be so hard on him. He's just tense from stepping on home soil after so long."
The one defending me was a blonde Western woman with orange eyes—a drone specialist named Sera. She was also a Titan Security mercenary and... my girlfriend from five years ago in a Las Vegas casino.
'No, ex-girlfriend since we broke up. But damn, this original body was weird too. Who applies to join a squad with their ex?'
"Right, Joo-hyuk, Korea's your homeland, yeah?"
I nodded on reflex.
"I knew about the assassination mess a few years back, but who thought it'd collapse this fast? You barely got back home soil, and bam—hit with a bioweapon for localized damage... Anyway, unrelated, but don't get too sentimental. We're mercenaries."
"Squad leader, I'll take responsibility and get him briefed before the mission."
Carlson nodded curtly and left with the other team members.
Sera glanced around, confirmed no one was watching us, grabbed my sleeve, dragged me somewhere, and shoved me into a tent that looked oddly familiar.
"?"
Ridiculously, while I'd sensed and blocked Carlson's unseen hand earlier, I hadn't reacted at all to Sera's push on my back.
The impact sent me tumbling, but thankfully onto an unopened sleeping bag, so no injury.
"Wow, discipline's gone to shit. What time's reveille, and you haven't even packed your bag?"
As she said that, Sera had climbed atop my upper body like a cat, leaning down to look at me with an amused smirk.
"Sera. What the hell."
"Hey now, where does a rookie get off calling a senior by name?"
"Uh, um. Then... Senior Sera?"
"Eww. That was a joke. Just call me Sera—this ain't the army. No one's gonna nitpick over titles."
'She's totally playing with me.'
But oddly, I felt like I had to play along. Was this the original owner's personality bleeding through?
"Fine. Sera, what's up?"
"What's up? That's my line. I knew you got into Titan Security, but why'd you get assigned to Korea—my post?"
Sera asked with a mischievous grin.
"'Cause I'm Korean?"
"That's really all?"
No. The original owner still couldn't forget Sera. That's why he applied to Titan Security and specifically requested Korea where she was posted.
Of course, his native-level Korean probably helped with the Korea assignment.
Getting into her C-Team was pure coincidence.
"Yeah."
But those weren't my memories.
"Oh? Guess I misunderstood then."
"Misunderstood what?"
"That you still couldn't forget me."
A bit absurd.
Sera was pretty for a mercenary, but not my type.
"Aren't you overestimating yourself a bit?"
Her smile vanished at my words.
"...Ahem. Anyway, if that were true, I'd ask Squad Leader Carlson to reassign you. Can't have it affecting the mission."
"Won't happen. I keep personal and professional feelings strictly separate."
"Good. Then we're fine."
Sera seemed satisfied and stepped out, only to poke her head back in.
"Oh, right. Assembly in 30 minutes—don't forget to gear up."
"Got it."
'But how do you pack a kit bag again?'
Since it didn't come to mind right away, the original owner probably wasn't an ace mercenary.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ It was a bit tricky, but I shoved heavy stuff into my inventory and packed light items in the bag to sort it out.
I wanted to ditch the kit and just carry a gun and spare ammo, but my teammates would think I was nuts during ops, so I held back.
'No reason for solo play with teammates around.'
Unlike the tower world, these mercenaries were clear allies. As long as I didn't show hostility first, no one'd shoot me in the back.
Likewise, no plans to reveal my inventory.
'Doesn't seem like a world with ability users.'
I'd pass on being stared at like a lab rat.
My role was assault trooper: assault rifle, 2 rubber round mags, 5 live round mags, 5 grenades, auto-pistol, and 7 compatible mags.
'Wait, isn't this Korea? Even with the zombie virus, non-military using live rounds freely?'
The moment the doubt hit, the original owner's memory of his chat with Carlson sharpened.
「After the assassination, Korea's public safety plummeted. Frequent local skirmishes and terror threats led the government to fully legalize private military companies.
Especially with its geographic advantage against China and Russia, giants like Titan Security set up branches here, turning Korea into a hub for quasi-military groups.」
'...This world's like mine but subtly different.'