Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Time Tracker
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After the dump truck carrying the mercenaries completely vanished from sight, Sergeant Choi Ho-min let out a small sigh of relief.
"Phew..."
Honestly, it had been half a gamble. Even if that mercenary had killed him and looted the entire ammo depot, no one in this unit could have stopped him.
Fortunately, the guy turned out to be more of a gentleman than expected.
'No, not a gentleman... just a crazy bastard?'
Choi Ho-min shook his head at the memory of the mercenary pulling beer and cigarettes out of thin air. Awakeners. Ever since the world turned upside down, all sorts of freaks had started popping up.
"Sergeant Choi Ho-min, sir. You sure it's okay?"
Private First Class Park, standing beside him, asked with a worried look.
"Okay how?"
"I mean, those mercenaries. Is it really fine to just let them go like that? What if the lieutenant finds out..."
"Hey, Park Jin-su. You have no idea why I stepped in instead of leaving it to you guys?"
Choi Ho-min clapped Park on the shoulder.
"Guys like that are nothing but trouble. Look at them now—zombies crawling everywhere, and they're heading off to some dangerous zone when they could stay safe. Best to just send them on their way nicely. The lieutenant's just clueless and throwing his weight around."
Awakener.
The word for those who gained special abilities after killing zombies.
But if anyone could become an awakener with just a single bullet, the military would have been overflowing with them by now.
Sergeant Choi Ho-min had once witnessed an awakener in combat up close—just once.
During a temporary unit pulled for zombie suppression, supplies cut off, ammo ran dry. One of his buddies grabbed a military machete and charged into the zombie horde like a madman.
When he sliced through dozens of zombies, Choi Ho-min saw a red aura bloom from his body.
It was a mesmerizing sight, impossible to look away from. Moments later, flames erupted from his hands, incinerating the surrounding zombies in an instant.
'But he died anyway.'
The flames weren't enough against the endless waves. He'd already been bitten multiple times just from getting that close.
Of course, Choi Ho-min survived thanks to him.
But still.
'Goddamn it. In the 21st century, having to use a knife instead of a gun. Takes some serious balls to even try that.'
In that sense, the mercenary from earlier was definitely crazy, even if he looked fine on the outside.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Alright, now let's get back to our own work."
Choi Ho-min shook the black plastic bag the mercenary had given him. It was filled with things that let you forget this hellish world, if only for a moment.
"Whoa! What's all this!?"
"That mercenary dude gave it to us as thanks. And anyone who helped me out earlier gets an extra one."
Sergeant Choi Ho-min pulled out a few packs of cigarettes from the bag and generously handed them to the privates who'd been on duty with him.
"Whoa! Thank you, sir!"
"Damn, Sergeant Choi Ho-min never lets us down! Total respect!"
The privates cheered as they grabbed the smokes. Ever since the zombie outbreak cut off PX access and supplies, cigarettes were worth more than their weight in gold.
They lit up right there on the spot. On duty or not, they weren't idiots. No officers around except that fresh-faced lieutenant, so a little common sense went a long way.
"Man, these imported smokes hit different."
"Smooth as hell going down."
Private First Class Park and Private Kim, smoking beside him, kept marveling. Choi Ho-min shrugged at their flattery, grumbling gruffly.
"Look at you brown-nosers. Not getting any extras."
"Come on, Sergeant. You think we're that type? This is pure appreciation."
"Yeah, that's our Ho-min hyung!"
"Heh, you little shits."
Choi Ho-min couldn't help but chuckle at his juniors hyping him up. He pulled out a secretly stashed pack of imported jerky from his pocket and dangled it.
"After shift tonight, wanna sneak a quiet drink behind the barracks? Just us. Snacks are on this."
He flashed a beer can from the bag, and the privates' faces lit up instantly.
"For real!? Damn! What kinda day is this?"
Life—what's the big deal?
The world was already fucked by zombies, no clue when discharge would come, or even if vacations were a thing anymore. Pure luxury to even dream about.
Uncertain if parents and family back home were alive. Start dwelling on that shit, and you'd lose your mind.
So Choi Ho-min chose not to think about it. Be grateful you're alive and kicking right now, savor the small, sure joys in front of you.
'Definitely made the right call trading with that mercenary.'
He smacked his lips thinking of the beer and smokes wrapped in fresh SSS-grade ponchos, buried underground away from the stench.
'Best to dole 'em out occasionally to keep morale up, trade the rest with refugees for their stuff.'
Choi Ho-min was mulling over a brighter future when—
"Uh... Sergeant Ho-min?"
"Yeah? What."
"That... over there? Am I the only one seeing it?"
Private First Class Park, pale as a ghost, shakily pointed at a spot in the air.
"Why the fuss?"
Sergeant Choi Ho-min casually turned toward where Park was pointing. Then the blood drained from his face too.
"...What the hell is that."
In the middle of the road by the ammo depot managed by HQ, static like a broken TV screen flickered and hummed.
He rubbed his eyes, but it didn't change.
The widespread noise gradually converged into a single point, condensing and soon forming a grotesque shape.
Mimicking the surroundings, it kept shifting forms until it settled into something four-legged and beastly.
'Dog? No, cat?'
Choi Ho-min squinted hard at the unidentified thing.
One thing was clear: whatever animal it was, it sure as hell wasn't normal.
And sure enough.
The irregular noise blinked in and out, slowly solidifying its shape.
Peeking through the static: black hide, sharp claws, fangs...
"W-Wolf?"
Private Kim yelped in shock, dropping the cigarette from between his fingers.
Right then.
From across the barracks, two privates finishing patrol and heading back to base strolled toward the ammo depot, oblivious.
Chatting away, they missed the bizarre floating noise blob.
"Hey, know what's for dinner?"
"Heard it's spicy noodles."
"Fuck... rice noodles yesterday, noodles again today?"
The two privates reached the noise cluster, still yakking casually.
Only when it was right in front of them did they freeze, sensing something off.
"Huh. What is this?"
One reached out to touch the air—
KRAAANG!
Suddenly, a pitch-black wolf's head shot out from the noise like lightning. Jaws wide, it chomped the private's upper body whole.
"GAAAAAHHH!"
The scream cut short. Blood and guts sprayed like a fountain; the now-headless lower half crumpled limply to the ground.
"...Huh?"
His buddy's brain short-circuited at the sight, standing frozen, eyes darting. But only for a moment.
"Gah! W-What the fuck!"
Terror-struck, he screamed and bolted. But the wolf was faster. It pounced on his back, pinning him, drool dripping as it tore into his limbs like snacks.
Crunch-crunch.
Bones shattering, flesh ripping—the sounds echoed across the checkpoint.
"S-Someone... h-help... p-please..."
Snap!
"..."
Even worse: with every bite, not just the bodies but the bloodstains around them vanished. As if nothing had ever been there.
"F-Fuck...! Min-su!"
Private First Class Park wailed. The soldier just eaten was his junior.
"Sergeant Choi Ho-min! We're all gonna die! We gotta do something!"
Park's cry snapped Choi Ho-min back. His body was soaked in cold sweat.
'Fuck, can't die in a place like this!'
Gritting his teeth, he dashed past the wolf mid-feast toward the nearest emergency alarm button.
WWEEEEOOOOO!!!
Hitting it unleashed a ear-splitting Level 1 emergency siren across the checkpoint.
Level 1 alarms signaled enemy intrusion or equivalent crises.
It auto-relayed to upper command too—no small matter.
Soldiers poured out of the barracks in panic. Leading them: Lieutenant Ha, in charge of the checkpoint.
"Who the fuck sounded the alarm without orders!? This goes straight to command, you idiots!"
Lieutenant Ha came charging, face twisted in rage at his rare break being ruined.
"Goddamn it! You deaf or what!? Shut it off NOW!!"
As the lieutenant lunged for the button, Choi Ho-min blocked him desperately.
"Move it!"
"L-Lieutenant! Not the time! Look over there!"
Choi Ho-min pointed at the wolf finishing one soldier and stretching in place.
"W-What... is that thing?"
His voice trembled with fear.
"Choi Ho-min! I'm asking you!! What the HELL is it!!!"