Chapter 146

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 146

Chapter Title: 73. Armband (4)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Current temperature: minus 25.2 degrees.

The sky was clear without a single cloud, and the wind was calm.

The snow-blanketed streets lay silent and still.

The unmanaged high-rises and apartments had turned corpse-like, densely blocking the view in a suffocating manner, but not a single wisp of smoke rose from any of those countless buildings.

"As expected, everyone's gone."

Valentine muttered weakly.

"Even just last winter, you could still spot a few plumes of smoke..."

Valentine had a unique mode of transport.

A golf cart.

But it was too big to call it just a cart—the wheels were enormous.

It looked like something close to a custom build; he claimed it could hit 120 km/h if you floored it.

He'd swapped the motor for one from an electric car made by Melon Mask and reinforced the suspension for high speeds. I didn't bother questioning it. In this era, staying alive was proof enough.

Normally, when operating in a target area, we moved on foot.

That way was stealthier, allowing for more thorough use of terrain and cover.

Of course, choosing the disadvantageous foot travel came with the insurance of being able to call for backup anytime.

If we ran into tough enemies or obstacles on foot, we could always request support from the Chinese troops.

But in this ruined city, there was no backup.

Not helicopters, not armored vehicles—not even a drone.

If we encountered something unbeatable, we'd have to run for it ourselves.

The subzero cold gradually numbed the body over time, dragging it toward death's swamp. Yet ironically, that chill gave me a sense of security.

Navigating these wide-open streets between skyscrapers felt as carefree as exploring an abandoned house—something I'd never experienced even in China. There was always a sniper.

Those abandoned by the government, despairing in reality, would shoot at anyone approaching their turf.

Sporadic shots came now and then, but sometimes dozens ambushed on rooftops, unleashing sudden barrages.

A few of my comrades had died absurdly to those blind bullets.

Even among them was a Chinese hunter whose skills I'd acknowledged.

The guy who'd been bragging just yesterday about calling in Shanghai's hottest bar girls for a wild night went down limply to distant gunfire. That must've been around when it happened.

That was the moment I thought our strongest foe might be monsters, but the most dangerous enemy could be fellow humans.

In this frozen wasteland, that risk was gone.

To survive inside concrete buildings without power or water, you had to keep a fire burning constantly.

The moment it went out, the warmth enveloping your body would vanish like a mirage.

The roads were snow-covered like everywhere else, but with low snowfall all winter, motorcycles could manage without much issue.

Snow depth varied by spot but averaged about ankle height for an adult.

Eleven years ago, this area had been under Legion Gang control, so the roads were in decent shape.

No abandoned cars, no debris—all cleared out.

There were some unidentified bits of trash here and there, but compared to clogged loop roads and highways impassable without a motorcycle, this was excellent.

Aesthetically, though, it was grim. Corpses hung from nooses around their necks with placards, twisted into grotesque shapes from repeated drying and freezing. Red paint scrawled words like thief, traitor, sellout, deserter.

And the corpses weren't all human.

"Look over there, SKELTON."

A massive cat lay curled up, snow draped over it like a blanket.

A mutation.

Valentine brushed away the snow to check its state.

"With this white fur, it looks like the Jangsan Tiger—one of the five great mysteries."

"Jangsan Tiger?"

("A tiger that lures and eats people by mimicking a baby's cry.")

"Yeah. This cat bastard supposedly mimics baby cries to lure people in and devour them. Over a hundred that I know of fell victim."

Valentine kicked the corpse.

"Even monsters can't beat the cold, huh."

Well, it was the season when humans froze to death too.

Mutations weren't immune.

Gold crossed my mind unbidden.

If that smart pup was out there, would it have come begging for my help in this winter?

"Remember this alley?"

"Yeah, the place where people were shooting at each other?"

"Right. Back then, we had to move like soldiers—using cover, concealment, even crawling. But now? Dead quiet."

Valentine was spot on.

The rundown shopping street, once stained with violence, lay as silent as the rest of the city.

"Not much farther now."

"No, stop."

Something was out there beyond the white street.

Instead of squinting, I pulled out my scope and zoomed in.

New species.

Just like in the live feeds and photos—dreamlike shape.

Its upper body reared up like a centaur, forming an overall "L" silhouette.

Grublike, no limbs, but primitive band-like feet on its belly segments, moving by contracting and expanding like an earthworm.

No eyes or nose on the head, but a diamond-shaped chitin helmet covered the upper part like a visor, while the lower held a maw of razor teeth embodying pure malice.

"Fall back."

"What're you gonna do?"

I racked my rifle instead of answering.

Click.

With the safety off, Valentine reversed the cart and pulled back out of sight.

I gauged the distance through the scope.

600 meters.

Inside reflection field range.

The pros and cons of long range were crystal clear here.

Farther away meant less chance of getting killed by the monster, but lower hit chance meant risking the reflection field too.

I figured this new breed couldn't deploy one.

But I wasn't about to bet my life on a hypothesis.

Best play was suppressive fire—intimidation shot. But given the distance, the cold-stiffened body, and barrel condition, closing in was safer.

Every time long range fell short, Kim Daram came to mind.

My best junior would've drawn and cracked a shot grazing the monster's flank without even checking wind speed or direction.

No more missions with her ahead.

A twinge of bitterness hit as I kept observing.

But this thing... bad eyesight?

I was staring right at it, but it hadn't spotted me.

Detection range must be narrow.

A good idea sparked.

I got Valentine's okay and headed to an old department store behind us.

A four-story behemoth, at least thirty years old. Central atrium open to the ceiling, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shops lining the perimeter corridors—like a department store.

Used to sell electronics; now just ruins.

Truth be told, blaming the war was unfair—it'd gone bust long before, a ghost mall kept alive barely by a franchise cafe on the first floor and a theater on the fourth.

I climbed the broken escalator, picking my ambush spot.

Third floor, behind the escalator. Good cover, overlooked the open lower floors.

Made a dummy on the second.

Draped my poncho over an abandoned mannequin in plain view.

Reasons for shifting the battlefield here: a few tests I wanted to run.

But first, supplies.

Grabbed two sturdy, long plywood sheets from the theater.

Meant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for hanging banners; stacked, they'd serve my purpose.

Last item: water.

"Lend me that electric kettle."

Valentine's cart had a portable one.

Melted a handful of snow into water.

Prep complete.

Now, just the fight.

Back to where I'd spotted it, fired beside it.

It turned my way.

Had some smarts—reacted to sound or vibration impacts.

It tracked me; I motored to the store.

Slow mover.

Full speed maybe 30 km/h?

Slower, even.

Plenty of time—no need for the bike at this range.

Rode into the store, then walked up to position.

Escalator was shortest, but for reasons, detoured to the emergency stairs.

Hid and waited.

Monster appeared soon enough.

Well, monster? What's your move?

Before the question faded from my mind, it writhed toward me.

Detection ability?

Straight to my perfectly concealed spot without hesitation—must have one.

Ignoring the obvious dummy poncho confirmed it.

Attack method for detection monsters like this: probably just close-range melee.

Charging straight in an environment where ranged weapons were viable.

Traits grasped.

Click—

Aimed at its side, fired.

Bang!

Intimidation.

Bullet grazed by perilously.

Normally, shockwave on trigger pull triggers reflection field—no such thing.

No field.

It climbed the escalator fast; I fired again.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Intimidation x2.

One effective hit.

Last spaced shot burrowed into its torso.

"Kieeeek!"

Unique trait: it made noise.

A horrific screech like U Min-hee scraping steel with her prosthetic—ear-shattering.

Not sure if pain, but it stiffened.

Bullets worked.

Switched to three-round burst, aimed fire.

Rat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat! Rat-tat-tat!

Six to torso, three to head—visor chitin.

Torso shots penetrated; visor ones ricocheted.

High defense.

But shards flew—not perfect deflection. Six hits in, it screamed and flopped on the escalator.

"..."

Dead?

One more for certainty.

No twitch.

Dead.

But three more spaced, then emptied the mag off-beat, reloaded.

Conclusion: no movement.

This "extinction-type" new breed? Combat power negligible.

Monster-shaped, but actual prowess near primitive otherworlder precursors.

One issue, though.

No dissolution.

Monsters usually particle out on death; this hardened like human or mutation corpse.

As if craving decay—monsters' sole beauty was death's grace; this forwent even that.

Mid-doubt, a silent shockwave rippled through space.

Impact wave.

Not from it.

Far off.

Another monster nearby.

As I moved to leave, ominous energy spread over the downed body—like black ink splattered on the world.

Pulled two mags from inner pocket, readied.

Black mist faded; unwelcome reality unfolded.

The "dead" monster rose.

"Kiiiiieek!"

Maw gaping ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in roar, charged me.

Rat-tat-tat!

Same method.

But on impact, distant wave boomed; black mist bloomed at hit site. Through it, it pressed on unscathed.

Now on second floor.

Time to spare.

Phone out, max zoom, fired while recording.

Same phenomenon, but frame-by-frame now.

Playback revealed the mist's nature.

Regeneration.

Bullet pierced white flesh; mist filled the hole instantly.

New type.

Source: the wave-maker northeast.

Want to confirm, but new breed in face.

Undying tank eating all my rounds.

But I had insurance.

"Kiiiiieek!"

Aimed at the screeching escalator-climber, drew both axes.

Axes were my last bastion, but not today's stars.

"Kiiiiieek!"

Charging up the escalator—then suddenly slid down mid-climb. I'd sloped it.

Plywood down, water poured over.

m9 inspired that.

Monster's inferior build couldn't conquer Earth's slope.

Watched it flail ahead.

Faster than standard monsters.

Felt alive, not like dead wood.

Objectively slow, though.

Clumsy as a mutation's toenail—no real need for the slope.

Chop!

Swinging axes freely after ages.

Mist healed each graze, but I dismantled faster than it regenerated.

Alone, wouldn't kill the immortal grub king.

Eyed the chitin visor I'd noted.

As it slipped but thrust its head at me, full-force axe to the back of its skull.

Not smashing—peeling sensation.

Slash—

Axe severed the visor clean.

Inside: grotesque organ writhing like a heart-seed.

Chop!

Other axe smashed it.

Heavy impact feedback; finally, motion ceased.

Long fight over.

Mist couldn't save it.

Critical organ pulped, flesh dissolved into beautiful particles like any monster.

"..."

Not strong, but no pushover.

Inner bullet resistance, regen, detection—if in a pack, weaklings would go extinct.

And it wasn't alone.

One more—the wave and mist source.

Pushing plywood aside to head down—

-Zzzt!

Radio crackled.

Public frequency.

"Hunter Park Gyu!"

Unknown voice.

"Search team here. Under heavy attack from multiple strong monsters. Team lead's down; whole team's cornered. I know it's extremely dangerous, but can you support?"

Multiple.

Main force was there, not here.

Stepped into the dissolving particles, replied.

"Where?"

Recommendations: 59
Professor pulling research data while throwing himself into the fray.

With a prof like this, I'd happily sign up for grad school.

Recommendations: 16

SKELTON's insanely strong for sure.

Monster butcher level, damn.

Recommendations: 5

Kim Daram popping up nonstop lol.

Some old hunters have insane specs.

Professor's axe dance time~

Can't wait for folks to freak over MC's rampage, hehe.