Chapter 188
Chapter 188
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: 87. Unknown Number (2)
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The area where Jeon Yu-kyung lived was the wasteland stretching out to the east.
Once packed with countless vinyl greenhouses and farmlands beyond number, it had devolved into barren land where the deeply cracked earth lay fully exposed.
Scattered reservoirs were the only spots with any water left, but each one bore traces of past human habitation—frozen in time, blanketed in layers of dust from the years.
If anyone asked why no one lived around here, I'd answer like this:
Because there are better places everywhere.
The heavy presence of zombie, mutation, and monster territories was probably one big reason small survivor groups shied away from settling down.
This wasteland was nominally Legion faction territory.
Quite a distance from their main base in the Yeongdong region, but relatively close to the Yeongseo region—their forward outpost.
That said, the roads were in terrible shape, so you needed a vehicle that could handle rough terrain.
A Legion division general could snag a jeep like that without much trouble.
Which was probably how they'd set up a hideout here for his mistress.
I wasn't in the habit of prying into personal drama, but it didn't strike me as some noble gesture.
Not with that talk of a mountain of supplies, anyway.
The Legion enforced laws with an iron fist—embezzlement especially got hammered.
Listen to their broadcasts, and even petty graft meant a firing squad.
There it was—destination in sight beyond the hill.
A church building, its sharp steeple snapped off and left to rot.
The division general had said the hideout was around the church.
I killed the motorcycle engine and approached on foot, nice and slow.
Sticking extra close to cover as I moved.
By the time I reached the front, a charred stench clawed at my nostrils.
Fire damage inside the church.
No signs of people burned alive, but it was clear no one had lived here since.
Jeon Yu-kyung's hideout lay along the northeast ridge from the church.
Faint concrete outlines peeked through the grass and soil on the ridge.
Gun at the ready, I crept closer.
Sure enough, a house.
Bamboo had exploded across the yard like a green bomb from neglect, dirty stains mottled the building, and decay showed everywhere—but by pre-war standards, it was a solid country home.
You could tell from the experimental layout and the sleek interior materials peeking through the overgrowth.
Below the ridge stretched green hills and a lake—probably an old golf course.
The view was killer.
No wonder a general picked it for a hideout.
Up close, signs of recent life stood out: fire pits, discarded briquettes from a fresh burn.
Beyond the bamboo thicket, a small flower bed came into view, tucked away.
Pretty flowers bloomed there—unknown variety—but the house was empty.
Someone had lived here, then left.
No sign of that supply mountain the general mentioned.
Just faint tire tracks etched into the yard.
I radioed the division general.
Tried again—no answer.
Searched the house deeper.
Ten briquettes left in the shed.
Wanted them all, but bulk was the issue more than weight; crammed six into storage and left the abandoned place behind.
No word from him after that.
I learned his fate a week later.
Hearing on the radio that a guy I'd swapped messages with had gotten the death sentence and was about to die felt... weird.
Not sad, not shocking.
Just a thin thread between us: a misdialed number, me taking his request, grabbing six briquettes from his mistress's place.
"......"
Calling the personal ID SCARLET had been pure impulse.
I wasn't out to comfort a doomed man, but I was curious about the real story behind what had him so worked up.
Beep-beep-beep.
Shockingly, it connected.
Someone's radio with the SCARLET ID was powered on.
And pick up they did.
"Who is this?"
Even through the heavy static and distortion, it was a clear, bright young woman's voice.
For a split second, I wondered if this was the Jeon Yu-kyung the general had been desperate to reach.
But I didn't ask.
Instead, I threw out a dumb line to kill the call.
"Put Eom Chang on, please."
"Pardon?"
"Isn't this Eom Chang's place?"
"No."
Line went dead.
I geared up to bail.
Call it a hunch.
Jeon Yu-kyung was there—I could feel it.
Not a big deal, Bang's story was wrapped up anyway, but my pathological curiosity itched for more.
Hell, it might even make a decent SKELTON "tale" someday.
Having been there recently made the trip feel lighter.
The church loomed hazy in the dawn mist, barely a silhouette.
I parked the bike farther out this time and hoofed it to the hideout.
A truck sat in the front yard, choked with ugly bamboo overgrowth.
A woman crouched in front of it, gazing at the flowers.
Jeon Yu-kyung?
Someone else too.
A guy—young, rugged face, built like a tank.
Not pretty-boy handsome, but solidly masculine.
He was hauling stuff from the truck into the house.
"......"
Held back, watched.
Just the two of them.
No sign of the female soldier Bang had supposedly posted.
Waited till the guy was loaded up, then closed from behind, muzzle to his head.
"Hands up."
He wasn't going down easy.
Faked compliance, then lunged.
Guessing he wanted to grapple for the gun.
Bad matchup.
Thwack!
Rifle butt cracked into him, boot slammed his kneeling face.
The beating dragged on.
Till his fight died completely.
"Ha."
Sighed at the blood-soaked guy and the ashen-faced woman.
"Look, hands up means hands up. Why pull stupid stunts?"
The man—battered beyond standing straight—still clutched the woman protectively with one arm.
I eyed her.
Young, graceful, stunning.
Yeah, general's mistress for sure.
"Not here to hurt you folks. Just wanted to check one thing."
Looked her way.
"You Jeon Yu-kyung?"
She nodded, eyes wide with fear.
"You know the division general's a dead man walking?"
She hesitated; he gave a subtle nod.
She nodded too.
One more.
"You ghosted his calls on purpose, right?"
Nod.
I stood.
"Got what I came for."
To the guy.
"Sorry about the pounding. You charged like you meant to kill me."
Stared him down, then blurted:
"Oh, since I'm here—mind spotting me a can of synthetic oil and some rations? That'll do."
Travel fee's travel fee.
He rose; I let him.
Hostage in play—he couldn't touch me.
Soon he fetched it from the truck.
Told him to drop it at my feet and back off.
"Who the hell are you?"
He retreated, asking.
Mulled it, went honest.
"Bang Su-byeon sent me. His girl wasn't picking up, so he dispatched."
"Ah, so that's the briquettes..."
"Client's toast soon. Water under the bridge. Came out of curiosity. It's sated—heading out."
Backed away slow, eyes on hidden-gun risks.
One glance screamed deep love between that couple.
Felt a twinge of pity for the general.
He probably loved her, figured she loved him back.
Classic crossed signals. Textbook tragedy.
As I pulled away, Jeon called out, voice shaking.
"Don't tell the general about us."
"Huh?"
"Please. Never breathe a word to him!"
Didn't compute.
Wasn't he toast day after tomorrow?
Lost the power play, reduced to nothing—why fear him?
"Worried about his men?"
"No."
Firm denial.
I frowned; she bit her lip, pondered, then met my eyes.
"That man—the division general—is an Awakener."
"Awakener?"
"Yes. One scary strong. As powerful as the Savior Kang Han-min himself!"
Legion bigwig secretly an Awakener on par with Kang Han-min, the powerhouse now facing execution after losing to rivals.
Jeon Yu-kyung's tale scores high on surprise factor.
But fiction aside, it's straight-up impossible.
If Bang were truly Awakener-tier matching Kang, he'd outshine him fame-wise and rule Legion as a transcendent "General-Awakener."
No way he'd face a firing squad.
Her conviction sparked another doubt, pushing me to dig on this Bang guy I barely knew.
Legion intel was thin.
They had Viva! Apocalypse! users, sure, but not active like me.
PaleNet's peak was Seoul-Incheon dominated—no Yeongseo-Yeongdong chatter.
Still, connections existed.
Defender joined Legion lately (though quieter now), and 7th Legion was ex-Dies Irae—might have Bang rumors.
No reply from Defender.
Would've waited normally, but execution loomed.
32 hours, 18 minutes.
A day-plus, and Bang's mist on the execution ground.
Hit up Defender's seemingly freer little sis too.
Dajung picked up quick, as expected.
Dajung changed her nick.
From SeaMonkeyPapa to her own name.
Internet brain made me think "Dajung" as "multitask" first, though.
"......"
Internet's dark side, huh.
Not quitting anytime soon, mind.
Worried about Dajung, but trusted her word here.
My fretting wouldn't heal her anyway.
Fired off the questions.
Juicy, sure.
Not the flavor I craved.
"......"
Half-expected it.
Defender's hyper Legion rush? Hidden reason.
Dajung's health issue suspected—now confirmed.
Treated her to get into Legion.
Her doc? Probably that Heo Jong-chul she loathed.
Wished her well inwardly, switched to Plan B.
Unblocked Dies Irae first, then posted.
Made shit up off the dome, messaged Ballantine.
No sweat convincing him—looks like.
Comments rolled in.
Dies Irae.
Creepy him commenting my post, but he knew stuff.
[87. Unknown Number (2)] End