Chapter 252
Chapter 252
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 252
Chapter Title: 104. Beyond the Fog (2)
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There have been no reported cases of an Awakener losing their own power.
At least not while I was still active.
But Unicorn had just stated that her power felt like it was fading.
I had nothing to say about it.
It was beyond my knowledge, beyond my control.
One thing was clear.
What she stood to lose wasn't just her comfortable lifestyle.
Those who fall from great heights suffer far more than those who start low.
People without wings take pleasure in prodding and mocking those with wings when they crash down.
It's envy for what they lack.
She, with her wings, fears hitting the ground.
She doesn't want to show that her wings can no longer soar.
That's why the savior, Na Hyein, had holed up at home.
I understood her feelings—she couldn't imagine, couldn't even fathom, a life without being the savior.
I'd been at the top too, faced the most fingers pointed my way.
Even now, being stuck in this outpost called a prison was because of my past fame.
She probably understood the biology of this gray island ruled by wild dogs better than I did.
That's why she worried more about the fall.
"......"
Her sudden confession left me momentarily at a loss for words, forcing me to gather my thoughts.
One corner of my monitor still showed the ongoing "memo" session.
- Holding a grudge for not getting replies
- Repeatedly calling me a "noob gamer" (14 times)
- Saying it's disgusting seeing a swarthy guy act cute
The disconnect was just too extreme.
I quietly closed the memo window and reflected on the past.
There were no special answers there.
Our connection had been just a fleeting moment.
In the end, the answer boiled down to a clichéd reality.
If it's that hard for her, I won't ask for help.
I've resolved to get out alive.
And.
I'd survived a month alone in a rift with broken limbs, no help from anyone.
Compared to that, my limbs are fine now, and I have weapons.
That'd be best.
But I won't bet everything on something happening without me.
I didn't want to see Unicorn's internet coaching either, but a noise came from outside.
The sound of a truck moving in the distance.
Grabbing my gun, I stepped out of the outpost and scanned every visible area.
The truck engine noise started far away and faded far away.
It didn't seem like it would get closer.
The fog like hell's gateway still blanketed the slope below.
Walking atop the fog, I thought about Unicorn for a moment.
"......"
Even Awakeners could lose their power?
As someone who wasn't an Awakener, I'd probably never understand what that meant.
While patrolling, laying wire, digging traps diligently, I also confirmed an escape route down the mountain for emergencies.
Nothing happened around the outpost that day.
The game Red Archive had been installed quite a while ago.
But I'd been more interested in the forums where players gathered than the game itself, and even after becoming a namer on the Red Archive board, I'd never actually launched it.
With some morning time to spare, I gave it a light spin.
"......"
Not a game.
More like a lump of code.
Not my taste at all, but I forced through the tutorial.
It was painful, but I achieved my goal.
Taking a screenshot.
To show that this Park Gyu—no, SKELTON—was a proper player, not a "noob gamer."
Tap tap tap.
I carefully assembled text emoticons, attached my screenshot, and even promoted the next content: "New User Gacha."
A few replies came in.
I had to reply to each with cute emoticons.
Reply farming.
To a third party, it looked bizarre, but among reply farmers, there was a certain mental bond.
Lately, I'd started replying to my follower "QuantumBoom" too.
"......"
Click.
I'd accepted weirdos like QuantumBoom because users with grudges against me were growing.
- Counter antis with fandom.
This line came from Pilkrum, still active on the intranet.
In his recent webtoon "Serial Monogamist" about webtoon artists, a rival modeled after Pilkrum himself said it to the unpopular protagonist—probably Dragon-ssi.
If criticism ramped up, I'd fight back with red guards like QuantumBoom.
Besides him, I had reply farming buddies like "Saro-chan," "CoolBear," "Monta."
Building a SKELTON family this way to claim territory on the board wasn't bad.
Yeah, not bad at all.
In this unstable situation, it was human instinct to leave something behind.
Bang! Bang bang!
Grabbing my gun, I headed outside.
Far off—not certain, but it sounded like military rifles.
About 5km away, but the direction was the problem.
From the south.
Where my base was.
The gunfire stopped shortly after and didn't resume.
Felt ominous, but the real issue erupted elsewhere.
No supply truck came.
I reported it by phone.
But the moment I picked up, I grasped everything.
Phone line cut.
And antenna comms down too.
Deliberate.
Someone had severed every line connected to the outpost.
My only remaining comms was Viva! Apocalypse!
But I wouldn't contact Unicorn.
I knew her burdens and pains.
Unable to contain her anxiety without solutions, she clung to the internet.
Of course, I'd already considered it.
Abandon the outpost and head back on my own.
After nearly a month on Jeju, I knew it was a controlled society, but not a total hellhole where one or two wielded absolute power.
Park Seung-su's influence would reach around my outpost, but not the walled world.
Click—
Packing gun, ammo, some food and water, I left the outpost.
Having planned it mentally many times, prep was swift, steps sure.
Closest wall was about 28km from the outpost.
Mountainous, but not tough.
Mostly trails, gentle slopes—downhill even.
No steep inclines to gasp on or cliff climbs worrying safety—at least not for my path.
It was evening.
As night fog rose, I followed the unpaved road.
A red light flashed ahead.
Instinctively, I dropped flat.
Bang! Bang! Rat-a-tat-tat!
Gunfire rang out.
"Don't shoot! Friendlies!"
I yelled while prone, seeking cover.
No response.
"......"
Didn't feel human.
No presence, no breathing.
My guess solidified with the mechanical whir from the fog.
Whiiiir—click!
Through multi-purpose night vision, I observed ahead.
Sentry guns.
Fully automatic fixed turrets.
Blinking red sensors in the fog—at least five on the path.
Annoyingly, on the road.
To avoid, detour—but terrain wasn't ideal.
Below: rare sheer cliffs, steep drop.
Above: too much detour, risk losing road.
Fog made orientation hard; I didn't know the mountains well.
My plan to return relied on following the road to base.
To track the faint unpaved road, I needed to stay on it.
Trusting senses off-path could mean fatal lost.
Hunters aren't soldiers.
We stayed at base, returned after fights.
Hanla wasn't forgiving even with some knowledge.
Plip plip—
Rain drops too.
Quickly donned poncho raincoat, thought.
"......"
Regrettably, head back today.
Escape at dawn.
Leaving the glowing red sentry guns, I returned to the outpost.
Riiiing—
Near the outpost, amid rain, a noisy sound.
Phone ringing.
Reconnected?
Approached cautiously—might be occupied—confirmed safe, entered.
"Yes, Outpost 328."
Answered.
Line cut instantly.
Tried calling back—no dial tone.
The clunky rotary phone rang again five minutes later.
"Yes, Outpost 328."
"Park Gyu."
A voice I remembered.
No, the most crucial one now.
Park Seung-su.
"......What is it?"
"Ah, terribly sorry. The area around is under full lockdown from the last eruption. Massive one—tons poured out. Probably some heading your way."
"No supplies."
I said coldly.
"Supplies? Can't be helped. Everything's locked down."
"Sentry guns your doing?"
"Sentry guns? What're you talking about? First I've heard."
"......Wanted me dead that bad?"
Ending talks abruptly wasn't great etiquette.
But no need for courtesy with this blatant saboteur.
Fortunately, Park Seung-su was ready to chat.
Laughter through the receiver.
"Should've died by human hands when you had the chance."
Pulled out phone, started recording.
"What was that?"
"Why pretend you didn't hear? Killed my disciples and expected to walk free?"
"Disciples? The low-level Awakeners who tried to kill me?"
"Precious manpower for establishing base after mainland landing."
Park Seung-su's voice rose gradually.
Of course, recorded clearly.
"Those murderers? Did they kill my predecessors at Outpost 328 too? Kim Byung-kwon, Jo Geun-hyu, Choi Jung-min, and one other? National Crisis Committee member Park Seung-su?"
"What."
Park Seung-su snorted.
"Recording?"
"......"
"Go ahead, won't matter. You can't come down anyway. Bluntly: Do old fucks have a place? They ruined this country."
"That count your parents?"
"Some special real adults are exceptions."
"Special adults?"
I suppressed a hollow laugh.
"You including yourself?"
"Obviously?"
Park Seung-su laughed loudly.
After a while, he lowered his voice to a sinister tone.
"......Professor."
They knew exactly who I was.
With strong hostility.
"Underestimated you. Thought toothless tiger, but you wiped Alpha Team. Rotten but still bonito."
"Remember my callsign well? Never told you."
"You're a relic of a failed old era."
"Relic of the old era..."
"This world should be led by evolved humans—Awakeners. No grudge personally, but your existence denies us Awakeners."
"Why think that?"
"A mere human casually hunting monsters is the problem. Without a shred of divine grace. Isn't that a mockery of order?"
"Recording complete."
Stopped recording.
This should suffice.
"Intranet blocked there anyway. Phone dead. What now? You don't think you can make it down alive? Impossible."
I replied lightly.
"We Hunters challenge the impossible."
Quoting Jang Ki-young's words to us, I looked at the single line on my monitor.