Chapter 303
Chapter 303
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 303
Chapter Title: 121. Confrontation
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Park Cheol-ju, the chairman of Sekju Group, was quite the famous chaebol in Viva! Apocalypse!
In the early days of the apocalypse, he'd built a massive fortress that only a chaebol could afford, suffered a dramatic downfall, and then there was that romantic tale of heading to paradise in the Ogasawara Islands.
As a businessman, he was perennial runner-up, but in terms of sheer buzz, he outshone every chaebol in Korea.
His end, though... what to call it?
A bit anticlimactic.
I learned about his demise from the newly created "World! Apocalypse!" board.
The basic setup was like PaleNet's main discussion board.
Admins picked the hottest posts from each board and reposted them there, using Melon Mask's vaunted AI auto-translation to make them visible to users worldwide.
It was such a godsend update that you had to wonder why it hadn't been done sooner.
Well, probably because Melon Mask had snapped out of his funk and finally got back to work.
Anyway, that's how I found out about Park Cheol-ju's fate.
The spark came from a user on the Japanese board.
On the new "Named Profile" feature alongside the World! Apocalypse! board, you could see a brief intro about him.
Apparently, this Japanese user survived at sea with a single sailing yacht for shelter, fishing for food and occasionally stopping on land.
A rare maritime survivor.
He'd dropped by the Ogasawara Islands to trade seafood and dried fish he'd gathered himself, only to find not a tropical paradise, but an uninhabited ruin.
"Nothing alive left. But as I approached the island, I heard gunfire. I get what happened. Islands always lack resources. Can't sustain 50,000 people on the island alone. No freezing winters like the mainland. So when mainland supplies cut off?"
Paradise still has people.
But paradise has turned to hell.
A hell where people eat people. Park Cheol-ju's survival odds there were slim to none.
Meanwhile, he was the last confirmed surviving chaebol chairman at this point.
One pillar that once dominated Korea crumbled before the apocalypse.
Just as that story neared its finale, someone I'd forgotten appeared before me.
They were etched in my mind more by actions than names. And ironically, they were the ones most obsessed with chaebol labels.
*
They showed up in my territory around noon.
They made quite the entrance.
Two trucks, one SUV.
Kicking up dust from afar as they crossed the national highway.
I knew they were heading my way when they all veered into the barely visible access road instead of sticking to the straight highway.
Clang- clang- clang-
Bang Jae-hyuk banged the lid of the cauldron hanging at his personal outpost, sounding the alarm.
People working around the territory grabbed their weapons and evacuated to safety.
I'd been checking the Necropolis side with Valentin at the time. The alarm hit, and I grabbed my firearm and rushed out to assess.
Bang Jae-hyuk reported the situation.
"About twenty armed with guns. Plus one heavy weapon per vehicle. They came loaded."
A perfectly armed group.
Hearing their size and armament, I thought of those academy hunters who'd once rattled me.
The vehicles were coming from the east, too.
East was Legion faction territory.
"Battle stations."
No contact yet, so I had everyone prep.
Cheon Young-jae was at the outer village, so I sent him separately.
"Got it. Heading there now."
"Stay hidden. Approach safe as possible."
"Roger."
I pulled out the ace hidden in a corner of my territory.
Javelin anti-tank missile.
"Anyone know how to use this?"
Ha Tae-hoon raised his hand.
I handed the Javelin to Ha Tae-hoon. Meanwhile, the Defender siblings launched drones from the bunker front.
One recon drone and one combat drone each—her favorite.
She cheerfully hung a mortar round under the combat drone.
As we took positions on the outer wall behind cover, engines growled from the ridgeline below, vehicles climbing the slope.
I pulled out the K-walkie-talkie and tried the public frequency.
"Vehicles there. Halt immediately. If you don't want unnecessary combat, stop and respond. You have one minute."
I signaled Ha Tae-hoon to ready fire.
"If they ignore and charge, shoot."
Pity, but trading one truck full of ten-plus fighters wasn't a bad deal.
Hoard gear, and it turns to shit.
People over tools.
"What about me?"
Valentin hesitated below the outer wall, rifle in hand.
"Stand by down there for now. Just in case."
Two drones lifted into the sky.
Perfect combat readiness.
First real fight since going group survival.
Can't avoid casualties.
But unlike solo, no hollow defeat.
Vehicles crested the ridgeline soon.
Signaled Ha Tae-hoon and aimed my rifle.
One spark from combat in this powder-keg moment.
As everyone braced, the walkie crackled.
"Park Gyu? Park Gyu?"
A woman's voice.
Familiar.
I responded instantly.
"Stop the vehicles first. Now. Or we fire."
Vehicles halted.
They stopped right when the outer wall came into view—awkward timing.
Looked like they forced it once they saw the wall wasn't easy pickings.
I shook off negative thoughts and recalled the voice.
Two faces flashed.
"Ji something."
Ha Tae-hoon and Bang Jae-hyuk glanced over.
"Know them?"
"Know of. Not close."
Walkie crackled again.
"It's Ji Younghee."
Right, that name.
Still remembered.
The chaebol heirs lining up for show at the chaebol-run soup kitchen, servants in tow.
They'd visited my territory once.
Impression of her? Not great.
Overly calculating. Would weigh herself on the scale if needed.
"......"
I glared at the truck peeking just its cab over the ridgeline, watching the intruders.
Common trick: chat on radio while deploying troops.
But our territory had Hong Da-jung's wireless router sharing recon drone feed to all.
Phones showed fighters waiting by trucks, vehicles lined up.
No fight intent yet.
"Been a while, right? We visited often. We've had tough times too. But something new caught my eye."
Ji Younghee chattered from the truck.
Felt a twinge of disgust, but kept it short and neutral.
"Why bring armed troops here?"
Not good intentions.
Maybe my SKELTON nick gave it away.
Even in harsh times, rolling up with three vehicles and 25-plus fighters screamed suspicion.
Why so many?
After my bunker? Nah.
She didn't know the real bunker.
She and her dad remembered the dummy house I'd built before—now smashed by Ha Tae-hoon.
Then why?
As questions mounted, the walkie spat her voice.
"......Nothing much."
"Get to the point."
I laced my voice with anger—loud enough to cut through walkie noise.
"Why snap suddenly?"
"This not pissing you off?"
"What's got you mad?"
I sighed heavily into the walkie at her dodge.
Enough with the bullshit.
This was clear aggression.
Not about shooting.
Bringing armed troops to my turf was a declaration of war.
If I were alone? Obvious.
"Let's be straight."
Final warning. No more excuses.
But Ji Younghee was sharp when it counted.
Maid's insight from serving chaebols half her life.
"Think there's a misunderstanding."
Hear it.
Wheels turning.
Want to avoid combat, but her reply might force it.
Cheon Young-jae radioed in.
"Got their six. Just say the word."
Her answer decides fates.
Beep- beep-
Guidetone from Ha Tae-hoon's Javelin.
Locked on.
In cold silence, her voice echoed.
"First, sorry. For barging in with people like this."
"What's the purpose? Answer that."
"Sigh. Fine."
Someone stepped from behind the truck.
Ji Younghee.
Still sharply dressed, polished.
Walkie in one hand, she stared at the wall and spoke into it.
"Here to get Park Gyu."
"......"
I slowly showed myself atop the wall.
Bang Jae-hyuk and Ha Tae-hoon gave "really?" looks, but this was right.
Leader to leader.
Some protocol.
I looked down at distant Ji Younghee, waiting.
Her voice flowed through the walkie.
"Needed a capable hunter. Saw you struggling last time. Better for both if you join us, right?"
"So you show unannounced with thirty armed men?"
No laugh, but ridiculous.
Her plan obvious: roll up with thirty heavies, drag Park Gyu out.
Put him on monster hunts or whatever.
My only real-world cred was that field anyway.
"You've changed a lot unseen. Honestly shocked. That new wall."
"No interest in joining. This is my place. I'll die here."
"Come to Seoul with us."
She set the walkie down, stared piercingly up at me on the wall.
"......Seoul's where we end up. We've taken too long a detour. Only place left. Everything's there. But Seoul's monster central. Capable hunters aren't optional—they're essential. Thought of you."
She looked up.
I didn't reply.
No need.
"Really sorry."
Ji Younghee wheedled.
"We'll treat you great. Join us?"
"......"
"Not baseless. Seoul gov guy told Dad about a secret facility they left. For when Jeju gov returns to Seoul. Huge scale."
First I'd heard.
She could talk fast when pushed.
"......Control that, we get food, weapons, power—everything. Good for years. Little Seoul in the ruins."
She sighed up at me.
"But monsters galore there. Paju sends stragglers to Seoul sometimes. Most vanish, some wander in. Need your skills. Won't make you fight frontline. Train and command only. We gotta fight monsters anyway. Please. Give us a chance."
No chance.
Why give opportunity to impure intent?
"Reach it, we get everything. Everything!"
Bang!
Fired a round skyward.
My answer.
Cold-stared Ji Younghee, ducked cover, signaled battle prep to all.
She glared back blankly, hands dropped.
No more walkie voice, but drone feed showed her lips form one word clearly.
"......Fuck!"
She turned, boarded vehicle.
Hong Da-jung's live drone feed showed intruders U-turning out of territory.
Situation over.
Intruders gone.
No damage, no casualties. Tension lifted.
"What was that? Who?"
Everyone curious.
I explained right away.
"Everyone know Je Phong-ho? One of his underlings. Dad's primary contractor prez. Unlike Phong-ho, built his own base, survived. One of few who know I'm here. Tried forcing me out with numbers today."
Group saved me from that.
Well, my temper would've meant death—for me or them.
Door opened; Cheon Young-jae scratched head, appeared.
He said to me,
"That woman just now. Pretty hot."
"Then go ask her out."
"But what she said. Tempting, no?"
Not just him.
Other hunters eyed me similarly.
Bang Jae-hyuk said,
"Come to think, we've heard that too. Secret facility gov hid before Jeju evac. Gear and setups for ten million Seoul evacuees, intact."
That rumor too.
I smirked.
"Eh."
No paradise drops from sky.
Those who chased it learned—still trapped in the ongoing net.
Maybe Ji Younghee and Ji Chang-su find that hoard, live their chaebol dream.
But no spot for me there.
Plus, I have my own setup.
I smiled faintly at comrades with rifles and gear.
"Stand down."
Won't call my territory paradise.
Decent, but just another bunker dotting Korea.
One thing sure.
I can't live leaving here.