Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: 43. Worries (1)
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Monsters, Mutations, humans, disease, food shortages.
One of the things I kept in mind while building and expanding the bunker was the types of threats headed my way.
There would be all sorts of threats.
Some I could block, some I couldn't, and some that looked threatening but would just pass by harmlessly.
What was the worst threat?
Invasion reaching my territory?
No.
That was an unavoidable fate.
Like the end of a human's finite lifespan, perhaps.
The threat I truly dreaded was becoming a target for a powerful human group.
Such groups would come in all varieties, of course.
They could be desperate refugees, pioneers, or raiders.
But the one that truly terrified me was already set in stone.
The military.
I had made the military my enemy.
What should I do?
Abandon the bunker? Or die clutching it?
It wasn't a simple problem.
Even if I ran, where to?
Should I go under Woo Min-hee and scrape by as an errand boy like Baek Seung-hyeon?
Join a pioneering team and push others to their deaths?
Or move next door to m9, tie ourselves together with ropes, and put on a circus act to survive?
Park Gyu, the time has come for the choice of a lifetime.
But apparently, I'm just an ordinary guy.
I mean, here I was, screwing around right before this crucial decision.
It started when I logged into the internet to cool my overheated brain from all the worrying. Just for a bit, to clear my head.
Pailnet was an option, but my heart was always with my true home: the Viva! Apocalypse! Korean board.
And I wasn't the only one.
Our friends, who had been tempted by the massive spectacle of Pailnet for a while, missed the familiar charm of home and trickled back one by one. Now, the board was as lively as ever—livelier than before—and life went on.
When I logged in, the board was buzzing with an intriguing topic.
A friend of Kyle_Dos, Anonymous458, kicked off the hot topic.
It was called "Confess Your Bad Deeds."
The bait about the battle in front of my house was fading, and the board users eagerly bit into the new one.
Soon, the board turned into a massive confessional.
...
The "pre-war" qualifier was unavoidable.
Almost every religion considers murder an unforgivable grave sin.
Someone living in an urban evacuation camp might not know, but for folks like us, isolated alone or in small groups, violence is always around the corner. We have to protect ourselves.
No one's gone without killing at least once.
Even Kyle_Dos and Dragon-ssi, now dead, never said it outright, but they'd probably killed a person or two.
But this "pre-war" limit didn't just prevent the confessions from being flooded with uniform murder stories. Surprisingly, it also evoked nostalgia for that irrecoverable era when we could commit such acts.
Anonymous848's honest drunk driving confession was a prime example.
It's not even a crime anymore.
No booze, no cars, no roads to drive drunk on.
In other words, a crime that's practically impossible now.
That contrast fascinates us in this apocalyptic life.
Stuff like that feels like a distant memory now.
I never went to college, but it's the kind of relatable scenario anyone can imagine, stories you've heard before.
These are what make us remember the past we can't return to.
Foxgames' bad deed was, well, bad, but it tugged at our emotions.
There were obvious tall tales no one would believe,
and strangely wholesome "bad deeds."
Not joining this hot trend felt like red bean paste-less red bean buns for this Skeleton.
Tap tap-
I had mountains of real work piling up—especially the plea from Woo Min-hee to save her—but I forgot reality and wrote a long post on the board.
The story goes back to pre-war times.
*
Anyone who's seen my bunker agrees it's no joke.
Not Park Cheol-ju chairman level, but still, the best fortress a lone ordinary guy could build.
The first hurdle in construction was my lack of skills and experience, but later, money tripped me up.
The urge to splurge hit hard, and I blew through my cash.
They say hard times erode conscience.
I thought I was above that, but nope, same as everyone.
I took out loans.
Honestly, it was borderline fraud.
I had zero intention of paying back from the start.
Of course, I didn't start with such big balls.
I had a mentor here too.
a_few_good_man was a pre-war user who vanished after the war.
Probably dead.
This guy, likely in hell now, inspired me.
As money got tight, I followed a_few_good_man, hitting likes and learning the secrets to becoming a deadbeat debtor.
Effort paid off.
I got a reply from a_few_good_man.
I said I had no family to borrow from, so he gave me his messenger ID, and we chatted in real-time after that.
Following a_few_good_man's advice, I got a job before borrowing.
The workplace was a small business so varied even the boss couldn't explain what they did.
The site was a small warehouse not far from my hideout, where I did wrapping, forklift driving, loading/unloading— all sorts.
I never figured out what the company actually sold.
Getting hired was easy.
Mid-to-late 20s, forklift certified, healthy, no criminal record.
Plus a clean, decent face as a bonus.
Low pay, overtime routine, "MonTueWedThuFriFriFri" family-like company—but my mindset matched the boss's sleaziness, so no complaints.
I pocketed spare industrial wrap on the side.
Great stretch, tough, perfect for big cargo—and useful for the future.
"What're you using that for at home?"
My mentor foreman asked, but I didn't answer.
Three months in at this "family" company, I showed my true colors.
I maxed out loans.
First, credit card and personal loans. Every time, the reviewer asked:
"Sir, your address is in Busan, but your workplace is in Gyeonggi-do. Where do you actually live?"
The only inheritance from my late parents was a small villa in the provinces.
About 15 pyeong old build, sunny spot with a nuke plant visible next door—great view, but huge empty lot nearby tanked the price. Dirt cheap.
It didn't sell even when liquidating everything; lingered as toxic inventory.
But shit's useful as medicine sometimes.
I used that villa as my resident registration address and lied on loan docs.
"Gijang, Busan. Just on dispatch here."
After loans, I kept working hard.
Boss was early 40s, rarely seen in the tiny factory.
Erratic attendance; when there, golf putting in his office, then early out with some mistress/secretary.
One day, he patted my shoulder with blessings.
"Manager Park. You're doing great. Company’s small now, can't offer much. But we've got a big deal brewing. If it hits, game over. Game over."
"Game over?"
"Know stock options?"
"?"
"KOSDAQ listing. Look forward to it."
"?!"
KOSDAQ my ass, hole-in-the-wall with no tech.
Next day, I ghosted the company.
Not disappointed—just took my final loan on my credit.
Left a resignation letter to delay processing.
Sorry.
Circumstances I can't explain now, but I'll return when sorted!
Park Gyu, in tears.
But that company was no pushover. They'd seen my type; processed resignation next day. Company group chat went cold.
I bolted from the group chat the second I read it.
Their quickness was unexpected, but my plan rolled on smoothly.
First step: Pay principal and interest faithfully for three installments.
Why three? a_few_good_man said per precedent, skipping first payment risks fraud charge—but after three, it's not fraud.
Then, stall.
Lenders called.
Started with texts, then sweet but firm short-term collector voice: "When will you pay?"
"Soon. Money coming in."
Bank? No chance.
Day after third default, they executed the mortgage on my only property.
Auctioned.
As expected.
Key was next: Per a_few_good_man, stay in close contact.
Deadbeats often vanish; suing ghosts rarely recovers principal.
I answered every call diligently.
"So sorry! Next time, next time for sure! Hurt my back on site, but once healed, I'll pay for real!"
They handed debt to collectors.
Some credit info company.
Sweet voice swapped for gravelly one blasting from speaker.
"Boss. You live in Busan? Never home when we visit."
"S-sorry. Workin' 23 hours a day to repay. Tough goin', ya know."
We met as promised.
Prepped BS, but it flopped.
"Three months' worth by end of week. No more one-month deals."
"What if not?"
"Lawsuit."
"Please, no lawsuit... Family'll be shocked."
"Family registry says you're single."
"Got a de facto wife and two bunny kids."
"End of week. Pay up. Please."
Didn't pay a dime, naturally.
Days later, payment order arrived by mail.
First time from court, scared me; asked a_few_good_man.
He was at Gangwon Land.
He had time and gave serious advice.
Anyway, Park Gyu survived tough times thanks to a_few_good_man.
Nearly three years later, I spilled it on the board.
The tale of a_few_good_man, the struggle to dodge repayment, etc.
Honestly, I thought it was cute mischief.
Not murder, rape, or headline crime.
But.
"Huh?"
Why this reaction?
...
...
"..."
What the hell had I done?
Finally grabbed the K-walkie-talkie and did what I meant to earlier.
Contacted Woo Min-hee.