Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: 43. Worries (6)
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Killing the monkey was tough enough, but hauling it back was a job in itself.
Even with five grown men clinging to it, we couldn't make any headway. In the end, we looped wire around the mutation's body and barely escaped the zombie zone.
Of course, thousands of zombies saw us off with enthusiastic pursuit as we left. But in that moment, I felt more comedy than crisis.
An armored monkey being dragged along, with thousands of zombies howling and charging behind it—it was straight out of a cartoon from my childhood.
It felt like a dream, almost.
Not a good one, just some ordinary nonsense dream.
So when we got back to the city, it hit me like waking up from one.
Poverty, hardship, hunger, anxiety, fear, disease, despair.
The city's vibe was harsh reality incarnate.
What must it feel like to live like this every day?
"Whoa, is this the thing?"
Unlike the street crowds, some folks still held onto pre-war energy.
The lab staff.
They'd always act busy whenever I showed up, but behind closed doors, they were just stealing salaries. Now they were grinning ear-to-ear, snapping photos of the mutation corpse like it was Christmas.
One guy even stomped on its head and struck a pose like a famous hunter.
"Check it out! The beast slayer has arrived~!"
Our hunters didn't say a word.
In this little world of theirs, we were the underdogs.
A short while later, the staffer we'd been waiting for appeared.
"Great work, hunters. This is a little token of our appreciation. Oh, and this is like a bonus—your actual pay will come later, tallied up together."
A soft-spoken woman I'd never seen before handed us our reward.
A cart pulled by a male staffer was loaded with meat, rice, sides, and booze.
"Whoa, rice! Actual rice!"
Even with his leg busted, Cheon Young-jae lit up at the sight.
"I've been dying for some rice!"
Forgetting his pain, drool practically pooling—he must've really missed it.
The others looked pretty thrilled at the meat too.
Especially the red stuff wrapped in paper—it looked like beef.
"This refrigerated meat or something?"
Ha Tae-hoon couldn't peel his eyes off it.
"Refrigerated meat still exists in this world?"
"Right? Look at that marbling. Damn, where'd they even get this?"
Baek Seung-hyeon and the rest marveled too.
"For real."
"Real beef."
But Bang Jae-hyuk, the perpetual contrarian, lived up to form.
"This isn't mutation meat, is it?"
No one acknowledged him.
It was like when one of our forum weirdos spouts nonsense—we all unite in collective ignore.
Our forum has a block button to vanish their drivel, though. Reality? No such luck.
"Mutation meat. The Legion faction started chowing down first."
Bang Jae-hyuk tried fishing for a response, but silence.
That wouldn't shut him up.
"They inject mutation genes into calves, bulk 'em up huge, then butcher. Yields five times the meat of regular cows. One cow feeds a whole division."
Ha Tae-hoon deadpanned at his rambling.
"Failnet again?"
"Yeah."
"Quit that sketchy site. Peeked in once—full of psychos."
"Where else tells the truth? Failnet's gold! Pure gold!"
"..."
"No, sunbae—hear me out."
"Don't call me sunbae. I gave up on that school crap myself."
"Hyung!"
We headed back to the street amid their friendly bickering.
"Alright, everyone gather! Meat time! Meat!"
Cheon Young-jae hobbled around, calling people.
The word "meat" drew everyone out to the street, clustering by the grill near the water station.
Quite a crowd.
About thirty.
"Whoa~ Meat! Meat!"
Lots of kids, notably.
And plenty of elders too.
Watching them silently flock to the grill, Baek Seung-hyeon sidled up.
"Lots stay for family."
"Figures."
"Bang Jae-hyuk—you saw him earlier. S-rank marksmanship. Leg's hurt, but he's still usable."
I'd seen it during the zombie chase.
Unlike his usual phone-scrolling, Failnet-spewing self, Bang Jae-hyuk picked off zombies' heads with that heavy-recoiling .45, drilling fatal angles perfectly.
Beside him sat a middle-aged woman—his mom, beaming at her son's return.
"Looks rough, but he's a good son."
Baek Seung-hyeon added with a wry smile.
His mom and the other women whipped up veggies and meat with flair.
Magic of home cooking.
Limited ingredients and spices turned into decent sides.
But the star was the beef.
Sizzle—
Grills everywhere filled the air with savory aromas as it cooked.
Plenty for the hunt crew.
Not enough to feed the whole hunter street, though.
Sure enough, about three pieces per person?
Just a taste.
Still, the mood was lively.
Felt like real living.
Gathered, chatting, sharing food and drinks, reminiscing.
"..."
But is this right?
Amid the laughter and cheer, I felt... out of place.
Not alienated.
This forced unity, the vibe—it just didn't fit me.
Too much.
Especially seeing folks eye the meager meat and empty grills wistfully.
"Share a single bean"—sure, but how pathetic is that really?
Baek Seung-hyeon's wife eased the disappointment.
"Here, try this! Sausages!"
My venison sausages hit the grill.
Sizzle—
Meat I don't need, but here it's special.
"Whoa, delicious!"
"Insanely good!"
I grabbed one to test.
"Huh."
Surprisingly decent.
"Not fitting in?"
Baek Seung-hyeon approached with a soju glass.
We swapped shots. He gazed at the dark, rippling sea beyond the pier.
"Lived solo, huh?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Hard to adjust at first, but you'll get there."
"Heading to Jeju?"
"Obviously. Can't pass up the chance. Secured second fleet spot, plus housing on arrival."
Unlike his usual self, he buzzed with excitement, drunken eyes on his wife and kid chatting behind.
"Done with this crap life."
"No internet?"
"Used to."
"Failnet works fine here. You skip it?"
"Failnet? Nah. Not big on phone stuff. Plus..."
He rubbed his neck with a bitter smile.
Staring, he met my eyes.
"People hate me online. Weirdly so."
"Why?"
"Dunno. They just say kill me."
What the hell does he post?
Anyway, he needs internet.
Not for Jeju guru m9's lectures, but to question the island hype.
"Gonna enjoy. Wife and kid stuff to see."
As Baek Seung-hyeon left, someone limped up.
Cheon Young-jae, cast and all, poured me soju quietly.
"Don't call folks sunbae lightly, but you qualify. Cheers, Park-sunbae."
His rude tone clashed with the demure pour—like a proper lady.
We drank. I asked,
"This nabbed all the tough ones, right?"
Honestly, exhausting.
What mutation's this picky?
But Cheon Young-jae stared like I was nuts.
"What're you on about?"
"Just got one of the Seven Horrors."
"What? Six more like that?"
"Seven? Try more. Above Seven Horrors: Five Mysteries. Above them: Three Divine Beasts..."
"..."
Defender was right.
Shouldn't have come here.
*
"You're leaving?"
The staffer who avoided my eyes finally met them.
In that awkward stare, I sensed his unease and irritation.
"Why?"
I shot back the same irritation wordlessly.
After our stare-down, he clocked my resolve, looked away, and radioed his boss.
"Ah, y-yes, director! Uh—yes! It's... uh..."
After wrapping with Woo Min-hee, he returned.
"Director says thanks, and he'll provide transport wherever you're headed."
"..."
"Oh, and a small gift from the director."
"Gift?"
Woo Min-hee's gift: a laptop with Viva! Apocalypse! account and satellite comms gear.
"Said you're alone, might get lonely—use this for internet."
"I don't do internet."
"Really? Mind if I take it?"
"Give it to someone else?"
"Sure."
Gave it to Baek Seung-hyeon.
"Whoa, seriously?"
Not that I like him.
Still dislike.
Just... incompatible types.
But he's a dad now.
Won't listen if I rant against Jeju. Better he learns via net.
Hates Failnet, but our forum? Might fit.
"Damn."
His grin stretched wide.
"Go online, and I get flamed hard. No joke."
Time till the armored car, so I watched him fiddle.
Pretended ignorance, no help—but he's handy, soon logged into Viva! Apocalypse!.
"Hm?"
"Park Gyu, something up?"
"Nah, nothing."
Nyam?
And that nick—Dongtanmom?
Wasn't that the exploded dead guy?
Laptop logs showed satellite recovery and account trace.
Viva! Apocalypse! manual says grab satellite gear in emergency for account restore.
Why Dongtanmom, though?
Some story, probably.
No regrets.
Watching a family man—tiny wife, newborn in tow—step into our forum world.
"Hey, Park Gyu."
Baek Seung-hyeon called as I prepped to leave.
"Take this."
"What's this?"
His trademark motorcycle.
Straight-backed like riding a horse—that image defined him.
Now handing it over.
"No point hauling to Jeju, and honestly—thanks to you, we're going. Can't send you empty-handed."
Unexpected haul.
"Synthetic fuel works fine. Maintained it too."
"Thanks."
"Nah, I should thank you."
He patted it fondly, like a dad sending off his grown daughter.
"Hey."
Timing felt ripe.
Why he entered my turf.
Had chances to ask, but held off.
Gut said bad news.
Now? Safe to probe.
"You... ever radio for me near my place before?"
"Huh? Oh! Yeah."
He flinched a bit.
That confirmed it.
Heart chilling, I pressed.
"Why?"
Awkward smile, eyes averted.
"Dunno. Thought I'd drop by."
"Really?"
"Okay, things were tight then!"
Yeah, we don't mesh.
*
Back to my bunker.
Dark, quiet—sometimes tomb-like. But returning... relieves me.
Answer's simple.
I belong here.
Can't live elsewhere anymore.
How long does out-of-water meat last?
Fish adapts to air? Still a fish?
Eying Dragon-si's fake goldfish swaying in the tank, I steeled myself.
Die here if I must.
That armored mutation.
Happy till the end?
Didn't think it'd last forever.
This is home, sanctuary.
Die here.
That's my worry's endgame.
But to reach it, I committed another sin.
Dongtanmom's return from the dead barely fazed the forum anymore, but this comeback—with its horrific content and gimmick—struck terror and shock.
Dongtanmom was back.
More gruesome than ever.