Convenience Store
Convenience Store
Cars filling the roads, red flames and black smoke rising everywhere.
Even a fighter jet is embedded in a tall building far in the distance.
Fucking hell, what is this, a 9/11 terrorist attack?
Left speechless by the sight right in front of me, I mindlessly turned my head to the side.
"Fuck, you scared me!"
Though I've never been inside, a helicopter is also wedged deep into a department store building packed with luxury brand shops.
What is this, it's just a damn warzone?!
No, the middle of Seoul ended up like this just because of some pathetic, stupid zombie bastards? Are you kidding me?!
Why the hell are fighter jets and helicopters that fly in the sky crashed straight into buildings?!
I have no idea what the hell happened on the surface during the single day I was in the underground world, but one thing is certain.
"This is nuts..."
The world has gone crazy.
And maybe, just maybe, I'm the only survivor in this crazy world.
All that's visible to my eyes...
"Kuaah..."
"Gueeoh..."
...are zombies, not living people.
Kung-kung-kung-kung!!
No, wait. There are living people after all.
"Over here! There's a person here!"
Inside a car parked on the roadside, a man pounds on the closed window and screams at the top of his lungs to announce his presence.
So what the hell am I supposed to do about it?
Kung-kung-kung-kung-kung!!
"There's a person here!!"
"......"
I can see you're over there, you ajusshi.
And if I were him, even the biggest attention seeker wouldn't pull a stunt like that.
"Kuak!!"
"Kuaak!!"
Because no matter how closed the windows are, hammering and screaming like that naturally attracts zombies' attention, just like how it reaches my ears.
Watching the zombies flocking toward the car, I quietly turned around.
It's not like I'm completely indifferent to other people's business, but right now I'm not in a relaxed enough situation to care about others.
No, from now on, I don't give a damn about other people's business.
I'm only going to think about surviving myself.
But as I turned around, my eyes ended up meeting someone's.
With a zombie...
"Keu..! Keu..! Keu...!"
What the hell? I didn't make a single sound, so why does it look like it's staring right at me?
Zombies can't perceive my presence unless I make a sound.
I've verified that time and time again.
Then why the hell is that bastard panting while staring straight at me?!
Ah! Could it be looking at the car behind me like the other zombies?
Seuk-
To check exactly where the bastard's gaze was directed, I carefully bent my knees and squatted down.
Seuk-
Following my movement, the zombie's face lowers along with it.
Oh, come on, no way.
Seuk-
This time, I tried moving my body to the left, but once again the zombie turned its head to follow me, and it was the same even when I moved in the opposite direction.
Fucking hell... Can that bastard actually see?!
"Kuaak!!"
"Fucking hell...!"
With a howl and flailing arms, the zombie rushed toward me.
Jumping to my feet, instead of a swollen fist, I swung the heel of my palm connected to my wrist and slapped the zombie right across the cheek.
Though I was actually aiming for its temple.
Puk!!
Tuduk-
Stretching its body straight like a felled tree, the zombie collapsed sideways.
Whether it's the temple or the cheek, as long as it goes down, that's all that matters.
But the problem is...
"Kuaak!!"
"Kuak!!"
...that because of the zombie bastard that rushed at me, other zombies noticed my presence too.
"Fucking hell!!"
Tadat-
Leaping over the zombie collapsed in front of me, I started running toward the department store building with the helicopter embedded in it, sprinting up the short flight of stairs in an instant and pushing hard against the department store doors, but.
Teolkeok!!
It was locked.
Dammit!
Moving urgently to the side, I tried pushing another entrance door, but...
Deolkeok!!
It was locked, too.
Dammit!
While I was wasting time on the locked doors.
Da-da-da-dak!!
Da-da-da-dak!!
The zombies ran up the short flight of stairs after me, and swiftly turning my body to the side, I started running like a madman.
However, I didn't run far before diving straight into the flowerbed right next to me, instantly vaulting over the railing by pressing my hands against it.
Tadat-
Unlike me, who landed safely on the ground, the zombies caught on the railing tumbled headfirst down to the street level, which had a drop equal to the height of the stairs.
Now, where the hell should I go?
As I pondered for about the time it takes to blink my eyes five times, a convenience store caught my eye.
Right, securing food is the top priority in an apocalypse.
Of course, I could pay coins and buy from the shop, but I need to minimize coin expenditures as much as possible.
That's the only way I can raise my stats and buy weapons.
The problem is... right now, a sprawling eight-lane road lies between me and the convenience store.
"Fucking hell...! It's not like I have anywhere else to go anyway!"
It's about 40 to 50 meters to the convenience store. Even if it looks far at a glance, I can get there in under 10 seconds.
As long as I don't die.
Ta-da-dat-
With that, I leaped onto the road and started running like crazy.
Whether the doors are locked like the department store or not, crossing the road is the best choice for me right now.
Even if it's not a convenience store, if I enter an alley dense with shops, at least one place will have its door open.
Otherwise... it's a truly fucked situation.
Wait, there are a lot more living people than I thought?
I could easily spot people staring at me from inside the cars passing by on both my left and right.
Of course, zombies were visible in incomparable numbers.
Da-da-da-dak!!
Ku-kung- kung-kung!
Bastards lunging at me as they burst out from between cars, bastards leaping through the air as they jump down from the tops of vehicles.
Even the ones chasing me for dear life from behind and the ones running straight toward me from the front.
Fucking hell...! They're practically dying to eat me alive!
Does it look like I'm gonna let myself get eaten like this?!
Hwi-ik-!
Kwaji-jijik-!
Thanks to the momentum of my run added to the right foot I thrust forward, the driver-side window cracked with white spiderwebs and caved inward from a single blow.
Why did I kick a car window instead of a zombie, you ask?
There's a reason for everything.
"W-What the hell are you doing?!"
"Sorry. I gotta survive."
"You crazy bastard...!"
Kwajik!!
"Argh!!"
Pushing the car window further inward—it didn't shatter like glass, but crumpled up like paper—I hurriedly pulled my foot back and started running around the car.
And right behind my back,
"Ugh, uwaaaah!!!"
"Kuaak!!"
"Kuak!!"
"Kuaah!!"
The screams of the driver who made a noble sacrifice in my place echoed out.
R.I.P.
Rest in peace.
You'll go to heaven. I'm going to hell.
With the kind driver's help, I managed to shake off a pretty sizable number of zombies, and decided to push through the remaining trials with my own strength.
Ku-kung-
"Kuak!!"
A zombie leaping through the air toward me from the roof of a car.
Slightly pulling my body back, I grabbed the extended arm of the zombie in midair and yanked it sideways. Instead of the zombie flying far away, its buddy rushed in from the side and grabbed me by the collar and shoulders.
Of course, I responded in kind.
Deopseok- Kwajik-!!!
Grabbing its head by the side, I smashed it straight into the car window in front of me.
Kwajik! Kwajik!!
Wajangchang!!
After smashing it two more times, the hands clutching my collar and shoulders went limp as if it had died, and the zombie's body slumped downward. Reaching inside the window of the driver's side—which was completely shattered, unlike the previous one, probably because it was an older domestic compact car—I shoved my hand inside.
Then I pressed down hard on the center of the steering wheel.
Bpa-a-ang-!!!
Commiting the insane act of abruptly blaring the horn to summon even the zombies further away, I ran in a wide arc, getting as far away from the car as possible.
Except for the bastards close enough to hear my footsteps and follow me closely due to my madness, everyone else ran toward the car where the horn was blaring.
Fucking hell, I'm almost there!
I just need to cross two more lanes!
Ku-kung- seueu-
Sliding across the hood like a protagonist in a movie to cross one lane, I hopped lightly this time, stepped on the hood, and vaulted through the air.
"Kuak!!"
"Kuak my ass!"
Peok!!
Kicking the zombie in the chest as I dropped down, I finally set foot on the opposite sidewalk.
Fucking hell, this is damn touching!
But it's still too early to get sentimental.
Hwik!
Quickly running toward the building in front of me and twisting my body to the right, I extended my left arm and pushed open shop doors one by one as I ran toward the convenience store.
However...
"Whoa! Fucking hell, that's awesome!!"
"Hwi-ik-!!"
"Over here! Here! There's a person here!!"
"Save me!!"
Just how many people survived? Voices are echoing out from all over the place.
Right, it doesn't make sense for all the people to die to these stupid zombies.
Wait, didn't they see what I just did? How can they ask me to save them?
Doubts lingered at the voices coming from behind my back, but for now, I focused all my attention on my left hand pushing the convenience store door inward.
Seuk-
It's opening!
Without a second thought, I stopped my running legs, dashed into the convenience store, and immediately turned around to secure the shaking door while twisting the lock at the top.
Dalkak!!
Relief washed over me at the sound of the door locking.
But at the same time, anxiety crept in.
Can this flimsy-looking door hold out against the zombies?
Definitely impossible.
Especially with this much of a crowd even now.
Kung-kung!!
Deolkeok! Deolkeok! Deolkeok!
The zombies that chased after me are hammering on the door, shoving it with their bodies, making an absolute ruckus.
Tiresome bastards.
Deopseok! Deueu-euk!!
Tudu-duduk!!
Making a loud racket as displayed items spilled everywhere, I didn't care and dragged display racks over to barricade the door.
Since even that felt insecure, I sat with my back against the display rack, adding my own weight to it.
"Phew... Got past the first hurdle, at least."
Literally cleared the first hurdle.
If the world's in this state, my survival starts for real from now on.
"Check info."
『[Name: Kang Hajin (27)]
[Height: 183cm, Weight: 79kg]
[Traits: -]
[Coins: 13]
[Strength Lv.2] [Agility Lv.3] [Stamina Lv.2] [Luck Lv.1]』
My stats, changed from the beginning.
It's only a 1-level increase in agility, but thanks to this, I was able to make it this far.
It's a bit disappointing that the only stat I raised during the 27 hours in the underground world was just one.
"Shop, stats."
[Strength Lv.2] - 20 Coins
[Strength Lv.3] - 40 Coins
[Strength Lv.4] - 60 Coins
[Strength Lv.5] - 80 Coins
Stats listed all the way up to level 100 starting from level 2.
The level 3 agility I bought costs a whopping 40 coins.
A price that could buy almost 6 hoes.
Yet I bought 3 bottles of water and ate 3 breads, too.
The fact that I still have 13 coins left means the total coins I've acquired so far amount to 75 coins.
Some bastards give 1 coin, but occasionally others give 3 coins, so calculating at an average of 2 coins, I've caught 37.5 zombies.
"Fucking hell, I killed a lot..."
Still, this isn't enough.
I need to kill more zombies.
Judging by the experience of bumping into them directly, agility needs to be at least level 5 for somewhat safe hunting to be possible.
On top of that, I need a weapon that can smash or pierce a zombie's head in one go.
This is also a fact I found out while trapped in the underground world: as commonly known, zombies die when you attack their heads.
Though they do die if you break their necks, of course.
Gureureureuk-
"This damn stomach is making a fuss all day asking for food. Is it because I moved my body a lot?"
Then let's fill my stomach first and leave the thinking for later.
I should eat the things that spoil easily first, right?
"Hmm... Is the electricity completely cut off?"
The refrigerators that should be emitting cold air to store food longer have all stopped working.
Naturally, the microwave and TV are dead too.
Half of these are gonna go to waste.
Triangle kimbap, sandwiches, hamburgers, lunch boxes, and several pre-cooked frozen foods.
If the refrigerators aren't working, there's a whole bunch of food that won't last a few days.
No, maybe they've already spoiled.
Since the lights went out when I was trapped in the subway control room, it means they've been stored at room temperature for almost a day.
Ji-ik-
Deopseok!
Munch- munch-
"At least this one's fine."
After putting the triangle kimbap I took a bite of back on the display shelf, I tore open a sandwich and took a bite. Nodding at its still-fine condition, the moment I reached out my hand toward a lunch box,
"......"
My eyes met with a woman.
Of course, that doesn't mean there's a woman inside the convenience store; through the glass wall, my eyes met with a woman on the second floor of the building across the alley.
Right, in a world like this, a woman who can soothe loneliness is essential.
Besides, her face looks pretty cute, too.
Judging by the mannequins wearing clothes inside the shop window, it seems to be a clothing store, and perhaps because of that, her style is pretty good.
Whether she's an employee or a customer, I don't know.
Shall we check if that woman is someone who can soothe my loneliness, then?
Seuk-
I stretched my right hand out to the side and moved the lunch box I was holding, and accordingly, the woman's face turned slightly to the side as her two eyes chased after the lunch box.
Once more.
Seuk-
Passing the lunch box to my left hand and extending my left arm to the side, this time too, the woman's head turns to the side and her eyes follow.
Hwik-
When I hid the lunch box behind my back this time, the woman pressed her body tightly against the full-length glass window and looked pitifully at my face.
My eyesight is pretty good, and the building opposite was close enough that if you fell over your nose would touch it, so there was no problem checking her expression.
"Heh-heh-heh..."
My laughter leaked out sounding somewhat sinister.
As I tilted my head while pushing the lunch box forward toward the woman as if handing it over, she must have understood my action instantly because she nodded her head extremely violently.
She wants the lunch box in my hand.
But I can't give it away for free, can I?
And to deliver this, it wouldn't be her coming here, but me having to go over there.
Shall we take just this much as a down payment first?
After checking the angle so the woman could see well,
Seuk-
I thrust my right foot forward and rolled up my suit pants to my knees.
At that, the woman scrunched up her face fiercely.
What is it? Did she understand well until now and misunderstand my signal?
Pointing with my outstretched index finger toward the woman whose face was fiercely scrunched up, I pointed at my legs and rolled up the lowered suit pants once more.
Then I pointed at the woman again.
"Looks like you get it now. Hurry up and do it."
The woman, wearing a troubled expression, fidgeted with her two hands clasped in front of her.
Her face, looking at me pitifully, seemed to be telling me not to do that, but whether it was because I adapted to this world too quickly or not, it had no effect on me.
If you want to eat the lunch box, roll up your skirt. I had no intention of retracting the condition I put forward.
"Ha... You're gonna hold out, is that it?"
Triggered for no good reason by the sight of the woman still just fidgeting her fingers, I picked up the lunch box I had put down and shrugged my shoulders. At that sight, biting her lower lip with an even more troubled expression, the woman finally...
Cheok!!
...held up her middle finger.
Fucking hell...!