Chapter 11 (Revised)
Chapter 11 (Revised)
[Guys, my subordinate zombies are getting radiation poisoning and their skin is peeling off. Any solutions?]
└[Marching Necromancer] : Skin peeling, huh... I suppose it's similar to acid?
└[Necro-aspirant] : That can't be helped, -daeyo. The only way is to increase your proficiency in Corpse Control, -daeyo.
└[Corpse Researcher] : There is a way. Either use a Chimera, or increase your proficiency like Aspirant said.
"Chimera?"
It was a new method, indeed.
A Chimera is, essentially, a mixture of DNA from different living organisms.
That means it's possible to mix the bodies of zombies that have adapted to that radiation with my own zombies to create a Chimera.
"But... how?"
└[Marching Necromancer] : Use the shop.
└[Necro-aspirant] : Use the shop!
└[Corpse Researcher] : The shop it is!
At their words, I immediately opened the shop window.
[Name] : Corpse Synthesis
[Category] : Skill
[Required Ether] : 50,000,000 Ether
"Ah...."
It was too expensive.
Ether Owned : 7,800,000 Ether
Not even close.
Besides.
"Even selling the Variants and mutants won't be enough."
I couldn't buy that skill even if I poured all my assets into it.
"I need to earn Ether."
The goal was set.
However.
"I'll just set it to auto-hunt."
It just needed time, anyway.
Returning to the research complex, I sent out the Variant and the mutant zombies.
I ordered them to bring back as many zombies alive as possible.
Then.
The Variant brought back regular zombies, filling both its hands.
The Skeletal Species zombie came in with zombies hanging off its sharp bones like fruit.
"Hmm... roughly one every 10 minutes, and on average 500,000 to 700,000 Ether per one."
I just need them to bring 100 of them like this.
However.
"The 10 minutes is the problem, the 10 minutes."
No matter what I did, the cooldown wouldn't decrease.
Adding all that up, it's 1,000 minutes.
It takes 16 hours.
Even though the Variant and the mutant zombies keep carrying regular zombies into the isolation room.
Perhaps because the number is too high, my cooldown time can't keep up, and the zombies are piling up.
"Ugh...."
But what can I do?
Time will solve it.
Anyway.
While I was resting inside the research complex like that.
-Zzzzt.... zzzzt....
A strange sound was heard.
"What is that?"
The communication device in the corner of the research complex.
Sound started flowing from it.
Seeing the dust piled up, it seemed it hadn't rung for a long time.
"Hey, pick it up."
When I told Lee Hyeon-jae, he immediately grabbed the receiver.
"I've picked up the call."
-....Is this... the research complex?
"...Yes, it is."
Lee Hyeon-jae looked at me with trembling eyes.
This guy seemed surprised too.
Anyway.
-What happened to the research complex?
"Uh...."
He looks at me, reading the room.
I whispered to him.
"Just say you're hiding from the zombies."
Then.
"We're hiding from the zombies."
-As expected... is that so....
"May I ask why you called..."
-Within a week, a special forces unit will be sent to retrieve the data from that research complex.
"Gasp...."
-What is your name?
"I'm Lee Hyeon-jae."
-You're on the list. Researcher Lee Hyeon-jae. I'll instruct the special forces to rescue you.
"Thank you!"
Click....
The call ended there.
Dusty silence returned to the communication device.
But the situation wasn't good.
"Uh.... I think we're fucked."
The special forces coming means the situation here will be reported.
They must know.
About the Variant on the 1st basement floor and the Abomination on the 2nd basement floor.
That's why they're sending the special forces, but...
They arrive, and those dangerous things are gone?
Naturally, it will be reported to the higher-ups, and the higher-ups, finding it suspicious, might send more personnel.
If that happens, my ability might be exposed if things go wrong.
"Tsk....."
There's no worse bad news than this.
But I have to do it.
What else can I do?
"What kind of disaster is this while trying to increase my Corpse Control proficiency."
The goal of a one-man army.
To achieve that, I had to increase the proficiency of Corpse Control.
To increase proficiency, I had to control a Variant.
I heard there were many of those Variants at the nuclear power plant, so I went and came back.
I'm working my ass off collecting Ether to buy the Zombie Synthesis skill to counter radiation zombies.
But to think something like this would happen again.
"That special forces unit.... they wouldn't be Awakeners, would they?"
I asked Lee Hyeon-jae, hoping not.
"Probably not. Awakeners are valuable personnel. They'll probably be a special forces unit with guns."
"Right?"
But regardless, it's a fact that quite strong humans are coming.
The deadline is one week.
"I have to get stronger within a week."
It was tight.
However.
I'm collecting Ether as much as I can right now, so it should work out somehow.
"Faster."
I kept selling regular zombies to the shop whenever the cooldown reset.
About two days later.
Finally collected it.
"Purchase!"
[Name] : Corpse Synthesis
[Category] : Skill
[Required Ether] : 50,000,000 Ether
50,000,000 Ether flew away in an instant.
-Ether Owned : 0
"Argh...."
The magic of having 0 money.
Damn, but it must be a skill worth that much.
"Shall I check the skill specs?"
I opened the Status Window.
[Skill Name] : Corpse Synthesis
[Mana Consumption] : 20mp
"What? Is this it?"
The specs were simple.
"For now.... shall I mix a regular one and a mutant?"
I summoned a regular zombie and a Skeletal Species from the isolation room.
Then.
The two stood on either side.
The size difference was huge.
About 1.5 times?
"Corpse Synthesis"
[Select the entity to be the main one]
"Skeletal Species"
[Skeletal Species becomes the main. Starting synthesis]
At the same time.
Deudeudeuk....
The two started merging with each other.
Then, the Skeletal Species' bones started growing more in an instant.
It got bigger too.
"Oh...."
But perhaps because it was only one, there wasn't a big change.
"Shall I try more?"
I tried more.
Had about 10 been synthesized?
-Evolution is impossible.
With this message, it didn't evolve.
It seems there's a limit.
Then....
The next one was radiation.
"Let's go tomorrow."
Tomorrow is definitely the most important.
Because I'll be synthesizing it with a radiation zombie.
The next day.
I headed to the nuclear power plant with Lee Su-ah.
"It gives me goosebumps every time I see it.... radiation, of all things."
"That's true."
Lee Su-ah and I had transcended human bodies.
That's why we can withstand radiation much better than ordinary people.
We went the same way we came before.
Then.
"Wow.... it looks really gross."
"Tell me about it."
Now there was even a zombie with 5 eyes.
Perhaps because it had soaked up so much radiation, the more I looked at it, the further it was from human form.
Some had 4 arms, and some had necks split into two.
But dealing with them was easy.
Because all I had to do was click.
"Corpse Control"
It became my minion in an instant.
But that wasn't the end.
"Corpse Synthesis"
As soon as I pressed synthesis.
Seuseuseu....
The radiation zombie started merging with the Skeletal Species zombie.
The Skeletal Species zombie's appearance started getting weirder.
It was changing into something similar to what's called a Chimera.
"Oh...."
"Looks like a dog?"
"A hunting dog?"
"Right."
The Skeletal Species' appearance was now changing into that of an animal, not a human.
Perhaps because Corpse Synthesis is a skill that maximizes strengths.
It seemed to be changing it into an animal form.
"Hmm... it must be a good thing."
"Since it runs fast..."
It was when I was thinking that.
[Due to Corpse Synthesis, you have made a new discovery]
[You have acquired the Corpse Evolution skill]
[Corpse Control skill rises to Lv.8]
"Huh?"
I got a new skill.
What is this.
I immediately checked the Status Window.
[Corpse Evolution]
-Evolves an entity that is on the verge of evolution.
-However, the cost may increase.
"Oooooh!"
I obtained a new skill through a new skill.
It was the creative economy itself.
"On top of that..... Corpse Control skill is at level 8?"
It was tremendous growth.
However.
"For now, it's time to use it."
Evolution skill.
I immediately evolved the Skeletal Species zombie that was on the verge of evolution.
Then.
Kkodeudeuk....
It turned into a cocoon.
And in an instant.
Peoseok!
It broke out of the egg.
"Wow....."
The Skeletal Species' body that appeared was a giant wolf.
But its whole body was covered in bone thorns.
Every time it moved, there was a sound of bone thorns scraping against each other.
It was a strange creature, unable to tell if it was alive or dead.
"The cost is a whopping 4?"
While the Variant's cost is 5, the wolf that evolved from the mutant zombie was 4.
However.
"I think they'd be evenly matched if I put them against each other."
If I made them fight, it seemed the fight level would be really similar.
However.
"For now, let's focus."
The important thing is getting close to the nuclear power plant in front of me.
"What's... the cost?"
-Cost : 10/16
There was still 6 cost left.
"If I meet one Variant, I'll be done."
5-cost Variant.
If I get one of those, it would feel so reassuring.
Plus, since it's soaked up plenty of radiation, it'll be good for hunting other Variants too.
"Let's keep going."
"Yeah."
Lee Su-ah also seemed to be seeing a zombie evolve for the first time.
She still had a dazed expression.
Jeobeok.. jeobeok...
It was when we were moving like that.
"Gwooooar!"
Something was running from far away.
"Crazy! What is that?"
"Ce...Centaur?"
The one that appeared was a Variant with a bizarre appearance with a whopping 8 legs.
Moreover, it was so huge that my Variant had to look up at it.
However.
"That guy is unlucky."
To come just when I have cost left.