Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Back into the Ruins
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We decided to resume the halted exploration and live broadcast.
Securing food was a top priority, after all.
Oh, and just so you know, I decided not to absorb the Ether right away. Instead, I stored it in the canteen I'd brought along.
According to the Color Sovereign, who was like a godsend of a master, absorbing spirit medicine could trigger all sorts of unpredictable events. Worst case, it might draw the aggro of every mutant around, turning into a total catastrophe.
No harm in listening to her, so I obediently pocketed the Ether and approached the village outskirts.
"Whew. What a damn eerie place."
Following the national highway where no cars had run in ages, the entrance to the town was flanked by two crumbling buildings standing like ancient gatekeepers at the old village edge.
They'd taken the full brunt of time's erosion and the ice age apocalypse, on the verge of total collapse.
Back before the world went to hell, spots like this would've been prime haunted house material—perfect for ghost-hunting explorers.
'Haunted spot, huh? Kinda similar, I guess. Undead types do show up around here.'
When mutants first appeared, people called them all sorts of things—World War Z, zombie virus, Dawn of the Dead, you name it.
Hell, if they weren't zombies, what were they?
But they were too cunning to pass off as mere corpses. Sure, their detection range was pitifully short, but beyond that? Way too smart. Low-level mutants had limited thinking, but within their range, they boasted superhuman reflexes. Higher ones hunted humans with the judgment and strategy of intelligent beings.
By the time human civilization was half-wrecked, survivors realized: these weren't dumb zombies. They were hyper-evolved zombies... or something beyond.
Title: [Live] Newbie in the Ruined World #1 [Contaminated City]
(Screenshot: Approaching the city)
(Screenshot: Ruined building)
(Screenshot: Mutant bursting from the building)
(Screenshot: Me hunkering down)
(Screenshot: Slipping inside past the mutant)
(Screenshot: Polluted flesh-wall-covered abandoned building)
Just slipped into a building infested by mutants.
No idea when another one might pop out, so no Q&A for now...
The scene inside the building was straight-up nightmarish.
It was like the ice age apocalypse had gotten topped by a bio-horror one—walls slathered in grotesque, pulsating flesh, thick and veiny like some twisted traditional Korean dish gone wrong.
The stench hit like a punch, un-frozen even by the brutal cold, and with my senses sharpened by the Yin-Yang Five Elements Scripture, it was pure torment.
Still, I kept my senses razor-sharp, moving cautiously, eyes scanning every shadow.
Squelch, squelch.
The floor was a mushy mix of melted snow and meat chunks—utterly vile underfoot. Mutants tromping around had left it in this weird half-frozen, half-melted state.
Suddenly, old gallery theories bubbled up in my mind.
'Maybe they've formed their own societies by now.'
If they had proper leaders, civilization would've followed naturally.
At first, they were dumb brutes acting on instinct, but over time, they'd grown sly—I knew that much.
But that intel was three years outdated at best. Hiding in mountains and forests to dodge their swelling numbers, a lone survivor like me had no clue what they were up to now.
And with survivors and those traitor raiders ripping into the scraps left, mutant status was a total blank slate.
'If they've super-evolved, they might not even resemble the ones I knew.'
Chilling thought.
Back when I was set to go out with a blaze—fire axe in hand, aiming for an epic death montage before bailing the shelter.
If I hadn't found the Martial God Gallery, I'd have solo-killed in five minutes, yelling "jungle diff" like some fleeing top Yasuo abandoning his team.
'That was a close one.'
My end couldn't be that lame.
No way in hell...
Squelch.
My thoughts shattered with a discordant footstep.
Footsteps. In this dead zone?
That meant—
"Grraaahhh..."
Another Type 1 mutant.
Another resident of this dump.
'Can't dodge this one.'
It lumbered out from another shop inside, its bloated bulk blocking the hall completely.
Hugging left or right might work, but trying that in front of it? Instant reverse-swing city.
I'd just crested the stairs when it spotted me. Dropping low, I snatched the emergency fire escape hammer from my belt.
'Taking this one out here.'
These lightweight hammers—meant for anyone to use—were solid throwing tools I'd looted from subways and flipped buses. Blunt end packed a punch. Great against raiders if you landed it clean. Now, with internal energy? Even better.
'My strength now? Could rip off an arm easy.'
Breath held, one eye shut, lining up the shot. Routine patrol had its back to me—perfect. Waited for the strike zone...
'Now!'
Thwack!
Hurled the hammer with everything I had.
"Kraaaagh!"
Roar and thud echoed together. Hit confirmed mid-throw, I was already moving. Experience said mutants felt pain. Slipped in under its agony, swung the pickaxe.
Splat!
Hammer buried deep, shoulder exploded in a spray of meat. I ducked low as its reflexive arm whooshed over my head.
Boom!!
Wall cratered like a tree trunk under that fist. Death's brush-off fueled my next swing—right leg. Crack, it buckled backward, body spinning like a top.
Eyes locked in that instant—fleeting emotions? Nah. Final blow to the tottering head.
"...Hah."
Mutant down, breath released. Adrenaline cooled, heart slowed. Insane. Staring at my handiwork, a crushed whisper escaped.
"I'm... seriously strong now."
The outskirts one hadn't sunk in—too sudden, mixed with first-martial-arts thrill. But this? Planned infiltration, deliberate hunt. Smooth as hell.
"Three years—no, nearly four—dodging these bastards in rat holes..."
Too short for "changing times." Emotions swelled, beyond words—
Title: [Roughly Got It, Your Levels...]
Writer: *Unyielding Magic Sword
(Selfie in front of mutant corpse)
It got so boring... I felt like dying.
Uploaded proof to the gallery right away.
Was this how Black Sky felt slicing the heavens?
Chest fluffy, heart pounding—this "high" was irresistible.
"Heh heh..."
Comments incoming soon. Black Sky'd urge diligent progress, Anger Control Expert'd roast me for buzzing off one kill. Colorless Bird'd back me up with headpats. Familiar WWE, but damn fun. In this whitewashed apocalypse, when else?
Corner of my eye: notification barrage.
Diving into replies—
DODGE!!!
You idiot!! Behind you!!
Disciple, duck!!!
Warning bells screamed crisis.
And right then—
Pffft—!
A sickening pierce ripped through my ears.