Unexpected Encounter
From 2nd Mutation Zombies onward, they started evolving in a specific direction, just like Awakeners. And that direction? Whatever the fuck they felt like. Some toughened up their bodies, others gathered light to shoot laser-like beams... and cases like this goddamn javelin zombie weren't uncommon.
Whiiiiiirrr—
Another rebar flying at me. Already the tenth one. It must've yanked every rebar from the neighborhood apartments—endless supply.
'Or maybe it's sending its minions to fetch more.'
Starting with 2nd mutations, they began thinking properly and commanding packs of zombies like herd animals.
'Still, right now it's just "barely" a few dozen.'
But combined with the current situation, it made for a real shitty mess.
Clang—
"Master!"
"Grraaahk, grraaahk—!"
Headbutt (Plagiarism)
Thwack—
Whiiiiiirrr—!
"Fuck— seriously...!"
Clang—!
"Such a pain in the ass!"
Who knew how many times. The moment I turned my attention elsewhere, rebar would come flying out of nowhere. But focusing on the Asymmetrical Zombie...
"Agh! Help! Help meee—!"
"Hold tight! Don't let go no matter what!"
A variant zombie bursting from the normal ones, grabbing a Hunting Dog's shield and yanking.
Whoosh, whiiip—
"Duck! Get down!"
Doksayeon raised her shotgun to shoot the variant, but it overlapped with the Hunting Dog—no clear shot.
"Fuck—! Duck!"
Click...
As Doksayeon pulled the trigger regardless, I spat curses and rushed over.
Grip, crunch...
"Kieeeek—!"
Stab—
I yanked the variant zombie's hair, exposed its jaw, and rammed my knife in.
Spluuurt—
Blood spraying from the split throat.
"H-Huh...!"
"Not moving? You wanna end up like this too!?"
"Agh...!"
No sooner had I saved one than cries came from where I'd left—another Hunting Dog in peril.
'Goddamn, no end in sight.'
Deflect rebar, smack down lunging Running Zombies. And break through before encirclement. I needed at least two more bodies.
'Ditch everyone and take out the Asymmetrical first?'
To catch the fucker that hid the moment I pretended to aim—it'd take getting close and slicing its throat.
'Lifeblood Needle lacked punch.'
If I abandoned them all to charge, I'd get the Asymmetrical, but by then the Hunting Dogs and slaves would be zombie chow.
"Ha—. What a clusterfuck."
My plan to blast straight down the main road in one go? Fucked. Now detouring around zombies, off the original route.
Small mercy: past this overpass, it was a straight shot to the school...
"Master!"
Clang—!
"Ugh, what!"
"O-Over there—!"
At Jeong Da-jeong's urgent shout, I deflected another rebar and looked where she pointed.
"Well, shit?"
The middle of the overpass we were escaping onto—severed.
Fine yesterday. Not like a little rain collapsed it. Perfectly blocking the road to the school, like someone flipped us off...
'...No fucking way.'
Original Work Destruction: 5.34%
Worldline shifts grant Torn Pages.
The world grows more hostile with worldline shifts.
Torn Pages boost Job stat Conviction, then reset.
To next stage: 0 / 1 page
The Original Work Destruction system added with my 2nd job change. I'd dismissed "hostile world" as macro shit like early Black Rain...
'Plot fuckery, huh?'
Even if the Asymmetrical Zombie nearly ate an Awakener, a 2nd mutation right here? Suspicious as hell.
Suddenly made sense why it was waiting for me. Problem: didn't change our mess.
Detour now? Zombies swarming every other direction already...
Whiiiiiirrr—!
Clang—!
"Gaaaahk—!"
"Kyaaahk—!"
The Asymmetrical and its elite zombies waited for us to tire, hurling rebar.
Thud, thud—
Thump, thump—
Splat—
Squish...
"Hold! Hold the line! Don't get pushed back!"
Ting, ting—
Tick, tick...
"Da-jeong! Bullets!"
Stab, shuuuunk...
The last Lifeblood Needle vanishing.
Cracks forming on the blade. We screamed and held, but getting pushed back. Ten minutes tops.
Time to decide. I eyed the severed road, gauging the gap.
Factoring Doksayeon and Jeong Da-jeong's weight, I could probably carry them across.
'Ditch the Hunting Dogs.'
Decision made, I was about to call Doksayeon—who was cursing as she loaded shotgun shells—when:
Flap, flap.
Like some movie, it descended from the sky, landing on the car hood right beside us...
"An owl...?"
"Th-the owl talked...?"
Unlike Jeong Da-jeong's mistake, the voice wasn't the ow... owl's.
Someone speaking via the radio on the owl's neck.
"Who the hell are you."
Whiiiiiirrr—!
"Fucking hell!"
I swatted the rebar aimed at the ow... owl, snatched the radio, and barked.
"Voice my ass. No time for chit-chat—answer."
"What's your business!"
"You'll help?"
"How, what..."
Out of the corner of my eye, the Asymmetrical raised its arm again.
Click—
Shunk—
I aimed my pistol; it flinched and hid. I continued.
"...You're offering help."
Static. Static. Jerk—
"Owe you?"
Step, step, step—
Woof... woof...
What trap was this? Pure suspicion, but I was ditching the Hunting Dogs anyway. I agreed.
Static, st—
Beep.
With that, it flapped off. Fuckin' owl. Yeah.
"Urgh!"
"Move!"
Vrooom, crunch—!
Zombies pressing; Hunting Dogs yielding step by step. 30 seconds, a minute... nothing changed.
'Whoever it is, find the prankster and make sashimi...'
Screeeeech—
A shrill whistle piercing from beyond the zombies, stabbing ears.
It grew closer, sharper.
Screeeeech, screeeeech—
"Grraaahk?"
"Grrahk..."
Zombies aggroed one by one on the whistle. Us too, heads turning toward the sound.
For a split second, I doubted my eyes.
'What the hell is that?'
Looked like a dog, but size of no dog... A tiny girl strapped to a colossal hound, whistling and spinning.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap—
Screeeeech—
Thud, thud, thud—
"Grraaaahk..."
Screeeeech—
Tap, tap, tap, tap...
Like playing tag, she circled normal zombies, gathering them.
Occasional Running Zombie lunges:
"Kyaaahk—!"
Tatata, screeech—!
Crash.
"Whoopsie, down ya go!"
...Tap, tap—
Her and the dog weaved masterfully through Running Zombies, pulling aggro nonstop.
"Gaaak—!"
The Asymmetrical, fed up, wound up to throw rebar—but now my turn.
Click.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang...
Thud, splat.
Thud...
"Gaaagaaak. Gaaaaak—!"
It shielded its head with the elephant arm—no kill, but no more javelins.
Screeeeech—
Tap, tap, tap, tap...
"Adiooooos—!"
Pied Piper-style, she and the mega-dog yanked the zombie aggro away in seconds.
Left behind: zombies not fully aggroed, and...
"Gaaak—!"
The Asymmetrical's group—under fifty, no throws.
Thud, splat—
Slash. Slash.
Bang, baaang...
"Gaaaak, gaaaak!"
Seeing us shred the remnants, it sensed no win and fled with its pack.
"Hah, hah. Huh...?"
"Phew..."
Hunting Dogs and slaves sighed relief. Some—especially Doksayeon—laughed in realization of survival.
Me? I laughed for another reason.
Character Bible updated: 'Go Ah-rang, Pet Breeder' added.
A perfect slave navigator had rolled right in.