Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Apocalypse #4
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The army was wiped out.
As if the world decided not to let the army be lonely in annihilation, it went to shit right alongside.
Giants trampled every city to pieces. Hiding in places even giants couldn't step on was pointless. Those crushed by giants rose as small monsters, and people bitten by those small monsters turned into the same monsters.
I'd heard that a lot of people who chose to tough it out instead of evacuating ended up like that. By now, those small monsters probably numbered over a million, right?
Giants and small fry were happily tearing the world apart together, but I couldn't know anything more detailed than that.
The internet and broadcasts were already cut off. An era had arrived where you couldn't get information without electricity.
Information seemed monopolized by the army, but it wasn't even leaking to the evacuees. Fair enough, really. What good would it do to tell people the giants were smashing everything? It'd just make control impossible. Even asking soldiers got you nothing but "We're winning."
So right now...
We were just evacuating under the control of the few remaining troops.
"..."
Where did it all go wrong?
And what should I have done?
This was utterly ridiculous.
Vampires. Management Bureau. Monster Hospital. Those were the things I'd faced personally. Vampires killed my mom and dad, but that wasn't enough to shatter a country. The Bureau and the hospital only killed me.
Ah. If vampires had spread like zombies, it might've been like this. Mom and Dad turning into man-eaters. But I died right away back then, so I wouldn't know the outcome.
Anyway.
What were those Management Bureau bastards doing now?
Did guys like Section Chief Lee Do-hyung charge in with a single sword, swearing to slice up all the giants, only to get totally wiped out?
Knowing those assholes, yeah, probably.
So what about the vampires? Was Cheongak Mary Hospital still operating amid this chaos? That'd be hilarious if it was. Giants checking in as patients at a monster hospital. What room would they even use?
On the other hand, if a giant kicked the hospital with its foot, it'd all get smashed. If they couldn't do that, maybe staying on as security would've been better.
"Haha."
Meaningless hypotheticals.
The medicine from the hospital got lost during the evacuation.
Might've come in handy somewhere.
The black pendant from Dr. Kim Seonghan's wife was still hanging securely around my neck. What the hell was it? That lady. Why did she vanish with the light?
No way to know.
I knew nothing, but Dr. Kim Seonghan was definitely no ordinary guy. Marrying some Arab billionaire type like that.
"Ah."
If I die here...
The regression point would probably be right when I got off in Seoul.
Day one of the giant crisis.
Even if I went back, if I couldn't stop that guy entering the wall, the same ending awaited.
How do I stop him?
What do I have to do?
I don't know.
And as long as I don't know, regression is pointless.
The biggest problem... was that in this situation, I couldn't learn anything. A normal guy like me couldn't do shit in an apocalypse like this.
Maybe...
I'd regress to day one and just keep getting trampled by giants in an eternal loop of that ending.
"Hong-ah, Hong-ah...! Hurry! Come here!"
Lost in extremely negative, depressing thoughts, Dad called me. Gesturing with his voice lowered to a minimum, he clearly had something to say on the sly.
"No, Dad? What's up?"
"Hey. Hey. Come here and look at this."
"What is it?"
Dad suspiciously scanned the surroundings, then casually opened his coat.
"Uh...!"
Inside was...!
"Shh! Quiet!"
Canned cat food!
Salmon flavor, no less!
"Where'd you score something this precious...!"
"Kekeke, all thanks to Dad's resourcefulness, kiddo."
Trembling with emotion, I watched Dad puff up proudly. In this apocalypse, snagging something like this was seriously impressive.
Our dad was a bit of a rascal.
"This dad casually pulls off what his mere son can't."
"You're absolutely right, Father!"
"If I'm a tiger, you're just a puppy. Eh? You little neighborhood stray. Back in the day, dogcatchers would've snatched up mutts like you."
"I have no idea what that means, Dad."
Whatever. Seeing a smile on his gaunt face lifted my mood too.
"Let's share with Mom. Time to feast for once."
Ah, mouth watering already.
"Ah, but Dad. Won't the smell give us away if we open it?"
"I've got a spot scoped out. We'll eat there on the down-low."
"Heh heh heh, that's my dad. The world's greatest. I'd be your son even in the next life."
"First time I've heard that in my life, you punk."
Canned cat food.
Pre-apocalypse, I wouldn't have glanced at it. Now, it symbolized overwhelming luck and happiness.
Those District 9 aliens loved this stuff.
"Lucky's on our side today. Hey, go grab Mom quick. Dad'll warm this up with body heat."
"Roger."
I bolted off with arms wide, toddling over to fetch Mom.
"Mommy!"
Mom was sleeping in the tent. Us guys could handle it, but Mom was really weak these days. Her health seemed to be declining.
"Yeah...? Why're you calling?"
"Hurry. Get up quietly. Dad scored something precious. Let's eat and recharge."
"Precious? What is it?"
"Don't freak out...! Canned cat food."
"Oh my...!"
Color returned to Mom's gaunt face.
"Up you go."
I grabbed her hand and pulled her up.
Then we quietly headed to Dad.
"Oh, honey's here? Eyes all sparkly? Adorable."
"Whatever. Where's the can?"
"Right here."
"Wooow."
"Come on, dig in. Dad even scored a plastic spoon."
Dad pulled out a pink spoon!
"Dad, you're insane! You're a superhuman! Mom, where'd you find this guy? This is straight-up SSR husband material!"
If this wasn't peak husband goals, what was?
"Quiet down, please. Shall we eat?"
"Yes'm."
And so our family huddled in a hidden corner and devoured the canned cat food together.
"Ah."
Delicious.
Straight-up delicious.
Maybe 'cause we've been starving lately.
So good it's bringing tears.
"Gotta lick the can clean. Let the son yield to Mom. Honey, eat up and get some fat back on those bones."
"No, give it to Hong-i."
"Aw, give me what? You two lick it together. Reminds me of newlywed days, nice."
"Y-you, Geun-hong!"
"Hey, punk!"
The world might be ending, but with family, it was okay. With little happinesses like this, humans could keep going.
That was when it happened.
—Rumble!
The ground shook like the world was ending.
"Wh-what!"
"Wh-what!"
"Giant! It's a giant!"
Screams filled with despair echoed.
"Uwaaaak!"
"Run!"
"Kyaaaaak!"
Looking up, I saw a giant with twisted flesh for skin. No nose, ears, or mouth on its face. Just two pitch-black orb eyes embedded.
"Huaaaak!"
The army tried to control it, but it was futile.
People panicked and fled wildly.
—Thud!
The giant approached.
—Thudthudthudthud!
—Clangclangclang!
Then small monsters—like mini versions of the giant—charged our survivor group. Gunfire rang out, but it was meaningless... You absolutely could not get bitten. Getting bitten turned you into one of them.
"Fuck! Those bastards are too fast!"
Amid the escape, Dad yelled.
"Hong-ah!"
"Y-yeah!"
"Take your mom and run that way! I'll hold 'em here!"
"Hold what?! You think that'll work?! Just run, please!"
What the hell was he gonna hold?!
"We'll all get caught like this! Hey! Run with Mom now! Wanna get beat by Dad?! Listen, punk!"
"Honey! No!"
"Go! I won't die! Honey, you think I'll die to those punks?! Me! The guy who beat 27-to-1! I'll snag more cat food later, so hurry! Hey! Hong-ah! Take Mom now! Who'll protect her if not you?!"
Dad stopped, picking up a steel pipe.
The monsters' numbers... too many.
—Whoosh!
But right after Dad veered off, the monsters switched to chase him.
"Come on, you fuckers! Kraaaah!"
Hearing Dad roar, I grabbed Mom's wrist and yanked.
"Let's go!!!"
Tears welled up.
"H-Hong-ah! Dad...!"
"Run first, please!!!"
Gripping Mom's wrist, I ran and ran.
—Thud!
Giants stomping everywhere, human screams filling the air. Where to run? Where's safe? Where's anywhere safe?
Dad?
He okay?
Dad'll probably beat a few and catch up, right? Then he'll say, "Shit, dropped the cat food on the way." And sheepishly grin while Mom consoles him it'll be fine.
—Rustle.
A shadow fell over us.
"H-Hong-ah!"
A giant appeared ahead.
Not just ahead.
Giants emerged from all directions.
—Grip.
Terrified, Mom clung to my arm hard.
"Ah."
The giant looked down at me.
What I felt was...
Endless despair.
No place to run.
Here...
Mom and I get trampled by the giant.
Anxiety, terror, inexplicable guilt.
All of it blackened my mind, squeezing my heart to burst.
"Hong-ah, Hong-ah...!"
Mom hugged me, sobbing.
"It's okay, Mom."
I hugged her back.
"It's okay. Everything'll be okay."
Like when I was little.
Stroking her back.
Grinding my teeth to vent the surging rage.
—Tear.
Tears mixed with emotions streamed down.
What the fuck...!
Why does this shit keep happening to me!
Why!
Why do these goddamn giants show up outta nowhere and kill us all!
Not once, but four fucking times!
"Urgh...!"
I'll go back!
If I regress this time, I'll find a way to end this crisis no matter what!
Doesn't matter how many tries!
You think I'll let Mom and Dad die again?!
You fucking monster shits!
"I'll teach you... that there's something worse than monsters...!"
By classification, I'm the real monster, regressing endlessly. With infinite chances, I just keep using them to pay back worse.
—Whoosh!
The giant's foot dropped.
"Uwaaaaaah!!!!"
Feeling Mom's warmth in my arms, I screamed with all I had.
Going back, definitely!
Definitely!
I'll definitely go back and find a way to kill these fuckers!
—Crunch!
.
.
.
[You have died from being crushed.]
[Death Count: 8 -> 9]
[Restarting.]