Chapter 30
Chapter 30
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Excellent Means of Communication
-----------------------------------------------------------------
We pressed on through the fog, taking breaks here and there along the way.
Suddenly, the mist cleared right in front of our eyes.
"Looks like we finally made it."
"Whoa, so this is what a safe zone looks like? The difference from outside is insane."
Just moments ago, the fog had been so thick we couldn't see an inch ahead.
Now it just felt like a slightly overcast day.
Glancing back, the fog still hung densely behind us.
So we'd made it through that demonic haze.
"Feels like we're inside a dome made of fog."
"Not a bad way to put it."
Hye-na, who'd been driving with a tense expression, let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew! No more fog—feels so much better. I was on pins and needles, wondering when some bug would pop out."
Sure enough, with sunlight filtering through, my mood lifted.
But that good feeling didn't last long.
"...People?"
Off in the distance, about three guys stood behind barricades.
Each held a weapon in hand.
They spotted us too.
They squinted our way.
"Hmm, atmosphere's pretty hostile."
Hye-na muttered, and Yoo-ri and I nodded.
Doesn't look like we're in for a friendly chat.
"Want to take out one or two first?"
"Nah, let's at least hear them out."
They hadn't attacked preemptively.
There might still be room for talk.
Plus, with them standing guard like this, they seemed somewhat organized.
We didn't even know their group's size.
"Hey, stop!"
As we drew closer, one guy shouted, aiming a steel pipe at us.
We pulled the car to a halt for now.
"Everyone out! Drop your weapons, hands on your heads!"
Yoo-ri turned to me.
"...What do we do?"
"Let's get out. I don't want any scratches on the car."
This trusty ride had gotten us here in one piece.
Couldn't have it damaged.
No guarantee we'd find another in good shape.
As we stepped out, the guy yelled again.
"W-Weapons! I said drop 'em!"
"And why should we trust you?"
"This is our zone! If you wanna come in, follow our orders!"
Claiming the whole safe zone as theirs.
Pretty stingy, considering we're all in this mess together.
Honestly, we're unscathed only because it's us.
For regular folks, just reaching here would be a miracle.
"We can't drop our weapons just because some strangers tell us to."
Of course, we'd hold our own barehanded too.
But blindly obeying in a situation like this? Insane.
"Shut up! Fine, then you don't get in. If you wanna enter that bad, obey us."
"No thanks."
"What?"
"Hand over our weapons, and you might attack. If that's how it is, you drop yours first."
"Hah!"
The guy laughed in disbelief.
"You get the situation? Chased by fog, wanna get eaten by bugs?"
"Honestly, you guys bug us more than the bugs."
Yoo-ri was already gearing up to draw her sword.
Ready to slice if they tried anything.
The clueless guy's face twisted.
"These punks are nuts..."
"Hey, step aside. Guess they're too young to know better."
"B-Bro?"
Then a burly guy from behind stepped forward.
Armed with a long spear.
Those thick arms suggested some real strength.
"Oh, what's this? Girls too. And top-tier ones at that."
His eyes scanned from Yoo-ri and Hye-na's legs up to their chests.
Grinning sleazily.
"Hey, you were gonna let prime cuts like these go? Two of 'em—we could have fun all day."
"B-But the rules..."
"Hey, standing around here's boring as hell. Gotta have some fun."
The guy leveled his spear at me.
"Hey, hand over the girls. Leave the car and gear too. Then maybe we'll let you live."
"..."
"Not that you could survive the fog anyway. Puahaha!"
The others burst into laughter with him.
"How do these extras always spout the exact same lines? Did they get free lessons in villain dialogue somewhere?"
Or maybe the author's just run out of material.
Makes sense—wasting page count on disposable goons is annoying.
Better to clear 'em quick and sloppy.
"Should we just kill 'em?"
"...Nah, there are probably more survivors inside. Gotta try talking."
"Doesn't seem like they'll listen."
"A little etiquette training, and even beasts can learn to speak human, right?"
I quietly picked up my baseball bat.
Hm, baseball bat. Excellent means of communication.
"Hah, cocky bastard. Don't know your place and charging in."
The burly guy swung his spear.
-Clang!
I easily blocked it with my bat.
Not that strong for his size.
"Oho, you've scrapped some, huh? Still kid stuff though!"
He swung the spear repeatedly.
Despite his words, no real skill.
Above all, his moves were blatantly obvious to me.
Probably thanks to my boosted stats.
'Agility's come a long way.'
Stats I'd racked up hunting boss monsters back-to-back.
No way I'd lose to street trash like this.
"Y-You bastard! How're you blocking everything?!"
He was starting to realize, panic crossing his face.
Still swinging desperately.
But already huffing—stamina hitting its limit.
'Just a small-timer after all.'
Makes sense—in webnovels, the pervy trash-talkers are never legit.
Unless it's the smirking mentor type, then they're absolute top-tier.
That's the subtle charm of webnovels, I guess.
"Hah! Hah! Die!"
He swung with a shout.
This time, I grabbed the spear shaft barehanded.
"Y-You bastard! Let go!"
"You wanted our weapons earlier. Tables turned now."
I wrenched the spear free with raw strength.
Kicked him down.
"Gah! Y-You dog! I'll kill yoooouuu!"
I jammed the spear into his shoulder.
A crunch echoed as bone shattered.
"Who's killing who?"
"G-Get this out! You don't know who's behind me..."
"Anyone backing a punk like you is either an extra or a villain."
"Gaaaaah!"
Guy's still talking.
If it were me, I'd surrender and grovel by now.
"Guh! Aagh! Graaah!"
I twisted the spear in his shoulder.
Whenever he tried to rise, stomped his head.
"I even tried talking nice without dragging others in. Why do you keep escalating?"
"S-Stop! Stop it! Aaaagh!"
"Still using informal speech? Etiquette lesson incomplete."
Too bad—they're not open to talk yet.
"Knew it—need a better communication tool."
I pinned him with the spear and raised the bat high.
"Hah! Sp-Spare... mercy!"
"Who's top-tier now?"
-Thwack! Thump! Thump! Boom! Crunch! Thud!
I brought the bat down repeatedly.
After a solid beating, I looked down at him.
"Hahk... hahk...!"
The ground beside his head was deeply cratered.
My handiwork.
He trembled like a leaf.
Pants soaked—pissed himself.
'No need to kill him.'
Though story-wise, it wouldn't raise flags.
But killing everywhere gets old.
Over 10 deaths by chapter 30 already.
Keep this up, it'll hit 19+ rating.
'If this were a contest entry, the author'd slap a 19+ tag and cry blood tears.'
Personally, I'd love to see it.
But might get axed mid-run.
Anyway, need to meet other survivors.
Decided to spare him here.
"Hey."
"..."
"Hey, why no answer... Passed out."
Thought he was really gonna die, huh.
Eyes rolled back, out cold.
Others to talk to anyway.
"You there."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The guy next to him piped up quick.
They'd frozen while I beat their bro.
No loyalty to fight alongside.
Way weaker than him too, probably.
That told me all about this place.
"What are you?"
"W-We survivors living here!"
Sudden shift from zone thugs to innocent citizens.
No need for extra etiquette.
Baseball bat really is an excellent communication tool.
"Called him bro earlier. His underlings?"
"S-Sort of like underlings, yeah."
"Underlings or not. What's 'sort of'?"
"W-Well..."
He glanced around, unsure if he should speak.
Raised my magic wand (baseball bat), and his mouth opened like sesame.
"S-Survivors here are managed by one person! Young-chul bro's directly under him, and we're a team below that."
"Managed?"
Expected as much.
This safe zone's already under someone's thumb.
Barricades, guards—systematic control.
'Annoying, but no choice.'
Hotel ticket map points here.
Need the safe zone to rest easy.
Planning to stay till main quest ends.
Have to meet the guy, hassle or not.
"Take us to him. Clear that trash too."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
The guys scrambled to move.
And so, we safely arrived in the safe zone.