Chapter 26

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 26

Chapter Title: Zombie Apocalypse (23)

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It felt like our 30-day holdout in the officetel was finally getting underway, but with the world dropping this kind of mission on us, we had no choice but to move.

After resting up fully for about two days, Na-eun—geared up in her protective equipment—spoke up.

"The officetel's a shared space for everyone, so should I call for backup? There are folks out there moving zombie corpses, so maybe one of them would join us."

One person out of the remaining six.

If we at least had spears like the ones those supermarket window guards used, it might be different, but our gear was pretty lacking.

We've gotten too complacent since the early plague days.

"Volunteering doesn't exactly appeal, but let's just handle it ourselves. Even if someone else joins, I doubt it'd help much. It's not about gathering supplies—it's about taking down zombies. More people would be nice, but we work well together as is."

I'd fight while Na-eun covers my blind spots.

I could handle it solo with Presence Detection, but mental power isn't infinite—if it fully depletes, who knows what happens? Better to conserve it.

Plus, it'd be tough for her exercise-starved body to keep up with me.

As usual, I strapped on cardboard guards to my arms and legs, grabbed my bat and a bag with some emergency rations, and headed down to the first floor.

"Hello?"

"Hey. Hello."

A man was crouched at the officetel entrance.

His voice sounded familiar—the guy from the fourth floor who'd come out and talked when intruders hit the building last time.

"Knew it'd be you showing up. You blocked that entrance solo last time too."

"No one else around?"

"You think they'd come out? They're all just praying their own doors stay untouched."

Even he wasn't geared up for a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fight.

Just hanging out on the first floor, watching to see who might show.

"Think you can handle that horde with just a baseball bat?"

He started talking about our weapons then.

They definitely weren't ideal for crowds.

But wasn't that true of anything? Sword, spear—anything short of magic, and 1vMany's always a pain.

"Here."

The guy picked up what looked like a toy from nearby and held it out to us.

"What's this?"

"Noise-making toy. Throw it to draw eyes. Won't damage the officetel."

With that, he headed back inside.

His way of helping, I guess?

"Weird guy. Not sure it'll help much."

Na-eun had a point.

Distracting them with this toy wouldn't scatter the zombies we needed to deal with.

Ah—maybe for slipping out of the officetel?

"Before we toss this, Na-eun—can you make it outside? Gotta step on the fridge and vault the door."

It was the little fridge that came with the officetel, so with her reflexes, she could probably manage it.

Na-eun gripped her bat and slowly approached the entrance, checked the height, then came back.

"Should work. But I might trip after."

"Just get over—I'll catch you."

I pressed the button on the boxy toy, and a chick popped out.

Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep! Peep!

The chick from the box started chirping like mad, and zombies near the entrance began reacting.

I hurled the toy beyond the entrance before it drew too much attention.

Zombies slowly shuffled after the fading peeps.

"Na-eun, let's go."

"Okay. You first."

I jogged, stepped on the fridge, vaulted the makeshift door block, and landed.

Zombies had followed the peeps away, so I glanced back safely as Na-eun cleared the door in a stylish leap.

I caught her outstretched arms, lowered her smoothly, then scanned for a staircase good for 1v1s nearby and bolted there.

"Na-eun, here we go. Keep an eye on any surprises."

"Got it. I'll make sure you focus on zombies."

I lightly tapped the bat she held out with mine.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The faint sounds pulled zombies' attention from the peeps; they slowly turned toward us, black eyes reddening as they spotted us.

Something we never should've had to do, but since we're committed, might as well go all in.

"Grarararagh!!!"

"Kwoooongeeek!!!"

Bluish zombies—decay a bit more advanced—charged.

My job was simple: swing the bat precisely at their heads and smash.

Just repeat that for the thirty or so roaming outside.

"Huuu..."

I exhaled fully, then slammed my bat down on the first zombie in range.

Splat!

My first real swing in days felt no different from the last.

No—maybe even better.

Fighting with Presence Detection limited to my attack range let me counter any zombie weirdness.

Na-eun had the distance; I just focused close-in.

Splat!

Second zombie's head burst.

It crumpled atop ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the first, sliding down the stairs.

If they were human, they'd hesitate to trample a body—but these red-eyed freaks didn't care, charging over corpses to infect us.

But squishy footing throws off balance and slows them.

Splaaat!!

A staggering zombie in front of me took an even deeper swing—solid hit.

I mechanically raised the bat again.

Just three down so far.

"Haa... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠haa..."

I caught my breath after bursting the last zombie's head.

Not physically tired, but focusing Presence Detection had drained my mental energy—head was spinning a bit.

"Sian, you okay? Wasn't that too many?"

Na-eun asked worriedly, kneading my shoulders.

"Yeah. Pushed it a little."

Too many zombies forced us from the first-floor stair end upward, higher and higher, head-bursting all the way.

Now we stood at the third-floor stair end, with a path of zombie corpses below.

Na-eun glanced down the stairs, then told me.

"Looks clear near the stairs now. I'll check from the roof."

"Yeah. Watch for zombies."

"I can take one down too."

She flexed her right arm, showing off her bicep, then headed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up to the fourth.

Nearby commercial buildings were only three or four stories—quick roof view.

Clang! Clang! Crack!

Door was locked? She bashed the handle off with her bat.

I unwrapped a nutrition bar from my bag, ate it, leaned against the wall, closed my eyes, and recovered mental energy.

Soon Na-eun hustled down from the roof.

"Hey! Sian, no sleeping here!"

"Just resting my eyes. How's outside?"

"Almost none. Two on the road—that's nothing compared to what we took out. I'll handle one; you get the other."

"Sure. But this path down... not thrilled."

Descending a road of corpses.

I gripped the railing, eased down from the third floor without slipping on bodies.

The lower we went, the messier from trampling—first-floor stairs were the worst sight yet.

Mashed guts reeked horribly; sticky floors made me want to ditch my shoes.

Should've stocked extra footwear.

"Urp..."

Even Na-eun—who'd smashed zombies and seen gross stuff—was gagging by the first floor. We hurried out, gulping fresh air.

"Never thought of this stair tactic's downside."

"Yeah... so gross."

Na-eun shook her head.

Looking around, two zombies wandered nearby.

"You take the close one. No mistakes."

"You're low on stamina too? Let me handle one!"

As we approached, a red-eyed zombie charged Na-eun.

She calmly gripped her bat two-handed and swung down.

Crack!!

A home-run crack, and it flopped face-down.

Na-eun raised her bat again, smashed its head.

Crack! Clang! Splat!

Third hit finished it.

Splat!

The other, hearing death throes, rushed me—I one-shot it.

'Can't they give a Zombie Kill Quest already?'

I grumbled inwardly at the still-pending quest screen.

Glanced at the wrecked peep toy, then slowly headed to the entrance, telling Na-eun.

"But lots of zombies behind the officetel too—what now?"

"No way. Rest. You were dozing from fatigue earlier? Nope."

Her firm concern for me felt touching.

We returned to the entrance, cleared the door, entered, and reset the barricade.

Someone else would handle the back.

If zombies ate each other and made stronger ones, fewer enemies might actually be easier. Thinking that, we climbed to the third floor.

As I headed home, Na-eun pulled me to 301.

"Shoes off, clothes too—laundry here before going in."

"Yeah. Might've picked up zombie stink without realizing. Better wash up fully."

We stripped, tossed clothes in 301's washer, then dashed home in underwear before anyone saw.

Inside, setting bats down, Na-eun paused mid-strip, bra half-on, and turned to me.

"Oh right. You're tired, Sian. Sorry."

She readjusted her bra.

A nap would reset me perfectly, but unwinding from battle with her sounded good too.

"I'm fine. Time with you is rest."

One round now, nap, another after—perfect quest timing.

Grinning at my reply, Na-eun flung her bra aside.