Chapter 31

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: Zombie Apocalypse (28)

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Na-eun wasn't stirring, so I carefully touched her arm.

"Ugh..."

It must have hurt where I touched because she swatted my hand away with her left.

Fortunately, it didn't feel like the bone was shattered.

Would a splint and bandages help? Or if it's swollen muscles, should I rub on some ointment?

I pondered it deeply, but I had no clue.

This calls for the internet.

I'd left my smartphone behind in yesterday's rush—if I'd taken it, it would've been pulverized.

For swelling, something about lymph nodes...?

Just a bruise from the hit, nothing else.

I stopped searching and turned Na-eun's face.

But shouldn't I clean this up and apply medicine first?

Come to think of it, we both reek like we've gone rancid.

Just to check, I lifted my pants... yeah.

Crying and begging for my life, no way not a drop came out.

Just a normal bodily function.

Na-eun seemed the same, so I sniffed between her legs.

Familiar scent from moments ago.

Shower first.

Even if we're exhausted, better treat and clean before rest, so I gently shook Na-eun.

"Na-eun, wake up. Na-eun."

"Mm..."

"Na-eun. You peed yourself..."

Na-eun's knee flew toward my head.

Composure activated just in time, and I barely blocked it with Insight. The backlash from Insight made my head throb like it would split.

By the time I thought taking the hit might've hurt less, Na-eun sat up.

"Huh...?"

"Yo!"

"Yo? Yooo?!"

Na-eun clutched her aching right arm with her left, hauled herself up, and glared at me like she wanted to kill me.

Then she released her right arm from her left.

Slap!

She backhanded my cheek.

"Huh...? It hurts! Why all of a sudden?!"

I pressed my right cheek to ease the pain by rubbing, but her left fist slammed my left cheek.

Slap!

This one hurt more.

I wanted to ask if that evolved zombie punch yesterday scrambled her brains, but it didn't seem like it.

"Waaahhh."

Na-eun burst into thick tears, sobbing like a child.

I'd already cried my eyes out earlier when I woke up?

I pulled my hands from my stinging cheeks and hugged Na-eun.

Just like when I'd held her after killing the zombies, I patted her back slowly.

"Hic... waaahhh... What am I supposed to do if you die alone? How am I supposed to live by myself...?"

Na-eun wailed, and I had nothing to say.

I'd thought my tear ducts were bone-dry, but realizing tears still lingered there, I clamped my mouth shut and just held her.

We were both beat, so shower first it was.

Running around when the evolved zombie hit the officetel worked up a sweat, and then we leaked all sorts of stuff after.

Stripped naked, under the shower spray, Na-eun flinched her face away from the water.

"Ow, it stings..."

"Gotta wash clean anyway. You got scratched in the front yard full of zombie corpses."

Survival Rules give me constant homeostasis and some immunity, but Na-eun's in trouble.

"Ugh... If I turn zombie, you'll smash my head?"

"I'll become the ultimate zombie and build a zombie world."

Na-eun asked playfully, so I fired back the same.

Knowing the plague is a type of black magic, it's probably slow-spreading in soil.

Black magic that feeds on life force—unless there's plants full of it right there, bare ground should be fine.

We showered thoroughly, changed into fresh clothes, applied ointment.

Na-eun's right arm and mine both had massive purple bruises.

"Mm... Yesterday when I saw you, it looked insanely bad...?"

"You saw wrong?"

"Nuh-uh... Tears came right away. Did I? Your left arm dangled like an octopus tentacle, bones all shattered, right side scraped on asphalt with huge deep gashes. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Seeing Sian—who could beat every zombie—crying made me cry too, somehow."

No way her memory's that sharp?

She didn't hit her head and remembers everything perfectly—seeing my mostly fine body now, no wonder she's confused.

"I'm glad. That ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you're okay."

Na-eun hugged me after saying that.

I hugged her fluffy self back, then a cold voice whispered in my ear.

"My face got hurt because of you, Sian. Take responsibility."

"Need some scars so others leave you alone. It's shallower than it looks—no scar."

"Idiot."

Na-eun didn't like my answer and called me an idiot outright.

"I've been taking responsibility from the start?"

"Should've said it twice. Idiot."

We shared a short kiss, heated up tribute retort porridge, and ate.

No kimchi sucked, but the porridge was decent.

After eating, I told Na-eun.

"Let's join the mart group."

"Yeah. Gotta. No unity here. This porridge tribute's way too little."

"Considering what we did."

If we hadn't stepped up, floors 1 and 3 might've partially collapsed and failed—but no guarantee it'd go smooth.

The evolved zombie could've gone berserk again, trying to wipe everyone.

We handled that and got sorta comrade treatment, but it's lacking.

And we'd lost tons of weapons and supplies—time for a leap forward.

The mart folks might overlook those three deaths in the hostage negotiation, thanks to my pushiness?

Thinking of crashing longer to recover, Na-eun's smartphone rang.

"Who? Perfect timing. Yeong-eun."

Na-eun answered, switched to speaker, and Yeong-eun's excited voice burst out.

"It's Sian, right?! That zombie kill yesterday! Lee Sian, yeah?!"

"Uh? Yeah. Probably?"

"Oh right. You collapsed next to him. Saw you in the video corner."

"Video? What video? Yeong-eun, no idea?"

"Your group didn't upload? Search Batman, BAT MAN on YouTube."

Yeong-eun's words had Na-eun ordering me with her eyes.

Grabbed my smartphone, searched BAT MAN—top trending video.

Dark night, shot from above.

"That's me?"

Clang. Clang. Clang. Clang. Clang.

Videos of me trading insane-speed blows with the zombie using bat and fists.

Starts a bit after revival, mostly misses but captures the win.

Running when bat broke, tossing the zombie from behind—third-person view was wild.

Ends with zombie head smashed, bat tossed.

"Bat as weapon, so BAT MAN? They only saw the win though..."

Na-eun muttered low, frowning over my still-suspicious state, but Yeong-eun—missing it—sounded bright.

"First one humanity couldn't handle, right? Sian took it down, Plague Lord's shocked, world's sending praise—didn't hear?"

"Really?"

I don't remember at all. Head hurt too much, memory wiped.

Looked at Na-eun; she shook head—passed out too.

"Foreign comments piling up. Humanity's got hope now."

"Oh."

Definitely worldwide comments.

Lots of bat-swing BAT MAN, but HOPE, humanity's hope caught my eye more.

Uploader... probably squeaky 4th floor guy.

If not him, it'd be weird.

"Mart."

I mentioned mart to Na-eun; she nodded and spoke.

"Yeong-eun, one like that alone's fine, but with other zombies? Trouble. We're recovering a bit then joining mart—cool?"

"Great! Come! Everyone'll love it!"

This video's got reactions to me pretty good.

Hope. Looking at Na-eun after hanging up with Yeong-eun, I couldn't help smiling.

"Why laugh? Hit your head yesterday?"

"Head's fine? Look."

I showed her a HOPE comment.

"You jokingly called me hope, now it's hope for others too."

"Duh. Chosen one? Worth it."

Chosen. Just happened into high-fit Lee Sian's body...

No. Yoo Sian chose Lee Sian.

Thinking that eased my mind loads.

"Sigh. Grab weapons first. Lost 'em all yesterday."

Five bats, all smashed—but maybe one usable?

Opened door to hall: four bats on floor.

When'd they drop 'em?

Three used as shields, pitted like styrofoam—useless. One end bent weird, but temporary use maybe.

Peered through hall window at entrance: blocked better than my hasty job, but no patrols means pointless.

One day fine.

Grabbed bent-end bat, back to room, lay on bed.

Changed scabbed sheets and pillowcase—fine to flop.

Na-eun lay beside; I hugged her, planning nap.

'Head back.'

Felt bone-deep how weak I was.

If Yoo Sian's the only upper-layer watcher for Lee Sian, gotta strengthen me—Yoo Sian.

Don't know what happens post-possession release, but Lee Sian would've picked mart too.

At 100% fit, I know now.

How much Lee Sian loves Kim Na-eun, willing to sacrifice for her; regrets not grouping early with like-minds.

If I planned just scraping 5 days, I'd be mart's already.

Kissed Na-eun's forehead lightly, pulled away, whispered quietly.

"Possession Return."

"Uh..."

I stared blankly at my reflection in the lake.

Not tear-streaked wrecked Lee Sian's face, but Yoo Sian's gazing at the lake.

Back in my body.

"Yes. Looking good?"

I flinched at the soft voice beside me.

"Uh... Grandpa?"

"Yes. An instant in upper realm, eternity in lower."

I checked Lee Sian once more.

In the frozen world, his fit dropped to around 30%.

Confirmed fit, looked up.

"You're you. Don't get too attached down there."

Grandpa stood after saying that.

"Thank you. Found my path."

"Good. Attend school well."

"Yes, Principal."

"Grandpa earlier, now tch tch. I like it better."

Guessed he hangs at Global Academy—spot on.