Chapter 7

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 7

Chapter Title: Zombie Apocalypse (4)

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Last, I stopped by a store that was still open late at night, bought the final necessities, picked up some cardboard boxes, and returned to my studio apartment.

 If I cut the cardboard boxes neatly and wrapped them around my arms and legs with packing tape, it should reduce the risk of infection.

In the time I'd been out, Na-eun had fallen asleep on my bed.

'But what if it's not that kind of zombie?'

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

At Global Academy, we'd learned about two types of zombies.

One was the kind where a black mage with a skill to manipulate corpses revives them using their own mana—zombies, ghouls, that sort of undead monster. And then there was the plague-type zombie, just like I'd been expecting.

Both were threats, but the plague-type was far superior for continuously destroying the world.

No need to keep injecting mana into undead, and if initial suppression failed, it would lead to a massive catastrophe.

Most movies in this world dealt with that kind anyway, so I'd assumed it would be plague-type zombies.

I pulled out the baseball bat and propped it by the front door, then wrapped cardboard around my arms alone and taped it down.

By the time I finished, there really wasn't much time left.

The zombies were set to appear at midnight Korean time.

Maybe I should count my blessings that it wasn't broad daylight when people were out and about?

'I should have gained more real combat experience.'

I was the weakest in Q Class, the weakest at the academy.

I'd planned to use Possession, clear the tutorial, progress quests to get stronger, then face real battles—so the only things I'd taken down so far were those three goblins in the practical exam.

And even that was basically thanks to the armor.

"This place is different... it's the lower world, after all."

I took solace in the fact that the layers were different.

I might be near the bottom in Yoo Sian's world, but in Lee Sian's, I figured I had some decent power.

I had to believe that.

*

The time had come.

Gripping the baseball bat, I listened to the announcements playing out in my head.

The barrier protecting this world from outside forces was gone, and what came was something that scattered zombies?

And if we survived 30 days, we could use guns, missiles, tanks—modern weapons again.

"Sian, you heard that voice just now, right? No, wait—did you know this was going to happen?"

Na-eun, now awake, saw me somewhat geared up and spoke.

How should I explain? For now, she was the only one I could call an ally.

"That's why I came straight home today. It suddenly said eight hours left. I thought it was crazy, but figured I'd prepare just in case. Didn't think it'd actually happen like this."

"So... you're one of the chosen ones or something...?"

Whether she was still half-asleep or genuinely buying it, the plague had been sown anyway.

"Na-eun, check the internet? Charge everything up too."

"Yeah, got it. So that's why you looked up zombie movies? 30 days, right? After 30 days, we can wipe out the plague?"

Na-eun grabbed her smartphone and turned on live news.

Breaking news anchors still on late at night were summarizing the voice in people's heads, discussing what was happening.

"Na-eun, I'm stepping out for a bit."

"They said something about a plague. It's dangerous..."

"Just checking the entrance. Don't worry."

Outside my studio, it had been noisy since that voice announced and vanished.

I cautiously opened the door—nothing seemed off yet.

Some people woken from sleep, others who'd been up, all out in the hallway, making noise without purpose.

Thankfully no one with kitchen knives or anything; I stepped out fully and closed the door.

"Hey, next door? You geared up quick?"

Digging through Lee Sian's memories, I didn't know his name, but the guy next door saw me and asked.

Cardboard on my arms, baseball bat in hand—yeah, it looked weird.

"No idea what's coming, right? Stuff like this, you order a few deliveries and have spares."

No baseball bat at home? But cardboard boxes—unless you skipped recycling today, everyone's got some.

I playfully tapped the cardboard on my arm as I spoke, and he nodded in agreement.

"Seeing so many people out here, feels like it's no joke. But did everyone in the world hear it?"

"Probably."

As I chatted calmly with the neighbor, screams started from down the hallway.

"Kyaaack!"

"Get inside! Everyone, back to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your rooms!"

"What the hell! It's real?!"

"The corpse is trying to bite! Run!"

Chaos erupted; the neighbor dashed back inside.

"Haaa..."

As everyone fled past me, locking themselves in, I headed for the stairs.

No clue where or how that so-called Plague Seed showed up.

"Grrraaah..."

An old man's corpse, hair half-gone, wrinkled skin, shuffling slowly with phlegmy growls from its bluish, long-dead flesh.

Doesn't seem to run?

I gripped the bat with both hands and advanced slowly.

"Kyaaaah!"

As I approached carefully, it turned, black eyes glowing red.

"Can't even play dumb to the end!"

I raised the bat high like swinging a sword and smashed down fast at the charging zombie's head.

Kang!

The sound echoed louder than smacking a fastball at batting practice.

The zombie staggered hard from the direct hit to the crown, but reached out its blackened claws to stab at me.

I stepped back and bashed its skull again.

Kang!

"Grraaah..."

"Gotta confirm the kill..."

No—killing a real zombie should clear the quest, right?

I swallowed that thought and swung once more.

Thud.

Three solid swings, and the zombie's head exploded.

"Haa..."

Keep calm, control distance, smash the head—zombies die.

If this is what Plague Seeds are, maybe humanity can handle it?

Just hole up for 30 days...

"Supplies."

I had some food stocked, but anyone with apocalypse knowledge would raid convenience stores and marts first.

What to do? Rush out now and claim first dibs?

Yeah, time to get a little greedy.

I raced back to my floor, unlocked with fingerprint, and called out.

"Na-eun, it's me!"

"Gasp... Th... Haha..."

Good call announcing myself.

Imitating how I'd looked before heading out, Na-eun had cardboard taped tight around both arms and gripped the cheap kitchen knife in both hands.

She relaxed her perfect defensive stance and spoke.

"Grab your bag—let's go quick. Snag nearby supplies and head back."

"Yeah. But did you take out a zombie outside? Heard bat swings."

"Yeah. Knife's too short-range; better with a long blunt weapon."

Na-eun grabbed the gym bag by the entrance with the exercise gear and bat, and followed me out.

We shut the door and hurried down, pulling up the status window.

I skimmed the status while running.

First off, the big win: acquired a skill, leveled up, combat power shot way up.

Never leveled as Yoo Sian, but doing it as Lee Sian.

Tutorial quest cleared, added Survival Rules skill.

Next up: five more.

Checked that, then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dashed with Na-eun to the nearby convenience store.

No more zombies on the way, but either others thought like me or the clerk grabbed stuff first—shelves were pretty empty.

"Clerk here?! I'll pay after grabbing!"

"Bullshit! Just grab and go! I'm just part-time!"

Polite shout, but they said take and run.

Voice from deeper in the store?

Stockroom there?

No point getting into fights over greed; Na-eun and I swept up all remaining snacks, cup ramen, drinks—whatever fit—and headed back.

Short distance, but tense marching left me more winded than expected.

Na-eun was sweaty too, in that brief time.

"Haa... Did we just steal? Sian, what if this blows over quick?"

"Dunno. We'll pay later. Reinforce the door more?"

Wait and see as time passes.

If Plague Seeds are that level, then like the Plague Lord said, it's a plague humans can handle.

Catching my breath, I checked Lee Sian's new skill.

This is subtler than I thought?

No passive that one-shots zombies—too generic?

Anyway, second skill besides Possession.

This one from Lee Sian's tutorial quest, so this performance fits.

"I'm fine. Yeah... What about Mom and Dad?"

While I checked the skill quick, Na-eun had called her parents.

Parents. The moment Lee Sian's memories of them surfaced, sync rate passed 70%.