The Cook Zombie's Lament

I ran my hand over my eye.

Under my hand, the heat felt warm.

I rubbed it, but the dazzling golden light reflected on the glass didn't disappear.

What is this?

I was frozen in confusion when a sharp cry came.

"Trainee!"

The Cook Zombie was moving again.

The Cook Zombie, who couldn't use one leg properly, was crawling towards me on the floor.

The term "crawling" didn't quite fit because its speed was so fast it was almost like running.

I took a step back, separated the magazine, and emptied the chamber.

My hand was a bit shaky, but I didn't make a mistake.

The bullet in the chamber hit the steel plate floor with a "thud".

I put the Glock back in the sling bag and shouted.

"Repair, please!"

I had to focus on the Cook Zombie, so I couldn't check on Mo Hae-in and Gwak Han-muk.

But I could tell that the repair had resumed.

Because the repair progress bar that had been stopped started rising again.

Since the Cook Zombie was significantly slower than its original speed, it was much easier to deal with.

But my reaction speed also slowed down because of that.

It was because my mind was complicated due to the golden eyes, and the system window kept popping up and blocking my vision.

You feel a sense of alienation towards yourself, but soon you realize that this is nothing.

You are ■■ ■ because of that.

This is just a natural process of growing as ■.

However, ■■ ■ must remain hidden.

To protect the secret, you think that now is the perfect and appropriate time to register 'Mo Hae-in' and 'Gwak Han-muk'.

Do you want to register 'Mo Hae-in' and 'Gwak Han-muk'?

I turned off all the system windows except the one showing the repair progress.

First, I had to survive here.

If I die, no matter what color the pupils flash, it's useless.

'Remaining pebbles: 2.'

I didn't plan to use the last one.

Since I already used the gun, I shouldn't create a situation where the Cook Zombie's health is further reduced.

But soon the 2nd phase would start.

As if waiting for my thought, the system window's progress increased.

From the moment the emergency generator repair reached 70%, it was the most difficult section.

As the 2nd phase began, the Cook Zombie that was crawling on the floor suddenly started to twitch.

"Kruk, kruruk..."

The zombie twisted its body ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in pain.

Blue veins bulged all over its body.

The zombie with blue veins all over its body bent its joints with "crack, crack".

As if testing a newly born body.

Then it slowly turned its head towards the emergency generator.

The emergency generator that had completed 70% repair was making an enormous noise.

"Kyieeeee!"

The Cook Zombie let out a high-pitched sound, then dragged its apron on the floor and crawled at high speed.

Towards the emergency generator, not me.

That was the reason the 2nd phase was difficult.

The Cook Zombie would always attack the emergency generator.

Even if the player pulled aggro, it would break free in just a few seconds.

Even with the pebble, the limit was 3 seconds.

Therefore, in the 2nd phase, hand-to-hand combat was the best and only strategy.

I quickly took out the carabiner with the climbing rope tied to the sling bag and attached it to the steel shelf.

Then I wrapped the rope around the thick pipe, and finally tied it to my waist.

After checking the knot, I chased after the Cook Zombie.

And grabbed the leg of the crawling zombie.

It was the left leg that couldn't move properly because of the bullet to the knee.

It was wearing hygiene shoes, so I almost managed to take off just the shoe, but I quickly grabbed above it and pulled it.

"Kruek! Kyeeee!"

The Cook Zombie struggled roughly, but didn't attack me.

Because if damage above a certain value was not dealt, the emergency generator was the top priority target in the 2nd phase.

The Cook Zombie, hanging from me, used only the strength of one leg and two arms to move forward.

It was being dragged, and the rope on its waist tightened.

"...!"

I felt a pain as if my whole body was being crushed.

I gritted my teeth and fixed my foot on the part of the floor steel plate that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was bent.

A cool feeling touched my skin.

It was the sensation of the dark red body fluid flowing from the Cook Zombie's leg wetting me.

It was a force I couldn't handle normally.

I was barely holding on with the rope's assistance, but it seemed I wouldn't be able to hold on for long.

'Just a little more...'

My vision was blurry because of the sweat flowing down.

I blinked to secure my vision, and finally checked the changing front number.

At the moment I achieved 90% repair, the Cook Zombie started to convulse.

The appearance of its whole body trembling and limbs twitching was eerie.

It was the precursor to the start of the 3rd phase.

In the 3rd phase, the Cook Zombie would go into a rampage state.

Some of its hand bones would grow into knife shapes, and both speed and strength would increase dramatically.

It would attack by pouring bullets into the entire development room with the mutated body.

Although its leg was injured, from the crawling speed earlier, it seemed the rampage attack power wouldn't drop much due to injury.

In other words, it would become a level I couldn't handle.

Originally, the situation arose because I had decided that Gwak Han-muk would deal with the Cook Zombie.

But the situation happened, so I had to try something.

I stepped away from the Cook Zombie and threw off the neck guard.

And took out the fourth pebble.

To try a new method that I had never used in the game.

'Because it was physically impossible at that time.'

But maybe now it's possible.

I gripped the pebble tightly. And disassembled the top and bottom of the plastic case.

Clack, the pebble opened.

My heart, which had been tightly tense, relaxed a little.

It was an item that wouldn't disassemble in the original game.

When I checked the item, the description had changed.

I poured the small metal charge fragments inside the pebble onto my palm and grabbed them with the plastic case.

And threw them scattering in the opposite direction of the Cook Zombie who was about to start body transformation.

The plastic case and charge fragments scattered in all directions with faint sounds.

It was a small sound compared to the diesel generator's noise, like the sound of falling leaves.

But the Cook Zombie immediately reacted.

The body that was twisting like having a fit stopped, and the body transformation also stopped.

The crying sound that had been "kruk" until now disappeared cleanly, and the development room was filled only with engine noise.

The Cook Zombie that had stopped as if causing an error slowly turned its head.

The direction of the gaze was the scattered pebble fragments.

"A.... A..."

The Cook Zombie let out a cry different from before.

And, unable to decide what to do, it moved its gaze to the scattered pieces.

Its head was shaking up, down, left, and right.

The Cook Zombie that was shaking its head mindlessly suddenly started crawling.

It wasn't towards the emergency generator. It didn't target me as an attack target.

It was just crawling around to pick ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up the scattered pebble fragments.

However, the hand that was in the process of transformation had protruding bones and was lumpy.

Since it was only transforming for the purpose of destruction, it was difficult to pick up the small charge fragments.

At best, it could only pick up the plastic case and put it in its mouth.

While the Cook Zombie was repeating meaningless actions to pick up the charge fragments, the repair progress was steadily rising.

Finally, Gwak Han-muk tightened the last screw.

Emergency generator repair completed!

With a cheerful notification, the system window popped up.

As soon as ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I checked the repair completion system window, Gwak Han-muk grabbed the screwdriver in his hand and stood up with a start.

I blocked his path as he was about to rush at the Cook Zombie.

No, I was trying to block it.

"Gwak Captain..., ugh!"

I had forgotten about the existence of the rope tied to my waist.

I couldn't go forward and fell backward.

My tailbone was sore from properly hitting my butt, but before I could check, I shouted.

"I can't kill it!"

Gwak Han-muk, who was about to stomp on the twitching back of the Cook Zombie and stab the screwdriver into its nape, looked at me.

His silent gaze made me feel sharp.

I, who had frozen momentarily, slowly moved my mouth.

"Gwak Captain is the father of the owner of the pebble you brought."

"So?"

Gwak Han-muk, still with his foot on the back of the Cook Zombie, asked me.

"Is that the reason I have to save the boss zombie?"

"I'm going to develop a cure. It can return to normal."

"Is it related to the true ending?"

"...Yes."

Gwak Han-muk's gaze was still on me. I slowly added explanation.

"Gwak Captain's sub-quest received from elementary school is connected to the true ending."

Gwak Han-muk smiled wryly and threw the screwdriver into the air.

The screwdriver spun around and landed back in his hand.

"You should have said that earlier."

Actually, there's no relation.

Whether the Cook Zombie dies here or not, it won't affect the development of the cure and vaccine.

But I wanted to save the Cook Zombie.

It was a task I had played countless times in DZD without ever succeeding.

I glanced at the system window floating in the corner.

Gwak Han-muk, who was repeating throwing and catching the screwdriver, asked.

"Is there a way to catch this?"

"Yes. Umm... If you hold it down for a moment longer, I'd appreciate it."

I quickly untied the climbing rope tied to my waist.

I was about to go release the carabiner connected to the steel shelf, when Mo Hae-in blocked my way.

"Wait."

She extended her hand to me.

I looked at the approaching hand with tense eyes.

The fact that I had forgotten because of the Cook Zombie came to mind belatedly.

That my eyes were flashing golden.

Mo Hae-in's hand grabbed the zipper of the sling bag I was carrying and opened it.

She took out the pistol, aimed the muzzle at the floor, and pulled the trigger.

A "tick" sound, and the trigger locked back.

Even while Mo Hae-in was finishing the safety, I was still tense.

But Mo Hae-in just put the pistol back into the sling bag.

'This time, she's not arresting me...?'

I looked at her a bit dazedly, as I had been arrested for national disaster charges earlier.

At that moment, a "jijik" noise sound came from the speaker in the development room.

Then a familiar voice came.

"Hup, gu, Gunbam-nim.... Are you alive...? Hwiu, if you're alive, won't you come quickly...?"

It was Lee Ga-on's broadcast.

Before I could be surprised how the broadcast was on, Lee Ga-on dropped a bigger bomb.

"Huk, hui, I think I killed one person...!"