Pyeongtaek US Army Base (Part 2)
I could see the bullets. They were curling through the air toward me. I raised my swords. And pushed them aside with the blades. White sparks bubbled up as the bullets scraped against the steel. Then another one came flying straight at my gut. I crossed my arms and kept deflecting them to the side. While batting away the ones heading for my head, my sides, left and right with my swords, a puff of white smoke bloomed from the distant man's belly, then slowly faded. And bloomed again. I deflected every single bullet flying at me with my blades. Acceleration ended. The delayed roar of gunfire finally exploded.
Crack-crack-crack-crack-BOOM!
"Hoo..."
Hiss— White smoke rose from both swords. The edges must've taken a beating from all those bullets. I slowly lowered my crossed arms and straightened my body. The guy who'd shot at me was staring, eyes wide like he'd seen the impossible. His hand was still on the trigger. Pulling it. Empty mag. Fuck, even for me, deflecting bullets is no joke. If I slipped up on even one out of that barrage, it'd punch right through me.
I bared my teeth and raised my swords. Hiss— Faint smoke curled from the blades. I said, "Drop the guns. No second chances."
I wiggled the tips for emphasis. The crowd didn't seem to hear me. Eyes bulging, mouths agape in shock. I lowered my swords and walked forward slowly.
"You actually shoot when someone tells you to? Killing people left and right? You crazy fucks. I said drop 'em."
People shuffled back hesitantly. The big guy who'd fired at me shook his head wildly and bared his teeth, glaring. He bellowed, "I missed! I fucked up the shot! Fuck, haven't fired in forever! Hey! Shoot!"
Crazy bastard. People glanced at each other uncertainly. After seeing me bat away every bullet, sparks flying—they gonna buy that he just missed?
"Shoot! Fuck, I said shoot!"
The big guy yelled, whipping his head around. "B-but... th-that guy's, like, deflecting bullets?"
"Fuck! You wanna die?! Back off now and we're all dead! You know that!"
The big man roared, veins bulging in his neck. The armed ones hesitated, starting to raise their guns.
"...My God..."
I heard the Special Forces captain groan.
"Sung-hoon! Fall back! Sung-hoon!"
Hold still, Ga-yeon. Come to think of it, this woman doesn't even flinch when I deflect bullets. ...Right. I batted away the ones she fired at me. She's seen me fight up close.
I shook my head. Pressured by the big guy's momentum, they were slowly raising their guns. I glared at them and triggered Acceleration.
Automatic Activation: Acceleration
About twenty meters to them. I bent my knees and shot forward. The runway asphalt clung to my feet. The skill from my stamina achievement perk. In just three steps, I was in front of the big guy. I raised my left hand with the sword and wrapped it around his neck. His left ear nearly touched mine. Acceleration ended.
"Fuck! ...Guh!"
I felt his body stiffen through my arm. Whoosh! The wind from my rush hit the crowd a beat late. Air displaced from accelerating and dashing. Dust-laden gust tousled their hair and stung their eyes.
"Urk!"
The wind died down. Dust settled. The big guy, neck gripped, couldn't move, just rolling his eyes at me. Sweat—or cold sweat—trickled down his cheek. I said lowly, "...You wanna die?"
I slowly raised my eyes to the old man in front. His gun hand trembled violently. I swept my gaze over the crowd, glaring. Ghostly faces stared back. I bared my teeth. "Don't drop the guns, and I'll cut your wrists off."
Clunk. The old man dropped his.
"E-everyone... drop your guns. Calm down. Listen to... this man."
Nearly thirty exchanged glances, hesitating. But the old man's words, his dropped gun—it spread. One by one. Guns hit the ground. Shovels and picks too. I tilted my head left slightly. Locked eyes with the guy whose neck I held. Close. Headbutt range. He blinked furiously, sweat pouring. Fuck, this guy's sweat stinks. I stared silently into his eyes. He stared back. Finally, he let go.
Clunk. His rifle hit the pavement. Only then did I slowly release his neck. And glanced back. That was the signal. Special Forces poured from the hangar, guns trained, rushing over. I said quietly, "You already took the first shot at me. Not killing you now is me giving you a chance. Don't move. Or die."
They couldn't tear their eyes away, frozen. The Special Forces arrived. They gathered the dropped guns behind them and took positions aiming at the crowd. Special Forces Captain Seong Gyu-hyuk said, "Kneel and raise your hands where we can see them."
People knelt slowly, hands up. Seong Gyu-hyuk said, "Do not lower your hands. Anyone who does will be shot on sight. This is your warning. No more."
The raised hands stayed silent. I turned slowly and walked behind the Special Forces line. Good. Tables turned. Leave the rest to them. No more smoke from my swords. I sheathed them.
Shing— Click.
I went to Ga-yeon at the rear and asked lowly, "Just zip-tie their hands?"
"No one brought cable ties. Not in supplies either."
"We raided the hardware store."
"Used 'em all for barricades. None left."
...Ah. Right. I crossed my arms behind the Special Forces, glaring at them. Seong Gyu-hyuk stepped forward. "First off—who are you people?"
The big guy who'd shot me was deflated. Soaked in sweat, face streaming cold sweat—no way he could answer coherently. The old man behind him spoke. "We're locals—farmers here. Bar owners, corner store guys."
Seong Gyu-hyuk nodded. "Why'd you aim guns at us?"
"We—" The sweaty big guy lifted his head. "Need weapons."
Seong Gyu-hyuk tilted his head. "Weapons? You seem well-armed already. Need more?"
"...Ten guns barely scratches the surface. You see all these people? Survivors barely banded together. To live, we need weapons—obvious, right?"
Seong Gyu-hyuk didn't argue. Just nodded. "How many survivors?"
"Nearly two hundred."
He nodded, glancing at me. No big meaning. Probably hiding his surprise. Yeah, two hundred. A lot. Matches Seo Rae Village numbers. Seong Gyu-hyuk nodded. "We saw you facing off with the US troops from the air. Here for weapons? Why the standoff?"
The big guy looked up slowly at him. "Ask them, not us. They toss a few guns from afar and say 'deal with it yourselves,' those rude-ass Americans. Fuck, telling us to die."
Seong Gyu-hyuk tilted his head, looking back—not at me, at the piled guns. He asked again, "So you came for more weapons. Right?"
"Yeah."
"Hundreds, you said. Why not all come?"
The big guy narrowed his eyes, glaring. "Drag kids, moms, elders too? We risked our necks. Get weapons or die trying—all of us."
Seong Gyu-hyuk nodded. "Why won't the US base give you more?"
"Fuck if I know?" The big man gnashed his teeth. "Night falls, beasts howling everywhere—no sleep. Gotta go out to survive, but ramen run? Swarming. Give us weapons to live, fuck. Ammo we got's almost gone. What the hell?!"
...Beasts howling at night? What? Seong Gyu-hyuk tilted his head. "...Beasts howling at night? Meaning?"
The big guy glared. "Government troops? From Seoul, huh."
"Yes."
He glanced at me. "Figures. Seoul's packed, so freaks like him. How the hell you move that fast? Olympic sprinter or what?"
Hmm. Talking's eased his fear. Or rather—I'm not from Seoul. Just drifted there for school. But no need to answer. The big guy, breathing heavy, shifted to Seong Gyu-hyuk. "Seoul folks. Yeah, no howling there yet, huh?"
Seong Gyu-hyuk nodded. "Stores full of 'em in Seoul too. But no night howling reports."
The big guy smirked bitterly—or mockingly. "Easy life. Here, howling beasts. Night hits—over the river hills, fields below, woods—they crawl out, roam barking."
"...Who barks?"
"Wild dogs. Birds. Bats. Beasts everywhere barking."
He breathed ragged, face sour with memory. "They even eat each other. See a beast tear into a human beast once? No weapon, no sleep."
I groaned involuntarily.
...Beasts eating Human Beasts?