Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: 4. Securing Weapons (2)
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Streetlights turned on.
Just a moment ago, it felt like sunset, but after closing the gate and looking ahead, nothing but the night sky was visible.
Looking back, the sunset was descending.
Hmm.
It'll be completely dark soon.
It's quiet.
Silent.
No dog barking either.
I headed toward the convenience store.
According to the map, cross the main road, go a few blocks left—McDonald's, hair salon, and hardware store.
All three cling to their own buildings crammed with academies, clinics, and all sorts of places, but none of that's my concern right now.
Arrived at the convenience store.
"......"
Should I take the telescopic baton...
I paused for a moment, scanning the surroundings.
Quiet.
The Human Beasts haven't vanished. They're somewhere. Probably just sprawled out, playing dead where no one can see them.
"Huu..."
Stomach's rumbling—better grab something to eat first.
Inside the convenience store, corpses were piled on the counter and the warehouse floor behind it.
The ones I stabbed to death.
What a grim sight.
Crunch-crunch underfoot on the shattered glass as I eyed the shelves.
Triangle kimbap...
Hmm.
Should still be edible.
Burn through the short-expiration stuff first.
No clue when—or if—this mess ends, so food's priority one.
Stuff that keeps can wait; eat it slow.
No one's around to snag it anyway.
I swept the shelf's triangle kimbaps into my bag in a heap.
Grabbed a 500ml bottled water from the fridge and shoved it into the Adidas backpack's utility pocket.
Utility pocket my ass—just a rubber net strapped to the outside.
Peeled one kimbap, popped it in my mouth, and stepped out.
The telescopic baton? Eh, fine left there.
No one's taking it.
Pipe spear's plenty.
Crunch.
Munch munch.
...Rice is a little stale.
Damn.
Gotta polish off the urgent ones quick.
Crunch.
Munching the kimbap, I made my way to the roadside.
......Is it safe to just stroll onto the road...
Didn't think twice yesterday, but caution now.
Nothing under the cars, right?
Kimbap dangling from my mouth, I crouched low, peering beneath.
Hmm...
Nothing visible from here.
Where the hell are all the Human Beasts?
Stood up, chomped the kimbap again.
Crunch.
Spear at the ready, I eased onto the road, step by careful step.
Can't get careless, even with Acceleration.
One life only.
Crunch.
Munch munch—one kimbap down.
Stomach's settling a bit.
Both hands firm on the pipe spear, crossed the road.
A cool breeze drifted in.
Aaaaaah—
A scream rode the wind from afar.
Someone got hit somewhere distant.
Sounded like a guy's scream...
How'd he screw up?
Out foraging for food?
"...Huu..."
They're here.
Even here.
Just hidden from sight—the Human Beasts never left.
Crossed the road fully.
Thankfully, no incidents.
Bright stretch by the streetlights where the main road bent into a three-way.
Looked riskier than the road itself.
These spots have alleys between buildings—you can't spot threats till you're in 'em.
Scanning carefully, I crept toward McDonald's. Past that, hair salon.
Then hardware store.
"...!"
Steps halted.
Chills raced up my spine.
...Got it now.
Where all these Human Beasts are holed up.
Massive mixed-use building.
Its inner parking lot.
Dark parking lot, no lights.
Sounds emanating from there.
Grrrgrrruk—grrrgrrruk—
Not one beast.
No telling how many.
Incredible racket anyway.
Like dozens snoring faintly in unison.
Backed against the building wall, I peeked at the lot.
Heart hammering.
...Holy fuck...
Underground parking entrance lined with Human Beasts—like a crowd queuing for a hot spot.
Probably packed thicker inside.
Why there of all places?
...Drawn to the dark...?
But nah—they showed in broad daylight.
Hunted and bit people all day.
Sunlight's no issue.
They just favor shadows.
That tracks.
"...Huu... huu..."
Breathing shallow, I turned and pressed to the wall.
...Can I slip past?
Avoid this, how to reach McDonald's...?
Underground passage ahead.
This works.
Underpass to the other side.
McDonald's at the intersection—passage exits right there.
Edging forward, I gripped the underpass railing, pivoted.
Then froze.
Grrrgrrruk—grrrgrrruk—
"......"
Underpass crammed too.
...Fuckers filled the goddamn underpass!
Fuck, it's lit up!
Why!
...Light's irrelevant.
Just stuffed into any hidey-hole.
Glanced around.
Buildings everywhere.
Building lots.
Underground links.
...All dungeons now.
Fuck...
Fresh cold sweat.
I slowly retreated from the underpass.
Right.
Every building, every passage—a dungeon.
Crystal.
Main road's safer stroll actually. Fuck, perfect. Me solo under glaring streetlights? Invisible, sure.
Hid car-to-car crossing here, but straight-line road walk? Different beast.
Signal jam here, open stretch ahead.
Road's patchy—congested spots, clear ones.
...No options.
Alleys or underpass? Risk overload.
Some risk unavoidable—road it is.
"Huu..."
Pipe spear gripped, back onto the road, slow steps resumed.
Least lucky break.
They don't prowl streets.
Holed in pockets? Dodge 'em.
Tiny shops—few inside max. Clear 'em, loot.
"Hu..."
Crept on, eyes everywhere.
This tense tiptoeing drains stamina hard. Soaked already.
Stink wafting—fuck.
Dunno how much sweat since yesterday.
Kyaaaaah—
Far-off woman's scream echoing faint, gone quick.
Apocalypse day one, two survivors dropping off one by one, unnoticed.
Step—step—
Can't save 'em all. Stick to my task.
Reached McDonald's.
Middle-road view...
Oh, ribs burger promo.
"......"
No entry.
Minimum ten inside.
Two floors? Dozens.
Shuffling like people... fucking Human Beast scum.
...Cars gone.
Last hide-hop done.
...Fuck it, move.
Hardware won't teleport.
Deep breath, steps forward slow.
Few paces—hair salon emerged next building. Fuck, same story.
Hairdresser, mid-cut auntie, young women blood-smeared, standing dumb.
Tens there too.
...Hardware headcount?
Fuck, dozens'd suck.
"...!"
Hair salon woman spots me.
Seems.
Wait, actually clocking me?
I kept slow pace.
Staring her down hard.
Her head swivels my way slow.
Eyes locked.
She... definitely sees me.
Woman steps tentative.
I matched.
Heart exploding.
Thump—
She grazed the glass.
I didn't break stride.
Hair salon glass shrank, faded from view. She stared the whole way.
"...Haa..."
Her vibe: "Huh, what?" Half-seen ghost.
Shitty eyes? Or beast-vision shorts distance? Beats me.
But...
Closer range?
Would've smashed through, charged. Rest'd screech-rush too.
Acceleration or not, house too far. Lured horde home.
...Dead meat.
...Home...
Fortify it.
Board windows, stone wall fixes, safer setup.
Back home, chat An Su-hyun.
Hardware store ahead.
"Huu... huu..."
Fuck.
Heart thumping wild.
Pipe spear tight, crossed road to store.
Road silent.
Street silent.
But packed with Human Beasts.
Damn, sweat-drenched already.
Body slick.
Sides scanned, entered hardware store.
Faucets, showerheads, outlets, power strips dangling shelves galore.
Lights on.
Door ajar.
Summer heat maybe.
How many lurkin'?
Spear thrust ahead, eased inside.