Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: 4. Securing Weapons (3)
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I stepped one foot into the hardware store.
A cute little chime hung above the door.
This door... I need to be careful with it.
If I mess it up, that chime's gonna ring out loud.
The counter by the door was empty.
The walls were lined with all sorts of tools from tweezers to monkey wrenches, and narrow shelves crammed full of every kind of tape and batteries nearly filled the cramped store.
It was so tight even one person could barely squeeze through.
What the hell, why'd they make it this narrow?
I can barely see shit.
I walked slowly between the shelves, checking each compartment, not forgetting to glance outside.
Gotta be careful.
Oh.
There's another path next to the counter?
It's dark over there.
Why's that?
I looked up at the ceiling. The light was shattered.
......This is bad.....
I took a cautious step forward.
"...!"
It's there.
In that back area, where the light's busted!
Should I go left along the shelves and hug the left wall all the way there?
Or right, using the counter to get there?
Decision time.
I can't grab stuff with a Human Beast lurking back there.
If it jumps me from behind while I'm looting, I'm fucked.
Got to deal with it first.
Which way?
...It didn't attack when I came in through the counter.
Means it can't see me from the counter side.
My heart's pounding.
I took a slow breath and retraced my steps.
Don't touch the tools on the wall.
Careful, careful.
Each step felt like an eternity.
All my nerves focused on that dark space.
Thanks to the light here, it wasn't pitch black back there, but the shadows made it eerie.
My heart's pounding.
Feels like you could hear it thumping.
One step at a time.
...I can see it.
Electrical cords and screws scattered on the floor.
And two people sprawled there.
At a glance, they looked dead.
They're not.
Just passed out.
Some stand, some collapse.
No idea what the difference is.
Maybe they flop if there's space.
...No way.
Some lying down, some standing—it's random. Who knows what goes through their heads?
That means there are way more inside than the ones I saw coming here.
...Fuck, this is insane.
With that thought, I gripped my pipe spear with both hands and raised it.
Thud. Clang—
Fuck!
The spear hit the door!
The chime rang!
"Kraaang?!"
The two beasts jolted up from the darkness!
Too close!
Can't dodge!
Can't run!
Fuck it, whatever!
I charged right at them.
They screeched and reached out as they spotted me.
Fuck, Acceleration!
"Kaa—a—a—"
Slowed down! Dark! Can't see the face!
But that silhouette's definitely the head!
I gripped the spear with both hands and thrust it hard into the head.
Splurch!
A sickening feel of piercing bone then shredding soft stuff.
I yanked the spear out with force and stabbed full power into the head beyond it.
Splat!
"—A—a—ugh!"
Crash! Thud!
The two Human Beasts pitched forward instantly. One slammed into the counter with a huge racket.
"Hah, hah, hah!"
Too noisy.
I whipped around immediately.
If anything comes, gotta bolt from here.
"Haa, haa, haa."
Breathing too loud.
No other sounds.
Quiet.
...Good.
"Haa, whoo..."
One level per beast, huh.
Ha... fuck.
Still, levels come up nice and quick.
I stood frozen, ears straining.
If there's more inside, I'd hear something.
Waited a bit, but only my breathing.
...Alright.
Glanced down: a corpse impaled on my pipe spear.
Head skewered, neck nearly snapped hanging there.
...Auntie.
That one's an uncle.
Hardware store owners?
...Nah.
Couldn't be a couple.
One got infected and rushed in here.
Bit the other who was guarding the shop.
No clue who owned the place.
I stepped on the auntie's head stuck on the spear.
Pulled the spear out.
Splat!
Gross sound as it came free.
Damn.
Blood and hair all gunked up sticky.
Won't wash easy.
I carefully scanned the store.
Reminded me of those old zombie dramas.
Guy half-asses cleanup, goes in looting happily, then bam—zombie jumps out and bites him.
Always happens.
I ain't becoming that guy.
Spear in both hands, full focus, circled the store.
Nothing.
Definitely clear.
No hiding spots.
Just walls and shelves packed with tools, two corpses on the floor. That's it.
"Haa..."
Relief washed over me.
Fuck.
Now, time to loot.
First, machete.....
...None.
Fuck, of course a city hardware store ain't got machetes.
That's for hacking brush and trees, and we're smack in downtown.
No trees or weeds to chop.
Anything decent as a weapon...
Tons of wrenches, monkey wrenches, pliers, but blades? Fewer than I thought.
...!
Fuck!
Found it!
Bright side had useless crap like nippers, showerheads, cords, but in the dark—right on the wall!
Axes!
Big axes, small axes—everything!
The big one's gotta be over a meter!
"Whoa, whoa!"
So happy I could barely breathe.
Pumped my fist alone, checked around. Still quiet.
Good.
Grab 'em.
The small one looks just like a tomahawk.
Dunno why it's in a hardware store, but fuck, no machete? This'll do.
That's what makes it a hardware store!
Ah, too thrilled.
Shoved the axes into my bag, picked up the big one with both hands.
Heavy.
"Whoa..."
A satisfied smile crept up.
This weight.
Swing it right, centrifugal force'll bury the blade deep.
Perfect.
Spotted an electric weed whacker in the corner late, 'cause dark. Looks like a vacuum with a spinning blade at the end.
...Nah, not as a weapon.
Tried one for weeding once—heavy as hell and loud enough to draw every beast around.
No way.
I'm still weak.
Can't lug that aggro machine droning everywhere.
Gotta stay stealthy.
Grabbed: one meter-long big axe.
And four tomahawks.
These little axes...
Wanna belt 'em on my waist.
Possible?
Hmm... no belt...
Looked down at my pipe spear.
My belt...
Got axes now, don't really need this clunky spear anymore, right?
Unscrewed and removed the belt.
While rebuckling it on my waist, glanced outside. How long I been here?
Left the boarding house at dusk, so still a ways to midnight.
Locked the belt, slotted two tomahawks on each hip.
Blades up, they hang nice. Problem is, fuck, uncomfortable.
Feels like something pressing my hips.
Fuck, looks cool but hurts like hell!
Sigh.
Gotta endure.
Safety first.
Picked up the big axe from the floor, tomahawks on belt, decided to check the store more.
What'd An Su-hyun want?
Pulled out my phone.
[I'm at the hardware store. Need anything?]
Waited. Ding-ding~ message alert.
Fuck!
Gripped the phone, peeked out.
Waited.
No sounds.
"Haa..."
Crazy shit...
Switch to vibrate.
Checked settings, then the message.
[Welder or strong adhesive? Tools in general would be good. Oh, and if there's large batteries, could you grab some?]
...Large batteries?
[Why batteries?]
Reply took a while.
[No more news updates. Hardly anything refreshing. Power plants seem running, but can't be sure. Hope it's over soon, but if not, power could cut eventually.]
......Oh......
Right......
Electricity......
Wait.
[What about water?]
[Capital seems fine for now, but if power goes, water too. Water treatment needs electricity.]
...Yeah...
An Su-hyun's right.
Power and water...
Vital.
[Got it. Bag's small, can't carry much.]
[Okay, be careful coming back.]
...Sigh...
Phone battery at 14% now.
14%...
No power means no charging.
Can't contact Mom and Dad.
Or that bitch little sister.
...Just stay safe.
Found batteries in the dark corner.
The biggest one's bigger than two fists. Grabbed it—fuck! Nearly cursed.
Insanely heavy.
Batteries are heavy, yeah.
Ah, fuck!
Struggled and stuffed it in the bag.
Bag's gonna rip?
Grabbed some tools, tape, wire, cords just in case—bag got heavy.
"Haa..."
Heavy as fuck...
Feels over 20 kilos.
Reminds me of full combat gear runs in the army, fuck.
Been in the store a while.
About an hour, maybe.
Head back.
Hoisted the bag onto my back and stood.
"Urgh..."
Feels like I'm back in the military.
Fucking hell.
Heavy bag on, axe in hand, headed out of the store.
Cautiously to the road, toward the nearest car.
Beauty salon bugs me.
That crazy bitch staring again?
...Good.
She's turned away now.
No issues till I ducked by the car.
Heading carefully to the convenience store path.
"Hic, haa, hic! Uwaaa...!"
Terrified voice.
What?!
Poked head between cars.
Young guy.
No, kid.
Middle schooler at best.
He was sprinting wildly.
And behind him.
"Grrrk! Kraaarak!"
Young woman chasing.
He's caught. Done for!
"Urk!"
Looked back while running, foot tangled, tripped hard.
Leg twisted bad on fall.
Too scared to run right.
"Hic! Aaaah!"
"Kaaaak!"
Woman pounced on him in a flash.
"Aaaah! Grrrk...!"
Scream echoed loud.
Throat... bitten.
"Whoosh..."
Saw it all.
Knew he'd get nabbed.
Watched the whole thing.
Splurt! Squish!
Flesh tearing sounds.
I crept up behind the woman ripping into the kid. Quiet, careful.
Her back to me.
Feasting away.
Raised the axe.
You bitch, quit twitching that head...!
Stop moving, fuck!
Fuck this!
Acceleration!
"Krupaa—a—a—"
There.
Slammed the axe down full force on her head.
Splat!
Big axe blade cleaved her skull and sank in.
Done.
Hooked arm on the handle, heaved it up.
Pop! Axe pulled free.
"—Ugh!"
Acceleration ended.
Woman face-planted and rolled.
"Grrrk... Grrrk..."
The middle schooler.
Throat torn, blood gushing.
Gurgling it out his mouth.
Staring at me.
Pleading eyes.
...Look.
I saw you get chased from way back there.
I let her catch you.
Didn't wanna risk helping.
Raised the axe.
Kid reached out trembling hands toward me.
Begging.
But you're bitten.
Just...
Die.
I swung down hard.
"Hup!"
Splat!
Axe split his head open.
Blood sprayed.
I closed my eyes.
"...Hup... Hup..."
Grinding my teeth, slowly stood and walked forward.
Arm flexed, yanked axe free.
...Time to head back.
To the boarding house.