Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: 7. Utilizing Acceleration (1)
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By lunchtime, I had fully recovered.
While resting, I realized something. I hadn't leveled up after killing that punk asshole earlier.
...Looks like leveling up only applies to Human Beasts.
Damn.
What a shame.
If I could level up by killing off those cockroach-like bastards who strut around picking fights, I'd slaughter as many as I wanted.
Heading down to the host family's place, I found they'd boiled up a huge pot of tuna kimchi stew.
The smell was killer.
As the five of us sat around eating, I noticed something.
...The amount five people eat is pretty substantial.
They must've gone through more than half a pack of kimchi just for the stew. Plus all the other ingredients.
If we ate like this three times a day...
...That's a hell of a lot.
In just a week, we'd burn through 10kg of rice easy.
That's probably why, in houses with families, moms and dads have no choice but to head out scavenging for food.
Hmm...
I'm not planning to stick around here long anyway.
Once I feel strong enough, I'm out.
I need to find my family, and above all, score a bow and crossbow.
In this apocalyptic world, to survive, I have to be fully geared up to deal with those Human Beasts no matter what.
...But...
Once I leave, what about Grandmother or the other women...
Yeah, they'd be in a tough spot without me.
But Su-hyun...
She's a keeper.
She's got mechanical engineering knowledge and can handle batteries and all sorts of stuff.
She's judging the current situation pretty coldly and rationally too.
She's useful in a lot of ways.
...Maybe take Su-hyun with me.
I mulled it over while eating.
But it's too early to decide.
I'm not strong enough yet.
After the meal, I went back up to the rooftop room and laid out all my weapons.
Two tomahawks.
One large axe.
Two real swords.
And a telescoping baton.
Not bad. I've collected a decent arsenal.
Hmm... What to bring?
I slid one sword into my belt and hooked a tomahawk on the opposite hip as a sidearm.
The large axe has solid destructive power, but it's too slow.
I slung on my bag and headed downstairs. Su-hyun glanced back at me from where she was nailing boards over the host family's window.
"Heading out now?"
"Yeah. Wire and nails, right? I'll grab anything else useful too."
"Oppa."
I turned around on the stairs.
Su-hyun was leaning on the railing, watching me.
"Don't forget we're meeting tonight. Be careful."
...That bitch.
Gonna fuck her brains out.
I smirked and headed down the stairs, stepping out of the boarding house.
Alright, time to grind some levels.
Before the hardware store, I stopped by the convenience store first.
Bodies were piled up like a hill in front of the warehouse next to the counter.
How many is that... I really went ham.
...The smell.
The stench of rotting corpses...
Like spoiled vinegar mixed with rotten fish, this nose-piercing, nauseating reek.
I pinched my nose and eyed the warehouse.
This warehouse could be pretty useful.
...Lure them in again?
But... the shutter door...
The hinges are practically ripped from the wall.
...No good.
That doorframe looks too shaky.
I turned and gazed toward the hardware store in the distance.
The store itself is fine.
I already turned the two inside into corpses; just go in and grab what I need.
The problem is the beauty salon next door.
It's a straight line: commercial building - McDonald's - beauty salon - hardware store. Fucking annoyingly, Human Beasts are packed thickest starting from the hardware store onward.
The commercial building is like the final boss.
Or is the big mart the real final boss?
Pretty similar.
If I had the skills to clear that easily, no issue, but I'm far from that level.
The convenience store warehouse door's busted, so luring's out too.
Tricky... Damn it.
...Alright.
That's the plan.
I rested my hand on my sword hilt and stepped out onto the road.
Cars crammed the street.
Cross this, and the commercial building's right there.
I crouched low, using the cars for cover, weaving between them along the center line.
Passed McDonald's.
No cars here.
Beauty salon right next door.
At least ten inside.
Peeking just my eyes out, I scanned it. Aside from one guy who looks like a stylist, all staff and customers are women.
Not anymore, though.
Ten standing.
Probably more down.
I watched the salon from beside the car.
Broad daylight—move here, and they'd spot me instantly.
I just stayed crouched behind the car, observing.
Every now and then, they'd turn their heads.
Sometimes pivot their bodies.
They're not just standing still.
Waited about ten minutes.
My knee on the ground started aching.
...Finally, a female Human Beast moved.
Looking to the side.
...Perfect.
Acceleration
[Auto-cast]
I bolted from the car straight to the hardware store.
The ones inside the salon didn't twitch—like mannequins frozen.
I grabbed the door as I entered.
"Haa, whoo."
...!
The chime!
I whipped around, drawing my sword.
Shing!
Fuck, why'd I grab the door?!
Goddamn it, how stupid can I be!
I'd dealt with a chime before!
I waited.
Waited more.
Staring outside, kept waiting.
...Nothing happened.
...Guess a chime isn't enough to rile them up.
"...Haa..."
Fuck.
...Gotta be careful.
I glared at the chime overhead, then slowly gripped it and sliced the wire clean with my sword.
Stupid fucking chime.
I set it carefully on the counter and scanned the hardware store.
No Human Beasts snuck in, right?
Stay cautious.
Always cautious.
In all those zombie and horror flicks I binged, it's always the cocky idiots or the careless ones who get bitten or stabbed.
Not gonna be me.
Even though I'd been here before, I didn't let my guard down—sword at the ready, circled the place.
...Just the two bodies on the floor.
"...Whoo..."
Good.
Nothing here.
I rummaged through, grabbing nails, wire, a hammer, a saw—whatever seemed handy.
Hardware's heavy.
Can't take too much.
Especially not for what I'm about to do—gotta stay light.
Filled my Adidas backpack about a third and slung it on, taking a seat.
The auntie and uncle's corpses are right there, but it's dim enough here—perfect spot to rest.
...The stench is brutal.
Like at the convenience store, rotting bodies really...
I think in medieval times, plagues spread from corpses or something.
...Plague...
...Hmm...
Next time, hit up a pharmacy.
Man, the smell though.
Fucking rotting corpse stink.
Can't get used to it.
If the door was shut, I might've suffocated.
"Tch."
Two hours waiting, nose plugged.
...Acceleration recovered.
Acceleration, three times.
I stood cautiously and slipped out of the hardware store.
Beauty salon entrance right next door.
Glass door smack in my face.
Half the glass door and wall have semi-transparent coating; only the top half is see-through.
I hunched as low as possible and dropped my bag.
Slowly drew my sword.
Shing—
Gripped the round arch handle and eased the door open.
It swung slowly outward.
No one sees me.
Has to be no one.
Please, no one!
Sword in hand, every nerve focused, I kept pulling the door.
A faint ding as it fully opened.
"...Haa..."
Breathed steady, silent.
From outside, most customers were aunties; young women were staff.
Pretty big salon.
...Tomahawk...
Should I?
Sword in left.
Grabbed tomahawk in right.
I sucked in a deep breath and charged into the salon.
"Hup!"
Entrance!
Human Beast right in my face!
I smashed the tomahawk down hard.
Splat!
"Krraaak?!"
As the head-smashed one crumpled, every Human Beast in the place whipped toward me.
Acceleration
[Auto-cast]
"Kaa—aah—aa—"
Mouths slowly gaping.
Arms slowly rising.
Dropped the tomahawk.
Two hands on the sword, I plunged into the sluggish Human Beasts.
Splat!
Auntie, one head!
Female staff right beside!
Splat!
Two heads!
Auntie rising from the floor!
Some ugly cover on her head—perms in progress!
Splat!
Three heads!
"—aa—rrak!"
Acceleration
[Auto-cast]
Auntie at the mirror!
Splat!
Four heads!
Blood droplets spraying in slow motion like fireworks.
In that surreal, crawling space, I sheathed my sword and bolted out.
As one grabbed my bag and started to stand,
"—Kaa—aak!"
Fuck, Acceleration!
Acceleration
[Auto-cast]
"—Rraa—aa—"
No time to sling the bag—I clutched it and sprinted.
Dove between cars, crouched low, scrambling forward.
Goddamn it, running bent over hurts like hell!
My back's gonna give out, fuck!
Roars from behind.
"—Aa—rrong!"
Crash!
Glass shattering.
I ignored it, zigzagging between cars—forward, sideways.
Avante, Genesis, 5-ton truck!
Rumbling footsteps.
Growling roars.
Echoing from behind.
But fading.
The more I moved, the farther they got.
They have no clue where I am!
Thuds and bangs as they slam into cars and climb them.
Too late.
I was already near the convenience store.
"Haa, haa! Heuk! Haa!"
Fucking things.
Come find me if you can, you idiots.
"Haa, whoo, whoo, haa."
Hid beside the delivery truck in front of the store, peering down the road.
Growls carried over.
But distant.
...Good.
"...Whoo... haa..."
I slowly stood, staying low as I slipped into the alley beside the convenience store.
...Safe.
Once I'm this far, it's fine.
Leaned against the stone wall, checking the road.
Human Beasts milling far off, growling.
"...Whoo..."
Wonder what happens to the ones that crawl out. Do they wander? Pick random buildings? Or head back where they came from?
...Time to go.
No Acceleration left.
Staying out without it is risky.
Not the time to play detective.
I turned and headed back to the boarding house.
...The plan worked.