Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: 10. You Did All This By Yourself? (1)
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Current level 61.
Distribution Points: 9.
Not much to think about.
I put 5 into Mental Power to secure 7 Acceleration uses, and dumped the rest into Strength.
Specialization: Time Adjuster | Level: 61
Title: Ordinary Person
[Active - Acceleration] (Auto-cast in progress)
Hmm...
To fully charge Acceleration up to 7 uses, I'll probably need to rest for about 10 hours.
Current time: 8:34 AM.
...Fuck.
How the hell am I supposed to hold out until evening?
......Should I just go home?
Ah, shit. Yeah, let's just go.
Even bingeing Netflix only kills a couple hours.
In this cramped parking lot office, legs cramped up, after watching four movies, my whole body's just mushy and gross.
Fine.
I'm going home.
Better to take a nap and recover.
...Ah, damn it.
If I go home again, I'll have to come all the way back here.
What a pain in the ass.
I hate hassle more than anything in the world.
Pressed my ear to the door—still growling, looking for me.
Even giving them the benefit of the doubt, it'll take at least an hour for them to crawl back onto the road.
......Fuck.
Just one movie on Netflix, that's it.
Plugged in the charger, scrolled through Netflix, zoned out on some boring flick, then just turned it off.
Can't watch this shit.
Watched four movies yesterday; everything's boring now.
Outside's pretty quiet.
Time's passed, I guess.
Gripped my sword, stood up, and cautiously stepped out of the office.
Quiet.
...Good.
They've gone back in.
Let's go.
Entered the alley, and an echo came from somewhere unknown.
Uwaaaah—
...Someone else bit the dust.
Opened the gate, and Su-hyun greeted me warmly.
"Oh? Bro! You're back early?"
"Yeah. Came back a bit early. Planning to head out again this evening."
She'd been nailing together old furniture bits in the yard, making something.
Barricades.
She wants to turn this house into a full fortress.
"Su-hyun, you've got some real handy skills."
Su-hyun looked at me and smiled.
"Nothing else to do, so might as well. Normally I'd be gaming, but I don't even feel like logging in."
Hoo.
Sat on the stairs, watching Su-hyun.
She's a hikikomori, she said.
"What games you play?"
"WoW."
"Why not play? Not fun anymore?"
Heard on YouTube and such that WoW's gotten boring lately, but I've never played it.
Don't really do online games.
Quit Dungeon Fighter pretty quick back in the day; mostly RTS stuff for me.
New Age of Empires was pretty fun.
Total War series was a blast too.
Lots of people hate it, but it was perfect for my tastes.
Su-hyun said,
"Y'know, with all this shit going on lately. Raids aren't running anymore."
...Ah.
Raids.
People aren't logging in for raid parties anymore.
Judging by Su-hyun's face, they must've been folks she'd gamed with for a long time.
"Can you still log into the game?"
"Yeah. But who knows how long that'll last. You got any games, bro?"
I shook my head.
Already playing a life-or-death game with status screens and level-ups—what more games do I need?
"Nah."
"Hmm..."
Su-hyun stared at me blankly, then picked up her hammer and started pounding nails: thonk thonk thonk.
"Never gamed?"
"Nah, I was a total gamer back in the day. Mostly strategy sims. These days, though... feels kinda off."
Su-hyun glanced at me and hummed.
"Still, good thing. Hobbies gotta match to get along well."
......Get along well?
There's a vibe to that phrasing?
Su-hyun...
A bit chubby, but those full tits would feel nice to hold... personality's pretty good too...
Petite in a cute way...
I rested my chin on my hand and smiled.
"...Would be nice to get along."
Su-hyun just glanced at me, no reply.
Just smiled and kept hammering.
Then the neighbors' door cracked open—Ye-eun and So-eun came out.
"Oh? Seong-hun. You're early."
"Yeah. Came early."
So-eun whispered something and nodded at me.
Probably a hello.
We'd seen each other at breakfast.
I smiled back, then jerked my chin at their house.
"...How's it going?"
Ye-eun nodded.
"Sis seems a bit better now. Still hesitant to come outside, though."
"...The baby?"
Ye-eun and So-eun beamed.
"Super cute."
...Hm.
I stood from the stairs, patted Ye-eun and So-eun on the back, and glanced at the door.
Ye-eun and So-eun must pop in often 'cause the baby's adorable.
The new mom seems to be settling down with them visiting so much.
...Not bad.
"Seong-hun. Gran's making bibim guksu for lunch. You in?"
"Bibim guksu sounds great."
I smiled, and the girls smiled back.
After they headed up, I asked Su-hyun,
"Windows all barricaded up pretty good. Anything else you need?"
Su-hyun hammered away, then paused thoughtfully.
"...Tons of stuff. But if possible, I'd like to check out the hardware store myself. Probably some things I haven't thought of that I'd need."
...Makes sense.
I nodded.
"Once I clear the mart, I'll sweep up to the hardware store nearby. Let you know when it's safe—we'll go together."
I headed up the stairs.
"Gonna rest a bit. See you at lunch."
"Bibim guksu!"
Su-hyun raised her hammer in cheer.
Lying on my futon, scrolling comics on my phone—someone knocked.
Lunch already?
Opened the door: the burly guy.
"Ah, sir. Gran says come eat noodles."
Oh. Food time.
Left the rooftop room, heading down the stairs.
"You bring any goods?"
The burly guy grinned.
"Yes, sir. Freaked me out—all those scary bastards dead there. Brought new clothes and snacks; wife finally ate something. She loves chocolate."
Hmm.
Not really curious about his wife's tastes.
I nodded and smiled.
"Glad to hear it."
"Yes, sir. All thanks to you."
Entered the main house; Grandmother welcomed me warmly.
The burly guy grabbed two bowls of noodles, thanked us nonstop, and headed downstairs.
Those noodles probably from the supermarket—he brought the ingredients himself, yet he's thanking us like crazy. Guy's diligent... but in this atmosphere, diligence alone might not cut it for survival...
...This atmosphere...
Lunch was pretty cheerful.
Bibim guksu was damn tasty.
Slightly spicy, sweet, nutty—slurped right down.
...Apocalypse, and we're having meals like this...
Definitely... rare.
Most survivors in the neighborhood are probably too terrified to step outside.
This house is the exception.
Not bad at all.
8 PM.
Heading out, bumped into Su-hyun.
"Huh? Bro. Where you going?"
"You?"
Su-hyun's eyes went wide.
"Your room. You?"
"...Mart."
Su-hyun frowned.
"Mart at this hour? Dangerous. Go tomorrow."
No, Acceleration's fully charged.
Waste to sleep without using it, you bitch.
Need to level up.
"Stay inside. Be back soon."
"Ugh, don't go. Please?"
Hmm...
Just a few days ago, wasn't she asking me to bring her stuff, all like "come back safe" vibes?
She's...
Hm... the daytime mood too.
...Cute.
I smiled, pulled Su-hyun into a hug, and groped her breast.
Then whispered in her ear.
"I'll be quick, so wash up and wait for me."
"Eek!"
She smacked my chest.
Not hard.
I laughed and headed down the stairs.
Heard the rooftop door open and close behind me.
Smiling, I stepped out the gate.
Walking the alley, an echo hit.
KyaAaAaH—
Scream. Been hearing them a lot lately.
Probably someone scavenging a shop, got spotted, ran, and got caught.
Human Beasts in every store.
Not my problem. Can't protect everyone anyway. None of my business.
Strolled leisurely toward the mart.
The lifting belt Su-hyun made—wearing it snug around my waist, feels like an Old West gunslinger.
Uwaaaaah—
Oh, another one.
Grinning at the scream's echo.
Old West gunslinger... I like it.
At the mart, peeked past the squid shop.
Just as I left it—bodies intact.
Hm, hands and feet a bit crushed and twisted.
Human Beasts trampled them jumping out.
Checked beyond the squid shop, hopped the display racks.
Alright, let's do this.
Be thorough from here.
Peeked outside through the door by the shop racks.
Nothing.
They went back to their spots.
But just in case.
Can't end up like those dumbasses in horror flicks, arm chomped out of nowhere.
Drew my sword.
Shing—
Step by careful step.
Out the door, scanning the counter, box piles, bathrooms—moved cautiously.
Mart's bright.
Floor's messy from earlier taunt—goods and snacks scattered.
Otherwise, same as before.
...Alright, time for it.
...The taunt.
"...Suuuuuuck...!"
Took a deep breath.
And yelled.
"Unlimited Power!"
...Fuck, forgot.
To come up with cool taunt lines.