Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: 17. Hidden Intentions. (1)
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Stepping through the gate of the boarding house revealed quite the sight.
An Su-hyun and Old Man Hoon were pinching their noses, staring at the source of the stench, who stood there awkwardly with an embarrassed look on his face.
The two greeted me happily when they saw me.
In stuffy, nasal voices.
"Oppa... We heard from Moon-dong that you went out... Knowing you'd be back soon... Right?"
"Th-then... This, this time... He'll stay..."
Hmm...
Can't really blame them for talking like that...
His hair, unwashed for weeks, was clumped up like Legos, sweat dripped down his unbathed body, and he reeked of shit to top it all off...
Even the homeless folks at Seoul Station would run from a sight like that.
I pointed at the stairs.
"He says he has an explanation. First, go wash up. Hey, follow me."
"...Yeah, hyung."
That damn "hyung" of his.
I've never had a little brother like you.
Sighing, I climbed the stairs, and An Su-hyun spoke up.
"O-oppa."
Turning around, I saw her pointing at Stinky.
"Throw away his clothes... Yeah. No laundry."
I nodded and gave her a thumbs-up before heading up to the rooftop room.
Waiting for Stinky to come in, I immediately pointed to the bathroom.
"Strip and get in there to wash. I'll give you a bag—put your clothes in it. I'll toss 'em."
Stinky hesitated.
"Um... These are my only... clothes..."
"Fuck, I'll give you something to wear, so hurry up and strip. You're stinking up the room."
"Y-yeah, hyung."
I yanked out the plastic bag I'd lined the trash can with and shoved his clothes in as he took them off.
Ugh, the smell.
Fuck, it's choking me.
"Cough. Fuck... Get in there quick."
"Yeah, hyung."
Stinky entered the bathroom, and I sealed the bag before leaving the rooftop room.
Damn, need some ventilation.
I left the door open and chucked the bag onto the rooftop somewhere.
We're moving out soon anyway—fuck it.
"Hoo, haa."
I breathed in the fresh air deeply and returned to the room.
Ugh, still feels grimy.
I picked up something useless. Damn it.
I tossed some clothes and a towel in front of the bathroom door.
"Hey. Clothes and towel are there."
Whether they fit or not is his problem.
With that, I went down to An Su-hyun's room and knocked.
"Let me wash up."
She smirked and let me in.
Hoo.
Now I can breathe.
"What's your name?"
Stinky, slurping down his ramen eagerly, answered.
"Park Han-tae, hyung."
Park Han-tae, huh...
After a good wash, he looks almost human.
Chubby and piglet-like, sure.
It was already 10 a.m., well past breakfast, so the ramen Ye-eun had boiled was the only meal Han-tae and I were getting.
But Han-tae wolfed it down like it was a gift from the gods.
The clothes fit him decently too.
Couldn't hide the potbelly, but he wasn't that big-framed otherwise.
Makes sense— he's only about 160 cm tall.
I took a bite of ramen and asked Ye-eun.
"Any spare rooms here?"
Ye-eun tilted her head.
"They seem to split it into men's and women's rooms over there. The auntie who does nursing has her own too. He could bunk with the guys in the men's room..."
...Men's room, huh.
Everyone got beat up okay?
"How are the guys doing?"
Ye-eun smiled.
"Much better. One's still a bit dizzy. The other two should join corpse cleanup today."
I nodded.
"Good. Han-tae, stick with those guys for now."
Han-tae looked tense, glancing between me and Ye-eun.
"M-my house..."
"You don't have a home anymore."
I said while eating ramen.
"You got a phone, right? Didn't call your parents?"
Han-tae slowly lowered his head.
No answer, huh.
...Damn.
Our parents... that bitch sister too...
...Tch.
I sighed and set down my chopsticks.
"Wander off alone and you'll catch a Human Beast's eye—dead in seconds. Go if you want. We're not locking you up or forcing you to stay. But to survive, stick with people. Going solo gets you killed."
Han-tae gripped his ramen bowl and started sobbing, tears dropping.
Sheesh...
Sigh...
I shook my head and stood.
"Ye-eun, thanks for the food. I'll rest a bit then head out again."
"Out again?"
I nodded as I left the main house.
"Gotta clear the building fast if we're moving. Oh, take him to the front house."
Ye-eun followed me out.
"Sure, oppa. Be careful."
I stopped walking.
And looked at Ye-eun.
...Oppa?
First time she's called me that?
Ye-eun met my eyes, tilted her head, then blushed.
"W-why are you looking at me like that?"
I smirked.
"See you later."
Oppa, huh.
Hmm.
Sounds nice.
Wonder if So-eun will call me oppa someday.
But she's so shy.
Hardly talks to me.
Back in the rooftop room, I lay down.
"Status."
Chosen One
[Specialization - Survival Expert] [Level - 23]
[Title - One Who Gained Strength]
[Distribution Points - 4]
Skills:
[Passive - Soul Tattoo Lv. 2]
[Passive - Recovery]
[Active - Acceleration] (Auto-cast Active)
Hmm...
Level 23...
Not bad.
I dumped 4 points into Stamina, making it 49.
One more and it'd be 50. Damn.
That Stinky bastard!
Anyway, Acceleration will hit 12 uses soon—rest up and head out.
11 a.m.
I left the house.
Might end up pulling another all-nighter, so I packed extra emergency rations this time.
Should've eaten lunch first.
...Nah.
Need to level up.
Who eats at this level!
Large mart.
A massive chair lay toppled like a grotesque monument.
Glass shattered, side door wide open—just a ruin.
Acceleration on, I dashed in and leaped straight to the 4th floor.
"Hoo."
Today's goal: 8th floor.
Clear the 8th, and only residential floors left.
Won't be late bringing everyone to clean up. Need Su-hyun and Old Man Hoon to open doors anyway.
If I try cutting the handles with a cutter, I might wreck them worse and make 'em impossible to open.
Better leave it to people who know what they're doing.
Reached the 8th floor and caught my breath.
What the hell goes on up here?
Rrrr— rrrr—
...Huh.
Quite a few.
Drew a single sword.
Shing—
Cracked the door open slightly.
Grrrrr— grrrrr—
...The growls vibrate the air.
A lot.
Just from cracking the door a bit.
Peeked inside.
Left: hair salon.
Right: comic cafe.
Both places where people sit for hours.
Makes sense.
...Excited and tense.
If it's too much, fall back to the empty 7th and hide.
"Hoo..."
Catching my breath, I entered.
Comic cafe interior hidden.
But salon lower half semi-transparent.
Clear view inside.
One... two...
...Nine.
Plus some face-down ones probably.
Drew another sword.
Shing—
"...Suuup."
Stood and shouldered open the salon door.
"Kyarrk?!"
Heads swiveled.
All women.
No men.
Acceleration.
"Kya—aaah—"
Stabbed the heads of the women sprawled at my feet.
Crack, crack!
Twisted my body to stab the one at the counter, then leaped forward for another.
Acceleration timing.
Perfected.
Instinctively know when to use it.
Acceleration!
Human Beasts twitched, frozen, helpless.
I zipped through the salon, stabbing endlessly.
Crack, crack, crack, crack!
Pierced the last Human Beast's head and pulled my sword free.
Catching my breath.
"...Hoo."
"—Kyaak!"
Rumble, crash!
Aunties, young women, designers, staff, cashier.
All the women collapsed in a heap at once.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Splatters on my face, body.
Acceleration uses: 4.
Human Beasts killed: 16.
Left-hand swordplay getting smoother.
Clearing faster each time.
Hm.
Opened status immediately, bumped Stamina to 50.
Good.
Stamina recovery now 45 min.
Stat recovery 12 min 30 sec.
Cut it down nicely.
7 Accelerations left.
...Let's go.
Exited the salon, walked to the comic cafe entrance.
Posters of comics and characters plastered everywhere—no peeking inside from out here.
"Hoo... Suuup."
Catching breath, flung the door open.
"Kraaak?!"
Shelves of manga.
Rows of 1- and 2-person sofas.
Counter.
Over 20 at a glance.
"Kyaaaak! Kraaaak!"
Coming.
Acceleration!
"Hup!"
Pierced the head of the ajusshi leaping from the counter.
Crack!
Yanked it out, charged the surrounding Human Beasts.
One stab per head.
No hesitation.
Acceleration count: two now.
Three, four!
Crack, crack!
Five, six!
Crack, crack!
Pulled sword and bolted for the entrance.
As I burst out the door, the stabbed corpses collapsed inside with a crash.
"Kraaak! Kyaaak!"
Acceleration.
Ran straight for the stairs, slammed the metal door shut.
Clang!
Down to lower floor without pause, propped the door with one foot.
Looked up.
Won't happen.
They can't open the metal door to come down.
But just in case.
If it budges, duck into the calligraphy academy and hide.
Waited a bit.
Heard their roars.
Nothing happened.
"...Hoo."
Guess they can't open doors.
Knew from experience, but now confirmed.
Easy to kill, but still risky. Better safe.
Message floating before me.
I smirked and headed to the calligraphy academy.
Accelerations all used up.
Rest, recover, finish the 8th.
Not many left.