Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: High and Mighty (2)
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I'm still not sure exactly which creatures have turned into corrupted beasts and which ones are safe.
But one thing's for certain: no birds are flying in the sky anymore.
I pulled my gaze away from the sunset sky where the rain had finally stopped.
It used to be a sight that made me feel drowsy and comforted, like the warm hues were saying I'd worked hard all day and now it was time to rest.
Now, that same beautiful landscape just looks stained with blood.
It's common knowledge that wild animals are dangerous.
Packs of stray dogs or wild boars can kill people.
But this is on another level entirely.
Goral deer you might stumble across by chance, magpies, crows, and pigeons that were everywhere even in the city.
If those kinds of animals have become corrupted beasts...
And if they're spawning waves somewhere like the zombie wave in Gangnam...
That's no ordinary matter.
The absence of birdsong means either they've stopped chirping altogether or they've vanished somewhere.
Either way, it's dangerous.
I wonder what people's reactions would be if I told them.
Tell this to people who've barely clawed back some peace and are finally living like humans again, even as corrupted human beasts are crawling all over the place?
The grandmother at the boarding house.
So-eun with her self-harm scars.
Hoon's dad's wife.
And the terrified woman who was holed up in the building.
Weak-hearted folks might not handle the stress.
The grandmother, who just started tending her little garden and regained some spark in her life, might lose all will to live if I told her even gardening is dangerous.
I thought it over for a moment and nodded.
Then I picked up my gear and headed toward the artificial waterfall.
People I can trust and confide in.
People who can look after the others.
Hoon's dad... he's a coward, sure, but he has a family to protect.
Su-hyun. And Jeong Eun-seo.
Both of them have strong wills.
Best to give just them a subtle heads-up.
Instead of gathering everyone for a bombshell announcement, dropping hints gradually will soften the blow. Ideally, nothing comes of it.
I let out a sigh and shook my head.
Is it really helpful to tell people trapped in that building, unable to come out, that even breathing fresh air outside is risky?
If pessimism spreads among us and someone commits suicide, I guarantee it'll lead to a chain of them.
I'm certain of it.
Daily life has collapsed. Even if they've survived, they can't go outside, condemned to spend their lives cooped up in a building—who could endure that?
What about the baby?
No kindergarten, no school, no friends.
This kid will grow up learning first that the humans around her aren't human—that they're monsters trying to rip her apart.
Instead of the alphabet, she'll learn how to grip a knife and how to run first.
Could her mom handle that?
We're all getting by with smiles, but it's a tightrope walk.
Ah, the stress is piling up.
Just as irritation started bubbling up, our big supermarket building came into view in the distance.
And people too.
...People?
I narrowed my eyes and peered down the road.
Empty road lined with parked cars at the end.
And between the cars, packed with people.
...Mostly men, it looks like?
Something faint.
Voices carried on the wind.
They're shouting.
The bastards were aiming something at the mart, swinging it around, and yelling.
From the mart's second- and third-floor windows, our women were screaming back.
The shutters were fully down.
My steps quickened without me realizing.
The closer I got, the clearer the bastards became.
They spotted me too.
They lowered whatever they'd been raising and swinging.
Probably tools and baseball bats.
Then they clustered together and took up positions.
...Cockroaches.
My stomach churned suddenly.
The corner of my lip twisted, baring my teeth.
I was already stressed from all sorts of crap, and now these cockroach swarms show up out of nowhere to flip my insides.
Acceleration has 12 uses left.
Guess it recovered some while I was bow-hunting until sundown.
Stamina at 100.
Not bad.
I walked neither too hastily nor too leisurely.
Staring down the cockroaches, I strode right down the middle of the road.
Their shouting died down.
I have no idea what they were yelling at each other.
Too far away; all I heard was mumbling.
But those cockroach bastards must've spewed some bullshit, and our women responded to it.
No doubt about it.
The cockroaches got busy.
One stepped out from the middle of them.
Pretty big guy.
The cockroach I'd jabbed in the chest before.
The boss cockroach.
He gestured.
Two guys came out carrying a thick wooden board.
Four round legs on it.
Go board?
Looks like a Go board.
The others each grabbed a folding chair, the kind you'd use at a fishing spot.
They set them down in the middle of the intersection, making a crude table.
It almost looked like they were casually settling in for a game of Go right in the middle of the road.
The boss cockroach sat in one of the folding chairs.
I get the intent.
Come sit.
I walked toward them.
The big mart grew closer.
Someone yelled from the second floor.
The inline skater girl.
What's her name again?
"Seong-hun! Seong-hun!"
Now I could hear voices clearly.
I looked up.
The woman shouted,
"Those bastards have my boyfriend! Tae-young's captured over there!"
...Captured?
I glanced at the cockroaches.
Damn, too many of the roaches; can't make him out.
Where is he?
"Seong-hun, please save Tae-young! Please!"
She's choking up, practically wailing.
"Seong-hun! Jun-hyeok's captured too!"
Who's Jun-hyeok?
...Oh.
The inline skater's real estate guy.
I remember hearing the name.
I glanced up; the real estate guy and the good-vibes girl from the tenth floor were leaning out the window together.
"Seong-hun! Jun-hyeok, Jun-hyeok!"
I looked at her and gave a slight nod.
Don't worry.
I kept walking.
Scanning for Tae-young and this Jun-hyeok guy.
...Found them.
Behind the boss cockroach.
Arms grabbed by big, gangster-looking cockroaches.
Hands tied behind their backs, probably.
...Beat up again.
Blood pouring from noses and mouths.
The real estate guy's eyes are swollen shut like ping-pong balls.
Blood from his head too; must've put up a fight.
Why?
How'd they get nabbed by the cockroaches?
I circled around as I approached, eyeing them.
...They were stripping cars.
Trying to get aluminum panels, got swarmed before they could react.
I glanced at the cutter jammed into the middle of a new Sonata's hood and the tools scattered around, letting out a low sigh.
All sorts of thoughts flooded my head.
Anger boiled up.
Couldn't keep my expression neutral.
I squeezed my eyes shut, opened them, and took a deep breath.
Then I arrived in front of them.
I set a folding chair at my feet and looked down at the boss cockroach.
He was looking up at me too.
Smug expression.
Scanning around, about a hundred guys.
That's why things had been quiet lately.
They gathered forces from afar.
All sorts here.
Big guys, small ones, skinny, fat pigs, glasses-wearing rookies, gray-haired old farts.
Every last one with a fierce look.
Not angry faces.
Those are faces twisted by deprivation.
Hatred toward those who have plenty.
"Hey, sit your ass down, you fuck. What's with the kid standing there all stiff-necked? You think I gotta look up at trash like you?"
The boss cockroach spat.
I set down my bow and quiver.
The boss cockroach grinned.
"Oh, brought me a gift? Fuckhead? Too bad—that shit won't cut it."
He crooked a finger.
"Unbuckle that sword on your waist too, you worthless shit."
I chuckled.
The boss cockroach twisted his lips.
"Laughing? Wanna die, you dogshit? Laughing?"
I unbuckled the lifting belt at my waist.
Click.
"Seong-hun! Don't! Don't take it off!"
A big guy swung his fist.
It smashed right into Jun-hyeok's face.
Thud!
"Shut your trap, you bitch!"
"Guh!"
I stopped in my tracks.
Slowly raised my eyes to the guy who'd hit Jun-hyeok.
...Fucking tattoo on his arm.
...This is why I fucking hate tattoo trash.
Haa...
I inhaled and said slowly,
"Touch him again, and you die."
"Huh? What? Speak up, fuckhead. Can't hear you."
Thud!
Jun-hyeok's head snapped around.
The tattoo pig widened his eyes and cocked his head exaggeratedly.
"What? Huh? What'd you say?"
Punch, thud!
"Kuhk! Gah!"
My grip tightened slowly on the lifting belt.
My nose bridge wrinkled.
The boss cockroach raised a hand.
The tattoo pig stopped.
The boss cockroach said,
"Sit, you worthless shit."
I sat in the folding chair.
The boss cockroach said,
"Sword."
I laid the lifting belt on the Go board.
Clink.
The boss cockroach laughed.
"Felt like hot shit swinging that little sword scrap around? Now that real people are here, you're shitting bricks? Smart move. Even with that, you'd get beat to death. Know how many we got? All for you? Huh?!"
His hand shot up.
Then froze.
The boss cockroach glared at me like he was holding back, then slowly lowered his hand.
"Giving you a chance to live. Tell 'em to open that gate right now. We take the building. Hand over the women. Then you live. Got it?"
I didn't answer.
Instead, I looked at the two captives behind him.
I gestured.
"Come here. Take these up."
I pointed at the bow and quiver.
"Brought plenty. Share 'em with everyone."
Tae-young and Jun-hyeok just panted, unable to respond or move.
The two had been beaten too badly.
The boss cockroach made a ridiculous face and snorted.
"This fucker..."
He gestured.
Men surged forward, surrounding the space between the boss cockroach and me.