Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: 24. Unhinged Humans. (3)
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That stinker—no, Han Tae—actually had quite the useful talent. It might even be the only real skill among our group.
It was baking.
The bread on display at the mart was already covered in mold and completely inedible.
But the place was overflowing with flour, butter, sugar, salt, and those little packets of yeast. If only someone knew how to use them.
No one did.
"There's so much jam at the mart... why aren't we making bread?"
That offhand comment from Han Tae was all it took to get things started.
A bit of back-and-forth about who knew how to bake, and before long, Han Tae was rolling up his sleeves and getting to work in earnest.
The guy went around house to house, handing out loaves of his fresh-baked bread like he was showing off, and suddenly we were in a bread bonanza.
So breakfast this morning was ham-and-egg toast with strawberry jam.
Watching Ye-eun and Su-hyun stand side by side in the kitchen, chattering away as they made the toast—it was pretty satisfying.
The view that made me want to pounce on them again was nice, and the toast tasted great too, but the conversation... not so much.
"Hey."
I swallowed a bite of toast and spoke up.
Su-hyun and Ye-eun turned to look at me.
"You haven't seen any birds lately, right?"
"Birds?"
Su-hyun tilted her head, then flapped her hands like wings.
I nodded, and the two exchanged glances.
I went on as they shook their heads.
"If you spot any, be careful."
Their expressions changed.
"...Why?"
I paused, thinking how to explain, then laid it out. What I'd seen and dealt with at Cheonggyecheon Stream.
No exaggeration, just the plain facts, simple and straightforward.
Ye-eun spoke up, tense.
"Th-then... what about our vegetable garden...?"
"My guess? It'll be fine."
I took another bite of toast.
"Ever since the world went to hell, I haven't seen a single bird flying around. You two haven't either, right?"
Su-hyun and Ye-eun nodded.
But worry clouded their faces.
I continued.
"I don't know where all the birds went, but the sky's empty. At least from what I've seen these past few weeks out there. The problem isn't just birds—other animals might've turned out the same way."
"Then where did they all go...?"
"No idea. Probably holed up in some forest or something."
I glanced at their faces and chuckled.
"Honestly, I was debating whether to even tell you. Didn't want you worrying like this. But think about it—with Human Beasts bunching up to form those zombie waves, doesn't it make sense the real animals are doing something similar? A beast wave of their own?"
"...Ah..."
The women let out soft sounds and slowly nodded.
I said,
"So if they show up anywhere, we'll know it. Right? How could we miss a swarm of animals? Which means our job is..."
I wiped my lips with a wet wipe and stood.
"...to fortify this building, make it rock-solid. I'll clean up around it too. Prep for whatever comes."
Su-hyun and Ye-eun nodded.
"Got it."
"Yeah, oppa."
I smiled and geared up with my weapons.
"Get on the guys' cases, make 'em work hard. I'm heading out again."
Su-hyun and Ye-eun stood too.
"Be careful."
"Don't get hurt."
I laughed and ruffled their hair.
"Don't worry. I'll be back."
That's when a racket erupted outside.
Human voices.
Screams, really—shrieking with every ounce of strength.
"What the...?"
Su-hyun jumped and rushed to the window.
Chalk.
She drew back the curtain and peered out.
Even though the glass was one-way, she yelped in surprise and ducked behind the curtain.
What the hell?
"What's going on?"
Su-hyun turned to me.
"It's that ajumma. Y'know... that lady."
...Ajumma?
...Guess I have to go down.
Stepping out, I saw people emerging from other houses, looking around.
"What's that noise? Someone screaming?"
"No clue. Who is it?"
As they asked each other, Su-hyun stepped out and said,
"It's that ajumma. One from that group over there."
Jeong Eun-seo came out of her place and overheard.
She looked at me.
That ajumma.
Ah.
Seeing Jeong Eun-seo jogged my memory.
The one whose cheek I'd slapped, the one whose husband I'd sliced half an ear off.
The cockroach boss's wife.
Jeong Eun-seo's face grew serious.
Mine, on the other hand... a smirk crept up.
A nasty, irritated one.
...She's back at it.
I headed to the elevator. Jeong Eun-seo and the others piled in after me.
Hoon's ajusshi, standing in front of me, huffed.
"Th-this time, I'm not sitting it out."
He snorted.
Hm.
Good attitude.
We hit the first floor and headed for the side door.
Jun-hyeok, on watch, spotted us and came over.
"Seong-hun. One ajumma's out there screaming her head off."
...Huh?
I tilted my head.
"Just one ajumma?"
"Yeah. She's alone, yelling bloody murder in front of the building. Looked drunk."
Drunk, huh.
After what happened to her husband, she's drowning her sorrows and plotting revenge?
Who knows.
I unslung the quiver from my back and undid the strap.
Then, walking over, I said,
"Open up."
"Sure thing, Seong-hun."
Rumble—
I grabbed a cylinder full of arrows from the box by the door and strapped it on.
Click!
Stepping out, I saw the ajumma in the middle of the four-way intersection.
Hands on her knees.
Panting hard.
Staggering like she was truly wasted.
Turning back, I saw our people gathered inside and out by the shutter, watching her.
Faces mixed with confusion, worry, tension, hostility.
I slung the quiver onto my back and walked toward her. Leisurely.
She spotted me.
Straightened up sharp.
Pointed at me accusingly.
"Hey! You fucking bastard! You goddamn son of a bitch!"
I kept walking toward her, silent.
She thrashed and screamed.
"How could you do that to a person! Huh?! Are you even human, you dog?!"
Her face beet red.
Veins bulging in her neck.
"Kill me too! You fucking bastard! Kill me! Do it! Kill me toooo!"
...Hm?
I walked on, head tilted.
"He died?"
She staggered and wailed.
"He did! You goddamn dog! Is that any way for a person to look?! Huh?! How's he supposed to live like that?! Better off dead—you left him like a monster! How?!"
...What?
"Are you saying he's dead, or not?"
She heaved, bent over.
And hurled.
Urk.
Definitely drunk.
She snapped her head up.
"I killed him. I did! My husband... sob. I killed him! With a knife! You goddamn dog—if not for you! It's your fault! You killed him!"
She raised her hand.
A kitchen knife.
Bloody.
She staggered toward me.
I walked toward her.
She yelled,
"You dog! Kill me too! Huh! You die, I live—come on?!"
I undid the strap on my sword sheath as I walked.
Schlick—the hilt filled my hand.
She brandished the knife.
"You die, I liveee!"
Stumbled at me.
I drew.
Shing—
Women behind me cried out in alarm.
"Seong-hun!"
Ajumma raged.
"Raaah!"
Charging with both hands on the kitchen knife...
What a...
Eyes full of hate.
Vicious glare.
Her rushing steps.
I swung the sheath in my hand.
Crack!
She took it to the head and crumpled sideways.
"Urk!"
Thud.
Like a sack of rice hitting the ground.
I snorted.
"Playing games. Isn't this what unhinged humans do?"
...Should I kill her?
My lips twisted.
I turned around.
People watching me.
Me...
...Hm?
Not watching me.
Gazes shifting one by one down the road.
What?
I looked that way.
Men running toward us.
Faces and shirts soaked in sweat.
They'd run far.
No weapons, from what I could see.
Didn't look like they were coming to fight.
...Because of her, obviously.
I waited, sword still in hand.
Soon the cockroaches drew close.
Haggard faces, heavy breaths audible.
"Uh, over there."
One stepped forward, fumbling his words.
I stood at an angle, eyeing the cockroaches.
Pointed at the ajumma with my sword.
They nodded.
Some waved their hands.
Like saying they weren't here to fight.
...Jesus.
"Take her. And watch yourselves from now on."
The cockroaches nodded awkwardly, bent to approach.
"Y-yes. Uh, got it."
"Thank you."
Three of them hoisted her up.
She was still out of it.
Probably knocked cold from the headshot.
"L-let's go, ma'am."
"Jeez, when she pulls this... we're really in it. Sigh."
Muttering complaints, they supported her on either side and shuffled past me.
Bowing their heads as they went.
I watched them limp away, then sheathed my sword.
Shing—click.
...Tch.
Ruins my mood.
Turning back, people were still staring at the cockroaches' retreating backs.
I headed for the sidewalk.
"Don't mind it. Head inside. I'll be back."
"B-be safe, teacher!"
"Take care, oppa!"
I waved and walked toward the underpass.
Jesus.
How many more scenes do they have to cause before they're satisfied?
After getting hacked with a knife like that, shouldn't they have snapped out of it?
No.
People don't change.
I glared at the cockroaches trudging away, disgust in my eyes.
They'll be back, those bugs.
"...Tch."
The world's full of utterly repulsive people.
I spat and descended into the underpass.
Human cockroaches are starting to gross me out more than the real ones.
But bugs are bugs, and I need to level up.
Catch one more if I can.