Chapter 79
Chapter 79
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: 26. I'll Offer Myself to You. (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The movements of the zombie wave gradually came into view.
They were running.
A metallic screech pouring from throats already worn raw.
The zombies, drawn by the aggro from that auntie cockroach screaming her lungs out through the megaphone, were charging like mad.
And below her.
Far off, the mid-sized mart I'd cleared out earlier.
People were starting to burst out from the alleys there.
A chaotic swarm spilling from houses, shops, garages, and the like.
The atmosphere was utter pandemonium.
One person broke off.
Turning down the alley toward the parking lot.
Heading straight for us.
"...Tch."
My mood soured instantly, and I clicked my tongue.
The others must have seen it too.
"Where are those people going? Toward us?"
"Like hell they're coming here, those fucking bastards!"
"No, some of those are the ones who were captured. Like the new women who just joined us."
The newly arrived women clutched their hands tightly, staring at the cockroach group—some with hatred in their eyes, others averting their gaze.
Some probably had acquaintances there, others had just been victimized without connection.
But none of that mattered right now.
I turned my gaze back to the distant auntie.
Still not in my sights.
Damn it, my shoulder was starting to heat up from holding the draw so long.
"Seong-hun. What do we do about those people?"
Jun-hyeok asked me.
I could feel everyone's eyes on me.
They were all looking at me.
Without my orders, they wouldn't accept them.
If I gave the order, those people would come in.
And if they did, they'd survive.
...But here's the thing.
This wasn't the time to make that call.
I silently glared at the auntie.
She's coming.
Slowly, but fast.
Screeching through the megaphone.
The female cockroach was pedaling her bike.
The people were watching me.
I was watching the female cockroach.
The female cockroach was watching us.
Our gazes crossed paths.
And finally.
Tiny as a grain of rice.
The female cockroach began to glow red.
"...Sssup!"
I drew in a sharp breath and pulled back.
The people's eyes followed my stance.
Everyone fell silent.
I released the string.
Twang.
Whiiiiiish—
The arrow shot off like lightning, streaking toward the distant sky.
The people's gazes, their heads, tracked the arrow.
"Too far..."
Jung Eun-seo murmured softly beside me.
The others felt the same.
It looked like a grain of rice.
That tiny.
That far away.
The crosswinds blowing from left and right would shove the arrow all over.
No way it'd hit dead on.
The people watched with bated breath, hands clenched tight, eyes unblinking as the arrow flew farther and farther.
The arrow's momentum began to fade.
It slowed, nose dipping from its vigorous climb.
Then, matching its forward speed, it glided down, plummeting lower and lower.
The female cockroach seemed oblivious to anything falling from the sky.
Pedaling hard, screaming her head off, occasionally wobbling side to side.
And so the female cockroach charged on.
Dieee—
All of you dieee—
Die with meee—
The people clenched their fists, staring at that female cockroach.
She swerved too much on the road.
Every scream, she let go of the handlebar with one hand.
Every time she raised the megaphone to her mouth, she wobbled left, then right.
No way a single arrow would hit a target moving like that, from that distance.
"...Hup."
Jung Eun-seo raised her bow beside me.
Nocking an arrow, drawing it back.
Thwang—
I lightly touched her arm.
She looked at me.
I shook my head.
"Wait."
Doubt flickered in Jung Eun-seo's eyes.
No time to explain.
I turned back to the distant female cockroach.
Jung Eun-seo followed suit.
And in that instant.
The arrow struck home.
Piercing clean through the female cockroach's head.
Right down to the fletching, bursting out the other side.
Invisible from here, but I knew it.
The female cockroach jerked like she'd been struck by lightning.
She lost the handlebars and tumbled off the bike.
Crashing spectacularly.
Momentum sending her rolling end over end.
...Got her.
I finally lowered my leg from where it'd been draped over the rooftop wall.
Stepped down from the chair, planting my feet on the rooftop floor with a thud.
The people were staring at me.
No cheers.
No joy.
What filled their eyes was awe bordering on shock.
A distance no one could hit.
A wildly weaving target.
A perfect headshot. Impossible.
"...H-how...?"
Jung Eun-seo couldn't finish her sentence.
She gasped, sucking in air.
Her face looked like her heart had skipped a beat.
The others wore similar expressions.
I scanned their faces one by one.
Then I said it.
"...Told you not to worry."
Jun-hyeok, who'd been standing apart, spoke in a choked voice.
"...A divine archer. From here... to there."
Gazes.
Gazes filled with awe.
From the men, and countless women.
Eyes that had witnessed the impossible, the unbelievable.
I had no idea what to say.
Instead of words, I turned and looked at the zombie wave.
"...Tch."
I clicked my tongue, and the others followed my gaze to the wave.
Sighs and groans escaped them.
The zombie wave kept surging forward.
Trampling, crushing, pulverizing the fallen female cockroach, they charged on.
The front-runners couldn't stop even if they wanted to, carried by momentum. Didn't seem like they wanted to anyway.
Target gone, but they just kept coming.
I let out a quiet sigh.
No escaping this one.
I beckoned Jun-hyeok and Han Tae.
They rushed right over.
"Yeah, hyung."
"Yes, Seong-hun."
I gave the order.
"Take a few people down now and block off every window. Check for any left open."
Jun-hyeok and Han Tae nodded vigorously.
"Got it, hyung!"
"Right away."
Jun-hyeok and Tae-young called out, and Su-hyun, Ye-eun, Hoon's uncle, and others gathered.
They nodded to me and headed down the rooftop stairs.
I turned back to the distance.
The endless zombie wave bearing down.
Escape was impossible.
A small group might make it.
But we were too many now.
Humans have stamina.
Exhaustion stops you from running.
Zombies don't.
So.
"...Alright then..."
Time to hunker down.
Don't let on we're here. Play dead and ride it out.
The zombie wave closing in.
Best case, they barrel right past without stopping.
We wouldn't have to hold out long then.
But if not...
I glanced down at the bow in my hands.
...Bow's all we got.
And the arrows the fletch band duplicates.
Can't jump down.
Land in that horde with a sword? Acceleration x14 wouldn't get me out, and no opening the shutters means no way back anyway.
That YouTube clip I'd seen.
Zombie wave piling up like a pyramid, aggro'd to a building.
One wrong move, the tail end climbs this building too. Exact same scene.
They were big enough to blanket the whole city.
...Bow it is.
If the wave stops here, no matter how long, I'll shoot them all down myself.
Only way.
Tae-young, Ye-eun, and So-eun helped the fainted grandmother down.
Left on the rooftop: the new women and men, and Jung Eun-seo.
Staring at the pitch-black zombie wave, something felt off.
Jung Eun-seo was looking elsewhere.
Following her gaze, I spotted the cockroach group charging toward our building.
The cockroaches were drawing closer, jockeying for position front and back.
The boss cockroach and raid guys were there, plenty of women too.
And, old folks and kids.
Old folks... and kids.
There were kids!
Dozens at least, barely teens or even younger, swarming after the adults.
I gripped the rooftop railing without thinking.
As the cockroach group neared our building, the zombie wave closed in real-time.
In minutes, those two forces would clash.
The adult men arrived first at our building.
Mostly the boss cockroach and raid crew.
They pounded on the shutters.
Screaming something.
Bzzz— Bzzz—
Phone rang.
Su-hyun.
"Yeah, Su-hyun."
"Oppa! People from over there are swarming!"
"...Yeah. I see."
I felt her gaze.
Jung Eun-seo was looking at me.
I met her eyes.
Su-hyun's voice urgent.
"Oppa! What do we do? Huh? Tell me!"
Jung Eun-seo stared at me.
Glared, really.
I opened my mouth slowly.
That instant, Jung Eun-seo grabbed my hand.
Snatched the phone away.
She held it to her ear and said,
"Hold on. I'll explain later."
She hung up without waiting for a reply.
Jung Eun-seo said,
"Seong-hun. We need to talk."
She tugged my hand.
What the hell now?
In this situation?
Her grip was firm. No letting go.
The new women stood on the rooftop, silently watching us, the zombie wave, the cockroaches.
I followed Jung Eun-seo down the stairs.
She led me to her room.
Click.
Door shut.
"Eun-seo. This isn't the time..."
Jung Eun-seo gripped my hand and pulled me straight into the bathroom.
Turned on the shower.
Shhh...
The blood on my head, my body, washed away.
Jung Eun-seo watched me, then peeled off her t-shirt.
Unhooked her bra herself, tossed pants and panties carelessly on the bathroom floor.
...Her body...
Incredible.
Maybe from her regular workouts.
Firm, shapely hips.
Narrow waist.
Breasts fuller and prettier than I'd realized, hidden under clothes.
"Seong-hun."
Jung Eun-seo looked at me and said,
"...Stay with me right now."
She unbuckled my lifting belt.
Thud.
Sword hit the floor.
Jung Eun-seo said,
"Stay with me now, and I'll give myself to you. As long as I live, forever."
I looked at Jung Eun-seo.
Beautiful, fully naked, offering everything.
What she demanded: the people outside.
The women, elders, kids.
Kill them all.
Her hand on my cheek.
Her face drew slowly closer.
Then, she kissed me.
Her breath warm on my cheek.
I tasted her tongue, grabbed her breast.
Incredibly firm, soft mound.
Hand down, stroking between her legs.
No hair.
Just plump, welcoming folds enveloping my fingers.
"Haah..."
A moan-laced sigh filled the bathroom.