Veteran Newbie (4)

Thud.

Ju Kang-rim vaulted over the stair railing, slipping out of the zombies' line of sight and landing on the underground stairwell side. Han Min-ah, who had been illuminating the floor below with her goblin lantern from the second floor, locked eyes with him and nodded. Ju Kang-rim cleared his throat loudly, then kicked the basement door open with a bang.

"Kreeeek..."

"Gruk."

To make sure the zombies couldn't ignore him, Ju Kang-rim kicked the door several more times and activated his Biman flashlight, shining it right on himself.

"Over here! You rotten bastards."

The zombies spotted him and let out guttural screeches, charging down the stairs in a frenzy. Ju Kang-rim met Han Min-ah's gaze again before dashing inside. He pulled a new goblin lantern from his pocket—the one he'd just bought.

'Spent an extra 20 nyang, but better to earn at least 50.'

It was a strategy inspired by Han Min-ah's ingenuity. Once he lured the zombies away, she would use her own goblin lantern to guide the patients out. Society hadn't fully collapsed yet, so the first floor should be zombie-free. Ju Kang-rim was certain of that much.

'If there are any, she won't go out and will wait for me, like I told her. All that's left is for me to slip out through this underground corridor to the parking lot.'

He didn't know how many zombies lurked in the corridor, but he was confident he could handle himself alone. Fortunately, there were only a few in the underground hallway—three or four at most, as far as the goblin lantern's light reached.

"This way, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this way!"

Ju Kang-rim shook the flashlight and shouted to ensure the first-floor zombies followed completely. The basement zombies started reacting too. The moment he was sure nearly all of them had come down, he switched off the Biman's flashlight.

Suddenly deprived of their target, the zombies flailed around, groping blindly in the darkness.

'Part of me wants to smash them all...'

But escape came first. There was 70 nyang in soul toll waiting.

'Once I hit over 100 nyang, what should I buy? Guess I'll ask Yeomra for recommendations.'

A sudden chill ran down Ju Kang-rim's spine. He was passing the last zombie on the opposite side of the corridor. It looked like it had crawled out of a freezer—its entire body was frozen solid. Its movements were jerky and unnatural, joints twisting in bizarre ways.

'Feels familiar...'

That's when Ju Kang-rim's eyes met the zombie's. A creepy sensation hit him, and he quickly ducked his head.

Kagagagak!

A deafening screech tore through the air as the wall where his neck had been sliced clean. Ju Kang-rim rolled away, chills racing up his spine, and glared at the frozen zombie.

"Gik. Kik."

The zombie twisted its body grotesquely, staring him down. Its joints warped unpredictably, even in the darkness—it was locked right on him. Ju Kang-rim bit his trembling lip.

Enhanced zombie.

He readjusted his grip on the hand axe. His first thought wasn't danger, but profit.

'Wonder if they give a bonus for that one too?'

He chuckled wryly at himself. Unlike regular zombies that even an average adult man could handle, enhanced zombies terrified even zombie hunters.

'Regulations say even trained hunters need at least two for them, no ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠matter the awakener's ability.'

Of course, understanding an enhanced zombie's traits made it possible solo. The problem was their abilities varied wildly, so fighting alone was banned until you confirmed what it could do.

'Well, I can take it solo...'

Enhanced zombies packed more black cores, making them prime targets for hunters chasing big hauls. And Ju Kang-rim had slain hundreds in his time.

'One that twists like this...'

"Gik."

Boom.

With a roar, it lunged at ferocious speed. Over 10 meters separated them, but the gap closed in a blink. Ju Kang-rim twisted away.

'Speed type.'

Boom boom boom, kwajik!

A searing pain flared in his shoulder. Three claw marks oozed blood on his right shoulder. A split-second slower, and his throat would've been torn out.

"Gaaah...!"

Kwajik.

A regular zombie collided with the enhanced one and crumpled, smashed flat. It twisted its waist 180 degrees to look back, as if baffled why Ju Kang-rim's neck wasn't severed. Speed types were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠predictable, especially fresh enhanced zombies—their moves were simple.

Ju Kang-rim had read it, but his dynamic vision and reflexes fell short. To dodge, he had to predict, not react.

'Ah... I remember this one. The "joint zombie" they named it.'

The zombie that emerged from this hospital and slaughtered a nearby family. He'd only seen its bluish face in news clips under goblin lantern light, but it matched.

Two B-rank awakeners had been deployed to take it down.

'Doesn't seem that tough... Maybe 'cause it's freshly turned.'

Unlike corpses that rotted, zombies grew stronger over time. Walkers started sprinting; brittle necks gained iron muscles. Enhanced ones accelerated fastest. Corpses strengthening defied logic, but gates leaking power was the only explanation.

Thankfully, this one wasn't B-rank level yet. Its frozen skin suggested it had just emerged from the freezer.

His Biman buzzed, reigniting bonus thoughts.

Not spilling details—catch it if you can. But the reward was substantial, tilting Ju Kang-rim toward fighting.

'Good thing it's straightforward.'

By world's end, freakish zombies abounded. For now, it was manageable. No—focus: how to hunt it?

Even fresh, it outmatched his current state. Turn tail, and he'd be prey. Zombies didn't falter sans arms; it just glared viciously.

Then he noticed its gaze wandering slightly.

'Limited vision...'

It couldn't see the goblin lantern, or it'd target precisely. Instead, it tracked via hearing, smell, or night vision.

'Damn. Might be doable.'

No chance later. He knew its traits, weaknesses, poor dark vision. Risky, but worth trying.

Ju Kang-rim set the lantern down, closing in slowly. Two hands beat one.

'Let's do this.'

Thud.

He smashed the wall first with his hand axe. The enhanced zombie whipped its head around but didn't charge.

'Sensitive to sound, but not vision-dependent.'

Night eyes, then. Ju Kang-rim twisted toward the opposite wall, sprinting. It heard footsteps and whipped an arm like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a lash.

But Ju Kang-rim had predicted, spinning to parry upward with the axe.

Kagak.

Flesh tore, bones shattered. The awkward stance sent him tumbling. The zombie's arm was severed above the elbow—tough skin, but his force made it clean.

'Hand axe—no, Saingeom? Sharper than expected.'

"Gaaaaah!"

Boom.

Armless, it raged, flailing wildly. Ju Kang-rim rose cautiously, crouching.

Thud.

Something brushed his back—a zombie lunging for his shoulder. He shattered its jaw with an uppercut, standing calmly to face the enhanced one.

He was now amid the horde. All as predicted.

***

"Gaaak!"

"Kuhk!"

Thud.

The last zombie finally fell. Ju Kang-rim stood bloodied amid countless corpses. Breath ragged to his limit, arms too heavy to lift the axe. Wounds screamed for surrender.

'But you're hurting too.'

The enhanced zombie was shredded—one arm gone, one hand severed at wrist. Legs hobbled on torn tendons, but explosive jumps remained deadly. No other zombies left—thanks to his meat-shield tactic.

'Speed freaks lack control.'

Like a horse slowed in dense woods, the horde hindered it. One lapse, and it'd rip him apart—but darkness concealed him well.

His body was wrecked too, wounds everywhere. At least no bites.

'...Covered in zombie blood over them. Hope that's fine.'

Infection usually via saliva, but blood could too. Right now, those teeth mattered more.

"Kak, kak, gagak."

It ground its teeth, hunting him. Zombies never tired, never quit with prey nearby.

Exhausted Ju Kang-rim wanted to.

He glanced back—the brawl had brought the exit close.

'Nurse Han and patients waiting. Slip out quiet, it might lose me...'

His Biman vibrated.

Before irritation at "honey-sucking" hit, relief at the patients' escape did.

'Safe. Good.'

He startled at his own relief.

'Relieved? Because I saved them?'

The old Ju Kang-rim would've calculated profit—stayed for gain, ditched them. Like choices to colonelcy.

He'd framed it as duty, but relief lingered oddly.