Chapter 17
Chapter 17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: The Goblin Soldier
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"That one looks good."
I grabbed a zombie missing a leg by the hair and hurled it at the soldier outside.
The office worker zombie hurtled through the air and tangled with the goblin-masked soldier, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
-Ughhh!
-Kieek!
In the moment the soldier froze, the zombie sank its teeth into his shoulder.
"Aaaagh! You psycho! Let go! Let me go!"
Thwack! Thwack!
The more he punched it, the harder the office worker zombie clamped down.
"Let go!"
"Kieeek!"
Another soldier watching the scene opened fire, riddling both the zombie and his comrade with bullets.
Bang! Bang!
"...Sorry. If you turn into a zombie too, I won't be able to stop you."
-Kyaargh!
The civilians plunged into even greater chaos as the soldier shot one of their own.
-Buddha, Jesus, Allah, if you're out there, please save us....
-Sniff... If I'd known it would end like this, I should've blown all my money before dying.
-It's a dream. Has to be a dream... This is all just a dream....
I poked my head out the door and yelled at the remaining soldier.
"I'll handle things here, so head to command!"
"H-H-How are you there?"
"Now!"
-Kieeeek!
An office worker zombie lunged at me from behind. I grabbed its tie, flipped it over my shoulder, and—
Thud!
—hurled it into the zombie horde.
Crash.
"Go, now!"
"......"
After witnessing my brutal fight with the zombies, he nodded reluctantly and began leading the civilians away.
"Everyone, follow me!"
While the soldier evacuated the civilians, I stood at the train entrance, holding back the zombies.
The zombies' eyes had been locked on the refugees.
Once the civilians vanished, the zombies creaked their heads around, paused for a moment, then—
—all turned and charged straight at me, as if switching targets.
-Kieeeek!
I curled my lips into a grin. Then I raised my palm toward the dead soldier.
"Revive."
[Resurrecting Park Gyuhwan (Soldier).]
[NPC summon recruitment consumes 2 population units.]
Remaining mana: 10
[Summon List]
-Park Gyuhwan (Soldier) 1/1: Awaiting orders
-Skeleton 1/1: In combat
The goblin-masked soldier sprang to his feet.
There was a hole in his forehead that bugged me a bit, but otherwise, he looked fine.
"Show me what you can do. First... I want to see your swordsmanship."
He slung his rifle over his back, drew the sword strapped to it, and charged into the train car.
Tatatata-!
Five zombies charging in a pack—
Slash—
—were cleaved clean in half with one swing.
-Kieeeek!
A summon's power scales with its summoner.
If my level is 9, so is the summon's base strength.
Of course, weaklings like skeletons don't get all that impressive at level 9.
But when special job holders like this guy get my power boost, they become insanely strong.
I smirked proudly, shut the train door, and headed to the next car.
* * * * *
About halfway through the train, Yoo Sora's Red Injection wore off.
Still, with the goblin soldier on my side, dealing with zombies was a breeze.
※ New Recruit: Park Gyuhwan (Soldier)
Level: 9
HP: 1080/1080
Mana: 10/10
Stamina: 35 Attack: 44
Defense: 15 Speed: 25
▶Lightning Strike (Mana cost: 5)
- Gain lightning-fast movement for 30 seconds.
▶One Stroke Two Cuts (Mana cost: 5)
- Burn 90% of HP for a full-power strike.
I didn't even need to fight— he swept through them in seconds.
Swish— Slash!
Park Gyuhwan alone cleared the path all the way to the last car.
Thanks to him, three golden lights swirled over my head on the way here.
Meaning I leveled up three times.
Already level 12.
First time I've hit level 10+ before finishing round two.
Even the former rank one like me is shocked— no way the others can catch up.
I reached the final car, stepped out of the train, and spotted Jeongwoo and Michael.
"Jeongwoo!"
There they were, checking the emergency kit.
"Uh... Huh? Oh! Kim Cheonjae!"
"The vaccine?"
"Got it. Whoa... But you're insane. How'd you get here so fast?"
"Genius, remember?"
"What?"
Michael beamed.
"Genius Kim!"
"Michael. Good work."
"No prob. Easy peasy."
I smiled warmly and patted his shoulder.
"Let's check the goods."
Opening the emergency kit revealed two syringes and a capsule in a plastic pack.
"Two vaccines and... one recovery capsule. That's one more vaccine than the other side."
"Cheonjae, you take the capsule. It restores mana too, right?"
"Yeah. You sure I should have it?"
"Who else needs it right now but you?"
"If you're offering, who am I to say no?"
Jeongwoo handed me the capsule and continued.
"The zombies?"
"Took care of most on the way. Closed the passenger doors behind me too."
"No other players interfering?"
"Nah. Even with shit hitting the fan, they stayed cool... Guess they figure it's not time to move yet."
Some probably held back after seeing me go berserk.
Come to think of it, that high school girl I saw earlier was a player too, but she wasn't fighting zombies.
Probably prioritizing observation over leveling.
"...Got it. But what about that soldier?"
Jeongwoo pointed at Major Kim Juncheol.
"Still thinking."
"Now's the perfect chance to take him out."
"Not yet. He hasn't gotten new orders from command. Keeping him alive has its perks."
"Oh? Do orders usually come this late?"
"Yeah. You really forgot everything?"
"Who remembers every early mission detail?"
"I do."
"That's you."
As the zombies thinned out, the guy called the operations officer ran up to Major Kim Juncheol.
Tatatata!
"M-Major! Command's on the line!"
Command finally radioed in.
Major Kim Juncheol snatched the receiver from the military radio with a tense face and started transmitting.
"Major Kim Juncheol here."
A gravelly voice responded.
-Uh, you're the brigade commander, huh. This is HQ situation room chief.
"Yes, sir. Go ahead."
-Where are you right now?
"Underground at Apgujeong Station. Currently engaging zombies that arrived at the platform—"
-Zombies at the platform?
"Yes, sir. They rode the subway here."
Silence fell.
The situation room chief said nothing after hearing the major's report.
-......
"Chief?"
-You expect me to believe that? Zombies riding the subway?
"...Yes, sir. Even I could hardly believe it seeing it myself—"
-Hold on.
"Understood."
The conversation paused.
I led Jeongwoo and Michael toward Yoo Sora.
The second round's main game was about to start.
-Major Kim Juncheol.
"...Go ahead, sir."
-Demolish that train and Apgujeong Station.
Major Kim Juncheol's voice rose in shock.
"Pardon?!"
-If what you say is true, that subway line becomes a zombie highway again.
"But—"
-Major Kim Juncheol. There's no 'but' in operations.
The tone was utterly uncompromising.
"Chief, there are still many civilians in Apgujeong."
-So?
"We could save them using this train."
-Impossible.
"What?"
-Didn't you get the update? A zombie leader showed up at Oksu Station.
"Leader...?"
-Yeah. That's why we can't send reinforcements. Can't go down from above, but they can't climb up from below either.
Major Kim Juncheol's face hardened.
"What are our orders then, sir?"
-Stand by until further notice.
"Stand by? Chief! With respect, we can't wait. Zombies from the surface keep pouring underground."
-Sorry, but all I can say is stand by.
"Ch-Chief! Can't you at least send reinforcements by chopper? The civilians here—"
-Transmission ends. Good luck returning alive.
"W-Wait!"
The radio cut off after that exchange.
Major Kim Juncheol jabbed the receiver button repeatedly, but no transmission.
"Chief? Situation Chief? Chief! Hey, you bastard!"
Bang!
He slammed the radio with the receiver.
"Haa... Haa... Fuck...."
As everyone watched him warily, the operations officer spoke up cautiously.
"Brigade Commander."
"...What."
"I... I know a way to Gangbuk without crossing the bridge."
"Without crossing the bridge... to Gangbuk?"
"Yes, sir."
"How?"
The operations officer unrolled a map.
"From here, to here. Like this."
"...Feasible?"
"Probably. It's our best shot right now."
"......"
Major Kim Juncheol hesitated to decide. No matter what the officer explained, he couldn't gamble with civilian lives lightly.
In that moment of distraction, zombies gathered nearby.
The nimblest-looking one charged at the operations officer.
-Kieeeek!
"Aaagh!"
Major Kim Juncheol smashed its face with his rifle butt.
Crack!
"Haa... Haa... Th-Thank you, sir."
"Whew..."
Major Kim Juncheol grabbed the radio.
"Operations Officer. We'll try your way."
Beep.
-As of now, demolish Apgujeong Station. Repeat: Demolish Apgujeong Station.
* * * * *
Dark.
Apgujeong's sky was still shrouded in storm clouds.
Boom! Kablooom!!
A massive explosion rocked the station depths, black smoke and flames billowing up.
-Demolition complete.
Major Kim Juncheol pulled down his goblin mask and bellowed.
"All personnel, move out!"
Civilians and soldiers shifted to the surface and headed toward the Han River.
[Event Complete]
[Survivors: 100%]
[Reward: 1,000 Jen]
[System Message]
[Player 'Kim Cheonjae' has demonstrated astonishing skill. Granted the 'Unstoppable Advance' title and an additional 500 Jen.]
My lips curled up as I read the system message.
Unstoppable Advance
A special title that grants additional abilities as your level rises.
Only three in the entire server—a mark of true powerhouses.
'So that's how it is.'
The subway event signaling round two's start ended with the demolition.
The soldiers picked up the pace toward the Han River.
I whispered to my summoned soldier.
"Blend in and move with the group."
Here and there, goblin-masked figures shouted at the civilians.
-Lag behind and you die. Keep moving, no matter what!
-No stragglers. Run like your life depends on it—because it does!
Drip. Drip. Drip-drip-drip.
My throat was parched, but rain began falling from the sky right on cue. I tilted my head back, mouth open, and drank. Not much, but enough to wet my whistle.
Yoo Sora, walking in step with me, asked.
"Cheonjae-ssi."
"Yes."
"If we make it to Gangbuk, does everyone survive?"
"...Only those who can keep up."
"Huh?"
"Only those who can move will live."
"What do you...?"
I called Jeongwoo and Michael over.
From here on, it was the real game—no room for errors.
"I'm only saying this once, so listen up and remember."
Login The Apocalypse