Chapter 7
Chapter 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Building Owner's Fury
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[System Message]
[Warning! Skeleton Soldier (Normal) 1 unit has died]
[Current remaining Skeleton Soldiers: 1/2]
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Hey, that skeleton chasing those people earlier got taken out.”
“Already?”
Jeongwoo looked disappointed.
“Let’s hide for now.”
“Why? We’ve checked the entire 4th floor. Let’s just go join them. We can say we’ve got nothing to do with that old man.”
“In this getup?”
A man clad in chainmail, wielding a butcher’s axe.
And a necromancer with the demon’s red eyes.
Who wouldn’t find that suspicious?
“I’ll explain it well. If I open the window and show them the zombies, it’ll be sorted right away.”
“Really? Then… Ah! No.”
“What?”
“Thinking about it, that girl Yoo Sora saw the zombie I killed earlier.”
“That makes it even easier to explain.”
I tilted my head.
“I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“You saw how those people were acting earlier, right? They’re led more by emotion than reason.”
Jeongwoo shrugged.
“So?”
“That girl Yoo Sora. She mistook the zombie I killed for a person. If she told the others I’m a murderer, things could get messy.”
“That’s why I’m saying open the window and show them the zombies. That’ll clear up any misunderstanding, right?”
Drrrrrk.
As I opened the window, zombies reached out toward us.
-Kieeeek!
Even a rough count showed more of them than when I played Land of Ruin on the computer.
I let out a deep sigh.
“The problem is we might get attacked before we can even open the window. Excited people don’t bother talking. If a bunch of them rush us suddenly—”
“Oh man, you worry too much! That’s always your problem. You always think of the worst-case scenario first.”
“I don’t wanna die.”
“Hey! Don’t worry, leave this to me. If it goes south, I’ll just hack them all to pieces with this axe.”
Half-joking, half-serious, but there was conviction in Jeongwoo’s eyes.
Ma Jeongwoo might be a lone wolf and a simpleton, but he’s reliable in that way.
This guy always keeps his word once it’s out of his mouth. He’s been like that since we were kids—promises were always kept.
Whether the outcome was good or bad.
With a reluctant expression, I nodded.
“…Fine. Let’s do it your way this time.”
“Alright! Trust me.”
We went around the room, sorting out all the dresser drawers we’d rummaged through.
If they found out we’d taken other people’s stuff without permission, it’d be a big problem.
Thud thud thud thud thud.
Soon, the sound of a group of people moving echoed.
The people who’d gone up to the 5th floor had reached the 4th, and the hallway rang with noise.
-What was that skeleton earlier?
-Looked like a science lab model. Someone must’ve messed around with it. It crumbled in one hit.
-Tied some strings to make it move or something?
‘Give me a break.’
-That old man installed a ton of CCTV in the building. Maybe he’s watching us with that?
CCTV?
I had no idea. I thought the building was too rundown for that, except maybe at the entrance.
Turns out it’s a decent place after all.
Among the group from the 5th floor, the first to reach the 4th was a skinny man.
His trademark curly hair and aviator glasses caught my eye.
“Huh? Jeongwoo! Cheonjae’s here too?”
Our faces lit up.
Good.
This guy’s a resident nurse we’re on friendly terms with.
Owner of room 302, which we checked earlier.
Jeongwoo beamed and greeted him.
“Hyung Dongtak! Where’ve you been? You weren’t in your room earlier.”
“Me? Earlier, Sora from downstairs… Never mind. Somehow I ended up coming up here. Anyway, what’s with your outfit?”
“What about it?”
“What do you mean? Look at that axe in your hand. And what’s with the armor?”
“Uh…”
“You heading off to the Crusades or something? Cheonjae, what’s with your eyes? Training to be an idol? And why the baseball bat?”
I shot Jeongwoo a look.
He squeezed his eyes shut and answered Dongtak.
“…Yeah.”
A single reluctant word.
Jeongwoo skipped explaining about the zombies, his bitter expression stopping me from picking up the thread.
The conversation veering off our plan felt ominous.
But it seemed resolved…
Two more people—a man and a woman—came down behind Dongtak.
I don’t know the guy, but I know who he is.
Burly build, buzz cut.
He’s the high school PE teacher whose hobby is scuba diving.
How do I know? Occasionally, he leaves scuba manuals and school gear out front.
I’ve picked up his “trash” a few times, so I know.
His dumbbells and squat machine are still getting good use.
The PE teacher stood straight, puffed out his chest, and greeted us.
“Hello there. I’m Kim Dusic.”
[Player ‘Kim Dusic’ is wary of ‘Kim Cheonjae.’]
Jeongwoo and I greeted him in unison.
-Hello.
Kim Dusic glanced us over, then looked at me and said,
“Well, well, looking at you now, aren’t you those game addicts from downstairs?”
“…Game addicts? We’re not close, so that’s a bit rude.”
“If you’re not addicts, what are you? Playing games all day.”
I furrowed my brow and replied.
“Then are all pro gamers addicts? What kind of logic is that?”
“Wh-what logic? Are you pro gamers?”
“Yeah, we’re rank 1 in that game.”
“Rank… 1…? Then what about the guy next to you?”
Ma Jeongwoo grinned and answered.
“Rank 2.”
Kim Dusic had nothing to say, so he cleared his throat awkwardly and changed the subject.
“Whatever! You know you guys were making all that thumping noise playing games, keeping everyone awake?”
Who’s he to keep talking down to me like we’re buddies? The more I see him, the more irritating he gets.
“The thumping was from you jumping around doing burpees loud. VR games don’t make noise—we move in place.”
“What?”
“Think about it logically. We’re downstairs, you’re upstairs. Who’s thumping? The landlord even higher up?”
“Y-you little!”
As the argument heated up, the woman next to him waved her hands between us.
It was Yoo Sora.
She subtly hid behind him, clearly wary of us.
“Ah… Hello. Dusic, that’s enough.”
“But Sora—”
“This isn’t the time for us to fight.”
“……”
Ignoring Kim Dusic, I said to Yoo Sora,
“Sora.”
“…Cheonjae.”
“Where’d you go earlier? Jeongwoo came down alone.”
“……”
She lowered her head.
I asked again.
“Something happen?”
“Cheonjae told me to run fast, so I did… But the moment I reached Jeongwoo’s place, my legs gave out.”
“Ah…”
“My legs gave out, and Jeongwoo took off so fast the second he heard me… I couldn’t keep up.”
I nodded as if understanding.
“Are your legs okay?”
“Yeah…”
“Jeongwoo didn’t mean to. He was probably just panicked. Sorry about that.”
Yoo Sora nodded.
“It’s fine.”
As her expression softened, the PE teacher deflated his puffed chest. He probably thinks that makes him look tough.
He seems dangerously stupid.
Gotta be careful.
Dongtak handed me the fire extinguisher he was holding and continued.
“Cheonjae. You take this.”
I showed him my baseball bat, signaling my hands were full.
“Huh? The extinguisher?”
“Oh, you’ve got your own stuff.”
“But what’s with that extinguisher?”
“This? Uh… You’re not busy right now, are you?”
“…Why?”
“If not, come downstairs with us.”
“Downstairs?”
I knew, but played dumb naturally.
Why’d he bring the extinguisher, though? Is he really planning to kill the landlord?
“You know the building owner, right?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s… around…”
Dongtak glanced back at Yoo Sora’s face, then hardened his expression.
He looked about to get serious, but I didn’t want to hear it.
I cut him off.
“Do we really have to come along?”
“Huh? Oh, no, not really. Just thought you’d be helpful.”
So basically, we’re not needed.
Easy to refuse then.
“Jeongwoo and I’ll come later. Left something on the rooftop.”
“The rooftop at night?”
“Yeah. Went up for a smoke earlier and left my phone.”
“…Got it. Hurry down after. We’ll head to the 2nd floor first.”
“Understood.”
I gave a slight nod by way of bow, and they left the 4th floor right away.
With no idea what might happen to them.
* * * * *
Step. Step. Step. Step.
Park Dongpal, the building owner, limped along. He seemed to be searching for Yoo Sora, rummaging through her room thoroughly.
From the wardrobe to the bathroom.
His flushed face showed how worked up he was.
“You… bitch. You damn… bitch. Just you wait till I catch you…”
His solo monologue revealed the boiling rage toward Yoo Sora.
He turned on the bathroom faucet, washing the blood from his face with rusty water.
“Damn… The water tank pipes acting up again.”
He wiped off the blood, but his skin swelled from the heavy metals mixed in.
Park Dongpal looked in the bathroom mirror and let out a vile sneer.
A smile eerie enough to call demonic.
“You dare hit my head with a hammer? Trying to kill this old man… Just for touching your ass once… You damn bitch…”
Thud! Thud! Click.
Park Dongpal pulled out the metal clothing rod from the wardrobe and swung it in the air.
Whoosh—whoosh—.
“Fine, if it’s come to this, I’ll go all out too. For breaking the law, I’ll give it right back—”
Sensing something behind him, Park Dongpal spun around fast.
Crack!
“Gaaahhh!”
Park Dongpal screamed and collapsed. A zombie that had crept up silently bit hard into his shoulder.
-Kieeek.
The zombie clung to him, falling together without letting go.
“Th-this, this! Crazy!”
Park Dongpal swung the metal rod back at the zombie. After three or four hits, the zombie biting his shoulder dropped off with a ‘thunk’ and fell aside.
-Kiiik…
With a low groan, the zombie lost consciousness.
Park Dongpal panted heavily, staring at the zombie.
“What the hell is this?”
Before he could recover, excruciating pain surged through his shoulder. Park Dongpal shut his eyes like a man dying without a scream.
He was still breathing shallowly, but not dead yet.
“Haa… Cold… Heh heh… Weird… Suddenly… I feel good…”