Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: The Landlord's Fate
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“Genius Kim. But—”
“Shut up.”
“Can’t I grab that thing real quick?”
“That thing?”
“I’ll grab the bag real quickkk.”
“……Fine. We don’t have time, so hurry. You get one minute.”
“One minute, okaaay!”
Michael dashed into his room. No idea what he was grabbing, but he came back incredibly fast.
His military backpack was stuffed to the brim. Looked like he’d packed a prepped bag—it was bulging.
“Let’s gooo.”
“Wait, you even changed into fatigues?”
“Yesss.”
I checked my watch.
Not even a full minute had passed.
“You really are a soldier, huh.”
“Yessir. Let’s roll!”
“Let’s go.”
Fully geared up, we headed down to the fourth floor. Nothing much worth grabbing here.
If anything, the ‘Fluffy Silk Blouse’ with decent stats.
On the way down, I snagged the blouse from room 401.
“Michael. Put this in the bag.”
“Genius Kim. You wear women’s clothes toooo?”
“No. Just put it in, no questions.”
“Okaay.”
Why grab clothes I won’t wear?
If Yoo Sora accepts my offer and joins, it’s a decent item for her.
Besides, once she faces zombies head-on, she won’t have much choice but to take my deal.
Thud thud thud thud thud.
Down on the third floor, Ma Jeongwoo and I stopped by Jang Dongtak’s room—the nurse’s place.
We’d rushed past earlier in the chaos, but this time I grabbed a bunch of syringes.
Figured they’d come in handy eventually.
[Acquired ‘Empty Syringe’]
As we packed stuff into Michael’s bag—
—Kyaaak!
Yoo Sora’s scream rang out.
It wasn’t far.
Close enough to say same floor.
I poked my head out the door and saw her backing away toward the stairs.
I yelled toward her.
“Sora! What happened?!”
“Z-z-z-z-zom—”
“Zombies?”
“Y-yes! Zombies!”
Now she finally believes me.
Her brain’s fully registered that zombies are real.
“Ma Jeongwoo. Don’t push yourself until you job-change. Wouldn’t want you getting bitten in the heat of the moment.”
“Got it.”
I turned to Michael.
“Michael, you watch the rear.”
Michael scrunched his face.
“Rear… guard?”
“Reeeear! Back! Watch our six! Where do you even learn words like that?”
“Ooooh! Rear guard, rear guard, okaay.”
As I got heated, Jeongwoo grabbed my shoulder.
“Chill. And the survivors—we adding everyone to the party?”
“Nah. Just Dongtak and Sora. That makes five already.”
“……Sora? What’s she good for?”
“Second round. That job in this game? Only women can get it.”
“……Oh!”
I shook my head to clear it, then patted Jeongwoo’s back as we stepped out.
Yoo Sora was cornered against the wall, flailing her arms in terror.
A salaryman zombie reached her. Viscous drool dripped from its mouth.
—Kieeeek!
I kicked off the ground and charged.
Slash—
Swinging my kitchen knife.
Crack!
The zombie’s head hit the floor.
“You okay?”
“Y-yeah… y-yes….”
I grabbed her hand and pulled her up. Her legs were shaking bad.
No way she could move yet.
I called Michael over and had him stand by her.
“Sora. Stay with Michael.”
“H-huh? O-okay….”
“Michael, guard her good. Anything happens, call for us.”
“Okaay. Genius Kim. Take thissss.”
Michael pulled a walkie-talkie from his bag and handed it over.
“Huh? Walkie-talkie? Where’d you get this?”
“Supply. Patrol supply.”
“Nice.”
[Player Kim Cheonjae acquired ‘Walkie-Talkie’]
[Walkie-Talkie: Handheld radio device for relaying voices over short distances.]
I pocketed the walkie-talkie.
Leading with Jeongwoo, we hit the second floor. What a sight.
Zombies already packed the hallway from the far end all the way to us.
—Kiiiiieeeek!!
—Krahahaak!
First time facing this many in the tutorial.
Even on PC, five felt like a horde.
Now? Thirty-plus right in front of me.
They stood in place, twitching their heads in weird poses. Perfectly captured low vision, sensitive hearing.
Step.
My footfall echoed, and every zombie head snapped our way.
Jeongwoo raised his axe and glanced at me.
“Too many.”
“…….”
“Wanna try?”
I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and lit up.
No choice.
Fizzle. Fizzle.
Suck.
Puff—.
—Krral. Krral. Y-Yoo… Sora….
Huh?
The zombie at the front of the pack looked off.
Nothing like the salaryman zombies—long-sleeve shirt, baggy slacks.
Focused my eyes. It was Park Dongpal.
The building owner.
“Park Dongpal?”
“Whoa, for real?!”
“How’d that old guy turn zombie? If they caught him, they’d have eaten him alive….”
A flash hit me.
No way—did he die from the zombie virus before they could eat him?
“Cheonjae. Can you Revive that guy?”
“Possible, but.”
“But?”
“……Got a better idea.”
—Y-Yoo… So… ra…….
Park Dongpal’s left hand gripped someone’s hair.
Face bloodied, but recognizable.
His trademark curly hair stood out.
Jeongwoo yelled.
“Dongtak! That crazy old bastard.”
“Jeongwoo, calm down. Dongtak’s still alive.”
“Huh?”
“My Revive won’t take. He’s still breathing.”
“……Alive?”
Looks-wise, hard to call it alive. Skin browning fast, rotting already. Blood soaked his body from his head.
Worse than the salaryman zombies.
Jeongwoo ground his teeth.
“That psycho Park Dongpal. Player gets infected, keeps their mind. But he still….”
“Ma Jeongwoo. When I finish my cast, you hold off the salaryman zombies behind. You got this?”
“Cast?”
“Yeah.”
“By myself?”
“You alone.”
I handed him the holy water packet. Getting it, Jeongwoo grinned.
“……Sounds fun.”
Like always.
Kid loved taking on multiples solo.
Didn’t always win, though. Fighting numbers alone? Brutal lesson after one try.
Still, Jeongwoo craved that one-man-army thrill.
Warrior’s spirit.
“Let’s go, Jeongwoo.”
Jeongwoo tore the holy water packet and splashed himself. Undead—no, zombies—couldn’t touch him now.
“Okaay!”
We bolted together.
Mid-stride, I pulled chicken leg bones from my pocket.
Chanted Skeleton Summon twice.
[System Message]
▶Skeleton Summon (Mana Cost: 2)
-Summons skeleton soldiers equal to caster’s level, using bones as medium.
Remaining Mana: 18
[Summon List]
-Skeleton (Scrap): 2/2 : Combat ready.
Two skeleton soldiers rose from the ground.
Chicken bones were weak—better for mages than warriors, efficiency-wise.
‘Better than nothing.’
Pitifully weak skeletons vs. zombies? Hit their weakness.
“Aim for the zombies’ legs!”
Skeletons dropped low, tackling zombie legs.
Zombies toppled back, domino-style.
Thud thud thud.
Hallway shook.
I closed the gap in seconds, slashing at Park Dongpal’s left arm.
Slash—
His wrist severed clean.
Thud.
Dongtak’s body flopped free as the hand dropped.
Jeongwoo charged in next, axe swinging at salarymen.
Whoosh—
Splat!
One zombie head gone in a single stroke. Jeongwoo’s reflexes were insane.
No job yet, but dodging like a pro, dropping them one by one.
Some zombies grabbed for him—hands melted on holy water contact.
Zombies flanking Park Dongpal fell.
I grabbed his neck, slammed him down.
Thud.
Straddled his torso, pinned him hard.
“Kieeeek…. K-Kim… Cheonjae….”
“Park Dongpal. You still got your wits?”
“Kieeek!”
He thrashed, clawing for my neck. One hand gone, no real threat.
Still, player-turned-zombie hit harder than salarymen.
“No time, so short version. Zombies last three days. After that, dead. Meaning you die in three.”
“Kieeek….”
“I know how to bring you back. Want out of zombie hell? Hit ‘Yes.’ No? ‘No.’”
“Kiek…. Wha…. T….”
What?
Park Dongpal now: player-turned-zombie.
One way to revive him I know.
Not human.
But a fellow player, surviving the Land of Ruin with us.
[Vampire]
I nicked my finger with the kitchen knife, drawing blood.
Zombie player drinks human blood? Two choices.
Stay zombie.
Or rebirth as vampire.
Player-zombie with mind intact only.
He still had his.
Drip.
Blood droplet hit his lips.
He licked it.
Condition met.
His choice now.
“Left that one hand for one reason. To let you choose my terms.”
“Kreeeek…….”
“Accept? You live again. Reject? You die.”
His eyes rolled to empty air.
Vampire job prompt, choices up.
His hand twitched.
Index finger pointed.
‘Yes’ or ‘No’?
Stopped left.
‘Yes.’
Vampire path chosen.
He roared.
“Kraaaaaah!!!”
Convulsed like electrocuted. Blood burst from his mouth. Green goo from every orifice.
Zombie to vampire mutation.
Nothing like the 2D PC screen.
Foul stench filled the hall. Death-scream pierced eardrums.
I watched, smiling.
Plan worked.
Jeongwoo, fighting zombies, plugged his ears and backed off slow.
“Kim Cheonjae!!”
“Stop! Stay back!”
“……Got it!”
Light flared from Park Dongpal’s body. Fangs shot from his mouth.
Hair turned blond.
Pupils, nails, claws—crimson.
Body bulked to ripped muscle.
Park Dongpal, twenty-something prime.
Vampire trait: youthified.
“Haa…. Haa….”
“Dongpal. You with us?”
“Ch-Cheonjae. Kim Cheonjae. You… saved me. If not for that damn Yoo Sora….”
“……Uncle. See your status window?”
“St-status…. This?”
His eyes shifted air—checking his status.
“What’s your job say?”
“V-Vamp… ire. Vampire.”
“Vampire confirmed?”
“Y-yeah.”
All conditions met.
My kitchen knife blade gleamed.
Whoosh—
Crack!
“Now die!”