Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: Monopolizing is Fun - 4
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Breaking through the entrance wouldn't be hard.
I just had to have Ppashing and Dingo fire the ballista.
Even shooting nearby would be enough to make their blood run cold.
"We could take them down one by one with paralyzing poison, too."
I'd been saving up paralyzing poison without using it, so I had a decent amount now.
But the method I chose was chili bombs.
The area near the entrance was narrow with poor ventilation.
Perfect conditions for the chili bombs to shine.
Of course, I couldn't stop them from running away, but that was exactly what I wanted.
"Once they go out, they can't come back in..."
The guys waiting outside could only twiddle their thumbs until I emerged, which was even better.
They probably couldn't stick around nearby because of the monsters anyway.
In other words, I just had to deal with those smoking cigarettes at the entrance.
As I picked chilies and made bombs, I spotted a few people passing by.
The ones blocking the entrance barked orders arrogantly.
"Empty your backpacks."
"No, we're not with that guy."
"Prove it right here."
"Why should we have to prove anything?"
"Come on, let's all make a little compromise."
Harsh exchanges like that went back and forth.
But they weren't fighting, so they must really want to get out quick.
Or maybe they hated me that much.
"Customers, you're about to leave soon."
Of course, what I'd serve at their table wasn't looted items—it was chili bombs.
I cheerfully finished coating them with sap.
Come spring, this method would get harder to use, so I'd need to think of something else.
"Ppashing and the others can handle that..."
I felt the guys listening nearby flinch and shudder.
Ahem. Maybe I was pressuring them too much.
Anyway, time to start the game.
The rules were simple.
Breathe in the smoke rising from the chili bombs and run outside.
If they thought it was nothing and tried to tough it out, they'd learn what hell on earth really meant.
No one here probably had a skill to block their sense of smell.
"Get ready..."
I loaded a chili bomb into my slingshot and took aim.
Positioning was key to treat all the customers.
Shooting the ceiling would be best.
Imagine the bull-horn chili powder pouring down on their heads, straight into eyes and noses—pure bliss.
I pictured it and released my finger.
"Fire!"
Something went pop and shattered, so I fired another shot.
As the powder rained down on their heads, reactions were immediate.
"Huh?"
They all sniffed the air.
The scent creeping in through the cigarette smoke must be killer, right?
Their noses wrinkled, and what came out wasn't coughs but groans.
"Hngh!"
"Heuk!"
Even indirect exposure to bull-horn chili powder was deadly—being doused in it? Agony beyond words.
People clawed at their heads, howling in pain.
"Huaaaak! Kek!"
"Po-ho, breathing! Ho! B-burniiiing..."
Glad you're enjoying the meal, Gogh-nim.
People dropped one by one, and I donned my gas mask before heading into the dungeon.
Careful not to step on them, someone suddenly grabbed my ankle.
"Y-you..."
Spotting me even in delirium? Impressive guy.
As a reward, I stomped his hand hard.
"Huaaaaoook!"
He let out some bizarre scream.
Told you to just lie there.
Now the entrance was wide open.
I gauged the spacing and opened my dimension gate.
Right now, my gate was open just outside the dungeon's entrance gate.
Impossible for anyone to spot me in that brief exposure.
Gas mask on, they wouldn't see my face anyway.
Perfect.
I crossed both gates in one go.
I could wait now, but I wanted to hide somewhere else and observe.
Fireworks to draw eyes would be good.
"A few seconds..."
That'd be enough for me to burst from the gate and bolt to the nearest building.
I lit the fuses on two fireworks and hurled them far away.
Bam-bam-boom!
Flashes and sparks erupted in the pitch-black night, drawing short gasps from the crowd.
I seized the moment, dashed out the gate, and ran.
No one noticed me.
"That bastard better show his face."
That was the thought in most people's minds.
The dungeon monopolizer was definitely inside.
So he'd have to come out the exit.
But some thought differently.
The guy sneaked in unknown to anyone and swept it clean.
So maybe he'd slip out the same way?
Fooling everyone's eyes completely was possible too.
That's why a few were only watching the entrance.
Vowing to smash him if he emerged.
But even they couldn't resist turning at the fireworks display.
It was just too flashy.
Tatata-tak! Peeyoong! Boom!
The big fireworks exploded fiercely with flashes and blooms of fire, and the entrance guards unwittingly looked away.
In those few seconds, the sweeper vanished, of course.
Realizing they'd been tricked, they scanned around, but Sung-ho was already far gone.
So-yoon and Dae-ho, walking after parting with Hyun-woo, crossed paths with him by chance.
So-yoon sensed a presence and tensed up.
"Oppa, hold on. Someone's behind us."
"...Where about?"
"Inside that shop."
Her sharp eyes spotted Sung-ho's hiding spot right away.
It felt like a beast crouched there.
Even in the dark, his outfit stood out clearly.
Tall guy in a gas mask.
The bow sticking out over his backpack screamed "survivor's base set."
Staring at the gas mask man, something boiled up inside her.
After suffering in the dungeon and getting suspected, they got nothing—and it pissed her off.
'That guy hogged it all, huh?'
Sudden rage was natural for any human.
Her hot temper meant quick action.
Before Dae-ho could stop her, she charged at Sung-ho.
Fast.
Sung-ho had been watching her closely but never expected a rush.
Feisty girl.
He considered drawing his long knife but saw she was unarmed.
'Hyun-woo's group, so I can't get rough.'
Thinking that, he crouched and blocked her incoming body shot.
"Heuk."
So-yoon was shocked a man blocked her punch so easily.
Most physical ability users wouldn't even try!
And his strength was insane—her full-force punch didn't budge him.
This guy's strong...
A complaint slipped out.
"Why'd you do that?"
"Do what?"
"You hogged it all and ran, leaving us to take the blame."
"That's how second place works."
Most Survival Life events were like that.
"Who the hell are you? A vet?"
"Would you be alive if I was?"
She bit her lip and snap-kicked his chest.
Aiming to yank her fist free with the recoil.
Normally, the guy would've staggered back clutching his chest.
But Sung-ho grabbed her ankle and counter-kicked her gut.
"Hngh!"
She flew back, clutching her stomach as she stood.
That's when Dae-ho, who'd been watching, scowled.
"You..."
"This ends here."
The man drew his long knife.
Meaning he'd use it if they pressed.
He stepped back too, clearly signaling no attack from him.
Dae-ho chose to help his sister up instead of attacking.
The man nodded and vanished. So-yoon rubbed her belly.
"That guy was strong..."
"Belly okay?"
"Yeah. Just got pushed back."
"Good..."
Still, what kind of guy blocks an accelerator's attack like that?
So-yoon wasn't super strong, but she excelled at accelerating to hit weak spots.
Yet he brushed it off.
Ever met an instant accelerator before?
"Oppa, isn't it weird? Sneaking into a dungeon unknown to anyone, killing all monsters, hogging it all? And blocking my attack?"
"We saw it. Possible, I guess."
"No, I mean, what’s his trait? Even with add-ons, a trait's core doesn't vanish."
"True..."
Dae-ho couldn't guess his trait either.
Fooling people and escaping screamed stealth, but blocking his sister easily screamed physical.
A real chameleon.
His sister seemed intrigued by the guy.
But in the apocalypse, getting curious about a mystery man was dangerous.
They both knew it too well.
She kept glancing his way, still wanting more.
Not a crush on a first meeting—curiosity about strength.
Dae-ho patted her shoulder.
"We'll cross paths again someday."
"Oppa. Just curious, that's all."
"Got it. Let's head to base."
I climbed to the rooftop and found Hyun-woo muttering to himself.
Seemed like he was typing comments in the auction house.
"Yes. Someone entered first and cleared the dungeon. A few got hit bad and are hunting the killer now. No. Not physical attacks. Something like CS capsules—they're out of it. Yes."
Overhearing, he was reporting to someone in the government shelter.
Auction house was on, but encrypted comments hid the full convo.
"President or chief secretary, probably."
No one else would order Hyun-woo around.
Hyun-woo suddenly mentioned my ID.
"Kimbap Lover... Maybe, but he's in Gyeongnam now... Yes? Tok-gong and Duck Down Quack came to Seoul? Oh, then him too..."
These old guys get info fast.
Or maybe Seok-hyun and Da-jeong were advertising my presence?
Hyun-woo answered a bit then dropped something odd.
"Ah, because of Geom-in's shelter, huh. Safe from zombie raids... Sounds promising. Yes. On Incheon, I was gonna report in person, but... TL;DR: boat people. Hundreds just from what I saw."
Safe shelter from zombie raids?
Hundreds of boat people in Incheon?
Sounded important, so I perked up by the dimension gate.
Hyun-woo spilled intel oblivious to me eavesdropping.
"Confirmed from multiple sources: eastern China coast nukes had a radiation incident. But no confirmation on our west coast impact. Yes."
Eye-opening info.
I knew China had hundreds of reactors on its east coast.
Radiation accidents...?
The boat people's Chinese, then.
So they came to Incheon?
"What's wild is we can communicate. Same with Japanese landing in Busan—no Korean lessons, but it works. Yes."
Getting crazier.
Foreigners invading Korea for sure.
Home too dangerous?
Apocalypse means no kicking them out easy, so government shelters frustrated.
"Hoping they blend in's unrealistic."
National sentiment was ugly—no quiet coexistence.
Busy surviving monsters, now fighting foreigners too.
From Hyun-woo's talk, government worried about losing Incheon seas.
Makes sense—closest to Seoul.
After he left, I called Da-jeong via auction house.
She replied minutes later.
—Why? Got something tasty?
—Nah. Got questions. What's the president task?
—Dunno details. Just 'go here.'
—Incheon?
—How'd you know?
—Just overheard Hyun-woo... Captain Kim talking to government shelter. From Gimhae Battalion before.
—So?
I explained what I heard to Da-jeong.
She suddenly raged.
—That old bastard sent me for that? Testing no zombie raids?
—Don't explode yet. Need the truth, right?
—Truth my ass. Gonna smash Baegum-in. Wants experiments? Do it himself, not drag me in!
—Calm down...
Geom-in figuring zombie raid avoidance was impressive.
Whatever it was, Incheon's prepped for Da-jeong's test.
She's so strong, even if raids hit, no issue.
From her view, felt played by Geom-in.
I barely calmed her.
—Beat him later. Get info first. Hold back for me.
—Seeing you nude might cool me off?
What kinda perv is this?
—Show Seok-hyun.
—You don't know I'm on forced diet?
—Sudden diet?
—Your yellow undies kill my appetite.
Tok-gong's parading in panties without me, huh.
His choice.
I soothed her.
—Anyway, do as asked for now. Talk in Incheon later.
—Why Incheon sudden?
—You'll see there.
—Turning into that sly old bastard.
Am I?
After chat, I prepped for Incheon.
Hunting here's fine, but wanted truth on situation.
"Hundreds of Chinese in Incheon..."
Low chance of peace—clashes inevitable.
They'd band by nationality and fight.
Communication might make it worse.
I got no beef with Chinese specifically.
Assholes exist everywhere.
"World's full of assholes..."
Running a snack shop, you meet all types—tons of Karens.
Crazy ajusshi thinking I'm beneath him, barking orders.
Lunatic ahjumma saying she'll make kimbap, just pay ingredients.
Kid mom yelling baby food's free.
Dine-and-dash kids are cute, guy coughing in oden pot too.
Accident? Nah.
"Plenty good folks too."
But bad memories stick deep.
So my take: look after the few you trust.
Dogshit philosophy, whatever.
Woooow—
Werewolf howl hit, and bustling people froze.
I closed the dimension gate.
Sleep time today.
End of Monopolizing is Fun - 4