Chapter 157
Chapter 157
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 157
Chapter Title: This Area's Lunatics Are Us - 4
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Why are there so many monsters here when this isn't even a forest?
It felt like every monster in the area had swarmed us.
The chill hadn't fully worn off yet, but this had to be the doctor's doing.
We huddled together and fired at the oncoming horde.
Our ammo consumption kept rising until we'd burned through more than half.
The grenades had run out long ago.
There were so many monster corpses piled up that it was getting hard to move properly.
While my friends held off the monsters, I quickly slipped into the entrance of the backup shelter.
Only I could dash down to the shelter and haul up supplies that fast.
Shiii―
I dropped through the dark passage, opening a dimension gate to slip inside.
Then I exited the gate and fell the remaining distance.
I landed in the dark bunker.
"Damn these bastards."
Boxes were smashed in spots here and there.
The raiders must have siphoned off a good chunk of my supplies.
"Just you wait until this is over."
I'll track them down to the end and take it all back.
Opening the boxes one by one, there wasn't much useful left after all.
The backup shelter was just that—a backup.
It was obvious they'd just shoved random stuff in without much care, nothing crucial.
What mattered now weren't daily necessities, but military supplies.
I quickly scanned the box inventory.
"No heavy weapons, huh."
If they're gone, we'll make do without.
I cracked open every gun and ammo box, stuffing them into the dimension gate.
In the process, I hit the jackpot finding a grenade crate in the corner.
"Why the hell is this buried in clothes?"
Proof they'd shoved it in hastily.
Inside the box were neatly packed olive-drab triple grenades.
From the color, they weren't training dummies—these were live rounds.
I recalled how to throw a grenade.
"Pull safety clip, yank pin, throw."
One, two, three, boom.
Memories of grenade training from years ago flooded back.
Land it in the pit's circle for store credit, they said—but it turned out to be meaningless later.
But now, I had to throw even more accurately than back then.
To survive.
I dumped the entire grenade crate into the dimension gate.
Then I pulled the clips on a few and stored them in my dimension slot.
Everyone except Seok-hyun was untrained, so they'd just need to pull the pin and toss.
"Topub is... better not."
Handing a grenade to that guy? Better to be short on firepower.
He might dive into the monster pack like a human grenade and blow himself up.
He might be fine, but spare a thought for those watching the spectacle.
"No, wait—even Seok-hyun wouldn't come out unscathed from a grenade."
Thinking of the shrapnel spray on explosion, at least moderate injuries were guaranteed.
"...I'll throw them all myself."
Better me throwing from the dimension slot than handing them over.
I climbed up using the dimension walls.
Practice had made it way faster than before.
Peeking out the entrance, monster corpses were piled high around us.
The three were resisting fiercely, but the monsters' numbers were just too, too overwhelming.
"The grenades will handle it."
I opened my dimension slot, grabbed a grenade, and yanked the pin.
"Hey! Fall back a bit!"
At my shout, my friends scattered back like cockroaches.
I hurled it far, hearing the fuze activate.
Then, an explosion rocked the center of the monster horde.
Boom.
A ground-burst grenade packed a heavy punch.
The ground shook briefly, and mangled monster guts sprayed everywhere.
We all gawked with mouths agape.
Way more powerful than expected.
"Wh-what? Grenades? Where'd you get those?"
"Found 'em behind the clothes—they must've missed them!"
"Ah, got it."
Dajeong nodded and resumed firing, while the other two barely paid attention.
Makes sense—they'd fired rocket launchers and grenades before; what's a hand grenade?
Then, monsters parted in the tunnel, revealing the white-coated doctor.
I chucked a grenade at him without a word.
The lanky doctor flicked his finger, and a big-mouthed ghoul snatched the grenade mid-air and swallowed it.
Then boom.
The doctor took the monster shrapnel head-on and grinned.
"Greetings."
At those words, the surging monster wave hesitated.
They retreated like a lie.
Dajeong panted.
"What, wanna talk now?"
"Exactly. You lot are worth talking to. Unlike the test subjects."
Test subjects... the humans that became the Sniffers' base.
Everyone glanced at me, and I stowed the grenade in my slot.
The doctor's milky eyes gleamed.
"Space ability user... just as we hoped. We've been waiting. Come, to our embrace."
Before I could speak, Dajeong blocked my path.
"He's mine already, so dream on."
Dajeong's doing great.
"A woman destined to be queen of monsters. But useless to us."
"Useless?"
Offended, Dajeong gritted her teeth.
The doctor cackled eerily and stepped forward slowly.
Seok-hyun blocked him.
"Come closer and I'll spank your ass."
"Oh... a revival ability user fearless of death. But you have limits."
Geom-in stepped up too, and the doctor appraised him.
"A multi-ability user this time. Not even awakened yet. Harvest later."
...What the hell is this guy?
He perfectly read our abilities—not your average lunatic.
Suddenly, I wanted his take on me.
Pushing past my friends, I advanced; he extended a bony arm.
Bloodstained surgical glove—clearly not human at a glance.
"You're all we need now, space user. Come. Become one with us."
"Sorry, but I don't wanna merge with something that's neither human nor monster."
"This hand? Pity. Think of all it could do..."
"That's exactly why. You'd just mod me into a Sniffer, right?"
He twisted into a grin.
"Wasting a space ability like yours on a test subject? Rest easy. Only the thunder baldies and the woman for that."
Dajeong crossed her arms.
"So what's your goal? You gave Joo Seung-chul that revival scroll before, right? What do you want?"
His chilling white eyes scanned us one by one.
"To become one."
"We already are."
Dajeong grabbed my arm and hugged it.
The doctor slowly peeled off his glove, revealing a grotesquely mutated hand.
"Just copulation for pleasure? Pathetic... Hand him over. I'll put him to good use."
Suddenly, Seok-hyun and Dajeong got fired up.
"No way in hell."
"Seong-ho, stay back!"
They charged the doctor.
Monsters blocked, ghouls leaped out.
Chaos erupted in seconds; I quickly fired the M72 and told Geom-in,
"Buy time if they get separated."
"Keep 'em dazed with gunfire? Got it."
We wheeled around, tackling the closing monsters.
Pouring bullets with intent to obliterate everything, hurling grenades.
Numbers were insane; some closed to point-blank, but dimension walls and prisons got us out.
Almost done now.
Hundreds down to dozens; I left the rear to Geom-in and turned.
The doctor pressed Seok-hyun and Dajeong with his mutated hand and monsters.
What the hell's his trait?
"Pitiful abilities challenging me!"
His hand elongated into razor blades, slashing.
Seok-hyun, bare-fisted, flipped back but couldn't dodge the gut slice.
Blood knit instantly, but he clutched his belly in pain.
Bare hands are too much, as expected.
I tossed him the mithril blade.
"Use this!"
"Thanks!"
As Seok-hyun charged again, Dajeong tanked forward.
But a tank monster burst from behind the doctor, tackling her.
She bit her lip, spinning to counter.
Some mantises flared up, but the doctor's hammer-hand crushed them.
Splat!
Screeech!
The wall-smashed mantis lost its head, legs twitching.
"Strong..."
Nothing else to say.
Seemed stronger than the Sniffers.
Rockets left, but no kill confidence.
I shouldered the M72, flicked the safety.
And yelled,
"Spread left and right!"
Seok-hyun and Dajeong glanced back and dove aside.
Opening appeared; Geom-in opened fire.
"Krrgh!"
Doctor shielded his face with arms, tanking bullets.
I squeezed the trigger instinctively; fierce backblast roared.
Boom!
Warhead exploded, sweeping nearby monsters.
Dust settled to a gruesome scene.
Incredibly, the doctor lived.
Both arms gone, but still kicking.
"Insane..."
Dajeong muttered; even Seok-hyun tensed.
What kind of monster is that?
"Grraaagh! Arrrgh!"
The doctor writhed, extending stumps to fallen corpses.
Dozens of tentacles sprouted from the ruins, wrapping bodies.
New arms formed.
Panting hard, clearly drained.
"Haa, haa... you're making this tough..."
How much longer can he last?
I drew another M72; he'd retreated behind monster shields.
A chilling voice echoed through the tunnel.
"Quite the greeting... see you next time..."
Next time?
Sorry, no next time.
I signaled friends, tossed two grenades each.
They nodded, mimicking clip removal and pin pull.
One shot.
Last firepower barrage to strip monster cover, then Geom-in tanks the tank.
"Drop the grenades on him—you can do it, right?"
"Y-yeah."
Old Geom-in would've feared close approach; not now.
Signal given; Dajeong and Seok-hyun unleashed bullets.
Monsters clogged, blocking fleeing doctor; grenades flew.
Kaboom.
Monsters shredded without screams.
Last tank exposed; Geom-in flashed vision and vanished.
Blinked behind it.
Doctor turned, confused—but tanks gone, just two armed grenades.
"You little shi—"
Boom!
Surrounding monsters pulped; doctor engulfed in titanium shards, howling.
"Gaaaah!"
"Dajeong! Seok-hyun!"
The tank the blinked doctor rode was clueless, brawling the charging duo.
I quickly handed Geom-in the M72.
"Better you fire."
"I'd be the killer."
"Oh."
Geom-in aimed at the shrieking doctor.
I guided his finger to the button.
"Finish this, then rest in the dimension gate."
"...Yeah."
Rocket launched; warhead nailed the doctor's face.
Boom.
Massive blast filled the tunnel.
Doctor vaporized; most monsters caught in the explosion, instant deaths.
Geom-in exhaled, dropping the launcher.
I clapped his shoulder.
"You did amazing today."
"B-but messages are pouring in."
No time to check.
Still monsters left.
We finished the tank, dumped remaining ammo into the horde.
Battle winding down.
Hyun-woo and two soldiers cautiously descended into the subway station.
Almost no intel from outside.
President ordered no entry, but Hyun-woo wanted info.
They took firing stances, flashing around.
Dead quiet, like nothing there.
"Why so quiet?"
"Battle not over?"
"Then monsters should remain."
"Escaped through tunnels."
Hyun-woo assumed monster victory.
Even well-armed, helpless against hundreds.
Veteran status useless in such fights, he thought.
Probably just cleaning corpses...
President sent them, but they agreed.
Hyun-woo inwardly bid veterans farewell.
Descending platform stairs, thick gunpowder and blood reek wafted up.
Flashes revealed horror.
Floor carpeted in monster corpses.
"...Urk!"
Weak-stomached Lt. Im covered his mouth.
Capt. Jo held breath, flashing—spotted four people.
"S-Sir, there..."
Hyun-woo gritted teeth, staring.
Looked much like when leaving Yongsan bunker.
Except Bunny Duo stark naked.
"Blinding us—kill the flash."
Seong-ho's voice.
Capt. Jo shut it off; four ascended stairs.
Hyun-woo finally saw their state clearly.
Not unscathed—caked in blood and dust.
"Wh-what happened?"
Hyun-woo asked, but Seong-ho pointed down without answering.
"Curious? Check yourself. We're resting."
"...Need results for report."
"We'll report inside later. Butt out."
Hyun-woo bit his lip unseen.
No grounds to interfere—not his mission.
Four vanished topside; Hyun-woo and men hurried down.
Worse below.
"Ugh!"
Lt. Im puked at scattered chunks and blood pools.
They gaped at fierce battle traces.
Hundreds of monsters confirmed.
And four veterans killed them all.
"My god... all of them..."
Never imagined possible.
Not open field—cramped space.
Hyun-woo reported to president immediately.
―All monsters dead in that tight space? Strong ones?
―Yes... orcs and enhanced ghouls plenty. This one's tank-like... head severed.
―Heh... give 'em real weapons, they go wild.
Dangerous bunch.
Hyun-woo's view—guns would curb them—utterly wrong.
Veterans with guns got way stronger. Obvious.
Exaggerating that in report, Jang Won-taek smiled.
―Beyond imagination. We'll need their help often.
―That power might turn on us, sir.
―They're allies now, aren't they?
Hyun-woo couldn't grasp president's trust.
Post-Metal Plague, would they keep cooperating?
'Need precautions.'
Meantime, four veterans swarmed Chunui Station, gleefully looting raiders.
"Hand it all over."
Raiders handling transport, poorly armed, surrendered.
Seong-ho left bare survival scraps, dimensioned the rest.
Four vanished somewhere.
Saved raiders cursed.
"Fuck."
"Where'd these psychos come from..."
The End of "This Area's Lunatics Are Us - 4"