Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: Metal Plague Vanishes - 1
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It was a statement from the mid-February auction house.
Coming from the government's promotional auction item comment section, its credibility was rock-solid.
However, the survivors had no clue what to do next.
It had been ages since they'd laid eyes on any metal besides magic metal.
To them, metal was like a ghost from the long-lost old world.
The Metal Plague disappearing was great, but the question lingered: What the hell are we supposed to do now?
The Korean Shelter offered a clear vision.
Ogres were the exception, but it was clear most monsters stood no chance against guns.
And wasn't there an Ogre Killer right there in the Korean Shelter?
An Ogre showing up was shocking enough, but someone actually taking it down? That was mind-blowing.
This time, no one doubted it—the corpse was sitting pretty on the art museum grounds.
Hard to get a close look with monsters swarming, but its sheer presence was undeniable.
People finally got it.
Monsters like that were going to keep popping up. Want to live? Better join a faction.
That was the issue.
Current survivors were all heavy hitters with grudges big and small.
Get them in one spot, and friction would spark explosions—it was obvious.
Leadership would mediate, but ability users swallowing that? Questionable.
But some couldn't join the Korean Shelter.
Local faction leaders who'd built up too much to relocate easily.
They all said the same thing.
The government had hidden one of its reserve shelters.
Jang Won-taek, who'd ordered it sealed, never expected eternal secrecy.
He'd hoped for organized distribution, not this apocalypse frenzy.
Wouldn't sway those scrapping for survival and supplies, though.
Anyway, clanned groups shied from joining Korean Shelter.
Sharing hard-earned supplies and power? Idiotic.
Guns were key. Auction house buzz:
— Isn't this like military bunkers stocked with supplies?
— Bet they declared martial law then partied in secret.
— Anyone know bunker spots?
As always, no one knew exact bunker locations.
Those who did were dead; survivors holed up in Korean Shelter.
Plenty of potential, so clans nationwide started hunting bunkers.
Jang Won-taek and Lee Beom-seok clocked the moves but couldn't respond yet.
Moving underground shelter gear to the surface took priority.
People packed up, claiming spots in intact buildings.
The Korean Shelter was finally taking shape.
The Korean Shelter wasn't just one building.
It was the commercial district in front of the National Assembly.
A ring of barricades around several undamaged structures, people living inside.
Totem kept zombie raids at bay, but nosy monsters poked around.
Gunfire echoed from day one of the move.
We hauled our first load and claimed a decent building.
"Geom-in first for the dimension gate quest. Here."
I dropped my backpack and gear on the floor.
Geom-in's eyes bugged out at the resurrection scroll.
"You sure about giving this to me?"
"Better not need it. Fail, and the quest's scrapped. Risk's too high."
Geom-in looked fragile, but he packed multiple traits—a top-tier ability user.
If he flopped, no point in others trying.
Loaded him with items and a gun—failure odds near zero, but...
I opened the dimension gate.
Geom-in touched it and yelped.
"Weird message popped up?"
I paired him with Dingo and Pungdeongi.
"You'll nail it. Catch you later."
"...I'll make it happen."
Geom-in stepped through.
The rest? No work, just fidgeting for the gate to reopen.
"Feels exactly like exam season."
Everyone nodded at Yu-hyun's quip.
Pass or fail—that was the question.
I clapped for attention.
"Quest'll take time. Everyone, jobs: haul gear, clean up."
"Sung-ho, those two high school kids are MIA."
Hyung-jun hyung said, lugging stuff in.
The pair whose names I could barely recall hadn't shown lately.
Yeoul, peering out the window, chimed in.
"They went to Kim So-ryeong. Wanna try guns."
"Not joining us?"
"Stuck to her side now. Dig the shooting, I guess."
Their call—no skin off my back.
Choices and fallout were theirs alone.
I rounded everyone up.
"Anyone itching to bail elsewhere? No funny business from me—you leave quiet, done."
No hands.
"So, safe to say you wanna bunk in my dimension gate?"
Yeoul raised hers.
"But uncle."
"Shoot."
"Inside the gate, can't exit solo?"
"Not if I don't open it."
"Trapped then?"
"Meals? Gate opens three times daily."
"Hm... other outs?"
"Emergency? Ping auction house. I'll check."
"Cool."
"More Qs?"
Yeoul broke the ice; questions flooded.
Most self-answering inside. Handled.
"Sung-ho, quick word."
Hyung-jun waved me over, cig in mouth.
"Hoo... vibe's good, hate killing it. Can't join yet."
"Sister-in-law?"
"Yeah. Haven't told her, but she wants the main shelter."
His new 30s flame—homely, quiet, gov shelter survivor.
Trait yes, combat no. Hated monster fights.
No room for that here.
Dimension gate meant work, fights.
"Time comes, holler. Not vanishing."
"Sorry, man."
"Hyung's got nothing to apologize for."
"Fair..."
Long smoke exhale.
Half-year spark, bad fit.
His mess.
Meddle in romance? Lose big.
Three dropouts from plan.
Final count: eight in the gate, me included.
"Yeoul's the wildcard..."
Yu-hyun match trait, but girl—solo fight unproven.
Teamed before, never solo.
"Can delay if needed."
Shelter ain't mobile.
Rooftop, cracked the looted drone case.
"Damn... rich folk toys."
Leagues beyond mine.
Size, weight, cams—elite.
Range? Kilometers easy.
Setup, launch: swarm of hornets illusion.
"Insane."
Flew perimeter, feed live.
Surface Korean Shelter: massive footprint.
Barricades locked down National Assembly commercial zone.
"Walls piled too..."
Seok-hyun and Da-jeong guarded builders.
Village-scale shelter.
Broad defenses, but manpower covered it.
"Guards signal, guns issued for defense... solid."
Jang favored central arms control over handouts.
Smart—armed roughnecks? Chaos.
Drone shift: crowds jamming barricade-wall gap.
Joiners, armed rough.
Faces obscured, lives etched in grit.
"Won't play nice inside."
Numbers breed clashes.
Apocalypse amps emotion, violence.
Life-or-death stakes.
Lucky me: sidelines.
"Hang till stable... then bounce."
Or bolt early.
Yongsan bunker mapped—slow loot fine.
Smooth sailing till spring.
"Erosion creeps—countermeasures now."
Building vines biting? Nope.
Monsters, people enough before.
Now environment turns foe.
"Game? Respawn. Reality? One life."
Ongdalsam saves me.
Musing, gunshots cracked.
Monsters mobbed spotters.
Hyun-woo led uniformed squad to hold.
Asphalt slick with blood, guts.
Never-ending.
Lucky break.
Geom-in returned unscathed, scroll unused.
Midnight gate burst—night watch Yu-hyun jumped.
"Geom-in's back!"
Lights flickered in dorm offices; sleepy crew gathered.
Geom-in shed gear, plopped Pungdeongi atop Dingo.
"Truly thanks. You guys saved my ass."
Hand: three gleaming golden Aetherstones.
Sung-ho arrived soon; tribute paid, gate entry granted.
"Whoa?"
Inside Sung-ho's shelter, eyes popped.
Lush forest encircled—just like he'd dreamed.
"Whoa... jackpot."
Cave door, panel clearing, hut—spot-on from tales.
Distant workers Seok-hyun, Da-jeong sprinted over.
"Geom-in!"
"Welcome! Huge welcome!"
Lions eyeing savanna gazelle.
"Uh, uh?"
Dragged to mini forklift seat.
"Controls incoming—wrap this job. Like so..."
No breather—Geom-in dug in.
Sung-ho strolled by.
"This is shelter. Maintain it right."
"..."
Seated, scanned.
Summer swelter, birdsong unknown.
Beyond palisade: hump-backed boar herd.
Yes. Here.
Geom-in steeled up.
His home now.
Time to flex old skills—fortify safe.
Parked forklift, bolted to Sung-ho.
"Drone borrow?"
"Go for it. Why?"
"Air recon, expand. Hate current layout."
Shelter haphazard patchwork.
Sung-ho grinned.
"All yours."
Geom-in dove into cave, pumped.
Old-timers eyed his exit.
"Tsk tsk... Sung-ho snared another."
"Work slave for life now."
Sung-ho scowled, shooed them.
"Your asses too."
Entered? Work inescapable.
End of Metal Plague Vanishes - 1