Chapter 169
Chapter 169
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 169
Chapter Title: Metal Plague Dissipation - 3
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The apocalypse had brought death to the city.
The cars that once clogged the roads during rush hour were long gone.
In their place stood grotesque monsters.
And only a handful of humans were fighting them off, desperately clinging to survival.
Vroooom—
A deep exhaust rumble echoed down the road.
The survivors, in the middle of preparing dinner, jumped in surprise and peeked outside by pulling back the curtains.
"What the hell is that motorcycle?"
"Oh, I get it. They must've pulled it out of the Korean Shelter."
"Lucky bastard... He's got a girl riding behind him."
"Hey, look over there!"
The siblings Mun Dae-ho and Mun So-yun pressed against the window, watching the woman behind draw her sword and slice an orc's neck.
Blood sprayed into the air, and the headless orc collapsed limply.
"No way that's real... Right, oppa?"
"Riding a motorcycle is crazy enough, but that too?"
"But the guy in front... Doesn't he look familiar?"
"Dunno about that..."
The siblings tore into their tasteless store-bought bread and jerky.
The few survivors in Seoul who hadn't joined any factions were in dire straits.
Winter had passed, and their food supplies had run dry.
The mountains of groceries in supermarkets had been devoured by monsters, and what little remained in residential areas was gone.
With everyone desperately scrounging for food, it was inevitable.
Now, all they could rely on were the Time Shelters—but those belonged to factions, out of reach for unaffiliated loners like them.
There were rumors that folks in the provinces had already raided Time Shelters, but Seoul was different.
Too many factions salivating over them.
Too many monsters, and too much scrutiny to make any progress.
That's why the siblings were heading south with one other person, hoping to join the Korean Shelter.
The man, who had called up the auction house to check something, spoke up.
"That's Kimbap Lover."
"Pardon?"
"Kimbap Lover's riding around with a girl on the back?"
"Probably Duck Down Quack riding pillion."
Yi Sang-sin's words made Mun Dae-ho mutter something about how her butt looked big, earning a scolding from his sister.
"You got a real nice view there."
"What can I do? It's right there."
"I figured Duck Down Quack had a weird ID, but damn, it fits."
"You know them, Sang-sin-ssi?"
He shook his head and sat down.
"I know them, but they probably don't know me."
"No way... You're a viewer of Kimbap Lover's streams, aren't you?"
"Poor Man was kinda famous. Me? Not so much..."
Yi Sang-sin, a telekinetic in his thirties, said that as he spoke.
He could handle even werewolves if he had backup, juggling five long knives.
Strong as he was, he hadn't joined a clan—for reasons unknown.
So-yun chewed her bread with a grimace and asked,
"But Sang-sin oppa. About Kimbap Lover—you said he was huge, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I think he might be someone we know. We ran into a guy in the Gangdong District dungeon before."
"He was wearing protective gear and a backpack, built like a tank. So-yun attacked him, but he didn't even flinch."
Sang-sin moistened his throat with jerky and forced down the store bread.
Frankly, whoever made this bread deserved hell.
"Hmm... If it was Kimbap Lover, that attacker would've been dead on the spot. He doesn't let anyone who attacks him off easy."
"Yeah, figured. Guess not."
There was a reason back then, but they didn't know it.
The three grimaced as they swallowed the bread.
Sang-sin muttered to himself,
"Man, I miss gukbap..."
"Why gukbap of all things? There's tons of tastier stuff."
"Gukbap's the best in the world."
The siblings didn't quite agree but let it slide.
What weird tastes, they thought.
Trait Changed:Monster Domination
Dajeong had reached level 30.
It was thanks to roaming Yongsan District and slicing through monsters like crazy.
Mobility definitely made leveling up easier.
Her trait had evolved into Monster Domination, just as she'd guessed.
From now on, she could control and command monsters.
That was great, but as she read the messages, Dajeong suddenly grumbled.
"What the hell is this? Why do I have to cough up an Etherstone? You gave me one before."
"That one's in my dimension gate."
"Ugh."
She clung to my back, fuming.
"Hand over an Etherstone quick."
The shelter had spares, but they were for the golem, so tough to spare.
Then the exclusive dimension gate opened.
I reached back and patted her butt playfully.
"It's right there."
"..."
She had nothing to say.
Dajeong hopped off my back and tried shoving my arm into the dimension gate.
But it felt like a wall.
I waved her off.
"Grab your backpack and go farm some Etherstones."
I opened the gate, and she trudged out with her ghoul and gear, looking defeated.
Fungdeung-i and Dingo too.
After Dajeong left for her quest, I scouted outside.
We were at a cafe on the National Museum grounds.
The monster-free site felt desolate, the central pond half-melted into a muddy swamp.
No people either. Not yet.
"Those guys might show up..."
I opened the auction house, and Yuhyeon poked his head out of a dimension gate.
"Hyung, something up?"
"Dajeong hit 30. She's on a quest, so we're waiting here."
"Noona's already 30... Uh, we've prepped for the move."
"Hold on a sec."
The moving plan was simple.
Open a dimension gate and shift everything here.
Cross to the other world, head to the grounds, open another gate, and unload.
Using reality as a warehouse.
But dilemma: move first or treasures first?
"Gotta move first..."
Couldn't store treasures on damp bare ground.
Until we set up base, hope the thugs stayed away.
Or make sure they couldn't come.
"Hmm... Auction house."
I pulled up the auction house and checked listings.
The president had said the thugs smashed museum treasures, but no—they torched it.
Hannam-dong chaebols were blowing up my contacts.
"Let's see... Cipher text..."
I entered the cipher and checked listings. Kim Ji-eun's comment popped up.
—Fire at the museum. Didn't spread nearby, but the art inside's probably toast.
—Know who started it?
—Three guys. Used flame cans and gasoline. All men, weirdly wearing masks.
Flame cans?
Those are rare.
Felt off for just torching a museum.
Other listings showed people furious.
—Fucking assholes need to get wrecked. Bored enough to burn national treasures?
—National treasures? In our situation? Meaningless.
—No real value, but why touch 'em? They were just sitting there.
—That museum held over 30 national treasures. Over 100 treasures total. All gone.
—Half got wrecked by the Metal Plague anyway.
—Whatever, let's hunt these bastards. They roll as a trio—any way to track?
—Trio squads are common, no?
—Yeah, how to find 'em...
I played dumb and leaked info on the three masked men.
Immediate reactions.
—Saw those guys entering Hannam Hospital.
—Let's go! Find and smash!
Auction house was heating up.
Koreans still had some national pride left.
I sipped coffee, keeping in touch with Kim Ji-eun.
She'd flown a drone, reporting on the hospital.
—People gathering near the hospital now. At least five... Zombie raid worries me.
—They're used to it by now. No reaction from inside?
—Not yet... Oh, two just went in.
They know what's inside... Pretty brave.
Waited a bit, but no sounds.
—Haven't found 'em...? Hospital's quiet inside. Noisy outside.
Frustrating just listening.
Dajeong would take time, so I should check.
Opened the gate—Mi-kyung's face popped out.
Perfect.
"Mi-kyung-ah, can you move now?"
"Yeah. Where to, oppa?"
"Gotta check a nearby hospital."
"Unni's on a quest? ...Okay."
I stowed the bike, Mi-kyung hopped out, giggling as she linked arms.
"Buckle up tight."
Safety belt? Cute.
We arrived on a nearby church roof in a flash.
The hospital came into view, not far off.
"Small for a hospital."
"Land's expensive."
Let's see...
I focused my eyes, peering through the hospital annex.
Mi-kyung, curious, stared at my face then quickly smoothed her hair.
"Sorry! You were doing something important."
"Nah, not that big a deal. Just scoping ahead with a skill."
"Hng. I want one too."
"Someday."
"Gotta stick close to oppa."
Mi-kyung clung to my arm.
Nice feel, but Dajeong would've caused a scene.
Then screams.
A woman in nurse garb was chasing two men with elongated arms gripping one's throat.
Not a weird cosplay—her hand stretched like a tentacle.
"Gahk!"
Pain echoed here.
Man shuddered; she yanked him in.
Tentacle...
These freaks were never normal.
Subway doc used monster corpses as weapons; now tentacles.
Probably all hidden faction members like that.
I tapped Mi-kyung's shoulder.
"Dangerous. Get inside."
"I'm pretty strong too."
"Not enough. Go."
"Okay."
Mi-kyung wiggled back in; Seok-hyeon emerged.
He perked up at my story.
"Nurse after the doc?"
"Abilities are no joke. Looks like mind control... See? That fleeing guy's meek now."
"Mind control needs hand-holding, right?"
"Different method maybe. We know jack about them."
Seok-hyeon scratched his bald head.
"One thing I know: they're our enemies."
More than that—anything threatening survival is enemy.
Waiting tensely, the nurse vanished.
Blink?
How many traits do these bastards have?
"Can't stand it. Time to show 'em."
Seok-hyeon stood to drop trou; I desperately stopped him.
"Please, Seok-hyeon."
No butt in my face.
I persuaded him.
"Let's check inside first. No monsters gathered yet."
"Fine."
We geared up and sneaked to the hospital.
Night had fallen; corridors pitch black.
Shade Grapes helped a bit.
Footsteps upstairs rattled nerves.
Seok-hyeon tilted his head, then jumped, smashing the ceiling.
"Wait—"
Bam! Bam!
Punches punched holes.
My fists would've shattered; guy's tough.
We climbed to the second floor.
Three guys descending stairs—masked. Gotta be them.
I approached.
"Hey."
"What."
"You torch the museum?"
"So?"
"Why not leave it? Valuable stuff."
"Haha... Valuable..."
Lead mask smirked.
"Maybe to you. Not us."
Another stepped up.
"Not some cheap justice boner, right? Kimbap Lover, mass murderer."
They know me.
Seok-hyeon picked his nose.
"You got a justice complex or something?"
"Nah."
I closed in.
They froze; I said,
"Sorry, no justice here."
"Then why come?"
"To kill you."
Masks laughed in unison.
"No pardon? Gonna waste a revival scroll? Shame."
"Not your average thugs."
"Nope..."
Chill from behind.
I sensed it, leaped aside with Seok-hyeon.
Blood-soaked nurse appeared.
Ripped mouth grinned wide.
"Wanted to meet you..."
Crack!
Seok-hyeon charged, smashed her head.
She reeled but lived, tentacle-slapping him away.
"Scram! Not you!"
"Then who?"
"Him."
Tentacle pointed at me.
Dodged, but it tracked my chest.
Seok-hyeon wiped blood, stood by.
"Sung-ho's popular."
"Popularity with freaks ain't worth shit."
"Heh heh heh..."
Nurse twitched shoulders laughing.
"Been too long... Wanted you bad, Kimbap Lover. You can't pretend not to know me."
She wants chat.
Honestly, curious about their deal.
"Who're you?"
"Kim Ddam-eok."
What?
Not "Kim Wants-to-Eat-Kimbap-Lover," right?
Seok-hyeon gripped my shoulder seriously.
"That's your stalker. The one tailing you."
"..."
Seems legit.
Stalker who only griefed me.
Low level, but targeted my death—high success rate.
Annoying then; who knew here?
I exhaled slowly, scanned her.
"How'd you end up like this? Not from awakening, right?"
"Call this glorious form ugly?"
Nurse undid her top.
Buttons popped; voluptuous body revealed.
Bigger than Dajeong's.
But monster bod? Meh.
"Eyes hurt. Cover up."
Window shattered; furry werewolf leaped in.
Dajeong clung to its back, tumbling into the hall.
Quest done already.
She headbutted wall, wobbled up.
"Who the fuck you flirting with now, bitch?"
"Kim Ddam-eok... Don't know me?"
"Oh, right. Kimbap's stalker. Didn't know nurse."
"Heh heh..."
Nurse catwalked over, tentacles writhing.
"I could satisfy Kimbap Lover for hours... How 'bout joining us?"
Dajeong scoffed.
"He goes all day. So fuck off."
Nurse blinked stunned.
"All... day?"
Ahem.
Not bragging, but true.
She trembled, lashed tentacles.
Seok-hyeon blocked me.
End of Metal Plague Dissipation - 3