Chapter 190
Chapter 190
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: One Roof, Multiple Families - 2
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With the gryphon's appearance, the shopping district around Yeouido turned into a complete madhouse.
Flying monsters were something else entirely compared to walking ones.
As it soared proudly through the sky, even trolls howled in terror.
Of course, humans were no exception.
At this point in time, the gryphon was the apex predator of the ecosystem.
There was almost no way to kill it unless you poured bullets into it or landed a rocket right on target.
But here were two people setting out to hunt it with primitive methods.
Sung-ho stored his motorcycle in the dimensional warehouse and climbed up to the rooftop of a building with Mi-kyung.
Looking down, he saw the gryphon repeatedly attacking the monsters around it.
"Whoa... They're all running away..."
"If those talons catch you, every bone in your body gets crushed."
"And then what?"
"It drags you back to its nest and eats you slowly. Probably starts with your guts, so it'd peck at your belly, right?"
Sung-ho pretended to peck at Mi-kyung's stomach, and her face turned pale.
"There's nothing to eat there."
It looked that way to Sung-ho's eyes too.
She was petite and slim, without an ounce of excess fat.
He turned his head.
"That's what happens if you don't get your act together. Now we're gonna jump onto that thing's back."
"O-onto the gryphon's back?"
"Can't be helped since Soo-yeon needs to eat it."
Her combat ability was even worse than Yeoul's—she was the weakest of the weak.
Of course, hand her a gun and her combat power evened out quite a bit.
But the gryphon was a monster that was hard to take down with gunfire.
Its tough feathers blocked some of the impact, and its hide was thick too.
You could kill it surprisingly easily by getting close and unloading into its head, but such opportunities were rare.
Now was the time to create one.
Sung-ho patted Mi-kyung on the back.
"Just one Blink. Once you're on its back, I'll handle the rest. You can do it, right?"
"...I can do it."
"Good. Then here's what we do next..."
As Sung-ho explained the next step, she muttered in a daze.
"That's completely insane."
"We've done stuff like that before. And we're gonna keep doing it from now on."
The former referred to the veteran players, the latter to Sung-ho and Mi-kyung.
Her face crumpled as she looked down at the gryphon flapping its wings.
"Should we go now?"
"Hold on a sec."
Sung-ho pulled up the auction house and left a comment.
—Soo-yeon, prepare your guns. Come out when I open the dimension gate.
—Ah... The gryphon's here?
—Scoping it out right now. Not sure if it'll go smoothly, but anyway, I'll call you later.
—Got it, I'll get ready. Thanks.
Once the comments were done, Mi-kyung slyly climbed onto Sung-ho's back.
"...Why?"
"I-I'm not confident... Feels safer hanging onto you, oppa..."
"Grabbing onto gryphon feathers would be way safer than me."
"What if the feathers come loose?"
Sung-ho couldn't understand it, but he let it slide.
The important thing right now was her Blink.
He pulled out his mithril knife and jabbed his side.
Mi-kyung clamped her hand over her mouth.
It seemed too dangerous, even if it was to activate a skill.
"Doesn't it hurt, oppa?"
"Stings a little... But it's fine."
With the super regeneration skill, a wound like this would heal in no time.
Sung-ho pointed to his back and crouched down.
Mi-kyung climbed on gingerly, and he gazed down below with eyes already turning red.
He had to time it for the moment the gryphon snatched its prey with its talons.
Shiiieek—!
His super senses picked up the sound of flapping wings in his ears.
Without hesitation, he jumped from the railing.
Mi-kyung nearly screamed but focused her mind.
Failing the Blink here would mean she could never face Sung-ho again.
The instant she closed and opened her eyes, the two landed on the gryphon's back.
Precisely, right behind its neck.
"Nice one!"
Before it could twist in surprise, Sung-ho jammed two long knives into its back.
He avoided the mithril blades to prevent them from piercing clean through.
Queeeek!
The gryphon shot up into the sky from the intense pain.
The scream Mi-kyung had been holding back burst out.
"Mooommmmyyy!"
"It's fine! Just hold on!"
Sung-ho hung onto her while he did his work.
Slipping on his gloves, he punched into the gryphon's back, making it writhe in agony.
"Sorry, but hand over those skills."
Of course, the gryphon didn't agree.
Keeeeek!
It thrashed wildly to shake them off, but it was impossible.
Sung-ho was gripping the long knives.
Mi-kyung, clinging to his back, was on the verge of passing out.
The gryphon, wounded in multiple places, began plummeting powerlessly somewhere.
"Of all places, there."
Sung-ho tried to adjust their direction but failed.
Yeouido, home of the Korean Shelter, was drawing closer.
.
.
.
While Sung-ho's group was politely asking the gryphon's permission, a tense atmosphere hung over the Korean Shelter.
Not content with clashes between factions tied to Eun-won, an irreversible incident had occurred.
A murder.
Common in the apocalypse, but different when it happened inside the shelter.
The killer and victim were the two who had fought at the restaurant over Battle Royale.
They shouldn't have met, but faction instigation and mind games led them to a dark alley.
The fight happened, and a winner emerged.
But that didn't end it.
The victim's faction rose up.
They demanded an apology from the killer's faction, along with measures from Jang Won-taek to prevent recurrence and compensation.
An absurd situation.
Jang Won-taek summoned the leaders of both factions and heard them out.
Then he had a hunch.
The grudge and murder were just excuses.
What both factions really wanted were the guns and motorcycles in the warehouse.
In other words, they'd egged on the killer and victim to gain firepower and mobility.
They claimed it was unavoidable, but to Jang Won-taek, it was obvious.
He rejected their demands.
—I can't grant that. Go back.
They reacted furiously.
—What? You call us here and do this? What about countermeasures?
—This is ridiculous... Someone died, and nothing? You gonna let people keep dying?
—We're reviewing countermeasures.
—Always reviewing. Politician habits die hard.
—Just keep reviewing, huh? People dying and you don't care!
They left, and Jang Won-taek sighed emptily.
Then he spoke to Lee Beom-seok, who was glaring at the door.
—Looks like... my approach was wrong after all.
—No, sir. Your method was fine. It's just that my support was lacking.
—That's not it... Sigh... If only that person hadn't left...
Things wouldn't have escalated like this if Kim So-ryeong and the Striker Team were still around.
Without a solid armed force, the central leadership was exposed.
Jang Won-taek missed Sung-ho anew.
And felt powerless for not securing reliable aides.
Despite his efforts, he was just an old man left alone.
Reading his mood, Lee Beom-seok ventured.
—I'll make contact with Sang-shin.
He meant Lee Sang-shin, the Moon siblings including Dae-ho and So-yoon, Hyung-jun, and Ji-hye.
They'd returned from the Great Labyrinth with valuable info and gone into seclusion.
Wary of the rampaging factions.
But their combat power rivaled factions of over ten people.
Especially Sang-shin.
The top psychokinetic at present, he could even face a werewolf head-on—a terrifying ability user.
Excluding inhuman veterans, he was deemed the strongest.
Assuming no guns, of course.
Jang Won-taek was skeptical.
—Them...? You think it'll work?
—No one reliable right now. If we convince Sang-shin, the rest will follow.
—Convincing him's the hard part.
Sang-shin had an eccentric personality.
Seemed to aim for a smooth, easy life, but lit up at talk of gukbap.
Unfortunately, shelter conditions made gukbap hard to make.
The restaurant was closed—where would you hang a pot?
Possible if determined, but no one bothered.
Jang Won-taek decided.
—Ask him. If he'd stand by my side for a while.
—I'll bring good news.
.
.
.
After Lee Beom-seok left, Sang-shin's group talked it over.
Reactions were mostly negative.
The shelter's mood was rotten.
A powder keg ready to blow—siding with Jang Won-taek meant you couldn't handle the fallout.
So-yoon especially objected, veins bulging in her neck.
"That old guy's a joke. He knows everyone's bloodshot-eyed."
"You've got veins popping in your neck."
Ignoring her brother, she raised her voice.
"We gotta refuse, Sang-shin oppa. They're basically asking us to be their shield. What if the factions rise up?"
"...Yeah, probably."
But Hyung-jun's take differed.
"This could be our chance to become the shelter's core. If we play it right..."
"No, we can't be the core. People's grinding their teeth."
"Over the warehouse?"
"They were rioting in front of the office yesterday too. Saying open it up so we can arm ourselves."
Ridiculous.
They stirred the pot, now scared and demanding arms.
Others subtly agreed though.
Arming up to protect yourself was best right now.
Hyung-jun said wearily.
"Not like America's gun bait..."
Sang-shin, arms crossed, dropped a curveball.
"I just need gukbap. I'll side with whoever provides it."
"Plenty of wild boars outside. Catch one."
"Catching's not the end. Gotta butcher and prep—who's doing that?"
"Blood smell would draw every monster."
"That's the problem..."
Hyung-jun asked him.
"Why not go to Sung-ho? He seemed interested."
"That... side's a bit."
"Why? Something bad happen?"
"No, it's just... intimidating."
"Intimidating?"
"Feels like I'd have to hustle, make plans, raid together. Kinda yeah."
Now they got it.
Sang-shin was lazy.
The type to lie under an apple tree waiting for one to fall.
If none fell, he'd starve.
His high level came from knowing stuff.
Top psychokinetic? You'd imagine charisma, but Sang-shin wasn't.
Unshaven beard, shabby clothes.
Yet his eyes gleamed uniquely.
If he joined Sung-ho, he'd get big responsibilities.
That's what bugged him.
He flopped on the floor, legs crossed.
"Whatever happens to the world, I'll stay like this till the end."
"Keep lounging, you'll turn into a sloth."
So-yoon sniped, but he just grinned.
"Wish I could. Nice rest."
"Should shut my mouth."
Lazy as he seemed, he stepped up when needed.
He'd shredded monsters in the Great Labyrinth when the group was in danger.
They could operate outside thanks to him.
Five long blades moved by psychokinesis—each a threat.
Then quiet Ji-hye spoke up hesitantly.
"Um... Someone's coming this way."
"Who? Hostile?"
"Yeah... Really angry. Feels betrayed too..."
"I know who."
"Ugh, annoying ones."
The Moon siblings groaned.
Lately, they'd been pressed to join their faction.
The demander was Shin Il-hwan, leader of the victim's faction, Yeouido Alliance.
Ex-gangster, rough temper, foul-mouthed.
They'd been aggressively recruiting to expand influence in the Korean Shelter.
With threats and violence, naturally.
Sang-shin's group got a veiled offer but refused.
Even those thugs couldn't touch Sang-shin and backed off.
No guns, after all.
Them showing up meant trouble.
They'd been watching Lee Beom-seok's visit.
Still lying down, Sang-shin flicked his fingers, impaling the door with five long blades.
The Yeouido Alliance thugs climbing the stairs flinched.
"B-boss. Looks like he says don't come."
"Lee Sang-shin... Won't see me till the end, huh."
The burly Shin Il-hwan ground his teeth.
Wanted to bust in, but couldn't.
Even several members couldn't overpower him.
But backing off meekly after coming this far? No.
Had to hear what Jang Won-taek's right-hand said.
Shin Il-hwan glared at the door, then nodded to his men.
"Go in."
"Huh? Us first?"
"Who else is here besides you punks?"
As the underlings hesitated, one glanced at the window in awe.
"Whoa, even birds that big exist."
Shin Il-hwan, sidelong glance, bugged his eyes.
"Th-that thing's coming this way?"
"Looks like a bird, but huge, right?"
"You idiots, that a bird to you?"
"Then..."
"That's a gryphon!"
The men's movements froze.
A house-sized gryphon was charging the building, carrying someone.
Finally, curses exploded from Shin Il-hwan's mouth.
"What the fu—!"
End of One Roof, Multiple Families - 2