Chapter 193
Chapter 193
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: One Roof, Multiple Families - 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
One night in April, after Lee Sang-shin had gorged himself on all the pork soup he could want.
The members of the Yang factions, chased out of Yeouido, ground their teeth in frustration.
Being kicked out was bad enough, but missing out on the pork soup hurt even more.
"Fuck, what's wrong with letting us eat first before kicking us out?"
"That bastard has no sense of decency at all."
"That pork soup smelled amazing... Ah..."
Sighs echoed from dingy buildings here and there.
The leaders of the Yang factions gathered in one spot to discuss their next moves.
They hadn't harbored any real grudges to begin with.
They'd just planned to pit the battle royale perpetrators and victims against each other to snag some supplies.
But then Kang Sung-ho wrecked everything, so they had no choice but to team up.
No matter how much they hated each other, when a common enemy appeared, they had to fight back together.
However... they had no good countermeasures.
Kim Young-soo muttered dejectedly.
"Three veterans with guns... Isn't that overkill?"
"Head-on collision is suicide. I don't want to get shot twice, fuck."
"...They're that strong?"
"Strong as hell. One shot and the sky turned yellow. Two shots and my soul wanted to bail."
Shin Il-hwan rubbed his throbbing gut.
It felt like a light hit, but his insides were twisted, bringing excruciating pain.
The dizziness was just a bonus.
As sighs hung between them, Kim Young-soo subtly scanned the surroundings.
As if checking for eavesdroppers.
"I've got something in the works... Want to join in?"
"What is it?"
"As you know, our warehouse is pretty big."
Here, "warehouse" meant the storage for Korea Shelter's supplies.
It was located near the half-collapsed National Assembly building, tucked away in a remote spot.
Everyone coveted it, but Jang Won-taek held the keys, so no one dared.
"But... what if there's a dog hole? On the second floor..."
"If there was, we'd have used it ages ago."
Shin Il-hwan looked skeptical, but Kim Young-soo was dead serious.
"Heh, would that newbie with recent authority even know? This is my secret."
"Hmm..."
Still, something felt off.
If those veterans caught them, it was game over.
Kim Young-soo dismissed the worry with bold assurance.
"Send a stealth ability user first to test it. Didn't you see them chowing down on pork soup? They must've been drinking. They're probably passed out by now."
Tempting...
Only then did Shin Il-hwan sit up straight.
"Why not raid it when Jang Won-taek was around?"
"That old geezer had guards up. If even one got caught, security tightens. No point rushing. Better to wait for the right moment."
Shin Il-hwan rolled his eyes, then snapped his fingers.
"Let's do it. Worst case, we die; best case, jackpot. Miss this, and we're done for."
"Everything'll go smooth. Send someone first."
Soon after, the stealth ability user infiltrated the Korea Shelter undetected.
The shelter folks seemed off-guard, no sentries, just faint glowstone lights dotting the buildings.
Everyone was out cold.
The stealth user spotted a prowling werewolf and freaked, but gained confidence.
They hadn't noticed him.
He reached the warehouse, rigged a rope to the dog hole, climbed up.
Checked inside, thrilled, and slipped back to base.
The leaders mobilized their men immediately upon hearing.
Secure weapons and supplies first; the rest didn't matter.
No veteran could survive grenades and rocket launchers.
They took a long detour, far from the Korea Shelter, to approach.
Slipping in one by one.
But they didn't know.
A troll and a werewolf were waiting in the warehouse.
"Gahhh!"
"T-Troll!"
Grrrrr!
The troll and werewolf, battered and dragged there earlier, lit up at the sight of humans.
Screams filled the warehouse as Kim Young-soo, descending the dog hole, panicked.
"What the hell!"
He tried to climb back out, but it was blocked.
Like an invisible wall.
The werewolf, after slaughtering several, turned to him.
Kim Young-soo averted his eyes from the flesh in its teeth and squeezed them shut.
"Fuck..."
Thud! Thud!
The warehouse walls shook.
Lee Beom-seok, watching from outside, commented.
"They could fight back with guns."
"Bullets all collected. Can't."
Sung-ho sat on nearby debris.
This was all his plan.
He'd spotted the second-floor dog hole back when taking 30% of supplies and put it to good use.
Lee Beom-seok shuddered imagining inside.
This guy fed people to two monsters without hesitation.
"The pork soup was to lower their guard..."
Sung-ho tossed and caught a magazine.
"Pork soup calls for drinks. They did booze up."
"You guys didn't get drunk."
"Resistance stat's too high. Normal booze doesn't touch us."
Lee Beom-seok turned helplessly to the warehouse.
The ripping screams faded.
Sung-ho kept super senses till the end, released once all dead.
"Done. I'll clean up. You go."
"Satisfied... with this?"
Here we go again.
Sung-ho frowned at Lee Beom-seok's turned back.
"What's eating you?"
"Killing them all—satisfied?"
"Didn't explain? Anyone who comes at me gets it. Leave loose ends, get backstabbed?"
"Not death penalty worthy."
"That's why factions form in the shelter—with that wishy-washy thinking."
"What... did you say?"
Lee Beom-seok's breathing roughened.
Fists clenched, ready to swing.
Sung-ho pitied him.
"Think they'd steal guns and back off quietly?"
"We'd prepared for th—"
"Where was that 'prep' till now? You're Jang Won-taek's secretary, right? Aid and protect him—don't just do his bidding. Should've pushed to handle them first."
Lee Beom-seok seethed with rage and injustice, at a loss.
But one thing clear.
Without this man, Korea Shelter would've faced major crisis.
They'd recover, but shelter damaged, eyes on Jang changed.
So Lee Beom-seok just worked his lips, silent.
Watching Sung-ho stride into the tragedy he'd wrought.
Yoo Ji-hye rarely spoke.
No disability, but her trait made it so.
Ability to read emotions.
A curse, really.
Not detailed, but aura-like fields around people made her shrink.
Anger, hate, jealousy, greed sometimes...
Some men wanted to own her.
Her decent looks made her an easy target.
With near-zero combat, she got dragged around often.
Suffered awful things, but Oh Hyung-jun saved her.
He's a good guy.
Rough looks, blunt personality, but kept distance, protected her.
They grew close, broke walls, got together.
Possible because Hyung-jun waited.
But Yoo Ji-hye never warmed to Sung-ho, Hyung-jun's dongsaeng.
Read such intense emotions from him.
Plus rumors swirling.
Butcher, slayer, human scum, psychopath...
All dangerous labels; natural she feared.
Yet lately, he looked different.
Especially mingling casually with people—odd.
Even if old friends...
He's damn good at cooking too—shocking.
Suited for weapons, not kitchen knives.
Or maybe...
"Maybe I've misjudged him."
She gazed down from her room in the dorm.
Several pots hung; people bustled.
Seemed like samgyetang time.
Samgyetang in apocalypse.
Ji-hye blankly stared at Sung-ho's back.
He sat on a plastic chair, prepping chickens.
Mystery where he got so many precious ones.
They get monster-eaten right after spawning.
"What're you doing?"
Hyung-jun hugged her shoulders.
"Just... watching a bit."
"Watching Sung-ho? Don't go falling for my dongsaeng."
"Not that..."
Ji-hye brushed hair back.
Early-20s folks clung to Sung-ho—impressive.
Laughing, playfully hitting... just like anyone.
Why's she the only wary one?
Hyung-jun lowered voice.
"Bit late, but Sung-ho ran a snack bar."
"Snack bar?"
"In Busan... sold tteokbokki, odeng to kids and students. Good rep. Gave extras to kids."
Why turn butcher then?
Yoo Ji-hye kinda got it.
To survive, built walls, brainwashed self.
Only way to live.
Sturdy walls, but thin too.
So he mingles freely.
His emotions now: not cold, warm, relaxed... even love peeking.
Amazed, she watched Sung-ho, then stepped from window.
"Going down?"
"Yeah. Think I've misjudged Sung-ho. Gotta apologize."
"Ah, yeah. He's good deep down. Once there was this time..."
Ji-hye went down with Hyung-jun, greeted Sung-ho.
"Hi, Sung-ho."
Huh?
Brief hesitation, Sung-ho bowed.
"Hey, Ji-hye. Quick question: can I call you noona?"
"Of course. Here, knife. Chickens have fat at the tail. Remove or broth gets greasy."
"Ah, that's why..."
Like no chill before, they huddled, chatting.
Common ground: cooking.
Hyung-jun stood awkward till shelter members nagged him to fetch utensils.
One April day, samgyetang aroma wafted.
Big trouble.
No griffons in Korea.
Auction house intel: the one Soo-yeon ate was first and last.
Rare monster, but not this rare?
Maybe it spawned early.
No insect monsters yet...
Scanning boards, unexpected news from Lee Beom-seok.
Two Japanese calling themselves Kenji and Yuzuka outside shelter.
Paper explained: from Deoksan Island, caught in battle royale, lost many comrades.
Met Japanese at giant labyrinth entrance near Changwon, came here.
Crooked Hangul showed study effort.
—These spring-like days. Shiraishi here. How've you been? Grateful for past kindness. Suddenly, we had to flee island, in dire straits...
"Such a long intro."
Aristocrat thing?
Summary: screwed, no home, no food, help.
"Hmm..."
Acquainted with Shiraishi siblings, but barely.
Good to have friendly force on island, gave supplies; now here.
Help them?
"People won't welcome..."
Peaceful world, no issue; but times being what they are, avoid outsiders.
Fresh off booting gangsters.
Trap-killed, but folks don't know.
"From Tokyo..."
Japanese with siblings from Tokyo.
Bigger than Seoul, griffon chance high.
Wanna go, but know zilch about Japan.
"Have 'em guide."
They check griffon, I tour Tokyo.
Left Yeouido, met them.
Looked haggard from ordeal.
"Long time. Straight to point: do a job, stay nearby. Can't join shelter, but support yes."
Their faces lit up.
"What job?"
"Giant labyrinth entrance links to Tokyo, right? Send folks check griffon. Guide too."
"Regrettably, Yuzuka heard no griffon news... What now?"
This awkward speech.
Told her:
"Your group explored labyrinth awhile? Griffon probably spawned since."
"If no griffon..."
"Keep promise. But guide mandatory. Wanna see Tokyo. Not irradiated, right?"
Kenji straightened seriously.
"No nuclear plants near Tokyo. Tokai shut down long ago..."
"That's it. Can send now?"
"Right away."
Kenji stood.
Chatting with Yuzuka, sensed oddity.
Link to Tokyo open—why not rush home?
Not her hometown, but Japan comfier.
Asked; her face darkened.
"Yuzuka thinks here better. Can't live in city with murderers, human hunters rampant."
Tokyo's a mess too.
All cities are.
"Got it. Support anyway—please guide."
"Um... safe? Yuzuka heard Tokyo's dangerous. Dozens of killers loose..."
"Sorry, those killers meet me? Outta business."
Doubt in her eyes.
She'll see later.
End of One Roof, Multiple Families - 5