Chapter 200
Chapter 200
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 200
Chapter Title: The God of the Fanatics - 1
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People fell into a sense of emptiness.
Many had thought that nothing could be worse than facing the end of the world.
What hell could be worse than the collapse of human civilization?
But the earthquake triggered by the ghoul flowers had plunged their lives into the abyss.
They could no longer roar down the roads on motorcycles.
Even leisurely strolls along the roads to soak in the apocalypse vibe were impossible now.
The ground itself had been destroyed.
Millions of ghoul flowers lurking in various parts of the city had simultaneously unleashed their energy.
The earth had crumbled from its roots, upheaved, and in some places formed sinkholes.
Numerous buildings that had barely held on collapsed in heaps, spewing out massive debris.
If the apocalypse had destroyed human civilization, this disaster was like sweeping away the ruins with a broom.
That was the real problem in the end.
There were few people left, but monsters were everywhere.
Whatever they tried to do, monsters chased them, making even basic survival a struggle.
A few capable survivors could fend for themselves, but most struggled just to find food.
And there were still two and a half months until the Time Shelter fully opened.
The one reliable Korean Shelter had gone through internal strife and locked its doors.
It was only natural for complaints to arise among survivors.
The silver lining was that meat from animals hunted by a few capable folks appeared in the auction house.
Wild boar, valley deer, firebirds—various meats were up for bid.
They were pricey, but if you wanted meat, this was the way.
'I should help people out.'
Ji-man was a genuinely kind soul.
No one who knew him would deny it.
He never got angry and always granted requests willingly.
His personality was the opposite of the shelter leader Sung-ho's, yet they were best friends.
Sung-ho had no intention of sending Ji-man out, and Ji-man had zero desire to leave.
Da-jeong often said this:
"If Ji-man were a girl, he'd have been Sung-ho's girlfriend ages ago. He wouldn't even glance at someone like me."
From Ji-man's perspective, being a guy was a blessing, maybe.
Anyway, he couldn't stand by and watch people in distress.
He couldn't do much before, but now things were different.
He could expand the shelter proactively and grow various crops.
So, he decided to sell shelter-grown produce in the auction house.
At rock-bottom prices, no less.
"Is that okay?"
When Ji-man asked, Sung-ho looked a bit reluctant.
He'd sold fish and potatoes before too.
But rumors about his traits made him stop.
"You can do what you want, but do you have to sell it that cheap?"
Ji-man's price list: fist-sized potatoes, 10 for 10 points.
Compared to store bread with zero taste, it was a steal.
Sung-ho figured 30 points would be fair, so the lowball shocked him.
Ji-man explained:
"It's to help starving people. If it's expensive, that defeats the purpose."
"Well, sure, but..."
"Don't worry about points. I've got over 50,000 already."
"Hmm... Do what you want."
Sung-ho was busy planning a ruin expedition, so he let the details slide.
He needed to retrieve Geom-in first.
With permission, Ji-man shouldered his farming tools and headed to the fields.
"We'll be back, so take good care of the shelter! Got it?"
"You'll handle it fine."
Sung-ho and Da-jeong mounted griffons and set off on a long journey.
Destination: the ruins across the sea.
With Captain Beetle tagging along, no worries about getting lost.
People saw them off and got to work.
The only old-timer left, Seok-hyeon, headed out with a few to secure the elderwood area.
Shelter expansion had begun.
Of course, none of this concerned Ji-man much.
Even with Yoo-hyeon and Soo-yeon on combat duty, his tasks remained the same.
Shelter maintenance.
He used to do it with Geom-in, but now it was all on him.
Luckily, Ji-man didn't mind the extra work.
He seemed to enjoy it.
"Dali, Buri."
Calling the hornbirds, the two chicks scampered over.
They saw Ji-man as their mother.
Despite their young age, they boasted incredible physical prowess.
Even high-stat shelter folks couldn't catch them.
Yeo-ul grumbled as she approached.
"I was feeding them, and you call them over like that."
"They forage fine on their own."
"Still, I wanted them to listen to me."
"Hornbirds like anyone human."
It was true.
The insects explained hornbirds differed from other animals.
Their meat tasted awful, for one.
They grew fast and retained mobility despite injuries.
In one sentence: bred to carry riders.
In 4-5 months, they'd mature enough for two passengers. Astonishing.
Yeo-ul gave up and sat beside Ji-man.
Everyone else was out, leaving just the two in the shelter.
Monsters cleared nearby, so safe.
Worst case, call the divine being at the Korean Shelter.
Yeo-ul rested her chin on her knees and asked:
"Oppa, you're so diligent. I never see you slack."
"I slack plenty."
"Liar. Up first, bed last."
"The air here's amazing. A short nap wipes fatigue clean."
"Hmm... Not for me."
Lotus's nature was bountiful.
Ji-man was willing to share its gifts.
They left the shelter briefly to retrieve basket traps from the beach.
Seafood overflowed them.
Yeo-ul strained pulling the rope.
"So... much!"
"We'll eat some, sell the rest."
"Oppa, you're gonna be points rich!"
"We, not me."
Ji-man always stressed that.
He earned plenty but spent most on the shelter.
Weapons overflowed, even affording five pricey elderwood longbows.
They dragged the traps back.
Yeo-ul sorted the catch; Ji-man plated it nicely for auction.
The West Sea pollution had spread via auction house rumors.
Here's what happened.
Before the apocalypse hit, the Chinese government heard intel and summoned oil tankers en masse.
Stranded off the coast, they crumbled in the metal plague, spilling oil.
Started at Chinese shores, but months later hit Korea's.
Chinese fishermen, poaching off Korean coasts, now starved.
They blamed Korea.
Koreans frequenting auctions ignored the bait.
Tensions, already bad, worsened with food shortages.
No clashes due to warzone, just endless hate.
Then Japanese from Great Labyrinth seized Gangbuk.
Hannam-dong Clan managing dimension gates relocated, leaving no opposition.
Russians and Americans broke through Yatap Station into Seoul, guns blazing.
Survivors yielded in terror.
"Those bastards are shooting!"
"Where'd they get guns?"
Not top-grade, but chilling enough.
Seoul was becoming a melting pot of races.
Da-jeong and I descended into the ruins basement and met Geom-in.
After days alone, he looked surprisingly fresh.
More mature, even.
Confident eyes, casually wiping blood from his cheek on his clothes—veteran explorer vibe.
Even Da-jeong was impressed.
"Geom-in, you've changed a lot."
"Guess solo struggling toughens you up. Sit. Found good stuff here."
We lit a campfire in the basement and talked.
About the monster that doomed Lotus civilization and its followers.
"Thought it was just humans at first. Nope. Traitors among beetles and stag beetles too."
Our eyes turned to the two beetles.
They whispered, then drew in the sand.
Different factions even among same kind—dwarves or beetles.
Da-jeong propped her chin and asked:
"Why betray?"
Beetle drew infinity symbol by traitor.
Immortality promise?
Geom-in elaborated:
"That deep labyrinth beast isn't a god but has major powers. Intelligent enough to exploit Lotus disasters."
"So that programmer An Geun-seok followed it. Saw its powers firsthand."
"Surrendered for eternal life?"
"Likely."
I recalled the nurse's minions.
Killed in swamp labyrinth, yet revived fine.
Beast clearly resurrects dead.
Without scrolls—twists system. Programmer specialty.
I summed up:
"Can't face deep beast yet. Continent-shaker. Outmatched now. But we struggle on. Clues somewhere in Lotus."
"Saw that. Something nearby."
Geom-in sketched Lotus map, pointed south.
His beetle companion scribbled Hangul: Luat.
Kingdom that held southern Lotus region.
"Might find their research remnants. Most destroyed, but some left."
"Quite the distance."
Captain Beetle calculated: nearly 1,000 km. Tough trip.
Da-jeong flopped back, arms pillowing head.
"Whatever. We're here, let's rest. Geom-in, loot?"
"This."
Opening his pack, Da-jeong grinned wide.
"You're turning into Sung-ho."
Compliment or insult?
Geom-in's haul was massive.
Ruins drop well, maybe.
Loot checked, we followed beetles to ruins' depths.
Horrific sight awaited.
"..."
"...All... dead."
Dozens of stout dwarf skeletons greeted us.
Last stand here, slain by the beast.
Beetles gazed mournfully.
Their small black eyes burned with grief and vengeance.