Chapter 223
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 223
Chapter Title: Lotus Natives - 5
Even when relations between nations are rocky, there comes a time when unity is essential.
Like when aliens invade.
To the Koreans settled in Seoul, the Chinese were the aliens.
They could communicate, but their temperaments, customs, culture—everything clashed irreconcilably.
Once, Jang Won-taek had contacted a few Chinese survivors shouting about survival at the auction house and let them stay in Zone 2.
Hoping, perhaps, they might get along.
But his hopes were dashed.
The innate human desires shone through: stand and you want to sit, sit and you want to lie down.
The Chinese who entered the Zone 2 hideout tried to seize control using their numerical superiority.
And they demanded more supplies from Zone 1.
—With more people now, shouldn't the supplies increase accordingly?
—Supplies are distributed based on headcount.
—We think it's insufficient. Increase it.
—We can't arbitrarily increase amounts beyond the headcount allocation.
—But the headcount has actually grown?
—How exactly has the headcount grown? No one's entered on paper.
Lee Beom-seok, in charge of Zone 2, went and counted them himself.
And uncovered a shocking truth.
The Chinese in the Zone 2 hideout had sneaked in more of their own.
Without Zone 1's permission.
The report went straight to Jang Won-taek, who pondered it before issuing an expulsion order.
—Trust is what matters to us. Members who betray that trust can no longer be respected.
But the Chinese occupying one hideout in Zone 2 weren't about to back down quietly.
They claimed monsters avoided the area thanks to their merit.
In reality, it was the result of a deal between Sung-ho and Ahn Geun-seok.
Lee Beom-seok naturally informed them of this, but it fell on deaf ears.
Returning to the Korean shelter, he appealed to Jang Won-taek.
—They insist they're right no matter what. It's like dealing with kids throwing tantrums at the market. I don't have the confidence to persuade them to leave...
Jang Won-taek sensed the gravity of the situation and checked the auction house dynamics.
Sure enough, the Chinese in Incheon were rising up there.
They started with demands for points refunded, but it grew more radical.
—The Koreans stole our points!
—The point thieves are over there!
—Everyone! Listen! We've claimed Korean land! Therefore, we have the right to this land's time shelters! Let's demand the western Seoul time shelter!
The Koreans at the auction house were dumbfounded.
The water bottle incident was just a few Chinese trying to hoard and getting cleaned out instead.
Some Koreans mocked the Chinese at the auction house.
—Wasn't it just you guys getting stripped bare by Kimbap Lover while hoarding? And now you're demanding it back?
—Didn't you pool points and hand them to your boss? Demand it from him then.
—That boss got done in by Kimbap Lover while fleeing. In the Great Labyrinth.
—Ah...
—So how many points did Kimbap Lover take?
—Something like 70-80k, I think.
—It was 110k. The two who fled with points died to Sung-ho too.
—Holy crap.
These Korean comments leaked to the Chinese.
Furious, they swarmed toward Seoul.
Having lost all their points and scraping by on scarce food and water, they had nothing left to lose.
Countless monsters hindered them, but they finally reached Gimpo Airport.
Almost simultaneously, the Chinese holed up in the Zone 2 shelter began a sit-in.
Their chant was singular.
—Give it back! Give us our stuff!
No one knew what they'd entrusted to demand it back, but people realized one thing.
Coexistence with the Chinese was impossible.
Chinese should live on Chinese soil, Koreans on Korean soil.
In normal times, they might've mixed somehow, but the apocalypse fueled hatred.
An extreme mindset gripped people: if you don't kill, you'll be killed.
The foreigners in Zone 2 came to the same realization.
To them, Korea wasn't paradise but a pretty decent place to live.
So when the Chinese tried to muscle in, they got pissed.
Natalia read the Koreans' mood and struck first.
Teaming up with a few others to drive out the Chinese.
She ground her teeth for revenge against a murderer and was at a high level.
The Zone 2 Chinese were booted before they knew it and died to monsters.
Hearing this, the other Chinese flew into a rage.
Now their chant wasn't "give it back" but "kill them."
That was when Jang Won-taek urgently summoned the shelter members.
War had begun.
"Persistent bastards."
"Don't they ever get tired? Came swarming like a pack of dogs."
"You said you scouted the West Sea before, right? What was it like?"
At Seok-hyun's question, Da-jeong sighed and brushed back her hair.
"The sea was a mess of oil, boat people drifting around. They hadn't done anything wrong yet, so I left them be."
Seok-hyun turned to eye the Chinese hunkered down around Gimpo Airport.
"These guys' existence itself is the problem."
Many now knew the two groups couldn't coexist.
But no one acted rashly because of that damn murderer system.
Gimpo Airport turned into a standoff of watchfulness.
Seok-hyun didn't like it.
"I'll handle it."
"How? Sung-ho style?"
Sung-ho style meant killing them all.
He held the radical belief: no people, no problems.
Kill enough, and the problems vanish.
Others might not get it, but Seok-hyun and Da-jeong agreed and had felt its effectiveness.
But wiping out all the Chinese was impossible from the start.
Hundreds in Incheon alone, and who knows how many further south.
Word was major cities in South Jeolla were fully occupied by Chinese.
Simply put, too many.
But Seok-hyun cracked his knuckles, unconcerned.
"Unlike Kimbap, I'll do it different. He backs off if you give a little ground, but not me."
"No way... you're saying you'll literally kill them all? Hey, that's impossible."
"Why?"
"You're directionally challenged."
Neither seemed to think killing was too harsh.
"Yu-hyun can guide with paper airplanes."
"..."
Da-jeong was speechless for a moment and had the griffon circle Gimpo Airport.
Various attacks flew, but all missed.
"Gonna take a while."
"I've been thinking. About what's ahead."
"And your conclusion?"
"We got a lot to do in Lotus. Judeca and Ahn Geun-seok need watching. Quests, unknown monsters, expansion packs—we gotta prepare."
"Sung-ho's handling it step by step."
The shelter members, including them, left the future entirely to him.
If he said do it, they did; if not, they didn't.
So far, it worked perfectly.
But Seok-hyun thought Sung-ho was too soft on the Chinese issue.
"Leave them be, and they'll keep causing problems. Clashing with us as long as this apocalypse lasts. I kill them all and clean-suicide. Problem solved."
"Hmm..."
Seok-hyun's usual refrain came out again.
Da-jeong couldn't affirm or deny.
It'd work, sure, but wasn't it too burdensome?
Seok-hyun stood on the griffon's back.
His Cloak of Protection billowed behind.
"See you later."
"Hey! It's high up here!"
Da-jeong tried to grab him, but he fell too fast.
Seok-hyun landed before the Chinese encircling Gimpo Airport, holding their breath.
Face-first.
"..."
The stunned Chinese launched attacks.
Arrows rained from all sides but couldn't pierce his skin.
He rose, baring his teeth.
"Let's fight, you bastards."
A monster leaping from thin air.
Transcendent Knight Galitos knew its identity.
A so-called experimental subject from Luat Kingdom.
Official name: Abomination or Monstrosity, but in Ezekium, it was just "experimental subject."
Purpose: how far could Judeca's power be twisted?
The subject was humans injected with power extracted from Judeca.
Polymorph, transformation options were tacked on, but mere camouflage.
Mass-producible, but combat power clearly inferior to an ogre.
Not something three Transcendent Knights couldn't handle.
Galitos saw it as a windfall.
'Catch this thing... and I'll rack up merits!'
The Abomination Project was Ezekium's imposition on Luat.
Uncertain side effects from twisting and injecting Judeca's power.
Then doom arrived, project shelved entirely.
Now encountering one firsthand? Jackpot.
Capture it alive, brag to the Magic Tower.
That meant promotion in the Knight Order.
Thus thinking, Galitos struggled to rise.
But the impact was worse than expected.
"This... ugh!"
Ribs cracked; sharp pain stabbed his chest.
He frantically searched for a potion, shouting.
"Be careful! It's stronger than it looks!"
"Leave it to us, Captain!"
"We came to hunt ogres anyway!"
The two Transcendent Knights weren't tense.
Captain got ambushed; in a fair fight, they'd win.
Thanks to items prepped for ogres.
Unbreakable Elderwood Rope and Sedative Potion would handle an ogre's inferior...
"Perfect gift for the experimental subject!"
A Transcendent Knight hurled the potion at Sung-ho.
Turning, Sung-ho took it to the cheek.
The vial shattered, sticky liquid adhering to his skin.
Sedative Potion: could even halt an ogre briefly. Vicious stuff.
But astonishingly, minimal effect.
Sung-ho's Fortitude nullified most of it.
Limit Breakthrough & Primal Life
Instant activation - Effects amplified
Grrr...
A monster fiercer than an ogre opened crimson eyes.
The Transcendent Knight, assuming it subdued, widened his eyes as he prepared the rope.
"Why..."
Why isn't it working? Probably.
Before he finished, Sung-ho charged and kicked his gut.
The knight tumbled twenty meters, unable to rise.
The other gulped dryly at the sight.
Wondered if Luat bastards played dirty.
How do you even make such a monster?
Galitos rose, enduring pain.
"Transcendent Knights know no fear! Overcome it!"
"Yes, sir!"
But Sung-ho's movements instilled plenty of fear.
How could an experimental subject of that bulk move like this!
The subordinate knight focused on blocking with his sword.
Even a subject should falter against slashes; limit mobility.
But Sung-ho swatted the sword with his massive forearm.
Such force the knight's shoulder dislocated.
"Gahk!"
The sword flew; he glared incredulously at Sung-ho.
Magically enhanced body couldn't withstand it.
"You scum!"
Galitos charged from behind.
Squad leader by merit, not luck—far faster than subordinates.
But Sung-ho read the attack trajectory with super senses, not eyes.
He thrust out his chest unhesitatingly; a triumphant smirk curled Galitos's lips.
'Thinks it's a normal sword? Die!'
His blade wasn't Ether Blade level but had immense cutting power.
Could tear ogre hide, let alone an abomination.
'Heart shredded, even a subject is done!'
Galitos trusted his prowess and Ezekium's enhancements.
Leaped straight at Sung-ho, thrusting with full might.
But no expected muscle-tearing sound.
Like hitting solid rock; sword halted.
"Huh?"
Veteran Transcendent Knight Galitos uttered a noob-like sound.
The sword hadn't pierced skin.
Gritting teeth, channeling full body strength—still stuck at a depth.
Sung-ho hugged Galitos with both arms.
"Urk! Let go!"
Galitos thrashed wildly, but the brute arms didn't budge.
Crunch-crack—
Horrific pressure hit; he gaped, trembling.
Every bone in his body shattered, it felt.
Superhuman regeneration meaningless now.
As Galitos went limp, the shoulder-shattered subordinate wailed.
"Captain!"
Thwack!
Sung-ho hurled Galitos at him; they rolled together amiably.
'Close call.'
A huge hand yanked the lodged sword from his chest.
Even layered with skills, such damage was impressive.
These guys truly transcended human limits.
'Kill them.'
Thirty seconds left.
Transformation ends, exhaustion aside—murderer stacks build.
'Do they even stack? Whatever.'
No kills in Lotus, unsure if murderer system applied.
Sung-ho gripped the extracted sword and slew the immobile knights one by one.
Thrusting into Galitos's chest last, he gasped.
"You... not... an experimental subject..."
Sung-ho silently twisted the hilt; instant death.
Transformation faded; monster vanished, human remained.
"Ugh..."
Sung-ho slumped, cooling his overheated body.
Active Limit Breakthrough granted tireless strength.
"...I'm a total monster too."
Compared to first abomination shift, side effects negligible.
Sitting there, a small fist peeked from a distant cave.
Startled, it stomped over.
"Friend hurt. Heal."
"Got anything good?"
It offered what looked like poop.
Sung-ho shook his head vehemently and stood.
Rifled through the Transcendent Knights' belongings.
< Lotus Natives - 5 > End