Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Survivor and Killer - 1 (Paid Start)
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Um... so...
"This is something you guys made?"
The beetles nodded in unison.
The mithril knife I was using.
They were claiming they had made it.
It started as a simple trade.
The beetles had brought a fire starter stone, so I swapped it for jelly like usual.
Then, while I was butchering the rabbit Dingo had caught with the mithril knife, the beetles came over to watch.
The leader beetle drew pictures on the ground: the knife, an arrowhead, and a beetle sketch.
They were insisting it was their work.
"You're just beetles, right? How could you make something like this?"
They had intelligence, so they weren't ordinary beetles, but it was still hard to believe.
The leader beetle tapped its head with its front leg.
Like a frustrated person pounding their chest?
Fine, let's give them a chance.
"Hold on a sec."
I fetched a coin and held it out.
"If you're telling the truth, you can process this, right?"
Let's see what happens.
The leader beetle moved its front leg to give some kind of signal, and two of them rushed in to bite the coin.
Their mouths were moving, but...
I watched quietly and was suddenly shocked.
The beetle's jaws were gnawing away at the coin bit by bit.
"No way, it actually works."
Plastic made sense, but metal?
This was impossible, happening right in front of my eyes.
"This is no joke..."
The two beetles diligently chewed the coin into a cute little knife shape.
They even polished the surface letters to a mirror finish—true artisans.
At this point, I had to acknowledge it.
"Impressive, for real. But you can make it mirror-smooth like that, so why'd you leave this one all rough?"
I held out the mithril knife, and the leader beetle's eyes welled up.
Why was it suddenly crying?
It weakly drew a picture of some monster and itself.
The pose looked like the monster was hitting the beetle... Was that a goblin?
"A goblin hit you guys?"
The beetles nodded vigorously.
The next drawings showed the beetles fleeing goblin abuse.
...Yeah, I get the picture.
They'd been abused by goblins, so they hadn't made proper items.
The rough-surfaced crude knives and the mithril knife were products of forced labor.
Goblins wouldn't know quality anyway—I'd half-ass it too.
"You guys did well to escape. So, where are those goblin bastards?"
The beetles all pointed north in unison.
That nest, huh.
I'd planned to deal with it someday anyway. Perfect timing.
But I wasn't about to work for free.
I picked up the leader in my palm.
"I'll avenge you. But I can't do it for nothing, so let's trade. Fire starters like this are good, or emeralds work too."
The leader beetle thought for a moment, then drew ten lines on my palm.
Ten of these?
"Deal."
Trade established.
From my perspective, the northern goblin nest was just a threat I'd eliminate eventually.
Building goodwill with the beetles while getting paid? No reason to refuse.
Hunt around the outskirts, snipe hobgoblins with a few Togarep shots.
"Gonna have to conserve real ammo though..."
My current real ammo stock was only 173 rounds across all types.
Hard to replenish going forward, so I had to ration it.
"..."
I looked at the beetles.
Guys who could process metal.
What if I gave them gunpowder—could they make bullets?
"Cases aside, primers are the issue."
Africans or Americans make them handmade, but that assumes equipment.
Might be easier to make pipe guns, paper cartridges, lead balls...
Think on that later.
I gave the beetles two jellies, and they happily headed off.
Let's get along from now on.
I packed up to head to Eden Villa, as Dr. Suyeon had told me about.
Wanted to check if supplies had been looted.
Also, to see firsthand if the government time shelter nearby existed.
A time shelter set to open in a year.
For unspecified masses of survivors, it had to be packed with massive supplies.
Not planning to do anything now—just scout the area.
"And check on those bunker guys while I'm at it."
Yoon's Yongjeong CC was near Eden Villa too.
Spotting people lurking around would give a rough idea of their size.
Gym member Yoo Hyun sent a paper airplane from early morning.
He'd been contacting me like this for days.
Said he'd passed level 5 and could send dolls much farther now.
「The gym owner finally opened the shop window for the first time. Whoa, it was insane? But why are the items so expensive? I want a mithril knife.」
The mithril knife must look tempting.
In a metal plague world, where metal was unusable.
But magic metal items were unaffected by the plague.
The mithril knife was the cheapest among them.
Early game, better not to fixate on magic metal weapons.
Prioritize perception stats to spot zombies first.
I hinted this to Yoo Hyun, and he was passing it off to Hyung-jun hyung as "Sung-ho said it worked well for him."
Essentially influencing the gym crew through me.
「Perception stat really makes surroundings feel different. I could hear zombies twitching and all.」
Not quite that much...
Yoo Hyun was great, but a bit dramatic.
Hyung-jun hyung found it cute, though.
"Practically his nephew, huh?"
Hyung-jun hyung, who'd lost family, and others were adapting bit by bit to the apocalypse.
Kyung-hoon and Bora were a full couple now.
Yoo Hyun made a Stirling engine with ceramics and plastic.
Using it as a fan, apparently.
No clue how.
I crumpled the paper airplane.
If I had something to say, write on one and send it back.
Linked Yoo Hyun would retrieve it to the gym.
All comms down, so this was our only way.
"Once the auction house opens fully, we could use that."
Issue was everyone using it would see.
Set up codes in advance?
Later.
Seeing the item-boosted stats and skills lifted my mood.
Vitality and strength boosters were rare; grateful to Bunny Duo for yielding them.
"They're probably grinding for more by now."
I packed, checked the map marking Eden Villa.
"Thought it was just a fancy villa..."
Checked on Nevermap pre-apocalypse, but high walls and trees hid the interior.
One of those luxury villas Seoul's full of?
"Guess I'll find out when I get there. Dingo."
He followed me outside.
"Be careful, got it?"
Zombies had gotten stronger.
Strength same, vision weakened, but hearing sharpened.
And speed incomparable to before.
Think tutorial shamblers and get wrecked.
"Can't keep up if you run, same as always..."
But durability way up, making melee risky.
Now people carried prepped bows and spears.
Even early level grinders learned caution after near-misses.
"Goblins and kobolds incoming soon."
They respawn, zombies don't vanish—things get tougher.
They fight each other, but survivors are prime targets.
I patted Dingo's butt.
"Go!"
Zombies chased fast.
Sounded like an alarm.
En route to the villa, I stopped at the hardware store.
Still untouched, as expected.
Everyone focused on survival basics.
Farming food mainly, so hardware intact.
I circled outside, shoving cement, bricks, PVC pipes into the dimension gate first.
Kraaaah—
A few nearby zombies rushed me fast.
Dingo yipped a warning; I swung the ebony club.
Thwack, thwack!
Dodged side to side, hit several times, but they wouldn't drop.
Spore dominance fully ended—durability boosted.
These zombies could crawl even if bisected.
We called them half-zombies—not cute like the name.
"Get lost already."
Crack!
Hole through the last one's skull; it finally collapsed.
Still twitching to the end—definitely tougher.
"Club's done too."
Ebony club now marked 「Worn」.
Durability zero, unusable.
Fine for one or two zombies, but no need.
Pulled a new one from slot, into backpack.
Hardware store full of goodies.
Plastic bags, ties, styrofoam, tubs, etc.
Dusty shelves awaited my hands.
"Always feels great at times like this."
Downside: metal plague crumbled most to sand.
Prepped ahead, so no big worry.
Last, grabbed a dozen sandbags, closed gate.
Then punched through zombie-packed downtown to Eden Villa.
"There it is..."
Secret space ringed by high walls and trees.
All luxury villas around.
Couldn't afford this in a lifetime.
"Only in apocalypse do I get inside."
Building 302...
Through main gate, tidy garden and swanky villas greeted me.
Ignore the rotting zombies.
Sturdily built—structures intact.
Luxury villas had private elevators per unit, I heard.
Lobby: emergency stairs packed with furniture.
Huge heavy pieces blocking—removing a few wouldn't clear path.
"How does Suyeon get in and out?"
Checked elevator shaft: sturdy rope dangling.
Knots for easy grip.
"Climb this?"
Pulled—solid, no give.
Securely fixed.
Hung my weight—held firm.
Tied to pillar probably.
Recalled Suyeon's toned, exercised body.
She could climb rope alone.
Me too, then.
No one around...
"Dingo, up top."
Dingo hopped on backpack; I shouldered it.
Heavy, but knots for footing—not too bad.
3rd floor: debris of ornate decorations everywhere.
Suyeon's unit protected by sturdy wooden door.
Knocked, waited.
Tutorial cleared, probably farming with members?
Confirmed 302 intact, time for other units—then.
Small glass window slid open suddenly.
"Step back from the door."
"It's me, Suyeon. Kang Sung-ho."
"Sung-ho?"
Urgent voice; glimpse of her eyes and hair.
"How'd you get here?"
"You left it to me in case. Just checking it's fine."
"...Anyone with you besides Sung-ho?"
"Dingo's here. He's a good boy."
"Ah... that dog."
Door cracked open.
I didn't rush in, raised arms.
Suyeon sighed in relief.
"Scared me, sudden visit. That's Dingo on your back?"
"Yeah. Dingo, down."
Suyeon clapped, fawning over husky-like Dingo.
But he just stood by me, tail wagging.
Suyeon fully opened door.
"Come in. Anyone else, no—but Sung-ho, sure."
"Expecting company?"
"Long story."
Dingo and I followed her inside.
Spacious...
Interior like another world.
Marble floors from TV, antique decor everywhere.
Vast—sofa in center left room to spare.
Windows fully blocked, dim; couple candles glowed softly.
Suyeon in leggings and tank top smiled shyly, offered sofa.
"Sorry. Too hot for more clothes. Sit."
"No fan, can't be helped."
"Tutorial went well?"
"Yeah, sorta. Gym members cleared too, hanging in there. But why alone, no members...?"
Her face darkened.
"Felt like I'd die if I stayed."
"Why?"
Dingo hopped on sofa; her hand snuck to pet him.
"Feels like... a killer's around. No, definitely is."
"Killer?"
Oh.
Already killed two or three people.
Similar to me, in a way.
Difference: I dodged system judgment.
Deathmatch event: kill killer, massive points.
Even unique skill chance.
Tempting.
I faked chills, rubbed arms.
"...Whoa, scary. Hope we avoid, but... any info?"
"Long story—okay?"
"Plenty of time."
"Alright then..."
Suyeon cleared her throat and began.