Chapter 45
Chapter 45
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: Survivor and Killer - 3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Many veteran players secretly hoped for a deathmatch with a Killer.
Not only for the massive points, but also for the chance to acquire the unique skills that only Killers possessed.
If there was one skill veterans coveted, it had to be Affinity.
It was a terrifying skill that made all monsters stop treating you as an enemy.
However, it came with the brutal condition of continuous killing, making it impractical in reality.
"There was a guy who kept it up for a whole year."
Veterans who luckily obtained the Affinity skill would slip into a horde of zombies and bust out the Cossack dance to end it.
It had flair but no real utility—something like that.
There were few users, and even fewer Killers, so whenever one appeared, veterans would swarm and clamor for a deathmatch.
But if a Killer showed insane talent, true veterans would back off—that was the unspoken rule.
National treasures were meant to be cherished and protected, after all.
"So where's this one hiding..."
I wandered nearby commercial buildings, listening for heartbeats.
The closer the Killer was, the louder the sound grew.
And then, with a thump, zombies would form a wall, and the deathmatch would begin.
The zombie wall served as a kind of backdrop.
The Killer event wouldn't activate unless there were at least three users present.
"Since he's Kwon's underling, he won't trigger events around here."
Assuming it was around the second-floor commercial building where Su-yeon had been, I could draw a rough circle.
"The Killer's somewhere in here."
Should I head toward the rotary?
While circling the buildings with Dingo, I got a weird feeling and looked down.
Su-yeon was with some guy.
For a split second, I thought tailing, but no.
They were being pretty loud.
"Gonna attract every zombie around."
Su-yeon snapped at the guy in anger and started heading up to the second floor.
A lovers' quarrel?
I hid in the dimension gate with Dingo.
"Su-yeon! Su-yeon!"
The guy, who'd rushed up desperately, grabbed Su-yeon's shoulder as she passed the dimension gate.
She shook him off violently.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Just calm down and let's talk. Punching walls isn't gonna make conversation easy."
"You know there's a Killer around, right? Do we have to do this now?"
"Come on, don't..."
...This didn't seem like a lovers' quarrel.
Her team guys were clingy, she'd said.
This seemed like one of them, and even I didn't find him trustworthy.
His build was scrawny—not a combat type.
Su-yeon crossed her arms and grilled him.
"Fine. Spit it out quick. What do you want?"
"I... I just want our relationship to progress further. I'll take responsibility."
I let out a snort.
In the apocalypse, what a guy wants from a girl usually boiled down to one thing.
Su-yeon gave a hollow laugh.
"That's not it, is it? You're just scheming how to seduce me into bed."
"Not like the others. Not me."
"Then why stalk me? Why come screaming to my house?"
So he was the one who'd shown up at her place.
She'd fled because she couldn't shake him off.
Persistent enough to risk coming here.
As the guy hemmed and hawed excuses, Su-yeon vented her rage.
"What're you gonna do, following me all the way here? Handle a Killer if one pops out? You can't do shit, so quit yapping about responsibility."
"Su-yeon..."
"Relationships need some chemistry, right, Dingo?"
The pup yawned, utterly uninterested.
Should I step in here...?
The guy's demeanor didn't scream "gonna give up easy."
Maybe tail him when he follows her and give a warning?
She wasn't "mine," but I wanted to at least keep her alive.
She'd cleared the tutorial, had good traits, strong survival instinct, and was friendly toward me.
Reasons to help? Plenty.
Su-yeon cut the guy off mid-sentence and spun around.
As he lunged after her, they both froze.
"Huh? What is it?"
Su-yeon's face hardened.
They scanned around, searching for something, then vanished.
"Killer event."
Anyone would react like that when the heartbeat suddenly blared.
Told ya not to come here.
I slipped out, checking my surroundings.
Thump, thump, thump!
It was like pressing a stethoscope to my chest.
Proof the Killer was very close.
I checked my gear and weapons.
"If the warhead doesn't shatter, I could end it inside the dimension gate."
Too bad—Killers universally had insane HP regen and durability. A bullet or two wouldn't kill them.
But no need to drag out a three-man Killer event.
"Right, Kwon-ssi?"
The heartbeat grew even louder.
The Killer hunts users.
Users must flee from the Killer, dodging the zombie wall.
This deathmatch ends only when one side dies.
But here's the thing.
What if the user keeps running from the Killer?
The chase doesn't last forever.
After a set time, the zombie wall closes in, and the Killer enters an excited state.
At that point, the Killer's ridiculously strong—even veterans struggle.
"Once took down a werewolf barehanded."
I stuffed a fire canister and rope into my backpack and slipped out.
The heartbeat was louder, but no sign of the Killer.
"Within 50 meters...?"
Staying put was pointless; I had to move.
And the moment we met, blind him with the flash and bolt.
While prowling the buildings, I spotted Su-yeon and the guy.
"Sung-ho!"
"Shh. You hear that, right?"
"Y-yes."
She nodded frantically.
The guy beside her gave me a super awkward look upon seeing me.
Who's this punk? Probably.
No need to deal with him.
"Killer. Very close. Might've already locked onto us. Don't wanna die? Run far, fast."
Su-yeon was smart.
Skipped the "got it" and just nodded, bolting immediately.
Too late.
Someone ascended from the stairwell at the hall's end.
The Killer wore a black suit in this sweltering heat.
Not huge, but his presence made him seem gigantic.
Expressionless face, bloodied knife in his right hand.
Ceramic knife?
As I sized him up, pale-faced Su-yeon hesitated.
"H-he's here..."
Thump! Thump!
The heartbeat boomed like a massive speaker.
Simultaneously, the Killer's eyes glowed red.
Lifeform Tracking skill activated.
Escaping to the dimension gate just got tricky.
I patted retreating Su-yeon's shoulder.
"Su-yeon, follow me. Play it right, you might live."
"...Got it. I'll just run—save me."
"No guarantees."
Ignoring the guy, I said low,
"Run."
We raced up the stairs in one go.
Zombies were already swarming from all sides, forming walls.
Thicker than the tutorial—breaking through was impossible.
But in a building like this, there was one way.
A timing half-baked veterans like My Dream didn't know—only guys like me.
Glancing back mid-run, the guy and Killer were tailing me.
I cranked the flash to max and shone it in the Killer's eyes.
"Graaagh!"
The Killer screamed in agony, rubbing his eyes.
Bought us a few seconds at least.
Su-yeon marveled,
"How'd you... know that would... work?"
"Just a hunch—tried it, and it did!"
Felt the guy behind us halt suddenly.
Gonna copy me?
He rummaged his pack, pulled a flash, and tried blasting the Killer.
Oh, buddy...
He flashed the Killer's eyes, but as the guy lumbered forward, he panicked.
"Huh? Wh-what's wrong with this?"
Apparently didn't know you build immunity to attacks for minutes after.
Thump! Thump!
The Killer's steps quickened.
Entering slight excitement state.
Didn't sprint, but fast enough—dawdle and you're done.
The guy flailed, then ran again.
Su-yeon kept looking back.
I warned her,
"Don't look. Stick to my back."
"Got it!"
Running while checking behind needed Terrain Sense skill.
Guy's gonna get nabbed first.
Killer attacks were lethal—one hit could end you.
Then us—and before that, breach the zombie wall.
"Hah, huff, s-save... save me!"
The guy reached for me.
Desperate plea laced with survival will.
Too late.
Distance to Killer closed.
In that blink, the Killer swung.
The guy couldn't even resist—got shredded.
"Gaaah!"
Death cry was brief.
Ceramic blade pierced his gut; he slumped.
Killer's reddened gaze turned to us.
Excited, huh? Just wait a bit.
Bunny Duo Seok-hyun pondered heading to Busan but couldn't find the way.
All the signs were smashed.
Running the highway, he'd hit an interchange with regional names, but Seok-hyun lacked patience.
He wanted to nail the direction from the start.
After agonizing, he joined a survivor group.
A real man doesn't ask permission.
Survivors tried driving off the intruder with all they had but felt the power gap and surrendered.
"T-take whatever! Just spare our lives!"
"Don't need lives. Which way's Busan?"
The leader's face twisted weirdly.
What kinda retard is this?
"Don't know? Beat it outta ya?"
"Uh, you mean the direction to Busan?"
"Yeah."
"..."
The leader agonized.
Wanted to send him wrong for payback, but revenge scared him.
Panties, cape, boots—that freakish getup wasn't for just anyone.
Better shoo him quick...
Leader gave the right way: Follow Gyeongbu Line from Yongsan Station straight to Busan.
"Gyeongbu Line, got it? Thanks."
He tossed an item from his pack and bolted the hideout.
Beaten-down survivors asked the leader,
"What'd you tell him?"
"Ow... hurts. Yongsan Station to Busan."
"Then why'd he run the opposite way?"
"How should I know..."
Meanwhile, Seok-hyun ran like hell.
Felt like he'd nailed the direction this time.
Busan would take time, but he could endure.
Days of running for a friend? Piece of cake!
"Gonna make iiiit!"
Hit what he thought was Yongsan Station, then followed rail traces.
Killed zombies en route, rested in villages.
High level meant enhanced zombies, but they couldn't stop him.
Ran through the night, crashed on rails at dawn, then ran again.
Finally reached a city.
"Not Busan—Pyeongtaek, maybe!"
Seok-hyun believed it firm.
But something was off.
Pyeongtaek Station area should be bustling, right?
No way this few zombies.
Crossing the road, shock hit.
Huge lake right ahead.
Way off course.
After frantic wandering, realized it was Chuncheon.
Should've taken Gyeongbu Line—followed Gyeongchun instead.
"Fuckin' hell."
Zombies swarmed the demoralized him.
Dozens of tough, sturdy ones encircled him.
But Seok-hyun's body was insanely durable—normal zombies couldn't scratch him.
"Uuuuugh—"
He led the zombies, trudging into downtown.
Hiding survivors freaked at the horde.
An enhanced zombie in just panties, with minions!
"Seeeex!"
Zombie roared; one survivor clutched his head.
And desperately scribbled in his diary.
—Finally, a zombie screaming for sex appeared. Turned zombie with regrets of unfulfilled lust? Might impersonate humans later... I dub them the New Humanity. As the last Old Human, I leave this record... Hope posterity finds it...
[Survivor and Killer - 3] End