Chapter 46
Chapter 46
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Survivor and Killer - 4
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Suyeon and I made it up to the third floor of the commercial building.
The shoddy construction meant the walls were crumbling in spots here and there.
Even as we searched for an exit right now, my heart pounded like a drum.
How far had the zombie wall come?
I stuck my head out through the broken window to check on the zombies.
Damn, there were a ton of them.
Suyeon panted heavily as she asked,
"Sung-ho, what are you checking?"
"Look over there. The zombies came to welcome us."
"Oh my God..."
Her mouth hung open in shock.
She probably hadn't seen a zombie horde like this even during the tutorial.
The creatures spotted us and started wailing, but they weren't approaching.
Some force was controlling them.
I patted Suyeon's shoulder.
"Suyeon, you're fast, right?"
"...A little. Running's my hobby."
"What we need to do first is escape. While running, when the killer's eyes turn completely blood-red, we break through their encirclement in one go."
"...Is that even possible? With them spread out like that?"
She gave me a doubtful look.
Normally, you'd think it wasn't. A zombie wall was meant to trap players, so breaking it would be weird.
But with this building, timing made it possible.
Thud! Thud!
My heart pounded loudly again, and Suyeon held her breath.
I grabbed her hand and headed down to the first floor, hiding in the bathroom.
Just as we could sense the killer, it could sense us too.
But we had a little time.
I said quickly,
"You saw the building across the skybridge from the third floor, right?"
"Yeah..."
"We sprint straight there and rappel down using a rope. Right when the killer's eyes turn fully red and the zombie wall starts closing in."
"Ah... It's closing in now."
If we missed that timing, the killer's vision would shift to something like infrared.
Escaping would be nearly impossible.
Suyeon rolled her eyes and asked,
"But do we have a rope?"
"Right here."
I pulled a sturdy rope from my backpack and handed it to her.
"I'll lure the killer and time it. Suyeon, tie the rope and keep watch on the zombies."
"Got it."
She didn't pry, which made things easy.
As I stood to move, goosebumps rose on my arms and my heart thumped hard.
The killer had punched through the wall into the bathroom!
Was that its special ability?
Time elapsed... 3 minutes 50 seconds. I needed 10 more seconds for the flash.
I yelled at the top of my lungs,
"Suyeon! Run!"
"Yes!"
The moment she bolted, the killer's eyes glowed red.
I instinctively pulled my shield from the slot.
I could kill it here, but Kwon would be disappointed.
The killer lumbered toward me, swinging its knife.
Clang, clang!
Each block sent a massive shock through me.
One wrong move and my bones would snap.
Its attacks were simple, but the power was beyond human limits.
I rubbed my wrist and backed away.
As it closed in, I flashed its eyes again.
"Grah!"
Weak reaction.
I dashed out, counting in my head.
Even with flashes, I could only do this three times max, and the stun shortened each time.
Now I just had to hold out until Suyeon tied the rope.
Raaagh—
The zombies outside spotted me and screamed.
The distance had narrowed at some point.
A bit more time, and there'd be nowhere to run.
The killer's footsteps sped up behind me.
My heart pounded irregularly, louder now.
Just a little longer, just a little...
As I climbed to the second floor, Suyeon's voice rang out.
"Sung-ho! Zombies below!"
"Tell me when they disappear!"
The zombie wall closing in had to sync perfectly with the killer hitting peak frenzy.
I kept up the chase with the killer.
Even running hard now, I couldn't shake it easily.
A little more, and it'd speed up to match my exhausted pace.
Meanwhile, the zombie wall would squeeze tight—no dodging, no retreat.
Plus, the killer's special ability let it phase through walls.
Lucky it had a cooldown, unlike Mi-kyung's blink.
"Grooo!"
The killer chasing me suddenly knelt in agony.
Its hands clutched its face, crimson light leaking through.
It was starting.
Suyeon yelled urgently from above.
"Sung-ho! The zombies..."
"Go down the second they vanish!"
I replied, swapping my gloves.
Rappelling would shred the +2 Acrobatics ones.
Gotta save 'em to live well.
Finally, my heart drummed like war beats.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
I bolted up to the third floor for the skybridge.
Oh crap.
The killer was waiting right at the skybridge entrance.
It could phase through ceilings too?
Suyeon was probably down by now. Good.
Instead of charging, I opened a dimension gate and slipped in.
The killer hesitated as it approached.
Target vanished suddenly—weird, right?
Eat this.
Bang!
The Tokarev spat fire; the killer clutched its face in torment.
"Kraaagh!"
Won't die, but out for at least 10 seconds.
I burst from the gate, smashing its neck with the ebony club.
Thwack!
The killer staggered.
Passing the skybridge, I saw zombies fully surrounding this building.
Which meant no zombies under the building where Suyeon dropped the rope!
I sprinted and rappelled down.
Hot-hot-hot!
As I blew on my singed hands from the rough slide, Suyeon stared wide-eyed.
"H-how did you do that? I don't understand any of it..."
"Explanations later. Let's move. It ain't over."
She clamped her mouth shut and ran ahead.
Zombie wails erupted behind us.
The encirclement was opening, reforming.
And all debuffs on the berserk killer would vanish.
I was certain events trumped traits.
The tutorial zombies that sealed traits proved it.
Kwon, you're definitely at the time shelter, right?
Coming now—wait up.
I ran with Suyeon, pulling fireworks from my backpack.
I yelled to her,
"Right alley! Don't look back, no matter what!"
"Got it!"
We were both exhausted from the chase in this heat.
But couldn't stop with the killer behind.
Thud—as the killer event range reset.
I pulled up my neck warmer and hit the road.
The beefcakes and Kwon at the time shelter entrance jumped up.
"Wh-what? How'd you escape?"
I lit the firework fuse and tossed it at them.
"Don't look!"
Bang-bang-bang!
The blasts were no joke—blinding flash.
Sodium mix? Yellow sparks bloomed brilliantly.
"Argh!"
"Can't see!"
I couldn't see either—point-blank explosion.
I hurried after Suyeon into the alley.
Kwon yelled something, but ears ringing.
And.
Thud!
The killer event restarted.
System glitched from breaking the zombie wall—new instance.
The killer shed all harmful effects, reborn fresh.
Of course, Kwon's brainwash broke too.
Hiding behind a building with Suyeon, I heard it approach.
"Hey, stay right there, you bastard. Can't even catch two punks... Hey, you deaf? I said stop!"
Kwon tried controlling the killer.
Brainwash gone, as expected.
I pulled Suyeon to a second-floor room in another building.
The parking lot out front was chaos.
"Block it! Beat that fucker! Hey!"
"Arrows aren't working!"
"Agh! It swung its knife!"
Beefcakes getting shredded by the killer.
Unless they used molotovs, it'd be tough.
Kwon thought the same, screaming,
"What're you waiting for with the molotovs? Throw 'em now!"
Someone hurled one; asphalt ignited.
"Grraaah!"
The killer writhed in flames instantly.
But didn't stop attacking.
Emotionless blade—two beefcakes screamed to death already.
Just Kwon and two left.
They fled toward my alley, terrified even as it burned.
Planning to regroup with the rest?
I whispered to Suyeon,
"Watch our back. More goons coming."
"Okay."
She turned, leaning against me.
I nocked an arrow on my bow, firing at charging Kwon.
Miss. He glared.
"You little shit, don't know who you are but... Ack!"
He nearly tripped.
Always check for obstacles in apocalypse.
I loosed arrows rapidly but learned moving targets are hard.
Suyeon whispered urgently,
"Goons incoming."
Footsteps right on cue.
Damn, earlier than expected.
Arrows whizzed overhead already.
I ducked with Suyeon into the building.
Peeking through broken glass, Kwon regrouped.
One goon charged the killer.
Meat shield to flee.
They overlapped; goon screamed horribly, dying.
I yanked a plastic flame canister from my pack, hurling it hard.
Whoosh!
Both engulfed in fire instantly.
Killer thrashed in agony, but sticky flames clung.
I fired three 100-pound draw-weight arrows at the killer.
Thud-thud-thunk.
Its torso jerked; it slowly knelt, motionless.
Prior molotov must've hurt bad.
Messages scrolled in my view.
Kwon stared blankly at his dying goon.
"This..."
No time for words?
I shot at Kwon, but goons body-blocked.
Arrows flew at me in volley.
Shoulder skin tore; burning pain like fire-quake.
"Tch."
As I ducked inside, Kwon raged.
"You're that guy from before! I'll kill you! Grab you and kill you for sure!"
"Yeah, right."
I clutched my shoulder.
Suyeon emerged from the hall, covering my shoulder with her hand.
"Don't move. I'll heal you."
Bright light poured from her hand.
So this is the healing trait...
Blood stopped instantly; wound knit closed.
Light faded; she pulled away regretfully.
"Sorry. My power's still weak— that's all I can do."
"No, this is amazing."
Not fully healed, but pain gone—plenty.
Listening outside, Kwon ranted then freaked.
With killer event gone, whose side would the wall zombies take?
"R-run!"
Suyeon and I watched them flee.
"Lots of goons."
"That's why zombies love 'em. Let's bounce too."
"Okay."
Gun could drop a few, but irrelevant.
We descended to first floor, used fireworks to lure zombies, checked time shelter entrance.
"Seems fine still."
After all that mess, door held firm.
Not breaking easy.
We dodged zombies toward Edenville.
Back at Edenville, Suyeon asked nothing.
Smart girl—knew exactly what went down.
Probably sparing me by not prying.
She applied ointment to my wound, bandaged it.
Then said,
"What now? Lots died... Can't stay around here."
"That guy's dangerous. He won't know this spot—think it over and move."
"To your place, Sung-ho?"
"Nah, nearby."
Suyeon smiled, sitting beside me.
"Figured. Men clinging's annoying; wanna stay near familiar faces. Sigh... How'd it come to this."
Apocalypse.
I packed my backpack without replying.
She asked,
"Leaving already?"
"Rest at home."
"True... Home's comfiest. Wait."
She brought an umbrella stand full of carbon arrows.
"Only this to give. Thanks so much. Without you, I'd be..."
"No big deal."
She waved it off.
"No. Knew in theory, but when it hit, froze. Head knowledge vs. reality."
"Got my life fee."
As I stowed arrows, she smiled slyly.
"You've got secrets, Sung-ho. Guessed some, but better not ask."
"Secrets... Nothing huge."
Just hiding the secret forest?
Suyeon propped her chin on her knee.
"Too bad. Wanted to treat you to dinner."
"Dingo's waiting."
"Go then. Dingo's smart—went home alone."
"Gotta have that trick to tag along."
I stowed arrows, stood.
"Cold... See ya."
She waved weakly.
Probably thinking of the dead guy.
Annoying as he was, bittersweet he's gone?
I left Edenville, settled in a nearby house.
Opened dimension gate; Dingo bounded out.
Bored waiting—rolled belly-up, going nuts.
Grow a bit more to take along.
I checked messages.
"1 level up and 200 points..."
Not bad, if not epic.
Killer's skill: Lifeform Tracking.
Stare at a lifeform awhile, track its traces.
"Great for hunting or fleeing..."
Upgraded my survival solid.
No item drop sucks, but other ways.
"Auction house."
Saw panty item, closed eyes.
Why auction worn ones?
Logged in quick—shocking news hit.
"In North Korea?"
Couldn't imagine why Bunny Duo went there.
Maze-lost noob?
"Nah."
No way even a pathfinder ends up there.
Hm...
Tempting for a sec, but ignored.
Undying vet—he'd manage.
Headed home with Dingo.
Time to snag good items with saved points.
[Survivor and Killer - 4] End