Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Outsider - 1
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Crackle, crackle.
Steam rose from the mess kit perched over the fire.
Dingo, clearly enjoying the warmth, settled down beside the fire pit and lay there.
Bubbles churned out of the hole in the mess kit's lid.
Time to turn down the heat and wait until a faint smoky aroma wafted up.
Exactly five minutes later, I lifted the lid.
"Mm... perfect."
Shiny rice revealed itself, perfectly cooked without any burnt bottom.
Dingo sprang up at the smell.
"You're not getting any of this."
I poured dog food into a bowl first, then tore open a vacuum-sealed pack of chicken breast and added it on top.
The pup chomped away happily.
"You've grown quite a bit, huh?"
Stroking his back as he ate, I could feel how much bulkier he'd gotten.
Compared to when we first met, maybe 1.5 times bigger?
Still cute, but glimpses of his dam's wolfish features were starting to show.
Someday, this guy and I might chase down some wild boars together.
"Bet boar tastes great..."
Wild game might be tough, but in this situation, that was no issue at all.
The key was securing fresh meat.
Maybe set traps in spots they pass through often?
I shoveled down my rice with some side dishes while flipping through survival books and videos.
My stockpiled meat was running low.
I could catch trout from the valley, but fish gets old fast.
I craved real meat.
"Dingo needs meat too."
Dogs and wolves were basically the same, so kibble wasn't terrible.
But real meat would make him grow strong and sturdy.
Watching him pin a chunk with his front paws and chew satisfied me too.
"How do those boar herds move again..."
My target wasn't adult boars, but the piglets.
They huddled around their young while traveling, so the piglets rarely showed.
But if I rigged a capture cage up in the trees, I could snag one.
"Gun would be easiest, but can't waste ammo."
171 rounds were for emergencies only.
Plus, with so much to do, heading out to hunt with Dingo felt off.
"Gotta make kimchi, set up a garden..."
Basically, I wanted to set things in motion and reap the rewards later without constant fussing.
If push came to shove, gun it was—but for now, I had time.
I mixed hot water from the fire pit with cold to wash up, then did the dishes.
Shaved and brushed my teeth; the grimy look was mostly gone.
"Need a haircut soon."
Maybe grab something and ask Mi-kyung, but Kyung-hoon was a problem.
He'd sent his intent via Yu-hyun's paper airplane.
—Thanks for the help, Sung-ho, but we'll handle things ourselves now. Please try not to come around.
My reply:
—Got it.
If they were uncomfortable, I'd stay away. Simple.
According to Yu-hyun, tension simmered between Hyung-jun hyung and Kyung-hoon.
Probably because I was the outsider.
Hyung-jun hyung was the leader, but he couldn't just dictate.
Kyung-hoon was pulling Bora to his side and eyeing Yu-hyun too.
A power struggle?
Both had the same Physical Enhancement trait, so neither backed down easily.
"Things are stabilizing, so now the pissing contest starts."
Hyung-jun hyung pushed farming for survival; Kyung-hoon wanted aggressive zombie hunts for points too.
If asked, I'd say divide roles—but outsider, so whatever.
"They'll figure it out."
Still, curious about those folks near the gym.
Yu-hyun said no big moves, so scout later.
Decent neighbors or not...
I chuckled.
In the apocalypse, no such thing as "decent neighbors."
Ally or enemy.
"Should've killed that bastard..."
Regretted sparing Kwon.
Must've popped an item; he was too fast to hit.
"Not like zombies."
His goons blocked shots too, but bottom line: my aim sucked.
So, improve accuracy how?
"Practice."
Or grind till a Dexterity item dropped.
No stat-boosters in the shop, and equip limit was five items.
Sixth and beyond: zero effect.
I spent an hour on archery practice.
Checked the ox pepper patch in the clearing: they towered impressively.
"Growing crazy fast, right?"
Dingo steered clear after a harsh lesson.
I brushed a pepper plant and sniffed.
"Whoa... eyes watering already."
New plants were just as potent.
This growth speed meant the forest itself held some power.
"Applies to my plantings too, huh?"
Try and see.
One unavoidable task: kimchi.
Pre-D-Day cabbage was wilting.
Holding up, but soon unusable.
"...Might as well do it now."
Prepped ingredients, salted the cabbage.
Made paste in a big tub, covered with plastic.
"Few hours to wait."
No idling—make traps.
Watched videos, built a wooden capture cage from branches.
Thrashing prey meant weighting the bottom with rocks.
Finished: kinda sloppy.
"...This actually catch anything?"
If not, try spear traps next.
Made another, then scouted boar trails with Dingo.
They rubbed against trees; Dingo sniffed right away.
Woof, woof.
"Here, huh? Stay back, Dingo."
His scent could tip them off.
Boars had good noses too.
Hoisted the cage into a tree, fixed a bait stick with a Sun Apple in prime spot.
Regular Sun Apple, no effects.
Piglets would go first, triggering the cage.
"Momma boar won't charge in mad?"
Then it'd be wild boar meat party time.
Installed, turned—and Dingo growled low.
I sensed something approaching too.
Goblin.
Creeping through brush, using cover.
Goblins were scary because they knew terrain.
Goblins were dumb because they thought camouflage fooled everyone.
Vets crushed them; newbies struggled.
"Knew I was coming."
Ambush when I stepped out.
Three crawling in line pissed me off.
Drew Tokarev, popped one.
Bang!
Goblins froze in shock.
Dingo charged, barking; they bolted.
Lifeform Tracking activated; saw their path.
Retreating to an ambush spot.
"Trap there?"
Binoculars confirmed: brush trap with spiked branches for thighs.
"Paralysis venom at the tips, probably."
Hated wasting bullets, so sniped with bow.
Bodies later; urgent business now.
Back to shelter, geared fully.
Time to wipe them and smash the northern nest.
Fewer now after kills.
"Maybe 20 left... odds good."
Attacker's advantage; no sparing ammo.
Drew shop-bought weapon from sheath.
Knife in name, but blade near 60cm.
Single-edged, sleek, insanely sharp.
Not as good as Emras, but easier to wield and repair.
300 points: pricey but practical.
"Not usable yet..."
Sheathed at waist; calmed my nerves.
Months from now, sword time.
Survival Life was survival sim; most mained bows.
But monsters like werewolves closed fast, forcing melee.
Needed tanky melee sets and weapons for that.
"Good to practice early."
Why I bought that arming sword from a foreign armory site.
Varied monsters; can't cover with one or two weapons.
"300 points sting, but..."
I could farm via auction house.
Anon, using forest resources.
Chop shelter ice, list at min price: sells.
Later, when more hit auctions.
Dingo yipped to hurry.
"Yeah, let's go."
.
.
.
Raiding enemy shelters/nests: recon first.
Scouted goblin nest recently, but flew drone again.
Things change.
Old intel useless.
"How many..."
Daytime goblin nests: 30-40% inside.
Rest out trapping/hunting.
So, ~10 to kill.
"Then I'm defender..."
Hated that filthy nest.
Wipe out, snipe stragglers outside.
Reminded me of Kwon's bunker.
Similar setup.
"Kwon turns hobgoblin? Girls become gold goblins."
No pouches, but fitting image.
Even Kwon couldn't replace minions fast.
Few survivors.
Lost three; he'd lay low awhile.
"Best: snipe."
Hide in dimension gate near bunker, pick off as they emerge.
But peepholes possible; or hunker down.
Not ideal.
"If they bunker, I'm screwed."
Ideal: tanky buddy to storm in.
Thought of Bunny Duo, shook head.
Merge with that guy? At least a year.
"I could climb up..."
Vision of panty-clad, bearded 30-something charging me.
...Pretend that never happened.
Lowering pack for drone, spotted the beetles.
"Whoa, almost squished you."
All pointed north with front legs.
They're the ones!
"Got it. Recon first."
Flew drone, linked to laptop.
Beetles hopped on pack with permission, watched screen.
"Hm..."
They understood video?
Pointing at spots, nodding like debating.
Anyway, aerial recon smooth.
Didn't order, but boss beetle summarized.
"9 in nest, 12 outside?"
Nod, nod.
Matched my estimate.
21 goblins down: area quiet awhile.
Worth trying.
Beetles sketched fat birds too.
Goblins raising livestock?
"Goblins farming birds..."
Check later. Plan: Dingo lures east, I hit west.
Thin numbers first.
Gear plentiful; no risk vibe.
Key: nest surrounded by traps. Map first.
Offered white marker to beetles.
"You scout nest perimeter, mark traps. Can do?"
Huddled, nodded.
Passed marker; another grabbed, boss opened lid.
"Right, like that. Close when done."
No explanation needed; smarter than me?
Couldn't fly; lugged marker on foot.
I checked gear, waited.
Auction house: no Bunny Duo, but others browsing.
Listing items, probing identities.
Bunny Duo dumped panties; only their stuff now.
Three thrilled to be first.
Overheard chats: recognized them.
"All familiar faces."
Duck Down Quack, Survivor1 not yet?
God-tier traits, playing cautious?
Contact later.
Soon, beetles back with marker.
Even flew drone to show trap spots.
Classic sloppy goblin traps exposed.
Pat Dingo's butt.
"Dingo, go."
He dashed east toward nest.
End of Outsider - 1