Chapter 51
Chapter 51
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: The Last Supper
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Long-distance travel in the apocalypse is incredibly tough.
Even more so in this summer heat.
But who knows what Bunny Duo and Duck Down Quack might pull off.
If I ran into them... what choice would I make?
I closed the auction house and sorted through my thoughts.
First off, those two have way higher combat power than me.
They've probably got a ton of points too.
Duck Down Quack, who blew 45 points on ice. Bunny Duo, who has to stockpile points because of his trait.
High combat power and lots of points means they don't need anyone else.
"And they've got no ties to me..."
In the game, we just laughed, chatted, and had fun together—no real-life entanglements.
That's one less reason for me to hide my identity.
The only hitch is, there's no guarantee they wouldn't covet my dimension gate trait.
In the apocalypse, living in abundance like that? Anyone would be tempted.
Humans always want to sit if they're standing, lie down if they're sitting, right?
"Still, those two might be different."
They're such weirdos; their mindset could be totally offbeat.
If they actually showed up in Busan...
I gave a wry smile.
Even as I thought this, if I heard they'd arrived, I'd probably welcome them.
Online friends, but friends nonetheless.
Memories flooded back of getting lost in a maze, lighting a campfire, and chatting about everything under the sun.
Sharing those memories in the apocalypse is a huge blessing.
"Assuming they could even make it to Busan."
Duck Down Quack, maybe. But Bunny Duo? No way.
I couldn't picture them teaming up.
No need to worry about it for now.
Anyway, what was I about to do?
Looking at the book spread out in the cave, right—make a vegetable garden.
Digging frozen winter ground is hard, but I've got a mini excavator.
"Let's start with potatoes for the crops."
I've watched so many survival movies that potatoes are etched in my mind as the ultimate survival food.
Even though I've already stockpiled plenty in the cave.
Anyway, the forest grew Sun Apples and bull peppers fast, so potatoes should thrive too.
Here's hoping.
"First, spread fertilizer, flip the soil with the excavator..."
Then use the hoe and shovel to make ridges and cover with plastic... hmm.
Looks easy in videos, but frozen ground won't be simple.
Better than shivering in the cold—gotta generate some body heat.
As I grabbed my tools, Dingo—who'd been sleeping belly-up—bolted awake, growling.
"What? Something outside?"
Then I heard it too.
Squeeeal!
Damn.
Something caught in the capture trap?
I geared up and dashed outside.
Squeeeal! Squeeeerk!
Outside, a wild boar piglet was trapped.
Before I could even celebrate, I quickly opened the trap and grabbed it.
Dingo barked like the forest was collapsing.
"Let's bounce."
I clutched the piglet and retreated to the shelter.
Reason being, adult boars would definitely come back.
They might've fled in shock for now, but they'd return for their young.
Sounds like a 1+1 deal, but considering their size... it'd be a brutal fight.
A couple arrows wouldn't kill them; I'd have to spear them up close, and if multiples...
"Gotta save bullets to live well."
Fired one in frustration at that goblin, down to 170 rounds now.
Regret, more regret.
I brought the wriggling piglet into the cave and slit its throat clean.
Having taken countless lives, its cuteness meant nothing to me.
This boar was food now. Meat to keep me alive.
"Butchering time again..."
Staring at the limp piglet, post-nut clarity hit.
It's a baby, so the meat'll be super tender!
I psyched myself up, drained the blood, and started dismantling the pig.
"Argh, seriously."
After a fierce struggle, I severed the head and hung the meat slab from the ceiling.
Looks just like a butcher shop warehouse now.
Dingo's tail spun like a propeller; he was ready to leap.
Haven't had meat lately, huh?
Enough... but not quite for a full feast.
I can just do boiled meat for myself anyway.
Carnivore Dingo needs it more.
"Eat this first."
I cut out the liver and guts for Dingo.
Then sliced the boiled meat portion.
Small size made it hard to distinguish anyway.
Roughly by the thigh, chopped it up, tossed in a pot with whatever spices, and boiled away.
"Is this boiled meat or what?"
As long as it's tender, good enough.
Fresh kimchi will handle the rest.
Dingo devoured the innards in seconds, smacking his lips.
Fed him stomach and heart too, but his hunger didn't fade.
"We'll share the rest."
He sniffed the blood, sat obediently, and waited.
Hmm...
Meat's so tender, shorter boil time's fine?
Peeked under the lid: yellow broth bubbling, pale meat chunks floating.
"Heh heh..."
Couldn't help but grin.
Lucky trait lets me indulge like this.
Pulled out a kimchi leaf, trimmed the stem.
Should be good.
Fished out the meat, sliced it despite the heat.
Wrapped in kimchi, rolled it up, popped it in.
"Mmm. Hm."
Tender meat and spicy kimchi—perfect harmony.
Can't hold back.
Grabbed the soju pack, poured a glass glug-glug.
Didn't wanna get drunk in the apocalypse, but today? Irresistible.
"Eyes closed, three shots only."
Dingo eyed my tender boiled meat over his share.
"Hey, you got more than me, right?"
Woof woof!
"Fine, fine."
I gave him half my portion.
Cooled it carefully, sliced it—good owner material?
He vacuumed it up, stared at me.
No way, buddy.
I set my plate on the makeshift table and savored the feast slowly.
Ahh... this is the stuff.
.
.
.
Before goblins show up, there's a random event: animal raid.
"Raid" sounds intense, but it's a precious chance for players to secure meat.
You know the trope in apocalypse stories.
Animals stirring chaos in ruined cities.
Carnivores threaten humans; herbivores become prey. Classic cliché.
Survival Life has it too, but I don't know the date.
Prepped nets and throwing spears thoroughly.
Practiced relentlessly too.
Even while picking garden spots, I'd shoot arrows or hurl spears whenever I had a moment.
Thanks to that, when summer's heat eased a bit, Dexterity hit +1 more, total 14.
With the launcher, I can hit big game decently.
Spear's weight gives way more power than arrows.
Also been building tolerance with paralysis poison from poison frogs.
In a world where abilities become skills, maybe paralysis poison resistance too.
"Goblins should be due soon."
Dipped a needle lightly in poison, jabbed my thigh—leg went numb.
"..."
Minutes later, sensation returned.
Sighed in relief, ramped up tolerance training.
Method: normalize paralysis poison.
Once on waking, once mid-work, once with lunch. Like that.
If legs felt stiff, skipped the day and rested.
Cautious approach paid off.
On day 10, it appeared.
"It worked."
Day 9 had me doubting if I'd ever get it, but finally.
Don't know exact effects, but at least won't drop from one hit.
"Anyway, with the stab suit, most'll be blocked."
Just block that unlucky joint shot.
Wonder why it's resistance, not immunity.
Tested: coated needle fully like goblin style, jabbed—whole body twitched.
"Ugh!"
That's why resistance, not immunity.
Could move, but barely.
Sweating buckets in winter, managed a few steps.
"Ha..."
Finally shook it off, drenched in sweat.
Enough to flee to dimension gate—good enough?
"Keep building resistance."
Who knows.
Might stack into immunity.
Back to reality after ages: heatwave broken.
Still muggy, but way better than that hellish inferno days ago.
"After nonexistent fall, winter's next."
Old saying: hot summer means cold winter... hoping it doesn't hold this year.
"Forest won't get insanely hotter, right?"
I grumbled, observing from the 2nd-floor house with binoculars.
Zombie hunters had multiplied lately.
Started holed up, now adapting.
No reinforced zombies post-patch—huntable now.
Zombies got buffs, but not human-agile.
"Fine till they become ghouls."
Truth is, zombie, reinforced zombie, ghoul—not strict categories.
Just called "ghoul" when more monstrous and agile.
Zombie-to-ghoul shift hits after goblins, then kobolds.
That's true apocalypse onset.
"Just a teaser now."
Cleaning dust in the 2nd-floor house, a paper airplane flew in.
Checked: Yoo Hyun's breaking news.
—Bro! Tiger showed up, tiger!
"Finally here."
I shouldered my pack, dragged reluctant Dingo out.
Ate meat—time to earn it?
.
.
.
Tiger prowling the streets.
Startled by zombie attacks but sticking around.
Where from? Map said Samjeon Deer Park.
"Makes sense—we trashed it all."
Zombie spores only affect humans; animals escaped fine.
Some died to zombies, others roam streets.
Gym folks across the street watched through hole-punched windows.
Then an arrow whistled from somewhere.
Tiger, strolling casually, dodged tail-graze, startled.
Then growled in rage.
"Let's see... no others around..."
From rooftop with Dingo, scanned—spotted a flock of sheep.
No shearers, so wool overgrown.
Adults'd stink, but that size...
Pant pant pant.
Dingo drooled at them.
Would've chased sans tiger.
Helpers appeared for my dilemma.
Arrows rained from office rooftop blocks away.
Too far for tiger hits though.
Tiger fled barrage; saw hiking-geared folks descend.
"Kyung-hoon's there too."
Gonna bag tiger for bragging rights.
Whatever, do you.
I'm sheep-hunting to feed my crew.
Forest kills are mine, but here? No need.
Yoo Hyun tipped me off; need Mi-kyung's help.
If hurt, Soo-yeon heals; bro helps subdue sheep.
Wrote sheep hunt on paper plane, launched it.
Yoo Hyun caught it; folks watched.
"Dingo, let's go."
Dingo leads sheep herding.
Block and bark to corral.
True to form, hit street from 1st floor, blocked sheep path.
Bark bark! Bark bark!
Less fierce than wolf barks.
Three sheep flinched, glared at Dingo, lowered heads.
Not submission.
Charge headbutt incoming.
Dingo dodged crisis perfectly.
Sheep confused by yappy small thing, backed off.
Bark bark!
Suddenly, arrows from opposite 2nd floor hit rear sheep.
Pre-set target worked.
Three misses, one flank hit.
Bro, nice!
Sheep spooked, bolted opposite Dingo.
I waited in alley, launched loaded crossbow as they passed.
One miss, one shoulder hit.
Sheep vitality insane—speed unchanged.
Chased through zombies.
Terrain Sense and Lifeform Tracking activated.
Tracked wounded sheep easily.
Uwaaaah—
Two alley zombies lunged.
Drew long knife, decapitated one.
No time to look back—run.
Even tough animals can't tank two arrows.
Blood trail thickening on ground.
Finally, alley end: sheep exhausted, collapsed.
"Huff, huff..."
Caught breath, fired loaded crossbow.
Hit butt, sheep leaped—but done.
Flopped over, blood pooling.
Zombies swarmed sensing life.
Hyung-jun bro body-slammed zombies, rushed in.
"Sung-ho!"
"Shh. Bro, let's carry this."
"I'll haul; you follow. Mi-kyung's coming."
"Yes sir."
Bro shouldered blood-soaked sheep, led.
Physical Enhancement trait—no burden even adult sheep.
Zombies clogged alley; Mi-kyung blinked in.
"Mi-kyung-ssi, please."
"Leave it to me!"
Grabbed my hand.
Scenery blurred back—2nd-floor academy.
Soo-yeon and Yoo Hyun greeted; soon bro and sheep inside.
Mi-kyung blinked six times—dizzy as hell.
"Oof, my head."
"Mi-kyung-ah, dizzy? Sit."
Soo-yeon seated her; all eyed sheep.
"...Thanks to Sung-ho, hunt succeeded. Now what?"
From window, called Dingo in.
Asked group:
"Anyone know butchering?"
All shook heads.
City folk—makes sense.
I'd never even done chicken till recently, but now different.
Guess I'm handling it.
"Needs lots of water—okay?"
All lit up.
For meat, water's no issue.
Bro patted my shoulder.
"Sung-ho's something else, huh? Eyeing sheep for hunt."
Cringe.
Scratched neck; Mi-kyung chimed in.
"Owner missed it. Uncle weaving through zombies like spy flick."
"Sung-ho-ssi, no injuries?"
"Ah, no, none."
Gotta bolt.
With bro's help, dragged sheep to downstairs bathroom.
Honest upfront:
"Not confident in prep. Lotsa mutton smell, waste too."
"Meat in this world? Blessing. I'll fetch water—together."
"Yes."
Better with help.
Bro winced at throat-slitting but didn't look away.
"Whoa... blood stench unreal. How you endure?"
Forest practice.
Two small animals my total exp, but helpful.
While I butchered, folks hauled water, carried cuts.
Two hours later, bathroom blood, fat, slime mess.
Yoo Hyun and Mi-kyung cleaned; we prepped upstairs meal.
"Heat means won't last hours. Eat it all."
Bro and Soo-yeon eyed tray-packed meat queasily.
"Can we finish?"
"Dingo will. Leftovers? Salt cure."
My share to forest for smoking.
Soon, grill ready.
Meat cuts sloppy; scant sides.
Sesame oil, ssamjang, rehydrated veg salad at best.
But meat's here—what's the problem?
Yoo Hyun, peeking outside via plane, shocked:
"Tiger chasers total fail? Fighting among themselves, chaos."
"Sheep would've worked."
"Tiger meat tasty?"
"Never tried."
Meat sizzled on hot plate.
Zombies' smell lost—scent safe.
Folks inhaled happily.
"Tasty, really tasty."
"Said bad prep, but amazing. Mutton funky, but savory."
"Meat after ages."
Soo-yeon, moved:
"So much left after this—bliss. Thanks, Sung-ho-ssi, everyone."
Bro fidgety awhile.
Craving booze.
Pulled leftover soju pack.
"Just this."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Me too."
"Me three."
All but Yoo Hyun wanted shots.
Boosers.
One round each—ran dry.
We enjoyed meat and drinks.
Time passed, summer deepened.
When crickets chirped at last, ugly green-skinned monsters appeared.
Goblins.
The Last Supper End