Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: You Again - 1
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I spread the spawned sea mustard roe out on the open ground.
I wanted to dry it in the sea breeze, but that would attract monsters, which was a problem.
A few days later, only bones would be left.
"The smell here is no joke either."
Kobolds drawn by the scent tried to breach the moat and barbed wire fence, only to end up as corpses.
"Damn pests. If there's no hope, just give up already."
In the end, I was the one who had to clean up the bodies.
I chopped up the kobold corpses and tossed them far away.
Still, it was a relief that my shelter was sturdy.
It could easily withstand invasions from small monsters at least.
I took the separately stored sea mustard roe sacs and pickled them in salt.
I planned to make something like mentaiko.
"This takes a lot of work."
To make it properly, removing moisture was key, and aging it for days would be labor-intensive.
But fermented seafood was delicious.
In the apocalypse, it was best to avoid salty foods as much as possible, but my situation was different.
"Can't eat it if it doesn't exist."
The roe wasn't even finished yet, but I was already thinking about the auction house price.
Even if I priced it high, someone craving fermented seafood would buy it.
But I didn't have much food for myself either.
To make enough for the auction house, I'd have to fish for sea mustard all day.
There weren't that many with roe anyway.
"Are there people selling food on the auction house?"
Checking it out, almost no one was listing meaningful quantities.
The standout was a wild boar listed by someone.
It had a reserve price of 1,000 points, earning a barrage of curses.
Just then, someone snagged the wild boar, sending the comments into a frenzy.
The buyer was Survivor1.
Probably needed bulk meat since he was with the government folks.
"I thought it was a shelter-related trait..."
Survivor1's trait was still a mystery.
Then the comments veered oddly into hunting talk, with someone mentioning a Bio Affinity trait that supposedly made wild boars easy to catch.
Rats swarming was a bit much.
Though a trait like that might have add-ons to exclude certain animals.
I glanced away from the auction house and caught the last comment from someone.
Common in the apocalypse.
But he seemed fine for a backstab victim.
Someone pointed that out, and he claimed the runner was an idiot.
Suspicious.
I spent 10 points to check the guy's ID who claimed the backstab.
"Come Watch (Whiner5)"
"Whiner series again."
The guy who demanded excessive tribute and hit on Earth Duke thinking it was a girl.
He might be shocked learning Earth Duke's true nature.
"The guild he's forming is under Job Seeker..."
I noted the whiner's ID and guild name in my notebook.
Bound to be useful someday.
Dawn.
I retrieved the basket trap I'd set at the pier.
The wire was broken, so it was mangled, but the catch was decent.
"Octopus here too."
No shrimp, but some eels and mystery crabs caught my eye.
Lacking compared to otherworld seas, but enough for a meal.
As I hauled it up and ducked into an alley, voices called out.
"Hello..."
A man and woman in the motel parking lot greeted me.
Familiar faces.
Recalling, they were Kwon's slaves.
Escaped during the murderer event?
They set down weapons and approached cautiously.
"Could we talk for a sec?"
"We have something to ask..."
"..."
Dingo was relaxed; I focused, scanning surroundings.
No one else.
Instead of going in, I nodded for them to follow.
No need to enter a dark lot.
They exchanged looks, nodded, and trailed me.
Made it here somehow.
I picked a gas station reeking of oil.
Open yet with pillars for cover.
Worst case, flee to the building.
Leaning on a pillar, I waited as they approached.
"What's up?"
The man bowed deeply.
"We ran without proper thanks last time... Thank you. We survived because of you."
"I'm Yoo Joo, this is Cheol-jun. Truly grateful."
Finishing overdue greetings.
I softened a bit and bowed back.
"Kang Sung-ho."
"Ah... Sung-ho, right."
My apocalypse view—ally or enemy—hadn't changed.
But no need to make extra foes.
If they bared teeth, smash them.
"You escaped well. I told you north."
Cheol-jun scratched his head.
"We headed to Gimhae New City at first, but then remembered..."
"R-Right. Memories from under Kwon resurfaced. Gimhae and Changwon are dangerous..."
Kwon's related clan there.
They remembered some.
I asked.
"How much do you recall?"
Cheol-jun cautiously replied.
"W-We want to trade that with you. Our info for..."
"Your info on Kwon... Swap like that."
Yoo Joo finished.
Info swap.
I'd give useless Kwon scraps.
They had unknown intel.
"Let's talk inside."
I pointed to the gas station office.
Zombies were starting to notice us.
They followed, eyeing my basket.
"You caught this, Sung-ho?"
"Yeah."
"Octopus looks tasty..."
"Grab a basket from the fishing shop."
"Pier's monster-infested. Get paralyzed from behind while setting it..."
"Wasn't today."
Speechless, they sat quietly.
I proposed.
"One question each. You first."
Yoo Joo bit her lip hesitantly.
Cheol-jun patted her: "It's okay."
Probably slave-related.
"What was I in Kwon's bunker? What was I to him?"
"Exact or vague?"
"100% truth."
"You'll get mad."
"I know roughly, but need to face it."
"Sex slave."
"..."
Yoo Joo closed her eyes, bit her lip.
Then confessed.
"I-I was a model who went to that golf course on agency contract."
"Huh."
Tall and pretty, figured.
"Said it was for promo shots, no big deal... but then..."
Tears welled up.
Wrathful. Understandable.
But Kwon, the target, was gone.
Cheol-jun asked me.
"H-How'd Kwon die? Burned, but... you know?"
Wondering if in agony.
"One question. Kwon died in immense pain. Burned alive."
"Perfect."
"Was it you, Sung-ho?"
I nodded.
Denying here felt off.
"My turn... Any factions here?"
Cheol-jun stammered.
New here, but two besides me: theirs and high schoolers.
"Two guys, one girl... friends."
"Temperament?"
"Not bad, but don't know much. No clashes."
"Mostly farming, little hunting."
Non-combat traits.
I showed the arrow note; Cheol-jun admitted their leader's writing.
"N-Not malicious. We're not aggressive."
Probable.
Not thugs like Kwon or Gimhae's Lee, nor saints like gym crew. Average.
Common in apocalypse: good or bad per situation.
We traded questions, got key info.
Jinhae monster paradise.
Changwon clan big and brutal.
"Avoid Seongsan-gu. Clan rumor controls it."
"Decent numbers?"
"Our leader fled from there: 30+."
"Rest endure their tyranny."
"Impressive."
Leader I'd know...
Should've noted ID.
Next meetup in days; check then.
If they ghosted over leak, oh well.
Got along well though.
Not despairing, seeking info from me.
Help each other here.
As gesture, I gave Yoo Joo the basket contents.
"No housewarming sweets, but this."
"Th-Thank you. We've only had combat rations."
"Yoo Joo got super constipated from it... Ow."
"Why say that?"
Couple heaven, single hell unaware.
Good to trust each other in apocalypse.
"See you."
I greeted and left.
"Hey, those guys went into the building."
"Leave the basket."
"They look serious."
"Ate something bad, stomach hurts now."
"Gonna shit soon?"
"What the hell are you idiots saying."
When Sung-ho, Cheol-jun, and Yoo Joo entered the gas station, three pairs of eyes watched.
Pre-apocalypse co-ed high school friends from same neighborhood.
Childhood pals 18 years strong.
Park Jun-ho, Kim Do-hyung, Han Yeo-ul.
The trio famous as fool triplets.
Precisely, two guys fooling, Yeo-ul fixing.
All lost families, stuck together surviving.
Regretted late info, skimped supplies.
Yeo-ul crouched, peering at the uncle inside.
Pillars hid him, but sharp features evident.
"Where's that uncle from?"
"Somewhere."
"Idiots. Key is he pulled a basket."
Yeo-ul smacked their butts with her shoe.
They rubbed, swallowing hard.
"Saw stuff in the basket."
"Not Masan local. Front sea's sewage."
"That shin-yeou thing?"
"Shin-po-do! Idiots."
Yeo-ul snapped angrily.
Friends kept babbling.
"Steal it? Sneak into camp at night?"
"Uncle looks badass. Succeed?"
"...No confidence solo, but three of us..."
"Count me out. Why steal? Find when he sets it."
"Oh... yeah."
"Yeo-ul right."
"Up."
Jun-ho and Do-hyung hopped up.
They usually followed Yeo-ul.
She was the brains.
Arms crossed:
"Think: morning now, right? Pulling before dawn means?"
"Uh... few monsters?"
Jun-ho nailed it for once.
"Yes. Goblins, zombies inactive this time. Evening too. He knows, sets and pulls then."
"No kobolds either."
Yeo-ul eyed station.
"Monster lull now."
"We set baskets?"
"And meet uncle. Knows lots."
"Ooh. Yeo-ul honey trap?"
"Honey trap?"
They grinned lewdly.
Yeo-ul sighed, shouldered bag.
"Think what you want. I'm going."
"Wait."
They puffed shoulders.
"Friends, can't let alone. Together."
"You two might cause misunderstanding."
Yeo-ul sighed, descended stairs first.
Saw man emerge afar, planned greet.
Chatted fine with Cheol-jun, Yoo Joo—not violent...
So she thought.
Man shouldered basket out.
Henchmen whispered.
"Broad shoulders."
"Height near 190?"
"..."
Yeo-ul agreed: imposing build.
Not menacing face, but unapproachable aura.
Trailing husky-like dog?
She stepped out slowly, carefully.
No alert.
Bowed to greet—suddenly, bow raised.
"Ah."
Yeo-ul froze, staring at arrow tip.
You Again - 1 End