Chapter 59
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Preliminary Battle (4)
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Humans are social animals.
Even as individuals, we can't live alone; we constantly interact with others, maintaining relationships to survive.
It starts from birth, when parents register the child with the state, and continues as we grow, receive education, and develop into contributing members based on our aptitudes.
Unless you're someone who retreats to a deep mountain at a young age to farm solo, build a house from wood, and live self-sufficiently.
In the end, we have no choice but to connect with others.
And the threads of fate that bind us are quite mysterious—who can truly predict when, where, or how they'll appear?
“…J-Junim?”
“…Facilities Team Leader?”
As the three followed behind Dan-woo into the room, Jeong Jin-ho and Jeon Byeong-cheol, who had been resting on the worn-out sofa, suddenly stared at them with dumbfounded expressions and exchanged greetings.
“Heh heh. We ran into them on the way here, and they insisted on coming to thank you properly, Uncle…. I had no choice but to bring them.”
All three were wearing clothes that were ridiculously oversized on their current frames.
That alone was enough to guess what kind of builds they'd had before the apocalypse.
For convenience, let's call them the chubby one, the chubbier one, and the chubbiest one from the past.
First, the affable, easygoing small chubby guy with a friendly smile—Jeong Jin-ho knew him.
“Introduce yourselves. You know Gun-ho, but this is Myeong Nam-ho, the office admin from our fire station. Since we went to the same school, I personally called him ‘Cousin Myeong’ casually.”
“Hello! I'm Myeong Nam-ho!”
Next, the chubbier one with horn-rimmed glasses was Dan-woo's math tutor.
“Nice to meet you. I'm Myeong Jin-ho, who ran a small academy called All-Purpose Math Academy before the end times. Feel free to call me ‘Teacher Myeong.’”
Finally, the tallest, chubbiest one was connected to Jeon Byeong-cheol.
“I'm Myeong Jeong-ho, who managed facilities at the Garak Agricultural and Fisheries Wholesale Market.”
In this ruined world, who cares about past connections?
Still, it felt a bit uncanny that all three had ties to someone in the group.
Moreover, aside from their heights being do-re-mi different, they looked remarkably similar in build and features.
That only amplified the strangeness.
“Um, just out of curiosity… are the three of you brothers?”
So-hee, who had been watching quietly, ventured the question cautiously.
I'd thought the same but hadn't dared voice it.
Who would've imagined such a perfectly intertwined coincidence?
“No way, kid—that doesn't make any—”
“That's right, we're three brothers.”
“…Huh?”
“A lot of people don't see us as brothers because of our age gaps. But don't we look alike? Our tallest brother here, Jeong-ho, is the eldest; the next tallest, Jin-ho, is the second; and I'm the youngest. When we were kids, I used to cry that my brothers stole all the nutrition, stunting my growth. Haha.”
Sure enough… hearing that, I looked closer.
Ignoring the height difference, they could pass for triplets—their eyes, noses, everything matched perfectly.
Lee Min-jun shook his head like he was watching an illusion technique and sorted out their relationships step by step.
“No, wait—let me sort this out. So, this is the eldest, Team Leader Myeong; this is the second, Teacher Myeong; and the youngest, Officer Myeong… right?”
“Yes!”
“And Team Leader Myeong knows Byeong-cheol, Teacher Myeong knows Dan-woo, and Officer Myeong knows Uncle Jeong Jin-ho?”
“Haha, somehow it turned out that way.”
Only after mapping out the new arrivals' connections to his comrades in his mind did Min-jun finally voice the question he'd been holding since the greetings.
“…So, what exactly brings you here so suddenly? Could you let us know?”
“Ah, first off, Min-jun… is it okay to call you that?”
“Yes, feel free.”
“We came to express our gratitude for releasing us from Sicarius's breeding ground.”
“Ah, I see…….”
So many survivors had given thanks like this before requesting to join, so Min-jun's response was understandably lukewarm.
Reading his expression, the youngest of the Myeong brothers, Officer Myeong, picked up right where Teacher Myeong left off.
“At Jamsil Girls' High, when you saw us and the other survivors, you must've been greatly disappointed……. We know that full well. I would've been too. But if I may offer a slight excuse, we weren't ourselves back then. It's like we were drugged or something. We were in a strange state. Everyone on our side agrees.”
Probably.
The influence of Sicarius.
Its words weren't mere speech—they were clear skill-based interactions….
In a desperate situation where hearts were wavering, it made sense that people could fall for it.
‘Of course.’
That didn't mean he planned to accept them.
“We appreciate the thanks. But we're quite busy right now—”
He was about to politely tell them to leave when—
“Wait, Min-jun!”
The three brothers spoke up with serious expressions.
“We want to help with what you're about to do!”
“…Pardon?”
Everyone failed to hide their puzzled looks.
What they were planning was sealing the gate.
It was nothing like hunting a few apostles at Garak Market—it was a life-or-death gamble.
“Do you know what we're trying to do?”
“We saw Phraus's gate. The spiders are overwhelming in number. So… we figured you'd need manpower. Our group has about thirty people. Let's fight together.”
“…Why? Why volunteer for something so dangerous?”
“Boss, I don't know about the others, but Officer Myeong isn't a bad guy—”
As Min-jun eyed the newcomers warily, Jeong Jin-ho tried to mediate.
But Min-jun cut him off with a hand gesture and continued.
“Sorry if this offends, but you must know why I'm acting this way.”
Humans are inherently selfish.
And monsters are cunning.
Min-jun didn't for a second believe they were acting out of pure goodwill.
The brothers didn't seem like demons, but cooperating temporarily in exchange for survival guarantees didn't require one—and it was entirely possible.
Even if not, they might be eyeing his group's survival time and gear.
‘If.’
If they showed even a hint of suspicion or threat to the group, Min-jun planned to cut all three down right there.
“Sorry. We brought it up too abruptly.”
“……”
Reading Min-jun's demeanor, the eldest Myeong brother, Team Leader Myeong, who had been sitting quietly, spoke carefully with a more resolute tone.
“It's true we want to help the man who saved us…. But as our group grows, the representative inevitably prioritizes the group's interests. Since our people will be risking their lives too, we have one condition.”
Only then did Min-jun nod.
This was better.
If it was a fair exchange, betrayal would be harder.
“What do you want in return for your help?”
The key now was what they wanted—and how much.
If it was reasonable, with their need for manpower, there was no reason to refuse a deal.
Otherwise, they could part ways as always.
“Could you promise us 30% of the magic stones harvested from Phraus's rift?”
‘As expected… that.’
If Min-jun's group slew Phraus and sealed another gate.
They'd gain one more base camp for sure.
His group only needed one base, so monopolizing it all would be inefficient.
Plus, the recent fuss over the camp's magic stones had made the area noisy. If decent people showed up, sharing rights to future base camps had already been the group's consensus.
Perfect timing for what they needed.
If a few agreements were reached, there was no reason to reject.
“Fine. But we have one condition too.”
“We're listening.”
“Fulfill one request from me later.”
“If it's about Regina, we were willing to help even without you asking—”
“No, not that. It's not fully fleshed out yet, so hard to explain, but it won't be a bad deal for your team either. How about it?”
“…If that's the case, yes, agreed.”
As Team Leader Myeong nodded, Min-jun asked Jeon Byeong-cheol for survival time and a contract.
“Here’s the contract. Since it's a skill backed by your lives as collateral, you must honor the terms.”
Min-jun felt like a shady employer saying it… but a fair exchange was win-win, right?
“There are all kinds of skills in this world. As long as our 30% is secured, we're good.”
Signatures from him and the three brothers filled the contract.
It multiplied by their numbers and seeped into each chest.
“Now, let's plan properly. What are your team members' ratings, Team Leader Myeong?”
* * *
The strategy, hammered out during a day of rest for the team, was simple.
‘Charge in. Hold out.’
More precisely: break through the spider swarm to the gate, then hold the entrance while Min-jun soloed inside—entering alone, killing Phraus, and exiting.
It came down to him raiding solo again, like with Sicarius. Why? Because…
“Think of Phraus's gate interior as all illusion magic. Without her permission, you're trapped inside. Someone with sky-high stats might ignore it… but right now, only Min-jun with the [Cyclops's Eye] can navigate freely.”
That was the testimony from someone who'd been inside.
Only he could assassinate the gate lord solo. Heat or not, no choice.
‘If getting the One-Man Army title sealed this fate from the start, I must've sold out my country in a past life….’
No other explanation for this misfortune.
“Min-jun, you need to gear up.”
“…Yeah?! Sigh, you're right.”
So-hee snapped him from his thoughts, and he sighed, rummaging for battle prep.
Checked item and skill cooldowns, bought [Intermediate Red Potions] for emergencies.
Crawling into the jaws of death voluntarily demanded utmost preparation.
Once the Myeong brothers' team arrived soon, the op started.
He gathered his team and repeated the speech he'd given countless times, like a principal's pep talk.
“Safety first, safety second. Safety above all. I can't stand seeing my people die.”
“Isn't where we're going the opposite of safe?”
This oblivious guy always jinxed it. Min-jun ruffled Dan-woo's hair and pressed on.
“Anyway! I'll kill Phraus and come back alive, so you all stay alive till then. Got it?”
“Boss, Officer Myeong's here.”
“Alright, let's begin. One last chant: Survival! Survival!! Survival!!!”
“““Survival! Survival!! Survival!!!”””
“Charge!!”
Chanting their team's newfound survival slogan, they poured out of the apartment.
“Team Leader Myeong, remember the battle formation?”
“Of course. But Min-jun, you'll face Phraus alone—are you sure?”
“No choice.”
Light banter to ease tension as everyone took positions in formation.
Wedge toward the spider-infested gate, Min-jun at the tip.
His mouth went dry.
Not nervous? It was life or death….
But it had to be done. Someone had to.
He would survive again, to see tomorrow's sun.
“Charge!”
Dozens of fireflies, pathetically feeble against the spider horde, plunged into the web.