Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: God's Will
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"Ugh!!! They're coming up!!!!"
"The rooftop access door has been breached!!!!"
"Sh, Shit!!!! Centipedes!!!!"
>The rooftop was already breached. Zombies were crawling up on giant centipedes.
In this situation, the fate of the Non-Awakened was as clear as day. Even for the Awakened, this was a desperate situation. Of course, with the spray, we wouldn't be dying...
The moment the rooftop entrance exploded and zombies poured in, I decided to run.
Even if we used the spray to defend the Mart, killing the Special Zombies, including the centipedes, which seemed tougher than the Normal Zombies, would require serious firepower. In the end, I'd have to use skills consecutively, but I don't have the mana for that. My mana stat of 30 is far too low to kill all the Special Zombies I can see.
Using the spray recklessly, fighting, resting, and then fighting again would just be a massive waste of time. It was better to judge that fleeing quickly to a place with fewer people and fewer zombies was the superior option.
To be honest, I had no obligation to save all the humans here, nor did I have a way to save them, so it was more like cutting my losses quickly. It wasn't that heavy on my heart to abandon them. After all, I never saw the Non-Awakened as anything more than simple labor.
The thugs were Non-Awakened with no useful skills, and the women weren't worth saving just to use.
Still, if I had to pick a few regrettable points, it would be the Rare Class Mage, the obedient Level 9 combat slave, and having to abandon the Mart I'd just conquered...
Is it worth using precious spray to hold out on the rooftop for the Ha Jin-sung brothers and a single Mage? Is there anything in this Mart worth defending so desperately?
With the rooftop entrance already breached, there's no way to get out without using the spray. What I mean is, is it worth sharing this precious spray with them?
We can't even share the spray among ourselves because we three are too busy running to even think about taking other slaves. And with my mana low and so many Special Zombies that are hard to kill without skills, it doesn't look like there's a way to retake the Mart.
To be honest, I'm not sure.
Even if I use the spray generously and hold out until morning, the Mart's rooftop has already drawn too much aggro. From every angle, the odds aren't in my favor.
It just seemed better to cleanly abandon everything and run away with the three of us.
The slaves are a pity, but if I find other useful Awakened elsewhere, I can just capture them. The Mart's food and daily necessities are also a shame, but there are Marts elsewhere too.
Of course, after the update, the Marts that survived without being breached by zombies would be places settled by strong Awakened who overcame these difficult raids...
But wouldn't there be at least a small gap for me, Eun-ji, and Ha-rin to slip into? And if an Awakened is strong enough to walk around openly after the update, they'd be too strong to capture easily, right...?
As I was thinking through various concerns and calculating my options, finally deciding to run...
“Go on, pick one.”
A Peddler appeared before me.
The items he sells are highly likely to be the key to getting through this dilemma. And for this Peddler to show up at such a perfect timing.
Could it be that a being with a direct influence on my luck stat and class is watching me right now and giving me a little help? Could this be... a sponsorship just for me?
The fact that the Peddler shows up right here, right now, is definitely due to my luck stat of 666.
And my abnormal luck stat and the Cultist class seem deeply connected to a certain nameless 'God' mentioned in the Human Sacrifice skill.
‘God... What on earth do you want from me...? Do you want me to save the slaves and retake the Mart? Right, it would be a painful loss to let the zombies take the Mart like this. Depending on how useful the Peddler's items are... Maybe I could save a couple of slaves and try to retake the Mart?’
Maybe this is an opportunity given to me by heaven.
A divine revelation telling me not to throw away the slaves I just captured on the very first day of the update.
Yes, it's clearly a sign that I shouldn't let the food-filled Mart I worked so hard to conquer be snatched away so easily.
The moment the Peddler brazenly appeared before my eyes, my favorability with 'God' skyrocketed.
It feels like I can sense a gaze from somewhere far beyond the sky. Since midnight when the update started, I've been feeling a certain gaze. I can't shake the feeling that something is peering intently at me.
‘O God... If I level up this time, I'll definitely put a point into Human Sacrifice first.’
I'm not entirely sure if the being that helped me is truly the 'God' I'm thinking of, but I decided to find meaning in the fact that this miracle occurred in the first place.
I feel like I've received anonymous aid from an unknown sponsor, and it warms my heart...
‘Right, even if it's some unknown evil god, as long as it helps me, what's the problem?’
As long as it doesn't try to steal control of my body or order me to sacrifice Eun-ji or Ha-rin, it wouldn't be so bad to get closer to that 'God'.
Maybe 'God' helped me with even that in mind... to lower my guard.
Well, whatever.
“Hey!!! Ha Jin-sung!!! Ha Jin-woo!!!! And!!!! All my slaves, get over here!!!!”
My slaves ran to me, reacting to my voice. They reacted faithfully to my command, regardless of whether the Non-Awakened around them were dying to zombies or not.
“Th, This!! Big bro! We're all gonna die like this! Huh? Who's this?!”
“Shit! What the hell is this guy now! Where did he come from?!”
The hastily running Ha Jin-sung and Ha Jin-woo brothers screamed, pointing at the Peddler when they saw him.
How come their reactions are identical? Is it because they're brothers?
I don't have time to answer their questions right now. I need to check the items the Peddler is selling and decide whether to run again, or try to save the slaves.
‘Right, I'll buy an item and try to fight. If it still doesn't work, I'll just take Eun-ji and Ha-rin and run away.’
If the items the Peddler is selling can get us out of the current crisis, I'll try to save the other slaves and make an effort to retake the Mart. If it seems impossible, I'll stick to the original plan and run away with just Eun-ji and Ha-rin.
“You guys, keep the zombies from getting near me as much as possible! If we do this right, we can all survive.”
“Yes, Big bro!!!!”
“Ugh!!! You damn bastards!!!!”
Hearing that they could all live, the Ha brothers, their faces full of motivation, went crazy, swinging their fists and kicking, and started beating the zombies crawling up the centipedes.
In tow, Kim Min-jun and the Warrior Kim Il-woo also swung their weapons to push back the zombies.
If they get bitten... it's a pity, but for now, they have to buy us time.
“Eun-ji, Ha-rin. Use the spray on your faces and fight! No, just protect me!”
“Okay, Oppa!”
“Roger!!”
I had the two of them use the repellent. If even one of them got bitten, I'd be in a pretty precarious mental state.
For now, they need to protect me safely while I buy the items.
“How do I buy these items?”
“Pick one. Read the description. Pay with coins.”
There were a total of six items on the stall.
‘Let's start with the ring...!’
I picked up a ring with a green gem embedded in it.
[Green Jade Ring: Recovers a small amount of mana while moving or in combat.] [Price: 1500C]
"Buy!"
I bought it immediately. I couldn't not buy this. I always had to sit still and rest to recover mana, but this item eliminated that need.
Thanks to the slaves earning coins for me in real-time, I was able to buy it quickly.
I immediately put on the ring and picked up a syringe full of blue liquid.
[TS Syringe: Changes gender.] [Price: 8000C]
'No, why would they sell this?'
I didn't even have enough coins to buy it in the first place. And I had even less desire to buy it.
'Wait, maybe... this could be good for torture...'
I didn't have time to think, so I immediately moved on to the next item.
[Account Creation Card: You can become a Player. A random class is assigned.] [Price: 1500C]
An incredible item that can turn a Non-Awakened into an Awakened, but it doesn't help with combat right now. If I buy this, I might not be able to buy other items.
For now, I'll hold off until I get through the night.
The remaining items were a red book, a blue sleeping mask, and a black orb.
'These three don't seem like they'll help right now...'
Since Eun-ji and Ha-rin are holding up well, let's check them all.
[Salamander Summoning Tome: Raise a small, cute fire lizard.] [Price: 700C]
Interesting, but a Salamander doesn't seem like it would help in this fight.
I need to summon a giant fire dragon, not a small, cute lizard.
[Blue Dream Mask: Worn during sleep, it relieves all accumulated fatigue.] [Price: 250C]
The price is cheap, but this also doesn't help with combat right now.
'The last one... please, let it be something good...'
Just as the thought of just running away was rising...
[Black Death's Elixir: When consumed, mana increases by 200. 22% chance of instant death.]
⚠ Caution: Do not take more than once! Your body may explode! ⚠
[Price: 3333C]
'This is... damn... ah... I'm going crazy...'
If I give it to someone else, the one who takes it might die...
If I take it myself, it feels bad... but it's still an item I can't give up on. A whopping mana increase of 200!!!
An item that could single-handedly reverse the grim situation if consumed immediately.
It's probably an item sold at a relatively low price to make people gamble with their lives.
Maybe it's a sign for those who are cornered to just eat this.
This is almost like a suicide pill. 22% chance of instant death...
'22% chance of instant death... a true life-or-death gamble...'
Luckily, the coins I've saved up so far are enough.
The slaves are earning for me in real-time too.
I can buy it.
'Should I give it to Hwang Su-min...?'
The Mage Hwang Su-min is the one who needs mana the most. Of course, as a Cultist, I'm also chronically short on mana...
'If I give this to her and she starts spamming magic, maybe I can defend the Mart...'
But what if I give it to Hwang Su-min and she just dies on the spot?
22% is a pretty high chance. It's practically a death sentence, isn't it?
If Hwang Su-min eats this and dies, it's a waste of a slave, a waste of the elixir, and a waste of coins.
It's also a waste of time.
'Then if I take it myself...'
Can I dodge that 22%?
'Damn, my luck stat is 666, but...'
Of course, I'm not planning to rely just on my luck stat.
I don't have any confidence that I won't die.
But right now, for some reason, I feel like I won't die even if I take it...
I unconsciously looked up at the sky.
Like a devout believer asking God for an answer.
'Should I take it...?'
The night sky, where only the large moon and stars silently twinkle.
I still feel a gaze watching me, but there's no answer.
If I had put a point into the Human Sacrifice skill and gotten closer to God, would it have given me a proper answer?
'Haah... If I take this... I can say goodbye to mana shortages. A mana increase of a whopping 200. It's not just 200. This is a ridiculously absurd number.'
It increases it by a whole 200.
I can't even guess how many levels I'd need to reach that number.
Considering that stats increase by a random number between 1 and 5 when you level up, an instant increase of 200 is truly monstrous growth.
And if I take this, my mana will be 230. Then I could use Tentacle Summon with both hands and create dozens of slaves in a row.
I could spam Profane Touch and melt everything, whether they're War Boys, centipedes, or whatever.
The various skills I'll get in the future will definitely have extreme mana consumption. Isn't this something I absolutely have to take? A chance to become a munchkin...!
'Mana 200....'
I absolutely can't give this up.
Right, I'll just close my eyes tight and try it.
It's a gut feeling, but I feel like it's okay to take it. It feels like the God up high is nodding at me.
'When it comes to gambling, I'm Jang Jo-jun... I was pretty good at drawing lots as a kid.'
To be honest, from the start, the description that it increases mana by 200 made my heart race.
'Jang Jo-jun... You wanted to take it from the start, didn't you...'
Right. And it's also much cheaper than the TS Syringe. I can't proceed without taking this.
'Ha... Damn. If I was going to take it anyway, why did I hesitate for so long... Let's buy it...'
I don't have time to think anymore.
Glancing over, Eun-ji and Ha-rin were still killing zombies with ease. But I can see their breathing is getting rough.
The Warrior Kim Il-woo was getting crushed by a War Boy.
The Archer Lee Eun-hye was also screaming, frantically running away from a centipede.
The Ha brothers were also surrounded by zombies, on the verge of death.
Hwang Su-min seemed to be out of mana already.
Where did that bastard Kim Min-jun go?
"Buy!"
I quickly purchased the Black Death's Elixir.
God is watching me...
What if I die after taking it...
Please! Luck 666, do your thing...!
"Hah... Shit!!!"
I closed my eyes tight and dumped the Black Death's Elixir into my mouth.
Was it necessary to take such a gamble? But my soul is telling me.
I absolutely have to take this.
If I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life, living a pathetic life with a tight mana pool, calculating mana consumption like crazy. I can't do that. This is an opportunity..!
Gulp!
✨ LEVEL UP! ✨
29 → 30
+ All Stats +[1~5]
+ Skill Points +[1]
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[‘Black Death's Elixir’ effect: Mana increases by 200!] [Excellent! Mana stat has surpassed 100!!!] [Mana flows through your body! All stats except Mana stat increase by 10!] [Achievement Unlocked! 'Black Death's Elixir'] [Achievement Unlocked! 'Life-or-Death Gamble'] [Achievement Unlocked! 'Mana User'] [Achievement reward granted.] [Achievement reward granted.] [Achievement reward granted.]
"Ugh!!!!"
It worked!
My body is trembling with a shock.
I can feel the thick aura of mana settling inside me!!!
"O God!!!!"
I shouted towards the sky.
If it's helping me this much, I should really offer a generous sacrifice through Human Sacrifice.
There will be plenty of people to kill as offerings once I look. With a mana pool of 230, what is there to fear?
The moment my mana went up, I used a skill.
"Allahu Akbar!"
A purple magic circle was created, and tentacles spewed from my hand.
The tentacles, which spewed out with a strangely more powerful feeling than before, instantly grabbed the head of the War Boy who was about to kill Kim Il-woo and crushed it. They also grabbed the centipede that was chasing Lee Eun-hye and three other nameless Special Zombies and crushed them all.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡
Tentacle Summon (Lv. 1)
Summons 5 tentacles to attack. Mana Cost: 6.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Level Up!]
"It worked!!!!"
I leveled up the moment I killed multiple Special Zombies.
I'd killed a lot of Normal Zombies over the weekend, but it still wouldn't level up. It finally went up.
"O, Oppa...!"
"Master! Huh? Something... feels different...?!"
"Oppa, what are we going to do? Are we going to keep fighting?"
The moment I joined the fight, Eun-ji and Ha-rin, who had been fighting the War Boys, called out to me.
They're asking if we're going to run. Or if we're going to keep fighting here. Their eyes are asking me to make a choice.
The surroundings are a mess of zombie and human corpses.
Thankfully or not, a few Non-Awakened have survived this chaotic battle.
All the Awakened are still alive too.
"We keep fighting. La Shakun."
The moment I chanted the spell, a sticky green slime secreted from both of my palms.
This is the effect of the skill 'Profane Touch'. Mana cost is 3 per use. It corrodes and decays anything it touches. If it touches, it kills, whether it's a zombie or whatever.
Mana remaining: 218.
I used Tentacle Summon to kill five Special Zombies at once, consuming 6 mana. I immediately activated Profane Touch on both hands, consuming another 6.
Tentacle Summon has 2 uses left. It's a skill I shouldn't spam.
So from now on, I'll use the spray and use Profane Touch to kill all the Special Zombies for 2 hours.
I can use Profane Touch 72 times, and I'll be recovering mana with the Green Jade Ring while fighting.
I feel like I can do anything right now.
"I'll crush all the Special Zombies first! How dare they try to take our home! You damn bastards!!!"
"Got it!"
"Yes, Master!"
Eun-ji and Ha-rin also seem like they can still fight.
If we can just take care of the Special Zombies, we can kill the rest with a crowbar.
It's worth a shot.