Chapter 40
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Catapult and the Corpse Chute
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“So we were looking at the same thing.”
Ethan let out a soft chuckle and lifted his head again. As his face moved away, I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.
It’s something everyone has, but it felt strangely odd to realize that Ethan had peach fuzz, too. I’d imagined everything that made up Ethan to be hard and coarse.
Ethan pointed to the catapult, then to the statue of a girl in the distant town square.
“We can use the catapult to launch a stone and hit that. Given the material it’s made of, it should make a considerable noise when it collapses.”
Agreeing with him, I swung my arms lightly.
There’s a reason I installed a catapult at this mansion of all things.
‘I wouldn’t have installed a weapon I couldn’t use!’
“I used to be a pro at tossing coins into ponds, you know? A bullseye every time.”
In my past life, I had a knack for throwing things and hitting my target.
I was also amazing at that game where you launch angry red birds with a slingshot. And I was a master at shooting rubber bands with my fingers.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a thing, for making wishes. Anyway, the point is, I’m good at aiming and hitting things.”
Ethan gave me another look as if I were a complete eccentric, but I paid him no mind and inspected the catapult.
Hadn’t I gathered plenty of suitable stones to use with it? The time had finally come to put the catapult to use.
Ethan took a pocket watch from his uniform jacket to check the time. A shadow fell beneath his thick, lowered eyelashes.
The shadow’s angle had shifted further than before. Time was still passing.
It would be a problem if the sun set already.
No. Actually, would it be better to face the monsters in the dark?
“By the way, Miss Cherry, there is one issue we need to address. If the monsters flock to the town, it could become difficult for us to enter it as well.”
At his words, I took the map of Brunel from my pocket and spread it on the ground. I pointed to the police station. It was quite a distance from the square.
“I don't know about that. Isn't the police station where you're headed, Sir Ethan?”
After a quick glance at the police station and its surroundings on the map, Ethan’s expression showed he understood.
“That’s correct. But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s still within the monsters’ range of activity.”
“Hmm…”
He has a point.
As I fell silent, Ethan spoke nonchalantly, as if to tell me not to worry.
“It seems there's no other solution. I'll just act as bait and…”
“Bait? What are you talking about? No way. Absolutely not.”
What is he saying? Forget that nonsense. Ethan is someone I have to protect, even if I have to be a human shield.
“But, Miss Cherry…”
“Shut up. That is absolutely out of the question.”
At my powerful outburst, Ethan stared at me with a look of surprise.
If Ethan dies, the world will face a complete apocalypse without a cure ever being developed, and then I’ll die too(?)
Of course, if I’m being honest, Ethan probably doesn’t need any help at all. His combat skills are exceptional. In fact, I should probably be more concerned for the well-being of the monsters that will be brutally torn apart and annihilated by his hands.
Didn’t I mention it? In the novel *Love in a Ruined World*, Ethan was the man who proudly ranked number one in survival and combat prowess, even surpassing the main male lead.
But that was the original story, and I had to consider that things were different now. As long as he’s by my side, I have to protect him. This isn’t about helping someone else. It’s about helping myself!
‘As long as we’re together, I have to treat his life as equal to my own!’
He is the cure for the virus, and its key ingredient.
So I shook my head more forcefully and added with firm resolve.
“Don’t even think about sacrificing yourself for a single phone call that might not even connect. I will protect you, Sir Ethan.”
Besides, I’m stronger anyway.
The expression on Ethan’s face as he looked at me turned peculiar. He parted his lips a couple of times, then stared at me as if he couldn’t comprehend me.
Of course, he wouldn’t understand. Even if he asked what I meant, I couldn’t explain it to him.
“What in the world are you…”
Ethan soon burst into a disbelieving laugh. He covered his mouth with a large hand, laughing at me with an expression that said I was a real piece of work.
After laughing for a while, he stroked his chin and replied as if he had no other choice.
“Then we have no choice but to use the last resort.”
“There was another way?”
What a relief, there’s a way. As I looked at him with an expectant face, Ethan stated without a change in expression.
“The method of leaving it to fate.”
What the hell is he talking about.
“That was a joke. You can relax your face.”
“You’re making jokes in a situation like this?”
When I retorted in disbelief, Ethan nonchalantly pointed to the police station on the map.
“There's an underground jail in the police station.”
“In this tiny police station?”
“Most police stations that were built a long time ago have them.”
Ethan then pointed to the area behind the police station. There was a forest there.
“That underground jail has a side door. It connects to the corpse disposal area.”
My goodness… A corpse disposal area.
“How often could a prisoner possibly die in jail in a small town like this…? That’s strange.”
“As you say, Miss Cherry, almost never. It hasn’t been used in a long time. Still, there are always people who need to be locked up in a jail, no matter where you go.”
Ethan’s eyes instantly turned menacing. With a chilling gaze that looked as if he could kill someone on the spot, he continued.
“And there's far more scum like that in the world than you might think, Miss Cherry.”
True, unbelievable crimes happen every day even in the modern world. How much more often must they occur in this world, where the arm of the law is comparatively lax?
I was suddenly reminded of the domestic abuser Ethan had been beating up when I visited the police station before.
“In any case, we don't need to worry about that scum, but about this corpse disposal area. If we go through there, we should be able to avoid the monsters' attention.”
Ethan said, pointing to an empty part of the forest not marked on the map.
But pass through a corpse disposal area? That’s like saying we should walk into a pile of bodies to avoid the monsters…
Just imagining it gave me the creeps, and I shuddered.
“What does the corpse disposal area look like?”
“It would be better to see it for yourself. It’s not as scary as you imagine, so don’t worry.”
Is it really not scary? How can a place with corpses not be scary?
Ah, right. Is he saying it’s less scary than the monsters?
I stared intently at the ‘Forest’ marking on the map.
While we talked, the sun had set completely. With no gaslights on the streets, the night was pitch-black, but thankfully, the moonlight was bright.
I looked at Ethan, who was continuously scanning the surroundings with binoculars. Can he even see anything in the dark?
“So, you agree with the plan to knock down the statue with the catapult for now?”
When I asked again, Ethan lowered the binoculars and turned back to me.
“But is that really possible? The distance is considerable.”
“I'm strong, so I'll succeed. There's nothing you can't solve with strength.”
I meant it sincerely. I believe in my own strength.
At that, Ethan’s eyes widened as if he’d heard the most unexpected answer, and he stared at me. Soon, he burst into laughter again.
“Hey. Try to laugh a little quieter.”
I whispered lowly in his ear, but his laughter only grew louder. Seeing the monsters raging below the wall, I smacked Ethan on the back.
“I told you to be quiet.”
“*Cough.*”
He coughed, clutching his body as he bent over. What? Did I hit him too hard?
Worried, I leaned toward him, only to discover that his shoulders were shaking slightly.
That damn bastard. He was bent over, laughing again.
“Ha… This is insane. I never imagined you’d just declare you’d push through with brute force. The fact that it actually sounds plausible is even more ridiculous.”
He lifted his head and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
“It seems the public’s assessment of you is definitely wrong, Miss Cherry. You’re not some immature gossip girl, but… strange and absurd. Shouldn’t you have a title like that?”
“…”
When I didn’t answer and just stared at him, he cleared his throat and suppressed his fading laughter.
I glanced up at the dusky sky for a moment, then changed the subject.
“Even though the moonlight is bright, I think we'll need the sun to rise to improve our accuracy.”
“Very well. Then let’s wait until sunrise.”
We decided to make full preparations to head into town before the sun came up.
If only Jose, the weapons expert, were here, he could have whipped something up for us. It was a real shame he wasn't around.
‘Then again, Jose is a sub-male lead, so he’s probably with Aurora.’
I sighed and began preparing for our sortie.