Chapter 42
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: 4-Channel Weapon Repair
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Thick to the point of being slightly unkempt bobbed hair.
A woman who, while not quite on Han Soo-yeon's level, could hear compliments about being pretty if she put in a little effort, strode forward purposefully.
"Please fix my weapon da!"
Han Soo-yeon knew exactly who this boldly shouting woman was.
She was Kim I-seo, leader of the Incheon Union's Zombie Subjugation Unit and an A-rank awakener with the 'Infinite Bullets' ability.
"Kim I-seo. Who exactly is supposed to repair your weapon?"
"The merchant, obviously. How else would we get a 4-channel weapon da?"
"Just because you got a weapon doesn't mean it'll be repaired. That's a huge leap."
"Then let me talk to them myself—introduce me da!"
Han Soo-yeon hadn't gotten used to Kim I-seo's clipped speech, but she didn't show it.
From what she'd heard, I-seo had been in the military, dealt with some nonsense, and voluntarily discharged.
She'd probably picked up that way of talking in the army.
"Are you going to keep putting me in a tough spot?"
"The Zombie Queen'll move soon. We need that 4-channel weapon to cut down casualties da!"
"I know. A 4-channel weapon would boost our combat power."
"Then why not help, huh?"
Han Soo-yeon let out a small sigh before answering.
"I was only told to procure a 4-channel weapon. Hand it over repaired? Like I said, that puts me in a bind."
"Can't you at least ask if they can repair it?"
"Fine. I'll ask."
The problem was, pretending to talk and then saying no would fall on deaf ears.
And as Kim I-seo said, a 4-channel weapon would help in the fight against the Zombie Queen.
'What should I do?'
Han Soo-yeon still hadn't figured out the ideal way to handle this.
Plus, if the Incheon Union got stronger, they'd obviously target her—the one getting supplies from the castaway.
'Manpower and resources. No way they'd let those slip.'
So, as a fallback, Han Soo-yeon thought of a few options and messaged the castaway.
The other party has accepted the 1:1 conversation.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Yes, Ice Queen. Another weapon?
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: It is a weapon, but it's a 4-channel one. The Infinite Bullets awakener I mentioned before showed up demanding repairs.
<Castaway(2ch)>: You didn't want to do repairs, though.
Han Soo-yeon corrected him.
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: More precisely, it was to keep the Incheon Union from getting too strong. But thinking about the Zombie Queen, I do see the need to bolster forces.
<Castaway(2ch)>: So pick one or the other?
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: Yes. And if we pick, it's the Zombie Queen right in front of us.
Checking the Incheon Union only worked if they survived.
If everyone took massive losses to the Zombie Queen, checks and balances meant nothing.
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: But don't do it for free.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Repairs cost a ton of points anyway.
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: Good. Personally, I'd like you to get about 1,000 bloodstones.
<Castaway(2ch)>: 1,000 bloodstones?
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: They need to pay for semi-permanent use of a 4-channel weapon.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Even so, does the Incheon Union have 1,000 bloodstones?
The castaway doubted they had that many, but Han Soo-yeon was certain.
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: They have more than enough. Though it'll dwindle fast day by day.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Because of strengthening their awakeners?
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: Yes. But the 4-channel weapon strengthens them too, so don't worry about it.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Honestly, I wondered if 4-channel weapons were that big a deal... but okay.
Having decided to help Ice Queen—Han Soo-yeon—from the start, the castaway went along with it.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Send the weapon, and I'll repair it.
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: No. If I mention conditions, she'll get suspicious. Sorry, but can you handle it?
<Castaway(2ch)>: How?
<Ice Queen*(3ch)>: Well...
'Hm.'
After hearing Ice Queen's suggested approach, I figured she must live a pretty exhausting life all around.
With people depending on her, she seemed to calculate every possible outcome before acting.
'No way I could do that.'
Anyway, her method was simple.
Talk directly to the Infinite Bullets awakener myself.
'1,000 bloodstones, though...'
I did need bloodstones, actually.
The 4-channel Golden King had demanded them, after all.
'Single Strike Block, was it? Pretty decent ability.'
The Single Strike Block that the Golden King tested and told me about was quite solid.
Usable once per hour, and once applied, the barrier lasted indefinitely.
In other words, it stayed up forever unless broken.
'And it works on others too.'
Finally, the barrier only blocked attacks that damaged the body.
The minimum threshold was bruising-level damage, so daily life was fine.
'If I'd gotten it, I'd slap it on the Hero Party.'
Perfect for a supporter.
But even without it, I could back them up with telekinesis, so no big loss.
'Anyway, her nickname's [Assault Captain].'
Since I had channel blocking, 3-channel folks couldn't see my posts, but I could see theirs.
So I went to Gallery 3-channel, found the post by Assault Captain, and requested a 1:1 chat.
The other party has accepted the 1:1 conversation.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Ooh! Hello da! Didn't know the merchant was 2-channel da!
'Why does she talk like that?'
I thought about it but shrugged it off—after all, I turned into the guardian angel persona when posting on the gallery.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Yes. I heard you wanted to talk.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Yep da! Can you repair 4-channel weapons?
<Castaway(2ch)>: Repairs are possible. Do you want one?
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Yes! You might not know, but war with zombies is coming to 3-channel da! Need 4-channel weapons to win da!
<Castaway(2ch)>: You're talking like repairs alone win the war.
Like I said, I wasn't sold on 4-channel weapons being that game-changing.
Though combined with Infinite Bullets, they'd outperform modern firearms.
'Come to think of it, Ice Queen wanted one before for stage-4 variant zombies.'
Probably could handle stages 1-3 variants with modern guns too.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Doesn't it give even a little edge? We need every advantage da!
At that point, I started following through on Ice Queen's request.
<Castaway(2ch)>: What'll you give me for repairs?
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Anything you want da?
<Castaway(2ch)>: Funny you ask. I need bloodstones. How about 1,000?
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: 1,000 da?
She double-checked, surprised at my demand for 1,000 bloodstones.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Uh, 1,000 is too much da. Mercy—cut it down a bit?
<Castaway(2ch)>: Weren't we sharing what we want? Didn't expect a no.
This kind of haggling wasn't my style, so it felt a bit uncomfortable.
I wasn't the type to pressure or intimidate people.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Or do you want partial repairs based on bloodstones? 100 stones for 10%?
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: No... that's not it da.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Guess you're offering something else instead. What?
The words flowed easily enough, separate from that.
Assault Captain had nothing prepared and stayed silent.
<Castaway(2ch)>: Nothing at all?
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Got about 300 now da. Rest later—advance payment okay?
Hm.
<Castaway(2ch)>: What makes you think I'd front it? You could run or die.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: It'll save lots of people da. Help this once da!
I figured that was enough and accepted her plea.
<Castaway(2ch)>: This once... fine. But you owe me.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Got it da.
She agreed readily, but since we were on different channels, it was just words.
Whether she owed me or not, without more trades, I couldn't do anything about it.
<Castaway(2ch)>: I'll set up the trade. Send the weapon to repair and bloodstones.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Got 6 weapons—send all da?
"...?"
6?
<Castaway(2ch)>: You planned to repair all 6?
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Yep da. Never said just one.
"..."
I realized Assault Captain was no pushover.
<Castaway(2ch)>: I was thinking 1,000 per weapon.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Oh, yeah? Pay the rest over time then—repair all da!
<Castaway(2ch)>: ...5,700 bloodstones over time?
Realistically, no individual could gather 5,700 even if the Zombie Queen brought tens or hundreds of thousands of zombies.
'Or drag it out, giving 1-2 at a time to keep trading.'
Prep for future requests.
Or keep a minimal link since the Incheon Union might want to trade with me too.
<Castaway(2ch)>: One weapon. You only need one gun anyway.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: My squad can use it too da.
Right, her ability worked on squadmates too?
<Castaway(2ch)>: Take it or leave it.
<Assault Captain(3ch)>: Ack! Got it da. One's fine—please repair da!
Luckily, I held the power, so convincing her wasn't hard.
Soon after the deal closed, I received the 4-channel weapon and 304 bloodstones.
'Anyway, the weapon from Assault Captain...'
A long, hefty design overall, with a nearly rectangular barrel.
Assault Captain had brought something like a rifle straight out of a game, and my curiosity piqued, I decided to ask Quick Fix Doctor☆ about it.