Essence of the Zombie Queen
Essence of the Zombie Queen
[You have acquired the Essence of the Zombie Queen.]
[The power of the Zombie Queen begins to take root.]
'So this is the Essence of the Zombie Queen.'
Han Soo-yeon felt something hot settling deep within her body.
It felt foreign, as if a new organ had been transplanted, but fortunately, it gradually faded as if it were fusing with her.
[From now on, you can increase the Zombie Queen's power by killing fellow Awakeners.]
[Regardless of rank, your ability level increases by 1 for every 100 Awakeners you kill.]
[This increases unconditionally at any level, such as level 9 or level 19.]
In short, it meant she didn't need to break through probability when the last digit was 9.
A new condition had arisen, requiring her to kill 100 Awakeners, but Han Soo-yeon wasn't worried.
'Trash is plentiful anyway.'
There was plenty of trash, like the looters currently blabbering on the broadcast.
Han Soo-yeon, who had even become a sub-administrator for that very purpose, looked at the next message that appeared.
[Every time you kill an S-Grade Awakener, you can control a 4th-stage variant zombie. Current: 0.]
[When you kill an A-Grade Awakener, you can control a 3rd-stage variant zombie...]
[When you kill a B-Grade Awakener, you can control a 2nd-stage...]
[However, your zombie control ability is one step below the actual Zombie Queen.]
She also gained the ability to control 4th-stage variant zombies when killing an S-Grade Awakener, and normal zombies when killing a D-Grade Awakener.
[Regardless of rank, killing an Awakener has a low chance to slightly strengthen a part of your ability.]
Finally, there was even an effect where a part of her ability would be slightly strengthened.
'If this is all the ability gained from the Essence of the Zombie Queen...'
Han Soo-yeon already knew through Kang Mu-hyeon that there was a penalty.
[However, keep this in mind.]
[If you are infected by a zombie and die.]
[You will be reborn as a 5th to 7th-stage variant zombie.]
[The criteria are your ability level and the power of the Zombie Queen's essence accumulated so far.]
'7th stage...'
Han Soo-yeon silently stared at the text in the message stating she would be reborn as a 7th-stage variant zombie.
Gigas, who was previously a 5th-stage variant zombie, possessed the strength of 100,000 normal zombies.
Let alone a 7th stage.
'If it has the power of 10 million normal zombies...'
It would be no exaggeration to say that Korea would be finished.
Not even the Survivor's Blast Crusher and Water Demon would be able to stop it.
'I just need to not die.'
No, even if she died, she just needed to make sure she didn't get infected by a zombie.
Thinking that, Han Soo-yeon called a few people through the Gallery.
Clack!―
"Unnie! Kill those looter bastards right now!"
Her close younger sister, Jeong Ye-rim.
"Did you call?"
Cha Yu-rim, a long-range spatial movement Awakener with a blunt impression and neat appearance.
"I'm here."
And Park Cheol-su, whose Hardened Body ability had risen to B-Grade with a High-Grade Awakening Stone this time.
"I assume you've all seen the Gallery broadcast."
"Of course I did! Those looter bastards! Don't they know we wiped out all the looters in Icheon?"
As Jeong Ye-rim said, Han Soo-yeon and Jeong Ye-rim had a track record of killing every single looter in Icheon.
In particular, Jeong Ye-rim's ability, wire-type telekinesis, was one that shone even more against humans than zombies.
"I'll just go and kill them all!"
For reference, Jeong Ye-rim had once killed 150 looters all by herself.
She had gone up to the rooftop of the looters' hideout at dawn and manipulated her wire telekinesis to kill them all.
"I'm going too."
Han Soo-yeon also said firmly, as if there was no need to even think about other methods.
At Han Soo-yeon's words, Park Cheol-su raised his hand and asked if it wouldn't be better to recruit more people.
"Han Soo-yeon-ssi. Wouldn't it be better to gather more people if you're going to do that?"
"I'd like that too, but there's no one in the group who likes killing people. Besides, Jeong Ye-rim and I are enough for that kind of work."
"But the number of looters is significant, so there is a risk that the hostages will get hurt."
"Even if the hostages get hurt, we need to deal with this firmly."
She needed to show everyone so that they wouldn't be able to negotiate with her ever again.
As Han Soo-yeon spoke with her decision already made, Park Cheol-su nodded as if there was no other choice.
"Yes. Then what is the plan?"
"Park Cheol-su-ssi, please cast Hardened Body on everyone here. After that, Cha Yu-rim-ssi, please transport us, and Jeong Ye-rim and I will handle the rest."
Park Cheol-su's Hardened Body was now B-Grade and could even stop bullets.
Of course, stopping bullets had a limit of a few shots, but since they had bulletproof vests, that would be enough.
"Understood."
"We don't have time, so let's move right now."
Saying that, Han Soo-yeon, along with Jeong Ye-rim and Cha Yu-rim, put on bulletproof helmets and vests.
Following that, as Park Cheol-su cast Hardened Body, Cha Yu-rim watched the location of the looters through the broadcast and said she was ready.
"Yes. I'm ready."
Cha Yu-rim's ability was [Clock Shift], allowing her to move to a location she had seen with her eyes within 1 minute.
Naturally, as she said she was ready after seeing the looters' location through the broadcast, Han Soo-yeon and Jeong Ye-rim were also prepared.
"Then please."
"Yes."
Pabat!―
Then, with Cha Yu-rim's ability, the field of view inverted in an instant, changing to the place where numerous looters and hostages were.
"10 minutes are almost up, right? Kill one..."
As soon as the looter, Park Do-hyun, saw the three women who had appeared in an instant, he hesitated for a moment.
Whoosh―
Jeong Ye-rim scattered dozens of telekinetic wires, wrapping them around the looters' necks and slicing them off.
The same went for Park Do-hyun, but as soon as the wire wrapped around his neck, Etherealization was used automatically.
[Park Do-hyun's Ability Specialization]
[1. Etherealization duration is always doubled.]
[2. Etherealization is automatically used when receiving a fatal attack.]
[3. Others or other objects can also be etherealized. However, anything more than 10 times your body weight cannot be etherealized.]
"Huh? The trash had an ace up his sleeve."
Jeong Ye-rim saw that, but she killed the looters without caring.
Just like Jeong Ye-rim, Han Soo-yeon also caused a Cold Blast under the feet of the looters as soon as she arrived.
Kwaaaaang!!―
Han Soo-yeon's cold was enough to freeze people to death in an instant.
And as Han Soo-yeon killed a large number of looters, the Essence of the Zombie Queen reacted.
[You have killed a B-Grade Awakener. 2nd-stage variant zombie...]
[You have killed a C-Grade Awakener. 1st-stage...]
[A part of your ability changes. Cold storage capacity increases by 10...]
Of course, there was someone who barely survived even Han Soo-yeon's attack.
"You bitch-ass bastards!"
It was a looter who possessed the ability to block heat and cold.
After surviving Han Soo-yeon's attack, he aimed the gun he was holding at the hostages.
"Die, all of you!"
At that, Han Soo-yeon hurriedly blasted cold toward that looter.
Kwaaaaang!!―
But even this time, the looter didn't die, and while his whole body was trembling, he tried to pull the trigger, but.
Slice―
Jeong Ye-rim's wire severed that looter's wrist.
"Kuaaaagh!"
"Unnie! Kill the leader instead of that guy!"
Seeing the looter who had been taken down in an instant, Park Do-hyun immediately put some distance between them.
Jeong Ye-rim quickly threw wires toward Park Do-hyun, but it was useless while he was in the state of Etherealization.
"How dare you accept my negotiation like this?!"
Park Do-hyun briefly deactivated Etherealization and shot at Han Soo-yeon just like that.
Han Soo-yeon also covered only her face with her arms and blasted cold at Park Do-hyun to counterattack.
Kwaaaaang!!―
'Ugh.'
Fortunately, Han Soo-yeon blocked it easily with the effects of her bulletproof vest and Hardened Body.
The bullet didn't even pierce her skin, but that didn't mean there was no impact.
"Damn it."
Conversely, Park Do-hyun didn't die either.
Etherealization had been activated automatically by Han Soo-yeon's attack.
"Tsk!"
Etherealization ignores all physical attacks, but Han Soo-yeon's cold was not one of them.
Still, although the damage was drastically reduced due to Etherealization, she could feel the cold penetrating his whole body.
"I'll retreat for today."
Park Do-hyun realized that he couldn't beat Han Soo-yeon head-on like this, so he decided to retreat.
At the same time as he made up his mind, Park Do-hyun turned his body and ran away quickly, and Han Soo-yeon blasted all her cold toward that place.
Kwaaaaaang!!―
The cold spread out in a fan shape and froze Park Do-hyun, who was in an ethereal state, just like that.
[You have killed an A-Grade Awakener. You can control a 3rd-stage variant zombie. Current: 1.]
As soon as Han Soo-yeon saw that message, her tension eased slightly, and she began to feel pain where she had been shot.
She had avoided a fatal wound due to the bulletproof vest and Hardened Body, but she couldn't help it since the impact of being shot didn't disappear.
"Unnie, are you okay?!"
"I'm fine. More importantly, release the people."
"Yes."
Jeong Ye-rim answered and cut the ropes that were binding the hostages with her wire.
[The host of this broadcast has died.]
[The broadcast will be forcibly terminated in 10 minutes.]
Watching Han Soo-yeon and Jeong Ye-rim's performance, Veronica thought they had judged things reasonably well.
'Seeing that there isn't even hesitation when attacking, it seems they have already killed many people.'
Furthermore, the chat window was also praising the two of them.
-This is what a leader is!
-So refreshing!
-Where do those looter bastards think they are lol
-Looters nationwide must be trembling watching this lol
-Finished it in an instant.
-What a waste though. Can't use this tactic again.
-They'll probably prepare for it next time.
-But they saved the hostages.
............
......
In a way, it was exposed on the broadcast that people were dying, but everyone was already in a state of adaptation.
Since it was a world where people were dying every time due to zombies, there was less resistance to someone dying than before.
'Anyway, it's not boring.'
Veronica felt that it was certainly less boring than sitting quietly alone.
And while she was watching people's reactions through the chat window like that, she saw the broadcast turn off after 10 minutes passed.
'Shall I watch another broadcast.'
As the broadcast was forcibly terminated, Veronica pressed any broadcast at the top, thinking of checking other broadcasts too.
「Wow! Oppas! Thank you for the points! Then as a token of gratitude, dance time!」
On that broadcast, a woman wearing tight, short clothes turned on music on her phone and shook her body.
"......."
This was a sight that even Veronica, who had lived for hundreds of years as an undead, was seeing for the first time in her life.
「Kya! Nyang-nyang Oppa! Thank you for the 100 points!」
It was surprising that such clothes existed, and it was also surprising that she would wear such clothes.
Veronica felt the culture shock of channel 3 like that and entered other broadcasts, but almost more than half were broadcasts like this.
'Did the Survivor intend to show me something like this?'
The Survivor had said he would leave channel 3 or 4 broadcasts on before falling asleep.
Thinking about that, a reasonable suspicion arose that perhaps he was trying to show her broadcasts like this.
"......."
But apart from such suspicions.
Veronica was permeating into the Gallery culture, very little by little.
I woke up after a good sleep and looked for Veronica first.
Veronica was watching me and the Hero Party while leaving the Gallery window I had left open.
"You're up?"
"Yes. Are you not using the Gallery?"
"It was enough during the night watch."
Seeing that, it seemed she didn't particularly find the Gallery fun.
'Still, it would be better than just staring blankly alone.'
Thinking that, I asked if there had been anything special on the Gallery in the meantime.
"Ah. By any chance, was there anything special on the Gallery?"
"There was nothing special. Humans killing humans is also a common occurrence."
"Yes?"
Who killed whom on the Gallery?
"Who killed whom?"
"A person called Ice Queen killed some looters. It was clumsy, but the decisive handling was worth watching."
"......."
At the words that Ice Queen had killed looters, I brought up the Gallery window and started checking from channel 3.