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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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I flicked my sword, shaking off the blood. Splatter! The red line streaked across the road, scattering into droplets that reflected the afternoon summer sun. I glanced back at the mid-sized market. Hundreds of corpses lay strewn across the floor. It had taken me nearly two days to clear it out.
Current level: 23. Strength: 68. I sheathed my sword and walked down the road. The sun was either shining brightly or piercingly hot, depending on how you looked at it. It was hot. I pulled out my phone and called Sung Kyu-hyuk.
“Yes, Sung-hoon.”
“How is the rescue operation going?”
I heard a faint sigh on the other end.
“So many have starved to death. But we’re doing our best to rescue anyone still breathing. What about you? How are things on your end?”
I nodded and said, “You’ll need quite a few people to clean up the bodies.”
“You cleared it all out?” Sung Kyu-hyuk’s voice was filled with relief. As the number of survivors at the motel increased, so did their food consumption. The supplies from a single convenience store wouldn’t last a week. Food was likely disappearing in large quantities with each passing day. I smiled. “Yes. It’s an empty house now. You just need to go in and get it.”
“Thank you for your hard work. Truly. Last night, the president said he’d go out himself to help gather supplies. I think anyone who can move will be going.”
“That’s good to hear.” If even the president was rolling up his sleeves, there was no need to worry about the others. I asked, “Are the special forces focusing entirely on rescue operations?”
“Yes. Every day we delay, more people who could be saved will die. It’s better to have those trained in combat out in the field in case of an emergency.”
I nodded. “Okay, I understand.”
“So, Sung-hoon, what are your plans now?”
Hmm. If I delayed any longer, Soo-hyun would probably sulk. I chuckled. “I need to head back. My people get a little anxious if I’m gone for too long.”
“I see… That’s a shame. We would have appreciated it if you could have stayed a little longer.”
Right.
To be honest, that was what I wanted too. When the zombie waves hit the city, people were anxious, but I was actually quite at ease. I didn’t have to wander around looking for a place to level up.
The experience points came to me. What was there not to like? In that sense, this place was a perfect hunting ground for me. Small zombie waves, triggered by the countless flights of the light aircraft and helicopter.
The shops, packed to the brim with creatures, were a feast laid out just for me. A zombie wave had swept through my city, so I was sure my experience point suppliers had been replenished to some extent, but it was nothing compared to this. It was a shame to pass by shops so packed with human beasts that there wasn’t even an inch of empty space. If possible, I would have liked to sleep at home and hunt here.
But with no car, and the roads blocked, it was impossible. Besides, a car would only attract unwanted attention, so commuting was out of the question. Why did it have to be Banpo? So annoyingly far away, damn it.
Just then, something caught my eye. On the sidewalk. Dark, dried bloodstains, a clear sign of the post-apocalyptic world. A bicycle lay on top of the stains. “…Hmm.” …A bicycle?
“Yes, Sung-hoon? Did you say something?”
“Ah, yes.” I smiled. “I’d like to help you with the rescue operations.” To be honest, I didn’t really care. If I had been interested in saving people, I would have done it in my own city. I wouldn’t have had to come all this way. I was just lending a hand because these people were trying to do something. My focus had always been on acquiring weapons and leveling up. “From now on, I’ll commute.”
“Commute? Isn’t it too far?”
I smiled and walked towards the bicycle. It was lying awkwardly between the sidewalk and the road, in front of a real estate office with its doors plastered with A4 flyers. The creatures inside couldn’t see me. I carefully lifted the bicycle. It had a sleek design. Large wheels. It must have belonged to someone tall or well-built. I also saw a scooter on the other side. …Hmm. A scooter?
I shrugged and wheeled the bicycle onto the road. A scooter would be nice, but I’d stick with the bicycle for a workout. Stamina was important. Even with the skill to support me, swinging my sword and drawing my bow still required stamina, and as I leveled up, the number of kills I needed to make would increase, so there was no reason not to train my stamina. I got on the bicycle and said,
“I’ll ride back and forth for a workout. Don’t worry about me. You just focus on the rescue operations, Kyu-hyuk.”
Oh. It fit me perfectly. My upper body leaned forward. It had been a while since I’d ridden a bicycle.
Sung Kyu-hyuk said, “Yes, I understand. I’ll let Ga-yeon know to set aside your share.”
My share. The weapons. Of course I’d take them. I smiled. “Yes, please.”
“Are you leaving right now?”
“Yes. I’m going to pick up my share and leave immediately. See you tomorrow.”
“Thank you for your hard work. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Hmm. I’d unexpectedly found myself a job. I chuckled, putting my phone in my pocket, and rode off.
A summer afternoon. The warm wind ruffled my hair.
When I returned to the motel, the lobby was bustling with people. The president, the Chief Secretary, Sung Ga-yeon, the captains and the sergeant, as well as the other civilians. They all greeted me with bright faces. President Min Jeong-woo approached me and took my hand.
“Our special forces leader told me. You plan to commute from your home. It will be difficult for you. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
I smiled.
“I’ll be fine. My people worry if I’m away for too long. I have to go back.”
President Min Jeong-woo looked disappointed. “I see… Are your people doing well there? Are they comfortable?”
Hmm. He was indirectly asking me to move here. But our hypermarket building, which we had spent a considerable amount of time reinforcing, had practically become a fortress. I couldn’t just abandon it and move here. This was just a motel. I smiled.
“Yes. We’re doing fine.” Drop it.
“By the way, won’t we need a new place to live soon?” I asked, looking over the president’s shoulder. I saw a young man and woman, who seemed to have recovered somewhat. Their faces were still pale, but they were able to move. The other rescued people must still be bedridden. They were running out of rooms.
Chief Secretary Ahn Jun-gyu approached. “Yes. We were just about to discuss that with you, Sung-hoon.”
I shook my head. “I’m just here to help. If you select a candidate location, I will help you clear it.” This was me, putting up a wall. We’re not the same group. You take care of your own business. I’m just here to level up. And if we can help each other out in the process, then so be it.
The president and Chief Secretary’s expressions changed slightly. As politicians, they immediately understood my intentions.
Sergeant Song Kyu-tae approached and said, “We have a candidate location. What if we barricade this entire block of Seorae-ro and secure the whole area?”
Hmm. The entire area? Not a bad idea. And I learned something else. Sergeant Song Kyu-tae was definitely not a politician. He had no sense of political nuance, asking for my opinion after I had just drawn a clear line between us. He was just a diligent soldier and mechanic. I smiled and didn’t answer.
President Min Jeong-woo smiled benevolently. “Sergeant Song, let’s discuss that later.” Hmm. Quick on the uptake, Mr. President. He turned to me. “We’ll keep a room vacant for you, so you can use it whenever you need to. You’ve worked very hard these past few days.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Sung Ga-yeon approached, limping. Captain Park and Captain Kim were each carrying a duffel bag. “Thank you for your hard work,” Sung Ga-yeon said. “We’ll see you again, right?”
“Yes. Probably every day.”
“I hope so.” She extended her hand. I shook it.
Captain Park and Captain Kim offered me two duffel bags. “You brought back a lot of weapons, and you can’t carry them all by yourself, can you? We’ll give you two for now, and more each time you visit.”
They were much more formal than they had been during our drinking session. I nodded and accepted the two duffel bags, slinging them over my shoulder.
President Min Jeong-woo said, “We wouldn’t have been able to acquire these weapons without you, Sung-hoon. Let’s share them whenever necessary.”
Chief Secretary Ahn Jun-gyu added, “You’ll be joining us for the Pyeongtaek mission, right?”
Hmm. I couldn’t miss out on Pyeongtaek. I nodded. “Of course. When are you planning to go?”
Chief Secretary Ahn Jun-gyu said, “Well, we’ll have to discuss it with the special forces, but I think it would be best to stabilize our current area first.”
President Min Jeong-woo nodded. “Yes. Rescuing the people here is our priority. Sung-hoon, although I may not be able to save the entire country, I honestly want to save as many people as I can.”
Hmm. He wants to save people. Consistent, at least.
Chief Secretary Ahn Jun-gyu said, “So, for the time being, we’ve decided not to fly the light aircraft or the helicopter. We need to focus on rescue operations.”
I nodded. “I understand. Then, let me know when you’ve chosen a new residential location.”
The president finally released my hand. “Sung-hoon, thank you once again. Please be sure to come back tomorrow.”
I bowed to them and left the motel. Hmm. I couldn’t get the image of Sung Ga-yeon waving at me out of my head. A tall, beautiful woman with a model-like figure… I shook my head and got on the bicycle. Honestly. Time to go back. To my women, to my people. I chuckled and started pedaling.
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