Player of a Ruined World - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Player of the Ruined World – Episode 011
Park Sangil chuckled softly, gazing at me with an expression of curious fascination.
After getting hired at the company, I remained a shadow-like presence even there.
My relationships with coworkers weren’t bad, but they weren’t good either.
Purely transactional business relationships.
We discussed only work matters and avoided personal conversations.
Forming deep connections with others was… difficult for me.
People say human relationships are important, but I couldn’t understand why.
Lonely?
Solitary?
Those were emotions felt by people who had experienced warmth.
Someone who had been alone from the beginning was even numb to loneliness itself.
Still, I had my share of work stress and anxiety about the future.
Whenever stress came up in conversation, some coworkers would say things like this.
That talking with close friends helps relieve stress.
That having a beer with someone comfortable helps.
But for me, being around people was stress itself.
That awkward atmosphere was harder to bear than working.
So I developed my own stress relief methods.
Battlesteam games.
Or using my body.
I went to the gym after work, and when that grew boring, I learned boxing and kendo.
Once I exhausted myself physically, the cluttered thoughts in my head would disappear, at least temporarily.
I wanted to learn fencing too, but there was nowhere nearby to learn it, so I even searched for videos on YouTube.
Since I didn’t have impressive enough skills or an interesting story to explain at length to Park Sangil, I scratched my head and asked.
“Why?”
“Teach me how to use a sword too. The weapon is good, but swinging it feels awkward.”
“I’ll teach you after we finish clearing out the zombies.”
“Oh? You promised? Promise!”
Park Sangil laughed heartily and looked toward Park Sangha and Park Sanghun.
“Hey, let’s all learn together.”
“Sangil hyung, let’s clear out the zombies first.”
When I spoke matter-of-factly, Park Sangil laughed flatly and replied.
“Got it, got it. How should we split up?”
“Sangil hyung and Sanghun, please clear from the west side of the District. Sangha hyung and I will clear from the center.”
“Everyone okay with that?”
When Park Sangil asked while looking at the two of them, Park Sangha and Park Sanghun nodded indifferently.
“Then we’ll meet back here in two hours. How’s that?”
“Sounds good. We’ll meet back here in two hours.”
Other survivors could enter our Hideout, and we needed to share information about the zombie clearing progress.
The current time is 9 AM.
We agreed to regroup in two hours, checked the condition of the notebooks and magazines wrapped around our arms and legs, then headed to the Shoe Cabinet.

* * *
Whoooosh—
Perhaps because I’d just warmed up my body?
The rain felt harsher and colder now.
“We’re going this way, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Being a Large Apartment Complex, the paths were more complicated than expected.
To reach the center, we had to move quite far to the right from Building 105.
Only after reaching the front of Building 108 did we encounter a fork in the road—one path leading to the center of the District and another branching west.
“Grrrrr….”
“Kaaah… Kaaak!”
The zombies’ sounds mixed with the rain, creating a discordant noise.
It was coming from the left.
Park Sangil narrowed his eyes and stared to the left, then tapped my shoulder lightly.
“Five zombies, about 40 meters to the left.”
“Understood.”
“Want to take them down together?”
“No. You, Sangil, and Sanghun need to take the right path from here.”
“We can’t even see ahead—are you really sure about this?”
“I hunted fine alone even when you weren’t around.”
“Even when someone’s worried about you, you’re really… Don’t people tell you you’re unlucky often?”
“….”
I’d never heard anyone call me unlucky before.
There was no one around me who would say such things.
Well… maybe if someone had cursed me behind my back?
When I didn’t respond, Park Sangil smacked his lips and spoke.
“Why do you take everything so seriously? You’re embarrassing me.”
“Ah, I apologize.”
“Don’t apologize. When you take it seriously, it actually sounds real.”
“….”
“Anyway, you’re a strange one.”
Park Sangil chuckled with amusement and moved to the right with Park Sanghun.
Looking back at Park Sangha, he gripped his curved sword and moved to my side.
“Doyun, you can’t see anything either?”
“No. Vision confirmation is a Shooter ability. Only Sangil can do that.”
“It’s a bit nerve-wracking without someone briefing us from the front.”
“It’s still early, so the zombies are weak. We have an overwhelming advantage right now.”
Park Sangha exhaled sharply and stepped forward.
I followed behind him, providing support.

* * *
From Building 108 through 109, 110, 111, 112, and 113.
Park Sangha and I carved through the path with speed.
“Kaaack!!”
“Kagh-!!”
Zombies charging forward with grotesque postures, grinding their throats.
Without unnecessary movements, I cleanly targeted the zombies’ necks.
I methodically cleared the center of the Large Apartment Complex.
“Huff… huff, wait, just a moment.”
Park Sangha’s voice came from behind me.
Park Sangha had collapsed at the entrance to Building 115, breathing heavily.
Had he been bitten?
I hurried to his side, and he lowered the curved sword he’d been holding, his face contorting.
“What’s wrong? Were you bitten?”
“No, that’s not it. Let’s just rest for a bit, okay?”
About an hour and twenty minutes had passed since we started hunting.
Park Sangha, exhausted after moving for an hour and twenty minutes.
Was this normal?
Or did Park Sangha simply have poor stamina?
Without someone ahead explaining the situation, his muscles seemed tense.
The tension might have caused greater stamina depletion, or perhaps my stamina stat was three times higher than Park Sangha’s.
I couldn’t leave Park Sangha here and move on, so I had no choice but to enter Building 115 and take shelter for a moment.
Park Sangha lay sprawled on the floor, breathing heavily.
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“I’m dying. My hands won’t even move anymore.”
“…”
“Doyun, aren’t you struggling?”
“I’m struggling too.”
“But you look fine just from your expression.”
“How could I not be struggling? I do it anyway because I have to.”
I laughed flatly and sat down beside him, pressing my hip against his, when Park Sangha glanced at my face and asked.
“You said you were twenty-eight, right?”
“Yes.”
“Still in your twenties, I guess? You’re quite sturdy.”
“And you said you were thirty-three, right?”
“Yeah. My stamina’s been getting worse since last year, and man… I’m exhausted.”
“Wasn’t your stamina already poor before this?”
I mixed jokes with earnest remarks, and Park Sangha laughed heartily, playing along with my teasing.
“Ha! I can’t argue with that. Sitting around all day must be it—my stamina’s been getting worse and worse.”
“What kind of work did you do, sir?”
As I asked, I glanced subtly toward the Stairs.
Just in case—if the zombies inside heard our conversation, they might come down.
Park Sangha observed me carefully, then spoke with a knowing smile.
“You never let your guard down, do you?”
“Pardon?”
“Ever since we first met, something about you… you seem constantly on edge.”
I was tense when dealing with zombies, but I also had a tendency to be tense when talking with people.
Because of the thought that I might misspeak, I had the habit of watching others’ expressions.
Or maybe I developed this habit because of the orphanage staff.
I thought I was hiding it well, but Park Sangha seemed to be a perceptive person.
When I made an embarrassed expression, Park Sangha raised the corners of his mouth and spoke.
“Did I hit the mark?”
“Well, it’s not like I don’t have that tendency. Is it that obvious?”
“It’s not obvious, it’s an occupational habit.”
“An occupational habit?”
“I was a writer. A novelist.”
So that’s why his stamina is poor.
Wait, is that a prejudice too?
Whether he likes analyzing characters or does it unconsciously as an occupational habit, I wasn’t sure.
Park Sangha continued with a bitter smile.
“My older brother has a tendency to speak bluntly, so don’t take it the wrong way.”
“I’m not taking it the wrong way…”
“But you clearly looked flustered.”
“…”
I chose silence instead of rebuttal.
Because it was true.
Park Sangha stared blankly at the ceiling, then opened his mouth with a wistful smile.
“When we were suddenly summoned. While everyone was panicking… a zombie suddenly appeared.”
“…”
“Since I’m a writer, I immediately thought, ‘That’s a zombie.'”
Zombies were a common subject in novels.
According to Park Sangha, after the zombie appeared, that place became absolute chaos.
People ran through the rain, pushing and knocking each other down to survive.
Then one zombie attacked Park Sangha, and Park Sangil killed it.
No matter how much they’re zombies, they still have human forms.
It wouldn’t have been easy to kill such beings and maintain sanity.
“Me, Sanghun, my sister-in-law, Kyeongeo—we all made it here thanks to my brother.”
“….”
“I’m the kind of person who does what needs to be done willingly, so forgive me if I grumble a bit.”
“….”
“I’m a fairly pleasant person, all things considered.”
“Understood.”
“But you’re quite impressive, aren’t you?”
“Pardon?”
“How many people would think to hunt zombies and grow stronger in a situation like this?”
It was partly because of the Episode, and partly because I’d chosen the Buster.
Park Sangha remained silent for a while before asking in a serious voice.
“You’re certain about this?”
“Pardon?”
“This situation has an end, and we can return to how things were before, right?”
This situation does have an end, that much is true.
But I couldn’t give a definitive answer about whether we could truly return to how things were.
When I didn’t respond, Park Sangha turned his head toward me and spoke.
“Say it’s true.”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t care, but if anyone else asks… tell them it’s definitely true, no matter what.”
“….”
“People need hope to keep moving forward.”
“….”
“My brother, my sister-in-law, they’re living for Kyeongeo. If I told them Kyeongeo’s future looks this bleak… they might actually lose their minds.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
As I nodded, Park Sangha smiled contentedly and stood up from his seat.
“Well… I can’t just sit here like a supporting character.”
“Pardon?”
“You’re the protagonist, I’m the supporting character.”
A wry laugh escaped me at Park Sangha’s words.
“Where does that come from when the world’s already fallen apart?”
“You said you’ve seen the end of this game, didn’t you? Then you’re the protagonist.”
“….”
“My stamina might be lacking, but I’ll do my best to support you, so let’s keep going.”
Park Sangha gripped the curved sword he’d set down and rolled his stiff shoulders.
The way he groaned while stretching made him look every bit the middle-aged man.
Will I be like that when I reach my mid-thirties?
Thud— Thud—
At that moment, the sound of metal doors being struck echoed from the stairs.
Startled, I gripped the curved sword in my hand, and their voices came from the upper floor.
“Grrraaaaahhh….”
“Cackle-!”
Park Sangha and I exchanged glances without hesitation, our eyes meeting in unspoken understanding.
“Should we go?”
“Let’s go.”
A person who knows when to step forward and can maintain composure in urgent situations.
Moreover, a person with a warm heart.
That was who Park Sangha was.

* * *
“More coming from below!”
“I’ll block the door! You find an exit!”
Building 115 contained far more zombies than I had anticipated.
We were approaching the two-hour mark when we’d agreed to regroup, yet we still hadn’t managed to escape Building 115.
Two or three, or perhaps four or five zombies clustered together were manageable, but when over thirty attacked simultaneously like this, there was no way to handle them.
I blocked the zombies’ advance by pressing my entire body against the iron door at the boundary between the stairs and corridor.
“Doyun, over here!”
“If I open the door now, they’ll all pour in!”
“It’s fine, come this way!”
Park Sangha flung open the entrance door to the left.
Was he telling me to go inside?
Right now, there were no other options.
I hurled my body toward the open entrance as Park Sangha directed.
Crash!!
The iron door swung open, and zombies poured in all at once.
Park Sangha and I threw ourselves toward the shoe cabinet.
“Close it!!”
“Gaaaaahhh!!”
Boom!!
By a hair’s breadth, I managed to slam the entrance shut.
Bang! Thud- Thunk! Bang!
Zombies pounded against the entrance with their entire bodies.
Thanks to the zombies’ poor intelligence, they hadn’t thought to turn the doorknob.
Park Sangha quickly got to his feet just in case, fastened the bolt, and pressed his back against the entrance to prevent the hinges from warping.
I stood up and opened the window facing the living room.
It seemed to be about ten stories high.
Jumping would be suicide, and there wasn’t a rope in sight.
Then suddenly, my eyes caught on the lightweight partition on the right side of the balcony.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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