Player of a Ruined World - Chapter 111

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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 111
Kim Hanna began to drool as she stared at the unconscious man’s head.
“Grrrrr….”
“….”
“Kahahk!”
Like a beast lunging at prey, she sank her teeth into the crown of the man’s head in one swift motion.
Crunch! Snap-! Squelch!
These were no longer the teeth of a human.
Fangs that pierced through the skull in a single bite.
Park Sanghun’s eyes widened at the sight, but he couldn’t bear to watch until the end and turned his head away.
The spectacle of a person devouring another person’s head.
It was different from mercilessly gunning down and slashing at Zombies with a curved blade.
It was far more intimate, far more savage and deranged.
Even I, observing the situation, felt my brow furrow.
Kim Hanna burying her face into the gaping skull cavity.
She consumed the human brain ravenously—as if drinking sweet nectar, as if chewing meat dripping with juices.
About thirty seconds passed like that.
Ding-!
[Quest completion conditions have been satisfied.]
[Proceeding with the awakening of Zombie King Kim Hanna.]
Ding-!
[Congratulations! The awakening of Zombie King Kim Hanna is complete!]
[The awakened Zombie King becomes immune to mental domination and all status abnormalities.]
[The Zombie King may command special subordinates.]
[You may designate 1 Royal Guard Commander, 2 Marshals, and 5 Generals.]
[Subordinates granted titles gain substantially increased physical abilities and receive individual Skills.]
[Subordinates granted titles obey the King in all circumstances.]
[The maximum number of subordinates you may command increases to 10,000.]
Ding-!
[Kim Hanna is registered as a Player.]
[Kim Hanna’s language function is activated.]
[Parties or alliances recognized by the Zombie King may form an alliance with the Zombie King.]
System Messages continued to appear before Kim Hanna in succession.
Kim Hanna seemed to have lost consciousness, her head hanging low without acknowledging the messages.
I confirmed all the information in the messages and hastily opened the vehicle door.
Whoosh-
Before Kim Hanna could awaken, I hurled the man with the half-destroyed head out of the vehicle.
“Doyun, Doyun!”
Park Yeongsu, who had been holding the steering wheel, called out to me, so I lifted my head and looked at him.
“The Zombies ahead are acting strange. They’re not moving.”
“The command has disappeared.”
“Pardon?”
“Think of it like a robot without batteries.”
“Then what do we do? We shouldn’t kill it?”
“Try not to kill Zombies that have stopped moving.”
Screech—! Screech!
Park Yeongsu spun the steering wheel sharply, weaving between the Zombies.
I called out to Park Sanghun beside me.
“Sanghun, tell everyone. We’re starting the hunt for the Cutting Type Main Body and the Resonance Species now.”
“What should I tell them?”
I laid Kim Hanna down in the seat and checked the 3D terrain map.
The movements of the Cutting Type Main Body and the Resonance Species had stopped.
Had they realized the Reinforcement Type was dead?
Or perhaps Kim Hanna’s mental domination had been broken.
Either way, if they sensed the situation turning unfavorable, they’d likely flee.
“We need to drive the Cutting Type Main Body and the Resonance Species toward Jamsil Bridge. Vehicle 1 pushes from the north, Vehicle 2 from the west.”
“So we’re doing a drive hunt?”
Park Sanghun closed his eyes tightly and pressed his temples with both hands.
Click—click!
-Okay.
-Understood!
Responses from Vehicle 1 and Vehicle 2 came through the radio.
Park Yeongsu, gripping the steering wheel, looked at my face in the rearview mirror and asked.
“Where should I go?”
“Drop Sanghun and me off, then head east and drive the Mutants toward us.”
Park Sanghun looked at me with a bewildered expression at the sudden order to get out.
“I’m getting out too?”
“We need to get to Jamsil Bridge first and wait.”
“Ah, I understand now.”
“Tell Elder Chulmin in Vehicle 2 to come to Jamsil Bridge as well.”
“Got it!”

* * *
I checked the movement paths of the Cutting Type Main Body and Resonance Species in real-time on the 3D terrain map.
“Sanghun, tell Vehicle 1 to push a bit further east. We can’t fall behind the main body.”
“Got it.”
“Tell Vehicle 2 to increase speed as well.”
After briefing while monitoring the enemy’s movement path, the Cutting Type Main Body and Resonance Species began moving toward Jamsil Bridge.
“Elder Chulmin, get ready.”
“Already prepared.”
Elder Chulmin placed a rifle on the vehicle’s hood and kept his eyes fixed forward.
Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat—
Bang—! Bang!! Baaang!!
Multiple footsteps followed, accompanied by car horns blaring.
I crouched beside Park Sanghun next to Elder Chulmin, barely peeking my head out to gaze into the mist as I asked.
“Elder, can you see the Resonance Species?”
“Not yet.”
Checking the 3D terrain map, I could spot a red dot approaching roughly 100 meters ahead.
At this distance, Elder Chulmin should be able to see it with the naked eye—so why couldn’t he?
I zoomed in on the map to confirm the Stage 5 Mutant’s location.
“Elder, do you see the bushes on the left side of the road?”
“Bushes?”
Elder Chulmin turned his head slightly to look at the bushes.
“Aimed shot, multi-hit, headshot. Explosive fire.”
Clack!!!
He activated skills in succession and pulled the trigger toward the dense vegetation.
Boom—!!
[You have eliminated the Stage 5 Resonance Species!]
[30,000 points awarded.]
A point message appeared before my eyes along with the blast.
I had eliminated the Resonance Species before it could even use its skill.
Elder Chulmin closed the point message and immediately focused on the bushes again.
Clack!! Clack!! Clack!!!
Boom—!! Bang!! Bang!!
Trees toppled, and fire spread across the grass.
But no point message appeared. Instead, I heard Elder Chulmin’s confused voice.
“What? Where did it go?”
“Did you see the Cutting Type Main Body?”
“It was there just a moment ago, but suddenly it vanished.”
“Then it must have used a skill.”
“A skill?”
“Reducing its size is the Cutting Type Main Body’s skill. Did it disappear now?”
“Whoa, it just vanished. How much did it shrink?”
“It reduces to a maximum of one-fifth its original size. At roughly 35 centimeters now, it won’t be visible if it hides in the brush.”
After finishing my explanation, I gripped the curved sword in my hand.
The Cutting Type Main Body possessed two Skills.
One allowed its body to shrink, and the other increased its movement speed threefold.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was born for escape.
“Leave the rear to me.”
I checked the 3D terrain map and kept my eyes fixed on the direction of the brush.
I currently had only one Skill I could use.
“Balhwa.”
Ding—!
[For 10 minutes, your stamina, strength, and agility stats double, and your movement speed increases by 1.5 times.]
Hisssss—!
Steam rose from my entire body, and my muscle fibers began to contract and expand repeatedly.
My blood flow accelerated, and a scorching heat spread throughout my frame.
Boom!!!
As I pushed off the ground and sprinted forward, I could see trees blackened by the explosion and brush burning away.
The moisture prevented the flames from spreading, and they were already dying out.
Crackle crackle! Whoosh— crackle!
The sound of fallen leaves being trampled echoed from within.
Rolling my eyes rapidly toward the source of the sound, I spotted a 35-centimeter silhouette with its rear end ablaze, bolting through the undergrowth.
Found it.
The Cutting Type Main Body.
As I charged toward its fleeing form, the Cutting Type Main Body shrieked and pushed its speed even higher.
Judging by the sudden acceleration, it seemed to have activated its Skill.
But how fast could a 35-centimeter creature really become even if it tripled its speed?
A sparrow, no matter how hard it tries, can never catch a stork.
This was why I’d asked Elder Chulmin to strike first.
Making it shrink first would make it easier to deal with.
Huff—!!
As I swung my curved sword with all my might, I felt a solid resistance among the branches that snapped like dried stalks.
Beyond the brush that had been cleanly severed horizontally, the Cutting Type Main Body came into view.
My blade was embedded in its left arm.
I felt no doubt.
As its body shrank, it gained proportional defensive power—that was the Main Body’s characteristic.
No problem.
As long as I break through.
I just need to keep attacking until I do.
Slash slash slash slash slash slash—!!! Crunch—!
Without pause for breath, I unleashed a relentless barrage of strikes against the 35-centimeter Main Body.
At first, the main body thrashed about in evasion, but after its knees were sliced, it endured dozens of vicious stab wounds.
“Kiek! Save me? Save me, save me?!”
The main body spouted nonsense like the cells, flailing its arms wildly.
I felt no pity for it, no hesitation whatsoever.
Mercy was a luxury I didn’t possess.
I never had such a thing to begin with.
Squelch!
I pierced straight through its heart.
Ding!
[You have eliminated the Stage 5 Cutting Type Main Body!]
[40,000 points awarded.]
[Remaining time: 5 minutes]
The points felt somewhat lacking considering all the suffering I’d endured because of this creature.
But it didn’t matter.
I’d struggled because a Stage 5 Mutant appeared in the twelfth episode, leaving my countermeasures inadequate.
Now, even if another Stage 5 Cutting Type appears, it won’t be difficult.
We have the awakened Zombie King, Kim Hanna, after all.
Once the Zombie King completes its awakening, it gains the ability to track prey.
When playing the game, I thought this was a basic ability built into the Zombie King, but it was a setting I only learned upon becoming reality.
The Zombie King must consume 100 human brains and awaken to unlock its true power.
But what about the remaining 5 minutes?
What does that mean?
Vroooom! Vrrrrm!
The sound of an engine followed.
“Doyun!”
Park Sangil arrived first, stepping out of the vehicle.
His brow was furrowed as he stared at me.
He’d probably ask if I was alright again.
This time, I spoke first with a hollow laugh.
“I’m fine, so don’t worry…!”
“Come quick!”
“What?”
“The cells won’t die!”
Confusion struck me at Park Sangil’s words.
In No Way Home, when the main body died, the cells would disappear on their own.
But the cells were still alive?
Could it be that what I killed wasn’t the main body?
‘No, the points message appeared….’
Wait, could it be related to the remaining time written at the bottom of the points message?
Bang! Rat-a-tat! Bang!
Following that, the sound of an explosion echoed from the direction of Jamsil Bridge.
Elder Chulmin was firing at the Severing Cells.
“Everyone, take a look at this!”
Elder Chulmin called out to us while pulling the trigger relentlessly.
As I rushed to his side in panic, I could see the cells collapsing like autumn leaves in the wind.
“Dead, dead? Dead, dead?”
“Dying, we’re dying? Dying, dying!”
“Find, new main body, find!”
“Who? Who, who?”
“Attach. Attach. Attach.”
The Severing Cells rushed forward like rabid stray dogs, focused only on what lay ahead.
Within their resonance, one voice rang out with particular clarity.
New main body, attach.
Then that means….
“Everyone, get in the vehicle!”
“Doyun! They’re not dividing anymore!”
Elder Chulmin’s gun continued to blaze.
Now wasn’t the time to face them on the street.
It seemed that when the main body dies, cell division stops, but they don’t disappear immediately.
If they were designed to find a new main body within the given five minutes?
All we had to do was avoid being caught by them for five minutes.
“Elder, hurry!”
“Sanghun, let’s go!”
Elder Chulmin and Park Sanghun came running here in shock.
Park Sangil and Hong Yeonhui fired relentlessly at the approaching cells until Elder Chulmin and Park Sanghun arrived.
Bang—!! Bang! Bang!
The late-arriving Vehicle 2 and Vehicle 3 rammed into the cells, buying us time.
Thanks to that, Elder Chulmin and Park Sanghun were able to board the vehicle without delay.
“Everyone, hold on tight!”
Vroooom—! Vraaaaaagh!
Once everyone was aboard, Park Sangil stepped on the accelerator as if he’d been waiting for this moment.
“Doyun! What exactly is this five-minute time limit?!”
When I shared my hypothesis in response to Elder Chulmin’s question, Hong Yeonhui in the passenger seat raised her eyebrows and asked.
“So what happens if we get caught by those things?”
“The person caught would become a Severing Type.”
“Does that even make sense?!”
“When has any of this made sense?”
After all, the very fact that the game became reality was something unbelievable, wasn’t it?
Hong Yeonhui wore a troubled expression but asked no further questions.
Thud— crack! Whoosh— screech—!
Severing Cells ground to dust beneath the Sandworm’s relentless assault.
“They’re no different from street-level Zombies! Everyone, don’t worry!”
Park Sangil spun the wheel without pause, throwing himself into the task of eliminating the cells.
Fortune favored us.
In this non-threatening situation, I had discovered the characteristics of the Stage 5 Mutant.

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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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