Player of a Ruined World - Chapter 122

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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 122
Once all preparations were complete and we boarded the vehicle, Bae Hyeonseok asked us to wait a moment before walking toward his group.
The shelter’s survivors stood with their eyes gently closed, hands resting on each other’s shoulders as they prayed.
After finishing his prayer, Bae Hyeonseok climbed into the vehicle with a resolute expression.
“Do you always pray like that?”
Park Sangil, who was gripping the steering wheel, asked, and Bae Hyeonseok responded with a bitter smile.
“I pray for everyone’s safety.”
“Do you have a religion?”
“No. I don’t follow any particular faith, but… I hope everyone will be safe.”
Park Sangil nodded casually.
Meanwhile, Park Sangha, who was in the passenger seat, looked at Bae Hyeonseok and asked.
“Where is your hometown, Bae Hyeonseok?”
“Ah, I’m from Seoul.”
“I was wondering why you didn’t use a regional dialect.”
“Ha, I came down here for work.”
Now that I think about it, that makes sense.
Neither Bae Hyeonseok nor Song Junhyeok had regional accents.
According to Bae Hyeonseok, he was from Seoul, and Song Junhyeok’s hometown was in Chungcheong Province.
Well, enough of this talk.
“Sangil, let’s depart.”
“Everyone, check your seatbelts.”
Park Sangil started the engine and picked up the radio.
“Vehicle 1 is departing. Vehicle 2, please maintain a 30-meter distance.”
-Roger!
Kim Suhan’s voice came through the radio.
I thought Elder Chulmin would be driving, but it seems Kim Suhan took the wheel instead.
He had mentioned being tired from the long drive from Seoul to Daegu, so that must be the reason.
Vroom—
As the vehicle departed, the people gathered at the shelter entrance waved their hands.
Those who hoped for our safe return.
To live up to their expectations, I will complete the twelfth episode and return with everyone.

* * *
“Is this the right way?”
“Yes. We turn right here.”
Costco was only 1.5 kilometers straight ahead, but we didn’t take that route.
According to Bae Hyeonseok, they’d built a massive wall between Costco and the shelter.
The Makers at the shelter regularly checked its durability and gradually reinforced it.
Since we couldn’t smash through the wall and enter, we took the detour Bae Hyeonseok showed us.
Following his guidance south, we found Line 1 subway station, then turned right and drove straight for about 1.5 kilometers until we reached Ansim Station.
“There are quite a few zombies around here.”
As we reached Ansim Station, shambling zombies came into view.
Park Sangil frowned and looked around, then asked Bae Hyeonseok behind us.
“Bae Hyeonseok, it looks like the zombie clearance in this area isn’t complete, right?”
“No, this is actually the first time we’ve come this far out.”
“Then the reason you’re guiding us through this route…”
“We wanted to avoid putting the shelter in danger.”
Yeah, that made sense.
If we moved in a straight line, we’d have to destroy the wall they’d worked so hard to build, and zombies might follow us during our escape.
Bae Hyeonseok chose the longer detour to avoid any potential disaster.
Park Sangil understood what Bae Hyeonseok meant, so he pulled the vehicle onto the shoulder and picked up the radio.
“Suhan.”
-Yes, go ahead.
“We’re moving slowly. Be careful not to let the RPM climb.”
-Understood!
Even a slight increase in RPM would alert the zombies on the main road.
Once they reacted, zombies would pour out from the apartment complexes on both sides.
From Ansim Station onward, it was clearly Daegu’s urban area—there were so many apartments visible even to my eyes.
“Did you say to turn right here?”
When Park Sangil asked, Bae Hyeonseok nodded and replied.
“Yes, if you follow the road to the right, you’ll see the Military Manpower Administration building. Costco is right next to it.”
Park Sangil gently pressed the accelerator with his right foot, as if petting a chick’s head.
The speed was similar to walking, and the engine noise was barely audible since the RPM barely climbed.
The second vehicle followed closely behind us.
I gazed out the window, surveying the surrounding terrain.
A small stream flowed on the left, and low-rise buildings lined the narrow road.
“Sangha.”
When Park Sangil called Park Sangha, he lowered the window as if he’d been waiting and shouldered his crossbow.
Twang—
The zombies 30 to 40 meters ahead were cleared with the crossbow as we moved forward.
It would be easier to push them aside with the modified vehicle, but the loud noise would cause the zombies to resonate.
How far had we traveled at this reduced speed?
An underpass appeared, and Park Sangil brought the vehicle to a halt, speaking as he did.
“It’s swarming.”
“How many?”
I gripped the headrests of the driver and passenger seats, peering forward as I asked. Park Sangil furrowed his brow as he replied.
“Packed solid. I can’t even estimate how many there are.”
“What about Mutants?”
“Right now I only see Zombies… but I can’t check the left side because of the blind spot.”
Then Bae Hyeonseok beside me spoke with an anxious expression.
“This… this is impossible after all. The Brain Researcher must have already become a Zombie den.”
“….”
“Unfortunately, let’s consider other options. Perhaps if we clear the twelfth episode, another research facility might….”
“Do you think it would be different?”
I looked at Bae Hyeonseok and asked, and he stared back at me with a bewildered expression.
“Pardon?”
“If we find another research facility, do you think the situation there would be different?”
“I can’t know that, but… no matter what, forcing our way through here would be suicide.”
Then Park Sanghun, standing beside Bae Hyeonseok, grabbed his arm and spoke.
“That’s what Doyun and we’ve been repeating every day.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I’ll hold you tight. You’ve got your seatbelt on, right?”
“You’re going to force through that?! No matter how capable you all are, that’s…!”
Vroooom-! Vraaaaaaagh-!!
The sound of RPM rising before Bae Hyeonseok could even finish speaking.
Everyone’s bodies lurched against the seat backs from Park Sangil’s sudden acceleration.
Park Sangil turned the steering wheel sharply, the corners of his mouth lifting as he spoke.
“Let’s go!”
“Time to hunt some points!”
Park Sanghun’s adrenaline was pumping too, his eyes glazed over with adrenaline-fueled focus.
Really… these guys are incorrigible.
I chuckled softly and grabbed Bae Hyeonseok’s arm to steady him.
“It’s going to get a bit rough.”
“Huh?”
Crash!!!! Craaaaaash- Thud! Bang!!
The Hellhound plowed through the Zombies in an instant.
I could see the second vehicle pulling up alongside the first vehicle as it accelerated.
-Hey, Sangil. Should I just keep going straight?
Elder Chulmin’s voice came through the radio.
It wasn’t a voice trembling with panic or fear.
It was an incredibly calm voice.
Since Park Sangil had both hands on the steering wheel, Park Sangha picked up the radio instead.
“No, I’ll clear out the zombies on the main road first. Keep circling without going too far.”
-There are giant zombies over there. At least three of them. What do we do?
“Where exactly?”
-Behind the Costco. They seem to have spotted us… Sangil should be able to see them?
Park Sangha looked at Park Sangil, who gripped the steering wheel roughly and spoke.
“They’re already heading this way. Tell him we’ll take down the giant zombies too.”
“Are they enhanced?”
“All three are over 10 meters. They’re enhanced.”
“Elder, I’ll handle all three and then we move.”
-Got it.
Enhanced giant zombies meant creatures exceeding 10 meters in length.
Three of them charging at us simultaneously.
Yet no trace of confusion or fear appeared on my companions’ faces.
They were focused like hunters who’d spotted their prey.
Bae Hyeonseok, watching them with a deathly pale complexion, couldn’t close his gaping mouth.
“Are you… insane?!”
“What?”
“Are you all out of your minds?! Enhanced giant zombies! Even a scratch kills everyone!!”
Park Sangil, gripping the steering wheel, raised the corners of his eyes and glanced at the rearview mirror.
“Then we just don’t get scratched.”
“…What did you say?”
“Sangha, switch.”
As Park Sangil released the steering wheel, Park Sangha hurriedly grabbed the swaying wheel.
The two quickly exchanged positions, and Park Sangha pressed the accelerator while laughing dryly.
“I should’ve put Hyeri in the first vehicle if I’d known it’d come to this.”
“Why?”
“You need to see something to drive.”
“The road’s wide enough that you can drive without seeing much. You checked the road width, right?”
“Yeah, I’ll keep circling.”
At the two’s casual conversation, Bae Hyeonseok trembled violently, his spirit seemingly departed.
He’d never experienced combat like this, nor could he have imagined it.
Park Sanghun, noticing Bae Hyeonseok’s expression, laughed heartily and spoke.
“Ha! You’ll get used to it soon.”
“Huh?”
“Hold on tight.”
Thud-thud-thud! Crunch- crackle- thud!
The modified vehicle shook relentlessly like a sailing ship cutting through rough waves.
As zombies were ground to pulp, dark red blood splattered across every window.
In the midst of this, Park Sangil put on sunglasses and covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief, then rolled down the window.
He immediately opened his inventory and shouldered a rifle.
“Precision shot, multi-hit, headshot. Explosive fire, sniper shot.”
As I activated the skills in rapid succession, a scope materialized before Park Sangil’s eyes, and the muzzle glowed red.
“Sangha, we’ve come too far. Back up 100 meters.”
Screeeech—!!
Park Sangha wrenched the steering wheel and engaged the handbrake in one fluid motion.
He shifted the vehicle’s direction and accelerated hard once more.
After driving exactly 100 meters straight, he drifted again to adjust the angle, and Park Sangil found the perfect firing position.
Bang—!!!
The bullet left the muzzle.
And then.
Boom!!!!!!
A thunderous explosion echoed, and a massive fireball erupted beyond the fog.
The flames were so bright that even I, unable to see clearly through the haze, could witness them.
Park Sangil blinked repeatedly and muttered.
“Figures it didn’t die in one shot.”
“Did you check the magazine?”
“Huh?”
“Isn’t it the 4-times enhanced ammunition?”
Park Sangil separated the magazine and checked its enhancement level, then wore an embarrassed expression.
“It’s the 3-times enhanced magazine.”
“Why aren’t you using the enhanced one I gave you?”
“I got confused. I used it last time and forgot to swap it back.”
Park Sangil offered a sheepish smile as he placed the 3-times enhanced magazine into his inventory and retrieved the 4-times enhanced magazine.
Boom—!!!! Boom—!!!!!
Explosions echoing from a distance.
The second vehicle, piloted by Elder Chulmin, was also firing upon the giant zombie.
After swapping magazines, Park Sangil aimed at the giant zombie’s brow and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Bang—!
Crash!!!!!!!
The sound of a building collapsing echoed through the fog.
No matter how superior the enhanced giant zombie’s defense was, it couldn’t withstand an attack from a Shooter using every skill, especially not one fired with 4-times enhanced ammunition.
The bullets being used were reinforced four times over, after all.
Park Sangha continued ramming into zombies relentlessly as he asked.
“Is it working?”
“It’s working, but… that thing looks angry. It’s charging at us.”
Boom—! Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!
Park Sangil was right.
With each step the giant zombie took, the ground trembled, and its heavy footfalls thundered toward us.
Park Sangha glanced at the side mirror and asked.
“How far?”
“Hurry. You’ll see it soon.”
Whoosh—!!!
A massive right foot came flying toward the windshield.
Like kicking a stone in frustration, the reinforced Giant Zombie unleashed a powerful kick toward the Hellhound.
“Aaaahhhhh!!!”
Bae Hyeonseok beside me shrieked and curled his entire body like a pill bug.
But this too was something our group had anticipated.
Boom!!!!!
The moment the Giant Zombie’s right foot made contact with the vehicle, I felt the entire frame shudder from the impact.
But that was all.
Not even a scratch appeared on the vehicle.
Instead, the Giant Zombie’s right foot that had kicked us simply vanished.
Park Sangha’s eyes went wide as saucers as he spun the steering wheel without pause, shouting.
“Wahaha! The Hellhound effect is insane?!”
With the upgrade from Sandworm to Hellhound, it wasn’t just the number of activations that increased.
The damage inflicted on targets attacking the vehicle also increased.
Moreover, the threshold for what counted as a strong impact had risen, so even ramming street-level zombies no longer consumed activations.
“Kraaaaahhhhh!!!!”
The Giant Zombie, its right foot gone, shrieked and staggered, quickly losing its balance and collapsing onto the main road.
“Pushing through!!”
Rather than turning back when the path was blocked, Park Sangha accelerated instead.
Boom!!!! Boom!!!!!
The Hellhound plowed straight through the Giant Zombie’s knees.
As the Giant Zombie, both legs now gone, thrashed about unable to rise, Park Sangil checked the side mirror and spoke.
“Keep going straight.”
“Not going back to finish it?”
“There’s another Giant Zombie ahead.”
“Ah.”
Whoosh—!
Simultaneously, a massive palm came flying at the vehicle.
Boom!!!!!
This time too, the palm that struck the vehicle became a mangled mess, and the windshield was continuously sprayed with blood, keeping the wipers in constant motion.
“…!”
Park Sangha, gripping the steering wheel, furrowed his brow and began jerking the wheel sharply left and right.
The vehicle moved in a zigzag pattern as if performing a sharp cut.
The Giant Zombie’s palm burst apart, and something—whether flesh or a sign—stuck to the windshield.
Unable to see ahead, I tried to brush it away, but the thick blood kept it firmly adhered to the glass, showing no signs of coming loose.

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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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