Player of a Ruined World - Chapter 75

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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 075
Park Youngsu rushed forward to Elder Chulmin and threw himself flat on the ground, crying out.
“I’m so sorry! I know no apology can make up for it… but I truly wish to apologize!”
“So it was one of your young companions who shot me back then?”
“Yes. Should I bring them here?”
“No need. When you’re trying to protect your family, these things happen. Don’t let it weigh on you.”
Park Youngsu bit his lower lip and pressed his forehead to the ground as he spoke.
“I’m truly… truly grateful. I don’t know how to repay this kindness…”
“Kindness? Thank Doyun over there instead.”
As Park Youngsu turned to bow to me, I hastily grabbed his arm.
“That’s enough. If Elder Chulmin has forgiven you, then so have I.”
“Thanks to you, Doyun, we’re… doing well here. We’re truly grateful.”
Park Youngsu’s eyes were already glistening with tears.
It seemed he had endured considerable hardship before arriving at this place.
Then Hong Yeonhui, who was seated at the table, smiled faintly and spoke.
“We’re doing well because Youngsu works so hard for us. Youngsu, come eat dinner too.”
“No, everyone’s standing watch, so I should help as well. I came here to apologize to you and your group first.”
“You could rest a bit.”
“We’re already grateful just to be accepted here. I want to be useful.”
Park Youngsu looked at us and left a quiet word to take our time eating, then headed outside to stand watch.
Hong Yeonhui smiled warmly and opened her mouth.
“He’s incredibly passionate.”
“He really is.”
“He’s become indispensable to our shelter. I’m grateful you sent him our way.”
“It was Youngsu’s fortune to find us, and your fortune to recognize what they could offer.”
“Is that so? We were short on shooters, and suddenly we have plenty. It felt like fortune just rolled into my lap.”
Things were unfolding as I had anticipated, and I was relieved.
Most of Park Youngsu’s group were shooters, and Hong Yeonhui’s shelter appeared to lack shooters and Makers.
I had thought the two groups would have good synergy, and that prediction had proven correct.
I looked at Hong Yeonhui and asked.
“Do you have enough shooters now?”
“Thanks to you. Plus, Youngsu’s group has good character and brought weapons with them.”
“…”
“You have no idea how grateful I am to you. If you knew, you might be so shocked you’d run away.”
Hong Yeonhui’s words brought me relief.
I had worried whether entrusting her with this responsibility was the right choice, but Park Youngsu’s group seemed to be fitting in well.
Then Jeong Siyun approached Hong Yeonhui’s side, grinning widely.
Siyun popped a shrimp cracker into his mouth and smiled bashfully.
Hong Yeonhui patted Siyun’s head, then looked at me with a rather serious expression.
“So, what’s the plan going forward?”
“Did you get an emergency episode too?”
“It suddenly appeared for everyone, so I thought the main episode was progressing.”
“…”
“And the Zombie King going berserk? I thought it was complete nonsense.”
It made sense—an emergency episode about the Zombie King suddenly going berserk had appeared during the second episode, so any player familiar with No Way Home would be bewildered.
Hong Yeonhui popped a shrimp cracker into her mouth and asked.
“How far did we get before? Did you mention that you saw the Zombie King yourself?”
“Yeah. Those guys called The Great Dominion at Gangnam N Elementary School created the Zombie King.”
“Nothing’s following the game’s script.”
Hong Yeonhui snorted and shook her head.
I looked at Jeong Siyun and asked Hong Yeonhui.
“That text above Siyun’s head… you said it appeared when the emergency episode triggered, right?”
“Yeah, so I was thinking about going to Haengdang-dong.”
“Haengdang-dong? To our Safe House?”
“Yeah, since you’d be there.”
Hong Yeonhui knew a lot about berserking.
We hadn’t discussed how far each of us had progressed, but it seemed Hong Yeonhui…
‘She must have cleared the fourth episode.’
There’s no way she could be this calm otherwise.
Hong Yeonhui waved her hand through the text above Jeong Siyun’s head.
“This text doesn’t have any physical form and can’t be erased.”
“…”
“The game didn’t have markers like this, did it?”
“It didn’t. In the game, following the scenario lets you learn how to find the Zombie King’s Daughter, but reality doesn’t have that.”
“…”
“I think Gaia showed us minimal consideration so we could find the Easter egg.”
Hong Yeonhui’s expression turned displeased.
“What consideration is this? It’s insane aggro.”
“…”
“Neighbors! Over here! Here’s the Zombie King’s Daughter you’ve all been desperately looking for! That’s the vibe.”
Now that I thought about it… the marker above her head really does draw too much attention.
Hong Yeonhui clicked her tongue and spoke.
“I gave up on going to Haengdang-dong because of this marker. I was worried I might run into whoever’s targeting Siyun.”
“…”
“But thinking about it differently… I figured you’d come here instead, right?”
“On what basis?”
“You’re the one pushing the story forward.”
When I tilted my head in confusion, Hong Yeonhui shrugged and spoke.
“Since you’re leading the way, I thought you might know something.”
“…”
“And didn’t you say that before? That your goal was to find the Zombie King’s Daughter and see the ending of this game quickly.”
“….”
“Since the Zombie King’s Daughter is here, I thought you’d come to me first without me having to make a move.”
Did I really say that much?
Thinking back on it carefully… yes, I did say that.
I had said I was thinking of finding the Zombie King’s children and seeing the game’s ending, so let’s do it together.
Hong Yeonhui’s response back then was this.
‘I’m not the type to hate such a crazy plan, but right now I’m not alone.’
Hong Yeonhui, who prioritized her comrades at the Safe House over seeing the ending.
I laughed flatly and asked.
“What about now? Do you still think it’s a crazy plan?”
“What choice do I have in this situation?”
Hong Yeonhui chuckled and leaned her upper body against the back of the chair.
“If Siyun is the Zombie King’s Daughter, what choice could I possibly have.”
“….”
“For the sake of my comrades, I have to make the Zombie King ours no matter what.”
Jeong Siyun ate shrimp crackers while alternating his gaze between Hong Yeonhui and me.
I looked at Jeong Siyun for a final confirmation and asked.
“Siyun, is it okay if I ask you just one thing?”
“Yes!”
“What’s your mom’s name?”
“My mom?”
“Yeah. Do you know your mom’s name?”
“My mom is Kim Hanna!”
Yes, definitely the Zombie King’s Daughter.
Then Jeong Siyun’s expression grew sullen, and he pouted his lower lip.
At the same time, tears like chicken droppings streamed down Jeong Siyun’s face.
Hong Yeonhui held Jeong Siyun in her arms and patted his back.
“Why are you making the child cry like that?”
“No, I….”
“It’s forbidden to talk about mom in front of the children. You got it?”
“…Okay.”
Yeah, I saw scenes like this a lot at the orphanage.
Children crying because they missed their mom.
Whenever children cried, the orphanage teachers’ hysteria only got worse, so at some point, I stopped looking for my parents.
If I missed them too much, if I wanted to deny the reality that I was abandoned… I would go into my blanket alone and create my own world.
That all of this was a hidden camera.
That adults were watching to see if I was doing well without crying.
If I didn’t cry and did well… my parents would come.
Thinking that way, there were many days when I cried silently under my blanket.
Though I stopped doing that at some point.
Seeing Jeong Siyun’s appearance stirred up old memories within me.
I shook my head vigorously to dispel the clutter from my mind, then looked at Hong Yeonhui and spoke seriously.
“Hong Yeonhui, I need your help.”
“Just say the word. I’ll help with anything.”
“First… tell me how you dealt with the Zombie King. Right now, sharing information is key.”
“How did you handle it at No Way Home?”
“I followed the standard approach.”
“Lure him to where his daughter is after finding her?”
“Yeah, but now… that’s going to be difficult. He’s already in a rampage state, and the rate at which his subordinates are increasing is on a completely different level than the game.”
Hong Yeonhui stroked her chin thoughtfully, and before long, she snapped her fingers and spoke.
“What about using the terrain?”
“Terrain? Seoul doesn’t have cliffs like No Way Home does.”
“Cliffs are only in No Way Home. But Seoul has the Han River instead.”
“You want to drown them?”
“There are plenty of narrow underpasses around Apgujeong that lead to the Han River Park, right? We lure them there and block off the zombies, then use hunting dogs to lure the ones that try to escape back onto the main road toward the Han River. Wouldn’t that work?”
Those who had played the game could easily understand, but the Hunting Dog League members who didn’t know about No Way Home just blinked their eyes.
However, since understanding the content wasn’t difficult, they all listened intently instead of asking questions.
After hearing Hong Yeonhui’s explanation, I rested my chin in both hands and asked.
“What about the Zombie King?”
“We lure the Zombie King separately.”
“That won’t be as easy as it sounds. With the Zombie King’s current stats, he’d just climb over the underpass rather than use it.”
“You’re here, so it doesn’t matter.”
“…What?”
It doesn’t matter because I’m here?
No, I have a problem with that…
Regardless, Hong Yeonhui continued speaking.
“You use your Skills or whatever means necessary to lure the Zombie King and bring him to me.”
“…”
“I know it’s a heavy burden. But who else here can do it besides you?”
“…”
“You know that if the Zombie King is in a rampage state, it’s faster to delete the character and level up a new one.”
“That’s… true.”
“Reality doesn’t have that function. Deleting a character means death.”
Hit with facts, I had nothing to say.
As I sat in contemplation with my fingers interlaced, Park Sangil beside me opened his mouth.
“I don’t understand what you two are talking about, but to summarize—the current situation is very different from the game, right?”
“Yes.”
“In game terms, we’re in a failed state?”
“That’s correct.”
“Is Baek Doyun the only one who can overturn that?”
“It seems… that way.”
As Park Sangil fell into contemplation, Park Sangha beside him spoke while constructing a small furnace.
“Everyone, stay sharp. Baek Doyun isn’t doing this alone right now.”
“…”
“We need to buy him that much time. The zombies’ stats are rising to 40, or even 60, aren’t they?”
At Park Sangha’s words, everyone’s expressions hardened with resolve.
Park Sangha removed the protective gear he was wearing and placed it above the furnace.
“Everyone, hand over your protective gear and weapons first. Let’s reinforce the gear and weapons first.”
Hong Yeonhui, watching this unfold, asked with her eyes gleaming.
“Have you all undergone a Second Awakening?”
“Ah, yes.”
“I was already amazed you brought along a Hunting Dog, but you’ve already completed an Awakening?”
As Hong Yeonhui gazed at him with envy, Park Sangha’s lips curled up shyly.
The resolute expression vanished, replaced by someone melting in the presence of a beautiful woman.
Park Sangha is a man after all.
[Protective Gear Reinforcement Complete.]
[The power to absorb enemy attacks and endure increases, and the set effect doubles.]
Protective gear that raised all stats by 10.
After reinforcing all parts once, the set effect increased to a stat boost of 20.
Of course, with the Buster ability I possess, the increase was merely from 5 to 10.
[Equipment Reinforcement Complete.]
[The equipment’s durability increases, allowing it to withstand stronger impacts.]
A single reinforcement didn’t grant a strength increase effect from the weapon.
Like my twin water blades, I would need a second reinforcement to gain the strength increase ability.
“Sangha.”
“Huh, Baek Doyun?”
“Could you possibly make gauntlets and a blunt weapon as well?”
“Gauntlets?”
“Yes. I think bare-handed combat and blunt weapons will be necessary depending on the situation.”
“I’ll give it some thought.”
Fighting the Giant Zombie taught me something.
Beings that cannot be cut by a blade must have their bones shattered with a blunt weapon.
Additionally, to prepare for combat in tight spaces where wielding a weapon is difficult, I needed equipment like gauntlets that would aid in close-quarters fighting.
Park Sangil, observing the situation, rose from his seat and spoke.
“Alright then, while Sangha handles equipment reinforcement and ammunition and bolt production, let’s formulate a plan.”

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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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