Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 106

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

Episode 106
106. A Day in December (7)
After they had all gathered for dinner together.
They assembled once more before the tree, sharing conversation and greeting Christmas as one.
Then the children fell asleep, and the adults were drinking beer and chatting quietly among themselves.
When the sound of children snoring drifted over, without anyone taking the lead, they rose from their seats, picked up the gifts they’d prepared, and gathered again at the children’s quarters.
Since the presents were already wrapped, there was no way to tell what each person had prepared.
But the gift Lee Gang-hyuk had chosen gave itself away immediately, and Kang Pil-du grumbled about it.
“You’re seriously giving something that grotesque as a gift?”
“Grotesque, you say.”
“Well then, what else would be grotesque besides a staff made from someone’s bones?”
“……So then, I’m truly curious what magnificent thing you managed to prepare.”
“……Ugh.”
As Lee Gang-hyuk launched his counterattack, Kang Pil-du exhaled with an embarrassed expression. He’d come to think his own gift was inferior to the staff.
Just as Kang Pil-du was about to fire back again, Seo Hwa-rin, who’d been setting presents beneath the tree, wedged herself between the two men.
“You’ll wake the children like this.”
“…….”
At her words, the two men shut their mouths and set their prepared gifts beneath the tree.
Then, stepping out of the children’s quarters, they looked at each other and chuckled softly.
“Merry Christmas, anyway.”
“Merry Christmas.”
* * *
The next morning.
Lee Gang-hyuk woke before dawn, curious about how the children would react to their gifts, and made his way up to the twenty-third floor.
“Hmm.”
The twenty-third floor, which was usually filled with vitality, was still quiet—everyone must still be sleeping.
Worried about waking people needlessly, Lee Gang-hyuk climbed the stairs to the roof.
As soon as he saw the sun beginning to rise in the east, his spirits lifted, and he smiled faintly while surveying the surroundings.
Out of habit, he checked whether any zombies or yetis had gathered around the Base during the night.
When he heard familiar footsteps behind him, he spoke without turning around.
“Have you been coming up like this every morning?”
“Well, there wasn’t much else to do, so I’d come up now and then to tend to the field.”
As Kang Pil-du answered his question and approached, Lee Gang-hyuk laughed awkwardly and apologized.
“……Anyway, I’m sorry about before.”
“Don’t worry about it. I would’ve done the same. Back then, I wasn’t in my right mind—even I can see that. If anything, because of that, I managed to come to my senses.”
He shrugged as he spoke, then set down the coffee pot he was holding and asked.
“Care for some?”
“I’d like that.”
Seeing there were two cups, it seemed he’d planned to share with Seo A-rin while tending the field.
Or perhaps he’d heard Lee Gang-hyuk climbing the stairs and prepared ahead of time.
Either way, Lee Gang-hyuk accepted the coffee and expressed his gratitude, and Kang Pil-du smiled faintly.
“…….”
After that, the two of them drank their coffee in silence, watching the sun rise.
They didn’t need to exchange words to understand each other.
And so…….
After a long while spent silently surveying the surroundings, Kang Pil-du finally spoke.
“It’s time for them to wake up. Let’s head down.”
“Right.”
He too seemed to want to see the children’s faces light up with joy.
Just as Lee Gang-hyuk, equally curious about the children’s reaction, nodded in agreement.
A massive sheet of ice erupted from near Dobong Station, followed by a tremendous boom.
Crash-bang—!
Crash-bang!
“!!”
“What the…….”
Startled by the sudden commotion, the two men surveyed the area around where the ice had shot up, trying to understand what had happened.
But only a series of loud explosions reached their ears, and with nothing visible, their brows furrowed of their own accord.
“I’ll go check what’s happening.”
“……Will you be alright?”
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s worried response, Kang Pil-du smiled and spoke.
“There’s nothing to worry about.”
After confirming that Kang Pil-du had descended the stairs and left the building, Lee Gang-hyuk instantly concealed himself.
‘I don’t know what’s happening, but it’s best to be prepared.’
With that thought, when Lee Gang-hyuk came down to the twenty-third floor, the others had apparently heard the noise too—they stood in the hallway in full gear.
“What’s happening?”
“It seems Awakeners are fighting something near Dobong Station. Kang Pil-du went to investigate, so we should hear what’s going on soon.”
Lee Gang-hyuk answered Seo Hwa-rin’s question directly.
At that, both Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin looked at him with wide eyes.
Until now, whenever Lee Gang-hyuk had mentioned Kang Pil-du, he’d always called him “that person,” so they seemed taken aback by hearing him referred to by name.
But it was only momentary.
Seo Hwa-rin, anxiety blooming across her features, pressed further.
“Surely it’s not a mutated yeti, is it?”
“……We can only hope not.”
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s words, Seo Hwa-rin’s pupils trembled, and her body began to shake.
“It’s okay…… Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
“……Right.”
Seeing this, Seo A-rin took her hand to calm her, and Seo Hwa-rin nodded with a forced smile.
Yet her eyes still wouldn’t stay still, anxiety evident.
‘I shouldn’t have glossed over what happened yesterday so lightly.’
Recalling the brief conversation they’d had when he returned with the Catapult’s Core, Lee Gang-hyuk sent a note to Seo A-rin.
He felt she would understand what was happening, and after confirming the note, Seo A-rin met his gaze briefly, then nodded and sent a reply.
[Every time she feels happy, she becomes anxious about what might happen.]
As Lee Gang-hyuk read the note with a tilt of his head, another message flew toward him.
[Before the Calamity struck, before we were attacked by hordes of zombies at the previous Shelter—she always said the same thing.]
‘I see.’
Now Seo Hwa-rin’s reaction made sense to him.
‘When repetition becomes pattern, coincidence feels like inevitability.’
The misfortune that came after happiness had made her anxious.
“It’ll be alright.”
“……Yes.”
At his words, Seo Hwa-rin managed a smile.
And at the same time…….
Her worried eyes began to settle. The words Lee Gang-hyuk had spoken the day before came to mind, and her anxiety seemed to ease.
“The staff looks great.”
With that, Lee Gang-hyuk glanced at the children holding the staff he’d gifted, smiling gently.
The children, sensing the shift, broke into broad grins and quickly bowed their heads.
They’d been inwardly anxious because Seo Hwa-rin, who cared for them like a mother, had seemed uneasy—but now, reassured by his mention of the gift, they expressed their gratitude.
‘By now, they should have arrived.’
Once everyone had regained their composure, Lee Gang-hyuk began to worry about Kang Pil-du.
That moment.
[Three Awakeners. Defeated a yeti and are now resting.]
A message came from Kang Pil-du on reconnaissance.
It seemed Awakeners passing through the area had clashed with the yeti, causing the explosions.
Lee Gang-hyuk thought it was nothing serious—until another note arrived and his expression hardened.
[Chungmuro. Pull back for now.]
Awakeners from the Chungmuro Alliance.
Confirming the name of people he’d nearly forgotten about, Lee Gang-hyuk furrowed his brow and turned to look at Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin.
“……They’re Awakeners from the Chungmuro faction.”
As he relayed the situation, both women’s expressions hardened.
“Chungmuro?”
The children, confused, asked him to repeat himself, and Lee Gang-hyuk gave a wry smile as he answered.
“People who plunder from others.”
“!!”
The children gasped in shock at the explanation.
They’d heard through the community that there were such plunderers, but learning they were nearby filled them with dread.
“It’s alright. We’re here.”
“……Yes.”
Having swiftly calmed the children, Lee Gang-hyuk left them in the women’s care and sent a note to Park Mu-jin, informing him of the situation.
[I’m heading out now. I’m at Kyung Hee University, so it shouldn’t take long.]
Park Mu-jin’s reply arrived immediately. Relieved that he was departing from the Kyung Hee Shelter, Lee Gang-hyuk informed his group and began checking the condition of his Skeletons.
A short while later.
Kang Pil-du, who’d gone on reconnaissance, returned.
Thanks to his Concealment, he’d managed to avoid detection—he came back unscathed, and Lee Gang-hyuk gave him a thumbs up.
“Piece of cake.”
Though he boasted, his expression was dark—likely from having witnessed their skill firsthand.
“What’s the situation?”
“They’re simply searching for places to plunder, grinning as they study the map.”
“I see.”
At least they hadn’t come seeking revenge for Electric and Lim Jae-beom.
It was a relief.
But when they went to the tallest building near Dobong Station to draw their Marking, they might spot the traces of the Marking Lee Gang-hyuk had erased—and if they did, their purpose could change.
“What do you plan to do?”
“I’ve already requested reinforcements from the Jungnang-gu side. They said they’d come right away.”
“Damn them. When I told them, they wouldn’t budge an inch…….”
At the news that the Jungnang-gu Alliance had sent reinforcements, Kang Pil-du’s brow furrowed involuntarily.
But once they arrived, they’d be able to deal with the Chungmuro Awakeners, so he seemed reassured—he relaxed his shoulders and continued.
“We’re not just going to hide and watch, are we?”
“Of course not.”
As Lee Gang-hyuk shrugged in response, Kang Pil-du’s eyes widened noticeably.
* * *
An hour later, having received word from Park Mu-jin that he’d passed Nokcheon Station, Lee Gang-hyuk turned to Seo A-rin as he prepared to leave.
“Watch over the children, please.”
“Of course. Don’t worry about us—just come back safe.”
Seo A-rin and the children would remain at the Base.
Since they might have to kill people rather than fight zombies and yetis.
They’d decided not to bring the children, and on the other hand, couldn’t leave them alone, so Lee Gang-hyuk had entrusted them to Seo A-rin.
At first, he’d considered leaving Seo Hwa-rin behind.
But he’d decided to bring her along, hoping that if he eliminated the misfortune that came after happiness with his own hands, things might improve.
Seo Hwa-rin, understanding his intent, nodded and steeled herself.
And so…….
The three who left the Base headed toward the Baseball Stadium to rendezvous with Park Mu-jin’s group.
* * *
“What? It looks like someone was already here.”
Before searching the area, the group climbed to the roof of the tallest building to draw their Marking, and upon discovering an erased Marking, they tilted their heads in confusion.
“Who?”
At the question from a Man in the group, the Woman who’d found the Marking shrugged.
“Who knows? It’s been erased, so it’s hard to make out……. Is that a lightning bolt? There’s more over here? Captain! Can you make it out?”
At the Woman’s call, the Man sitting on the railing surveying the area examined the Marking and clicked his tongue knowingly.
“Tsk. It’s the Marking of Lee Jae-hyuk and Lim Jae-beom.”
“Huh? Aren’t both of them missing?”
As the Woman tilted her head in confusion at his words, the Man’s face broke into a sinister smile.
“That’s right. Seems someone in this area killed those two.”
Lee Jae-hyuk may be unknown, but Lim Jae-beom was famous among the Chungmuro Alliance as a formidable Awakener.
Such a person had been killed by someone in this place.
Whoever it was, they had to be quite skilled to kill Lim Jae-beom.
A fighting spirit kindled in the Man’s eyes, and the other Man sighed.
“Whether it’s a man or a woman, we’re not leaving until we find them.”
“Why? I think this would be even more fun.”
At the other Man’s words, the Woman laughed with a giggle.
In her eyes burned a glimmer of madness.
Remembering she was a woman who enjoyed subjugating the strong more than plundering, the other Man found himself already grinning wickedly at the thought of her getting carried away.
“We’ll wait here until nightfall. First, report the situation to headquarters.”
“Yes, sir!”
“……Understood. Hehe.”

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