Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 114

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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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Episode 114
114. The War Begins (5)
“Where are they?”
“Behind that building. Four of them. All Awakeners. I’ll pull the Water Snake back for now.”
The moment Seo A-rin answered the question, she widened the distance as the Water Snake began to catch on something, stationing her people in the opposite building instead.
“At least we weren’t spotted.”
“That’ll do. Let’s just observe for now.”
There was no need to figure out their identities.
All they had to do was wait until these people moved elsewhere.
“While we’re at it, let’s finish recovering.”
“Fair enough.”
“Understood.”
Even though they’d rested just moments before, their depleted Mana and Core Power hadn’t fully recovered.
So they decided to rest and took the opportunity to observe the others’ movements, but—
For some reason, the people Lee Gang-hyuk thought would leave quickly remained motionless in their spots even after an hour had passed.
“They’re waiting for something.”
“Exactly. Otherwise, they’d never just sit there in a place where Zombies and Yetis could attack at any moment.”
As Kang Pil-du murmured his realization after the wait, Seo Hwa-rin voiced her agreement, and Seo A-rin immediately asked a question.
“Should we move to a different location?”
That wouldn’t work.
Leaving these unknown Awakeners behind and going somewhere else would be suicide.
Of course…
These people might be well-intentioned, but now that the Chungmuro Alliance had begun to move—
No one could be trusted, and no one should be.
So Lee Gang-hyuk shook his head firmly the moment her words ended.
“If we run into them somewhere else, we won’t know how they’ll react. It’s better to confirm their route to the end. Besides, if they’re with the Chungmuro Alliance…”
“Wait. They’re moving! I’ll follow them slowly.”
In the middle of his explanation, just as the motionless figures stirred, Seo A-rin hurried to operate the Water Snake with an urgent plea for permission.
‘I hope they just leave.’
Even though Lee Gang-hyuk couldn’t see the people, he gazed out the window and exhaled a long breath.
* * *
“Captain. Something seems to be following us?”
While they waited for the scouts to return and regroup, just as the Captain, who found a Yeti’s presence bothersome, was about to move elsewhere—
Han Seol-ha felt a presence from behind and whispered an alert to everyone.
“I know.”
The Captain nodded without even turning around, causing Han Seol-ha’s brow to furrow.
“You knew? Then why didn’t you say anything?”
To his following question, Shim Yeon-hui beside him shrugged, dismissing the idea.
“You knew, right? He was just saying it aloud. Hehe.”
“What’s with you, Breadcrumb?”
“Hehe.”
“Anyway, whatever’s chasing us doesn’t seem to be human. Someone’s nearby, so stay alert. Tell the scouts not to join up—hide and wait.”
“Yes, sir.”
As his people responded to the command, a smile bloomed across the Captain’s face.
“So, should we sing a yodel?”
It was something he said to make whoever was following them drop their guard, but his companions groaned in protest.
“Now I understand why Dan-a wanted to scout ahead.”
“I should’ve gone.”
“Ugh. Please stop.”
Perhaps because of this—
Seeing his people’s reactions, the Captain found it amusing and started yodeling, while his companions hoped Hong Dan-a would return soon and searched their surroundings in their own ways.
* * *
“A… yodel?”
Seo A-rin, who had been tracking the people using the Water Snake, furrowed her brow in bewilderment at the suddenly heard yodeling.
“Pardon? What on earth…”
“Yodeling?”
“What’s the meaning of that?”
Lee Gang-hyuk, along with Seo Hwa-rin and Kang Pil-du, reacted no differently from her.
Yodeling?
A word that was hard to even hear before the Calamity struck—to hear it here of all places.
Bewildered and at a loss, Lee Gang-hyuk suddenly seemed to realize something and cried out.
“They’re onto us! Withdraw the Water Snake!”
“Ah, understood!”
At the sudden command, Seo A-rin immediately dissolved the Water Snake she’d been controlling.
And simultaneously—
Lee Gang-hyuk’s mind grew complicated.
‘They were patrolling to find us. Fleeing now seems like a bad idea. Should I just hide here?’
If they fled, they’d likely be discovered. But if they stayed, their location would be pinpointed soon.
Which was the better option?
“Hmm.”
As Lee Gang-hyuk stroked his chin in thought, he soon seemed to decide and spoke quietly.
“A-rin, summon the Water Snake and position it above the building where they are. Fortunately, they seem unaware of our location, so when they move away, we’ll circle around from the opposite side and head back.”
The three nodded at his words, and Seo A-rin summoned the Water Snake again, positioning it on the rooftop of the building across from them.
“I see them! I’ll keep watching.”
The moment Seo A-rin, who had located them, spoke, Lee Gang-hyuk’s brow furrowed again.
These people who had detected the Water Snake and were patrolling around it…
They remained still even after the Water Snake vanished?
Did they not realize?
Had they moved because it was time to move, not because the Water Snake was caught?
Or did they think they’d simply fled?
Since they’d suffered no damage, maybe they concluded there was no need to chase?
‘Unless…’
There were more of their allies nearby.
‘The Water Snake definitely got caught.’
Lee Gang-hyuk immediately erased the hopeful thought that they were unaware of the Water Snake’s existence, and just as quickly dismissed even that possibility in favor of the former.
Survival Rule 8: Life is always at its worst.
Considering the worst-case scenario he could imagine—
Their undetected allies might be searching for them right now.
“Kang Pil-du.”
With that judgment, Lee Gang-hyuk called out to Kang Pil-du, who smirked and disappeared from sight.
“Seems we’re thinking alike. I’ll check immediately. Be back soon.”
“Knock before opening the door when you rejoin.”
“Will do.”
As Kang Pil-du nodded and his footsteps faded, Lee Gang-hyuk immediately secured the open Emergency Door.
“Form a Formation.”
After positioning Skeletons around the Emergency Door, he gazed at it quietly. His intent was to attack immediately if it opened without a knock.
* * *
“It’s gone.”
The moment the Water Snake vanished, the Captain, who had been yodeling, furrowed his brow.
His people burst into loud laughter at this.
“Looks like they fled because of the yodeling?”
“Maybe.”
“Still, it’s not that terrible a thing to hear…”
“Shim Yeon-hui. You’re the worst.”
“Hehe.”
Despite the banter, the Captain shrugged as though unbothered, surveyed his surroundings, and gave an order.
“They realized we noticed them. They might be in a high place—check it out. A rooftop, tree branches, anywhere they could observe us.”
“Hmm.”
At the Captain’s words, Shim Yeon-hui closed her eyes, released Core Power, and sensed her surroundings.
“From my vantage point. There are snakes made of water at one o’clock, four o’clock, and five o’clock.”
At her words, everyone’s brow furrowed.
“A snake made of water? Isn’t that Im Jae-beom from the Chungmuro Alliance?”
“I can’t say for certain it’s him, but it’s the ability he typically uses.”
“He’s been quiet for a while, but he was here?”
As the faces of those who recalled Im Jae-beom upon hearing of the Water Snakes turned savage, the Captain laughed and loosened his body.
“This time, I might actually be able to kill him.”
At the Captain’s words, his people began to loosen up as well, then silently accessed the Community and began sharing the operation.
* * *
“They’ve gone inside the building.”
“Hmm.”
As Seo A-rin, watching them from the rooftop, spoke, Lee Gang-hyuk stroked his chin.
If those who had been outside the building suddenly went in, it meant even the Water Snake on the rooftop had been caught.
Now he couldn’t send the Water Snake anymore…
‘This is maddening.’
They’d identified each other’s presence, but had no idea how to proceed.
However, one saving grace was that these unknown people seemed equally lost.
Just as he was thinking they wouldn’t move hastily and would remain hidden, these unknown people suddenly appeared outside the window, and Lee Gang-hyuk’s expression hardened instantly.
They were clearly pretending to hide in the building while actually slipping out the rear exit to find their location.
With that, Lee Gang-hyuk sent a message to Kang Pil-du, who was out on reconnaissance, asking about the situation.

[Not yet.]

[Roger.]
Searching for their potential allies would be far less advantageous than ambushing them once their location was revealed.
“Attack the moment the door opens.”
Nod, nod.
So Lee Gang-hyuk recalled Kang Pil-du and alerted Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin before waiting silently for the Emergency Door to open.
And so…
How many minutes had they waited?
A presence sounded from beyond the Emergency Door.
But the door did not open.
These unknown people had also caught on.
……
As they faced off across the Emergency Door—
Suddenly, wind swept past him, and Lee Gang-hyuk’s expression froze.
Just as Yu Ha-neul had eavesdropped on adults’ conversation using his ability—
They had sensed the interior using wind.
“Tsk.”
Whoooosh—!
Not to be outdone, Seo A-rin summoned Water Snakes to probe beyond the door, sending them through.
In that instant—
The people who saw the Water Snakes cracked the door open slightly and asked with a puzzled expression.
“Wasn’t it Im Jae-beom who used the Water Snake?”
At the abrupt question, all eyes turned toward Im Jae-beom.
But they didn’t answer the question.
Knowing Im Jae-beom meant they could very well be with the Chungmuro Alliance.
……
As the three remained silent, the man asked again.
“What’s your relationship with Im Jae-beom?”
Why did he keep asking?
Weren’t they with the Chungmuro Alliance?
What was he trying to confirm?
‘He clearly sensed Im Jae-beom with the wind, but he’s asking as if he didn’t see him. Does that mean he doesn’t recognize his face?’
With suspicion brewing, Lee Gang-hyuk hidden Im Jae-beom among the Skeletons, his face hardening, then turned the question back on the man.
“And what’s your relationship with Im Jae-beom?”
“So you know him.”
……
As Lee Gang-hyuk fell silent, the man continued.
“Your reaction suggests we’re in similar circumstances. How about we talk for a moment? Perhaps we share the same goal?”
“Speak.”
“You’re readily conversing, so you’re definitely not with Chungmuro. And it seems we want similar things. How about showing your face and talking? It’s better than wasting time meaninglessly, isn’t it?”
“That would be difficult.”
The moment Lee Gang-hyuk rejected the proposal, he recalled his survival rules.
Even if they claimed not to be with the Chungmuro Alliance—
They could be deceiving him, and there was no need to show their faces. So he didn’t accept the proposal.
The man, having no intention of pushing, answered immediately upon Lee Gang-hyuk’s refusal.
“I see. Then there’s no choice. Anyway, we don’t seem to be enemies, so we’ll withdraw. That’s alright?”
……
“You’re cautious. Anyway, we’re leaving. If you change your mind about talking, send a message. We’re Red Mist—a mercenary group. If the need to eliminate Chungmuro ever arises, contact us through the Community anytime.”
With those final words, the presence beyond the door disappeared, and Seo A-rin summoned the Water Snake once more to covertly follow them.

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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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