Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 15
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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 15
15. Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin (4)
“I think it would be better to install the bridge later.”
Lee Kang-hyuk, who had been surveying the window, decided to postpone connecting a bridge to the adjacent building.
At the same time, Seo Hwa-rin seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion, as she nodded immediately.
“I agree. If that person sees it, there’s a chance he’ll think there are survivors, so I think it’s best not to install it for now.”
Since they’d already posted a report to the community, it was crucial not to expose themselves as much as possible to the man leading the zombies.
So when the two of them agreed to hold off on the bridge, Seo A-rin asked, looking troubled.
“But if we do that, we won’t be able to plant barley even if we make a field on the other building. Will the field on the rooftop be enough?”
Lee Kang-hyuk’s reason for expanding the field was to harvest more crops.
And the only crop they could plant at this time of year was barley. If they missed this opportunity, they would have to wait until spring to plant the next crop.
Understanding her concern, Lee Kang-hyuk answered as if resigned to the situation.
“If push comes to shove, we can probably break through from the first floor and make our way up. But if we do that, it could be dangerous for you while moving around, so for now let’s see how things develop. If it really doesn’t work out, we can just build a vinyl greenhouse on the adjacent building instead.”
“Yes!”
Installing a vinyl greenhouse would resolve nearly all the concerns they’d been grappling with.
Was that why?
As Seo A-rin’s expression brightened from worry, Lee Kang-hyuk smiled.
Both of them seemed free in expressing their opinions.
Perhaps he himself had loosened the mood, but it seemed more that their hearts had found some ease compared to before.
Still being cautious and maintaining a certain distance, he was about to mention the underground parking lot when Seo Hwa-rin pointed to the lumber scattered on the ground.
“If things improve, I’ll complete the bridge. We can connect the buildings anytime.”
“Yes, please do that. Oh! And there’s something I’d like to ask the both of you…”
“Please, go ahead!”
“Yes, whatever you need to say.”
Lee Kang-hyuk used the word “request” for the first time. For the two women, who had been constantly striving to prove their usefulness to him, this was more than enough—they nodded eagerly, ready to agree to whatever came next.
“Thank you. Then let me explain…”
With that, Lee Kang-hyuk expressed his gratitude and broached the subject.
“It’s about cleaning the underground parking lot.”
“What? Cleaning?”
And those words were more than enough to leave both of them bewildered.
* * *
Lee Han, who had succeeded in establishing a Shelter with the Sinnae-dong Police Station as its base, expressed bewilderment at the sudden report.
“A fighter who herds zombies?”
“Yes. A report came up on the community. It appears one of the nearby Shelters has already fallen victim to this person.”
At these words, Lee Han’s expression hardened, and he soon furrowed his brow in question.
“A fighter, you say. Didn’t one come to us not long ago?”
“Yes. We banished a fighter after his crimes came to light. Because of that, we may be his next target.”
“This is insane.”
He never imagined that an action taken to stabilize the Shelter would trigger such a butterfly effect.
As the irritated Lee Han let out a frustrated sigh, a man came rushing in.
“Shelter Master! The Shelter Master of the Myeongmok-dong Shelter has come and says he needs to discuss something urgently.”
“From Myeongmok-dong? Tell him to come in right away! No, guide me to where he is!”
“Yes, sir!”
The moment Lee Han heard the name Myeongmok-dong, he sprang to his feet.
And so…
When Lee Han came down to the first-floor lobby and faced Kim Tae-sik, who was waiting for him, he bowed as respectfully as possible.
“Welcome! Thank you for coming all this way… How have you been doing?”
Satisfied with Lee Han’s courteous manner, Kim Tae-sik looked around and spoke.
“Yes, I’ve been well. It’s good to see that the Shelter has achieved stability.”
“That’s thanks to your help, Shelter Master. I’ve been meaning to visit you myself…”
“You must be busy running the Shelter, so I’ll just appreciate your sentiment. First, I believe you already know why I’ve come.”
At these words, Lee Han’s expression hardened.
“Because of the fighter herding a horde of zombies? Targeting only non-awakener wives and widows…”
“Yes, that’s right. From the sound of it, this person has been here before as well.”
As soon as the fighter was mentioned, Kim Tae-sik’s expression darkened, and before Lee Han could even finish speaking, he cut in, his displeasure evident.
But soon, collecting his emotions, Kim Tae-sik broached the main point without further preamble.
“Before coming here, I visited the Kyunghee University Shelter, and it’s the same situation there. So the Shelters in this area want to join forces to eliminate this man. What do you say? Will you participate?”
Kyunghee University Shelter too?
It seemed he’d made the rounds to all the Shelters in the vicinity.
At this, Lee Han muttered to himself, “That criminal bastard sure is busy trying to keep himself alive,” and nodded.
“I see. I can’t afford to sit this one out. I’ll help in every way I can.”
For the future of the Shelter, he couldn’t afford to let a fighter herding zombies live.
The moment Kim Tae-sik finished speaking, Lee Han answered without hesitation, his anger plain to see, his agreement swift.
And Kim Tae-sik, as if he’d expected nothing less, asked for a handshake with a satisfied expression.
“Thank you for agreeing so readily.”
“Not at all. We’re simply grateful that you’re taking the lead on behalf of the region, Shelter Master.”
As Lee Han shook his hand and expressed his gratitude, Kim Tae-sik immediately continued.
“I apologize for the urgency, but time is not on our side. Let’s gather everyone who will participate in the battle and meet at Tae-reung tomorrow morning at seven. Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes! Safe travels!”
* * *
The day after they decided to clean the underground parking lot.
Because of the rain that continued to fall, Lee Kang-hyuk decided to take a day off from broadcasting and climbed to the 23rd Floor with two pieces of Bone Armor he’d crafted the day before.
Since he’d set the time in advance, the two women were already out in the hallway.
Seo A-rin appeared to have slept well.
But Seo Hwa-rin was covered in dust on her pants, as if she’d been making the bridge since morning.
“Take a rest for a bit.”
“I’m fine! It’s been so long since I’ve done work I love, and I got a little carried away…”
She showed no sign of fatigue; instead, she smiled brightly as if refreshed.
Well, what could he do?
Lee Kang-hyuk returned the smile in kind, then turned to Seo A-rin.
“How’s your leg?”
“Thanks to your care, it’s gotten much better! Look, I can walk just fine even without these crutches.”
In response to his question, Seo A-rin gripped the crutches her sister had made for her the day before and walked in a straight line down the hallway.
‘She shouldn’t be moving that quickly.’
She could walk well, but running would still be difficult.
Lee Kang-hyuk thought it would be best to hunt zombies at Seo A-rin’s pace, and nodded as he held out the Bone Armor.
“That’s good. Then, I know this will be hard on you both, but please wear these.”
At the same time, the two women received the Bone Armor and their faces went pale as their words trailed off.
“Armor made of bone…”
“Oh.”
Their reaction was entirely understandable.
Lee Kang-hyuk had felt much the same way when he first crafted the Bone Armor.
“I understand the feeling quite well, but you’ll be far safer with this than facing zombies bare-handed.”
Whether they liked it or not, armor was essential for a safe hunt.
If they had some other means of protection, he wouldn’t have suggested it.
Their clothing was quite light from the hasty evacuation during the sudden attack.
And knowing this was far from ideal for hunting, he suggested it despite the hesitation they would feel.
“…Yes. Thank you.”
“Thank you!”
The two women then received the Bone Armor with solemn expressions, as if his sincerity had gotten through to them, and expressed their gratitude.
“Ugh, actually wearing bone armor…”
“…It’s for safety.”
And then, as if it were the most natural thing, they began to put on the Bone Armor, when Lee Kang-hyuk, watching them, turned around with a startled expression.
“W-wait, finish getting dressed and then come downstairs.”
Confused by his sudden reaction, the two tilted their heads, but when Seo Hwa-rin soon realized the reason, her face flushed red and she hurriedly shielded Seo A-rin’s body as she nodded.
“Huh? Ah! Oh, I understand. We’ll be right down.”
“Huh? Why?”
Of course, Seo A-rin seemed to have no idea…
* * *
Moments later.
After positioning himself in front of the emergency exit connected to the B1 parking level, Lee Kang-hyuk turned to face the two and explained.
“Alright, send the zombies in first, and once we’ve secured the space, we’ll enter. As soon as we go in, you clear our field of vision first. And you—spread water across the floor. Just not where we’ll be standing, understand?”
“Yes.”
“Yes! Don’t worry. I’m really good at controlling water.”
Despite their obvious tension, having had abundant experience hunting zombies before, the two soon burned with determination.
Satisfied, Lee Kang-hyuk nodded and positioned the zombies in front of the door.
Ropes were tied around their bodies.
It was a kind of device to ensure that the zombies he’d deployed would push those inside and secure space before aggro was drawn.
“Then we begin.”
Creak.
“Enter. Secure the space.”
“Graaah.”
The moment he spoke, Lee Kang-hyuk opened the door and quickly sent in the waiting zombies without even checking the interior.
Once the zombies aside from Electric had been deployed, Lee Kang-hyuk immediately shut the door.
And so…
After waiting briefly for the deployed zombies to secure space.
Just in case, Lee Kang-hyuk pressed his ear to the emergency exit, confirmed the sounds beyond the door, then nodded to the two women.
“It’s quiet. Let’s enter right away.”
Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh.
At those words, the two of them silently began to slowly release the power from their Cores.
They were preparing to use their abilities the moment they entered the parking lot according to his plan.
‘Reliable.’
Though he’d intended to recruit them from the moment he first saw them, he’d been inwardly anxious.
But looking at them now, his heart was at ease.
“You handle Electric and the center. You take the left side, and I’ll take the right. The moment you spread the water, pull back immediately. Let’s move.”
Creak.
Having explained the strategy once more just to be safe, Lee Kang-hyuk opened the emergency exit and positioned himself on the right side.
“Fire Wall!”
“Aqua Field!”
Following suit, the two women entered the parking lot and deployed their prepared skills before they’d even fully taken their positions.
Whoosh.
A wall of fire conjured by Seo Hwa-rin shot up and brightly illuminated the interior of the parking lot.
Immediately after, Seo A-rin’s skill activated, and the parking lot floor was instantly soaked.
“Now! Electric, Lightning Bolt! Rapid fire!”
“Graaaaaah!”
Crackle.
Crackle-crackle-crackle.
The zombies inside the parking lot belatedly discovered them and charged forward.
But because the command was given before they could even assess the situation inside, Electric’s skill activated first, and a massive surge of electricity erupted.
It raced across the water that Seo A-rin had spread on the floor at high speed, stunning all the zombies in the parking lot.
“Grraaaaaah…”
“Graaaa.”
As the stunned zombies dropped to their knees as planned, Lee Kang-hyuk shouted with all his strength.
“Cut the ropes! Begin the attack! Kill them all!”
“Yes! Fire!”
Whoosh.
At his command, Seo Hwa-rin set the ropes binding the zombies’ bodies ablaze.
Seo Hwa-rin’s level was quite high; the ropes burned away in an instant.
At the same time…
Freed at last, the zombies raised their Bone Axes and struck down the paralyzed ones.
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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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