Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 24

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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 24
24. Surviving Winter (5)
“We should expand the field!”
In the midst of regrouping and heading back to the building,
Seo A-rin suddenly turned to Lee Gang-hyeok and shouted.
Caught off guard by her abrupt words, Lee Gang-hyeok stared at her face for a moment,
then shrugged his shoulders with a “Why?” thought, even though he’d already decided to do that.
“Won’t we need the bridge to be finished before we can expand it?”
“It’s done!”
The bridge connecting to the next building was finished?
Startled by her words, Lee Gang-hyeok reflexively turned his head to look at Seo Hwa-rin, and she answered with a smile on her face.
“Yes. I finished it just before you requested support.”
So that’s how she came down so quickly?
‘It didn’t look like a bridge until I came down… That’s something.’
Honestly, he’d thought it would take a few more days. But finishing it this quickly—it seemed her skills were better than he’d assumed.
Lee Gang-hyeok nodded with a satisfied expression and continued speaking.
“I see. Then let’s connect the bridge as soon as we get upstairs. Before we get too tired.”
“Yes! That’s good. Oh, and what about the Vinyl Greenhouse? Should we build it together?”
“If we can build it, let’s build it. There’s no harm in having it. The only issue is the materials…”
“I already gathered the materials.”
Already?
For a moment, Lee Gang-hyeok nearly let out an exclamation without realizing it, but instead steadied himself with wide eyes as he looked at her.
“Really? Then we need to move faster. Thank you. This makes the work much easier.”
“Don’t mention it. In any case, since you’re happy, we’re happy too.”
As Lee Gang-hyeok smiled and expressed his gratitude, both Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin smiled identically.
It felt like they were becoming more and more of a team.
Lee Gang-hyeok felt the same way, so with an awkward smile he scratched his cheek and hurried up the stairs.
And so…
On the way up to the 23rd floor, using the zombie corpses scattered about, Lee Gang-hyeok crafted a Bone Pickaxe and handed it to his tamed zombies, then spoke to the two women.
“We’ll need to break through the wall to connect the bridge, so you two should rest while we do this.”
With those words, the zombies, having understood Lee Gang-hyeok’s intent, began positioning themselves in front of the window frame where the neighboring building was visible.
He’d already heard the method for breaking through the wall from Seo Hwa-rin on the way up, but apparently worried, she examined the wall and spoke in a concerned voice.
“Are you sure about this? It’ll probably take a while…”
“It’s fine. These guys need some exercise too. Don’t worry—just go rest inside.”
“Okay. Call me if you need anything.”
Seo Hwa-rin still looked worried, but trusting Lee Gang-hyeok, she nodded and went into the building.
“All right…”
Looking back at the zombies, Lee Gang-hyeok kindled his resolve to pierce through the wall in no time and issued his command.
“Everyone, start.”
“Grraaaagh!”
Bang!
Crunch-crunch.
As concrete fragments scattered everywhere and the window frame shattered, satisfied, Lee Gang-hyeok stepped back to recover his mana.
But that was brief.
Perhaps it was because it was an exterior wall?
Despite the zombies swinging their pickaxes relentlessly, the wall barely gave way.
Or more precisely, they’d only managed to hollow out a hole about the size of a five-hundred-won coin, but that was far from enough to connect a bridge.
‘How long will it take to get through at this rate?’
It was frustrating.
If he’d known it would be like this, he should have drilled through it earlier when he had spare time.
‘Was that what Hwa-rin was worried about?’
It seemed that’s what she’d been concerned about all along.
‘But there’s no choice.’
As long as there was progress, the wall would eventually crack open wide as they kept digging.
With that thought, Lee Gang-hyeok stood up and spoke to the zombies again.
“Jeez, I’m going to get something to eat, so don’t stop—keep drilling. No rest until you’ve broken through completely. Keep moving.”
“Grraaaaaaagh!”
Bang-!
At his command, the zombies’ movements accelerated.
“Tch.”
Lee Gang-hyeok knew it was because of the command he’d just given, but it felt like they were angry anyway, so he clicked his tongue and headed for the stairs.
Just then,
Seo A-rin, having checked on the Rooftop field, approached his side.
“Are you having dinner? We were just thinking about eating, actually. Would you like to eat with us again today?”
At her words inviting him to share dinner again, Lee Gang-hyeok hesitated briefly before nodding, pointing to the zombies.
“Sure. I mean, why not?”
“Great!”
He’d already accepted them as a team, and he’d already eaten dinner with them the night before.
So, intending to discuss the next schedule while eating dinner, Lee Gang-hyeok accepted the invitation and went down to his building, saying he’d bring beer like the previous evening.
Soon after gathering the beer and about to leave, Lee Gang-hyeok scratched his cheek awkwardly the moment he saw the broadcast computer.
“Now that I think about it, I haven’t broadcast in days. At this rate, all my viewers will leave.”
He’d taken a break from broadcasting because of the rain, but for some reason, while on break, he hadn’t thought about broadcasting at all.
Of course…
He’d been too busy cleaning the Underground Parking Lot and dealing with Mutant Zombies.
Wondering if he’d been neglecting the broadcast that had sustained him for the past six months, he resolved to broadcast tomorrow even if it rained, then headed to their building.
“Oh? You’ve made quite a bit of progress.”
Checking the work status, he looked at the hole that had grown to fist-size and showed satisfaction.
It seemed that once the hole was drilled, widening it was easier.
“Keep pushing a bit harder.”
Bang!
As he encouraged the zombies with his command, only the sound of the pickaxe striking the wall hard echoed back, without any groaning.
Leaving them behind, Lee Gang-hyeok entered the two women’s building and had dinner while sipping beer and discussing the next schedule.
“Then let’s go with that plan.”
“Yes.”
They decided that after connecting the bridge, if soil was lacking, they’d all go gather more together; if soil was plentiful, Seo A-rin would create the field while Lee Gang-hyeok and Seo Hwa-rin dealt with the zombies inside the building.
Seo A-rin suddenly clenched her fists, then shouted with a determined expression.
“I didn’t realize how much work goes into building a field. I’ll do my best to manage it properly, just like you deserve! You can count on me!”
At her spirited declaration, Lee Gang-hyeok smiled.
‘But still…’
However, a field was an investment in survival. He couldn’t leave it entirely to Seo A-rin.
So Lee Gang-hyeok suppressed his concerns and continued with the brightest smile he could muster.
“It’s reassuring to hear you say that. Still, it’ll be tough doing it all alone, so I’ll help out whenever I can. I’ve done some farming before.”
“Yes! That’s great. We’re a team, after all!”
At his words, Seo A-rin nodded, seeming to think he’d said it out of concern for her, and showed her satisfaction.
However, she couldn’t escape Seo Hwa-rin’s gaze; she briefly made a sullen expression before seeming to understand his position to some degree, smiled, and conveyed her thanks.
A little while later.
“Already?”
“It’s faster than I expected.”
“Wow… Didn’t you say they lacked strength? Looking at this, that’s not the case at all!”
As the three of them stepped into the hallway after finishing their meal, they gasped in admiration at the hole that had grown large enough for one person to pass through.
Seo Hwa-rin in particular showed surprise that it had progressed this far, and began examining the zombies with sparkling eyes.
‘Those eyes…’
It was like watching the gaze of a quartermaster from military training videos.
Perhaps that’s why,
Lee Gang-hyeok alternated his gaze between Seo Hwa-rin and the zombies, then smiled and spoke.
“If you need them, I can lend them to you from time to time.”
“Really? That would be wonderful!”
At his words, Seo Hwa-rin’s expression brightened considerably.
It was the brightest smile he’d seen from her yet.
‘She’s that happy?’
At his inexplicable bewilderment, he shrugged, and Seo A-rin, apparently thinking the same thing, shrugged as well and let out a soft sigh.
Still, pleased to see her sister so happy, she quietly approached and took her hand.
As Lee Gang-hyeok watched the two of them, thinking they were quite close sisters, he found himself scratching his cheek with a tinge of envy,
when Thud!
A section of the wall collapsed with the sound.
Still, the zombies continued swinging their pickaxes and breaking the wall.
There had been no order to stop.
Seo Hwa-rin, examining the hole afterward, spoke.
“I think this is enough now. If we do more, wind might come in during winter and make it even colder.”
“Stop.”
Thump.
The instant Lee Gang-hyeok issued the command, the zombies’ movements halted completely.
Watching them move sluggishly when told to work and stop instantly when told to stop, Lee Gang-hyeok sighed helplessly and turned to Seo Hwa-rin.
“Is it too late to connect the bridge now?”
“It’s possible if we place Braziers around, but… someone on the other side would need to hold it, and since there’s no way to get across right now, it’d be better to do it during daylight.”
As Lee Gang-hyeok asked, Seo Hwa-rin expressed her concerns.
Certainly…
Since they’d even had beer earlier, there was no need to push themselves. It was better to rest well.
“Then early tomorrow morning…”
Thinking this way, Lee Gang-hyeok was about to suggest working in the morning when he remembered the resolve he’d made before dinner—that he’d broadcast tomorrow no matter what, even if it rained.
But that was brief.
Thinking there was much to do, he nodded and continued.
“…let’s gather and connect the bridge first, then decide on the next schedule. We need to prepare quickly before it gets even colder if we’re to survive winter safely.”
Survival 12th Law: At the moment of choosing between two options, select the one more advantageous to survival.
The broadcast that had sustained him was important,
but ultimately, following the Survival Law he’d created, he decided to connect the bridge tomorrow morning. It was the more favorable choice for his future survival…
At his words, the two nodded, and having nothing more to do, they looked forward to tomorrow and each returned to their own building.
* * *
“He hasn’t turned on the broadcast since then?”
Kim Tae-shik, Shelter Manager of the Myeonmok-dong Shelter and inaugural Alliance Leader of the Jungnang District Alliance, showed bewilderment at his subordinate’s report.
The man who’d reported also looked perplexed, as if he didn’t understand either.
“Yes. Since he always takes a break when it rains, I naturally assumed he would this time too. But despite the rain having stopped, he hasn’t turned on the broadcast, so it seems something has come up.”
He’d heard the broadcasts had stopped due to battery issues during the rain, so that wasn’t concerning.
But this was the first time he’d not broadcast even after the rain stopped, so the man seemed quite taken aback.
At the same time…
‘Surely it’s not because I cursed at him?’
Just as the man was growing flustered by such thoughts,
Kim Tae-shik sighed and asked in return.
“Hmm, could we find any traces of him?”
“If we search the surrounding area based on the reported location, something might turn up, but given his nature as I know it, he surely didn’t report his true position.”
“In other words, he deceived the reported location too?”
“Yes. It’s possible that…”
To deceive even the reported location itself—
It was absurd and infuriating, but Kim Tae-shik seemed all the more pleased, his eyes gleaming as he continued questioning.
“Then what if we expand the search area with that possibility in mind?”
“Unless we kill every zombie in the area, I don’t think we’d find him.”
“Hmm.”
As increasingly negative answers came back, Kim Tae-shik stroked his chin regretfully and tapped the table.
Perhaps that’s why,
the man asked with a puzzled expression.
“But why are you so determined to find him? Could it be… because of the supplies he has?”
The resources current survivor Lee Gang-hyeok possesses are on par with what a decent Shelter might have.
He might even have more.
While he hadn’t examined all the supplies, just from what he’d occasionally shown off on broadcasts, it was clearly enormous.
Was that why he wanted to monopolize it all?
At the man’s expression of confusion, Kim Tae-shik shook his head in bewilderment.
Then, looking down at the people wandering the streets beyond the window, he smiled.
“That too, but to be precise, it’s because of the knowledge he possesses. Surviving alone outdoors for six months in this age is an extraordinary ability. If we could share that knowledge with everyone, we’d all become safer, and if that happens, our Shelter would naturally develop. That’s why I want to recruit him. For everyone.”
For everyone.
The moment he heard those words, the man instantly dispelled any doubts about Kim Tae-shik that had crossed his mind, beat his own chest, and shouted with vigor.
“I see. Then I’ll do whatever it takes to find his location. Trust me!”
“Good. I’m counting on you.”
“Yes!”
After the man left, Kim Tae-shik accessed the community and, seeing a notification that the user’s private message function was disabled, let out a soft sigh.
“I thought it’d be easy, but it’s quite difficult, really difficult.”

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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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