Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 44

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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 44
44. Location Exposed (2)
“They’re here.”
Not even three minutes had passed since I started waiting.
Yet hearing they’d already arrived, I found myself thinking it was wise not to have fought and instead waited, as I observed the man leading the group.
‘Is this man the captain of the vanguard strike force? Certainly… he looks considerably strong.’
The man leading people forward reminded me of the image of a prince before the catastrophe.
Like watching a prince in a movie.
Dressed similarly to Jung A-ram, with a bow slung across his shoulder and a thick Crescent Blade in hand, he cut an imposing yet reassuring figure.
If they truly belonged to the Jungnang-gu Alliance, they wouldn’t harm me, which was why I felt that way.
On the other hand, what if they’d deceived me—what if they’d seen the post I’d written in the Community, impersonated the Jungnang-gu Alliance, lulled me into a false sense of security, and planned to plunder me?
Park Mu-jin approached Lee Gang-hyuk’s side and spoke.
“I’m Park Mu-jin, with the Myeonmok-dong Safe House. And you are?”
“Lee Gang-hyuk.”
For now, I’d answer honestly without deception.
Revealing my identity was the safer choice at this moment.
With that reasoning, Lee Gang-hyuk revealed his name properly without lying.
And simultaneously…
The moment he stated his name, Park Mu-jin stared at him intently, stroked his chin, and asked.
“Lee Gang-hyuk? Then perhaps—what are your thoughts on the concept of a Survivor?”
The concept of a Survivor?
The sudden question left me puzzled.
But realizing it was a verbal trap to filter out impostors, Lee Gang-hyuk scratched his head and answered.
“Well, yes… I do go by that nickname.”
Satisfied that he’d gotten the answer he wanted, Park Mu-jin immediately lowered his head and apologized.
“We failed to recognize our alliance’s benefactor and caused you much trouble. My sincere apologies. Are you injured anywhere?”
“Fortunately, no. But since I’m here, I had wanted to ask you something that was mentioned earlier… What was it?”
“I was going to ask if you knew anything about Lee Gang-hyuk. And had you turned out to be someone who might harm him, we would have dealt with you as requested.”
“…I see.”
At those words, Lee Gang-hyuk’s expression hardened involuntarily.
They would have dealt with me.
Upon hearing that, Lee Gang-hyuk realized the Jungnang-gu Alliance was very different from the image he’d held of them.
He’d thought the Jungnang-gu Alliance would be quite cautious about chaotic-aligned individuals, but now it seemed they didn’t particularly care.
Rather, they showed no hesitation whatsoever in killing those they deemed enemies.
‘Is it to protect their own territory? Or did they assemble this vanguard strike force by gathering people with such tendencies?’
I didn’t know.
Of course, considering the goodwill they’d shown, they’d answer if I asked—but there was no need to upset them with irrelevant questions, so I decided against it.
Better to ask about the doubt that had troubled me earlier than to dwell on such things…
“How did you find this place?”
I’d certainly concealed my location.
But how had they found me?
Wanting to verify whether I’d made some mistake, I asked, and Park Mu-jin pointed toward the building with the marking on it.
“By following the traces of a man named Im Jae-beom… Huh? What? Next to him? Ah, I see.”
As he was answering, the man standing beside him suddenly gasped and whispered something, causing Park Mu-jin to smile with curiosity.
“…That zombie next to you. It was Im Jae-beom. It seems you’ve already met him.”
“…”
At those words, Lee Gang-hyuk studied the man who had recognized Im Jae-beom and nodded.
‘I didn’t expect him to recognize this one… Are these guys really from Jungnang-gu?’
Upon recognizing Im Jae-beom, I became suspicious without reason.
Of course…
Since the Jungnang-gu Alliance had mentioned Im Jae-beom first, it wasn’t particularly odd that someone knew his face.
But since everything so far had been merely words with no proper verification, Lee Gang-hyuk’s expression turned fierce with unease, and Park Mu-jin waved his hand to dispel that suspicion.
“There’s no need to be on guard like that. I’ll vouch for this man’s identity.”
Everyone present seemed suspicious, but since I had no chance of winning against them, I nodded as if yielding.
“I understand. Since Captain Park Mu-jin of the Jungnang-gu Alliance himself vouches for him, I won’t treat him as an enemy either.”
When Lee Gang-hyuk emphasized the Jungnang-gu Alliance, Park Mu-jin realized he was still doubting their affiliation and wondering how he’d recognized Im Jae-beom, so he smiled and continued speaking.
“If it’s hard to believe, you could verify through the Community. There’s no need to overthink it like that.”
“…”
“Or I can have someone send you a message from someone you’d know. Is there a specific message you’d like?”
Someone I’d know?
To be honest, among the Jungnang-gu Alliance members I knew, there was only the alliance leader Kim Tae-sik and Cha Do-pil, whom I’d spoken with on the broadcast.
But since I’d never had a direct conversation with Kim Tae-sik…
Lee Gang-hyuk thought of Cha Do-pil, who’d nearly exposed his location on the broadcast, and spoke.
“Please have the man called Cha Du-pil write Captain Park Mu-jin’s affiliation and the number 8.”
Deliberately, I spoke Cha Do-pil’s name as “Cha Du-pil.”
If they weren’t from the same organization, they wouldn’t recognize the reference.
But the moment Park Mu-jin heard that name, realizing Lee Gang-hyuk was testing him, he smiled as if to say he couldn’t help it and shook his head.
“I’ve sent it to Cha Do-pil.”
At those words, Lee Gang-hyuk relaxed his guard, and when the message arrived exactly as he’d stated, he apologized to Park Mu-jin.
“I apologize for my suspicion. Having spent so long alone, I’ve gotten into the habit of doubting everything.”
“No, we’re the ones who should apologize. Your location was exposed due to our blunder… We’re truly sorry. We’ll report this to the alliance leader and ensure you receive appropriate compensation…”
“Ah! Compensation isn’t necessary. Since things have come to this, let’s settle it as a debt instead.”
When Park Mu-jin offered compensation, Lee Gang-hyuk cut him off before he could finish, and instead of accepting the reward, suggested establishing a debt, Park Mu-jin’s expression stiffened.
“…A debt?”
“Yes. Since this happened because of you, you’ll handle it, but since I’ve suffered loss because of it, I’d like to establish that if I need help in the future, you’ll provide it.”
If I accepted compensation now, the Jungnang-gu Alliance would continue to trouble me.
If I took compensation, from their perspective they’d have apologized, and from mine I’d be forgiving their mistake.
Apology given.
Compensation paid.
After that, they’d keep coming under the pretext of protecting me from external threats, and each time they’d try to recruit me.
On the other hand, they might give compensation so excessive I couldn’t manage it, then try to find out where I was keeping it.
And if the Safe House’s location were discovered then?
‘If recruitment doesn’t work, they’ll just take it.’
This wasn’t an overreaction.
Most human relationships work that way.
When they want something, they’ll act like they’ll give up everything—their liver and gall—but if nothing comes back to them, they’ll either cut off the relationship or scheme for some advantage.
And from their perspective, the advantage would be all the equipment I had.
But if I created a debt instead?
Before they settled the debt, I could make it clear I had no intention of joining the alliance.
Would they abandon me then?
No.
They’d do everything they could to protect me.
Isn’t that the same thing?
It’s different.
From Lee Gang-hyuk’s perspective, with no current desire to join the Jungnang-gu Alliance…
Creating a situation where I could join whenever I wanted while maintaining our relationship gave me the highest survival probability.
So I’d suggested establishing a debt, but…
‘Today I shouldn’t return to the Safe House. I’ll sleep at the place where I’d laid out the bedding, as if it were the Safe House.’
I couldn’t show them the Safe House right now.
So I had to hide its location somehow and only accept their help.
Since these people in front of me weren’t dangerous, there was no reason to return immediately.
So Lee Gang-hyuk sent a message to Seo Hwa-rin saying he’d met the Jungnang-gu Alliance, then looked at Park Mu-jin.
Meanwhile…
Park Mu-jin seemed flustered when things didn’t unfold as he’d intended, stroked his chin and exhaled a sigh.
But then he nodded as if understanding.
“Understood. We’ll do that. But your location was exposed due to our error, so we’ll take responsibility for protecting it.”
As expected…
It was going according to plan.
This was the part I’d mentioned first, making it awkward to refuse.
Because of that, Lee Gang-hyuk nodded and pointed toward Electric and Im Jae-beom.
“Everything else is fine, but please just prevent their allies from coming.”
When Lee Gang-hyuk spoke in plural, Park Mu-jin briefly felt puzzled, but thinking he’d simply misspoken, he nodded and was about to respond when he pointed at Im Jae-beom.
“If it’s the Chungmuro Alliance, don’t worry. But… looking at him now, he has quite a few wounds. Going around in that condition will only cause trouble for you… If you’d like, I can treat him.”
“Excuse me? What do you…”
At the sudden remark, I was momentarily confused.
But realizing that Im Jae-beom was standing where Park Mu-jin was pointing, I gasped in surprise and asked back.
“Is it possible to treat zombies?”
“I’ve run some experiments on zombies before, and I discovered that healing magic works on them too. Of course, not all healing magic is effective. Regeneration is key.”
“That’s…”
I didn’t know that.
I had no idea healing magic could work on zombies.
When Lee Gang-hyuk stood silently, startled, Park Mu-jin, assuming it was because of the debt, continued with a smile.
“I’m not trying to use this to settle the debt. Please accept it as an apology for not recognizing our benefactor.”
“…I understand. Then please go ahead.”
When Park Mu-jin mentioned the debt, Lee Gang-hyuk immediately understood why he’d said that and asked him to proceed, stepping Im Jae-beom forward.
And simultaneously…
‘He calculates profit and loss quickly.’
Watching this, Park Mu-jin finally understood why Kim Tae-sik had wanted to recruit Lee Gang-hyuk, and he nodded.
Then Park Mu-jin silently gestured with his chin toward Im Jae-beom, and the woman standing nearby immediately activated her skill.
“Healing Light!”
Whoosh.
As brilliant green light burst forth from her body and enveloped Im Jae-beom, all the wounds covering his body healed rapidly.
So it actually worked.
“Remarkable.”
Seeing this, Lee Gang-hyuk murmured in astonishment, and Park Mu-jin smiled as if he’d expected that reaction.
“Everyone who sees it for the first time has that same reaction.”
“I see.”
Everyone who sees it for the first time?
Did he mean people who were Necromancers? Or did he simply mean people who’d seen zombies being treated?
As I pondered, the woman treating Im Jae-beom spoke up.
“The zombie next to you seems to have an injured leg too. Should I treat this one as well?”
She asked while pointing to Electric’s leg, which had been crippled by the Bolt Step, and Lee Gang-hyuk quickly nodded.
“Yes? Ah! If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it.”
“Sure. Healing Light!”
Whether it was treating one zombie or two, there seemed to be little difference, so the woman nodded and used the skill.
After a moment, when the treatment was finished and the woman stepped back, Park Mu-jin nodded.
“All done. You should be fine now.”
“Thank you so much. This is something I never even considered… I feel much relieved thanks to you.”
“Think nothing of it. I’m just glad I could help. Anyway, we should be heading back. We need to move quickly if we’re to return before sunset. We’ll see you again soon then. Let’s go!”
“Yes!”
When Lee Gang-hyuk expressed his gratitude, Park Mu-jin smiled and nodded, then turned around with those words, leading his subordinates away.
‘Are they just leaving like this?’
At how they turned and left without any hesitation, Lee Gang-hyuk found himself taken aback instead.
But there was no need to hold them back.
Lee Gang-hyuk watched their retreating forms until they disappeared completely, then headed toward the empty house where I’d laid out bedding.
It was possible they were trying to lower my guard this way, luring me to the Safe House.
So today, I’d rest at the empty house as planned and return early in the morning.
* * *
“You’re not going to tail him?”
As Lee Gang-hyuk gradually moved away, Jung A-ram, who felt something was off about simply leaving him, asked Park Mu-jin with doubt.
Park Mu-jin turned to look behind, watched which direction Lee Gang-hyuk was heading, then nodded as if he’d expected it.
“No. Tailing him would be pointless.”
“What?”
Pointless?
Wouldn’t it be helpful to find out where the Safe House is?
When Jung A-ram tilted her head in confusion, Park Mu-jin explained the reason.
“He knows we’d try to tail him, so he’ll definitely enter some random house nearby and set it up to look like his Safe House. And if we’re caught tailing him, we’ll lose all the goodwill we’ve built up, so today it’s better to just back off.”
“Hmm… But wouldn’t he return to his actual Safe House? Why take such a risk…”
Even after the explanation, Jung A-ram still seemed not to understand, so Park Mu-jin smiled and gave her a hint.
“He stares into empty space quite often.”
“What?”
When Jung A-ram still didn’t understand the hint, Park Mu-jin flicked her forehead and spoke.
Flick!
“It’s homework. I’ll ask you again tomorrow morning, so think it over carefully until then.”
“Ow.”
At his words, Jung A-ram rubbed her smarting forehead and pouted her lips.

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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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