Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 48

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

Episode 48
48. The Laughing Zombie (3)
“There are three inside the loading dock. Beyond that corridor, there are four more, but there’s a door, so they shouldn’t be able to get out.”
“Three…….”
The main entrance had its shutter down, so there was no choice but to enter through the loading dock.
At Lee Gang-hyuk’s assessment—he had already determined the zombie count inside the loading dock through the Water Snake—Seo A-rin stepped forward.
It seemed she wanted to test the technique she’d practiced with Lee Gang-hyuk the day before in an actual situation, so she asked permission and activated her skill.
“I’ll handle this. Water Ball!”
Slosh.
As the Water Ball formed and flew at the zombies, wrapping around their heads, Seo Hwa-rin stroked her chin analytically.
“It’s quite a good technique in that it doesn’t draw aggro from nearby zombies, but…… how long until they die? Can’t you kill them any faster?”
“Faster?”
Suffocating zombies with the Water Ball and killing them was quiet and clean, but it took far too long for them to actually die.
Recognizing the weakness just from observation, Seo A-rin also seemed aware of it, and she stroked her chin while looking at Im Jae-beom.
Before his death, a Water-attribute Awakener far superior to herself.
If it had been him, how would he have used it?
“Let me try something.”
After thinking for a moment, she seemed to come up with a good idea, closed her eyes, and opened her Core.
At the same time…….
The water covering the zombies’ faces rippled, then transformed into water snakes and poured into their mouths.
She appeared to be copying Im Jae-beom’s technique.
And because she had made an effort not to lose control to him, it proved somewhat effective—she created water snakes without much difficulty, but.
The Core Power consumption seemed heavier than expected, and Seo A-rin’s brow furrowed involuntarily.
Still, the zombies that had swallowed the water snakes as Seo Hwa-rin had demanded died immediately.
Judging by the way they lay dead, spitting blood mixed with flesh, their internal organs had been shredded to pieces.
‘When you really see it, both of them are pretty ruthless.’
Faced with such a brutal technique, Lee Gang-hyuk found himself exhaling without thinking and removed the bracelet and necklace he was wearing, handing them to Seo A-rin.
“Until you get used to making water snakes, it’s better if you wear these accessories, A-rin. In exchange, I’ll keep wearing the Bulldozer Bracelet. That’s okay, right?”
“Oh. Thank you.”
“It’s fine. I’m just grateful whenever you transfer them like this.”
At his words, both women thanked him, and Lee Gang-hyuk shrugged as if it were nothing and headed inside.
“It doesn’t seem like there’s much point in reviving them.”
“……I’m sorry.”
Even if corpses were revived through zombie control, it would be meaningless given how thoroughly they’d died. He’d meant it that way, but Seo A-rin, apparently misunderstanding, apologized in confusion, so Lee Gang-hyuk hurried to shake his head.
“It’s fine. We can use them as materials. In any case, survival comes first, so don’t worry about it and kill them however you can.”
“Got it! Then shall we move to the next section quickly?”
Having killed the zombies and gained confidence, Seo A-rin took the lead and guided everyone forward.
Since there was a lair nearby and they had to move as quietly as possible, there was no technique better suited than Seo A-rin’s, and they needed to build her hunting experience anyway.
Following her at this moment of momentum, ready to hunt as quietly as possible, Lee Gang-hyuk and Seo Hwa-rin nodded in satisfaction.
“Well, this isn’t bad either.”
“Right. A-rin needs to grow too.”
* * *
At the same moment.
Hwang Gyeong-sik, the commander of the Chungmuro Alliance and captain of the Chungmuro Shelter, received unexpected news and furrowed his brow.
“Two Plunderers have gone missing?”
“Yes. Lee Jae-hyuk and Im Jae-beom from the Eastern unit.”
“Lee Jae-hyuk? Im Jae-beom?”
At the mention of those two names, Hwang Gyeong-sik tilted his head as if hearing them for the first time, then asked with an indifferent expression, clearly uninterested.
“Did they defect?”
At the follow-up question, the man bowed his head hurriedly in apology.
“I apologize. We’re still investigating the cause, but given that both men lost contact immediately upon moving to Jungnang-gu, we’re assuming they encountered the Shelter there and got dealt with while attempting to plunder it.”
“Hmm. If two Plunderers went down, it sounds like a fairly large force has set up shop there…… Have you confirmed anything?”
“Based on our investigation, it appears that Kim Tae-sik, the former Search Team commander, has established himself there.”
Hwang Gyeong-sik, who had been listening with disinterest throughout the report, suddenly brightened the moment he heard Kim Tae-sik’s name.
“Kim Tae-sik? I thought he’d run off to some distant place, but he was closer than expected.”
He had once been the Search Team commander of the Chungmuro Shelter and the brother Hwang Gyeong-sik trusted most.
But…….
As the memory of that last moment—when he attacked Hwang Gyeong-sik who was sleeping, bent on avenging his sister, before fleeing—surfaced, Hwang Gyeong-sik found himself smiling without realizing it, and he nodded before continuing.
“Bring me four Awakeners from Jungnang-gu. I’ve lost two valuable sources of experience points, so I should receive appropriate compensation.”
“Understood.”
With those words, as the man bowed, Hwang Gyeong-sik threw swords to the people who knelt before him, watching his expression, and made a subtle gesture with his finger.
“If you break discipline, you must be punished. However, I’m feeling especially merciful and will give you a chance. Cut each other down. I’d like to see who’s more useful. The one who survives will receive a reward instead of punishment. I promise.”
“…….”
“What…….”
The survivor would be rewarded.
The implication was that they should kill the person next to them with their own hands.
Understanding Hwang Gyeong-sik’s intention, the two men faced each other and hesitated for a moment, but.
Only for a moment…….
One of them quickly seized a sword and let out a shriek as he attacked the other.
“Aaaaaah!”
“W-wait! How could you trust him…….”
“Shut up!”
Thrust—!
“Y-you stupid…… bastard…….”
The man with his heart pierced in a single blow cursed the one who’d attacked him as he fell, while the survivor laughed at the corpse and looked up at Hwang Gyeong-sik.
“See! Hey, like you promised…….”
Whistle—!
Thud!
“Gasp! Cough…….”
Collapse.
In that instant, an arrow fired by Hwang Gyeong-sik pierced straight through the man’s throat.
Soon after…….
As Hwang Gyeong-sik put away his bow and a notification appeared that he’d killed a Chaotic Trait Awakener, he lost interest and yawned, then looked toward the east with a lick of his lips.
“Is my will for revenge still alive?”
As the image of Kim Tae-sik surfaced once more, Hwang Gyeong-sik’s smile deepened.
Such an expression on his face was, in a word, uncannily radiant—like a child who’d found a toy he’d accidentally lost.
* * *
“Water Ball!”
Slosh.
As Seo A-rin activated the skill and the water droplets formed in the air wrapped around the zombies’ heads, she used another skill.
“Aqua Field!”
Splash—!
Her target wasn’t the zombies covered in water droplets, but rather those beyond the glass door at the end of the corridor, and.
As the skill spread water across the floor, she turned to Electric and shouted.
“Electric!”
“Shriek!”
Crackle.
Crackle-crackle-crackle.
At the same time…….
Without Lee Gang-hyuk having issued any command.
Electric responded to Seo A-rin’s shout and attacked the zombies with Lightning Bolt, causing Lee Gang-hyuk to look surprised as he scratched his head and spoke.
“Electric follows A-rin really well. Your coordination is so good that I don’t even need to give separate orders?”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes. This time I really didn’t say anything.”
“Oh…….”
She’d assumed Lee Gang-hyuk had given the order, as he usually did, so she looked at Electric in surprise, her eyes sparkling.
At her reaction, a natural smile bloomed on Lee Gang-hyuk’s face, and he pointed toward the loading dock entrance and spoke.
“In any case, we’ve secured the loading dock safely. Let’s move quickly according to plan.”
“Yes!”
“Good. We seem to have enough materials. I’ll call if we need anything.”
Once the loading dock was secured, Seo Hwa-rin was to seal the entrance with the welding machine she’d brought.
Lee Gang-hyuk and Seo A-rin were to eliminate the remaining zombies and arrange the building’s interior as if someone were living there.
So that if anyone tried to breach the building, the traces might mislead them.
Well…….
Honestly, if someone had already penetrated inside, they probably wouldn’t be fooled by the traces.
But in any case, preparing wouldn’t hurt.
Thinking that it might at least create some confusion for anyone who got inside, Lee Gang-hyuk nodded at her words about calling if help was needed, and looked at Electric.
“Electric, you stay here and move as Hwa-rin tells you. But if anyone approaches while she’s welding, attack immediately.”
“Grrrrrowl.”
As Lee Gang-hyuk gave the order, Electric answered with a perfectly timed growl, as if in acknowledgment.
‘That must be agreement.’
As communication seemed to become more possible with each passing moment, something felt unsettling about it.
But there was too much to do right now.
Lee Gang-hyuk created the torch that Seo Hwa-rin had taught him and set off with Seo A-rin.
Bang! Creak—
Thud. Thud.
As they entered the corridor connected to the loading dock, four zombies beyond the glass noticed them and began to glow.
When Lee Gang-hyuk shone the torch, the zombies rubbed themselves against the glass window, growling.
“Even if they’re too stupid to have the intelligence to open a door, they have enough strength to shatter the glass, so it’s best to deal with them as quickly as possible.”
“Leave it to me. Aqua Field!”
Without opening the door, Seo A-rin spread water across the floor and, like Im Jae-beom, created water snakes to attack the zombies inside.
But perhaps because she wasn’t used to it yet, only five water snakes formed—far fewer than the zombie Im Jae-beom had made.
“Gaaaah!”
Splash—!
Then Im Jae-beom, using the water Seo A-rin had spread, created ten water snakes to help her attack the creatures, causing Seo A-rin’s brow to furrow.
At that moment…….
Seo A-rin and Im Jae-beom, who had been attacking the creatures beyond the glass, seemed to sense something deeper inside and stepped back.
“Gang-hyuk, there’s something beyond there.”
“Grrrrrowl, gaaaah!”
As Seo A-rin warned, Im Jae-beom began to growl threateningly.
It was as if he were responding to her words.
‘Something beyond there?’
For a moment, Lee Gang-hyuk tilted his head.
When he’d searched the interior using the water snakes Im Jae-beom had created just moments ago, no unusual sensation had come through.
Through the water snakes, he’d only sensed ordinary zombies.
So he hadn’t stepped in and had watched quietly to improve Seo A-rin’s skills, but…….
With Seo A-rin saying this and now Im Jae-beom doing the same, Lee Gang-hyuk became curious and pointed at the waiting zombies while asking again.
“You mean further inside? Let me send the zombies to scout first.”
“Yes!”
Sending zombies in to scout was far safer than going in himself.
Creak.
“Scout.”
Lee Gang-hyuk opened the door and sent the zombies in, then issued orders through his Command Domain to scout the interior.
And so…….
A few minutes passed after the zombies had been deployed.
All was quiet, as if there was nothing there.
So Lee Gang-hyuk even issued an order for the zombies to attack anything in the vicinity, but the zombies remained still and stationary.
Which meant there was nothing inside.
Then were Seo A-rin and Im Jae-beom mistaken?
No. Even if one person might be wrong, if both of them who had created water snakes sensed something, then there had to be something inside that the zombies didn’t recognize as a target.
‘What could it be?’
Curiosity arose, but directly investigating felt too dangerous, and he felt reluctant.
Survival Law Five: Curiosity is forbidden.
Survival Law Ten: All future decisions must prioritize safety above all else.
‘Whatever it is, there’s no need to confirm it.’
In an instant, Lee Gang-hyuk recalled the Survival Laws he had established and shook his head.
“We should withdraw.”
After all, this place was just bait.
So there was no point in forcing the issue when they didn’t know what was inside.
So the moment he said they should withdraw!
Creak—
“Keke-keke.”
The sound of a door opening echoed from beyond the corridor, followed by a strange, cackling laugh.
The same laugh he’d heard in the emergency staircase of the building with the symbol drawn on it yesterday.
“Is this the one from early morning that you mentioned…….”
“Grrrrgh.”
Splash—!
Startled by the sudden turn of events, Seo A-rin asked a question while Im Jae-beom stepped forward protectively, creating water snakes.

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