Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 63

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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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Chapter 63
63. Hearts Bound by Rails (5)
From the site of the accident until they emerged from the tunnel, not a single Zombie appeared.
It seemed Grolla Bear had devoured all the creatures on the road as it moved.
And so…….
Once they left the tunnel and the town came into view, Lee Gang-hyuk furrowed his brow and spoke.
“Since there are no Zombies, it looks like the one that was here moved toward the town.”
“Will it still be there?”
“Hard to say. It might have moved elsewhere…… or it could have settled in like the one in the underground parking lot…… Either way, let’s hurry and move before we provoke it.”
In response to Seo Hwa-rin’s question, Lee Gang-hyuk shrugged and pointed to the opposite side of the town.
Seo Hwa-rin, following his gaze, seemed relieved and let out a soft sigh with a smile.
“Fortunately, the terrain doesn’t look too difficult. I should be able to keep up at this pace.”
“That’s partly why we chose this place as the meeting point. Still, it’s not without its challenges, so be careful.”
“Ah…….”
At his words, her expression stiffened.
But unlike her, Seo A-rin seemed delighted for some reason, her bright laughter ringing out as she looked around until she appeared to recognize where they were, then rubbed her hands together eagerly.
“Just follow me! I know a quick route to the summit!”
The moment she spoke, she stepped forward as though leading the way.
Observing their contrasting reactions, when Lee Gang-hyuk glanced at Seo Hwa-rin, she scratched her cheek with embarrassment and spoke.
“……Unlike me, she enjoyed hiking.”
“……I see.”
* * *
Thanks to Seo A-rin, who had visited this place often before the catastrophe, the three were able to climb the mountain without difficulty.
In particular, Seo Hwa-rin, who had worried beforehand that she might lag behind the others, appeared in excellent spirits, finding the climb easier than expected.
“It’s easier than I thought.”
“Probably because your physical abilities improved when you became an Awakener. I found it much easier than when I came here before, too.”
“Ah! That must be it.”
At Seo A-rin’s remark, Seo Hwa-rin looked down at her own hands with fascination.
She had the highest Level among the three, and her physical abilities reflected that superiority.
But since she rarely felt these changes in her daily life, the transformation in herself seemed novel to her.
‘My skills will improve even more.’
Watching her expression, Lee Gang-hyuk nodded with satisfaction.
And it made sense.
Of course an Awakener’s abilities grew stronger as their Level increased.
But the actual gap in skill depended on how much power one possessed and how effectively one could employ it.
From that perspective, Seo Hwa-rin had merely been high in Level without truly utilizing her full potential.
Though her control over flames had recently improved, making her better than before, he still sensed a lack of refinement…….
It seemed she simply hadn’t fully recognized the extent of her own power.
So now that she was becoming aware of her true strength,
wouldn’t her abilities soon skyrocket?
Lee Gang-hyuk wore a satisfied expression, seized by an unexpected sense of anticipation, when
Seo A-rin, who had been walking ahead, approached.
“We’re almost at the summit. Fortunately, the Jungnang-gu Alliance hasn’t arrived yet!”
“Then let’s prepare.”
“Yes!”
Honestly, there wasn’t much to prepare.
Once they arranged the Zombies and Skeletons around the summit and had them play dead, they were done.
Since he’d used the corpse disguise tactic before when fighting Im Jae-beom, pretending to be dead for an ambush,
concealing himself among the bodies posed no difficulty.
However, since there were many rock faces at the mountain’s peak, he positioned them at some distance from the summit.
Ready to charge in at his command.
“It’s still twelve o’clock.”
Even after preparation, they had an hour left before the appointed meeting time.
“While we wait, why don’t we eat something?”
“That’s good. We probably won’t fight immediately, but it’s better to eat well beforehand.”
At the mention of eating, Seo Hwa-rin gently touched the Bone Necklace hanging at her neck.
“It’s true—eating more does help.”
“…….”
The necklace made from Grolla Bear’s Core grew more potent the more one fed it.
But because it required eating so much, Seo Hwa-rin worried about gaining weight and felt her face flush at Lee Gang-hyuk’s ensuing remark.
Perhaps it was because eating more benefited the team?
Seo Hwa-rin filled her stomach with the Protein Bars she’d obtained from a convenience store the previous day.
Several minutes passed this way.
When they heard a commotion from below the mountain and looked down, three figures appeared climbing toward them.
“They’re arriving right on schedule.”
“It doesn’t look like anyone else came.”
“Good.”
The relief at seeing only the three as promised was short-lived.
Jung A-ram suddenly came to mind, and Lee Gang-hyuk furrowed his brow, scanning his surroundings.
He hadn’t heard her profession, but he suspected Jung A-ram was likely Ranger Class.
A Ranger could move through mountains without a trace.
So Lee Gang-hyuk searched the area carefully, but found nothing visible.
Could he relax?
‘Let me trust for now.’
There was nothing visible at the moment.
Though he couldn’t fully relax, when he thought of Park Mu-jin, he believed that man would keep his word.
So instead of sending the Water Snake, Lee Gang-hyuk waited calmly.
A moment later.
Upon reaching the summit, Kim Tae-sik stepped forward before Jang Man-ho could voice his complaint, extending his hand for a handshake with Lee Gang-hyuk.
“It’s good to meet you. I’m Kim Tae-sik. Thank you for accommodating my request.”
“I’m Lee Gang-hyuk.”
Lee Gang-hyuk took the offered handshake, and the moment their hands clasped, Jang Man-ho growled.
“Still just a kid……. Oof!”
But before he could finish, Park Mu-jin quickly clamped a hand over his mouth.
Kim Tae-sik shook his head ruefully and apologized.
“I apologize. He has quite the fiery temperament, so I hope you’ll be understanding.”
“It’s fine. I should apologize as well. I seem to have caused you unnecessary trouble.”
“Oh, we know!”
The instant he spoke, Jang Man-ho tore himself from Park Mu-jin’s grip and snorted derisively.
And at the same time…….
When Seo Hwa-rin and Seo A-rin’s expressions hardened as they glared at Jang Man-ho, Kim Tae-sik furrowed his brow sharply and raised his voice.
“Jang Man-ho!”
Boom—!
As Kim Tae-sik shouted, tremendous Magical Power surged forth, pressing down exactly on Jang Man-ho alone.
“…….”
Lee Gang-hyuk’s expression involuntarily stiffened.
‘……This person is higher Level than Hwa-rin.’
Park Mu-jin’s abilities seemed formidable too, and Kim Tae-sik right in front of him was formidable indeed.
Which meant Jang Man-ho was probably at a similar level.
‘Is this an act?’
Could this be a rehearsed performance, a coordinated show meant to intimidate?
As that thought crossed his mind, Lee Gang-hyuk met Kim Tae-sik’s gaze directly.
‘This person…… knows about the trap I set.’
Only then did understanding dawn.
But the fact that he kept quiet about it and remained still meant
‘If you want to try something, go ahead.’
Whatever this side had prepared, no problem.
On the other hand, it also seemed to suggest he had no intention of fighting right now, so there was no need to worry.
‘Which means he has something he wants from me.’
Lee Gang-hyuk was rapidly organizing his thoughts when Kim Tae-sik bowed again in apology.
“I apologize.”
“……It’s fine.”
His head was light.
It meant he could discard his own pride without hesitation if he could obtain what he wanted.
‘Such people are more frightening.’
Dangerous to keep close. But making an enemy of someone like this becomes tiresome.
‘I should bring him to my side.’
Having concluded which arrangement was more advantageous, Lee Gang-hyuk spoke with some awkwardness.
“Before we begin this conversation, let me first say that I still have no intention of joining any organization.”
“Yes. I learned that from Park Mu-jin. But given my position of having received your help, I’d like to keep you somewhere safer.”
“That’s why two days ago I proposed connecting our areas via the railway. If danger arises, you could always use the rails to receive help from the Jungnang-gu Alliance or, if necessary, evacuate from threats.”
“Certainly…… it’s a good proposal, but wouldn’t it be far safer and less risky to relocate your base than to connect the rails merely for evacuation purposes?”
“It’s not solely for evacuation. If we have resources each side needs, I intend to use it for trade as well.”
“Hmm.”
At his words, Kim Tae-sik let out a small sound.
He seemed to be thinking less about the railway proposal itself and more about how to approach the continued refusals.
Yet he seemed interested enough, stroking his chin thoughtfully before asking.
“Then may I ask what you could offer us?”
“For now, we can trade alcohol and tobacco. Those aren’t particularly necessary for us.”
“!!”
The moment alcohol and tobacco were mentioned, Jang Man-ho’s expression brightened visibly behind him.
“……Alcohol and tobacco.”
Kim Tae-sik seemed quite interested as well, trailing off into thought.
At the same time, his assessment of Lee Gang-hyuk shifted decidedly favorable.
The railway connection and consumer goods—
It showed he understood what was necessary not just for individuals, but for maintaining a group.
Perhaps that’s why
“Trade is good, but I suppose what you’re really after is something else.”
“……You’re thinking that if you recruit me, you’ll be able to have everything.”
The moment he heard this, Lee Gang-hyuk understood the implication and turned the question back; Kim Tae-sik simply smiled without answering.
A tacit confirmation.
At the same time, Kim Tae-sik’s gaze naturally drifted toward the base of the rock face.
Where the Zombies and Skeletons were hiding.
Then, looking back at Lee Gang-hyuk, he shrugged with a smile on his face.
“Doesn’t that make me greedy?”
“……How did you know?”
“I suspected it from the moment we decided to meet here.”
“I see.”
At his response, Lee Gang-hyuk found himself glancing at Park Mu-jin.
Just as he had assessed Park Mu-jin, it seemed that man had assessed him as well.
The trap had been discovered.
And the railway proposal had fallen through.
So perhaps
“If I refuse again here, you’ll be in an awkward position.”
Thinking that escaping this place would require fighting them, Lee Gang-hyuk spoke as though testing Kim Tae-sik, who quickly waved his hands with a nervous laugh.
“Not at all. You can refuse. We’ll even connect the rails if you wish. But I need just one promise from you.”
Suddenly?
Just moments ago he’d seemed ready to use force to recruit him, yet now he was asking for only one promise.
“……What is it?”
Unable to understand but willing to hear more, Lee Gang-hyuk replied, and Kim Tae-sik’s expression grew serious.
“I’d like you to lend your strength to help us destroy the Chungmuro Alliance.”
The Chungmuro Alliance?
At his declarative tone, Lee Gang-hyuk recalled events from a few days past.
“Because of the recent explosion incident?”
“From the Jungnang-gu Alliance’s perspective, it’s because of the explosion incident, but on a personal level, it’s due to a blood feud.”
“Personal…….”
The explosion incident had nearly cost Park Mu-jin and the other members of the Jungnang-gu Alliance their lives.
This was clearly an act of provocation, so he naturally assumed it was because of that…….
But it was rooted in a personal grudge.
For the first time, disappointed in Kim Tae-sik, Lee Gang-hyuk’s brow creased; Kim Tae-sik bit his lip hard and continued.
“Hwang Gyeong-sik, the Alliance leader of the Chungmuro Alliance. That bastard killed my younger sister right before my eyes.”
“…….”
Lee Gang-hyuk found himself unable to say anything at all.

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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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