Surviving the Apocalypse as an All-Time Best Overpowered Necromancer - Chapter 89
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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 89
89. Apartment Complex (1)
“Where and how am I supposed to find feathers…….”
The question of arrows persisted through the next day until the sun reached its zenith.
“Should we head to the mountain? I heard bird calls when we passed through Surak Mountain last time.”
Seo A-rin, who had learned of the situation while eating dinner the previous night, spoke up, and Lee Gang-hyuk nodded in agreement.
“We should try going when we have time.”
It would be meaningless before awakening, but for those who had awakened, catching birds was simple work.
Once you spotted a bird, you only needed to use a skill.
But today they were occupied with moving the bodies of snow apes and zombies that filled the baseball stadium, so when Lee Gang-hyuk deferred it to later, Seo Hwa-rin asked for his opinion.
“What if we took a mountain path toward the baseball stadium instead? We could try catching birds on the way there, don’t you think?”
“Right now? Well, that’s not a bad idea.”
As Lee Gang-hyuk smiled at her suggestion, Seo Hwa-rin laughed and continued.
“Then let’s use the escape route we planned through Jangam Station in reverse.”
“Good. Let’s depart at once.”
The three of them revised their plan just before departure, memorized the route by studying the map again, and immediately headed toward Jangam Station.
* * *
Coo-coo, coo-coo, coo-coo.
The moment the three entered Surak Mountain, birdsong filled the air.
“I knew it! There are birds here. If we catch them now, does that solve the arrow problem?”
Excited by the sound, Seo A-rin opened her eyes wide and whispered the question.
She seemed worried that the birds might flee at the sound of her own voice.
‘So she really only cared about hiking, not much else.’
Someone who supposedly loved hiking didn’t recognize the call of a wood pigeon.
Lee Gang-hyuk, bemused, shrugged and spoke.
“That’s the sound of a wood pigeon. In other words, a pigeon that lives in the mountains.”
“Ah……. Then catching it won’t help.”
At his explanation, Seo A-rin, evidently thinking a wood pigeon was no different from any pigeon, sighed with a gloomy expression.
“Well, it’s better than nothing.”
“At least we can still make arrows.”
Just as Lee Gang-hyuk and Seo Hwa-rin offered consoling words.
Caw, caw-caw-!
“!!”
“It’s over there.”
A magpie.
When the cry of a magpie sounded from not far away, the three moved toward it as though they’d been waiting for this moment.
“…….”
Whoosh.
Arriving at the source of the sound in an instant, the three spotted a magpie five meters ahead and fell silent, lowering their posture.
Peck. Peck-peck.
Standing still at a distance, the magpie, apparently feeling safe, waddled about pecking at the ground.
Now was the moment.
They had to catch it while the magpie was off its guard.
“…….”
Whoosh. Whiiss.
Nod-nod.
Sssslip.
Shrieeek-!
When Lee Gang-hyuk turned back to Seo A-rin and gave a hand signal, she nodded and summoned the Water Snake as quietly as possible.
Sssslip.
Hisss-hisss.
As quietly as possible.
Yet still swiftly.
Whoosh.
Peck. Peck.
Even as the Water Snakes that approached the magpie occupied all sides, the bird remained oblivious, pecking only at the ground.
‘Now!’
Whoosh-!
“Caw…….”
Flutter-flutter.
Startled by the sudden appearance of the Water Snakes, the magpie tried to flee, but its ankle was bitten and it was captured.
“Nice!”
“Good!”
The two, confident that Seo A-rin wouldn’t miss, gave a thumbs up as the Water Snake approached.
“This was easier than expected. I’ll check if there are other birds along the way!”
Shrieeek-!
Seo A-rin, holding the magpie aloft, sent the Water Snakes ahead with a triumphant expression.
Seeming satisfied that she’d been helpful, Seo A-rin’s smile grew steadily brighter.
‘It’s good for building her skills, and letting the Water Snakes play is nice too.’
Finding birds was good, but improving Seo A-rin’s abilities was equally important.
So Lee Gang-hyuk and Seo Hwa-rin left the task of finding and hunting birds to her and followed leisurely at her heels.
* * *
“Ah, we’re here already.”
Continuing to walk while catching birds, when a park that led toward the baseball stadium appeared, Seo A-rin muttered as if disappointed.
“……This seems like enough already, doesn’t it?”
At her words, Lee Gang-hyuk shook his head while looking at the birds the zombies were carrying.
And for good reason.
The birds they’d hunted over two hours of hiking were far more than anticipated.
Moreover, the variety was impressive.
Four magpies, two crows, three wood pigeons, and even one pheasant.
Lee Gang-hyuk, surprised they’d caught so much in such a short time, and Seo A-rin continued, laughing.
“Still, arrows are consumables, so the more the better, right?”
“Well, that’s true. Either way, this is plenty, so let’s hurry.”
The plan was to move the bodies at the baseball stadium to the hideout within the day.
Of course, if they encountered more snow apes and zombies along the way, it would take longer.
Planning to move as quickly as possible, the three exited the mountain and entered the baseball stadium, shaking their heads in surprise.
“……It’s far more than I expected.”
When the battle had just ended, they were too tired to want rest to notice.
But now, looking again, the baseball stadium was filled with the bodies of snow apes and zombies.
“We won’t be able to move them all today, will we?”
After examining the bodies and doing the math, Seo Hwa-rin shook her head helplessly.
Then she muttered with a bitter expression.
“Indeed, even if the complex is narrow, it’s still a den.”
“It is.”
In agreement with her remark, Lee Gang-hyuk naturally turned his gaze toward the apartment complex where the creatures had swarmed.
“Hmm.”
As something came to mind, he stroked his chin, then looked back at the two and asked.
“Come to think of it, that place is empty right now, isn’t it?”
“What? Ah! You’re right!”
“That’s true!”
Questioning at first, the two quickly grasped his meaning, their eyes widening as they nodded.
The creatures from within the apartment complex had fled outside due to the giant zombie.
Of course, they hadn’t all come out.
Some zombies remained indoors because the windows hadn’t shattered, but those were manageable.
Perhaps for that reason.
When Lee Gang-hyuk’s eyes met theirs, he glanced around and continued.
“Since zombies can be converted to Bone Beads, let’s quickly move just the snow apes and come back. We can turn the rest into Bone Beads on the way.”
“Sounds good!”
“Got it! Either way, we’ll be swamped with work for a while clearing that place out.”
Until now, a den had been something the three absolutely had to avoid.
A place they must never enter.
Perhaps this belief had been so ingrained that they hadn’t thought to raid the empty apartment complex without zombies.
“Never thought the day would come when we’d raid a den……. It feels strange.”
“Right. I couldn’t have imagined this before…….”
“That just means we’ve grown that strong! Strong enough to defeat the creatures that were in the den!”
This was their first time raiding a den.
Perhaps for that reason, the moment the two heard Lee Gang-hyuk’s words, their faces brightened with anticipation and they nodded, moving into action at once.
* * *
Using Jungnang Stream instead of the mountain path, the three returned swiftly to the hideout, and at once gathered supplies and headed for the den.
Moments later…….
Upon arrival at the apartment complex, an eerie stillness greeted the three.
Just days ago, whenever they passed nearby, the place was filled with the growling of zombies.
Now, as if that were never the case, the apartment complex lay silent, wordless.
‘The quiet means safety. But that doesn’t mean we can let our guard down.’
At that moment, Lee Gang-hyuk’s gaze turned toward the entrance to the Underground Parking Lot.
While no zombie growls were audible, there was no telling when those creatures might suddenly emerge.
Turning back to the two, Lee Gang-hyuk pointed toward the Underground Parking Lot and spoke with a warning tone.
“There may still be zombies in the Underground Parking Lot. Since we can’t know when they might suddenly come up to the surface, let’s block the entrance first and then begin our search.”
Though he hadn’t confirmed it, Lee Gang-hyuk believed it was better to be cautious, so Seo Hwa-rin asked in return.
“Should we block it with cars like last time? It looks like a few would be enough.”
“That won’t work. If the horn sounds, the ones in the basement will come rushing up. So instead of cars, something…….”
“For example, something like that?”
Before Lee Gang-hyuk could finish his objection to Seo Hwa-rin’s question, Seo A-rin pointed at the recycling station and asked in return, prompting Lee Gang-hyuk to smile and nod.
“Yes, exactly. I don’t know who left them, but they’re perfect.”
The recycling station was filled with wardrobes, dressers, and bookshelves—apparently someone had moved out just before the catastrophe struck.
Add to that a Barricade made from Bone Beads, and?
‘That should be enough.’
As Lee Gang-hyuk nodded in satisfaction, the two headed for the recycling station.
“Graaaaahhh.”
“Grrrrr.”
Upon passing the entrance to the Underground Parking Lot, they heard the growling of zombies.
‘They’re right below the ramp.’
The sounds were quite close.
‘Not all, but probably dozens.’
The number of zombies also seemed considerable.
They must have gathered near the entrance after hearing the roar, then been left there.
“…….”
The three naturally fell silent and moved every piece of furniture from the recycling station to the entrance.
Making no footsteps, moving slowly.
And so…….
After moving all the furniture without disturbing the creatures below, the three let out a sigh of relief.
“Let’s finish it.”
“Yes. Attack.”
At his words, Seo A-rin summoned a Water Snake no thicker than a pinky finger and suddenly pointed at Lee Gang-hyuk’s big toe.
“Tactical Processing!”
Crunch-crunch.
He’d asked Seo A-rin just to be sure.
And as expected, the moment the Water Snake bit, it forcibly created a combat situation.
No longer needing to maintain control over the zombies, Lee Gang-hyuk smiled as he looked at the Barricade that had formed at the parking lot entrance.
“Then shall we start from Unit 1, first floor?”
Now that the Underground Parking Lot was sealed, there’d be no sudden appearances from zombies.
The reassured three stood before Unit 1, Room 101, and summoned the Water Snake to survey the interior.
“Two of them.”
“Tsk. Im Jae-bum, Electric. Take care of it.”
“Grraaah!”
The moment they confirmed through the Water Snake that zombies were inside, he issued the command.
At the same time…….
As Im Jae-bum and Electric coordinated their attack, the screams of zombies echoed out.
“They seem paralyzed……. Should we open the door?”
Nod-nod.
Beep-beep.
As Seo A-rin, watching the situation through her Water Snake, asked the question, Lee Gang-hyuk nodded, and with the sound of the electronic lock engaging, the firmly closed door opened.
Seo A-rin had operated the electronic lock with her Water Snake.
“Graaahhh!”
“Grrreeehhh!”
As the door opened, the paralyzed zombies knelt and growled.
Drool dripping from their mouths suggested the prey before them looked rather appetizing.
But that prey, showing no intention of being consumed willingly, reached out and spoke in a hushed tone.
“Fire Wall!”
Whoooosh.
“Graaahhh!”
“Kwahhh…….”
The flames that erupted from the ground had a range small enough to burn only the zombies.
But since the focus was on power rather than range, the fire that began in red soon took on a bluish hue.
“I’ll check the back rooms then.”
“Okay!”
Rather than wait for the zombies to die, checking the interior would save time.
Even though the apartment complex was small, they’d need to move efficiently to examine everything, so Lee Gang-hyuk asked the two for understanding and stepped inside.
‘It’s quite spacious.’
The interior was considerably larger than it appeared from outside.
This was promising, or so he thought for a moment.
But when Lee Gang-hyuk discovered a box containing gold and jewels in the master bedroom, his eyes widened in surprise.
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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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