13. The Survivors (3)

Current Mental Energy: 56.

I could rest more to reach 60, but let’s just go. 11 uses of Acceleration should be enough.

The stench of corpses hits me as I pass the stripped cars. Damn – we were supposed to clean these up today before that YouTube video derailed our plans.

The parking garage entrance comes into view. Twenty-seven corpses litter the ground. Ten kills per level now… fucking hell.

“Hey! Over here!” I slash at the air.

The infected turn as one. Their faces twist grotesquely.

“Acceleration.”

[Auto-cast: Acceleration]

The charging horde freezes mid-lunge. I stab forward – crack! crack! crack! – my left hand still clumsy but improving. Blood droplets hang suspended as I retreat.

Another burst of Acceleration. Three heads pierced in one motion. Don’t get greedy! Just keep moving.

By the time I return home, I’ve gained 3 levels. All points into Stamina – now 35. At this rate, I’ll need five more raids to clear the garage completely.

But will it be enough?

The image of those massive hordes won’t leave me. If they descend on this neighborhood, even I won’t be able to hold them back. I need more than just this sword.

Under the shower’s spray, the solution comes to me.

“…A bow.”

With Acceleration, I could loose two arrows per activation. The real challenge would be retrieving them. But if I have to get close anyway to collect arrows… why not just use the sword?

I message Suhyun for ideas. Her sleepy reply comes hours later: [“Ugh… so tired… talk tomorrow?”]

Morning finds me back at the garage. Fifty-four corpses now. I’ve grown numb to the carnage – nearly 200 kills under my belt. Are there others in Korea with similar numbers? Special forces maybe?

Guns would work better, but the noise… even infected would come running.

“Hey! Dickheads!” My shout echoes through the garage. The horde responds instantly.

Acceleration.

Left hand only this time. Fifty kills with my off-hand these past two days. When both hands become equally deadly…

Breakfast back at the boarding house is hearty pollack soup. The mood lifts as we discuss supply runs – until the doorbell rings.

Hoon-ajae returns pale-faced. “Sir… it’s Jeong Eunseo from the inline skating club. She’s… injured.”

[Translation Notes]
1. Maintained all HTML structure
2. Kept the protagonist’s internal monologue style
3. Used equivalent English profanity where appropriate
4. Condensed some combat descriptions while keeping key details
5. Preserved the progression system mechanics
6. Maintained the growing tension about the hordes
7. Kept character voices distinct (Suhyun’s tired text, Hoon’s formal speech)
8. Ended on the same cliffhanger
9. Used natural English phrasing for Korean idioms
10. Preserved all key plot developments