47. Greetings. (2)

I slowly nodded.

“Understood.”

I don’t understand at all.

I can hardly believe him, to the point where my Korean is getting messed up, and I’m skeptical.

How can I take the word of someone who sees hallucinations and hears things?

But, radiation.

I have no desire to experiment with radiation to see if what he says is true.

I watched a foreign drama called Chernobyl before the apocalypse, and the way people die from radiation exposure is truly terrifying.

Their skin peels off, and blood streams from their eyes.

Ugh, fuck.

It just came to mind.

Director Park smiled awkwardly and said:

“Yes, it’s dangerous.”

You’re the danger.

But I don’t want to argue anymore, so I nodded and went down the stairs.

Everyone is lying on the ground, starving, and with all the potential dangers when the power goes out, I really need to raid the pharmacy.

“Mr. Seong-hun, you’re up early. Are you going out?”

A Special Forces member on guard duty at the entrance greeted me.

I nodded and said:

“Yes, I’m going to the pharmacy.”

I gave him a brief explanation and walked away, but I felt uneasy.

Should I just barge into the basement?

His attitude and everything about him just doesn’t sit right.

…Tsk.

I’ll see how it goes.

As I thought this, the barbed wire fence came into view.

I was about to activate the Spatial Claw but changed my mind.

I don’t want to wear out my shoes again.

Instead, I summoned a motorcycle and climbed on.

I aimed at the barbed wire and clenched my fist.

Whoosh!

It feels like being sucked into a void.

The motorcycle and I leaped over the barbed wire and flew forward due to the speed.

I was only a few meters off the ground, but it felt like being on a high-speed train.

I pulled the throttle hard.

Vroom!

When I hit the ground, the back wheel skidded left and right.

Screech, screech!

My hair flew wildly.

The morning sun was blinding.

I rode the motorcycle down the road, kicking up dust.

After a short ride, the village from yesterday appeared.

It looked the same.

Except for the dozens of bodies lying on the road, the empty streets and the quiet scenery were just as they were.

I rode over a few bodies and stopped in front of the pharmacy to catch my breath.

“Phew.”

It’s better to use the motorcycle when leaping over things with the Spatial Claw.

It’s much better than using my sneakers.

I had two duffel bags on my back.

They were large, almost 1.5 meters long.

If I fill them up, it should be enough.

The pharmacy’s glass walls were shattered.

Inside, no one was there.

I had killed them all yesterday.

Squeak, squeak.

I opened both zippers of the duffel bags and swept everything from the pharmacy into them.

Paste, spray, disinfectant, vitamins, contraceptives, digestive aids, B-complex, you name it, I grabbed everything I could see, but the duffel bags were so large that I couldn’t fill them even after a long time.

Should I fill one duffel bag with food?

No.

This is a pharmacy run.

Food can be found later.

I filled both duffel bags and left the pharmacy.

Then, I stopped.

…Something feels off.

I don’t know why I suddenly feel this way.

I stood still and listened.

It sounded like tapping a stick on a piece of wood…

A very faint, almost inaudible sound.

A clicking sound.

It wasn’t coming from one specific point.

It was scattered, coming from various directions.

I looked up and down the street.

Left, then right.

There was nothing.

The abandoned cars were still there, and the buildings’ glass walls and windows were undisturbed.

It was just quiet.

I took a deep breath and shouted:

“Is anyone there!”

I don’t expect to find survivors.

If they were here, they would have come out yesterday.

But if something is there, come out quickly.

With this thought, I shouted again:

“Is anyone here! It’s the government!”

It was quiet.

Only my voice echoed off the buildings.

And the sound stopped.

The faint clicking sound no longer heard.

…It’s really annoying.

“…Tsk.”

I clicked my tongue and summoned the motorcycle to ride back.

The return trip was also quiet.

But as I left the village, and the mountains came into view, and the scattered trees and bushes appeared, the feeling came back.

…Someone is staring at me intently.

Vroom! Screech, screech!

I stopped the motorcycle, immediately drew my bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the bushes.

Whoosh!

…I see them.

Red lights.

They scatter in all directions as I aim.

Behind trees, behind rocks.

“…I really don’t like this.”

If they want to attack, just do it.

I’ll kill whatever it is, whether it’s a wild boar or something else.

Why are you sending minions to watch me?

I raised my bow and aimed at the mountain.

Scattered red lights, faintly visible.

But they were blocked by trees and rocks, appearing and disappearing.

I don’t think I can hit anything.

If I enter the mountain, I might encounter more than I can handle.

The best would be to fight with the support of the Special Forces, but that’s not possible here.

“Tsk.”

I released the bowstring, put the bow away, and rode the motorcycle back to the power plant.

I can kill exactly 400 at once with one raid.

…If I could kill thousands at once, I would have entered the mountain without hesitation.

But I can’t, so there’s nothing I can do.

It’s frustrating to have power with clear limitations.

When I returned to the power plant, Sung Gyeon was at the entrance.

“Did you go to the pharmacy?”

I nodded and put down the two duffel bags.

“You should keep a good watch. There were creatures outside watching me.”

Sung Gyeon’s expression changed.

“Did you see something?”

“No.”

I feel a bit dirty now.

I was already uneasy from Director Park, and then I went out and found creatures watching me.

I twisted my lips and shook my head.

“I wish they had come out. This time, I’ll go north.”

“To Bu-gu-ri?”

“Bu-gu-ri?”

Sung Gyeon nodded.

“The village up there. It’s right after you leave the power plant.”

I slowly nodded and picked up two empty duffel bags.

“I’ll be back. I need to get some food this time.”

“Mr. Seong-hun.”

I turned around on the motorcycle.

Sung Gyeon smiled and said:

“Be careful.”

…She’s beautiful.

She looks even prettier when she smiles.

I cleared my throat and rode the motorcycle north.

I leaped over the barbed wire and rode down the road, and a small village appeared right in front of me.

A rural village with small houses and a few shops.

I looked around the village and rode west on the road.

The only reason I came back to the power plant is one.

I didn’t come out to get food or supplies.

I came to find where the creatures that were watching me are hiding.

After a short ride, a fairly large village appeared.

It had apartments, a beauty salon, and a convenience store.

It’s not a city, but it’s definitely a village where people lived.

I stopped the motorcycle in the middle of the village and listened.

Did they follow me here?

…I hear it.

The clicking sound.

I shouted:

“Is anyone there!”

Roar!

Crash!

Human Beasts rushed out from all directions.

I immediately threw my sword to the side and pulled out an Ingram.

I pulled the trigger, spraying bullets.

Vroom!

“Roar!”

The creatures cut by the Shadow Warrior and those with their heads shot by the Ingram fell, spraying blood.

I killed dozens in an instant.

Swish, click!

The sound of my sword being sheathed and the magazine being replaced spread.

And the world became quiet.

I can feel it.

The gaze.

The clicking sound continues.

I can’t see them, but they’re definitely there.

“…Fuck, I really don’t like this. Come out!”

The sound disappeared.

“…Tsk.”

That’s it, isn’t it?

I clicked my tongue and entered the convenience store with shattered glass.

Even if they’re hiding somewhere, they might come out if I search for them.

It would be nice if something came out and died by my hand.

Cats, dogs, anything.

I swept the convenience store shelves and stuffed the two duffel bags full, then looked outside.

There’s nothing.

But I can hear the sound.

This time, it’s clear and getting louder.

Click, click, click! Click, click!

I slung the two duffel bags over my shoulder and walked out of the convenience store calmly.

The left road.

And the right road were dark.

Boxes of rats filled both sides.

There were at least a hundred.

Click, click, click!

The creatures were gnashing their teeth.

“…Huh.”

Is this it?

Did they chase me around just for this?

I can’t believe it, fuck.

“Haha.”

I laughed.

Squeak! Squeak!

A rat made a sound.

Then, they charged at me.

From the left.

From the right.

I gritted my teeth.

It’s really pissing me off.

Acceleration.

[Automatic Activation: Acceleration]

I drew both swords.

And, with the Shadow Warrior, I swung them in all directions.

Swish, crunch!

Rat blood is also red.

Splat!

As the acceleration ended, blood droplets flew all over me.

I hadn’t been drenched in blood in a long time.

Rats with their heads and limbs severed, spilling their guts, lay dead.

Looking down at them, I slowly took a deep breath.

…The frustration isn’t gone.

Cracking my neck to the left and right, I heard a pop.

“Phew…”

The four-story building with the convenience store.

I extended my hand and used the Spatial Claw to leap to the roof in one go.

Thud.

Standing on the roof, I looked in the direction the rats came from.

Far away, the mountains.

I summoned the motorcycle and opened the storage compartment under the seat.

Purple energy swirled around my hand.

I gripped it and pulled.

A long, heavy gun, wrapped in purple energy, formed in my hand.

A long, heavy gun.

The M107, a large-caliber sniper rifle that uses high-explosive armor-piercing rounds.

I immediately released the safety and loaded the ammunition.

Click!

It sounds good.

I held the M107 with both hands, aimed, and looked through the high-magnification scope.

I don’t need to adjust the sights.

This is the longest-range weapon I have. Once I lock onto a target, it will automatically hit the target’s head.

“…Phew…”

Small red lights flicker by.

They’re not my targets.

Over the mountain ridge, the summit.

Between the trees and rocks.

A massive red light appeared.

A faint smile appeared on my lips.

…They sent the small ones to test me, huh?

Is this your beastly greeting?

Then, this is my greeting.

I pulled the trigger.