Chapter 39: Necromancer Kim Tae-min (3)

A tense silence filled the room.

Ha-eun’s group waited with stony faces for Tae-min’s answer. To hear his reason for turning the underground mall people into zombies.

Finally, Tae-min spoke.

“Ah, it was an accident.”

“An accident…?”

“I simply revived people who died in a sudden accident as zombies. But I’m not sure why that’s such a big deal…”

“That’s not the issue!”

Min-cheol shouted angrily at the response that seemed to misunderstand the situation.

“They were our comrades who had been living with us all this time. Even if they died in an accident, turning them into zombies is…!”

“But it would be a waste, you know.”

“…What?”

“If you make zombies from corpses above level 10, they can use some of the skills they had when alive. It would be a shame to just leave them.”

Tae-min answered nonchalantly.

He turned around and patted the shoulder of a male zombie behind him. The zombie’s eyes flashed red as it lifted a metal plate nearby.

“Like this.”

The zombie’s name when alive was Park Chang-seok.

He had the job of Shield Soldier, with a skill that could maximize the defense of any object he held to use as a shield.

What he just demonstrated was that skill.

“Plus, they can even communicate a bit, albeit clumsily. Of course, they don’t have their own will and are just repeating what I say, but still.”

“Re-repeating what, what you say, but still.”

An awkward greeting came from Chang-seok’s zombie mouth. A voice similar to when he was alive. The group’s expressions hardened even more at this sight.

Then Eun-ji spoke up.

“But, but where is Da-yeon?”

“Hm? Da-yeon? Who was that again?”

“…The little girl who followed you well. Don’t tell me you didn’t even know her name until now?”

“Haha, of course not. I just forgot for a moment.”

Tae-min waved his hand.

“To answer your question, that child also passed away in an accident. As you said, I remembered how well she followed me, so I buried her in a sunny spot.”

“Then what about Grandpa Deok-su…”

“The same for the old man.”

Tae-min answered with a smile.

Ha-eun felt a sense of discomfort at this sight.

At a glance, he seemed to be answering smoothly, but she felt an inexplicable awkwardness in Tae-min’s actions and responses.

So she decided to test him.

“I have something to ask too, senior.”

“What is it?”

“Actually, I went to see the Mage recently and happened to meet the Alchemist.”

Ha-eun brought up the story she had heard from Ji-hye.

The fact that she had been confined by Tae-min.

Furthermore, she explained everything, including how he had ordered her to make potions to the point of exploitation. After explaining the whole story, Ha-eun asked pressingly:

“Is that story true?”

“No, I was protecting her.”

“Protecting?”

“Yes. The Alchemist is a production class without attack skills like a Healer, right? So I was just protecting her from being exposed to danger.”

Another natural response.

Ha-eun carefully observed Tae-min’s every action and expression as she asked again.

“Then was that action a decision that reflected the Alchemist’s opinion or thoughts?”

“Yes, of course.”

Another sense of discomfort.

Ha-eun gently bit her lip.

“…Then let me ask one more thing.”

“Ask anything.”

“When you were protecting the Alchemist. Did you ever place zombies near the stairs or emergency exits to prevent her from going outside?”

“Me? Come on, of course not.”

Tae-min chuckled and waved his hand.

And through that response just now, Ha-eun realized what the sense of discomfort was.

“So it was a lie after all.”

“Hmm?”

“I already checked.”

The day she heard Ji-hye’s story.

After returning to the shopping mall, Ha-eun had examined the area near the top floor where Ji-hye claimed to have been confined.

And she found evidence supporting Ji-hye’s words near the stairs leading down and the emergency exits.

‘…Traces of rotten fluids.’

The distinctive marks left when zombies stay in one place for a long time. These traces were found in all places leading to the lower floors.

In other words, it meant that Tae-min had stationed zombies to prevent Ji-hye from escaping. At this, Tae-min rolled his eyes a few times before quickly giving an answer.

“Ah, that was just posting sentries…”

“If that were really the case, the rooftop would have been more suitable. Especially the emergency exit area has no windows, so why would sentries be needed there?”

“Moreover, senior, you frown and excessively scan your surroundings just before lying. Earlier, just now, and even right now.”

Tae-min rolled his eyes excessively.

As if observing the expressions and atmosphere of Ha-eun’s group and judging how to answer.

Consistently since they first met earlier.

This meant that all his answers so far had been lies. Including that the underground mall people had died in an accident and were turned into zombies.

“Please tell us the truth, senior.”

“If not, we can no longer be with you. The same goes for the others.”

At those words, Min-cheol and Eun-ji nodded simultaneously without anyone taking the lead. As if agreeing with Ha-eun’s thoughts.

The three closed their mouths tightly and waited for Tae-min’s answer. After a while, he stroked his chin and muttered with an interested expression:

“Hmm, I see. Interesting. Even I didn’t know I had such a habit.”

An answer that seemed to acknowledge Ha-eun’s words.

On the other hand, there was no sign of embarrassment at having his lies exposed. He only wore an expression of finding it interesting to learn a new fact about himself.

Tae-min nodded.

“Seo Ha-eun. You’re right.”

“So that means…”

“I did confine the Alchemist. It’s also true that I stationed zombies to prevent her from escaping.”

Tae-min readily admitted his actions.

The group’s expressions all hardened.

Among them, Eun-ji was the most shocked.

Because in the past, she had also received a similar proposal from Tae-min. A proposal to stay in the shopping mall and just use healing skills on injured people, without needing to wander around outside in danger.

“Wh-why would you do such a thing…”

“Obviously for the potions.”

Energy recovery potions.

Tae-min turned to Ha-eun.

“You’re starting to feel it too, right? The more skills you learn and the more often you use them, the more you lack energy.”

She wanted to refute but couldn’t.

Because Tae-min’s words were true.

Using just five skills in a row drops energy below 30% instantly. It takes considerable time to recover energy.

“On the other hand, with potions, you don’t have to worry about this. You can just drink potions while hunting zombies instead of taking time to recover energy.”

An answer that seemed reasonable at first glance.

However, there was a flaw here.

While it’s understandable that potions are needed, that’s not a sufficient reason to confine and exploit the Alchemist.

“Still, confining a comrade is…!”

“Comrade? Who? The Alchemist?”

Tae-min chuckled.

As if he had heard something ridiculous.

A moment later, he glanced at the zombies beside him with emotionless eyes.

“You seem to be misunderstanding something, but I’ve never once thought of the underground mall people as comrades from the beginning until now.”

“Wh-what do you mean…”

“Comrades, you see. It’s something that can only be established when both parties are on somewhat equal footing.”

Tae-min’s gaze turned to the zombies from the underground mall. Along with eyes full of contempt.

“But what about those things? They had nothing to their name and were even reluctant to hunt zombies, just parasites wasting food day after day.”

“Isn’t it much better to be recycled like this than to stay alive as parasites and be a burden to others?”

Parasites and recycling.

At those words, Ha-eun realized.

The fact that Tae-min didn’t even see the underground mall people as fellow humans. Min-cheol seemed to feel this too, as he shouted with a distorted face:

“No matter what, there’s a line that humans shouldn’t cross! You’ve crossed that line!”

“That may have been true in the past. But you know too, don’t you? That the world is no longer controlled by laws and order.”

Tae-min immediately rebutted.

“Well, since it’s still the early stages of the Upheaval, everyone probably still has some humanity. What you said might still work for now.”

“Th-that’s…”

“But after a little more time passes, everyone’s true nature will surely come out. Then the only thing you can trust is the power you possess.”

Tae-min clenched his fist tightly.

He spoke with conviction:

“Now power is everything in this world. Power is authority, and it will become the new order. So becoming stronger by any means necessary is the virtue now!”

By any means necessary.

With a smile on his lips, Tae-min maintained that expression as he met the group’s eyes.

Then he uttered a shocking statement:

“That’s why I made a contract with the Vampiric Tree. To obtain power stronger than anyone else.”

“You’ll find out soon too, but when you reach 3-Star rank and meet certain conditions, something called a job quest appears.”

Job quest.

After mentioning this unfamiliar name, Tae-min pointed to some particularly large zombies among those from the underground mall.

“In my case, it was to create three ghouls, which are higher-tier zombies. Well, I cleared it without much difficulty and received the reward.”

There were two rewards.

The qualification to enter the Necromancer’s Tower.

And an ‘Engraving’. Tae-min spread his left palm, and there was something like a skull-shaped tattoo engraved on it.

“There’s a level restriction so I couldn’t enter the Necromancer’s Tower, but I got this instead. A mark that allows me to make contracts with elite monsters.”

“That tattoo is…”

“The Mark of Negation. It has the ability to make mutual cooperation contracts with elite monsters by offering the price they demand.”

At those words, the group’s eyes widened.

The ability to contract with elite monsters. And he made a contract with the Vampiric Tree?

Then doesn’t that mean all the acts committed by the Vampiric Tree are connected to Tae-min? As everyone wore blank expressions at this shocking truth.

“The problem is that the price demanded by the Vampiric Tree is quite troublesome. I need to gather the souls of a thousand people, which is no easy task.”

“A-a thousand souls…?”

“Yes, but it’s okay. I only need about 200 more for the contract to be complete.”

Those words sent chills down their spines.

A thousand human souls were needed, but only 200 remained – this meant he had already killed 800 humans.

Moreover, Tae-min’s face showed no sign of guilt as he revealed this fact. That’s when Eun-ji shouted with a pale face:

“Th-that’s murder!”

“So what?”

“What do you mean ‘so what’? Murder is a sin!”

“And? If my actions are sinful, who’s going to judge me? Should I turn myself in to a court?”

Tae-min smiled.

It was a sneer.

“In this world, only the strong have the right to judge others. And the only one who could judge me… currently would be the Mage.”

His gaze turned south.

Towards Jamsil. Where the Mage was. Looking at the dark blue sky, Tae-min muttered softly:

“But the Mage’s judgment won’t reach me. From what I’ve observed, the Mage’s skills have a limit of 3km from the officetel.”

While this place is 8km away.

Of course, if the Mage moved here, it would be a different story. Tae-min had made sufficient preparations for any possible situation.

“So I set up Dead Eyes on the way here. Seeing that the Mage hasn’t been detected yet, it seems he doesn’t know I’m here.”

Dead Eye.

A skill that shares vision with designated corpses.

In simple terms, it’s a skill that uses corpses’ eyes like CCTV. Through this, Tae-min can detect the Mage’s approach in advance.

Meanwhile, Ha-eun, who had been mulling over Tae-min’s story, suddenly seemed to realize something and shouted:

“W-wait a minute! If senior made a contract with the Vampiric Tree, then could it be that two days ago when the Vampiric Tree’s minions attacked the Mage’s base…!”

“Yes, that’s right. I ordered it.”

Tae-min readily affirmed.

The fact that he had told the Vampiric Tree where the Mage’s base was. And that he had told it to attack the Mage first.

“B-but why the Mage…”

“Because he’s dangerous.”

The Mage of Fire Thunder has the power to drop lightning wherever he wants.

What if Tae-min’s contract with the Vampiric Tree was discovered during battle? It means lightning could fall on his head.

“That’s why I deliberately left my base and came all the way here. As I said earlier, the Mage’s skills are only effective within 3km.”

And one more thing.

There was another reason for targeting the Mage.

“Plus, even the Mage’s corpse alone has considerable value. If I turn the Mage’s corpse into a zombie, it would surely become a reliable ally.”

Tae-min’s eyes sparkled.

Eyes full of anticipation. But only for a moment, Tae-min let out a deep sigh.

“Well, although it failed this time.”

“The Mage subjugated the Vampiric Tree, and I became a fugitive. The only fortunate thing is that the contract with the Vampiric Tree wasn’t canceled.”

Tae-min is a Necromancer.

He has the ability to revive corpses.

So he planned to gather the remaining souls required by the contract, secure ownership of the Vampiric Tree, and then revive it as an undead.

“I’m going to target the Mage again. If I push with sheer numbers, even the Mage won’t have any good options. So…”

Right after finishing his long explanation.

Tae-min closed his mouth and looked around at the group. He stared into the eyes of Min-cheol, Eun-ji, and finally Ha-eun, smiling slightly.

“Now, will you give me your answer?”

“What answer…”

“Whether you’ll cooperate with me as you have until now, or say goodbye here.”

Ha-eun silently pressed her lips together.

Tae-min spoke with a still smiling face:

“We were quite an ideal party, weren’t we? We have a reliable vanguard, an assassin who can conceal her presence, and even a healer who can treat wounds.”

Tae-min met eyes with each member of the group one by one.

Min-cheol frowned, Eun-ji averted her gaze, and Ha-eun bit her lip. But Tae-min continued speaking regardless:

“Even if our values and thoughts differ now, if you stay by my side, you’ll eventually realize that I was right.”

“I want to be with everyone. The time we’ve spent together hasn’t been bad. So I hope you’ll make a wise choice.”

Having said his piece, Tae-min stepped back.

As if giving them time to think.

Meanwhile, Ha-eun, who had been mulling over his proposal and story, glared at Tae-min with a hardened expression.

‘It’s all lies.’

The talk of an ideal party.

Even saying he wants to continue being with everyone. The evidence is that he frowned and scanned their reactions like before.

Ha-eun fell into thought.

‘What should I do?’

Of course, she wasn’t contemplating the answer.

She had intended to refuse the proposal from the start.

Her dilemma was whether to subdue Tae-min or flee from here. And soon she reached a conclusion.

‘…Let’s run away.’

No matter how much she racked her brain, she couldn’t think of a way to defeat Tae-min. Because he had troublesome skills besides controlling zombies.

[Activating skill.]

[Shadow Walk: Swift Step]

Having made her preparations, Ha-eun exchanged glances with Min-cheol. To signal him to take Eun-ji and flee at full speed.

Fortunately, Min-cheol seemed to understand as he slightly nodded his chin. The problem was that someone besides Min-cheol had also grasped Ha-eun’s intentions.

“Ah, it’s better to give up on the idea of escaping. There’s no way to get out of here anyway.”

Tae-min said with a smiling face.

At that moment, countless footsteps were heard from the roads and bushes around the gas station.

Thud thud thud!

Hundreds of zombies.

With higher-tier ghouls mixed in between.

They instantly blocked Ha-eun’s group’s escape routes and formed a tight encirclement.

“Wh-when did they…”

Eun-ji’s face turned pale.

Ha-eun was surprised too. There had clearly been no signs until just moments ago.

“So, what’s your answer?”

Tae-min asked with an expressionless face.

Ha-eun took several deep breaths, then pointed her combat knife at him. And she uttered the words she had already decided on:

“Of course we refuse.”

“…Refuse?”

“Now that we know everything you’ve done, we can’t treat you like before anymore.”

“I agree. Above all, there’s no guarantee you won’t turn us into zombies too.”

“I-I’m not going with you either!”

The group’s opinion was unanimous in refusal.

Tae-min clicked his tongue softly.

“Tsk, that’s a shame.”

A face devoid of any humor.

Tae-min finally revealed his true intentions.

“You all were quite useful, so I was planning to make you learn as many skills as possible before turning you into zombies…”

With that chilling truth as the last words.

The zombies surrounding the group quickly closed in their encirclement. Ha-eun immediately used a combat skill in response.

[Clone: Shadow Doppelganger]

The appearance of a clone identical to Ha-eun.

Soon after, Min-cheol also took a combat stance, shielding Eun-ji protectively. Ha-eun pointed to the direction where the encirclement looked weakest and shouted:

“I’ll break through an escape route!”

Ha-eun had a skill that could take down a dozen zombies in the blink of an eye. So as she was preparing to use it.

A strange sense of discomfort was felt.

“…Huh?”

Her feet wouldn’t move.

The same was true for her clone. At this, Ha-eun reflexively looked down at the ground and soon realized her ankles were being grabbed by corpses’ hands.

“Death Hand…!”

One of Tae-min’s skills.

It seems he had made the first move.

So as she was cutting off the corpses’ hands gripping her ankles, suddenly a familiar scream was heard.

“Kyaaah!”

A ghoul that had suddenly appeared grabbed Eun-ji.

She had tried to use Turn Undead, but it seemed to have failed. Ha-eun swung her knife to attack the ghoul, but this too failed.

Whoosh!

The ghoul showed off its amazing physical abilities and dodged Ha-eun’s attack. Then it embraced Eun-ji and immediately headed towards Tae-min.

Ha-eun shouted urgently:

“S-sis!”

“It’s okay. I won’t kill Eun-ji.”

Tae-min smiled slightly.

He patted the cheek of the frightened Eun-ji a couple times, then turned his gaze to Ha-eun.

“Healers are a rare job, so it’s worth keeping her around as insurance. But…”

Tae-min’s eyes turned cold.

At the same time, ghouls that had approached right in front of them began launching fierce attacks.

“Seo Ha-eun, you’re an exception.”

“Ugh…!”

“Of course, your combat abilities are useful. But that’s precisely why you’re more threatening. Rather than keeping you alive by my side, it’s better to turn you into a zombie.”

A whisper that sounded like a death sentence.

However, Ha-eun had no intention of going down without a fight. She used her clone to block the ghouls’ attacks and used another skill.

[Surprise Attack: Blink Attack]

Ha-eun broke through the zombies’ encirclement and rushed straight at Tae-min. Intending to inflict a fatal wound on him and then rescue Eun-ji.

But she couldn’t.

Crunch! Kwagagaga!

Suddenly, a wall rose up from the ground.

Wall Creation. The skill of Go Hyung-seok, the Architect who had been turned into a zombie by Tae-min. Quickly grasping this, Ha-eun nimbly leapt over the wall with her agile movements.

But at that moment.

“…!? Agh! Kuh!”

A misty, hazy hand grabbed Ha-eun’s neck. At the same time, she felt the strength rapidly draining from her entire body.

Ha-eun belatedly realized.

‘Vampiric Touch…!’

One of Tae-min’s skills.

It has the effect of draining life force and energy while grasping the target. Ha-eun struggled to break free from the skill, but it was useless.

“No! Ha-eun!”

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll let you meet her again after reviving her as a zombie.”

Eun-ji screaming. Tae-min smiling coldly.

Their faces blurring hazily.

She couldn’t breathe. Now she didn’t even have the strength left to struggle with her whole body.

‘No way, really…?’

Is this the end?

Without even seeing her family?

Am I really going to die like this?

‘…I don’t want to.’

I don’t want to die yet.

I want to live just a little longer. Ha-eun struggled with all her might to shake off the shadow of death that had come so close. But it was meaningless.

The more she struggled, the more her strength drained away, and now even her consciousness was fading.

‘Mage…!’

Just before her consciousness completely faded.

Beyond her nearly blind vision, she saw something falling from the sky.

A monster with a bizarre form.

It fell through the air and struck Tae-min like a flash of lightning.

Kwaaaang!

A thunderous roar and rising smoke.

At that moment, the Vampiric Touch that had been strangling Ha-eun disappeared without a trace. Then Ha-eun fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

“Cough, cough! Ugh, ugh…”

As she coughed, her hazy vision gradually returned to normal. Then a somehow familiar warmth enveloped Ha-eun’s body.

“Ha-eun! Are you coming to your senses?”

“S-sis?”

“Sob! Thank goodness. I’m so glad you’re safe.”

Eun-ji smiled brightly, swallowing her tears.

At this, Ha-eun realized. That she had regained her vitality thanks to Eun-ji’s healing skill.

But how is Eun-ji here?

She was clearly captured by Tae-min earlier?

With such thoughts, as she raised her head, she saw a monster with a familiar appearance. A headless monster with whip-like arms.

“…The Collector!”

Then Tae-min’s angry roar was heard.

As the dust settled, he emerged looking relatively unscathed. Tae-min glared at the Collector with murderous eyes and growled:

“Your presence here means…”

Grrrr!

Tae-min’s words were cut off.

They were drowned out by a sound from above. Belatedly realizing this, Tae-min turned his gaze to the sky.

Black storm clouds that had suddenly gathered.

Blue lightning flashing through the gaps. Seeing this, Tae-min seemed to realize something as his expression hardened. And at that moment.

Krrrrr! Kwaaaang─!

With a sound like the sky was collapsing.

A dazzling bolt of lightning struck Tae-min.