episode_0179

There was a considerable number of them. For reasons unknown, it was a large quantity. Sometimes, when working at construction sites, I had to dispose of waste oil. Back then, it was nothing more than a headache, causing annoyance by just costing money. But now, it was different. The waste oil, which was merely expensive trash, would be splendidly repurposed tonight. I placed a pillow bomb in the center of the neatly arranged drums. Now, all I needed to do was lure the zombies and light it up… ‘Seems bland?’ Something was missing. Simply burning them wouldn’t be enough, given the sheer number of them. Since I was doing it anyway, I felt like delivering a big first strike. I looked at the pillow bomb, packed full of gunpowder, and opened my inventory. ‘The foreman once told me. Is that your best? Damn it.’ It was an irritating thing to say to someone who was working hard, but it helped. First, I took out a large burlap sack, one size bigger than the usual. Normally, it was exactly 1 meter vertically, but this one was a bit larger. I opened the sack and carefully placed the pillow bomb inside. Then, I laid a few grenades at the bottom. Clatter! For the remaining empty space, I poured in steel balls. The same steel balls I used for slingshot ammunition. Wouldn’t this be better than just setting it on fire? Since it was an item I rarely used, I didn’t hold back. I packed it tightly, pressing down hard, and sealed the opening. The bulging, lumpy sack already seemed on the verge of tearing. While I was at it, I finished off the remaining pillow bombs in the same way. I set two of these “pillow bombs” on the drums and finished up. ‘This side is done…’ I turned around and leaped onto the rooftop of the Joseon Governor-General’s Residence. I gauged the distance to the brute and opened my inventory. ‘This isn’t what these are for…’ Among the materials I had packed, feeling somewhat disgruntled, was a scaffolding pipe. I attached Molotov cocktails to a 2-meter scaffolding pipe. Peel-snap! I wrapped it tightly with blue duct tape, a bestseller among finishing materials. I made more of the same, preparing ten in total. It truly proves that if you keep things, you’ll eventually find a use for them. Perhaps that’s why a man’s room is filled with all sorts of junk. Finished with my preparations, I pulled out a cigarette and put it in my mouth. As always, it was standard practice to smoke one before starting work. “Whoosh~” Indeed, a cigarette smoked on a rooftop felt special… “Aren’t you scared?” ‘…….’ “Are you alright?” I remembered Shia, looking at me worriedly from the rooftop. “Oh, oh, that’s so cheesy….” “You can do it! O-Oppa.” “Pfft… Heh…” It seemed she remembered me smoking on the rooftop, too. It was a moment to be tense, right before diving into action, but I found myself laughing. Her gentle voice and gently curving eyes flickered in my mind. Am I scared? Yes, I am. I was always scared, always nervous, and my heart always pounded. Monsters, undead, zombies—they all terrified me. Their unfiltered killing intent and hostility sent shivers down my spine. I had just endured, suppressed, and withstood it. The moment I was devoured, I would die. I hated being hungry, hated being in pain, and hated dying even more. I fought to live, ate to live, and endured to live. I gripped! I lifted a scaffolding pipe. ‘…….’ I absolutely had no intention of dying after working my ass off. I would live a full, joyful, and happy life. “Go safely.” “Wait for me beautifully.” Oppa would earn a fortune and return. I felt as if the blood in my body was heating up. I felt as if my muscles were swelling with blood. But the vitality coursing through my entire body was no illusion. Groan! Unable to control the overflowing strength in my grip, the scaffolding pipe slightly crumpled. My target was the brute. Only that one. The rest would be handled by the damage over time from the fire. Just then, moonlight streamed down. My vision brightened in the darkness, and I could clearly see my opponent. I lit the Molotov cocktail with the tip of the cigarette in my mouth. “…This is my greeting.” Flicker! Ignite! Whoosh! WHOOSH—!! An attack that leveraged the greatest advantage of a bare human. I threw the scaffolding pipe with all my raw strength. Thud! Roar! The scaffolding pipe flew with a tremendous tearing sound and hit its target precisely. Simultaneously, the Molotov cocktail did its job. ROAR!!!! A massive flame illuminated the dark street. Parts of the creature’s body, covered in rotting flesh, were engulfed in flames. As it screamed and thrashed, nearby zombies were flung into the air by its movements. It hadn’t recognized me yet. Quickly, I lit the fuse of another Molotov cocktail and threw the scaffolding pipe again. WHOOSH—!! Thud! SCREEECH!!! Struck by successive throws and covered in flames, the giant zombie began to go into a frenzy. As I prepared for the third throw, I felt the giant zombie’s gaze fix squarely on me. “What are you going to do if you glare at me?” WHOOSH! Thud! ROAR—!! The giant zombie, hit for the third time, began to move its heavy bulk. The other zombies, who had been aimlessly shuffling, also began to move. All of them, heading straight for me. Thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump-thump! A tickling vibration spread from the soles of my feet. Was this what it felt like in a packed concert hall? Instead of passionate energy, there was chilling bloodlust. Instead of enthusiastic cheers, there were gruesome roars. Instead of joyful stomping, there was frenzied surging. I was not a star captivating everyone, but fresh meat. Zombies were going crazy in an entirely different sense. A wave of rotten blood, surging like an ocean tide, bore down on me. The endless procession of zombies stretched out long. The focal point of their direction was me. “Damn it. I’m too scared to go.” I pouted. I wasn’t scared. Instead of emotions that made my body shrink and stiffen, a dynamic fighting spirit took over. With a heat that felt like it would burn my head, I threw the scaffolding pipe. Thud! ROAR! Each time the scaffolding pipe hit, its contents spread. Thanks to the giant zombie’s constant thrashing, all the surrounding zombies caught fire. Both the fire and that thrashing brute. Their synergy and versatility were outstanding. The giant zombie charging looked like a burning wild boar. The giant zombie ran forward, oblivious to everything in its path. It seemed to be picking up speed. WHOOSH! Thud! The closer it got, the easier it was to hit, and the greater the force. ‘…….’ It was tough. The brute didn’t seem to be taking much damage. I had thrown the scaffolding pipe with the maximum force it could withstand, but it didn’t even embed itself in its body. The flames on its body seemed to only excite it further. But I didn’t stop. Swish! Swish! Swish! WHOOSH! “ROAR!!!” It wasn’t entirely ineffective. Each time the thrown scaffolding pipe made contact, its body lurched violently. The flames raged fiercely, but it charged on without a care. If it fueled the fire itself, I was grateful. I reciprocated the giant zombie’s closing distance with more throws. By the time I held the last one, the zombies had reached near the building. “ROAR!!!!” The enraged giant zombie let out a monstrous shriek and leaped. I didn’t know why it leaped, even though the distance between us was considerable. “Idiot.” WHOOSH! CRASH! You shouldn’t carelessly jump in front of a skilled opponent. The leaping giant zombie was struck in the head by the scaffolding pipe. With that recoil, the giant zombie fell backward, head first, crushing the zombies running beneath it. Each time it thrashed to get up, zombies exploded and flew into the air. And the small embers gradually spread to other zombies, growing in size. ‘…….’ While I was dealing with the giant zombie, the other zombies had reached the Joseon Governor-General’s building. Clinging to the walls, the zombies looked up at me, reaching out their hands. The zombies following behind them did the same. Thanks to this, the zombies in the front ranks began to be crushed and exploded. All they saw was me. Whether their friends were squashed into pulp or exploded, the zombies charged relentlessly. They repeatedly exploded and were trampled, exploded and were trampled. And with that, they slowly began to build height. “Oh, holy crap.” In an instant, the zombies began piling up, forming a hill of flesh. They would roll, fall, and explode, but they still climbed over each other. They were already clinging to the building’s waist. I quickly pulled out my lighter and a Molotov cocktail. Click! Whoosh! A turbo lighter, a man’s friend for outdoor activities. As long as it had enough gas, it wouldn’t easily go out. “I’m doing this again.” I greeted the arson, committed after a long time, with a bright smile. With a wide grin, I threw the lit Molotov cocktail. Boom-WHOOSH! The clustered zombies climbing up caught fire properly. Swish-Boom! Swish-Boom! Swish-Boom! The fire provided the spectacle. I just quickly lit the fuses and threw them. Roar! As the flames rose, a strong heat struck my face. As expected, zombies caught fire easily. The small fire, started with a single Molotov cocktail, didn’t diminish but quickly gained momentum. The moment I threw one more Molotov cocktail. Crunch-crunch! “Gurgle! Gurgle! Croak!” A zombie appeared, climbing the wall diagonally from the side. From the opposite side, another ran along the wall on all fours, as if in concert. The moment I stepped back from where I was throwing Molotov cocktails, Thump! Thump! “SCREECH!!” Two zombies simultaneously leaped onto the rooftop railing. Thump! Smack! Thud! Timing their fall, I knocked them away with a scissor kick in mid-air. Screaming, the two zombies fell again and were soon buried among others, disappearing from sight. Crunch! Crunch-Crash! “…Hey!” “ROAR!!” In a brief moment, the giant zombie had climbed onto the rooftop. It moved with agility unsuited for its size— Crack-crack! “?” Crumble-CRASH! “GROAN?!” “…….” Was it because it was so old? Or was it because the giant zombie was so heavy? The moment it moved to thrash, the floor collapsed. The giant zombie’s monstrous scream sounded foolish. “You stupid bas―” CRACKLE! Before I could finish my sentence, the entire rooftop collapsed. It fell all at once, preventing me from reacting properly. Thump! I landed safely, without an embarrassing tumble. “Oh, what the hell…” Thud! “!!” The floor I landed on immediately broke through again. And the floor below that, and the one below that. Clatter-thump-thump-rumble-rumble-rumble! “Cough! Cough!” Due to the successive collapsing ceilings, I fell all the way to the first floor and tumbled. I instinctively sprang to my feet. The interior was filled with rising dust, making it impossible to see ahead. My neck warmer wasn’t enough; even covering my mouth, I couldn’t stop coughing. ‘Ugh, damn it…’ Concrete, originally constructed according to proper standards, gains strength over time. But now, it had crumbled as if it were a fragile cookie. My vision was obscured, but I first drew my sword from my inventory. I immediately swung it into the air and shifted my body. Tear! Splat-splat! A zombie, split in half, was scattered. Without time to fully comprehend, I continuously swung my sword. Towards the zombies falling from above. “ROAR—!!” Slice! Hack! Zombies rained down from the ceiling as if raindrops were falling from the sky. I kept swinging my sword and moving my feet without stopping. The debris on the floor made it difficult, but I had to keep moving. If I wasn’t careful, I’d be crushed by the zombies. I had to get out first. I swung my sword and moved my body, without losing focus. The giant zombie was in here… Whoosh! Suddenly, a large hand shot out, parting the dust. I instinctively shifted my body and swung my sword down towards its wrist. Thud! “!” It was hard. It felt like putting a knife to a block of frozen meat. I had sliced countless zombies until now, but I couldn’t cut it off. The sword penetrated more than half of the giant zombie’s wrist, but couldn’t sever it. “SCREECH!!” I pulled the sword, applying force in the direction I had been cutting. Tear! “SCREECH??!” Its wrist was severed, and the giant zombie’s body came into view. Without hesitation, I kicked it with all my might. Thud! CRASH! I quickly retreated through the collapsed wall. “Gasp! Hah!” I quickly gasped for breath. I pushed out the dusty air with fresh oxygen and sheathed my sword. Instead, I quickly pulled out a Molotov cocktail and lit it. Whoosh! First, one into the building I had just burst out of. BOOM! Flames surged, and I heard a sound like something halfway exploding. Soon after, the chorus of loud zombie roars erupted. Zombies on fire came rushing out of the building. Zombies at the building’s entrance also recognized me and charged. I drew my sword again and rushed towards the giant zombie. “ROAR!!!” I charged directly towards the side where its arm had been severed. Conscious of the strength in my entire body, I swung my sword powerfully. Slice! Hack! I cut off the left thigh of the struggling zombie that had just gotten up. There was considerable resistance, but cutting it off wasn’t a problem. Thud! Whizz-swish! Swish! I immediately threw Molotov cocktails and grenades at the giant zombie falling backward. And I ran without looking back. BANG! WHOOSH! “ROAR!!” The brute, hit by a grenade to the head, let out a shriek and tried to get up. ‘Damn, it’s tough.’ The hideous appearance of the giant zombie made it even more repulsive. Its utterly burned skin was on the verge of turning to ash. Burned flesh clung to it everywhere. Beneath the remaining scraps of flesh, taut muscle fibers were visible. It felt as if rubber had been compressed, giving it a sense of elasticity. And its face, as large as a car tire. It possessed all the common traits of mutated creatures. A truly unbearable sight. Perhaps due to the grenade, one of its eye sockets was deeply gouged. ‘Still has an eyeball left…’ It didn’t seem like a miss, but its eyeball was precariously clinging… Snap! It just fell off. Squish! The giant zombie, unable to stand, finally began to crawl on the ground using both arms. A shiver ran down my spine as it crawled towards me, crushing its own eyeball. ‘Damn, it’s fast!’ Perhaps because of its size, it crawled surprisingly quickly. Behind the burning, crawling giant zombie, other zombies followed. After confirming the approaching horde of zombies, I turned around and ran. I occasionally threw grenades to draw their attention. ‘…….’ The waste oil storage area was close by. The enraged zombies diligently pursued me. Though slower than my running, the giant zombie also crawled, roaring. I ran past the waste oil drums where I had set the pillow bombs and continued a little further. ‘As much as possible…’ Lure as many as possible. I stopped running and turned around. Except for a few scattered ones in front, a massive number of zombies were surging towards me. Thump! I ran back the way I came, herding the zombies. I ran close to the wall, unlike when I had run along the road. The zombies, changing direction and charging, soon began to clump together. They were colliding, getting trampled, and causing chaos among themselves. But they were steadily gathering. Soon, the drums came into view. Just then, the giant zombie was also passing nearby. The trailing zombies were also very close. Fizz! I threw a lit Molotov cocktail at the giant zombie once more. The giant zombie, with flames spreading from its head to its entire back, let out a shriek. As I hid behind the drums, it pushed the drums aside and crawled straight towards me. Thump-gurgle-gurgle-gurgle! Blackened waste oil spilled from the overturned drums. The moment I saw the giant zombie crawling over the drums, Whoosh! I quickly leaped over the fence and hid behind some scrapped cars. According to my experience from setting fires before, I absolutely had to hide. A moment later. ‘……?’ It was quiet. No explosion occurred. It was a failure. As I feared, the waste oil hadn’t ignited. The zombies were fine and looked ready to break down the wall. “…Damn it.” I stood up, drawing my sword. Since things had come to this, I would just cut them all down… BOOOOOOM—!! “Gasp?!” My body was sent flying by an unexpected impact. I gasped as my back hit a scrapped car. As my body fell to the ground, I clearly saw it. A colossal pillar of fire erupted, piercing the night sky. The beautifully rising flames soon began to burn terrifyingly.