Hiding a House in the Apocalypse - Chapter 267



Only Krnovel

110. Debt (2)

I’ve seen fanatics active on the PaleNet.

At the time, their behavior felt crude and, what could I say, inhuman.

It’s like the Joseonjok who first started voice phishing.

But people change and learn quickly.

Just as voice phishing was so sophisticated before the war that even cautious young people fell for it, fanatics have also evolved from their old crude and inhumane ways to engage in cunning propaganda activities.

The way I see it, that guy named One Face is a fanatic.

Either by murder or by accidental discovery, they’ve acquired Internet satellite equipment and are now trying to wag their wicked tongues on our message boards.

Aside from that, the photo posted by One Face definitely had a strong impact.

Because this is a scene where the rumors that the Legion faction is carrying out an organized massacre of fanatics are revealed to be true.

As a hunter, I believe that it is a good thing that fanatics die, but as a human being, I believe that such indiscriminate slaughter is unethical.

ONE_FAITH: We will bring every single murderer to justice.

The fanatic pointed to the defender.

Defender’s handsome face will have a negative impact that will remain vivid in other people’s memories.

I’ve been sniped several times already, and once even targeted directly, but this time it’s different.

The entire cult, which is not even counted, will remember the Defender as a murderer and will try to kill him.

Of course, the Defenders may be free from the threat of the fanatics for the time being, as they have the strong defense of the Legion faction.

However, if we synthesize the news of the Legion faction coming from here and there, it seems that the organization’s lifespan is not that long.

“······.”

Knock knock

Sent a message to the defender.

SKELTON: I don’t know when I’ll see you, but I’m leaving this here just in case. As I said before, I’m back from Jeju. If you need a safe place, contact me anytime. Unlike before, I’m living with people now. I’m planning to build a small community. I’m leaving a place for you and your brother.

Defender is my old neighbor.

No matter what he did or who he is, I don’t want him to die.

The same goes for affection.

Now that I’ve formed a community, I’m going to accept people I like.

A message from CrunchRoll: You’re always welcome. Come anytime. Just don’t put a blue flag on your vehicle or ride.

It’s been a while since we last spoke, but King responded to my message immediately.

Is this guy the type who is glued to the internet all day?

When I tried to reply with a thank you note, he sent me a message again.

Message from CrunchRoll: Did you see that? The fanatic’s post?

Kingdo Oneface saw right through me that I was a fanatic.

SKELTON: Oh, I saw it.

A message from CrunchRoll: What do you think will happen?

SKELTON: (Skeleton confused) What’s going on?

A message from CrunchRoll: Do you think those guys named as murderers will live? Do you think they will die?

SKELTON: Well.

SKELTON: Isn’t it safe for the time being?

Message from CrunchRoll: lol

SKELTON: (Skeleton confused 2) ?

Message from CrunchRoll: Did you know that some fanatics are also killers?

A message from CrunchRoll: These are not your average killers. They are Awakened warriors handpicked by the sect known as the Guardians.

A message from CrunchRoll: Rumor has it that it was those guys who ended up destroying the North Korean royal family.

This is the first time I’ve heard of this story.

That there are such beings among fanatics.

It’s not an impossible story.

The fanatics we faced in China initially attacked in a disorganized and reckless manner, but as time passed, they began to become more cohesive and a command structure seemed to be in place.

Considering that North Korea’s fanatics are a direct copy of the fanatic group that destroyed China, this is a very possible story.

A message from CrunchRoll: I guarantee everyone in that picture will die.

King anticipated the Defender’s death.

There was no specific answer.

*

I took a truck to Sejong.

The danger of raids was less severe to the south of our territory due to the sparse population, but we witnessed more than a few mutations as we drove along the not-so-short road.

“What is that? Isn’t that a crow?”

There were many different types.

Mutations have been observed in species that had never been reported to occur while I was in office.

This means that this world is being strongly eroded by the energy of cracks.

The story that bullets are falling on those who survived on the Korean Peninsula has been around since last year.

In fact, bullets are increasing in value more steeply than apartments during a period of rising housing prices.

In a time when bullets are becoming scarce, the increase in mutations would be a huge threat to human survival.

In sparsely populated countries like Australia, Russia and Canada, mutations were classified as a much greater threat than monsters.

In fact, the giant intelligent beasts actively attacked isolated, helpless people.

Most of them did not survive the attack.

A large number of people and households were wiped out simultaneously.

The local network collapsed, and the destruction of the network led to the extinction of localities.

It’s hard to believe, but there’s even a ridiculous story going around the Atlantic coast of Canada about a small town being wiped out by a mutant army of bears.

The background to Korea’s policy of hastily evacuating rural residents to large cities was not only to secure mutations, but also because of such terrible foreign cases.

“Can you catch something like that with Judge Killer?”

I asked Cheon Yeong-jae, looking at the giant magpie towering over the stream like a nightmare.

“Isn’t it impossible?”

We set off on a wild path filled with mutations and arrived at an open plain.

In the distance, a huge city in ruins is visible.

“Is that Sejong?”

Cheon Yeong-jae muttered while fiddling with his gun.

A strong sense of tension flowed from his hardened face.

Even the most talented people in the world seem to feel intimidated in a lawless country ruled by gangsters.

“It’s a place where people live. There are some thugs, but the leader is holding them in check. They’re not like the looters you know.”

A blue flag was hung on the truck.

Since I didn’t have any blue fabric and didn’t want to go through the trouble of dyeing good fabric blue, I just hung up the old jeans that Cheon Yeong-jae had found.

As we approached the city, two motorcycles approached us from either side.

“Where are you coming from?”

A man with tattoos so thick on his face that it was impossible to recognize the original asked something in a hoarse voice, mumbling something.

“I have come to do business with the King’s permission.”

The thug’s gaze turned to the flag hanging from his jeans.

“Don’t cheat.”

After saying some honest words that didn’t match their vicious looks, the thugs returned to their fortress made of stacked containers with a roaring engine sound.

“what?”

Cheon Yeong-jae asks with a puzzled expression.

His finger, still holding the gun, was within the trigger guard.

She smiled at him and said.

“I told you. This is where people live.”

It feels like it’s easier to get in and out than before.

At the entrance, they opened the gate without saying anything, just looking at the truck’s license plate.

“Outsiders’ vehicles are here.”

As I parked my car as instructed, a bustling street scene came into view.

“Wow. Is this Sejong?”

A strange sight appeared in Cheon Yeong-jae’s eyes.

“It’s different from what I heard.”

“It must be because we have a great leader.”

I found the king before I saw the chapter.

In front of the King’s palace, which extends underground, I went through a brief identity check and was granted entry.

“I’ll be here.”

I left Cheon Yeong-jae behind and walked down a familiar, splendid hallway.

As I was passing by, a woman wearing a fox mask waved at me.

I glanced at him not knowing who he was, and he took off his mask and smiled.

That’s the woman who came into my room before.

The king was in his office.

Because it was daytime, he was wearing a mask.

It’s not just my imagination that the scent of the air freshener filling the room has gotten stronger.

“Open. Skeleton.”

The king stood up and welcomed me.

“king.”

Your voice is not good.

It’s not a question of whether or not the disease is obvious.

The voice itself had the air of death.

“iced coffee!”

The king cleared his throat and spoke again.

“My throat is sore.”

It’s a better voice than before.

But even in the strong scent of air freshener, the stench of corpses was clear, and in his voice, which had the shadow of death hanging over it, I thought that the fate of the king of the city called King did not last long.

“The city seems better than before.”

“yes.”

King slowly approached me and asked me to sit on the chair.

As I sat down on the chair, he sat across from me and clapped his hands.

Masked women brought out cool water bottles containing various drinks.

I chose water.

Surprisingly, there was a lemon slice at the bottom of the water bottle.

Although it is a very small aspect, I interpreted that fresh lemon as an icon symbolizing the abundance of this city.

“It’s going pretty well. I’m not bragging, but it’s the most prosperous city in the central region of South Korea. Even those arrogant corps generals ask if there’s a place for them in the city.”

There was a pride in the King’s voice that made even the shadow of death disappear for a moment.

“How are you feeling?”

I asked him, tasting the faint taste of lemon.

“I’m still holding on somehow.”

“I hate to say this, but the stench seems worse than before. Has anyone around you said anything?”

“I told him honestly that I was sick. To be exact, it wasn’t my real illness, but I lied about it as a complication like diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. Thanks to that, I’ve stopped cosplaying as a strong man with women. I don’t really need to do that anymore.”

There is something I’ve never seen before in the King’s room.

It is a miniature city carefully made inside an acrylic case.

Although it is very different from its current appearance, the shape of the city was not much different from that of Sejong City.

The king stood up, put on his mask, and stared at the miniature city for a while.

“······It’s in orbit.”

King said in a confident tone.

“It’s time to find a successor.”

“It seems like you don’t have any good friends among your subordinates?”

“I have many capable friends. Some are from prestigious universities, and some are from big companies. But they are divided into factions.”

“It’s a faction.”

“If I die, I will be torn to pieces and wage a reckless war over this city.”

The king sighed and turned away.

“It’s a story about returning to the ruins of the road.”

He stares at me intently with his eyes beyond his mask.

Even beyond the mask, the light in his eyes can be felt.

“How about becoming the king of this city?”

“Me? Me?”

“It wouldn’t be so bad for you.”

The king laughed.

He returned to his seat and turned the monitor towards me.

As he clicked the mouse, a familiar scene unfolded before me.

Twelve Square.

The battle of a man who has become a myth in a sense has been reenacted.

“You?”

The king said decisively.

I have no intention of denying this fact.

Rather, I wish there were more people like King.

“How did you know?”

“We’ve fought together before, and of all the people I know, there’s only one who can wield two axes this well.”

“Then why didn’t you say something on the bulletin board?”

“I thought that was a bit off.”

“why?”

“I thought that Skeleton and Twelvesquare had to be different people. Aren’t you the one who didn’t reveal your identity because you thought the same thing as me?”

“?”

What.

But why do opinions like this keep coming up?

Was this skeleton’s evaluation this bad?

At least he wasn’t a cheerful veteran user.

“Why are you doing that, Skeleton?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“What’s your suggestion?”

“It would be an honor, but I must decline.”

The king stares intently.

I told you why.

“Think about it. Do you think Skeleton could properly run a city like this?”

“What a foolish question and wise answer.”

“······.”

The King switched the screen, sitting at his desk with a soft laugh.

The next screen he showed me was the one he showed me before coming here.

The corpses piled up horribly under the concrete wall were displayed in a larger and clearer picture than my laptop monitor.

“What do you think about this?”

“well.”

“I think I did what I had to do. The Manryu Gwijong religion. The more I know about those fanatics, the more disgusted I get.”

“That girl from back then. Is she still here?”

“I’m holding on to it. But how vicious is that young kid? Is it because he’s a North Korean kid?”

“You still haven’t changed your mind. Are you eating properly?”

“Eat three meals a day. Do your own exercises. What did he say? Nine-Eum-Shingong? He was talking nonsense that didn’t make any sense.”

“The guy who created that cult was a martial arts novel fanatic.”

“Anyway, as I said before.”

The king changed the screen.

The next monitor was filled with the images of the murderers revealed by One Face.

“As the fanatic leader declared, these guys will all die. So let’s watch and see how much power the fanatics actually have. The legion faction also has a network.”

“Isn’t that it?”

He said, looking at the handsome man who had taken up one of the photos.

“Is there a defender here?”

“Defender?”

The king tilted his head.

“Who is that? Oh, that shiny murder certification man from the beginning?”

Nothing in this world lasts forever.

The bulletin board’s popularity cannot be free from it either.

“Is he still alive?”

The same goes for Defender.

“By the way, is this a Defender? Wow. It looks nice.”

“I have a personal relationship with him.”

“Really? With you?”

“······So I want to try to save this friend.”

“If you are my friend, we can accept you in our city. However, only after we confirm the extent of the fanatic’s power. Since we gave notice, the guardians will attack the legion faction soon.”

This is something I’ve been feeling since a while ago, but King’s information power is definitely superior.

It seems that I get incomparable information not only from the Internet, but also from people, confidential communications, and connections.

Well, I am the owner of a city where a huge amount of people and goods flow in, so information is probably one of the goods that is circulated.

He looked straight at the ruler of the city and asked.

“So, if the fanatic’s fighting power is confirmed, you’re saying we can accept the defender here too?”

“of course.”

“Are you okay?”

What I’m asking about is Defender’s career.

He was a murderer and was involved in massacres.

Life itself is paired with the noun murder.

The only place that would accept such a person is a group of looters.

The king easily figured out the hidden meaning in my words.

“As long as you have the ability. We don’t care about the past. We started out as plunderers. What matters is the will to move forward. If massacre is the problem, there are people who are much worse than the Defenders under me.”

“okay?”

The king tapped the keyboard.

A man’s face appeared on the screen.

He is someone I don’t know.

It was an ordinary face, but somehow I could read something eerie in it.

King said, looking at the man.

“Sol Chan-do. He’s the guy who was called the butcher in Pyongyang.”