Rust - Chapter 301



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-301

Why is cannibalism dangerous?

A strange appetite that sees people as prey? A body that cannot be wounded by a 9mm bullet? A physical ability that is twice as strong as that of an adult male?

Is it so calm that you can’t tell if you’re infected or not? Or is it so contagious that it’s dangerously contagious?

There are many, but the most tiring thing is that memory exists. There is memory, there is experience, and above all, there is reason that can utilize memory and experience.

Unlike those infected with the mutant virus, they did not go crazy and lose their sense of control, and they began to regain their senses, but compared to mutants who had lost their memories and experiences, the cannibals were definitely dangerous.

But that risk, that good head, became a weakness. Especially in the face of unrealistic and merciless violence like today, it stood out as a weakness.

Kwajik!

After the dark red blade, which seemed to be a mixture of rough metal and rock, passed by, only the severed head that had been eaten away remained and rolled on the floor. The head that had been gaping open like a goldfish was cooling down without being able to close its eyes.

“Mask! Where’s the mask!”

“Close your eyes. Don’t breathe.”

“It’s a white phosphorus bomb!”

“Cover your face!”

“Whether it’s plastic, paper, or clothing, cover your skin!”

Just a few steps away, Maru was using the white phosphorus smoke screen to clean them up one by one, but the guys were still panicking.

“Ahhhhh! Fire!”

“Fire! It’s on fire. Help me!”

“It’s hot!”

“Water! Water!”

Even if you sprinkle water on it, the white phosphorus won’t go out. It’s a spicy smoke that burns white.

Behind the vivid horror, someone discovered the decapitated head of a comrade. One. Two. Three. More heads.

“Run away!”

“Get out. Get out!”

The occasional screams had quietly turned into the sound of something rolling on the floor.

Kim Yang and the agents, who were watching the scorched earth scene in real time through the HUD, frowned without realizing it.

The infected who lost their sense of reason did not know fear. Even the mutants who began to regain their sense of reason had a stronger hunting instinct than fear. However, the cannibals who were so human-like, except for their instinct for cannibalism, were very vulnerable to the fear of the floor. Just like ordinary people.

What are those things that Baekjeong is slicing at now? Cannibals, he says?

[What is this? Are these guys cannibals?]

Kim Yang tilted her head as Maru disposed of them too easily. They were as dangerous as the mutants, so she didn’t expect them. The agents who were preparing to pursue them also murmured quietly as if they agreed with Kim Yang’s thoughts.

“Wake up. Can a normal person wear white phosphorus and live that long?”

The noisy atmosphere became quiet at Maru’s warning.

Pukak! Wood crack!

The sight of Maru harvesting heads like ripe fruit. The men who were terrified struggled to survive, but it was a meaningless struggle to avoid the friendly sword of death.

As if to end this futile gesture, Maru swung his sword with a great swing. With a sound of tearing air, everything the blade touched was split apart. It was truly a sight that defied the laws of physics and common sense.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Those who saw the limbs being cut off along the crimson lines began to scatter. Kim Yang and the agents’ exosuits began to pursue them.

Maru left the cleaning up to them and walked towards the large tent in the center.

“Don’t miss a single one.”

[Holding it now.]

Maru, who had reached the entrance of a huge tent that clearly looked like it would contain something, swung his sword instead of going inside.

No way!

With a sudden swing of the sword, the sides of the tent entrance split open, spilling out red drops of blood and internal organs.

‘Look at these.’

Compared to the guys I had cut down outside, there were guys who were clearly more vulnerable and were aiming for a surprise attack. But now I won’t be able to aim for anything anymore.

Clap-clap-clap-

Maru’s brow furrowed slightly at the frivolous sound of applause.

“Cool—!!! This is really amazing.”

The exaggerated gestures and intonation, the gold rings and bracelets on his fingers that shone every time he clapped his hands, gave off a strange sense of discomfort. Whether he knew Maru’s discomfort or not, Kata P cleared his throat.

‘Fucking bastards. This is fucking crazy.’

If I had known he was like this, I wouldn’t have gone near him. Kata P cursed the guys who had lured him.

A new name created using the word catastrophe (disaster, destructive disaster). Kata P.

Living a new life with a new name and new meaning wasn’t bad.

What gang wouldn’t like the feeling of being stronger and more impervious to 9mm bullets, aside from the occasional overwhelming cannibalistic urge?

Cannibalism spread quickly among Detroit’s gangs, cartels, and criminals. The cannibalism and anger management disorders that politicians always talk about were actually blessings and graces that would change the rotten modern society.

Kata P really thought so. It was a blessing and a grace, and it was meaningful to be alive. So, first of all, he had to get out of this crisis.

“Hey- you’re the killer. You’re the HOLY SHIT guy in the What’s Up TV commercial?”

Anyone with a good head on their shoulders would know that if they were to make a mistake, they would die. But judging by the way they were slapping their snouts, it seemed like there was something going on. Maru shrugged and began to release his senses.

‘also.’

There were quite a few things that caught Maru’s attention. While Maru was making estimates, Kata P was desperately trying to avoid the crisis.

“Haven’t we ever been the first to touch each other? Think about it, hyung. The world has changed and it’s already been a while. It’s already July. July. We’ve been quietly protecting our own territories, so why did this happen?”

“······.”

“You may have seen it from outside, but what kind of abilities do our weaklings have to procure military equipment? Where can we get sniper rifles, observation equipment, and claymores? If we had them earlier, we would have caused a big problem. Would we have stayed quiet until now? Those who are after you gave all of that to us.”

“······.”

The desperate story succeeded in garnering Maru’s attention at least a little, and Maru’s arm, which was holding the sword, loosened itself slightly.

“So, you’re misunderstanding something right now. The real enemy isn’t us, but those guys who are after you. If you’re trying to kill our children because they’ve contracted cannibalism, then you’re really mistaken.”

“······.”

Think about it. Wasn’t there a cure that could control your cannibalistic desires? If you had that medicine, you’d be just a normal, strong person.

“They are people who can return to their normal lives if they just get medicine. And the name they gave them, cannibalism, is wrong.”

Although it was first labeled a cannibalism after the first reported incident of cannibalism in Italy, it was not limited to eating humans.

Of course, their favorite food was people, but they didn’t only eat humans or only humans could eat them.

So what do you eat? What can you eat?

Everything you can eat.

So, Kata P protested. Cannibalism is an essential element for survival in the worst situation like now.

“I can survive even if I eat something that is somewhat contaminated, but what can I do in this situation? I can’t starve to death. I can’t tell people to starve to death.”

If you were infected with cannibalism, you would no longer have to worry about going crazy if you ate the wrong mutated monster, and you would not get food poisoning if you ate spoiled food. You could eat raw meat without any problems, and you could even digest insects and boiled leather.

Like a cockroach.

“It’s not a crime to try to survive if you’re tough, right? Isn’t it?”

This guy was a bit of a brainiac, but as expected of a brainiac, he knew a lot about a lot of things and was quite good at telling stories. Maru nodded.

But what do you want me to do?

Kata P opened his mouth to make his final move for survival.

“So we o-”

Crunch-

Before I could even finish my utterance of “Oh-ha-ha-,” my head rolled on the floor, leaving behind a sound of my neck being cut.

“HOLY···.”

“SHIT!”

“WHAT THE···.”

The blade of the floor flew in, aiming for the exclamations that were erupting from the surroundings as it rolled around. If you blocked it with a gun, the gun would be cut. Even the thick shield made of a manhole cover was torn like a piece of paper. There was nothing that could stop the crimson blade.

As the screams and gunshots died down, the large, spacious tent quickly turned into a morgue. The blood that had started to flow like a stream reached the sewer hole of the abandoned factory, and only then did the sword dance on the floor stop.

Kim Yang and the agents who had gone out to chase after the fugitives returned to the abandoned factory.

“You didn’t miss it, did you?”

[I caught everything that was caught by the sensor.]

When Maru looked, the number of agents who had gone out together had decreased somewhat. About 3 people?

“What about the loss of personnel?”

[3 people.]

“How did that happen?”

[I got caught without knowing I was lured to a trap.]

Kim Yang said, pointing to the damaged exosuit here and there.

[The power loader type exosuit is cost-effective in many ways, but it seems too vulnerable to explosions.]

The full-body bulletproof vest was a full-body suit, so it also had chemical, biological, and radiological functions. Its bulletproof performance was also decent. The problem was that if a bomb exploded at close range, the bulletproof vest would be fine, but the person inside would be crushed to pieces.

For example, if a claymore or grenade exploded, the exosuit and bulletproof vest would be fine, but a person would not be able to withstand the impact of the explosion.

“We’ll either need to add more armor or improve the full-body bulletproof vest.”

[That’s true. Was that okay earlier?]

“What was that just now?”

[Here’s what the boss said. He said there were guys targeting us.]

“Ah- That. But aren’t there a lot of guys who would target us? If we worry about all of those things, we’ll just get exhausted and perish.”

Suspecting the military, suspecting the agency, and the situation being like this, it was easy to get caught up in the wrong things. What if it was a plot to sow discord? How can you believe what the boss says?

‘You said you were going to buy it? What do you want me to do?’

‘You handed over the weapon? So?’

What can I do? Whether or not someone instigated it, whether or not they were instigated by some people, isn’t it true that they touched the Vladislav Tower, which was still standing? Whatever the cause, they had to take responsibility for their actions. Weren’t they the ones who accepted the offer?

[This is an urgent telegram from Director of Homeland Security Dan Brown. Audio and text files are available.]

[Warning to other organizations.]

The Department of Homeland Security, a federal government agency, is warning other federal government agencies? What the heck is going on here?

======

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Chief Dan Brown’s actions were relentless. Considering the time he had wasted underground, he had no time to waste.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation has decided to join us.”

“The Narcotics Control Bureau has also expressed its intention to participate.”

“good.”

The plan was simple: secure an escape route to New York, rescue those who could be rescued, enter New York, and begin taking control of the eastern region centered around New York, and rebuild the United States.

“A distress signal has arrived from VIP.”

“Are you sure about Code 1?”

“Signal identification. Code 1 is confirmed.”

“How’s the contact?”

“There is no contact.”

“The distress signal is coming, but there’s no contact?”

[Sir, distress signals are coming in from other agencies as well.]

Distress signals also came from the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and the National Economic Council (NEC), with which contact had been lost.