Rust - Chapter 308



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-308

Maru briefly checked again to see if he had mistaken the channel.

Cheeeeeeek-

I was sure it was the Watts Up radio station channel.

[-HOLY-♫ -HOLY-♬]

[···Today’s Word. Wake up and be alert. May you be the ones who protect your soul and body in the end times···]

[Remember, the only place that can protect your soul and body in the end is the Ark Tower where He resides···]

[-HOLY-♫ -HOLY-♬]

“······.”

Seriously. This is going to be broadcast?

No, fuck. This is a What’s Up radio station. Are all the other stations dead?

ah···

Come to think of it, almost everyone died because of the EMP.

What do you want me to do now? Gather the people who are listening to this?

Kim Yang, who had just finished showering, flaunted her damp short hair as if she was looking at the dead eyes of Maru.

Why is it like this?

Are your eyes swollen?

Are you looking at me?

That’s not the kind of look you have.

Gyah.

“Why are your eyes like that?”

Ah, it came out as a voice. After Miss Kim spoke, she closed her mouth as if she thought, “Oh no.”

What the fuck-

Hehehe. Maru, who had been laughing in vain, explained the situation.

As Kim Yang listened intently to Maru’s complaints with the solemn intention of making up for her mistake, a question mark appeared faintly above her head. Should I say that she felt a sense of deja vu that she had experienced many times somewhere?

“So, you’re saying that the people who gathered after seeing the HOLY advertisement are nearby and listening to the HOLY broadcast?”

“That’s right. I’m not a cult leader after all.”

Rather than a cult leader, isn’t it something else?

To be honest, you little brat aren’t half human. You can’t cross the Tuman River by climbing a leaf, but you can use the shrinking technique to move 10-20 meters in one breath and stop complaining.

···

Yeah? So this.

Gyaut-

Isn’t that him?

One who cannot speak.

···

Do you think it will work?

Huh?

The question mark floating above Kim Yang’s head changed into an exclamation mark.

‘Look at the sky! At his gesture, a flock of crows worship, turning the sky black. When he flashes his sword, buildings split apart… He has slain thousands of demons and purified the city.’

But it’s true.

“There… it’s hard to find people you can trust. I think it would be a good idea to hire people you can trust.”

I agree with the PD’s opinion! Since ancient times, no one has ever asked you to believe them, and there is no one who is less likely to betray than someone you believe voluntarily!

Maru, who had a feeling of who he was being compared to, burst out laughing. Kim Yang, who lightly ignored Maru’s disappointment, eagerly participated.

“Are there any composers among the people who have moved into the tower?”

“Why the composer all of a sudden?”

Kim Yang, who saw Maru looking embarrassed, answered with her eyes, “I’m doing this all for you.”

There is a song about the general, but shouldn’t there be at least a real HOLY-hymn?

======

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Cheeeeeeek-

The agent with blood stains hanging from his body groaned as he was hit by a strong spray of disinfectant. Only after being treated several times with disinfectant and purified water was he allowed to enter the individual isolation room.

Ugh-

Suppressing the groans that escaped him, the agent lay down on the bed. What was to be done next? Even if there were no particular problems in quarantine, it was clear that all Alpha team members would be excluded from field missions. At best, they would be assigned to supply duties.

If the world were to end like this, it was clear that I would end up as an assistant. My future was certain to be spent doing supplies or odd jobs, wearing me down day by day. And I was only in my late twenties.

‘Fuck.’

I heard about cannibalism, but I felt rather antipathetic. The fact that gangs sensitive to survival voluntarily tried to become infected with cannibalism could be interpreted as meaning that cannibalism is useful.

Why do you only see the negative side? It was clear that Vladimir was the ruler and viewed cannibalism negatively as something that could weaken his rule.

What if everyone contracted a cannibalistic disease that enhanced their survival skills? There would be no reason to be trapped in the Ark Tower and follow Vladimir’s orders.

And the more I thought about Vladimir Maru’s way of doing things, the more it seemed that way. The women were the same, and the people in the Asian food warehouse were the same.

How could women in their late teens and early twenties survive for more than six months? Could they have survived if it weren’t for cannibalism?

The same goes for children. They were able to survive because they had contracted cannibalism. They were not as incommunicable as mutants or infected people. They cried next to them, begged for their lives, and, if you exclude cannibalism, weren’t they just like people?

‘I could have definitely not killed him.’

‘I’m sure I couldn’t have killed him.’

And yet he killed him. If he had that inhuman ability, he could have easily subdued him without killing him. Why? No matter how much I thought about it, the only thing that came to mind was that he killed him for his own power.

The agent, unable to control his emotions, lay on the bed, pounding the wall next to him with his fist.

puck-

puck-

Didn’t you say there was a cure for cannibalism? Why didn’t you gather people and send an expedition to a large city where the cannibalism cure was being distributed to secure the cure?

Yania Kim’s fierce eyes. Her eyes, which had been beaten for disobeying orders, were filled with regret at not being able to kill him. If Vladimir Kalin hadn’t stopped him, he would have died.

How meaningless is that death? A life determined by one person’s thoughts and judgment… Where has the rule of law gone, what will become of freedom, and where is democracy?

“Fuck!”

puck-

puck-

What would happen next? They might kill those who opposed the survival of the Ark Tower, or they might exclude or eliminate anyone who did not follow orders.

Full livestock and hungry freemen. Is cannibalism really just a cursed disease?

What would the other teammates think? Seven days of isolation was enough time to complicate the thoughts of the Alpha team members.

Jiiing- The scene was quietly observed by a small CCTV attached to the ceiling.

The researchers paused the video of the agent punching a wall with his bare fist and began to discuss their thoughts. There were files of questionnaires and counseling materials in front of them.

“Hmm- So you’re saying that the Alpha team members who talked to the cannibals are friendly toward them?”

“It came out that way in the questionnaire and the interview showed a significantly favorable response.”

Are you friendly to cannibals? Most of the researchers had passed the HOLY interview and were inducted, so it was difficult to understand the thoughts of the Alpha team members.

“If he hadn’t been there, we would have been eaten by cannibals. I find it hard to understand how they would be friendly.”

“It is certainly an exaggeration to say that it is because of the favorability towards women of the right age.”

Vladiak’s laboratory was a fusion of various research fields. Biology, biotechnology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetic engineering, virology, bacteriology, clinical pathology, and pharmacy were all mixed together and seething.

As a result, whether I liked it or not, I was bound to get involved with other researchers, and interdisciplinary discussions became a daily routine. The same is true now, as people who freely exchanged ideas.

“What do those who have seen the cannibal sample think?”

“It’s dangerous.”

“I agree.”

The worst part was that he still had his memory and reason.

“Their enhanced physical abilities are a problem, but the fact that they think they are normal seems to be the most dangerous.”

“you’re right.”

So, it’s something like this.

Let’s assume that there is a cannibal who has a clear memory and is rational. But what happens if there is a normal person next to him? The story of him eating people and saying, “I’m fine.” Is that normal?

“The part about them forming groups after infecting the other party is really… I don’t know what to think.”

“But. Don’t cannibals eat each other?”

“Based on the traces he confirmed at the grocery store, it seems that in extreme situations, they even eat each other.”

“I guess you could say it’s similar to polar bears hunting their own kind or eating their cubs.”

“Actually, if you look at it from a different perspective, it might not be such a big deal.”

Cannibalism has been common throughout human history. Even in peaceful times, people used fetuses and placentas to make cosmetics and ate protein capsules made from human flesh, so cannibalism is not something to be particularly concerned about.

“The world is ruined, so is there any need to follow old morals or values?”

“It’s not a question of morals or values.

In a situation like this where the world is ruined, it is not impossible to think that there is anything to be said about cannibalism. However, what can we say about the fact that they do not show any guilt or conflict while actually viewing ordinary people as livestock? And even though they have reason and memories, they do this?

“······.”

“······.”

Imagine a society where cannibals are the dominant species, one researcher swore softly.

“Are you all full now? Let’s not digress and go back to the cannibals. So what are the other characteristics?”

The discussion continued after the senior researcher’s rebuke.

“It is characterized by strong disease resistance, detoxification ability, and digestive ability that goes beyond common sense.”

“Their survival instincts are unparalleled. In fact, they appear to be close to becoming a new dominant species.”

The researchers all recalled the extinction of the Neanderthals. A virus that was not so lethal to modern humans, Homo sapiens, was lethal to Neanderthals, and a rapid decline in adult populations began. Taking advantage of the weakened power of the Neanderthals, Homo sapiens began to thrive, and competition for resources began.

The latest research paper says that as their numbers decreased, birth rates dropped, and as their numbers decreased, it became difficult to secure food, and as a result, birth rates decreased again, and as their numbers decreased, they were pushed out in territorial battles, and were pushed into increasingly barren places, and their nutritional status gradually worsened, and as a result, they became extinct.

“We are not anthropologists or archaeologists. We will have to worry about that later.”

The senior researcher took center stage again.

“Let’s start with the mutant virus. Do you remember when the coronavirus mutated?”

As a result of the AIDS patient contracting the coronavirus, it mutated in the AIDS patient’s body. It mutated in a way that confused the human immune system like AIDS, causing infection while evading immunity.

“What about viruses that cause intermittent explosive disorder?”

It was possible to enhance physical abilities by acting on the human brain, as if releasing the body’s limitations, or to make it seem like it was hibernating. And by using the mutated virus, it was possible to extract raw materials for drugs such as combat stimulants.

“What about variants?”

In order to recover its reduced intelligence, didn’t it eat the heart and brain as if to fill in what it lacked? In the process, it transformed from an infected person to a mutant. It grew bigger and stronger, and changed to be able to hunt more.

Yes. If you look at it broadly, there was a trend. The initial virus that started in China was a form that was easily mutated to the point of being malicious, and it showed a trend every time it mutated.

The first mutation is in the direction of destroying and evading the human body’s immunity, making it highly contagious.

The mutant virus that originated in China and Japan is causing the social system to collapse, making it easier to use humans as a breeding ground.

The mutants are in a convenient direction to eat the brain and heart to restore the lack of reason.

then

What does a cannibal eat for, and in what direction is it going?

“I think it could be seen as similar to a variant.”

“Yes. If you look at the grocery store and the space where the women lived, there are traces of eating various things. In other words, it means that they were able to consume various types of organic matter.”

It’s not like vampires can only feed on blood. So why do they eat people?

“Isn’t it because they have no choice but to eat them?”

“Just as mutants covet brains and hearts to maintain their rationality, cannibals must eat people to ingest something?”

The researchers’ discussion became longer.

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After seven days of quarantine, Maru gathered the Alpha Team.

“Alpha Team is disbanded as of this moment.”

“······.”

“······.”

“Return your ID card and return your weapon.”

“The accommodation will be moved to a general residential area, and will be redesignated once the expansion work is completed.”

“You will report to the construction site starting tomorrow. Those who refuse to comply may leave the Ark Tower at any time. That’s all.”

“······.”

“······.”

Contrary to expectations that they would be used for auxiliary work or backup work since they had military experience and completed Homeland Security agent training, Maru sent all of the Alpha team members to the construction site. Disobedience is disobedience, and the decision was made after reviewing the materials sent by the psychologist.

“Hmph, what about cannibals or something? You fucking bastards.”

Kim Yang snorted as she watched the Alpha Team disbanding. If there had been a mine, they should have just thrown it away.

“I have to go meet the people the PD mentioned. Come out armed.”

“Is the PD going with you?”

“I guess so. The nurse is planning to go with me too. Bring some.”

Kim Yang’s eyes narrowed at Maru’s words.