Hiding a House in the Apocalypse

Now that Gold had joined the group, it was only natural for me to join Ji Changsu's group as well.

Because Gold, who knew of my existence and whereabouts, was undoubtedly going to lead the group and come to kill me.

"It's as if we have an army of ten thousand with Hunter Park Gyura by our side!"

Ji Changsu's subordinates, who were former employees of the company he managed, didn't seem particularly enthusiastic, but they were well-armed and had the power of numbers.

Mutations were honest adversaries.

When lacking firepower, they were like nightmarish creatures, but with sufficient firepower, hunting them down was no different from what Europeans did on safaris in Africa.

"Don't start shooting from too far away. Wait until you can see the whites of their eyes before opening fire. Precise shooting is more important than anything else."

I hid my forces below a gentle hill and climbed it alone.

There they were.

Five mutation beasts.

They might be a handful for rifles, but we had a medium machine gun.

However, the numbers seemed fewer than before.

I had seen at least ten in the group earlier.

Moreover, the one I was desperately searching for was nowhere to be seen.

Gold. Where had it gone?

It had appeared as though it had been accepted into the group.

Ironically, this was a good thing.

The fact that Gold was not present here meant that it wouldn't get caught up in the impending massacre.

With half relief, I opened fire on one of the mutation beasts.

Bang!

Blood splattered from its shoulder, but that was all.

These creatures didn't die easily from a single bullet.

To aim for the weak cartilage below the jaw, shatter the skull, or target the gap in their enormous heads like a shield to reach the heart were textbook ways to one-shot kill them. But finding someone crazy enough to attempt such things in real combat was exceedingly rare.

The mutation beasts growled and then charged towards me at a terrifying speed.

The battle had begun.

I quickly descended the hill, and I could see Ji Changsu and his employees checking their firearms in haste.

"They're coming soon. Get ready."

I didn't think this would be a particularly difficult fight.

As long as we held our positions and took down the ones that appeared, the battle would be over.

There were only seven of us armed with 5.56mm automatic rifles.

Bullets could miss; it didn't matter. While they were fixated on us, the medium machine gun would wipe them all out.

No matter how strong the mutations were, they wouldn't stand a chance against the punch of a 12.7mm machine gun.

The person in charge of the important medium machine gun was someone we could trust.

He was a veteran from a Legionnaire background, with experience fighting on the front lines, who Ji Changsu had recruited.

Furthermore, just in case, Ji Yeonghee was at the bus's steering wheel with the engine running, ready to charge and rescue us if things went awry.

If Kim Daram, who currently couldn't be reached, existed, we would kill them all and still survive.

Click.

I loaded one more round into the magazine just in case and attached it to my firearm.

"Alright, here they come."

Behind the ridge, I heard the harsh breathing of the creatures.

Soon, the first one revealed itself from below the ridge.

Ratatat!

The medium machine gun spewed fire.

With just three shots, one of the mutation beasts was pulverized, its blood spraying into the air.

I raised my thumb in approval.

"Nice shot."

But...

"Oh no."

I had underestimated them.

No, I had underestimated Gold.

It had appeared during the early days of the war, reigning as the ruler of the southwest, surviving numerous pursuits and punitive expeditions, and making the group prosper until now.

It was like a founding monarch among humans.

In reality, when I faced it, it was as cunning and sly as someone with four legs. He was smart enough to be called a tribal leader.

Gold had its sights set on the bus.

"Jeong Joongsa-nim!"

I immediately shouted a warning to my colleagues.

Jeong Joongsa swiftly entered the ventilation duct, showing his veteran skills, but Gold had a different target in mind.

Bang!

It was the machine gun.

Gold's teeth crushed the barrel of the machine gun with brutal force.

"Krrr."

We lost his maximum power as soon as the battle began.

Ji Yeonghee immediately stepped on the gas pedal and threw Gold off the bus, but the fact that we had lost the machine gun remained unchanged.

To make matters worse, gigantic creatures began to appear on the ridge above us.

Ji Changsu's employees began to retreat with pale faces.

"Don't worry. It's not over yet. Follow my orders..."

This fight.

"Yeonghee! Yeonghee! Come this way quickly!"

"Uuaaaah!"

"They weren't supposed to come!"

"Run!"

"Where to?!"

No luck.

Or maybe I unknowingly underestimated that dog named Gold.

Why did I think it would act like a normal dog?

Its a human wearing a dog's mask.

Even if it had been born as a human, he would have been an exceptional warrior.

Tatatatang!

The gun spat out bullets.

I opened my mouth wide and shot down the approaching enemy, bullets tearing through the holes in their bodies.

Tatatatang!

I aimed at the one circling from the side and shot, then swung the gun around and fired at another one on the opposite side.

Tang!

"Kong!"

One of them was hit in the side, blood spurting, but it was probably just an act.

At the same time, two enemies from both sides attacked as if they had coordinated it.

Tatang!

In a moment, I revealed my guns and aimed them at the exposed shoulder joints under their armor.

Tatatatang!

I pointed both barrels at the enemy on the opposite side and squeezed the trigger with all my might.

"Krrrrrr!"

The first one was already dead in mid-air, and the second one, saliva dripping from its mouth, leaned towards me as if to cover me.

Even if it's a mutation, with 50 bullets in your body, it will die.

I threw the gun and tried to grab another one, then put a full round into the abdomen of the enemy struggling with the gun, which I had just reloaded.

"Hunter Park! In front! In front!"

I felt blood splatter on my face as I looked ahead.

There was a big, black one.

A new leader who pushed Gold aside.

But it wasn't just Gold.

Behind the black one, there were others who had not been visible before.

"Oh."

Did those unseen guys join the fray?

But why do they seem to number so many?

Four, five of them.

The situation, which was not good from the beginning, was now heading towards a catastrophe.

Two mutation dogs stuck to the bus that Ji Yeonghee was driving, while another one, along with several others, was causing chaos among the group.

I was the only one who could fight.

"..."

The opponents were seven mutation dogs.

And one of them was an overgrown individual.

It was impossible for a naked human to take them on alone.

"Sigh."

I always thought I would die someday.

Maybe that moment has come.

Perhaps I'll die here?

It would be a shame.

To die defending my bunker.

Its just a matter of time.

I know that.

Even Park Gyura will eventually die and disappear in the midst of annihilation.

It's just a matter of timing.

But for now,

Let's just think about surviving.

What I'm good at.

What I loved.

What I could be the only one in the world to be recognized for.

Let's do that.

I threw the empty gun away and picked up two axes.

Strangely, my axes felt lighter than usual.

It felt good.

Looking back, there have been much more horrifying situations than this.

Like when I had to engage in close combat with hundreds of zombies because a fanatic had strapped explosives to a zombie's body.

Or when I had to face off against specialized close combat monsters - the Dancer type.

Above all, when I was abandoned on the other side of the fissure.

Compared to those times, now I have a full stomach, peace of mind, and a much clearer reason to live.

Why? Because I have things to protect.

The shelter, my reputation on the forums, and more.

If the renowned skeleton suddenly disappears from the forums, everyone will be visibly saddened, won't they?

"Crunch!"

The black one revealed its fangs.

It seemed like it wanted to engage me directly.

I prepared for a fight that might be the final dance.

Just before the clash, I saw Gold.

It was standing there, staring at me intently.

I wondered what was going through its mind.

"Crunch!"

Just as the black one roared and was about to charge, a miracle happened.

Gold, who had been standing by its side, suddenly turned and tore out the black one's throat.

"!"

Taken aback by the sudden attack, the black one tried to turn its head to defend itself, but it was too late. Its throat had been torn out.

Crunch!

Gold's teeth, made of steel, crushed the black one's neck bone.

The black one convulsed, its front legs spasming as it collapsed to the ground.

But the miracle didn't stop there.

"Gold!"

Gold, the one who had killed the black one, came over to me with blood-stained teeth bared.

It wasn't here to fight me. It was here to fight alongside me.

It stood on the side of the very humans it should naturally despise.

Humans and dogs became one.

Amidst the chaos of battle, I was constantly puzzled.

Was the sudden change in behaviour from the dog a response to my kindness, a resentment towards the mob that had watched its fall, or perhaps the expression of its innate nature, overshadowed by the mutations?

After all, a dog is nothing more than another expression of a wolf without humans.

***

The adventurer's journey to find its former boss ended in vain.

He hadn't lost any people, but he had lost important weapons, and the people themselves had been broken.

His employees looked at me as if I was a monster.

"Is he really the same human as us? I've seen awakened a few times, but this one's on a different level."

"Was the rumour about an S-rank hunter true? What about that dog?"

"I don't know. Everything is so confusing."

Amidst the familiar murmurs, Ji Yeonghee came towards me without hesitation.

She stared at me intensely.

Feeling uncomfortable under her intense gaze, I tried to avoid eye contact.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

She smiled mischievously.

"Want to go to Jeju Island together?"

"What?"

"The ferry to Jeju Island is leaving soon. I have tickets. You can get a ticket to a place where you can start a new life."

"This is so sudden..."

"Do you happen to be single?"

Ji Yeonghee gave me a sly smile.

Even though she was a bit dirty and her hair was messy, she still had a significant appeal.

Feeling overwhelmed by her intense approach, I avoided her gaze.

"Well, I am, but..."

She looked up at the sky and said, "They say that if you cross paths twice, it's fate. We're already on our second meeting, right?"

"... "

"If you're at that level, I probably won't become a widow twice. And I think you'll adapt to a new life on Jeju Island more easily."

She folded her hands and fidgeted with her fingers.

She was taking off the ring from her finger.

I turned to look at her, feeling the sparkle of the ring that had slipped off her beautiful finger piercing my eyes.

"Is this a proposal, by any chance?"

"Yes. A sincere marriage proposal."

She showed me the ring on her finger with a smile.

Soon, her gaze shifted to the mangled body of a mutated creature on the ground.

"In times like these?"

"..."

I understood, but a marriage proposal so suddenly? Honestly, it was bewildering.

The other person is a beauty, comes from a wealthy family, and even in this chaotic era, they have the resources to get buses and mercenaries, even heavy machine guns. I get it, but isn't it a bit too early?

"I'm sorry, but I'm not thinking about marriage yet."

I took a step back.

"You're old enough, aren't you? Aren't you in your mid-thirties soon?"

"I'm still in my early thirties."

"Is there something wrong with me?"

Ji Yeonghee approached lightly.

Could it be the scent of a woman, subtle enough to stimulate my instincts, wafting to my nose be from her?

Or maybe it's her movements, knowing how to use her charm well.

Honestly, she's an attractive woman.

If I were to give up, it would leave lingering regrets.

I'm a sturdy man myself. It's inevitable to be attracted to a young and beautiful woman.

But I don't see this kind of union as right.

I don't know much about her, and even from a common-sense perspective, it's not a proper match.

Above all, I could see the intent behind it.

The kind of intention that only humans, or rather cunning creatures, can have.

"You're quite attractive, Miss Ji Yeonghee."

"Is that so?"

She looked at me with an expectant expression, but the answer had been decided from the beginning.

"I will decline this proposal."

Surprise crossed Ji Yeonghee's face for a moment, but she quickly nodded with a faint smile and left my side.

"I see. I'm sorry. I said something unnecessary."

The outcome was good.

It was the result I wanted.

But as I watched her walk away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of regret.

"..."

In the distance, I could hear the howling of dogs.

Over there, the black dots were moving farther away on the abandoned field.

Gold and his new pack.

They fought fiercely with me, and when the dogs began to sense defeat and flee, it swiftly left and made them his subordinates again.

Perhaps the true winner of this fight is that cunning son of a bitch.

I raised my thumb towards it with respect as it moved further away.

In response, the barking of the dogs reached my ears.

It felt like they were saying, "Happy birthday." Or something like that.

***

After that, there were occasionally animal carcasses scattered in the territory.

Gazelles, wild boars, and occasionally even a striped hyena.

I do have books on butchery and bone carving, but I've never actually tried it myself. Maybe I should give it a try soon.

I'm running out of meat as well.

Sometimes, as I patrol the area, I can feel the gaze of Gold from the opposite ridge, his golden fur fluttering as it watches over this side.

I never shared this story with the community.

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