Surviving the Apocalypse with Crafting Skills

“So… Engineer, is it okay to ask what you’re doing right now?”

“A stretcher for carrying the wounded.”

“Ah.”

– Click, click.

While loading the handmade bullets into the magazine and shaking them in his hand to align them—Carlos and Cole were inserting them one by one into a velcro of an ammo vest.

Mr. James had been sending Morse signals during this time.

The message was that we met people safely and are now returning with them.

“…By the way, do you memorize powder quantities? You’re making bullets without a scale.”

“I saw the slug. The bullet won’t explode, right?”

“That face doesn’t seem like a redneck.”

“Pfft.”

Mr. James barely suppressed a laugh, cleared his throat, shivered once, and continued writing signals on the paper.

“…Seems like everyone thinks alike.”

“Right? But there’s no way he’s a redneck.”

“Korean.”

“Aah, you know, why, everyone gets dragged off to the military in that country, right? Is that why? No, even Rangers like us don’t know how much powder goes into one bullet.”

“Isn’t it because they’re always dealing with North Korea units, so they teach things like that?”

Who knows who they were whispering to.

He unfolded two iron hoops with a clang.

He scratched the thick fabric with his fingernails, tapped it twice with his palm.

With this, the stretcher was ready.

“You’re definitely impressively skilled. Aren’t you going to tell us what you used to do?”

“Will you?”

“Since we’ll set off after resting anyway, let’s just pass the time. Let’s eat something, and have some coffee.”

Carlos rummaged through a large bag and slowly pulled out military rations.

Biscuits, super salty chili con carne, and macaroni and cheese that’s practically squeezable.

Of course, it was better than the red, fishy-smelling ‘that sauce.’

-Swish.

After fetching cold water from the bathroom and mixing powder into it to make lime drinks.

He installed a gas burner on the floor, boiled water, and made instant coffee.

“Any sugar?”

“…I take three.”

“Uncle BRO takes three. How about you, Engineer?”

“Never tried powdered coffee before…”

“Well, I’ll put in three then. It’s sweet and easy to drink.”

-Swirl, rustle, rustle.

Soon, the room filled with a stimulating coffee aroma—and a cloyingly sweet smell that almost stung the nose.

As I took the cup handed to me and sipped it…a jolt of energy surged through me.

“Oof.”

“Grrr…Military coffee.”

“Huh, drinking stuff like this makes café lattes seem meaningless.”

My entire body warmed up not only but also my heavy eyelids suddenly felt refreshed.

Shivering slightly, Cole watched me silently for a moment, scribbled something, clicked his tongue, and then rummaged through his bag.

“Hey, let’s give this to our hardworking Engineer too.”

A bright red steel cap.

Patterns resembling sunlight.

[Scho-Ko-La-De]

…Chocolate?

Feels kinda German.

“Where’d you get something like this?”

“When things get this bad, you should grab your favorites.”

-Click.

A faint chocolate scent similar to the coffee I’m drinking.

“Here.”

A fan-shaped dark lump was placed in my hand.

Though its peculiar smell made me feel a bit repulsed, since it smelled like chocolate…

Just as I was about to put it in my mouth—

-Screech.

“Whoa, Hartwell! Are you okay?”

“Does it look okay to you?”

We had to greet Angela and Hartwell, who came back with bags and luggage, wearing only their gas masks.

While helping them unpack, we tried to share food for a little snack.

“…Schokolade?”

“Ah, are you German?”

“Yes…”

The slightly melted chocolate in my hand.

When I popped it into my mouth, Angela’s eyes widened.

“Oh, er…”

It tasted like something I’ve never had between chocolates…

“Slurp.”

I washed down the dryness in my mouth with a big gulp of coffee, and Carlos and Cole chuckled as they rolled identical chocolates in their mouths.

Even Mr. James, who was only drinking coffee, was smiling the same way.

“Uh, excuse me, is everything alright?”

“Alright?”

“This chocolate isn’t just regular chocolate, right?”

“Then?”

“It’s military chocolate. It’s been around since Nazi Germany and still exists today. It’s packed with caffeine… In Germany, parents tell their kids not to eat it at all… And that coffee is military-grade too, right?”

As soon as she said that, my heart seemed to beat a little faster.

My skin felt… sensitive enough to sense Angela’s breathing in front of me, no.

The weight of my clothes was noticeable.

“Should we put down the coffee first?”

Caffeine gave a lot of buffs to sensory perception.

Of course, when addiction hits, insomnia debuffs stick instantly.

The clarity with which objects appear now.

The sound of wood creaking underfoot each step.

“Don’t just stand there, sit down. Come on, carefully.”

When her hand gently grabbed my arm, I could hear the crinkling of her clothes.

The flapping of bird wings…

Wings flapping?

“Excuse me, sorry.”

When I gently shook off the hand holding mine, Carlos and Cole, sitting near the window, seemed to notice and immediately stood up.

Still early winter morning, or rather, dawn.

“Caw, ack, caw.”

“Ahh, caw, caaaaw.”

-Pound, pound.

“Ah, damn…”

Sure enough, creatures seeking flesh and blood appeared.

And they weren’t small—these were Scratches, crows the size of houses.

-Tweet, tweet.

Pecking chunks of flesh, swallowing them with a gulp.

Grabbing the head and legs of a corpse, shaking until it split in half.

Coolly gulping down the half-frozen corpse.

The number was easily countable.

Five of them.

“Please tell me these things have disabilities due to radiation.”

It was a veterinarian’s wish, but unfortunately, these weren’t defective creatures.

Since they limit activity on the ground, they must be pretty smart.

“No, they’re quite intelligent. Good hearing, good eyesight. They fall easily to sonic waves and heavy machine guns though.”

“There has to be something to deal with them, right? Right now, we can only hope these bastards leave after being full.”

Fortunately, if these five settle in one area, other groups won’t likely operate in the same zone—but if we get spotted, it’s trouble.

We can only hope they fly away after eating their fill.

Sneaking out quietly is impossible with the injured and baggage.

“So, shall we just sit here and wait together? Watching those birds? Damn, I want to go underground now.”

“If those crazy oversized ones get full from that corpse, it would be great, but since they came down hungry—they’ll probably cause havoc until they’re full. With their enhanced strength and bigger beaks, they might flip cars, crunch frozen bodies, and target any noise…”

Before he finished speaking, a glove covered my mouth.

Then, a finger quietly pointed to one of them.

One of them happened to be tilting its head, looking around.

…Even though it was eating, its detection range must have shrunk significantly.

Could one of them have entered alert mode?

“Clack, clack.”

The bird that tapped its beak twice shook its head, preened its feathers.

Judging by how mutated it was, it had two right eyes.

Each eye moved independently… Apparently, its field of vision had expanded.

“What’s the plan?”

If we hesitate and get discovered, these things could crush the building.

Or they might sit on the roof waiting for us to tire out.

So, we need to lure them away.

And no matter how cruel this game seems, nothing popular is without reason.

There’s a way to counter every situation—even against house-sized birds.

“Let’s start preparing to move.”

After securing all necessary gear and communication devices on our backs, we were now on the first floor.

Having risked our lives to get here, we wanted to maximize our gains.

Carlos, Cole, and Mr. James’ speed had naturally slowed due to the injured.

“Huff…”

Overloading on caffeine increases the probability of caffeine addiction.

In return, it gives immense buffs to stamina and senses.

I intended to use that.

Since I know these creatures’ behavior patterns inside out.

“How’s it feeling, comfortable?”

“You guys worry about yourselves. We don’t want to end up as one big meal.”

Mr. Hartwell, tightly bound with extra ropes to prevent falling.

…That said, if I fail in the distraction, he’s undoubtedly the first to die.

Even armed with assault rifles and designated marksman rifles, hitting flying targets accurately is no easy feat.

Especially when they’ve grown tougher hides with their increased size.

Heavy machine guns might rip off their wings, but currently, the best option is to keep as much distance as possible.

“Over there, Mr. Xuan Woo.”

Preparing a light bag containing only purification tablets and extra ammunition.

When Angela handed it over, despite not seeing her face due to the gas mask, she hesitated far more than last time when we had friction.

“Isn’t staying quiet safer?”

“In such places, it’s difficult to fully recover. To heal wounds, we need to eat a lot.”

“…”

“To rescue people, we chose this path. We must see it through till the end.”

She didn’t release the bag when I reached for it.

Instead, she stepped back.

“Isn’t this reckless?”

Leading the stretcher while wobbling ahead, James followed behind guarding them.

That left two of us.

“Realized how reckless I was after trying. Rather, if you had told me earlier…”

“I didn’t give you the chance, did I.”

The scene of hair being sliced off was still vivid.

And the threat to leave.

“Now, at least we have the chance to talk. So…”

“Angela.”

“…Am I being stubborn again? Back then, now?”

Firmly securing the bag on my back.

No amount of rest or warm coffee could restore mental strength completely.

Maybe it’s because the idealist belief broke due to me risking my life to lure them away.

Especially since it affected her more deeply.

“Learning that stepping onto the ground requires significant resolve. Did you?”

“Deciding to step on the ground wasn’t something that could be resolved easily.”

Though most of us, having trained ourselves mentally by staying awake, managed to endure well,

it seemed Angela prioritized rest upon returning.

Threatening recklessly earlier… She’s clearly reflecting sufficiently, reducing rations or imposing restrictions.

Making decisions without giving choices can be delayed.

“Um, Mr. Xuan Woo.”

-Flop, flop.

Even approaching the back door, the wing flaps from their massive bodies echoed here.

…I need to act quickly; they’ll enter alert mode the moment I step out, and some will surely fly over.

“Let’s continue the conversation later.”

“What if there’s no later?”

“We’ll make it.”

Thinking about failure constantly is less comforting than thinking about solutions.

Equipping the shotgun on my back, I quickly gained speed towards the back door.

-Creak.

The goal is to cross two blocks using the alleys and activate the alarm system of the most intact vehicle.

If lucky, nearby mutants or other creatures will chase me, entering the Scratches’ line of sight and drawing pursuit.

Using that gap, everyone can safely escape into the shadows of the building.

“Huff, huff.”

Quickly checking the sky while running.

No shadow yet.

No sign of birds perched on rooftops either.

Reaching the nearest intact car, I smashed the window with the butt of my rifle and opened the door.

The alarm didn’t trigger.

Moving to another car, I smashed the window again.

-Clang.

On the fifth attempt,

“Car key.”

I noticed one dropped on the driver’s seat.

Actually, the door wasn’t locked either.

Apparently, someone followed emergency protocols meticulously.

Rare situations like this occasionally happen, but they aren’t too uncommon either.

And in this case, there was no need to tamper with anti-theft systems.

-Click.

Because the key could activate the horn.

After slipping into the alley between buildings, I pressed the button.

-Beeeep!

At the same piercing alarm sound, distant wing flaps began.

Confirming the crow-like shapes in the sky, but it wasn’t time to move yet.

“Caw, caw!”

Waiting to confirm the location where the alarm sounded.

-Beeeep!

“Caw, keeeek! Keeeek!”

I needed to deafen them with one more blast.

Watching them panic and flutter was satisfying, though.

This method should work.

“Pretty lucky… huh?”

Replacing the filter while catching my breath.

Thanks to the Scratches appearing, no other creatures dared to show themselves on the streets.

“Thank goodness you’re safe.”

“Running solo from giant mutant crows. Now it feels like there’s no real need to worry.”

Ms. Angela’s stance with the rifle has changed compared to before.

And Mr. James was chuckling—a sign of relaxed tension.

“Both of you. Still hung up on that?”

“Hartwell stuck around? That girl’s tough as nails; not many can handle her.”

“Hey.”

“Seen her arms? All toned up. Right?”

He boasted about his muscles hidden under the clothes.

Is there still room for jokes?

In a way, it’s a good sign.

“…Frozen river.”

The road covered with snow.

And the concrete structure on the opposite side we crossed was faintly visible.

I took out binoculars and helped Carlos and Cole confirm positions.

“Alright… Let’s get to there.”

“Shouldn’t we rest a bit more? We were sprinting just now.”

“Let’s rest after crossing.”

Despite saying that, we’d have to traverse the icy road for quite a while.

The extreme cold ensures the ice won’t break easily, thankfully.

“Alright, then… Move out!”

With a shout, we started moving again with Mr. Hartwell on the stretcher.

-Crunch, crunch.

Carefully descending the snowy slope toward the river when suddenly,

“Damn… Behind, behind!”

Mr. Hartwell’s panicked voice and pointing finger.

Turning quickly, there it was—a crow perched on a rooftop obscured by our movement below.

Right there, flapping its wings as if about to take off.

“Battle prep, prep! Anyway, it’s just one!”

“No!”

They were about to lower the stretcher, but I stopped them urgently.

The creature was indeed flapping its wings “as if” about to take off.

But it wasn’t flying, and it was alone.

Just watching us, adjusting its posture as if testing our intentions.

In short,

“…If it feels disadvantaged, it’ll call for backup.”

“So, just leave it be?”

“The gunshot will bring them, and its cries will do the same…”

Crossing the river, we’re especially vulnerable to attack.

The moment the ice breaks, everything collapses.

Thus, quick judgment is essential.

“…Head back to the bunker. Don’t chase.”

“What?”

“Wait, hold on-”

One person needs to act as bait and divert attention.

Ignoring the shouts from behind, I immediately dashed back into the city.

The bird seemed pleased, spreading its wings powerfully and landing near me on the ground—but…

I zigzagged, tapping my feet twice on the ground.

Inviting it to follow by pretending to retreat into the group.

Would you really leave me here?

-Clank.

Armed with the shotgun, I fired a round right at its feet.

Startled, it flapped and flew up but now realized:

First,

I was armed, and the group I came from had plenty of fire-spewing sticks.

Second,

I was fresh prey, and its plan for a solitary feast had failed.

Third,

Which means the only chance for any of these starving creatures to eat fresh prey intact lies in one thing.

“What are you daydreaming about, you stupid bird!”

This time, I aimed the gun upward and fired the remaining round.

The gunshot echoed across the city.

“This way!”

As expected, the bird began flapping toward me.

Completely turning its body in my direction, it opened its house-sized beak wide.

“Cawww!!!”

I immediately ran, slinging the gun over my shoulder.

I needed to lead it away, but simultaneously ensure it wouldn’t abandon the chase.

If I kill it, its kin might grow wary and target my companions nearby instead.

Simply put,

I needed to dangle the bait enticingly.

Like a video I once saw on a gallery.

“Caw, caw!”

Dashing between cars, I lured it by perforating metal sheets.

-The first reason: Every time its beak got caught on a car, it enraged it.

-The second reason: It provided the thrill of hunting without much danger.

-Peep, peep, peep, peeeep, peeeep…

And the third reason: Luckily, the cars triggered their alarms upon detecting impact.

“Huff, huff.”

-BOOM.

Listening to the hood of a car being struck, I leisurely headed toward the archway of a shop, ensuring the bird knew where I was going.

Rushing up the stairs quickly, I broke the glass window on the second-floor corridor with the rifle butt.

“Feeling angry, you dumb bird brain!”

-BOOM.

Firing another round into the air, I gathered more attention.

Sure enough, more crows began appearing, heading toward my direction.

“Haa, huff, phew.”

Luckily, luckily, they were converging toward me as planned.

Their speed wasn’t too bad either.

They must already be halfway across the river.

“Cawww!!!”

-CRASH.

A large, black beak shattered the window.

Simultaneously, shards flew toward me.

“Ugh…”

Thrown to the ground by the impact, I immediately noticed one thing.

“Damn…”

The protective suit was torn.

And the binoculars beside me were broken.

“Caw! Caw!”

The birds began pecking and tearing at the window with flapping wings.

-Mash, BOOM.

The steel frame was crushed instantly.

The horrifying sight of heads trying to squeeze through the broken window gaps.

I needed to escape quickly.

I couldn’t ascend to higher floors.

If they spot me flying higher, searching for me, and glance toward the river—it would be disastrous.

Then, should I head downstairs?

But the group hasn’t crossed the river entirely, so I need to buy more time—

-Mash, BOOM.

“Forget it!”

Forced intrusion was getting closer, so I had to stand immediately.

Blood flowed from the grazed areas, but it wasn’t something I could address right now.

“What a mess I’ve created, and now what to do…!”

Two bullets loaded in the gun.

I could fire if necessary, but I needed to drag this out longer.

Killing it would scare others away, so it can’t be done…

-Clang, CRASH.

The window kept breaking.

Meanwhile, the head trying to barge in through the broken window—

“What the hell is this thing carrying?”

One of them was lifting a long iron rod with its beak.

I had to avoid being stabbed by that.

“Graaah…”

Dodged what I thought was a deep stab into the corridor—

-Whish.

The iron rod suddenly swung toward my leg.

“Gyaah!?”

Caught off guard, I fell backward, smacking my head against the wall.

“…!”

Desperately rolling toward the emergency exit staircase.

The iron rod continuously swung overhead.

Can’t fall…

If I fall—

*

“Guess so, Teacher, turns out you were human after all.”

Faint voices of people reached me.

“Where did you get such protective gear… Maybe someone from the government?”

“Ugh…”

Opening my eyes slightly, I could vaguely see faces wrapped in multiple layers of cloth.

“You’re conscious? Hey, come on, snap out of it. Can you hear me?”

“Looks like there’s no serious injury—but watch out for that rebar.”

“Were birds this smart originally?”

My ears were ringing, and sounds were muffled.

I couldn’t fully grasp the situation.

The sensation of being dragged along the floor was clear, though.

“Tsk, the protective suit is torn.”

“There’s a bit of blood seeping from inside. What should we do?”

“…Let’s take him along. Regardless, isn’t he a lost lamb in need of help?”

“Giving a second chance to someone who caused such trouble? Thanks to you, the children nearly—”

“Considering we’re all part of the same flock of shepherds, how would the Lord view us abandoning a lost lamb?”

Her gloved hand briefly touched my gas mask and inspected the wound before disappearing from my view.

“Let’s move him underground. If the birds realize we’re taking him, they’ll likely give up soon.”

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