Chapter 7 – Deficit Control (2)

Deficit control (2)

Puck-!

An iron pipe that ignorantly rips through the wind and gets stuck in the head.

A single blunt blow stopped the zombie’s movement like a frog.

[Strength: 9 -〉 10]

[Remaining points: 1 -〉 0]

Tring-!

[Your strength stat has reached ’10’. After that, the remaining points required to increase the strength stat increase from 1 point to 5 points.]

[Example: Strength stat 10 -〉 11 Points required to increase: 5 points
Dexterity stat 6 -〉 7 Points needed to increase: 1 point]

“… Her.”

A newly updated message on the status window, which used to display only the dullly changed stats.

Every time I read each letter, I spit out a laugh at the content that I couldn’t say that it was so good.

So, from now on, you have to break 5 zombie heads to get one strength stat, right?

“… It’s ridiculous.”

That notification meant that once my stats started to break through 10, the trap hunting I had been doing would be slightly put on hold.

Tring-!

[Strength: 10] [Agility: 6] [Intelligence: 1]

[Remaining points: 0]

I glanced at the status window, where a lot had changed in just one day, and gazed at the sun that was slowly hidden behind the hillside.

Eight corpses abandoned in the corner of the rooftop promenade and a new corpse pouring black blood right in front of me.

A total of 9 points.

All day today- the points earned by driving the zombie cubs into traps without a break.

“… Ambiguous.”

It was so vague, like a mumble that came out of my mouth without me knowing.

In a way, I earned 9 points safely from the day after the uproar—

Also, in a way, modern people who have to eat three meals a day have earned points that can’t even buy two chocolate bars.

Efficiency.

Although I don’t know the safety of this trap I’m doing right now, it’s clear that the efficiency is a bit low.

If there were more than one zombie snooping in the hallway in front of the store, they would wait at least another 30 minutes before running again, which was probably a very obvious fact.

However, this does not mean that the high school that I have been through so far is meaningless.

I looked down at the head of the zombie, which would be better described as being crushed rather than bruised.

Obviously, the first time I drove a zombie into a trap, I had to hit the zombie head down countless times to get points.

Pop – pop –

I laughed lightly as I looked at the iron pipe that was spitting black blood-drip-to the asphalt.

Only once.

That’s how I killed the zombie with just one blunt force.

“…”

My body trembled as if I was thrilled by the fact that I was chewing it over again, and my smile deepened.

Is it a sense of victory or a sense of superiority?

My shoulders shake at the strange sensation that my whole body is filled with just the thought.

It is changing.

The more I took the stats, the more I realized that I was changing into something other than a human being.

Is this what a drug that I have never seen, let alone tried, really feel?

It was a deep satisfaction that I couldn’t feel at all through exercise or study.

The special and superiority that fills the body without the slightest delay the moment you kill zombies and take stats.

The destructive power itself was different from the process that I usually felt indirectly in novels or computer games.

Maybe that’s why I was nervous.

The increase in the required points for this drug-like growth was a significant hindrance.

Besides, with these stats, you can hunt two or three of them—

Aww-!

When I thought about it, I slapped my cheek with both hands as if pouring cold water on it.

“… Oh fuck.”

A headache that creates tinnitus while beeping, probably because the intensity was not well controlled.

I let out a small curse and turned my head around.

Dangerous.

It’s not even a thought for a newbie who has just earned 9 points.

As a result of running the simulation over and over again in my head, it was clear that a zombie would now be able to deal with it without a clothes trap.

But every time it goes from two to three, from four to many, the risk level will surely rise exponentially.

Furthermore-

Eh eh eh!

A creepy scene that comes to mind while reminiscent of a number of zombies.

Waves of zombies rush into the university like a tide from the main gate.

Zombie wave.

If I’m exposed to that zombie wave out of inadvertent pride, I’ll end it no matter what method I use.

In the first place, the fear of zombies was not the fighting power of individual objects, but the violence and contagiousness of the endless number of attackers.

Whether I become Superman or Batman—just once.

The moment you get bitten by them just once, it’s game over.

“… Slowly.”

Yeah slow

Don’t think that a child who is just crawling will already fly around, and go up one step at a time.

So, starting with securing a canteen, which was our first priority in the first place.

Growl-

The belly button ringing more and more intensely.

Now, the hunger that went beyond a day and a day and a half was warning of the limit.

It’s time to move slowly and confidently.

The last zombie he caught only appeared after dropping the coin three times, proof that he was quite far away.

I glanced at the dead zombie corpse again and entered the College of Humanities again.

Ignoring the stuffy air, I stared down from the stairwell where I secretly checked for zombies.

“…”

An empty hallway with no zombies or people in sight.

I cautiously descended the stairs and quickly looked around.

[4F]

The elevator I had been on and the puddle of dried blood in front of it.

Apparently, the corpse that the zombie babies continued to eat had disappeared before they knew it.

Is it really possible for a baby that has been eaten so much to rise again as a zombie?

It couldn’t have been a really strange life force.

Chin-!

I didn’t go straight into the canteen and clung to the wall between the canteen and the corridor.

Then he carefully poked his head out and stared at the hallway full of classrooms.

“…”

A long, cave-like atmosphere and a quiet corridor where not a single breath can be heard.

Originally, in the movie, this kind of confirmation was done with a piece of broken glass…

There was no need to make a fuss by breaking the glass right now, so I had to see it with my own eyes.

After confirming that no one was there, I carefully picked up one of the coins scattered randomly in the hallway in front of the store.

Ting-!

Coins flying into the concession stand drawing a parabola.

Ting- ting-li-ring-!

I focused my attention on the entire canteen, watching the coins falling to the ground with a loud noise.

Obviously, it was a noise you couldn’t help but react to if there were zombie babies inside.

“…”

Just like the classroom corridor, the canteen with no response.

It was only then that he wiggled the metal pipe and quietly entered the store.

Past the wide-open glass door, colorful dishes were lined up behind the small cash register.

My eyes naturally twinkled at the precious food on the green shelf.

Weiying— a beverage refrigerator that is steadily refrigerating drinks and bottled water with a small mechanical sound, and several bags of snacks scattered on the floor.

And from there, a dark red bloodstain continued like a brush stroke to the door of the store.

As soon as I saw it, I roughly guessed whose bloodstain it was.

“… What. Were you really bitten?”

A wild adventure of three idiots who came in through the window.

I laughed as I recalled the screaming desperately to open the door and the sound of whimpering and blocking the door.

“… Jerk the.”

Crawling into a small space without any confirmation on a pitch-black night is like that.

Thinking about it again, I walked closer to the display stand, recalling the absurd dog death.

The first things that welcomed me were breads that smelled savory just by looking at them.

“… Cream soboru.”

I quietly opened the package while reading the label of the bread on top of it.

As soon as you open the package, you can feel the savory flavor in your mouth when you take a big bite.

The crispy bumps that first touch your mouth and the moist flesh that follows.

And at the very end, a more moist cream that gently wraps the tip of the tongue.

I passed the cream soboru down the back of my neck without chewing a few times at the finest texture I had never felt before.

After that, after devouring cornbread and sweet red bean bread, I walked to the beverage fridge.

A cool breeze blows through your face as soon as you open the door.

I ate the bread and hurriedly opened a bottle of mineral water.

Gulp- gulp-

After drinking the plastic bottle at once, he took out a coke from the bottom.

Chee-ik-!

The pleasant sound of carbonation and carbonic acid that shows off its presence by shooting tok-tok- as soon as it enters the mouth.

I even ended up drinking Coke in one shot, feeling that I missed it so much that I couldn’t even think of just one day.

“Puha!”

Then, as if he had lived, ping- ping- his head spinning.

Now that the thirst and hunger that had reached the limit had been resolved, it was time to start the next action.

“When are you going to move all of this?”

The store that I looked around while muttering like that was not a very big store.

Bento boxes and triangular gimbap corner prepared in a very small space in the corner.

Most of the shelves were filled with very simple foods such as snacks and cup noodles.

Structurally, it is not very convenient to have a canteen on the 4th floor, the top floor of the College of Humanities.

Especially if there is a plan to open a large convenience store on the first floor.

The small cafeteria on the 4th floor was a cafeteria that students staying in the classroom had left for a simple snack.

It didn’t sound too sweet to me, who now had to depend on the canteen for meals, but–

Well, it was food and drinking water that I could easily survive for a month by myself even if I packed all the food I could see in front of me.

I put three 1.25-liter water bottles in my inventory and continued to move them with my other arm, using the free finger of my hand holding the metal pipe as a clamp.

I didn’t feel any heaviness even though the mineral water bottles, which would have felt quite heavy normally, piled up.

With the power that reached ’10’, this weight was a weight that did not feel much.

I tucked the water bottle under my arm until there was no more space and walked out the glass door.

I had to be diligent to move all the food in the canteen before the sun went down.

***

Aaaaa! Someone please save me!

A night on the rooftop of the College of Humanities under the light moonlight.

I raised my head for a moment at the sound of someone’s scream that I hadn’t heard in quite a while, then got down again.

Chairs and tables placed at regular intervals on the rooftop promenade.

Looking at the food piled up there, he smiled heartily.

It felt like those foods were all mine now.

If they left it in the canteen, it wouldn’t be strange if someone took it.

I risked my life by killing zombies to ensure safety—

And who eats the food obtained that way?

Even imagining it, it was absolutely unacceptable.

Those provisions were only mine that no one should covet.

I stared at the food that I was full of just by looking at it for a long time, then I laid my eyes down again.

A notebook with the light of a smartphone that could not be unlocked.

Among the zombies killed today, it was an item captured from a zombie carrying a bag.

I carefully scanned the floor illuminated by the light of my smartphone.

Locked smartphones and bound textbooks, which once again confirmed how high security awareness is these days.

Auxiliary batteries, wallets, and more.

They were the spoils of the day, which seemed insignificant.

Tick-!

When the button was pressed, the protruding ballpoint pen tip pressed the paper and spat out ink.

〈 What to do〉

Anyway, it was dangerous to work at night with these stats.

During this rotten time, it wouldn’t be bad to organize the things you need to do diligently from tomorrow morning.

〈1. Secure Concession 〉

Once completed, mark with an ‘X’.

Profit- Profit-

Goal 1 is erased with a pleasant X mark as if the goal has been completed.

〈2. Securing the bathroom〉

The bathroom closest to the rooftop of the College of Humanities where I am now is the men’s and women’s bathroom located in the center of the 4th floor.

Fortunately, water and electricity have not yet been cut off.

There’s no need to do errands on the roof already.

And

〈3. Clear the room and hallway.〉

It was a goal that had to be completed in order to get to the central bathroom.

I must have checked the empty corridor before securing the concession stand.

But that is an open room, not a locked room.

Just in case, it was quite dangerous if the zombies went mad at the sudden leaking noise and broke the door of the room all at once, so it was right to solve it in advance.

I would have dealt with the zombies in the open room today if possible…

Tomorrow, let’s slowly organize the closed classrooms in the hallway on the 4th floor one by one.

And the biggest problem that includes all these problems–

Gi-Ik-!

Draw a large circle to enclose all of your goals, and write a new number outside the circle.

〈0. Person.〉

Person.

Or what to do when meeting a survivor…

Tok-! Tok-!

Until now, the ballpoint pen, which has been running smoothly without a single worry, continues to stab in one place.

Wheein-!

At that moment, a vibration that suddenly wets the roof floor.

One of the smartphones displayed on the floor emitted a faint light and vibrated.

[Mom♥]

Printing out a name that is too unfamiliar to me.

[Mom♥: Hyunji, why can’t I contact you like this? Mom is in a safe place for now. In case it’s a dangerous situation, I’m sending KakaoTalk instead of calling, so if you see this, please…]

A KakaoTalk message popped up on the lock screen.

I stared at the corner of the rooftop while silently staring at the message that was cut in half because it was too long.

Wow!

Nine corpses piled up like a small mountain with the sound of flying flies.

A bunch of naked bodies, not even sure who the locals are.

Tok-! Tok-! Tok-!

Looking at the corpses, the ballpoint pen strikes the black dot again.

I do need a person

I wonder how long someone will come in like this, because I can’t fall asleep leaning against the iron gate.

Whether it’s for a smooth condition the next day or whatever, you’ll need someone to take turns keeping watch.

Furthermore…

Among the corpses, I quietly stared at the plump chest that stood out.

As the sense of looking at the corpse dulled, the other senses were rather fluctuating.

〈0. People. Woman.〉

A woman was also needed.

I, who wrote the words, was also surprised by these naked emotions, but it wasn’t that awkward.

Because now I don’t have to look at that anymore.

… Those who show signs of listening will be reaped.

But-

You don’t have to help someone who shows signs of becoming a troll.

There won’t be an idiot carrying a bomb in his hand that doesn’t know when it will explode.

‘If you meet a survivor and he or she feels bad…’

Widely-!

After thinking that far, I closed my notebook and quietly gazed at the sky.

Just like the first night, the cloudy sky of Seoul with no flying objects.

I slowly closed my eyes listening to someone’s scream, which was noticeably less than yesterday.

‘… There’s no need to keep them alive.’