Chapter 46

Monster.

I knew this world was one where monsters roamed around quite often, but of all places, it had to be here.

“Boss, it’s coming this way…!”

“Do you think it can spot us?”

“…It’s not big enough to spot us. But it’s about the height of a two-story building—”

“Then let’s stay still until it passes.”

We went down to the floor below and held our breath.

The terrain was already unfamiliar, and without knowing the extent of its abilities or combat strength, picking a fight would be suicidal.

Like when we met in the underground bunker before, we’d either have to avoid it or deal with it somehow before moving on.

If it wasn’t crossing paths with my destination, there was no need to risk a fight.

“…Let’s move again once it’s far enough.”

“Got it.”

How much time had passed?

“It’s gone far enough.”

“Let’s go.”

As soon as we confirmed it was far away, we left the building and resumed our journey toward our destination.

A boring, smooth journey… I wish. Thanks to the monster roaming all over Namyangju, our trip was unnecessarily thrilling.

I saw Mina looking around nervously and carefully took her hand.

Mina flinched when I took her hand but soon seemed a bit reassured, matching my pace with a slightly calmer expression.

“If anything happens, I’ll protect you, so don’t worry.”

“Boss…”

“What about me?”

“Of course, you too.”

I have a responsibility to those I brought along.

We moved forward in a slightly warmer atmosphere. After walking for about two hours, we stopped by a narrow river.

“Ugh, the smell…”

Even if people disappear, environmental pollution doesn’t.

With nukes and reactors going off, it’s no wonder nothing’s intact.

Looking at the green-filled river, I couldn’t help but think that.

Come to think of it, even in the swamp area, many people avoided river water for drinking, using rainwater instead.

From my perspective, rainwater felt dangerous too, but since I hadn’t died drinking it so far, it must be fine. Plus, I’ve been using a filter.

Though, honestly, the filter’s so shoddy it’s questionable if it’s even working properly.

“According to the map, we need to cross this river.”

“But the bridge…”

As Mina said, the few bridges were already collapsed.

It wasn’t just slightly broken enough to jump over, so we’d have to find another bridge or get a boat to go around.

…Maybe I could carry them across one by one.

I recalled a recent request with Speed.

Crossing the river.

If I used my ability well, it might be possible.

If I pushed the water away with repulsion, maybe I could float.

I set my bag down and approached the riverbank.

“B-Boss?”

“I need to test something real quick.”

I stepped toward the quietly flowing green water, generating repulsion under my shoe and balancing myself.

First step, success. Now for the next.

I carefully lifted my other foot, wobbling a bit.

Balancing is a pain.

It took me nearly 30 seconds to stabilize.

The flowing water made it hard to balance, but after placing my next foot on the water, I managed to float, albeit precariously.

“Hmm… Can I carry someone like this?”

It seems reckless, but I’ll try.

I carefully took a few steps, adjusting the repulsion’s strength.

After about 5 minutes of practice, I could walk on the water decently.

“Boss, you’re amazing!”

“Oppa, I want to walk on water too!”

“Let me carry you one by one.”

Back on land, I crouched, and soon a heavy weight pressed on my back. Mina, probably.

Even without looking, I could tell who it was from the sensation on my back. I stood up with Mina on my back.

Thanks to my ability, the weight wasn’t too bad, but could I really succeed?

I slowly stepped onto the riverbank.

One step, two steps, three steps…

“Standing on water feels weird.”

“Yeah, me too.”

If people from the past saw this, they’d call me the Second Coming.

After about a hundred steps, I set Mina down on the opposite bank and went back to carry Seolhwa and the bags across.

“That was fun!”

“I’m exhausted. Let’s rest a bit.”

Carrying someone made balancing a pain. One wrong move, and I’d fall, so I had to go slow.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve and sat on a half-collapsed stone staircase to catch my breath. I’m not weak, but carrying someone across water is tough.

“Boss, let me wipe your sweat.”

Mina’s soft voice accompanied a white cloth covering my vision.

As the rough fabric brushed my face, I saw Mina sitting beside me, fanning me with her hand.

“Boss, should we find a place to rest?”

“I’m just a bit tired. Let’s stick to the plan.”

“But Boss, you look exhausted.”

“Yeah, Oppa looks tired.”

“If we delay, it’ll only get harder.”

We’re not the only ones here.

Military bases, other survivors, and mysterious monsters.

We don’t even know if there’s just one monster, so we have to keep moving.

If we were all fighters, maybe, but realistically, I’m the only one, so even more so.

I whipped my tired body and stood up.

Resting in such an open area is crazy. Let’s move.

“Let’s go.”

We started walking again.

————————-

“Let’s rest in this building today.”

“Dinner! Dinner!”

“Alright, calm down.”

I finally calmed down Seolhwa, who was excited about eating, and entered a relatively intact commercial building.

There was a long-abandoned convenience store on the first floor, but there wasn’t much to gain.

Thinking about it, expecting anything after decades of neglect is stupid.

“A taekwondo dojo.”

A taekwondo dojo firmly planted on the third floor. It’s spacious, so it should be comfortable. I opened the door, filthy from years of neglect, and stepped inside.

“Cough, the dust…”

“Everywhere’s like this, so there’s no choice. But it’s spacious, so it’ll be comfortable.”

“Boss, isn’t it a bit risky to light a fire here?”

“Well… if we keep the windows open, it should be fine.”

“Then I’ll light the fire near the window.”

Mina started a fire with the firewood we’d gathered earlier near the window.

As soon as Mina lit the fire, I took out food from the bag so we could eat.

“Hehe, dinner time…”

Seolhwa immediately started devouring the hardtack and jerky I handed her.

Seeing her eat happily, it seemed she hadn’t gotten tired of it yet.

I’m starting to get sick of it.

But I couldn’t starve, so I forced the hardtack and jerky into my mouth.

“If only we had more water, we could cook something.”

Sadly, we didn’t have the luxury to cook. Drinkable water isn’t something you can find just anywhere in this world.

Especially since it hasn’t rained much lately.

“I want soup…”

“Me too.”

“Not today, but after we find supplies at the hospital, maybe we can have some on the way back.”

Thankfully, it’s not too hot, so if we conserve water, we might be able to boil some once.

Of course, with just hardtack and jerky, don’t expect much flavor.

“Thanks for the meal~”

“Clean up and let’s sleep. We need to reach our destination tomorrow—”

That’s when it happened.

A deafening explosion shook the world.

“B-Boss?!”

“Calm down.”

“O-Oppa…”

The two clung to me with terrified faces. I patted their backs and looked out the window.

Nothing visible, but if my memory serves, that was… artillery fire.

Why?

My question was soon answered by the monstrous roars that followed.

“There’s more than one.”

Was the military base stationed here because of those monsters?

As the artillery fire and roars continued, I realized things were getting serious.

Military base.

Monsters.

And possibly the hospital in between.

“At this rate, there might not even be any traces left.”

“…What do we do?”

“What do we do? We push through.”

We have to check, after all.

I closed the window and took out a blanket to wrap around myself.

“It’ll be a bit noisy, but let’s sleep. We need to move tomorrow.”

“Boss, can I sleep next to you?”

“Me too…”

“…Fine.”

I spread my arms so the two could rest their heads.

“Goodnight.”

“Sleep well…”

I blinked and waited until the two were fully asleep.

And how much time had passed?

I carefully pulled my arms out and rolled up my blanket to prop up their heads.

I need to check what happened in the middle of the night.

I opened the window and leaped to the building across.