Stagnant Water of Apocalypse

Chapter 13

My condition as soon as I woke up was way better than I thought it would be. My body was a little sore, but not as heavy as usual.

And when I looked at myself in the mirror, what I saw was unfamiliar to me.

“Who are you?” My clothes had become baggy and it looked like I was wearing oversized clothes because of all the weight I lost. If things continued like this, it seemed like I would be able to at least move around nimbly when the apocalypse happens.

I hummed happily as I turned on the TV and had some breakfast.

What was broadcasted on the TV so far was all normal things, until…

A big ‘Breaking News’ text suddenly appeared on the bottom of the screen. At the same time, the announcer panicked as someone handed him a note.

After reading it with a face plastered with shock, the announcer began to speak.

-Dear viewers, a gunfight had broken out in Seoul.

“Wait! What the hell are you talking about?”

Wasn’t Korea a country that didn’t allow ownership over guns?

So how did a shootout happen in Seoul?

?Uh… viewers, a deserter has caused a shootout in Seoul. Currently, the entire Yeouido area is closed by the military and police. Viewers who are watching this broadcast, please stay tuned in our channel. As soon as more news is heard…

“It’s strange…” It’s not like we were currently in the 80’s, so how the hell is there a soldier deserting and shooting in town?

I quickly searched the internet and social media for more detailed information. The current era is an era where everything was readily available on the internet. So even though the accuracy of the information was not guaranteed, it should be there.

Not surprisingly, people around Yeouido started posting one after another.

-I’m nearby right now, isn’t this the sound of a K2 rifle?

-I also heard the sounds of machine guns. It doesn’t seem like a normal situation.

-Did a fucking Civil War finally happen?

But as I read those posts, something really amazing happened.

Like divine interference, all information regarding the shootout disappeared. Even when I input a new keyword related to it, nothing came out.

“What in the world is happening right now?” When I turned my attention to the TV once again, the announcer was already reciting the usual news in a calm voice. The breaking news words had also disappeared from the screen. It was as if there was no such thing in the first place.

I searched through the internet more but just like before, I couldn’t find anything.

Was it supposed to be a battle between Awakeners or what?

For now, let’s just install a spare infrared detector on the stairs and do what I have to do.

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Sandwich panels and the woodworking tool I had previously ordered finally arrived. With a groan and sweat, I finally managed to put the last material on the cave.

“Assembly Manual…”

[Assemble the sandwich panels one by one on the mortared floor.]

Well, that’s not helpful at all because that was what I was about to do.

The reason why I installed the panel in the cave was to preserve the food I store. Afterall, because it was a cave, it was quite damp. In addition, with a warehouse made of panels, it would be easy to sort the things I have.

Tang-!! Tang-!! Tang-!!

After dozens of hammerings, a somehow functional warehouse was created.

And when I was piling spam and ramen on an iron tray inside the warehouse, I suddenly stopped.

“Wait a minute… the spam has to go to the back since ramyun has a short shelf life.”

Canned spam would still be edible even after 10 years. However, ramyun would start to become too oily even after only several months of storing and wouldn’t be edible anymore.

After I finished sorting the spam and ramyun, I loaded a lot of bottled water to the iron tray and stored it in the warehouse. Judging by how much supplies I had ordered, it seems I’m going to spend all my time carrying luggages for a while.

“Phew…”

By the time the sun slightly passed the midway point, I finally finished tidying up the cave. However, there were still plenty of supplies piled up here and there.

“Should I just turn the area around the woodworking tools into a workshop?” The cave was too narrow for that, though. It’s also difficult to enlarge it with expansion, so how should I proceed?

“Ah, I can make a basement.” Since the ground was relatively soft, it should be doable. And since I didn’t spread the mortar on the end of the cave because it was the place where the glowstone and the ignition stone were mined, it should work out well.

“If I dig the floor, install a support, and apply the mortar …”

Wouldn’t it be finished?

It could also act as a secondary shelter to run even though I have the dimensional door. Afterall, the more places to escape, the better.

With that in mind, I quickly returned to my home and searched for tutorial videos on how to make basements on Metube.

Hmmm, hmm…

It turns out, If the ground was soft, there’s a chance the ceiling would collapse. And because the softness was caused by moisture, if I don’t want that to happen, I would have to do the waterproofing properly.

“For now, let’s just move the other materials first.”

I still have a lot of work to do right now, so it was impossible to build it right away.

After finishing my light meal, I slung my backpack on. I want to go to the swamp that I saw with the drone yesterday.

However, the infrared detector suddenly beeped.

I quickly jumped and hid behind my luggage.

“…”

Is it a monster? Or just an animal that went the wrong way?

My heart is beating so hard as I keep waiting. Fortunately, even after several minutes of waiting, nothing entered the cave.

After waiting for about 30 minutes more, I quietly came out of the cave. And then, as I arrived at the forest located just outside the perimeter of barbed wire and fence, I could see goblin footprints all over the place.

“These bastards have come all the way here.”

It was obvious that they were the group where the old goblin that I killed near the river were driven out from. Judging from the number of footprints, it doesn’t seem like there’s a lot of them…

“One, two, three, eight.”

Eight goblins in total had passed in front of my hideout.

Should I just leave these guys alone?

“No, I can’t.” Even though the cave was hidden by the bush, it was not completely concealed. If they just go through the bushes, they would come across the unnatural fence and rounds of barbed wire. From that alone, they would naturally know that I was there.

“When they still aren’t aware of me, I have to attack and thoroughly eradicate them.”

The time is now.

I quickly let the drone fly. I followed the goblins’ footprints with it, then at a place not too far from my cave, I saw they’re currently fighting against a rabbit. It looked like they were hunting.

“These guys seem like they are in a good mood.”

Their behavior was no different from what I knew. They were violent and ferocious.

At that time, I saw something flying into the camera. It seems like they had mistaken the drone as a prey and shot a paralyzing dart into it.

“Shoot as many as you can, see if it ever fell.”

I immediately lifted the drone into the sky.

Perhaps, thinking that the drone had escaped, they were elated for a few moments before pulling out a flimsy net.

“It seems like they want to capture the drone if it comes again.”

Even if one of my drones was captured, there would be no significant damage done to me as I could just order some more. But, there’s no need to give a present to those bastards.

All I would give to them was violence and death.

Returning to my house for a moment, I bought the firecrackers then went through the portal.

Due to the strict regulations these days, the power of firecrackers circulated in the public market had been greatly weakened. However, it would be more than enough for the purpose of surprising those goblins for a moment.

“I’ve got all my clothes on… okay.”

Putting on my motorcycle helmet, I completed my hunting set.

I will attack before others attack me.

That’s the only way to survive in the apocalypse.

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Goblins were a pretty clever monster. However, no matter how clever they are, there will always be times when they let their guard down. It was especially true when your attention was drawn towards something else.

For example, when all of the goblins were obsessed with the drone that is currently flying 10m above the ground. They were dying to catch it, but since the paralyzing darts couldn’t reach the drone, they couldn’t do anything.

I hovered the drone and approached the back of the goblins.

Fwoosh-!! Tang-!!

Those bastards even took out a javelin and threw it towards the drone. Nevertheless, the power was not enough to reach the drone.

Perhaps, from the goblin’s point of view, the drone is a very exciting prey to hunt.

I think if I use a little more force, I can reach it!

The goblin chief might also think so as well, that’s why he was busy throwing commands to his subordinates.

“I should aim for the leader first.”

I nocked an arrow to my compound bow and carefully aimed at the back of the head of the chief who was excitedly running around.

Letting my grip loose, the arrow whistled through the air and stabbed the goblin chief in the back, not the head. The goblin chief roared as it looked around.

Without feeling frustrated by my missed shot, I quickly nocked another arrow to the bow. And when I let it loose, this time, it hit the head properly.

When the chief suddenly collapsed, the goblins who were busy chasing around the drone, opened their mouths and roared.

I promptly shot another arrow. The arrow hit one of the goblins’ stomach. After that, I put my bow away and pulled out a machete.

“Six left.”

The goblins found me. Depending on their actions, my response would also change.

Will they use their blowguns or will they run into me?

Kiyaaakkkk-!!

When one of them shouted, all of them pulled out crude daggers from their pockets and ran towards me at the same time.

They might be choosing this option because they thought it was a correct choice because I was alone.

“You chose the wrong opponent.”

I stepped back and pulled a firecracker out of my backpack. I calmly lit it up and threw it at them after counting until two.

Papa Papa!

The sound of firecrackers, the flashes and the smoke confused the goblins.

Giyaaakkk-!!

While they were screaming, I rushed towards them without missing an opportunity. Zooming towards the nearest goblin, I raised my machete high to the sky before swinging it. And when the machete met with its target, it cleanly cut through the goblin’s shoulder.

I let my legs loose towards the stomach of the impaled goblin. At the same time, I pulled out the fire ax with my other hand and buried it deep into the goblin’s head.

Five left.

I jumped among the goblins and mercilessly swung my machete. As a result, one goblin had one of its arms chopped off while all of its intestines spilled out from its open stomach.

At that time, one goblin who could barely open its eyes suddenly looked at me then pulled out his blowgun and shot a dart at me.

However, unfortunately for it, the paralyzing dart couldn’t penetrate through my stab-proof vest.

“You motherfucker.”

Since it was close, my reaction was quick. With a quick step, I was already in front of it and pushed my machete through its stomach. Not only that, I also twist it to make the goblin die faster.

The bastard screams a bloody murder from the pain until it finally died.

Meanwhile, the other 3 goblins were only standing still while watching one of their kin meet a painful end.

“Come on, you bastards!”

As I screamed out, they became frightened and showed signs of escaping.

But I can’t let them go just like that. I quickly moved towards them and smashed them all.

After several minutes of fighting, I finally killed the last one.

“Huufttt… Hufttt…”

My breath became ragged and the helmet’s visor turned hazy because of it. But, it was still too early to take off the helmet.

I went around all the corpses carrying a fire ax in one hand to confirm that they were indeed dead one by one. After I was sure, I unequipped my helmet. As soon as I did that, a strong bloody smell wafted to my nose.

“Whew…”

I was so exhausted. My arms and legs were aching because I was so nervous the whole time. Though, in the end, I still succeeded in killing eight goblins.

It was a victory I attained from a surprise attack and numerous other tricks such as drones and firecrackers, but a victory is still a victory.

When I checked my status window, my level had risen to 4 while my point had reached 45.

“This is not the time to rest…”

The bloody smell would surely call other creatures. I need to bury them.

I collected all the goblins’ pockets, put them in my bag and dug the ground.

After a lot of digging and suffering, I finally finished burying all of the bastards. Not long after that, the Survival Instinct skill was activated. And my exhausted body has become much more comfortable than seconds ago.

Now, when it was still active, I had to go home and lie down. I quickly retrieved the drone and returned to the cave.

“If I do it one more time, I will die.”

However, I still feel refreshed as I managed to kill those bastards.

Now, should I see what’s in their pocket?

As I opened the pocket with anticipation, a large frog suddenly popped out.

Why the hell did they carry a frog?

I was dumbfounded with what I got. However, when I scrutinized it carefully, I could see a thin liquid on its back.

The identity of this yellowish liquid is…

“Are you a poison frog?”

It seems like the goblins were collecting the paralytic poison for their darts from this frog. I was certain because of its colour and its musty smell is identical to the ones on the darts.

“That’s right…”

A good idea came to mind.

There’s no law that states only goblins could use paralyzing darts, isn’t there?