Translator/Editor: TranslatingNovice

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Chapter 16: Adoption

I avoid battles not just because they're dangerous.

The aftermath is a real pain.

One dummy bunker was destroyed, and handling the bodies is a nightmare.

Burying each one individually is impossible because there are too many, and there's no suitable place to bury them.

In the end, I had to pile the bodies in the half-collapsed bunker and set it on fire.

One of the invaders was half-burnt alive and made it to the front of the main bunker, so I had to drag him out.

While moving the body, fluids mixed with pus dripped down, dirtying the floor.

Just clearing the bodies isn't enough.

I also need to dismantle their tents and erase any trace of them.

All of this is hard labor.

I didn't break a sweat during the battle, but I was drenched with exhaustion during the cleanup.

There were no spoils of war.

The invaders' belongings were utterly useless.

Especially their food—it was hard to believe even after seeing it.

The food they brought was dog food.

Specifically, it was something like a nutrition bar made by grinding dog food and mixing it with unidentifiable meat, something I could never put in my mouth.

Seeing that made me anxious.

A countermeasure is necessary.

The ones that appeared this time are probably just the tip of the iceberg.

Under the US military base, there's an intact bunker facility that remained mostly undamaged even after the nuclear strike.

The underground facility initially allowed me to loot it, but subsequent scavengers have taken everything, leaving nothing behind. However, if converted into a dwelling, it might be better than my bunker.

Still, I never thought I'd live in a place where a nuclear bomb had fallen.

But then someone like Lieutenant Colonel Choi showed up.

When there's one, there's bound to be more.

I need to deal with the US military base.

I need to take measures to ensure no one can think of nesting there, to prevent Lieutenant Colonel Choi number 2 from coming.

But how should I do it?

Should I set it on fire?

Or maybe use the heavy machinery sleeping in the bunker to block the entrance?

Nothing seems to click.

A more intense and intuitive approach is needed.

For instance, spreading rumors that monsters live there.

Mutations like the Gold Pack would also work.

But how do I place them there?

They don't talk, and they kill any human on sight.

I even considered relocating the sniper mother-daughter duo, but decided against it since even I wouldn't go if I were them.

Feeling frustrated, I dumped a lot of sugar into my coffee and logged into my mental oasis.

I clicked on the popular posts tab.

Let's see.

I posted pictures of the dog food bars during breaks from work.

I thought it might become popular since it had received a few comments in a short time.

But it wasn't in the trending list.

Maybe because it only got one like.

But then.

"Wait, what? This bit-"

I almost swore.

Keystone: This is what kids in Seoul eat these days, lol.

The photo Keystone posted was none other than the one I had uploaded of the dog food bars.

He stole my photo and got trending with it!

SKELTON: (Skelton Puzzled) This is my photo, though?

I tried to protest, but there was no response.

What a shameless guy.

I complained on the forum, but no one listened.

Even my only internet friend, the Human Hunter, was nowhere to be seen that day.

Savoring my anger, I skimmed through the rest of the popular posts and saw a title that caught my eye.

Kyle_Dos: What is this?

Feeling down, I clicked on it.

A photo appeared.

It’s probably the view of the mountains behind a bunker.

It seemed like an ordinary picture of overgrown grass and trees, but within it, something peculiar stood out, exuding an eerie presence.

A pale cylinder with a dull, grayish surface.

Kyle_Dos: I woke up and suddenly found this here. Does anyone know what it is?

There were various replies, but none provided a clear answer.

They wouldn't know.

That thing can only be seen in a country on the brink of destruction.

The name of that pale cylinder is Capsule.

It's a monster's egg.

Monsters generally collapse as soon as they enter Earth, but there are exceptions.

The first exception is those classified as Infiltrators.

Infiltrators are mainly small species that survive independently in Earth's environment without collapsing.

The Necromancer-type, which turned Chairman Jae Pung-ho into a zombie, is one of them.

However, while they are immune to collapse, their combat power is weak. Weak, in this context, is relative.

The second exception is not individual species but environmental changes.

When the otherworld’s energy from a rift exceeds a critical point, the surrounding area warps into a form similar to the world beyond the rift.

When the energy from a rift exceeds a critical point, the surrounding area distorts into a form similar to the world beyond the rift.

This is called erosion.

In the eroded land, monsters can persist regardless of their size or strength.

I have seen eroded land in China.

The malevolent distortion of the world we once knew could only be described as apocalyptic.

The object in Kyle_Dos's photo is of the first type.

It's an Infiltrator's egg.

Don't underestimate it because it's an egg.

The moment the Capsule opens, a monster with 100% combat power will emerge and tear apart any unlucky human nearby.

There's no such thing as a cute baby monster.

Many researchers were sacrificed not knowing this fact.

No matter how sturdy the walls or restraints were, they were useless.

Only after hundreds of researchers and dozens of research facilities were destroyed did the World Union ban research on Capsules.

From my point of view, Capsules are death traps designed by monsters.

They exploit humans' tendency to research, explore, and analyze.

And that Capsule has appeared in Korea.

This is terrifying news.

The appearance of a Capsule is undeniable proof that the surrounding area has already been eroded.

I sent a DM to Kyle_Dos.

SKELTON: That’s a Capsule. A monster egg. A monster will come out of it.

Soon, Kyle_Dos replied.

Message from Kyle_Dos: So, you can speak properly after all.

SKELTON: (Skelton Service) It's very dangerous. I’ll get rid of it for you.

Message from Kyle_Dos: Can’t you drop that weird header?

SKELTON: OK

Message from Kyle_Dos: But just how are you planning on getting rid of it? Are you saying you’ll come here yourself? I know you’ve been active on the forum for a long time, but why should I trust you? You might not be the Skelton I know. What if you’re a raider?

SKELTON: Post it on the forum.

Unlike Keystone, Kyle_Dos was a quick-witted friend.

He had keen eyes and an instinctive sense of danger.

Message from Kyle_Dos: No, on second thought, it's better not to post it. I don't want to advertise that I'm here. Just come and take care of it. How are you coming?

He’s the type to survive for a long time.

He has the qualifications to survive.

Nonetheless, Kyle_Dos’s fate is bleak.

“Paju, huh...”

His bunker was near Paju.

That means it’s in a rift zone.

There are pros and cons.

Rift zones are always guarded by elite hunters and military units, forming an impregnable defense line known as the kill zone.

While it's the most dangerous place due to being a gateway for monsters, it paradoxically offers the highest level of security.

However, if the area around the bunker is completely eroded, only two choices remain.

Die inside the bunker, or become a refugee.

I took out my pickup truck after a long time.

It’s a 1-ton electric truck.

The navigation system turned on and showed the optimal route, but in today’s era, information from the old world is meaningless.

“Personal Identification Number SKELTON. Confirmed. Bypass Seoul? Follow Route 13, then Route 22, and then take Route 8.”

Only government-controlled routes are safe to travel on.

Especially when driving a valuable vehicle.

Kyle_Dos's bunker was not far from the road, and the path to the bunker was connected by an unpaved road suitable for vehicles

Kyle_Dos peeked out from behind a tree, holding a gun, to identify me.

“It’s Skelton”

I introduced myself first.

Kyle_Dos hesitated.

I introduced myself again.

“Skelton arrive.”

Only then did Kyle_Dos reveal himself.

He looked to be in his early thirties, with sleepy eyes. He was dressed neatly and in decent nutritional condition.

What stood out the most was his frivolous smile.

It wasn't a mocking smile or a fake one.

It was a genuine smile filled with welcome and expectation.

Should I say it felt like I was looking at an exemplary doomsday prepper who was well-prepared and had endured well?

He was different from the yellowish, dirty refugees who were half-broken in both body and spirit.

"Skelton, you're younger than I thought. And you look normal too. Unexpected. Really unexpected."

"Unexpected?"

"From your posts, I thought you were in your 50s."

I tossed him a couple of cans of spam that I brought as a gift.

“What, you didn’t have to. Honestly, shouldn’t I be the one giving you something like this?”

"Where's the Capsule? Let's deal with it quickly. Even though the road is controlled by the government, it's dangerous after dark."

"Wow. You’re completely different from what I imagined. Why are you so sharp?"

(Translator Notes: Raws used a term that means to speak and behave exactly.)

"When was I not sharp?"

We were meeting for the first time.

We had never exchanged words or had a drink together.

But I wonder why?

We connected.

Like old friends who had known each other for a long time.

Is this the love of the community?

It's really heartwarming but…

“No, let’s be real. You were a weirdo on the forum.”

Why is my reputation like this?

"Ah, it’s right there. That thing."

Kyle_Dos pointed into the forest.

Under the midsummer forest, half of which had been logged, a bizarre one-meter tall grayish-white object exuded an eerie presence unlike any life on this Earth.

"Is this what you call a monster egg?"

Kyle_Dos shivered slightly.

"Ah, fuck. It felt like that. The color is similar to the monsters from the kill zone, and just looking at it makes my heart feel sick."

Kyle_Dos looked back at me.

"Isn't this dangerous? You said it's a monster egg.”

There are two scenarios when a Capsule opens.

One is when the monster inside wants to come out, and the other is when a strong external stimulus is applied.

The manual distributed at schools recommends the following method for dealing with Capsules:

Use special ammunition that bypasses the reflective field to attack the Capsule from a distance, then handle the emerging monster according to the manual's guidelines.

This is how Capsules are handled in the field.

In short, shoot from a distance to draw the monster out of the egg and then kill it.

That's all they know.

I know one more thing.

"Stay back for a moment."

I approached the Capsule, holding two axes.

"If I die, take my truck and run. The key is in the ignition."

"What?! You’re going to die?!"

I didn't come here to die, but there's no such thing as 100% certainty in this world.

However, not taking risks when it's time to act leads to a guaranteed 100% death later on.

I know this well.

I saw how my indecisive comrades in China died, became disabled, and went mad.

"Let's start."

I swung the two axes with enough force to split the grayish-white surface of the capsule.

Just before the ax blades touched the surface.

"Hup!"

I stopped the axes with all my might.

It was a feint.

I only pretended to strike.

In human society, this might be considered a prank, but monsters are not human.

Therefore, they react.

Suruk—

I saw it.

The black axe blade that appeared, tearing through the space in front of my neck.

The reflective field.

The reflective field is a monster's ability to distort and twist dimensions to reflect an attack back at the attacker.

While there's a limit to the physical amount that can be distorted, humans have no defense against the counterattack caused by the distortion.

It's one of the numerous reasons humans can't defeat monsters.

Fortunately, since I had controlled my strength, my own ax blade didn't decapitate me.

I let out a sigh of relief and retrieved my ax.

The black, water-like reflective field at the point where the ax touched rippled as if disturbed and then quickly faded into the space

“It's safe.”

When a monster doesn't want to come out of the Capsule, it deploys the reflective field.

At that time, it takes an attack that the reflective field alone can't withstand to force the monster to break out of the Capsule and appear.

I don't know the reason.

Maybe it hasn't finished getting ready, wants to sleep more, or perhaps it's busy socializing in a monster community forum.

Well, it must have its own reasons.

Anyway, using this trait to check for safety is my very own method.

If I had to name it, I'd call it the Skelton-style Capsule Test.

With the temporary safety from the Capsule confirmed, I loaded it onto the truck with Kyle_Dos's help.

Thunk!

Loot secured.

"You're really fearless. What if the monster jumped out from inside?"

Kyle_Dos clicked his tongue while looking at the Capsule loaded onto the truck.

"If I'm unlucky, I'd die."

“A wise answer to a stupid question.”

“Anyway, I’m in a hurry so I’m off.”

“Yeah. Be careful.”

No more words were needed between us.

Both Kyle_Dos and I got what we wanted.

Besides, this isn't the end.

It’s a face I’ll see in the community in a few hours anyway.

Kyle_Dos waved his hand.

"This whole thing is our little secret, right?"

I nodded.

"Next time, give my post a like! Thanks beforehand."

“Depends on the content.”

Kyle_Dos smiled broadly and gave a thumbs up.

Feeling the tight-knit bond of the community, we said our goodbyes.

Thunk.

The spot where I left the Capsule wasn't the US military base.

That's too close to my home.

The cute little monster was dropped in the middle of the road connecting the U.S. military base and my territory.

The distance was about 5 km.

Similar to the distance from the sniper mother and daughter.

I have no idea what will pop out of it.

It could be a Necromancer-type that creates zombies, or a predator of the architecture field like the Spider-type.

At least it won't come my way.

Monsters tend to go where people are.

Though it's not 100% certain...

Still, this little friend is quite effective.

-Chijijik! This is the 23rd Pioneer Unit! There is a strange object ahead!

-Chijijik! This is the Road Control Headquarters. Observation by drone confirms it is a monster spore. Turn around immediately and get as far away from the spore as possible. This is not a suggestion but an order. I repeat..."

One refugee group cut off as soon as I adopted it.

"Nice!"

A month has passed since then.

So it's been 1 year and 11 months since the war started.

On the community forum, topics about anxiety and complaints regarding the flood of refugees have been constantly making it to trending.

Among them was a post from Keystone.

Keystone: Fuck, I’m screwed!

Apparently, a refugee camp was set up in the neighborhood in front of Keystone's place.

Is this the saying, ‘Justice will prevail in the end’?

As the whole world is in chaos, I’m enjoying a leisurely late summer.

Refugees?

They don't even come near.

Even at this moment, the cute little monster is still asleep in its round Capsule, keeping pests away from my territory.

But as they say, good fortune is often accompanied by misfortune.

An unexpected person is trying to disrupt my peace.

Personal Identification Number: Sergeant

Lee Sang-hoon contacted me.

This friend, who currently has the collapsing Korea on the palm of his hand, is my Salieri.

Translator Notes: Mozart and Salieri.