novelburst-info
Chapter 266
Chapter 266
Kim Hanna was frustrated.
“Where’s the Guild Master? Why are we the only ones stuck here?”
“I don’t know. Move that desk.”
“I don’t want to set up barricades! I don’t want to nail wooden planks to the windows! Ugh! This isn’t the kind of collaboration I imagined!”
The four women, sweat pouring from their faces, wore work gloves and were moving furniture inside the building.
The windows that zombies could crawl through were nailed shut, and they fortified everything to remain as inconspicuous as possible.
The plan to be noticed by Guild Master Ha Eung Eung and have their skills recognized, maybe even thinking they might be seen as something amazing, was completely shattered.
- Public service job synchronicity 100%, LOL
- How did she get such a fitting job for herself?
- Typical of a failure.
The viewers’ reactions were starting to get under Hanna’s skin—was it because they wanted to see an idol trainee or a carpenter?
Their teasing was making her feel even worse.
“Stop whining. Don’t you feel embarrassed in front of Ji-su and Ji-yeon?”
“Tch. Who’s playing around alone? I wanted to show my pretty side, but all I’m doing is struggling.”
Both Ye Ji-su, who had been silently working, and Ju A-young, who had scolded her, silently agreed with that sentiment.
Where in the world do you have a show where four women are spending an hour just doing carpentry and setting up barricades?
In a world where this kind of thing was common, something had to be terribly wrong.
“Don’t say that. Survival is important. If the barricades fall, we won’t be able to sleep peacefully, even at night.”
There are people who can accept even games like this without any resistance. Cha Ji-yeon was one of them.
Whether you call it adaptability or being so scared that the game’s immersion becomes intense, she wasn’t sure.
“I wonder if Mom is doing well? I don’t think she’s in the city. I’m worried if she’s eating well. Should I send her another text...?”
“…Ji-yeon, you already seem like a resident of this world.”
“Hanna thinks so too.”
Ye Ji-su and Kim Hanna, who had been together since the beginning of Zombie Hazard, couldn’t understand Cha Ji-yeon’s feelings.
She had been alone, thrown into the strange zombie world.
The virtual relationships given to her, the presence of her mother helping her overcome fear, and the same sense of stability that Ju A-young gave her—these were important to Cha Ji-yeon.
“Ji-yeon’s mom is watching TV at home, huh.”
“Just leave it. If you keep thinking like that, you’ll drain her energy and make her feel helpless.”
Ye Ji-su’s comment made Hanna reluctantly nod. She was always the energetic one, but she had to consider Cha Ji-yeon’s sensitivity.
The fervent filial piety burning like a furnace, the emotions bubbling over—how could she not understand?
‘I envy her. I wish I had a mom too.’
Ju A-young disliked the random human relationship settings in Zombie Hazard.
She, who had grown up as an orphan, was given a useless man, while Cha Ji-yeon, who already had a family in real life, was given another mom.
The society that felt this kind of parental inequality was surely very wrong.
‘Is Unnie okay?’
Looking outside from the building, seeing the streets filled with zombies, sent chills down her spine.
Even with martial arts training, there was no way to handle such overwhelming numbers.
Just the zombies visible on the streets alone probably numbered in the thousands. If you count all the zombies in the area, it could easily exceed tens of thousands.
“What do we do now?”
“Right...?”
The four of them had just finished setting up the barricades.
At Ye Ji-su’s question, Ju A-young, drained of energy, slumped against the wall, exhausted.
Cha Ji-yeon, still concerned about her virtual mom, was pressing her phone anxiously, writing another message.
“Hmm.”
Kim Hanna, sitting with her back against the wall like someone sinking into hot spring water, made a relaxed sound.
Her feet, like a cat’s tail, tapped the floor, and her eyes reflected nothing but boredom.
- Is this a gathering of the defeated?
- #Dystopian
- The tension is apocalyptic, LOL
- Someone say something.
- Are you all asleep?
“Ugh, this is so depressing. What is this atmosphere?! Hanna can’t live in this gloomy mood!”
“Then do you want to leave?”
“That’s not it.”
- Suddenly getting polite, LOL.
- How could she leave, LOL.
Ju A-young gave a sideways glance at the lively Hanna.
Kim Hanna, unfazed, got up abruptly.
“Our next mid-mission is a dance battle, you know? Hanna’s going to practice here!”
Shouting with enthusiasm, Hanna untied her tie, threw off her police shirt, and unzipped her skirt.
“Hey, are you crazy?! This is a broadcast with so many people watching and you’re suddenly undressing?!”
Ju A-young grabbed the skirt that was slowly falling from Hanna’s hips, lifting it up.
But unexpectedly, the words “Contestant Number 100 Kim Hanna” were boldly written on her stomach, stealing Ju A-young’s attention.
“Hehe. I wrote it with magic on my belly. What do you think? Pretty smart, right?”
“Wow… seriously… you’re amazing...”
“Right? And you don’t need to hold my skirt anymore~ I made sure I’m wearing something underneath, okay?”
Over the untied shirt, there was a long-sleeve crop top covering her arms and chest. Below the falling skirt, she wore dolphin shorts that barely covered her hipbones.
A sensual yet almost dizzying outfit, just short of exposing anything.
- Kim Hanna, is she a goddess or what?
- My pick from now on is Hanna.
- Hanna is the best! Hanna is the best! Hanna is the best!
- Die, guys, LOL.
- I can’t handle crop tops and dolphin shorts.
- Belly graffiti, wow!
- Wow, really eye candy!
- Is this voluntary exposure for real?
- I’ll never forget the contestant number 100 Kim Hanna on her stomach.
The viewers’ reactions were explosive.
Kim Hanna’s viewer count skyrocketed from 3,000 to 7,200 in real-time.
Considering that she was competing with the Silent Swordsman for viewers at the same time, this was a remarkable achievement.
“Ehh, ehh! Yap, yap!”
The problem was that despite her amazing body and the attention she was drawing, her dancing was rated a measly 52 out of 100.
- LOL
- Something’s off… but not in a good way.
- How can you show your belly button and not be sexy?
“I told you it was practice, practice! I can do it well if I practice!”
- Why are you practicing for us?
- Show us once you’re done practicing.
Kim Hanna stubbornly ignored the chat and continued practicing her dance.
<UmGilDong'sDesire donated 10,000 KRW!>
It looks cold, just button up your shirt.
- Of course, it’s from that guy, LOL.
- LOL
- The awkward dancing with UmGilDong’s Desire is even more unbearable, LOL.
“Geez. Everyone’s just going to keep doing this to me.”
Kim Hanna, with tears in her eyes, grabbed her shirt and buttoned it up.
Exhausted from dancing, she slowly leaned against the sofa and drifted off to sleep.
“Ugh.”
Ju A-young, exasperated, saw her struggling to act like a rising star, and, feeling sympathetic, covered her with a blanket.
It was a peaceful moment.
And because of that, no one could imagine the future.
A future where Ha Eung Eung would leave them stranded for 24 hours in real-time.
[All players are resting.]
[Time is passing.]
[Day 12. Survival: 272 hours, 15 minutes.]
After a few periods of automatic time passage, a full day had passed in real-time.
“Why isn’t Unnie here?!”
Ju A-young, with a weary expression, opened a small window between the barricades.
One zombie fell, but the ones banging on the barricade showed no signs of stopping.
“Yes, Hanna thinks we’ve been abandoned!”
“Shut up! Is the window blocked properly?!”
“Of course. I’m Hanna, right? Hehe. It’s totally a guaranteed win. I’m a little sleepy, a bit dizzy, and my hunger is glowing red, but other than that, I’m fine, really!”
“Ye Ji-su!! Hurry up and take over from her!!”
“We’re done. The Guild Master hasn’t contacted us in ten days, the zombies keep coming, the food’s running low, and the zombies are getting stronger. At this rate, we’re all going to die.”
- Ye Ji-su raps so well, LOL.
- Her breathing is amazing.
- The more her mental state breaks, the better her singing gets.
- If I had to watch that, I’d probably want to commit suicide, but how is she buffering?
- I said buffering, not buffing allies.
- LOL
Kim Hanna, exhausted beyond her limits.
Ye Ji-su, her mental state shattered.
Even the weapon she had just used had broken.
Now, it was really the limit.
Just as Ju A-young was about to give up and collapse, a new window frame was pushed in beside her.
“I made another one!”
[Cha Ji-yeon has completed the makeshift window.]
[Cha Ji-yeon is reinforcing the barricade.]
“I can’t die before I meet Mom!”
- Light Jiyeon! Light Jiyeon! Light Jiyeon!
- Cough-cough Jiyeon is rising!
- Why is the virtual mom buff so effective, LOL?
In the highest difficulty where most players couldn’t last a day, and those lucky enough to secure a hideout had it breached within three days, surviving for ten days was nearly impossible.
The biggest driving force behind surviving in such harsh difficulty was Cha Ji-yeon’s unexpected efforts.
“If I survive this time, I’m going to send a text to your mom thanking her for giving birth to you. Seriously.”
She had moved all the furniture she could, disassembled everything she could, and used it to reinforce the barricade and craft equipment.
If not for Cha Ji-yeon showing 120% of her survivalist skills as a <Repairer>, they wouldn’t have lasted even ten days.
But even that was now reaching its limits.
“Special Zombie! Everyone, get away!!”
A muscular zombie appeared at the entrance to the floor.
[Special Zombie – Charger is charging!]
[Evade the charging path!]
The reinforced barricade collapsed with a single blow, partially crumbling.
“Jiyeon, take Ye Ji-su and Hanna upstairs!”
“What about Unnie?!”
“Hurry!”
Cha Ji-yeon, with tears in her eyes, decided to act despite Ju A-young’s sacrifice.
‘I’ve already owed her so much due to my lack of strength. I can’t become a burden anymore!’
Cha Ji-yeon ran to Ye Ji-su, grabbed her by the hair, and pulled her up.
“Wake up!”
“Ugh! That hurts!”
“Unnie might die because of us! You want to just mope around?! Hanna, you too, hurry!”
“Okay~”
“The viewers want to see Hanna’s sexy dance!”
“Really?!”
- Not really?
- What the hell, why are you selling us out?
- What did we do wrong?!
Swallowing her tears, Cha Ji-yeon pushed Ye Ji-su and Kim Hanna into the upstairs emergency shelter.
Desperately, she pounded on her phone.
Cha Ji-yeon: Guild Master, you didn’t really abandon us, did you? A-Young is dying protecting us. If you’re alive, please save A-Young...
She sent the message using the phone she had been saving to preserve battery.
She didn’t expect a reply.
She was sure that by now, the Guild Master had already lost his phone and was off somewhere exploring hidden routes.
[Message received.]
“Eh?”
Cha Ji-yeon’s prediction was only half correct.
Silent Swordsman: Don’t worry. I’m watching over you.
Cha Ji-yeon: Huh?? Where are you???
Silent Swordsman: I just sent up a freshly evolved Charger. It should be a decent sparring partner for A-Young.
“…Evolved? Fresh Charger?”
Now, Cha Ji-yeon was afraid to ask where and what the Guild Master had been doing.