– Crunch. Crunc.
“Huh…!”
I repeatedly caught Angela from slipping and nearly falling.
“…Thank you.”
“Since I’m carrying the medicines to be delivered to the injured.”
“That, that’s right. Naturally. I’ll be more careful.”
The area beneath the bridge was cleaner than expected for some reason.
There were no nests of anything, not even giant spiders in sight.
I had somewhat braced for a minor skirmish.
– Crunch, crunc.
As we moved further, the reason for the absence of creatures became clear.
It was excessively cold below where sunlight didn’t reach.
The occasional wind also increased the difficulty of our march.
“ ─ Huff! Huff, huff.”
Even James, who was leading ahead, occasionally teetered on the edge of slipping while somehow continuing to move forward.
Though our pace slowed down a bit, the frequency of slipping was gradually decreasing as well.
– Creak.
Every time the wind blew, creaking sounds came from the bridge.
Although the regular metallic sounds occasionally made me look up, all I could see were iron poles covered with snow.
– Crunch. Crunc.
Finally, after walking with all my strength, we managed to reach the opposite side of the river.
However, it had been over an hour and twenty minutes already.
“…It took much longer than expected. Damn.”
“How much time do we have left?”
“In the assumption that we won’t get stuck ankle-deep, we should arrive two hours later.”
“…”
The timer showed only 30 minutes remaining.
We had brought plenty of water purifiers, so there wasn’t much worry about that, but the issue was stamina and the cold.
Clouds were gradually covering the sunlight, and the wind was picking up.
“There doesn’t seem to be any room for rest. Let’s aim for a quick extraction.”
Angela, who had been leaning on her knees and catching her breath heavily, nodded weakly after raising her head slightly upon hearing those words.
…Behind her back, hanging under the bag, was the medical supplies bag.
Unable to bear seeing this, I helped detach it.
“I can handle it. Please give it to me.”
“A moment of lagging behind will mean the end.”
Despite enduring stress, moving my body like this had its worth since I could clearly see that my stamina was greater than Angela’s.
After attaching it to my own bag, I turned Angela’s body gently with both hands.
“Move.”
“…Yes.”
We hadn’t touched the ground at all since the beginning.
Moreover, after setting up the outpost, we attempted proper reconnaissance – though I myself had never scouted above ground as a Crafter.
Thus, from now on, everything would be completely new experience.
And, it was also an experience we shouldn’t have to endure, if possible.
Who else but me could take on this risk?
Could I push through three people against one objection?
On the other hand, sending away two members who would undoubtedly be of no help, along with a doctor with zero combat skills, akin to exile…
Above all, sending away a doctor we had barely managed to secure…
Especially one who joined early and has been accumulating experience…
…
When manpower is lacking, choices are always harsh.
At least, we should be grateful that everyone agreed.
“…!”
Our hurried steps suddenly stopped.
After spotting a signal to move left, I quickly tried to hide behind the pillar of a building, but—
“Huff, huff.”
James swiftly concealed himself inside the building.
Following closely behind Angela, I stepped over a window frame without glass.
– Crack. Crack.
The sound of broken glass scattered across the floor being stepped on.
Looking around, it seemed to be a department store.
Mannequins rolling on the floor with their clothes stripped off, and the interiors of all stores were in disarray as if they had been looted.
Our destination was the stopped escalator.
– Clunk, clunk, clunk, clunk.
Without explanation, I hurriedly followed the two as they quickly moved, stopping at a glass window behind which a promotional tent flapped lightly in the wind.
Breathing heavily, we took our positions together.
“…Why—”
“Shh.”
Lifting his finger to his gas mask, James pointed downwards.
Beasts with mottled fur easily jumped over cars covered in white snow and roamed in groups, their numbers darkening a considerable distance.
“…Stray dogs.”
“In such a vast city where not a single sound can be heard, if we fire a gun…”
What would happen next was obvious.
Just establishing a base on the ground would attract undue attention from other factions or creatures.
In fact, the very first thing to set up at the base should be anti-aircraft guns to intercept Screechers, indicating the dangers of surface activity.
“Remaining time is 10 minutes. We’ll rest until the stray dogs retreat, also to safely replace the purifier.”
Turning off the alarm on the wristwatch to avoid drawing attention from the timer, I sat down.
1540.
If we replace the purifier simultaneously when it turns 1550, will that work?
“…Hooo.”
The sun was still up, but by five o’clock in the afternoon, it would surely become completely dark.
We absolutely had to rendezvous before sunset.
If those searching for us were truly rescuers, that would be preferable.
However, we currently needed this unwanted rest—
Unwanted as it may be, rest was necessary to rejuvenate our tired bodies, making it something we must do.
While praying the dogs pass by.
“Grrr….”
Unfortunately, the peace we believed would come was shattered by sounds emanating from the lower floors.
I wished they’d just pass by, but there was no sign of that happening.
The sounds continued to echo within the empty building.
– Tap, tap.
Even though it was still before 50 minutes, James tapped the purifier.
Opening the bag, I retrieved the purifier.
“Huff.”
Holding my breath, I separated the purifier.
Since carelessly discarding the contaminated ones posed a risk of being tracked, I temporarily placed them on the floor before quickly tightening the new one into place.
“Hoo, shh, hoo.”
With both hands, I confirmed that no air was leaking, then placed the detached purifier into the prepared pocket.
The other two also began tidying up the surroundings at varying speeds, completing the same task.
– Crack, crack.
Sounds began increasing significantly from the lower floor.
Checking outside the window, they seemed to be sniffing the air in the direction we came from, heads raised high.
Some packs were heading towards the building directly in front of me.
And, quite a number were staggering into the building where we were located.
“…”
The moment James stood up, I too picked up my rifle.
Though I didn’t intend to allocate bullets here, I placed an ammo box on the floor.
– Clank, clank.
A belt pre-loaded with shotgun shells.
I first draped it over James’ body as he approached.
Next, Angela.
Finally, me.
– Click.
The sound of the buckle fastening coincided with sounds coming from the escalator.
Something was rushing up, light bounding footsteps.
Would daylight outdoors inevitably lead to attracting aggro like this?
“…Excuse me, as I mentioned earlier—”
“Shut up and prepare.”
Grasping Angela’s hesitating rifle, she eventually closed her mouth and placed the loaded shotgun on the floor.
Still unsure, I firmly grabbed her shoulder.
“Anyway, if you die, that patient won’t last long either. We must consider any injury as fatal. Do you want to see that happen?”
“…But, the numbers…”
“Since you’ve chosen to follow, you committed to obeying orders, didn’t you?”
“…”
“Then shut up and figure out how to survive together. It’s an order.”
“- ”
“Snap out of it.”
Only after yelling did she nod, finally adding speed to her hesitant movements.
According to the strategy we previously discussed, Angela pulled shells from the belt and positioned herself.
Ultimately, since only James and I were capable of firing, one of us had to reload.
“Gong, gong!”
Finally, the dog ascended.
Starting from the entrance, it lowered its head and began barking wildly.
From the first floor, the sound of claws scratching smooth stone floors rapidly increased.
“…Mr. Xuan Woo, what’s your plan here?”
All animals, unless they’re irrational modified creatures, reveal aggression when they perceive themselves to be in a superior position.
They act recklessly if they believe they have the upper hand.
However, if the situation doesn’t go according to their expectations…
If they perceive the opponent as stronger, they tuck their tails.
In other words, we had to suppress that dog frothing at the mouth before it revealed aggression.
“Yo.”
– Boom.
“K – ”
The head that was barking violently tore off entirely, and the body that had been standing trembled before collapsing onto the floor.
“…!”
The following ones immediately perked their ears and froze momentarily in surprise.
We couldn’t afford to let the momentum stop.
“Keep moving!”
The second flame.
And then the third.
The dirty faces that had been tilting their heads transformed instantly into bloody lumps, shattering the glass and falling below.
“Kiing, yip, kiing!”
Realizing the situation only then, desperate cries were heard, but the growling sounds didn’t cease.
“Reload!”
Handing over my double-barreled shotgun, Angela picked up and held James’ triple-barrel shotgun to begin reloading.
“Mumble, mumble, mumble…”
Her muttering could be heard, but she neither missed a bullet nor failed to reload.
“Craaaah!”
And now, it was my turn.
The first bullet ripped through the body of a leaping dog, accelerating quickly, turning blood into rain.
The next bullet pierced from its head to its waist, sliding the corpse across the floor.
“Reload!”
Taking the loaded rifle from James, I handed mine over to Angela.
During the reloading process, James pulled the trigger again.
“Keeng!”
Even if their feet got caught in the pile of corpses and they fell,
“Reload!”
– Bang, bang.
“Kiing!”
Despite seeing their comrades crawling on the ground spitting blood, the starving stray dogs didn’t hide their hostility.
Even if ten had fallen,
Even if entrails spilled onto the floor,
“Gong, gong, gong, gong!”
Prompted by the barking of their comrades from the lower floors, the dogs continued climbing the stairs.
Perhaps twenty-five or twenty-six?
Thirty?
Anyway, a heap of corpses formed,
And the moment the barking from the lower floors was drowned out by gunfire,
“Grrr, grrrrrr…”
From the entrance of the escalator to the tiles where we stood,
Twenty spaces tightly packed with dead stray dogs.
The next one that climbed simply glared at us, refusing to take another step forward.
However,
– Bang.
I pulled the trigger, tossing that one beyond the broken glass wall as well.
“Kiing, yip, yip, yip, kiing…!”
And only then did the hurried sound of descending the escalator reach our ears.
I turned to check outside the window.
“Gong, gong, gong – ”
“Kiing! Yip!”
The pack trying to flee was blocked by barking dogs.
We encountered once again the stray dog pack that had entered the opposite building.
There were still more of them than the ones we had killed.
“Grrrrrr…”
The one standing on a car with abundant gray fur growing thickly around its neck appeared to be the leader.
Unlike the emaciated ones we just killed, this one was plump, and the ones surrounding it guarding similarly were larger in build than the ones that attacked us.
Some of the ones trying to flee were strongly bitten on the neck by these guards, writhing feebly.
This way, it was clear that the stray dog pack would soon charge at us again.
“Mr. James, do you see that one?”
Holding his shoulder, I pointed toward the one growling while standing on the car.
Sensing the movement, the beast lifted its head toward us.
“…Gray mane.”
“Kill it.”
Interrupting the hierarchy—a tactic we couldn’t perform in the Zero Empire.
Without hesitation, James steadied his stance, adjusted his gas mask several times, and then—
– Crash!
The sound of breaking glass accompanied by a rush of cold wind.
The warmth was stolen away.
“…K, kee…”
Bright red blood sprayed everywhere from its throat.
The white cars turned red, and the dark pack was splattered with crimson blood.
The ones with lighter fur started to darken with red.
– Bang.
For the sake of the ones yet to understand the situation, I aimed and shot the next fat one.
Whether it missed or was actually better,
The one hit in the body tried to stand up somehow, but collapsed in fear.
“Yowl, u – ”
The barking ones fell silent due to James’ shots, and it didn’t take long for the barks to turn into screams.
“Dang, kiing, yip, yip, yip…”
That large pack eventually dispersed in all directions.
It was the moment when the city, noisy just a moment ago, fell silent again, albeit briefly.
“Did we repel them?”
I caught Angela who was about to collapse from relief and helped her up.
“We shouldn’t linger long near where we’ve made noise. We need to leave immediately.”
“That’s the right judgment. Stand up, Angela.”
We still had a long way to go, and wasted time during the battle.
It was now 16:10.
With 50 minutes left until sunset.
