Hiding a Logistics Center in the Apocalypse - Part 7
(Mad Dogs and the Wall (1))
A sound rang out.
Clack!
Screech! Clunk!
Vroom— vroom—
It was the sound of veteran delivery driver Lee Yongsu handling his delivery truck.
Straightaways, curves, rapid U-turns, and drifts—all manner of stunt driving.
Keeping his eyes fixed ahead, he worked the manual transmission like a game controller joystick.
*So this is the power of the Best Driver.*
Whoooosh!
Fierce wind streamed in through the window.
Three orcs up ahead.
Screeeeech—!
Lee Yongsu drifted right, circling around them.
Shooook!
Shk!
I fired axes at five-second intervals.
It was nothing short of an action movie.
We’d already caught seven monsters this way.
We immediately got out and harvested their magic stones.
Thud!
The accelerating truck bounced over a speed bump and easily crossed a road split like a crevasse.
Traces of destruction were not confined to the logistics complex.
Roads had collapsed everywhere, and fallen buildings had completely smashed intersections along the avenues.
Unlike the devastation strewn about, the people themselves had vanished without a trace.
And it was no wonder.
Because monsters were now the masters of these streets.
As we drove along, something caught my eye.
"That’s…"
A corpse.
Of course, it wasn’t the first time I’d seen one.
Ever since leaving the logistics complex, corpses had been a common enough sight.
Whenever I saw flesh torn apart and devoured by monsters, it felt as though the hope I’d secretly harbored was being ground away.
Perhaps that was why.
I had become able to ignore the corpses littering the road like white lane markings.
But this time, it was difficult to ignore.
"They’re soldiers."
The scattered digital camouflage uniforms lay hollow and empty.
Some had pale faces, perhaps from excessive blood loss, while others had been severed at the torso, their tightly fastened ballistic helmets rendered meaningless.
A chill ran down my spine.
It had only been two months since my discharge.
If the end had come just a little sooner, I might have been no different from them.
But I didn’t have the luxury to dwell on such feelings.
"…There are so many."
A considerable number of bodies.
Of course, the deaths of soldiers themselves were not surprising.
Protecting citizens in an emergency is a soldier’s duty.
The real problem lay elsewhere.
"It looks like they couldn’t even retrieve the bodies…"
"…It seems even the military can’t handle this."
Lee Yongsu replied desolately.
That they didn’t even have the leeway to recover their fallen comrades’ bodies.
What that implied was quite significant.
That the state could no longer protect us.
My heart sank heavily, yet the truck’s wheels rolled on indifferently.
And so, after passing mountain-like piles of soldiers’ corpses among destroyed military vehicles—
we discovered that the bridge heading toward Indeokwon had been severed.
And beyond that…
"What on earth is this…"
the root cause of this disaster was swarming.
***
Fangs protruding sharply from both sides of their faces.
Claws as sharp as hooks.
At a glance, they looked like dogs, but their skin was hairless and smooth.
Their appearance was almost…
"…Zerglings?"
Lee Yongsu added with a bewildered expression.
Kaaaak!
Light purple skin, and numbers like a pack of wild dogs.
I couldn’t help but think of the very Zerglings from the national game.
Looking at the dead soldiers and the severed bridge, I could roughly guess what had happened.
I spoke.
"It seems the military destroyed the bridge themselves."
"It seems so. If those things poured over, there truly would be no stopping them…"
Lee Yongsu looked deeply troubled.
His wife and daughter were right beyond that bridge.
Anxiety was evident in the way he gripped the steering wheel.
He had no choice but to turn the truck around.
"There are many roads. Surely, there must be another way…"
But there wasn’t.
We had passed nine bridges going up and down the river.
All were severed by explosions; not a single one was intact.
It was gradually growing dark.
Having returned with nothing to show for it, like a lie, near the bridge we’d first tried to cross—
I reassured him as he stood in a daze.
"Yongsu, your family will be safe. There are a lot of them, but they don’t look strong enough to break down doors like orcs. If they just stay home and don’t go out, they’ll be fine."
"That may be true, but…"
"Don’t worry so much. We just can’t afford to be any later."
I pointed to a spot.
A bridge I’d taken note of earlier, still standing despite the explosions.
However, it was a pedestrian bridge that couldn’t be crossed by car.
"The entry width is tight… but with your driving skills, Yongsu, don’t you think we can make it?"
The bridge was intact.
It was simply blocked by a barricade filled with sandbags.
Probably left behind by the military for tactical purposes, since it was easy to use as cover.
The problem was the swarm of Zerglings just beyond that barricade.
Lee Yongsu asked.
"But even if we cross the bridge, how do we get through that many? No matter how capable you are, Jeong Gyeom… there are too many."
He was certainly right.
The Shipping skill that fired once every five seconds couldn’t handle that many.
But it was fine.
"I have a good idea. First, can you drive the truck right up to that barricade? In reverse."
"In reverse?"
"Yes. Press it flush against one wall as close as you can."
Vroom.
Lee Yongsu looked puzzled but steeled himself and drove.
Either way, giving up on getting through wasn’t an option.
Screech!
Either way, he was the
Despite the extremely difficult path, he deftly avoided the vehicle-blocking stumps, turning the steering wheel back and forth.
Thud!
The rear of the truck caught at the bridge entrance and moved while pressed flush against the right side as I’d ordered.
When we finally reached the military barricade, a narrow gap remained on the vehicle’s left side, just wide enough for a door to open.
I squeezed through that narrow gap and got out.
Then I spoke to Lee Yongsu, who was climbing over into the passenger seat after me.
"There’s something useful for times like this."
Swish.
I took out the magic stones I’d collected.
Twenty-four from hunting wyverns.
Plus seven harvested from monsters caught along the way, totaling thirty-one.
I spoke to Pax.
"Unlock both
[A total of 20 magic stones will be consumed. Is that okay?]
"Yeah. And increase the shipping speed to maximum too."
[Understood. An additional 5 magic stones will be consumed.]
[Maximum shipping speed adjusted from 75 km/h to 100 km/h.]
[Enhancement and ability unlock complete.]
Twenty-five magic stones quietly vanished.
I immediately approached the barricade.
And I began removing the sandbags forming the wall one by one, throwing them into the river.
Splash!
The sandbags sank into the water, and with each one, the wall grew lower.
Lee Yongsu urgently tried to stop me.
"Wait, if you tear down that wall, the Zerglings will—"
"It won’t be completely open right away."
I had only removed a very small portion.
Skreeek!
Kack!
Sensing the wall gradually lowering, the Zerglings went wild with excitement.
Finally, I removed a couple of sandbags at once, and the moment a Zergling’s sharp fangs tried to squeeze through the gap—
Crack!
The axe I fired lodged in its mouth.
Trampling the fallen one, another soon poked its head through, but—
Crack-ekh!
An axe fired in just 2.5 seconds took its life once more.
From the two created portals, axes shot out "automatically," alternating every 5 seconds.
At a speed of 100 kilometers per hour, it was an attack enhanced in power as well.
I dusted off my dirt-covered hands and returned through the narrow gap to where Lee Yongsu was.
Crack!
Thwack!
Even then, the endless screams of Zerglings rang out.
I said.
"Let’s thin their numbers like this."
Bottlenecking.
It was the perfect strategy for hunting Zerglings.
***
How many hours had passed?
Though "Automatic" was hunting the surging Zerglings, we were still busy.
"…Oof."
I dragged out the piled-up Zergling corpses through the narrow gap.
I plunged a dagger into the corpse I’d pulled out.
Stab.
Scrik—
Splitting open its chest, I extracted the magic stone.
That hollowed-out corpse…
Swish—
Splash!
I threw it into the river.
In the blood-dyed river, Zergling corpses were piled like mountains up to the surface.
Lee Yongsu and I divided the roles, and our movements gradually grew faster and more proficient.
Crack!
Thwack!
The rubber gloves I’d taken from my subspace were already covered in blood.
Thanks to that, perhaps, the number of Zerglings visible beyond the wall noticeably decreased.
It might not amount to much compared to the entire area, but what was clear was that a path was slowly opening.
And so, we advanced bit by bit.
We completely removed the military barricade and used the rear of the truck in its place.
Advancing by inching backward.
Because the work was in full swing, the axes were no longer getting blocked by previously killed corpses.
A situation where Zerglings died on their own without any special measures.
It was a complete "automated" process.
Thanks to that, we had some leisure.
Whoosh—
I opened the subspace portal.
Magic stones aside, my stamina was drained, and I could barely move my fingers.
I spoke to Lee Yongsu.
"Let’s take a short break."
No, you rest. I’ll keep working."
He answered with bloodshot eyes.
He was whipping himself, weighing this grueling labor against his family’s lives.
But…
There wasn’t really any need for that.
Automatic Shipping was handling the Zerglings anyway.
I said to him.
"Are you planning to go to your family like that?"
"Ah…"
He looked awkward and checked his appearance.
His clothes, covered in Zergling blood, were soaked and clinging to him.
The stench of blood wafted strongly.
No matter how much of a "working dad" he was, it wasn’t a sight to show his children.
Without another word, I hopped into the subspace.
Then I asked Pax.
"Does hot water come out here?"
[It is possible if you consume magic stones.]
[Water and gas costs combined consume 1 magic stone per 24 hours.]
"…Turn it on. How much power is left?"
[Approximately 7 hours of use remain.]
"Then electricity too. Two days’ worth each, for now."
[Received 4 magic stones.]
With this, the three sacred treasures of civilized life—electricity, water, and gas—were complete.
I hadn’t counted, but the amount of magic stones harvested from the Zerglings was quite substantial.
Burning a magic stone or two for hot water was more than fine.
Next, I went to the picking station and ordered a few items.
[Portable water jug shower 15L set, 158,590 won.]
[Men's boxer briefs 3-pack, 40,680 won.]
[Men's short-sleeved polo shirt…]
I went to the employee shower room, filled the portable jug shower with hot water, grabbed the remaining items, and stepped out of the portal.
Lee Yongsu was still harvesting magic stones without rest.
"Here. I’ll put the clothes in the truck, so change into them."
Lee Yongsu took the shower jug with a dazed expression.
I said.
"Let’s each go wash up."
Back at the fulfillment center.
Steaming hot water poured down in the employee shower room.
It would have been less trouble if I could have brought Lee Yongsu too, but for now, only I could enter.
Shoooah—
The hot sensation running from the crown of my head was truly dizzying.
"This is crazy…"
After showering, I changed into clean clothes.
The moment I ordered, an AGV robot brought the clothes—it couldn’t get more convenient than this.
I muttered today’s lesson to myself.
"Automatic… is the best."
Changing clothes felt like my body had become new too.
Now for the finale.
I boiled water in an electric kettle, poured boiling water into two cups of Yukgaejang ramyeon, and took them out.
Lee Yongsu had apparently finished showering as well and was wearing new, clean clothes.
Crack!
Thwack!
On the other side, Automatic Shipping was killing Zerglings.
Regardless, we ate our late dinner.
My whole body was cold, as if I’d been playing in water.
When I brought the moist noodles to my mouth, blowing on them—
"This is insane…"
Lee Yongsu exclaimed.
A cloud-like breath floated up from his mouth.
Just as we finished our meal, the Zerglings’ screams that had been like background music stopped.
I poked my head out to see a completely open path beyond.
Thud!
Thud!
Every 2.5 seconds, a camping axe popped out and struck the empty ground.