Chapter 188
(Also not edited. My editor hasn't been feeling unwell, and i couldn't get this chapter ready on time. My apologies to everyone.)
So, the thing was - a zombie was basically an infected person.
It was just that, the person was not infected with some virus or poisonous substance, but by dark Mana, instead.
Once humans get tainted by this dark Mana, they would lose all their reasoning and their bodies slowly transformed. In the process, they would grow weaker, but at the same time, they would also grow stronger, too.
What did that mean, exactly?
The strength displayed outwardly would increase, but the st.u.r.diness would decrease - that's what it meant. Going by a rough example, say a certain character possessed a balanced ratio of 5:5. The moment this person got infected by the dark Mana, this ratio of s.h.i.+ft instantly to 9:1. Somewhere about there?
Of course, the movement speed would also decrease so it was a bit vague to say the attacking power had truly increased, either.
So, which all means!!
It means, a regular joe infected with dark Mana will end up possessing enough strength to break the arms of other regular people, that's what!
But, what would happen if ability users become infected by dark Mana? (Yi Ji-Hyuk's inner monologue)
Kwrurururu!!
Yi Ji-Hyuk took a look at that house-sized flames burning above the zombie's hand and spat out a lengthy groan.
Indeed, that was the inevitable result.
The level only Seo Ah-Young among the human ability users managed to achieve had been easily reached by a regular, run-of-the-mill ability user.
"Uh-whew…." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk shook his head.
In Berafe, one would never encounter a situation where a powerful being was turned into a zombie.
Not only was their innate resistance high to begin with, even if they were somehow infected, a pa.s.sing-by priest flicking a vial or two of purifying water would utterly get rid of the offending infection anyway, so which self-respecting warrior or wizard would wait around until they transformed into a zombie?
That was why Yi Ji-Hyuk didn't really think about this sort of eventuality, but now….
"Wait. Where have they been hiding all this time?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
If he knew such zombies existed, then maybe he'd have come up with a plan or something beforehand, but them jumping out into the fore without any warning meant he was really caught with his pants down on this one.
But then again, there were a million plus zombies out there, so even if there were a handful of ability user zombies hidden in the mix, it wouldn't really become that apparent, either.
Whether they were formerly of ability user humans or not, one would find out only after clas.h.i.+ng against them. Indeed, it was an impossible ask to search and locate ability user zombies among that wave of humans…. no, wave of zombies.
Which all led to them arriving here completely undetected.
Yi Ji-Hyuk roughly scratched his head.
"Okay, fine…. What should I do now?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
These ability user zombies had to be suppressed without them being injured in the slightest so they could be showered on with divinity, but would such a task as easy as these words made it out to be?
"Can't we, like, call those guys exceptions and just eliminate them?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk asked Choi Jung-Hoon, and the latter formed a serious expression as he looked at Christopher McLaren. Even at a casual glance, anyone could tell subduing such those zombies without hurting them would be an monumental task.
"What on earth are you even talking about?! Ability users are US citizens, just like everyone else!!" (Christopher McLaren)
"Hey, come on, dude. You got plenty of citizens, so one or two shouldn't be a problem, right?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"Of course it is a problem!!" (Christopher McLaren)
Flames were lit up in Christopher McLaren's eyes.
"This uncle and his inflexibility. Gimme a break." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
You know, you shouldn't be too obstinate about this!
If this was back in Korea, the government there wouldn't even hesitate to bury two, three bodies! In any case, these Americans and their morals! (Yi Ji-Hyuk's inner monologue)
"A nation exists only for her citizens!" (Christopher McLaren)
"Really? What's up with all those Gates you guys are guilty of, then?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"What do you mean? We have no control over Gates, don't you know that?" (Christopher McLaren)
"Well, there's the Zipperga…" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
"STOP." (Christopher McLaren)
Christopher McLaren formed a fl.u.s.tered expression and cut Yi Ji-Hyuk off there.
Why couldn't that guy even control his pants and end up becoming a source of national embarra.s.sment like this?
"That isn't important right now, is it?" (Choi Jung-Hoon)
Choi Jung-Hoon's urgent words sobered both Yi Ji-Hyuk and Christopher McLaren up instantly.
The latter grunted out in unhappiness and turned his head around. Talking to this d*mn guy would only lead him further down into the quagmire. Indeed, there was no such thing as ‘progress' with this man.
"That ahjumma…. Doesn't she look quite heated up?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
Yi Ji-Hyuk stared at the newly-developing situation and grinned ominously.
"Oho?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)
The front bangs of Seo Ah-Young whipped around in the wind.
A zombie wielding flames was an act of insolence in itself, yet said flames being rather large was poking at her pride.
Sure, the flame wielders were the most common types of ability users out there, but why did one of those just have to become a zombie, and why did said zombie oh-so ironically have to stand before Seo Ah-Young like this?
"You dare to call that flames, ah?!" (Seo Ah-Young)
Seo Ah-Young's brows shot up as she glared at the zombie, and Kim Dah-Hyun nearby spat out a long, long sigh.
Don't get compet.i.tive against a dang zombie, please!!
A human should compete against another human…. Ah, should I treat that zombie as a person too? (Kim Dah-Hyun's inner monologue)
Just as Kim Dah-Hyun fell into a deep contemplation at how to go about navigating this rather subtle distinction in a politically correct way, Seo Ah-Young began lighting up her own flames.
RUMBLE-!!
Her flames were at least twice the size of what the zombie managed to create. Seeing that spectacle, Yi Ji-Hyuk spoke in a
Fin.