N-M Chapter 066 The Peninsula Is Gone
Chapter 066 The Peninsula Is Gone
Compared to the despair at the foot of Mount Fuji.
Busan, the land of kimchi.
The despair here carries a nauseating, bloody stench.
Especially when exposed to the sun.
The streets were covered with red mosaic tiles.
Severed limbs and broken arms were everywhere, burning cars billowed black smoke, and the air was filled with the smell of roasted meat mixed with the stench of rotting sewers.
"They...they're gone!"
Inside a building that had not been attacked by infected individuals, someone cautiously walked out.
Immediately afterwards, countless survivors cautiously peeked out from the broken shop windows, the locked convenience stores, and the cluttered stairwells.
The streets were deserted.
Last night, those infected who were frantically biting and running like the wind seemed to have evaporated with the night.
Only the mess on the ground proved what had happened here last night.
"Run!"
"Damn it! Run! Get out of this godforsaken place!"
The instinct for survival instantly overcame fear.
Thousands of survivors rushed into the streets, pushing, crying, and grabbing at vehicles that could still be started on the roadside.
The already congested traffic came to an instant standstill.
People got into a fight over a bicycle.
Some people simply ran out of the city on foot.
At this moment, the ugliness of human nature was displayed in its most vivid and blatant way, even more so than that of monsters.
……
Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae)
The President's Office.
With huge dark circles under his eyes, Commander Yin was roaring into the phone.
"Are you referring to the US, or are they refusing to provide support?"
"Yes, Your Excellency President."
The U.S. military command responded that, in order to prevent the spread of the virus, they must prioritize the security of their military bases, and no one is allowed to approach; violators will be killed on sight.
"Damn it! Those damned Americans! They eat and drink our food all the time, but when it really matters, they treat us like trash!"
President Yoon was so angry that he slammed down the phone.
The landline phone was smashed to pieces against the wall.
The secretary-general stood to the side, wiping the cold sweat from his brow, and whispered a suggestion:
"Your Excellency, getting angry now will not solve the problem."
The situation in Busan is out of control. If we don't come up with a solution quickly, the opposition parties will definitely take the opportunity to impeach you.
"A solution? What solution could I possibly have? It's a biohazard! It's zombies! Am I supposed to bite them with my bare hands?"
President Yoon slumped into his chair, feeling as if the sky was about to fall.
"Actually... it's not entirely impossible."
At that moment, an elderly man wearing a white coat and thick-rimmed glasses walked in.
He is Dr. Park, the chief expert at the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention in South Korea.
"Dr. Park? Do you have any ideas?" President Yoon asked as if he had grasped at a straw.
Dr. Park pushed up his glasses, a glint of fanaticism flashing in his eyes:
"Your Excellency, we discovered through last night's surveillance footage that although this virus spreads extremely quickly, those infected seem to have an extreme fear of ultraviolet light."
That's why they hide during the day.
Speak like a human being!
"Well……
This shows that these viruses are not invincible; they have fatal physiological defects.
Dr. Park pulled a photo from the folder and pointed to a monstrous figure on it, noticeably taller and with streamlined muscles than a typical zombie.
"Moreover, we discovered individual differences."
This virus underwent directed evolution in certain individuals within a very short period of time.
President Yin frowned: "What kind of good news is this?"
"This is the key to evolution, Your Excellency!"
Dr. Park said excitedly,
"If we can capture a living sample of this special evolutionary organism and extract its serum and gene sequence, we can not only develop an antidote, but may even master this technology to enhance the human body!"
"Then, our Republic of Korea will be able to have its own super soldiers and no longer need to depend on the United States!"
Upon hearing the phrase "no longer having to consider the whims of the US," President Yin's eyes lit up instantly.
This was his lifelong dream.
"How confident are you?" Commander Yin asked in a deep voice.
"I'm 80% confident I can catch a live specimen!" Dr. Park declared confidently.
"good!"
Commander Yin slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly, a ruthless glint in his eyes.
"Notify the Special Operations Command and have them send their most elite troops."
No matter the cost, bring him back alive!
He paused, then added:
"Remember, capture them alive! For the future of the Republic of Korea, those sacrifices are necessary!"
……
Busan, Seomyeon-gu.
The entrance to the underground parking lot of a large shopping mall.
The cordon tape had been torn down, and several abandoned traffic cones lay fallen on the roadside.
This is the darkest spot in the entire block.
The underground ramp was like the gaping maw of a giant beast, dark and bottomless, with a chilling wind blowing out from time to time, carrying a strong smell of blood.
Two armored personnel carriers came to an abrupt stop at the entrance.
The car door opened.
Twelve fully armed special forces soldiers filed out.
They were wearing black tactical body armor, night vision goggles, and carrying K2 assault rifles equipped with silencers and high-powered flashlights.
The team leader's name is Kim Tae-woo, a veteran with ten years of service experience.
"Everyone, check your equipment."
Kim Tae-woo's voice sounded particularly cold and hard on the radio channel.
"The objective of this mission is to capture a special infected entity. Do we have enough tranquilizer grenades?"
"That's enough, Captain. This dose would keep even an elephant asleep for three days and three nights."
One of the team members patted the specially made drumstick hanging around his neck, speaking in a relaxed tone.
In their view, the task was not difficult.
After all, it's daytime now.
Even in the basement, those light-sensitive monsters would surely be in a weakened state, like tigers with their teeth pulled, left to be slaughtered at will.
"Don't be careless. Those guys in white coats up there said this thing might be constantly evolving."
Kim Tae-woo glared at his subordinate and made a hand gesture.
"One group on guard, two groups follow me. Move quickly, don't disturb them."
The team advanced slowly into the darkness in tactical formation.
As soon as we entered the underground parking lot, the temperature dropped sharply.
The light was instantly swallowed up.
Only the beams of tactical flashlights cut through the dust in the darkness.
It's eerily quiet here.
There were no roars, no tearing sounds, only the slight scraping of military boots on the ground and the slightly heavy breathing of the team members.
"Tick-tock...tick-tock..."
The sound of a leaking water pipe came from afar, amplified infinitely in this deathly silent space, sending chills down one's spine.
"Captain, look over there."
The lead soldier suddenly stopped and pointed his gun at the three o'clock position.
Look in the direction of the beam of light.
Everyone gasped.
On the pillars, ceiling, and even the roofs of abandoned vehicles in the parking lot, there were countless cocoon-like objects hanging densely.
Take a closer look.
That wasn't a silkworm cocoon at all.
Instead, they are "nests" built from a mixture of clothing scraps, garbage, and some kind of slime.
Inside these nests, humanoid creatures with ashen faces and festering skin huddled together, motionless like hibernating bats.
Their skin has a sickly grayish-white color, and their blood vessels have turned black, bulging out like tree roots under the skin.
"This is... an infected person?"
The team member who had been standing there earlier couldn't help but swallow hard; the feeling of relaxation he had just experienced vanished completely.
This scene is even more terrifying than facing a horde of zombies directly.
"Keep quiet."
Kim Tae-woo gestured for everyone to go around him.
"The target isn't here. The scanner shows strong life signals deeper, on level B3."
The team continued deeper into the area.
The further down you go, the stronger the stench in the air becomes.
Large patches of dried blood and skeletons began to appear on the ground.
Some of the bodies were still wearing security guard uniforms, clutching police batons tightly in their hands, their skulls had been opened, and they were empty.
at last.
They arrived at level B3.
This is the mechanical parking area, where the space is even narrower and more cramped.
"The signal is right ahead."
The team member responsible for holding the life detector lowered his voice.
"The pyrogen response is very strong, body temperature... wait, body temperature is only 15 degrees Celsius?"
"Cold-blooded animal?"
Kim Tae-woo frowned.
Just then.
"Clatter".
A crisp sound came from above.
It sounded like something hard falling to the ground.
Everyone raised their guns instantly, and more than a dozen beams of intense light focused on the ceiling.
however.
Apart from rows of dusty ventilation ducts, there was nothing on the ceiling.
"Did I see wrong?"
One of the team members rubbed his eyes.
"No, you didn't see wrong."
Kim Tae-woo suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck, and a strong sense of crisis made the hairs on his body stand on end.
His veteran instincts told him they were being watched.
"Retreat! Retreat immediately!"
He made a decisive decision without any hesitation.
But the order came too late.
Just as they turned around...
Two red lights suddenly lit up in the previously deathly darkness.
No.
That's not a lamp.
Those were a pair of scarlet eyes.
Then came the second pair, the third pair...
In the darkness, countless red eyes lit up, like a dense array of stars in the night sky, surrounding the twelve-person special operations team.
"roar--"
A low, guttural roar rang out.
But the sound didn't seem like something a human's vocal cords could produce; it sounded more like a vibration from a wild animal's throat.
boom!
A member of the team who was at the rear of the formation was pulled into the darkness by a tremendous force before he could even scream.
Then came the sickening sounds of bones cracking and chewing.
"Fire! Fire!"
Kim Tae-woo roared, and the K2 rifle in his hand spat out flames.
Da da da da!
The muzzle flashes wildly in the darkness.
Bullets swept in all directions like a storm.
In the fleeting flash of gunfire, they finally saw the attackers' true faces.
It was a humanoid monster.
But they don't walk upright like in the movies; instead, they crawl on all fours, like geckos, on walls and ceilings.
Their lower jaws split open to the base of their ears, revealing a mouthful of serrated teeth like those of a shark.
It had no hair, and its skin was smooth and tough. When bullets hit it, they made a dull "thud" sound, but did not cause fatal damage.
What's most terrifying is their speed.
fast.
too fast.
It's so fast that the human eye can't keep up.
They leap back and forth between walls and pillars to evade projectiles.
"Ah! My leg!"
Just as one of the team members was changing his magazine, a monster fell from the sky and bit off his neck.
Blood gushed out, splattering all over the face of his teammate next to him.
"Damn it! The tranquilizer darts didn't work! These bastards aren't afraid of tranquilizers at all!"
"Change to live ammunition! Shot in the head! Shot in the head!"
The area is closed.
In this narrow, dark, and obstacle-filled underground parking lot, their prized tactical coordination became a joke.
This is a hunting ground for monsters.
And they are the takeout deliveries.
"Captain! There are too many! We can't stop them!"
"Requesting backup! Requesting backup!"
The communications soldier shouted desperately into the walkie-talkie.
sizzle-
There was only a jumble of static coming from the walkie-talkie.
"Stop shouting! The signal is blocked here!"
Kim Tae-woo emptied a magazine, then pulled out a tactical dagger and plunged it into the eye socket of a monster that lunged at him.
That was the monster's only weakness.
The monster screamed and struggled wildly. Its immense force sent Kim Tae-woo flying, crashing heavily into a concrete pillar.
"Cough cough..."
Kim Tae-woo coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling as if several of his ribs were broken.
He struggled to lift his head.
His teammates were being slaughtered in one-sided fashion.
What was originally a confidence born from simply capturing samples has now turned into desperate fear.
Just then.
The chaotic sounds of fighting suddenly stopped.
The frenzied monsters seemed to receive some kind of command, ceasing their attacks and retreating into the shadows, emitting low whimpers as if in submission.
thump.
thump.
thump.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the depths of darkness.
A tall figure slowly walked out.
It is over 2.5 meters tall, with bulging muscles all over its body and skin that is an eerie dark red color.
Its face is the most striking feature.
Although the face was covered with veins and scars, the outline of a human could still be vaguely discerned.
Especially those eyes.
Unlike other wild beasts that are chaotic and bloodthirsty, it carries a playful, cruel, and even... intelligent glint.
It was wearing a torn piece of clothing whose color was no longer discernible.
It was Jack, the patient zero who caused the infection.
Or rather, it is now the king of this tribe.
Jack tilted his head and looked at Kim Tae-woo, who was leaning against a pillar, barely clinging to life.
A wide, exaggerated smile slowly curved the corners of his mouth.
That was a smile.
A smile belonging to a predator.
"Humans..."
The hoarse, harsh sound, like the friction of two pieces of cast iron, was squeezed out of its mouth.
Kim Tae-woo's pupils suddenly contracted.
Is it... talking?
This monster... can talk?!
"Delivered...to...the...door...with...snacks."
Jack stuck out his long, barbed tongue and licked his lips.
……
Blue House, command center.
On the big screen, the twelve vital signs of the "White Tiger" squad were displayed.
In just three minutes.
One by one, they turned a glaring red.
At last.
All are extinguished.
A deathly silence enveloped the entire command hall.
Dr. Park's documents scattered all over the floor, and he slumped into his chair, his lips trembling.
"They...they have intelligence, they've definitely evolved intelligence!!"
Commander Yin stared at the annihilation notification on the screen, his face ashen.
It’s over.
This time, not only did they fail to capture any samples, they also lost a group of elites from their powerful nation.
Even more terrifying.
What if these monsters gained intelligence and organization?
Then wait until the sun sets...
Can this city, or even the entire peninsula, hold on?