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Chapter 21
The dark night sky glittered with countless stars.
“This means I’ve transferred everything to you, nya.”
Jelly, who had copied Pi Gwang-seok’s DNA, transferred ownership of the research facilities he once controlled to Jang Su-nam.
Thanks to that, Su-nam had acquired—for free—the research complex that the White Authority had built up over a hundred days.
“So, what now, nya?”
“Now… I’ll establish my very first laboratory.”
A place that was both a gathering hub for people and secure enough for research was rare. But if he could mass-produce zombie vaccines there and sell them cheaply, the risk of another apocalypse would vanish.
* * *
A short while later, when he returned to Sky Road in downtown Eunhaeng-dong, crowds immediately swarmed him.
“Oh! It’s the Crow Hunter!”
“Mr. Crow! Do you know anything about the hunters who went to the White Authority’s headquarters?”
They were people desperate to learn the fates of their family and friends. Without access to a large organization’s network, most had to rely on weak, outdated radios. News traveled painfully slow.
“I’m afraid I don’t know either. But… let’s hope for good news.”
Su-nam pretended ignorance. He had learned from six regressions that if he even hinted at knowing something, people would swarm him like bees and bury him in endless questions.
“Ah… I see.”
As if to prove his fears, the crowd dispersed to question other hunters instead. Taking advantage of the moment, Su-nam pushed forward along Sky Road until he reached the grounds where the White Authority’s base camp had once stood—perfect for his new laboratory.
“The deputy here should still hold facility rights. Transfer them to me.”
“On my way, nya.”
That deputy’s body was likely still rotting in the cafeteria. Once Jelly copied his DNA, the entire facility would fall into Su-nam’s hands.
“Mini Ha-il, summon Domael Dejar.”
Ha-il nodded and opened a portal. From the other side, the elf Domael stepped through.
“You summoned me. What would you have me do?”
Su-nam explained succinctly: this place would now serve as the base camp laboratory of the Linecid Guild, and Domael would be the chief responsible for vaccine mass production.
“We’ve brought the minimum equipment from the White Authority. Make good use of it.”
Though Earth’s facilities were unfamiliar, Domael possessed research-oriented skills. As in past regressions, those skills would allow him to adapt quickly.
“If you find suitable talent, recruit them with Guild Master Aria’s permission. Use them well, and push production to the maximum.”
“A weighty duty indeed. Leave it to me.”
When Su-nam unpacked the research equipment and vaccine stock, Domael—sharing the access rights—immediately began organizing everything. With magic aiding the process, mass production would be swift. All that remained was to station NPCs to sell the vaccine cheaply.
“With this, the zombie apocalypse is practically solved.”
Not entirely, but as long as people knew they could obtain a cure here, a large-scale outbreak would never escalate into another apocalypse.
* * *
Ten days later, at the base camp laboratory.
On the morning of the 110th day, Jang Su-nam stood with arms folded, lost in thought.
“Why does my luck keep swinging like a pendulum?”
When he had raided the White Authority’s HQ, he’d struck gold—taking down a thief and looting several enhancement stones. Yet in the ten days since, he hadn’t found even one.
Occasionally, enhancement stones appeared in the Linecid Guild’s NPC shops, but Su-nam had ordered those reserved for guild members like Aria. He wanted them to grow stronger as well.
So he was left scouring external NPCs for stones—without success.
“Didn’t expect to go ten whole days empty-handed…”
He had met dozens of NPCs, but not one had sold anything useful.
Still, there were gains. In that time, he had recruited many NPCs from the Linecid Empire into Aria’s guild. Thanks to him, the guild now boasted a roster of thirty—all NPCs—and their reputation was steadily spreading.
“Maybe it’s time to search the upper zones.”
With the goblin warlord set taken from Pi Gwang-seok, E-rank zones were within reach. Yet one problem lingered:
“The Absolute Map is still only +3 strengthened…”
At +5, the skill would reveal detailed information about targets—including names. For now, it only showed generic labels: hunter, NPC, aberration. Without names, tracking Pi Gwang-seok remained a chore.
And yet… ten days had passed with no stones to push it higher.
From a tent corner, Jelly—currently in cat form—stretched and yawned.
“Gooood morning, nya~.”
Despite being able to shapeshift at will, Jelly preferred the form of a cat, perhaps to avoid drawing attention.
“Heading out to find NPCs again, nya?”
“We’ll see how things unfold today.”
Su-nam glanced toward the hunters already lining up outside for vaccines.
The White Authority’s zombie plot had shaken the city. Fearing repeats, people bought vaccines in advance.
In truth, manufacturing them was a loss. Production cost more than the sale price. But the cheap vaccines served as bait—bringing hunters to their guild NPC shops, boosting profits elsewhere.
“In the end, it’s been good for the guild’s growth.”*
“Good morning, Mr. Su-nam.”
Aria emerged from the officers’ tent, hair tousled, still rubbing sleep from her eyes. Since establishing the research lab, guild members stayed here more often than at hotels.
“Morning, Aria—”
“Your Highness! You must groom yourself before appearing in public!”
“Ever since arriving in Korea, you’ve stopped caring for your appearance!”
“I survived in the sewers. Isn’t primping a waste of time?”
“It is not a waste! You are a guild master now. Presentation matters!”
Her twin maids, Rina and Risa, dragged her back inside, scolding her. Once half-starved and skeletal, the twin sisters had regained weight and looked human again.
Nearby, three guards—Raul, Han, and Jo-nam—waved from their patrol post.
“A fine morning to you, benefactor.”
“Well done on your watch.”
Peaceful scenes.
For ten days, no major incidents. Patients that had crowded Sky Road were now recovered, laughter filling the streets.
Only one figure broke that peace:
“If I adjust the solvent ratio… maybe efficiency will rise…”
Domael Dejar, muttering with dark circles under his eyes, carrying yet another pot of coffee.
“…Peaceful indeed.”
It was the normal life Su-nam had long yearned for.
If only such days could last forever.
But he knew better.
Having reached the end of the world six times, he knew peace was fleeting. It always collapsed without warning. Organizations like the White Authority were countless, and in the shadows lurked the Seeds of Evil Gods who might have orchestrated them.
Not only human-made calamities, but also natural disasters and monstrous catastrophes.
“True peace—the happy ending I want—is still far away.”
For now, he could only handle what was directly in front of him.
He had slain gods many times. But he had never been a god. His reach only extended to what lay immediately ahead. If he reached too far, he risked losing everything again.
Closing his eyes, he sharpened his senses. Sounds filled his ears—subtle, layered. Among them, faint screams.
“…Of course. Peace never lasts.”
When he opened his eyes again, at the far end of Sky Road, a familiar figure staggered into view.
“…Ha-il. Evacuate everyone to the hotel.”
“Yes, Master.”
Portals flared under every guild NPC. Before they could react, they fell through, forcibly teleported to the hotel lobby.
Only a few remained: fleeing hunters, Su-nam’s party… and him.
“Well now. Saves me the trouble of looking. You’ve had a rough time, haven’t you?”
“Grrrhhhhh…”
It was Pi Gwang-seok.
Half-insane, baring his teeth, staggering forward. His skin wasn’t just dirty; it was blotched with spreading black stains.
“Crow… Hun…ter…”
Suddenly, his muscles bulged grotesquely, swelling his frame to nearly five meters. Plant-like roots bulged like veins across the warped flesh. Beneath the skin, a heart glowed like molten fire—its shape resembling the emblem of the Evil God’s Seed.
“I’ll… kill you… Crow! I’ll tear you apart!!”
With a roar of fury, Pi Gwang-seok charged.
Su-nam faced him head-on, his grip tightening on his sword.
