Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Episode 18. Dead Wolves

The sounds of fighting could be heard in the distance.

The clash of metal, short shouts, and the howling of wolves. The sounds echoed between rocks and tree roots. The reverberations were so complicated that it was impossible to tell exactly where the fighting was taking place.

"Are they near the clearing in front of the den? I hope they finish them all off."

One of the recovery assistants muttered.

"Just do what you're told. The combat team will take care of things inside."

Another person answered curtly. Jinho treated their conversation like background noise as he finished his work.

"Mana stone pouches over here. Don't touch the marked hides. Tie up the disposal sacks."

People moved according to the recovery team employee's instructions. After carrying some things and taking a short break, Jinho let out a quiet sigh.

There was that smell again. That strange odor that stung his nose.

'It's getting stronger.'

At that moment, Yoon Gitae's voice came through the communicator.

- Engagement in Sector Two complete. Five Gray-Mane Wolves eliminated. One injured. Currently standing by before entering the clearing in front of the den.

The recovery team employee immediately replied.

"Recovery team standing by. Corpse processing in Sector One is almost complete."

- Recovery assistants, maintain your current position. Keep only the rear route open.

"Confirmed."

The communication ended. Jinho looked at the pile of corpses.

'At this rate, will I even get to see a Red-Mane Wolf?'

Just as he was thinking that, the claw of one of the corpses they had tied up scraped against the wet floor.

Screech-

It was a very faint sound. Jinho stopped moving.

"Just now...?"

Before he could finish speaking, one of the Gray-Mane Wolf corpses slowly raised its head.

Its neck was already half broken, and its abdomen had been cut open. Not only had its mana stone been removed, but its internal organs were gone as well. Naturally, there was no way it could still be alive.

Then what the hell was this?

"Uh...?"

One of the recovery assistants let out a foolish sound.

The next moment, the corpse broke free of its restraints and lunged at him.

"Aaaagh!"

The recovery team was thrown into chaos.

_____________

'A dead wolf got up.'

It took some time for that sentence to register in everyone's minds.

But the wolves did not wait for them. The second corpse tied against the wall also snapped its rope and began crawling toward them.

"Run!"

"The corpses are moving?? What the hell is this?"

"Undead???"

The recovery assistants were not combat personnel. Some carried knives, but those were merely dismantling knives. None of them had proper protective equipment either.

Jinho reflexively picked up a piece of wood from the ground and brought it down on a wolf. He aimed for its skull.

CRACK!!

The wolf tumbled across the ground as the side of its head shattered. However, it got back up shortly afterward.

'Doesn't it die?'

Jinho picked up the lid of a refrigerated box lying on the ground.

CRUNCH!

The undead wolf's teeth clamped down on the plastic lid. The lid was crushed halfway.

Jinho gritted his teeth and pushed forward.

'There's no point in killing them.'

After all, they were already no longer breathing.

'In that case.'

Instead of killing them, he had to make sure they could not get back up.

Jinho pushed the wolf against the wall, then wedged the refrigerated box lid between its neck and forelegs. He grabbed the drawstring of a disposal sack and tied its front legs and jaws together.

"Help me! Knock them down and tie them up!"

"What?!"

"They're already dead, so killing them again won't work! We have to restrain them somehow!"

Those words brought several recovery assistants back to their senses. Someone raised a stretcher like a shield, while someone else threw a sack's drawstring. When one of the undead wolves fell to the ground, Jinho overturned a refrigerated box over it.

BANG!

The sound of claws scraping came from inside the box.

Grrrrrrrrrk-

The creatures whose joints were already broken took longer to stand up. Realizing this, Jinho pinned down their legs and jaws, pressing them down with his body weight.

"Communicator! Call them!"

Only after they had overcome the immediate danger did the recovery team employee grab the communicator with trembling hands.

"This is the recovery team! The corpses are moving! I repeat, the corpses are moving!"

A reply came through the static.

- What did you say?

"The dead wolves are getting up!"

At that moment, another voice erupted over the communicator.

- Red-Mane Wolf confirmed! Near the clearing in front of the den! Don't try to kill it! Just keep it occupied!

It was Yoon Gitae's voice. Jinho's hands stopped.

Red-Mane Wolf.

Today's Menu.

He raised his head. His mind began racing.

Premise One. A Red-Mane Wolf had appeared near the clearing in front of the den.

Premise Two. The dead wolves here had gotten back up.

Premise Three. Then what would happen if the Red-Mane Wolf over there died?

Jinho's face stiffened. The pieces suddenly fell into place in his mind.

'If it turns undead, won't the ribs become unusable?'

Of course, the people were in danger too.

Probably?

But for now, the ribs were in danger. He adjusted the strap of his insulated bag. The recovery team employee stared at him.

"Where are you going?"

"Deeper inside."

"Are you insane? Recovery assistants were told to stay here!"

"It'll be even worse inside. We have to stop it!"

"Why do you have to be the one to stop it?!"

Jinho thought for a moment. Then he answered.

"Because the meat will spoil."

"?????"

While the recovery team employee stood there dumbfounded, Jinho seized the opportunity and ran toward the clearing in front of the den.

The den entrance was already a mess. Gray-Mane Wolf corpses that had fallen in Sector Two were twitching all along the narrow path. Some had not managed to get up completely, while others were scraping the ground with only their forelegs.

Jinho did not fight them. Instead, he knocked them down.

He kicked their jaws aside, threw stones to obstruct their vision, and stepped over the legs of those that had fallen. If he could not kill them, he would keep them from standing. If he could not stop them, he would avoid them.

Click-

At that moment, he heard a small sound.

It was faint enough to be buried beneath the sounds of fighting and screaming.

Click-

At the far end of the den entrance, an undead wolf raised its head.

'...What's with that rhythm?'

Just as Jinho caught his breath and looked around, a loud howl from the clearing in front of the den abruptly stopped.

BOOM!

The sound of something collapsing.

Then Yoon Gitae's voice came from nearby.

- The Red-Mane Wolf is down! Everyone, fall back! Stay clear of the corpse until the recovery team arrives!

Was he too late?

'No. It might not be too late yet.'

Jinho ran even faster.

When he reached the clearing in front of the den, the Red-Mane Wolf lay collapsed on the wet dirt. There was a deep wound along the side of its neck, and blood was spreading beneath its mane. Yoon Gitae and several members of the combat team were breathing heavily as they kept watch over their surroundings.

At that moment, Jinho noticed the Red-Mane Wolf corpse's foreleg move ever so slightly.

'No.'

He immediately lunged forward and pinned the Red-Mane Wolf down.

"What are you doing?!"

Yoon Gitae shouted.

"We have to hold it down before it gets up!"

"Why is a recovery assistant here?!"

"We can talk about that later!"

The Red-Mane Wolf's body twitched. It was the movement of a dead body trying to force itself upright. Jinho pressed down beneath its mane. Even with 22 Strength, completely restraining the Red-Mane Wolf's corpse was difficult.

Then he heard the sound again.

Click-

At that rhythm, the Red-Mane Wolf's foreleg moved.

Click-

The black stain beneath its mane spread a little farther.

Jinho turned his head.

A collapsed stone chamber.

Beyond a crack in the rocks, he could see someone wearing a black raincoat.

Their right hand was moving in a steady rhythm.

A person?

At least, that was what it looked like.

"Over there...!"

Yoon Gitae asked.

"What are you looking at?"

Still holding down the Red-Mane Wolf's corpse, Jinho spoke.

"Can't you see that strange person over there?? He's making clicking sounds and controlling the wolves!!!!"

The Red-Mane Wolf struggled. Its legs slammed against the ground. Its body lurched.

Seeing that, Yoon Gitae's expression stiffened. He immediately gave an order.

"Combat team, pin down the corpse! We're going in to search right now!"

Two hunters pressed down on the Red-Mane Wolf's corpse. Jinho used the opening to pull himself free. Then he picked up his insulated bag.

"Recovery assistant!"

Yoon Gitae shouted, but Jinho was already running. Someone wearing a black raincoat stood inside the collapsed stone chamber.

The figure stood with its back against the wall. Its right hand moved in a steady rhythm. Every time its fingers tapped the air, a clicking sound rang out.

Click, click, click.

Something in the clearing in front of the den twitched in time with the sounds.

"Hold it down!"

Yoon Gitae, who had followed him, shouted.

Two combat hunters climbed onto the Red-Mane Wolf's corpse. However, that was only a temporary measure.

The wolf's body moved so violently that it was difficult to believe it was dead. It was almost impossible to believe that its neck had been half severed.

CRUNCH!

The Red-Mane Wolf's claws dug into the ground. At that moment, the corpse managed to twist its body.

"Urgh!"

One of the hunters on top was sent flying. The other had his thigh pinned beneath the wolf's foreleg.

"Hey, get out! Pull your leg out!"

The hunter gritted his teeth and tried to free himself. But the Red-Mane Wolf's jaws slowly turned toward him. Its teeth parted as though it were alive.

"Damn it!"

Yoon Gitae tried to rush forward.

But before he could, two newly risen Gray-Mane Wolf corpses blocked his path. One had a broken neck, and the other's abdomen had been split open. Neither could even walk properly, yet they blocked Yoon Gitae as though someone were pulling them with strings.

Click-

The raincoat man's fingers moved again.

The Red-Mane Wolf's jaws descended toward the hunter's neck. Jinho, who had been running, glanced back with a sense of foreboding and faltered.

If he went after the black raincoat, that hunter would die. But if he stopped the Red-Mane Wolf, the raincoat man might disappear.

He did not hesitate for long.

"Ah, seriously!"

Jinho threw the insulated bag he was carrying.

Thud!

The insulated bag flew between the Red-Mane Wolf's jaws and the hunter. The wolf's teeth bit into the bag instead of the person. The ice packs inside burst, spraying cold liquid.

"My insulated bag!"

Jinho shouted as though cursing and charged forward.

He pushed himself toward the side of the Red-Mane Wolf's head. The wolf tried to open its jaws again. Jinho grabbed its jaws with both hands, insulated bag and all, and pushed them sideways.

'I can't hold it with strength alone for long.'

He had definitely become stronger than before, but 22 Strength was not enough.

"Pull your leg out!"

"I-it's free!"

As soon as the trapped hunter crawled out, Jinho released the Red-Mane Wolf's jaws. At that instant, the wolf's mouth snapped shut.

CRUNCH!

The insulated bag was crushed where the hunter's neck had been moments earlier.

Jinho's expression stiffened.

"...That thing was expensive."

Click-

The sound came again.

This time, it was not only the Red-Mane Wolf. The remaining Gray-Mane Wolf corpses scattered across the clearing simultaneously raised their heads. One without a neck moved only its forelegs, while another with its abdomen split open crawled forward, dragging its entrails.

The raincoat man turned his head toward Jinho. The creature had already moved to another location.

"Ha..."

A voice emerged from inside the raincoat. It echoed as though coming from somewhere farther away rather than merely passing through thin fabric.

A Gray-Mane Wolf corpse lunged at him from the side. More precisely, rather than lunging, it looked as though it were forcibly throwing its ruined body forward.

Jinho lowered his body.

The wolf's teeth grazed his shoulder. The fabric of his work clothes tore. Jinho immediately grabbed its foreleg and twisted it.

CRACK!

The joint, which had already been broken, bent in the opposite direction. The wolf collapsed, but it did not stop.

It continued crawling forward, biting at the ground as though only its jaws remained capable of moving.

'Destroying their bodies is useless.'

Jinho's gaze shifted toward the black raincoat's right hand.

Click-

Fingers.

Click-

Rhythm.

Click-

Their movements began in time with that sound.

'I have to stop that.'

Jinho picked up a stone lying on the ground. Then he threw it toward the raincoat man's right hand.

Tap!

Because of the distance, the stone barely managed to strike the tips of his clenched fingers. Naturally, it did not deliver much of an impact.

However, the rhythm of his fingers fell half a beat out of sync.

At that moment, the Red-Mane Wolf's movements also faltered. As it tried to open its jaws, it bit at empty air. Yoon Gitae did not miss the opening and drove his sword into the top of its neck.

"Now!"

The combat team pinned the Red-Mane Wolf down again. Jinho used that opening to run. There was no time to waste.

"My meat!!!! My ribs!!!!"

The black raincoat retreated. No, it appeared to retreat. In reality, something beneath the raincoat was being dragged along the wall while clinging to it.

Click, click, clickclickclick.

The rhythm quickened.

Two dead wolves blocked Jinho's path near the den entrance. One had a shattered head, while the other's entrails spilled from its abdomen. Even so, both charged with their mouths wide open.

Jinho did not collide with them head-on.

He kicked the first one's jaw. Its jawbone twisted sideways. When the second tried to bite his thigh, Jinho shoved his torn insulated bag into its mouth.

CRUNCH!

The wolf bit down on the insulated bag.

Jinho pulled on the strap. The wolf's head was yanked sideways. Using that opening, Jinho stepped over the creature.

"Ever since earlier...!"

He approached the black raincoat, breathing heavily.

"Why do you keep biting my stuff!!!!!"

Strictly speaking, he had been the one shoving his belongings into their mouths to be bitten, but that did not matter to Jinho right now.

The black raincoat's fingers tried to move again.

Jinho threw himself forward.

BANG!

His body slam struck squarely.