The place Campbell directed them to was where the Lifers’ weapons were held. Pistols, SMGs, crossbows, and bows – there was a motley of weapons.
“There are a lot of good weapons.”
“Let’s pack the supplies. We deserve this much after what we suffered.”
Cha Jun Sung separated the weapons to give to Lloyd’s group. It would be convenient to put them in the packs, but the cannibals had ripped them all apart so none of them were very useful.
The space compression bag was already full of the loot. If they took these weapons back with them to sell, they would make enough money to each buy a car.
“But.”
“Huh?”
“Why don’t the cannibals use the guns and bombs when they use the electric net?”
Guns and bombs. Once they are unlocked, these were items that make the user into Rambo. In some ways, the electric net was harder to use than these.
If the cannibals had faced Cha Jun Sung and Park Jin Hyuk in an armed state, they would have died, been captured, or run away.
“If I were the leader here, I would be totally against the subordinates using these weapons.”
“Why?”
“Because they might stab me in the back.”
With a gun, a cannibal could easily kill an evil cannibal. If they do not control it, the order can be overturned and the law could become a mess.
“When you say it like that, it makes sense.”
“Let’s go.”
Cha Jun Sung put the weapons in the least torn pack and went back to Lloyd’s group.
He gave each person an SMG with a couple hundred bullets, and a few grenades. Everyone took it without complaint except for one person.
“This is it for weapons?”
“No.”
Carlyle asked the whereabouts of the weapons. There had to be more than dozens of weapons because that many Lifers had died. Cha Jun Sung spoke honestly.
“I packed the rest of them.”
“What did you say?”
“Be thankful I’m giving you that much. I could have left you here.”
Carlyle felt shame at Cha Jun Sung’s words. It sounded like he was saying, ‘What have you done that you’re claiming weapons?’
“Mister Cha, let’s stop.”
“Are we leaving right away?”
“Let’s get out since there’s no good in staying in this terrible place.”
As soon as they made their decision, everything went according to plan. They got out of the base within 2 hours through the path that Cha Jun Sung had memorized.
The strange thing was that they were never attacked while they were leaving.
Are they hiding themselves because they are scared of being annihilated? It could be. Even if they were angry, it is another way to conserve their species.
Kiik!
He was mistaken however. There was no reason for them to let them go easily in the first place.
Jiing!
As soon as they got outside, the vision goggles returned to their original search range. At the same time, the cannibals’ heat was captured en masse.
“Jin Hyuk, put the crossbow away and take out your sniper rifle. They’re too close.”
“Damn!”
Park Jin Hyuk held his rifle. He knew they were letting them go too easily. They had known that they were at a disadvantage in a narrow area and had brought them to an open space.
“Are we under siege?”
“It should be about 300 of them. I think we’ll have to go as we kill them.”
He could sense the cannibals’ movement clearly. They were watching Cha Jun Sung’s group from just 40m away. These cunning creatures must be waiting for them to enter the forest.
‘5 big ones….. 1 bigger one, that’s the leader.’
It was not Level 3.
The balance would be destroyed if it were Level 3. The cannibal itself was a strong mutant, so he estimated it to be a high Level 2. It was impossible to face one-on-one without a gun.
Seuk.
Cha Jun Sung moved around and searched with his bow. The cannibals did not intend to let him go and blocked each path.
They needed to somehow lure the cannibals elsewhere if they wanted to get to the summons area. This was their home ground, so the party members were at a disadvantage.
“They’re trying to fight intellectually with people? Let’s see who wins.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“If we just barge in, they’ll kill half of us at least. We’ll have to play with them.”
Cha Jun Sung resisted saying, ‘Though we probably won’t die.’ He had the confidence to protect Park Jin Hyuk no matter what.
“It’s about 36 to 49m.”
He measured the distance. The closer cannibals were 36m away, the farther ones at 49m. They were exact figures. They were farther away the stronger they were and it did not get closer than that.
“Please give me the fever shots.”
“How many?”
“All of them!”
Cha Jun Sung himself had 5, Park Jin Hyuk had 6, and Lloyd’s group each had one. Once everyone handed them over, they had a total of 16.
Cha Jun Sung threw them into the forest without even setting the timer.
36 to 49m, the fever shot weighed 1kg. It was impossible to throw this heavy weight over 36m.
“Huk!”
“What are you doing!”
“Mister Cha!”
Lloyd’s team yelled. Fever shots were important bombs because they are capable of mass destruction. He had thrown something like that as if it were a rock without setting the timer.
Kyak kyak!
The cannibals ran from their spots as they saw the fever shots fly toward them. The ones that knew of its danger led the ones that did not know out of range.
At that, the distance between them and the cannibals became even larger. Now, they could not be detected by the goggle’s 50m range.
“You can detect the fever shot with the goggles, right?”
“I can just shoot it and set it off, right?”
“You’re smart.”
Hee hee!
There was a limit to adjusting the timer. He would not have been able to cause much damage if he had thrown it after setting the timer. But if he threw it as is? It would not go off.
“Since they’re so suspicious, they’ll wait for a bit before going back to their places.”
Cannibals do not have a concept of misfires. They can only differentiate between something that goes off and something that does not. They will go back into formation if they know that it does not go off.
Lloyd clucked his tongue. This operation was possible because they had vision goggles.
Shyashyak!
Cha Jun Sung smiled. The situation was unfolding as expected. The cannibals who released their suspicion after 30 minutes went back to their positions at 40m.
“See. No matter how smart they are, they’re smart for that level, not smart enough to win against humans.”
“Relatively?”
“Yeah.”
Cannibals were perceived to be smart because they were in comparison to mutants. Lifers were fooled by them because they perceived the cannibals to be on a similar level.
If they had fought with the thought that they were on the same level, they might have been pushed back by sheer numbers but they would not have died pathetically in the meat warehouse.
Does it make sense? It is not even the primeval ages and they fall into a hole, or that they try to set a trap but instead are trapped under an electric net?
“The range of the fever shot is 15m, so there will be a series of explosions even if one goes off.”
“Will it be able to kill all of them?”
“They’re such fast creatures that they’ll reflexively get out as soon as it goes off.”
Annihilation was ambitious. Looking at the way they were spread out, 50% would not be able to escape and would burn to death. It was obvious that they would be on their highest guard.
For the rest, they would have to use all their tricks whether it was to shoot or beat them to death. It was a pity that they would not fall for the same methods.
“Which one should I shoot?”
“The one furthest.”
“The one all the way at the end? There are a lot of obstacles along the way, let’s see if I can get through all of them.”
Park Jin Hyuk aimed his rifle at the fever shot Cha Jun Sung had indicated.
There were a few trees blocking the path to it. He was not sure the bullet would be able to go through because they were fairly thick, but he did not linger on it for too long.
“If it doesn’t work with one shot, it’ll go with two or three.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Pew!
The bullet cut through the air. It went through the trees and looked like it was going to reach the fever shot as it rotated violently, but it lost power and stopped.
Pew!
As heat formed where the bullet had passed, the target he needed to match was marked. He fired again and went through the hole that had been formed before.
It pushed the bullet that was stuck out and cleared the rest of the obstacles.
Puk.
Kwang!
It finally hit the fever shot. The heat called its fellows.
Kwakwakwakwa!
The 16 fever shots exploded in a row. The 15m range expanded by 5 or 6 times in seconds. It was like a missile.
Kyak!
It worked. The cannibals were swept by the blast and ran around frantically. It was unsure whether it was the forest or the cannibals burning.
Kung!
The leader was furious. The surviving cannibals gathered at its roar and charged at Cha Jun Sung’s group. They had given up on psychological warfare.
Tutu!
Lloyd’s team each aimed and killed one. Carlyle also attacked once in a while, but he was scared of the cannibals and busy hiding.
Kwakwang!
When a grenade went off, 4 cannibals ripped into pieces. It was the last stage. They needed to mobilize the last of their power and complete the mission.
“We can’t last! We need to get out!”
“Follow me!”
Cha Jun Sung led the way. There were much more survivors than those that had died from the fever shots. It was dangerous to remain in this spot. They needed to move.
Kuk!
Cannibals charged at them from all directions. They built momentum. They did not guard their lives because of the leader’s orders. It was the suicide squad.
Sukuk!
Tatang!
He shot his gun to clear a path. Everyone fought desperately but as the cannibals became more vigorous, Carlyle became more unstable.
“We need to follow Mr. Cha!”
“It’s too much! There are too many cannibals closing in and the forest is on fire!”
“Sir!”
Carlyle blocked his ears. Cha Jun Sung was leaving all of the paths and choosing the one with the highest probability for them to die. He could not find the motivation to follow him.
“Let’s take the path on the side! Look at it. The cannibals are following him!”
The majority of the cannibals chased Cha Jun Sung. They knew exactly who had killed all of their kin. He had killed more than 1000, so they could not forget him.
“Mister Cha saved us!”
“Shut up!”
Tatak!
Carlyle left the group and went through the path on the side. Lloyd’s group was a team of Special Forces meant to protect him. They had no choice but to follow him.
Seuk.
Campbell who had been looking on as a third party looked over at Carlyle.
A pathetic expression on a spoiled brat who was selfish when assessing a situation. His traits made him perfect for an unnecessary death.
Cha Jun Sung was taking an off-road even though it would be more difficult because he knew the path and it would take the least time to reach the summons area.
This was the cannibals’ hometown. If they got lost even for a moment in another path, they would be captured without being able to do anything. They needed to be swift if they wanted to live.
Papat!
Campbell needed to choose between Cha Jun Sung and Lloyd’s group, and chose the latter. He was already far from Cha Jun Sung and it was too burdensome to follow him alone.
“Ho ho! 4 people is better than 2 and weaker is better than the stronger.”
Campbell turned to the side. With this, the party split into two.