Hiding a House in the Apocalypse-Chapter 104.2: Beyond the Fog (2)

Unicorn: Just imagine for a second.

Unicorn: You had a sword.

Unicorn: A magical sword that could cut through anything. People praised me for having it. They admired me. They turned me into a hero. They gave me everything. Built everything for me. I could have whatever I wanted.

Unicorn: But what if...

Unicorn: What if that sword broke?

Unicorn: Or even worse, what if it felt like it could break at any moment? What should I do then?

There has never been a recorded case of an Awakened losing their powers.

At least, not while I was still active.

But Unicorn just admitted that she felt like her power was disappearing.

And I had nothing to say to that.

This was something outside my understanding—something I couldn't possibly do anything about.

But one thing was clear.

Unicorn: If that sword breaks, I could lose everything. Actually, even now... I feel uneasy. People are starting to doubt me. It happened when I appeared before the National Committee, too. To be honest, I think I might be in real danger.

Losing her power wasn’t just about comfort or privilege.

Falling from a great height is always more devastating than falling from a low one.

People without wings love to see those with wings fall.

They mock them. Stab at them with sticks. Laugh at their suffering.

It’s all just envy. Jealousy.

And Unicorn, who once soared high above everyone else, was terrified of falling.

She didn’t want anyone to see that her wings couldn’t fly anymore.

That was why Savior Na Hye-in locked herself inside.

She couldn’t imagine a life without her power.

She refused to.

And I understood.

Because once, I had been at the top, too.

Once, I had been the target of all the pointing fingers.

Even now, I was trapped in this execution ground called Outpost 328 because of the reputation my past had given me.

If anyone knew how this island of scavengers worked, it was her.

Maybe that was why she was so afraid of falling.

“······.”

I had to take a moment to think before responding.

On the side of my screen, my "Memo List" was still open.

Holds a grudge because I didn't reply to their commentRepeatedly insults me for being a "game-anbun" (14 times)Says it's disgusting for a man to act cute onlineThe contrast between what was happening in my inbox and my reality was absurd.

I closed the memo tab.

And thought back to the past.

But there was nothing special in those memories.

My connection with Unicorn had only been for a brief moment.

So, in the end, the answer was boring and realistic.

SKELTON: Then hold on to that sword.

If keeping it was so difficult for her, I wouldn’t ask for her help.

Unicorn: Skelton, you said it yourself. You could die. Park Seung-su is trying to kill you.

SKELTON: Don’t worry about me.

I had already decided to survive.

And besides—

SKELTON: I have my own axe.

Unicorn: Skelton...

SKELTON: If worst comes to worst, I’ll just climb down the mountain by myself. So don’t worry. I’ve survived worse.

I had survived a month on the other side of the Rift with broken limbs, unable to move, without a single person to help me.

Compared to that?

Now, I had all my limbs intact.

And I had weapons.

Unicorn: Someone I know will be coming back from the Rift soon. Just hold out until then. Once they return, Park Seung-su won’t be able to touch you.

SKELTON: Then let’s hope they return quickly.

That would be ideal.

But I wasn’t going to put all my faith in someone else's timeline.

Unicorn: By the way, Skelton...

SKELTON: What?

Unicorn: I get that venting on the internet helps, but can’t you tone it down a little?

SKELTON: ?

Unicorn: I don’t know how to say this, but... you seem really stressed out. Like, beyond normal. You were always a bit weird, but now it’s...

SKELTON: ??

Unicorn: Honestly, I think you were better off when you were just posting beatboxing videos.

SKELTON: I’m a little busy right now. Let’s talk later.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to listen to her internet life-coaching session.

It was just that—

Something was moving outside.

I heard the distant rumble of an engine.

A truck.

I grabbed my gun and stepped outside.

I scanned every observable area.

The engine noise started far away.

And disappeared far away.

It didn’t seem to be coming closer.

The dense fog still covered the slopes like the mouth of hell.

Walking through it, I found myself thinking about Unicorn.

“······.”

So Awakened can lose their powers, huh?

What does that even mean?

I would never truly understand.

Because I’m not one of them.

I patrolled the area, set up tripwires, dug traps, and even checked escape routes in case I needed to run.

But that night?

Nothing happened.

⚡

- Notification! Game installation complete!

I had installed Red Archive a long time ago.

But I never actually played it.

I was more interested in the forum than the game itself.

I had become a name in the Red Archive community without ever once opening the game.

This morning, with some free time, I finally booted it up.

“······.”

This wasn’t a game.

It felt more like a tangled mess of code.

Not my taste at all.

But I forced myself through the tutorial.

It was a miserable experience.

But I got what I wanted.

A screenshot.

Now, I had proof.

Proof that I, Skelton, was not just some “game-anbun.”

SKELTON: Just finished the newbie tutorial! ٩( °ꇴ °)۶

I carefully crafted my text emoji.

Attached my screenshot.

And even promoted the "New Player Gacha Event."

Comments started rolling in.

And now, it was time to respond to each one with adorable emojis.

A comment exchange.

To outsiders, it probably seemed like a bizarre ritual.

But for those involved, it was a form of social bonding.

I even started replying to my #1 fan, Quantum Detonation.

Quantum Detonation: KELTON FINALLY REPLIED TO ME!!!!!!

“······.”

Click.

SKELTON: (Blushing cute girl emoji)

Quantum Detonation: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!

I had accepted Quantum Detonation into my inner circle.

Why?

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Because more and more people were starting to turn against me.

"Fight haters with a fanbase."

This was a famous quote by Filkrom, a well-known intranet artist.

In his webtoon "The Path of a Serial Author," a rival character tells the struggling protagonist—who was probably based on DragonC—that the best way to handle criticism was to build a fan army.

And if the hate kept growing, I would fight back with my own followers.

I had Quantum Detonation.

I had Sarochan, Coolbul, Monta—a whole network of loyal commenters.

One day, I would turn Skelton's Comment Army into a true empire.

And really?

That didn’t sound so bad.

BANG! BANG-BANG!

Right now, though...

I had bigger problems.

Gunfire.

Military-grade.

And it was coming from the south.

The direction of my base.

The gunshots stopped quickly.

But the real problem was still on its way.

*

The supply truck never came.

I picked up the phone to report it.

But the moment I held the receiver, I understood everything.

The phone line was dead.

To make matters worse, the antenna connection was also cut off.

It was deliberate.

Someone had severed all communication lines leading to the outpost in one clean stroke.

Now, the only way I could communicate with the outside world was through Viva! Apocalypse!.

But I wouldn't contact Unicorn.

I knew what she was going through.

She was barely holding herself together, clinging to the internet because she had no solution to her anxieties.

Of course, I had already considered my options.

There was only one logical choice—abandon the outpost and make my way back myself.

After living in Jeju for nearly a month, I had realized something—this was still a controlled society.

No single individual had absolute power.

Park Seung-su’s influence probably only extended around my outpost—he wouldn’t be able to control things inside the walled city.

Click—

I grabbed my gun, ammunition, some food and water, and left the outpost.

I had gone over the plan in my head countless times, so my preparations were quick and my steps decisive.

The nearest wall was 28 kilometers away.

The terrain was mountainous, but not difficult.

Most of the route was a forest path with some gentle slopes—mostly downhill.

I wouldn’t have to worry about steep climbs or dangerous cliffs.

It was evening.

As the night fog thickened, I followed the unpaved road.

Suddenly—

A flash of red light.

My instincts kicked in—I dropped to the ground.

BANG! BANG! RATATATAT!

Gunfire erupted.

"Hold your fire! I'm friendly!"

I yelled while searching for cover.

No response.

"······"

Something felt off.

No footsteps.

No breathing.

I confirmed my suspicion when I heard a mechanical whirring beyond the fog.

WIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING—CLICK!

I switched to my multi-purpose night vision and scanned the road ahead.

Sentry guns.

Autonomous fixed-position turrets.

I counted at least five, their red sensors blinking through the fog.

Damn it.

The sentry guns were set up along the road.

If I wanted to avoid them, I'd have to go around—but the terrain was awful.

Below was a sheer cliff.

Above was a long, winding detour—too far, and I might lose track of the road entirely.

And right now, with this fog, I couldn't afford to lose my sense of direction.

I didn't know these mountains well enough.

The only reason I was confident in reaching the base was because I could follow the road.

If I strayed too far and got lost, it could be fatal.

We Hunters aren’t soldiers.

We stayed in the base, fought battles, and always returned to the base.

Just because I had some survival knowledge didn’t mean I could brave Hallasan Mountain blindly.

Drip.

To make things worse, it started to rain.

I quickly pulled on my poncho and thought things over.

"······"

As much as I hated it, I had to go back.

If I was going to escape, it had to be in daylight.

I turned my back on the red blinking lights and made my way back to the outpost.

⚡

Near the outpost, mixed with the sound of rain, I heard something strange.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING—

The phone was ringing.

Had the connection been restored?

Or had someone taken over the outpost while I was gone?

I cautiously approached, confirmed that it was safe, and entered.

"This is Outpost 328."

I answered the call.

But the moment I did—

Click.

The line went dead.

I tried calling back—

No dial tone.

Five minutes later, the phone rang again.

"This is Outpost 328."

"Park Gyu."

A voice I recognized.

No.

A voice I had to hear right now.

Park Seung-su.

"······What do you want?"

"Ah, terribly sorry. The latest Rift surge has led to a full lockdown of the area. Massive eruption—real bad. There might be some spilling over to your zone."

"I'm not getting any supplies."

I spoke coldly.

"Supplies? Oh, that... yeah, there’s nothing I can do about that. We had to lock everything down, you see."

"And the sentry guns? Are those yours?"

"Sentry guns? What are you talking about? First time I’m hearing about it."

"So you really want me dead that badly, huh?"

Ending the polite talk wasn't exactly a diplomatic strategy.

But this bastard didn’t deserve courtesy.

Luckily, Park Seung-su was also done pretending.

A chuckle came through the receiver.

"You should’ve died when I gave you the chance."

I pulled out my phone and hit record.

"What did you just say?"

"Why are you playing dumb? You killed my students. Did you really think you’d get away with it?"

"Students? You mean those low-level Awakened who tried to kill me?"

"They were critical manpower for our future operations after we took the mainland."

His voice was getting more agitated.

All of it was being recorded.

"Those murderers? Are you saying they also killed my predecessors—Kim Byung-gwon, Cho Geun-hyu, Choi Jung-min, and the others? National Committee member, Park Seung-su?"

A short laugh.

"What, are you recording this?"

"······"

"Go ahead. Record all you want. You can’t even leave that outpost. Let’s be real—do we really need old men in this world? They’re the ones who ruined everything, weren’t they?"

"So that includes your own parents, right?"

"Some exceptions apply."

"And let me guess—you think you’re one of those exceptions?"

"Of course."

He laughed loudly.

And then, his tone darkened.

"······Professor."

As expected.

They knew exactly ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ who I was.

And they hated me for it.

"I underestimated you. Thought you were just a washed-up old relic. But turns out, even a rusted knife can cut—who would've thought you'd wipe out Alpha Team?"

"Surprised you remember my old callsign. I don’t recall ever telling you."

"You're a failure. A relic of a bygone era."

"A relic, huh..."

"This world belongs to the next stage of human evolution—Awakened. It’s nothing personal, but your very existence is a rejection of our future."

"And why is that?"

"Because you're just a normal human—yet you hunt monsters so effortlessly. You haven’t received a single blessing from the gods, and yet you still fight. That alone is a disgrace to the natural order."

I tapped my phone screen.

"Recording complete."

"Not that it matters. The intranet’s blocked. The phones are dead. What are you gonna do? You actually think you’ll make it out alive? That’s impossible."

New n𝙤vel chapters are published on novelbuddy.cσ๓.

I smiled.

"We Hunters challenge the impossible."

Quoting Jang Ki-young’s words, I turned back to my monitor.

[Welcome to Viva! Apocalypse!]