Chapter 98

53. Miracle

It's a scorching summer.

If it were last year, I would have turned the air conditioning up full blast and enjoyed a luxurious day, but I need to save fuel for the impending cold snap.

To make matters worse, the main entrance is blocked with earth, making ventilation impossible.

So, my current base of living is not the main shelter but a secondary shelter.

It's called Shelter 4, and it has a gentle slope leading up to my territory, with shrubs growing around it, providing a nice shade. Most importantly, it's the coolest place due to the breeze.

When the heat becomes unbearable, I go to the stream below my territory and immerse myself.

Not to brag, but the stream in front of my house used to be crowded with mysterious merchants and vacationers in the summer.

The water was just right, and the current was gentle, making it a great place to play.

However, the water quality wasn't great, with long moss-like growths on the rocks. Now, with no one around, the water quality has surprisingly improved, and you can even find crayfish under the rocks.

I set up an umbrella as a parasol and dip my feet in the stream, and it feels so peaceful that it's hard to believe the world is in the midst of destruction.

But the loaded rifle by my side, silently guarding me, is undeniable proof that I can't fully enjoy this peace.

Sometimes, gunshots can be heard, but they're not from the mother and daughter sniper.

They come from the north, where the pioneers have settled.

The Legion hasn't shown its face since then.

Compared to the hard work I did in Incheon, the result is disappointing, but the fact that the Legion not coming is the best scenario is undeniable.

Of course, I can't let my guard down yet.

When and how they will come to kill me is decided somewhere I don't know.

Zzzzzzzz—

Recently, I've been testing the possibility of synthetic oil.

Before testing it on the main generator on the second underground floor, I'm testing it on a small diesel generator.

According to information from PaleNet and other sources, the quality of synthetic oil is exceptionally high, given South Korea's world-class chemical engineering technology.

While the South Korean government displayed various disgraceful behaviors during the war, the fact that it has maintained administrative functions for three years since the war shows that it had foresight.

Synthetic oil is one of those foresights.

In anticipation of the disruption of maritime trade, the government ordered the development of synthetic oil using coal and other alternatives, and prototypes were reportedly produced before the war.

After several tests, I haven't found the quality to be particularly poor.

However, synthetic oil has a fatal flaw: its quality instability.

The quality difference between products is too large.

Some batches are as good as gasoline, while others are worse than kerosene.

Moreover, the quality deteriorates over time, with later batches being considered unusable waste.

Still, some factories continue to produce high-quality synthetic oil, especially large industrial complexes in the southern region, which reportedly produce the best synthetic oil.

If my generator can accept synthetic oil and I can obtain it, could it extend the life of my shelter as much as the extended life of this world?

That's the reason for the test, but I think it's more about finding some comfort in doing something rather than doing nothing.

Vroom—

The portable generator seems to run just fine with the synthetic oil, showing little difference from when diesel is used.

If there is a difference, it might be related to the generator's lifespan.

I've confirmed that the generator can run on synthetic oil.

I should test it on the main generator someday, but I lack the synthetic oil and plan to use the wood boiler and stored fuel for this winter.

A full-scale test will probably have to wait until next year.

I work at night.

It's plumbing work.

Shelter 8 is the closest of my secondary shelters to the main shelter, and I plan to renovate it as living space for the mother and daughter sniper.

This marks the beginning of a proper community.

The toilet is a big issue.

The mother and daughter are terrified of my toilet, and frankly, I don't want anyone else sitting on it either.

So, I started the construction.

However, I don't have the luxury of installing a toilet inside the secondary shelter, so I decided to add a new facility nearby.

The conditions are that it shares the existing plumbing, is not too difficult to construct, and is at an appropriate distance.

The biggest concern is the water supply, not the construction difficulty.

My water tank is optimized for my survival alone.

With two more people, the existing tank won't suffice.

I need to find another water source or divert water from the stream.

Well, I can deal with that later.

There's nothing particularly difficult about it.

Infinite expansion and modification have always been the core feature of my shelter, even before the war.

The heavy machinery and construction materials in my garage are for this purpose.

It's about time I started using them.

After completing the basic construction, I informed Rebecca and her daughter.

"I've done the plumbing work."

It's good news.

But what awaited me was an unexpected miracle.

"Skeleton! Skeleton!"

Rebecca sobbed.

Not just Rebecca.

I could hear Suu crying beside her.

Seeing Suu, who rarely cries, sobbing, I felt a chill and asked urgently.

"What, what's wrong?"

The answer was an unexpected possibility.

"David. David is alive!"

"David? Who's that?"

"Her husband."

*

Rebecca's husband and Suu's father were alive.

And in the United States.

The situation was as follows.

Rebecca, who had been desperately searching for her husband on the English board of Viva! Apocalypse!, accidentally started chatting with a group of American survivors. Someone in the group recognized Rebecca's husband and informed him, and the husband sent a video message to his family today.

"He's alive... "

It was a miracle.

Or, from David's perspective, the fact that Rebecca and her daughter were alive might itself be a miracle.

Surviving for over two years in a land with no common language, culture, or country is no small feat.

"Congratulations."

I sent a heartfelt congratulatory message to the mother and daughter.

"I'll be there in a bit!"

"You're coming?"

"Yeah! We need to have a party! A party!"

"What kind of party?"

"David is coming here!"

"Skeleton! Prepare some juice-."

"What?"

It seems they were overly excited, but seeing their joy, I realized that I had somehow accepted them as my own.

This miracle probably won't end in a happy ending, but it might leave a feeling of happiness in the process.

Thinking this, I surveyed the surroundings.

The peaceful fields, as always.

Once called the fields of death due to nuclear fallout and remained desolate for a long time, are now blooming with life.

In the fall, the fields and rice paddies, which will turn golden, are filled with various wildflowers, and the ridges of my territory, once scorched by the blast, are now covered with trees growing rapidly, turning green.

At night, lights can be seen on the horizon.

The increasing number and proximity of these lights are not just an illusion.

However.

"..."

Another miracle occurred.

Gold appeared.

With his offspring, who looked just like him, and a female, who appeared to have given birth, standing guard beside him, staring at me.

"What?"

I looked at the size of the offspring.

They were enormous.

But they were irresistibly cute.

One thing was certain.

"Still a mutt, huh?"

It might sound a bit harsh, but I prefer mutts to purebreds.

Gold growled, showing his teeth, but soon licked his offspring and left my territory with them.

"What?"

He left nothing behind.

He just left with his offspring and the female, wagging his tail proudly towards the west.

"..."

It seems Gold just came to show off his offspring.

Whether it's dogs or humans, showing off offspring is a universal trait.

Still, the fact that Gold is living healthily and has offspring is a positive sign.

At least, it means the southwestern area is safe.

There are remnants of the Chinese army, zombies, and the savior of zombies there.

I don't want to meet the remnants of the Chinese army.

Around noon, Rebecca and her daughter arrived on bicycles.

"We saw a mutation."

Rebecca took off her goggles and said with a surprised look.

"Mutation? What kind of mutation?"

"A dog."

"A dog?"

"Yeah."

Suu chimed in.

"There were puppies too. They were cute."

"I see."

It seemed to be a very special experience for them, but it was just a matter of fact to me.

Just in case, I asked.

"Did they attack you?"

"No, they just sniffed and left."

"Ah."

I couldn't help but chuckle.

It seems my scent has permeated even to this foreign family.

"Here. Alcohol."

Rebecca handed me a bottle.

"No, I don't need alcohol."

"Champagne. I saved it."

I took it and saw it was real champagne.

What can I say, a cultural difference.

The culture of popping champagne is not common in my surroundings.

We might have clinked glasses with soju cups, but that's about it.

"Save the champagne."

Before the small party, I showed the mother and daughter the new toilet under construction.

"I'm connecting the plumbing here."

"Here? Here?"

"Yeah. You'll be moving this way, right?"

Rebecca and Suu looked at each other.

"Really?"

They asked simultaneously.

Their eyes were so similar, and I couldn't help but smile mysteriously as I told them.

"David is coming here, right? You'll have to hold on until then."

This is my subtle proposal to join.

I think it's time.

"Skeleton!"

Suu was delighted, but Rebecca, though not composed, was still a mother.

"Are you sure? Really sure?"

I pulled her aside for a moment.

"Better than you dying. It's cold this winter, right? And your supplies are running out, right?"

"That's true. But..."

"It's not completely safe."

I looked Rebecca in the eye and told her about my current crisis.

"The Legion knows about this place. I've tried to disguise it, but if there's a determined member of the Legion, they might come back. So, you might get involved."

"Skeleton, that's not what I mean..."

"What?"

"Not, we're both women..."

It seems she was thinking too far ahead.

The biggest concern for Rebecca is someone else.

Me, this Skeleton.

I looked at her with a smile.

When I first met her, she seemed like a wild animal, but now she looks at me with emotion and understanding.

I praised her silently for all she had been through and spoke.

"I won't say the usual 'don't worry.'"

"I'm worried. Very worried."

"Really, what do you see in me?"

"..."

Rebecca closed her mouth and looked away.

I found her cute and calmly told her a plan I had been thinking about for a long time.

"I'll set up zones."

"Zones?"

"Yeah. Even though we'll be close, my territory, your territory. We'll clearly define them and not invade each other's space. So, we'll minimize the chances of running into each other."

It's a proven excellent method from my time in China.

"And I won't feed and house you for free. There are things you need to do."

When I decided to accept the mother and daughter sniper, I thought about their roles.

They are excellent combat and observation resources.

24-hour vigilance is a given.

The mother is an internet addict, but the daughter is sharp.

I'll assign them to guard the southern boundary of my territory.

It's currently guarded by Gold, but I've been hearing bad news from the Gyeongsang region.

There's still time before the move, but I plan to complete it before winter.

"Alright, then."

A small party was held to celebrate David's return and the birth of the community.

The food was simple.

Frozen meat, some vegetables from the garden, and some juice- that Suu likes.

The food wasn't much, but it wasn't a problem.

The joy was the best dish on the table.

"David is coming by plane!"

"Is that even possible?"

"Well, it does sound impossible. Everyone said he was crazy."

From what I heard, David seemed to be as delusional as Rebecca.

They must have met each other.

But Suu doesn't seem to resemble her parents at all.

"Skeleton, look at this."

Suu showed me her phone screen.

It showed Gold and his proud offspring, which I hadn't managed to capture.

"..."

I thought to myself.

If I were to get married, who would I marry?

Looking around, it seems like people tend to marry those similar to themselves, but does a woman like me even exist?

Probably not.

I must be a bit too good for this...

"Alright, let's toast, Skeleton. Cheers!"

Rebecca clinked glasses with a carbonated drink instead of champagne, in a Korean style.

As we clinked glasses and drank, I looked at the champagne bottle sitting alone in the corner.

This champagne.

Can I pop it?

"Skeleton?"

Suu sat beside me, quietly observing my expression.

"What are you thinking?"

"I don't know."

"Are you thinking something bad?"

"Does it look like it?"

"Yeah."

It seems even this child can read my emotions now.

With a touch of self-deprecation, I looked up at the sky.

"I wish I could pop the champagne."

*

The bad situation in the Gyeongsang region had been a rumor on PaleNet for three days.

It became clear in the evening.

A large-scale monster outbreak occurred near the Yangsan fault in Gyeongsang.

Despite having more troops than other regions due to its large population, an unprecedented number of monsters attacked, and half of the kill zone was destroyed.

They barely managed to secure the fault area, but that was all.

A photo posted by an anonymous PaleNet user showed thousands of capsules scattered in an unknown mountain.

I looked at the champagne bottle sitting alone in the room.

It's not bad so far.

Even a futile hope is better than none.

The champagne bottle is covered with black stickers.

Originally, there were only two, one for Suu and one for me.

Suu's remained one, but mine kept increasing.

It must have started after meeting I Am Jesus.

This chain of black might be replaced with a single word: frustration or resignation.

Each person wishes for their own miracle, but realistically, there's only one miracle for me.

Gang Nammin closes the fault, and I die upon hearing the news.