39-61

EP. 61. Armed Robber Attack (2) 

About three hours had passed since Park Ji-hye came to warn us of the impending attack. 

After isolating her and her sleeping daughter safely inside the apartment, everyone able to fight-including me and Catherine-was positioned in front of the main gate. 

We used four cars, quickly pulled from the neighboring building’s parking lot, as cover and watched the main gate fence, now camouflaged with blankets and cloth. 

In our hands, along with our weapons, each of us held a Molotov cocktail made from soju bottles. 

Next moment. 

I glanced at the five bollards lined up just one meter behind the main gate fence, reviewing the effectiveness of our plan once more. 

‘If those bollards hold, this will be easy…’ 

Grrr… grrr… 

I turned toward a small sound on the left and saw Park Sanghyuk, face tense, slowly flicking his lighter. 

Beyond him, the other residents also wore faces mixed with fear and tension. 

Just then, a faint engine noise drifted from the distance. 

Vroooom 

Everyone’s eyes turned to Park Suhyeon, who was peeking outside over the wall by the main gate. 

A moment later, he crouched and raised his arms in a circle above his head-a signal that the three vehicles Park Ji-hye mentioned were approaching. 

As Park Suhyeon quickly ran back to his father’s side, the engine noise grew louder and closer. 

It was clear the attackers were right on top of us, but something felt off. 

‘Wow… these bastards even turned off their headlights for the attack.’ 

A grudging respect for the raiders’ seriousness about the “attack” flashed through my mind. 

“Everyone, get ready to light up. When I throw, throw yours right after.” 

I pulled a lighter from my pocket and told everyone to prepare to throw their Molotovs. 

Soon, the engines thundered in our chests. 

CRASH! 

With an ear-splitting roar, two pickup trucks smashed through the fence. 

They charged straight for the bollards lined up just behind the fence. 

‘Please hold. Please, please, please…’ 

BOOM! CRUNCH! 

To my immense relief, the bollards held firm, stopping both trucks with a massive crash. 

Not only did they stop the trucks, but the impact crumpled the vehicles’ front ends. 

As the trucks, moving at high speed, came to an abrupt halt, their rear ends lifted off the ground. 

“Gaaah!” 

BANG! CRASH! 

About six raiders in the truck beds were thrown into the air, and some in the driver and passenger seats were ejected through the windshields. 

They crashed into the asphalt or slammed into the cars we were hiding behind, smashing their heads like watermelons-just like when we killed zombies. 

I flicked my lighter. 

Click! Click! Whoosh 

I lit the rag in the soju bottle and hurled it at the SUV that had crashed into the trucks. 

The flaming green bottle arced through the night sky, followed by a dozen more Molotovs thrown at the wrecked trucks and SUV. 

BOOM! BOOM! 

Small explosions rang out as fire quickly engulfed the three vehicles and the area around them. 

The raging flames lit up the scene in red. 

Through the broken fence and crumpled trucks, we saw the raiders sprawled on the ground, twitching. 

Some squirmed inside the burning vehicles. 

Finally, beyond the flames, we saw a horde of zombies being drawn toward the light. 

Judging by the distance, the zombies would reach us in about one or two minutes. 

At that moment- 

Whirrrrr 

A drone, equipped with a speaker and small flashlight, flew overhead. 

It zipped toward the oncoming zombies. 

I looked back toward the apartment-specifically, my own unit-and saw Aunt Hyeyeon piloting the drone from the window. 

As planned, as soon as the flames flared at the main gate, she launched the drone to lure the zombies elsewhere, buying us extra time. 

With that, Catherine and I, crossbow and pistol ready, vaulted over our cover. 

We split left and right to check for any remaining threats among the raiders. 

Following our lead, the others climbed over the cars to finish off any wounded raiders. 

Just then, from the SUV behind the burning trucks, a heavy thud sounded. 

BANG! BANG! THUD! 

A figure stumbled out of the flames. 

“You motherfuckers… you think Lee Hyung-min is going to die this easy?” 

His face was twisted in pain, blood streaming from a gash on his forehead as he staggered and gasped. 

Just as I aimed my crossbow at his forehead, his hand flashed in the firelight. 

He was aiming a K-2 rifle at me. 

“Everyone, get down!” 

RATATATATATA!!! 

As I dove to the ground, a hail of bullets whistled over my head. 

“Die, you fuckers!” 

His crazed voice and the sound of bullets ricocheting off cars lasted about four seconds. 

When the gunfire finally stopped, I forced my stiff body up and aimed my crossbow at the raider as he changed magazines. 

As my scope lined up with his forehead, I pulled the trigger. 

THUNK! 

Just as the bolt was about to hit his forehead- 

BANG! SPLAT!! 

His head jerked left and exploded. 

I turned toward the source of the shot and saw Catherine, who had gone right, aiming her pistol. 

She had nailed the gunman in the head during his reload. 

“Minwoo, are you okay?” 

Still aiming at the SUV, Catherine called out with concern. 

I assured her I was fine and thanked her. 

Together, we went around the burning vehicles, putting bolts and bullets into the heads of any surviving raiders. 

THUNK! SPLAT! 

Finally, I put a bolt through the right eye of a scrawny man in the SUV’s back seat-his face was covered in blood, but he looked oddly familiar. 

At that moment, my phone vibrated on my forearm, signaling quest completion. 

[The attack on your base has ended; the quest is automatically completed.] 

[Congratulations! Quest ‘Base Defense’ completed.] 

[Reward: 60 MP and ‘Shop-Secondhand Trade’ unlocked. ⚠︎ All armed robbers confirmed dead. Additional reward: 60 MP.] 

... 

Three hours after successfully repelling the raiders and completing the quest. 

We’d put out the fires with extinguishers, blocked the broken gate with cars, and checked for casualties. 

One dead, two injured. 

During Lee Hyung-min’s wild shooting, an elderly man who reacted too slowly was shot in the chest and killed instantly. 

Park Sanghyuk and his son Park Suhyeon were the only other casualties, with minor wounds from bullets and shrapnel. 

Given our lack of proper weapons and trained defenders, we’d managed to defeat over ten armed raiders with minimal losses. 

Maybe that’s why, despite the death, my staff’s faces were full of relief and confidence. 

Some even showed pride at having defended their home themselves. 

Then, something unexpected happened. 

“Um… Minwoo hyung. Uh, can I call you hyung?” 

“Huh? Oh… sure, go ahead.” 

Park Suhyeon, his shoulder bandaged, approached me hesitantly and asked if he could call me “hyung.” 

He’d always been a bit cheeky, but I nodded and allowed it. 

Next moment, 

He thanked me, bringing up my warning during the gunfire. 

“Hyung, I only survived earlier because of you. When I heard you yell, I hit the ground right away-otherwise, I would’ve been shot in the chest…” 

“I’m really glad.” 

‘So he sees me as his lifesaver. Facing death must have made him grow up a little.’ 

[Betrayal Detection is active.] 

[Within 10m: Catherine (0%), Park Suhyeon (21%)]