RE: Survival - Chapter 58

“What? Really?”

“With all that saliva dripping, it’d be weird if it wasn’t infectious. It’s coming,” Yohan warned.

At his words, Hajin lifted the lid of an ammo box to chest level, his face tense.

“Think this can block it?”

His concern was valid. The mutant’s attack had previously crushed faces with a single blow. It was hard to believe that such a thin, small shield could withstand its next strike.

“Avoiding is your priority. Blocking comes second,” Yohan replied, his eyes fixed on the mutant, not missing a single movement.

The distance between them wasn’t far.

Fifty meters? Maybe a hundred?

It was even shorter than the distance from the supply depot earlier. And if anything, the attacks now seemed more threatening than before.

Fortunately, the brief encounter had given Yohan a rough understanding of the mutant’s patterns and weaknesses.

The delay between its long-range attacks—forming a projectile and throwing it—could be exploited. And the way it opened its mouth when spitting out metal could be the key to a counterattack.

‘Screeeech!’

The first projectile flew toward Yohan.

Yohan tilted his torso sharply, swaying like a boxer to let the projectile pass.

A bit of the mutant’s saliva splattered onto him as the projectile whizzed by, making him grimace as he wiped it off.

While the mutant prepared its next attack, Yohan countered.

‘Bang! Bang!’ His rifle spat fire. David halted its preparation, screeched again, and glared at Yohan, irritated.

The bullets seemed to have no effect, but that wasn’t Yohan’s intent. He continued shooting rhythmically, testing the mutant’s reaction until it readied its second attack.

This time, the target was Hajin.

Hajin tried to evade the projectile as Yohan had, but the speed was overwhelming. He couldn’t even take a step in time.

Instead, he thrust the ammo box lid into the projectile’s path with all his strength.

‘Clang!’ The sharp impact reverberated as the makeshift shield dented under the force of the hit.

“Damn…” Hajin groaned, his arms trembling. But he had blocked the attack—proof of his skill as one of the camp’s key fighters.

Yohan resumed shooting, keeping up the pressure.

‘Just one more time.’

This skirmish was less about dealing damage and more about gathering intel. Yohan was testing Hajin’s ability to adapt to the mutant’s attack patterns.

As if to validate Yohan’s strategy, the next two projectiles also targeted Hajin. Each time, he raised the now-battered ammo box lid and deflected the attacks.

The objective was achieved. Now it was time to test another pattern.

“Move to the corner!” Yohan shouted.

After the brief exchange, the two retreated to the mutant’s blind spot. A moment of calm followed, with no movement or signs of pursuit from the creature.

Through the skirmish, Yohan came to two conclusions:

First, Hajin could withstand the mutant’s attacks. Bringing him alone had been the right call.

Second, the mutant David didn’t pursue its targets if they left its field of vision.

Ideally, it would come down on its own, but that seemed unlikely. They’d have to drag it off the roof.

At that moment, a radio transmission crackled to life.

– “Main gate here. How’s the armory holding up?”
– “Not great, not terrible. What about you?”
– “One mutant down, two to go. Wait—scratch that. A third just showed up.”
– “Got it. Hang in there.”

This was good news. The situation at the main gate wasn’t as dire as expected, giving Yohan a little more breathing room to focus on their task.

“Hajin, how’s it looking? Can you keep going?”

“My hands are still numb, but I’ll manage.”

“I’m setting up two claymores. Just buy me some time.”

“On your own?”

“Yeah. I’ll make sure the funeral’s nice if it comes to that.”

“Stop with the bad jokes,” Hajin muttered, frowning at Yohan’s grim humor.

Yohan handed Hajin his own ammo box lid for extra protection.

“Anything too heavy or bulky will slow you down. Focus on dodging, not blocking. Move your upper body instead of your whole frame.”

“Easier said than done. Should I head out now?”

“Yeah. If things go south or the mutant moves, radio me. And when I give the signal, throw a grenade at it.”

“Got it.”

With a signal from Yohan, Hajin emerged from cover and re-engaged the mutant, drawing its attention.

Yohan dashed in the opposite direction, heading for the far corner of the U-shaped building where he planned to set up a claymore mine.

The explosion likely wouldn’t deal significant damage, but Yohan hoped it would at least create a momentary opening.

Reaching the corner, Yohan installed the claymore just before the turn. His plan was to lure the mutant around the corner, detonate the mine, and capitalize on its momentary disorientation to strike decisively.

After setting the mine, Yohan climbed through a window into the welfare building, heading to the second floor—just below the roof where the mutant David lurked.

As much as he wanted to climb up and confront it directly, it was too risky. The roof was the mutant’s battleground, while Yohan’s strength lay in ground combat.

Reaching the top floor, Yohan banged on the ceiling, trying to provoke the mutant.

The sound wasn’t enough to pierce the concrete and get David’s attention.

Doubt crept in. Was this the right strategy? Or was he wasting one of their critical resources?

While he deliberated, another transmission came through.

– “Second mutant down! These mutants are too fragile!”
– “This is the armory. The line is critical; we’re being pushed back.”

Yohan shook off his hesitation and searched for something to secure his wires to. Ventilation ducts, pipes, or nailed beams—anything he could use to string wires across the building.

He strung one, then two, then three lines of wire, crossing them like a spiderweb.

With a makeshift platform ready, he placed the claymore facing upward, just 20–30 cm from the ceiling.

“Three, two, one,” he counted down, pressing the detonation button.

‘Boom!’

The explosion thundered through the building, followed by a larger blast on the roof.

Yohan dashed outside, scanning for David’s reaction.

The twin blasts seemed to rattle the mutant. Confused, it began crawling down the building’s exterior.

“Go after it!” Yohan shouted.

Hajin sprinted toward the descending mutant, but David’s movements were unnervingly agile. It scurried along the wall, leaping onto a nearby balcony.

“Stop!” Yohan ordered.

Hajin halted and braced for the next attack. David’s sharp claws made it impossible to engage it in close combat as it climbed effortlessly up and down the walls.

Yohan adjusted his strategy. He had to change the mutant’s attack pattern.

As David perched on the balcony, gnawing on a metal railing, Yohan approached.

Holding his breath, he aimed at its gaping mouth, waiting for the perfect moment.

‘Bang!’

The shot hit its mark, lodging a bullet in the mutant’s throat.

David staggered back, letting out a guttural roar as it tried to recover from the unexpected attack.

‘That’s your first throat shot, isn’t it? What now?’ Yohan thought, adrenaline coursing through him.