Chapter 2 Gangster

TL: RuinsTranslator

Guns are probably the most efficient weapon ever created by humans.

Especially effective against humans.

It's not just about shooting and killing or injuring people.

Just having a gun in situations where you need to interact with people or reveal yourself constrains the actions of the other party.

It's like a device that instills manners just by being possessed, making the opponent's actions humble.

The offensive capability against people goes without saying.

After all, weren't guns originally made to kill people?

There are claims that their effectiveness is halved against monsters or zombies, but I can't fully agree, although I somewhat do. After all, the usefulness of an item depends on how it's used.

Anyway, to survive in the post-apocalyptic era, guns are necessary.

As I have often said, the greatest enemy of humans is humans themselves.

But this is Korea.

In Korea, unlike in the U.S., it's not only hard to get guns, but it's also illegal.

I could go to the U.S. to prepare for the end, but there are pros and cons there too.

The initial difficulty level of a country where everyone is armed with guns collapsing versus a country where guns are banned is like the difference between heaven and earth.

Think about the once-popular battle royale games.

What fun would it be if you just started shooting as soon as you landed from the plane?

There should be a time when you farm and fight with fists, squabbling with each other.

Of course, for me, it would be more fun if I had a gun from the start.

It was when Old Man Kim was still alive.

Old Man Kim had a hunting shotgun.

Usually stored at the police station, but he would invariably take it out during the hunting season and show off his lousy shooting skills.

“When I was in the army, you see, the communists infiltrated. I was hiding behind an acacia bush, holding my breath, and when one of those communist bastards showed up from behind a tree, I nailed him right between the eyes with a bullet of anti-communism!”

Later, after some personal networking, I found out that Old Man Kim was in the reserve forces and hadn't participated in any communist suppression operations, but his shotgun was a fairly useful weapon.

Being a shotgun, it has high stopping power, and even those not skilled in shooting can handle it adequately.

But that kind of weapon is not enough to prepare for the future.

I always kept an eye on the nearby air force base.

It's a base used jointly with the U.S. military, so it has U.S. equipment, and according to rumors, there are a few hunters specialized in fighting large monsters stationed there.

Getting hold of hunter equipment would be the best outcome, but what I want is a large quantity of bullets and a few combat rifles.

But it's not easy.

How am I supposed to infiltrate an air force base guarded by both the Korean and U.S. military and steal weapons and ammunition?

The initial plan I thought of was a bit rough.

If war breaks out with China, that air force base will be a primary target.

Because the U.S. military base is right next to it.

According to the Chinese war plan I researched, the U.S. military base next to my house is a preemptive nuclear strike target.

Once a nuclear weapon is launched and the base is in chaos, I can leisurely collect guns and other useful items while wearing protective clothing.

That was my original rough plan.

It might seem absurd, but I thought this was the most realistic way to acquire quality weapons.

There's also the option of acquiring weapons through Southeast Asian gangs or Russian sailors, but the best they handle are pistols.

But when the harsh reality hit me and the world's flow turned out differently than I expected, even I, Park Kyu, started to get impatient.

SKELTON: In countries like Korea or Japan, where public safety is stable and guns are banned, how can one acquire serious weapons like assault rifles?

It's a world where everything is about group chats and communities.

There are also internet communities for those preparing for the impending doom.

Among those like me, the oddities of the world, gathered the doomsday prepper community 'Viva! Apocalypse!'.

It's not open to just anyone.

You need to have the satellite internet equipment 'Galaxy Link' developed by the global entrepreneur Melon Musk, and on top of that, you have to pay a hefty monthly fee of $100.

Despite the extravagant preparations and the steep cost, it had quite a number of users, and it was so uniquely popular that there was even a separate Korean language forum.

I posted a question on the Korean forum.

Several replies came quickly, but none of them were substantial.

Most suggestions were irresponsible, like raiding a police station or a small military unit with comrades in arms to loot their armory.

Even the opinion of "Johnnenon," my usual spiritual mentor, wasn't helpful.

That's because the security situation in South Korea is not so lenient.

Sure, you could loot the weapons if you wanted to, but there's no guarantee of safety after doing such a thing in a country plastered with high-resolution CCTVs at every turn.

Even the community I joined by paying a hefty $100 monthly fee couldn't provide a pointed solution, but then an unexpected suggestion came from an unusual place.

"Is this an air-raid shelter? The kind that doomsday preppers are building these days."

The proposer's name was Kim Wang-su, an employee of the construction company that I had hired for the first air-raid shelter construction.

His nationality was Chinese, a Chaoxianzu. (TL: Korean living in China)

Until Kim Wang-su revealed his identity, I had thought he was a Korean born and raised in Korea.

He seemed younger than me, dressed better, more sophisticated, and used trendy speech.

Unlike other employees who were puzzled by my request to build an air-raid shelter on empty land, Kim Wang-su showed great interest in it.

"There are many such people in China. Party officials, capitalists with connections to the Party, they are all rushing to build air-raid shelters in rural areas. Much bigger and more sophisticated than what you're building, sir."

It wasn't just interest.

Kim Wang-su had considerable knowledge and insight, as well as information about China that I was not aware of.

"War? Well, sooner or later, it's going to happen, isn't it? It's not reported in Western news, but the provinces adjacent to Inner Mongolia are all devoured by monsters. At least hundreds of millions must have died, right? The Party is desperately trying to stop it, but honestly, it's all over. It's just a matter of time."

He seemed to envy me for my air-raid shelter and my ability to afford to build one.

"You seem to be not much older than me, did you make a lot of money? To have such a vast land and bring in all this equipment."

"I hit the jackpot with cryptocurrency."

In reality, I'm an ultra-stable investor who has never even touched stocks, let alone cryptocurrency.

Though I did incur some debt.

"Coin. Wow."

Kim Wang-su glanced around and leaned in towards me.

"Did you manage to get something like guns?"

"Guns?"

"Yes. If the world really comes to an end, wouldn't you need a reliable firearm? Building such a great air-raid shelter and stockpiling supplies, but if you just end up being robbed, it would be a total waste, wouldn't it?"

Kim Wang-su deliberately used a Yanbian dialect. (TL: Its the dialect of Hamgyoung province and its uses old Korean words and expressions.)

Excessively, to the point of awkwardness.

It seemed like he was trying to show off his connections with that side.

Within the company, Kim Wang-su was known as diligent, smooth, and intelligent, earning a lot of trust.

He was even more recognized than Manager Hong, an outsider with 10 years of experience.

He definitely was a smart and sharp person.

I started the deal thinking I had nothing to lose.

The result was surprising.

"Three Type 56 rifles. 300 rounds of ammunition. Three service magazines."

Three rifles, with a decent number of 300 bullets offered, was a pretty good deal.

The price was high, but there was no reason to refuse.

For the upcoming future, a decent firearm is an essential necessity.

As the construction of the air-raid shelter neared its end, Kim Wang-su called me out.

“Boss, everything is ready. Let's set a date.”

At that point, I was somewhat wary of Kim Wang-su.

I had hired a private detective and found out that Kim Wang-su was not from a Chaoxianzu gangster background but a member of the Triad, primarily composed of Han Chinese.

I met with Kim Wang-su, prepared for any situation.

“Just wait a moment. My companion will bring the goods.”

We stayed silently for a long time in a secluded place shielded by industrial waste.

It was chilly.

Although the air itself wasn't cold, there were many clouds and strong winds.

Maybe Kim Wang-su's gloomy background contributed to the coldness.

As the wait prolonged, Kim Wang-su frequently checked his phone.

Glancing at the screen, I saw a cute little girl resembling him, smiling brightly.

“Your daughter?”

“Yes, my daughter.”

A faint smile, along with a blush, appeared on Kim Wang-su's face, which had been expressionless throughout.

“About seven years old? She's cute.”

“Haha, she's cute alright, but quite a handful, really gives me trouble.”

Kim Wang-su seemed to be exchanging messages with his daughter.

Familiar messaging screen icons indicated emoticons sent by his daughter.

A penguin character tilted its head, asking when he would return.

Kim Wang-su replied in an obscure Chinese dialect I couldn't recognize.

Probably something like he would return soon.

Soon, a dump truck rattled across Old Man Kim's land.

“There! There!”

Old Man Kim rushed out of the house, ready to make a scene, but upon seeing me, he grumbled and went back inside.

Only one man was in the dump truck, and there were no signs of any ambush or betrayal.

“Let's start.”

Following our prior agreement, we loaded the industrial waste scattered on my land into the dump truck.

While I busily operated the excavator to load the waste, Kim Wang-su's colleague unloaded the real goods from the passenger seat.

The goods were solid.

Three Type 56 rifles with 300 rounds of 7.62mm bullets.

They were in good preservation condition and worked without issues.

There was no betrayal from Kim Wang-su's party as I had feared.

However, a slight surprise awaited me at the end.

As we finished and Kim Wang-su was about to get into the dump truck, he suddenly got out of the car and approached me with a threateningly agile movement.

“!”

I anticipated a sudden attack and even grasped the hidden weapon in my pocket, but the situation turned out to be anticlimactic.

“Do you live alone?”

For a moment, I felt a chill from him but didn't show it.

“No, my companions will be here soon.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, just thought the air-raid shelter seemed excessively large for one person.”

“I like spacious places.”

“I thought even a single room in a Goshiwon seemed livable.” (TL: Goshiwon are cheap rental places in South korea)

“In case of trouble, come over.”

“Would that be alright?”

“We should help and live together.”

He seemed like a decent person, despite being a gangster.

Considering his considerable carpentry skills and the guts to be a gangster, I thought it wouldn't be bad to have him on my side.

Above all, he was a caring father of a child.

The way he smiled at the text from his daughter, regardless of what kind of person he was, held enough warmth to make one take a second look.

“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline.”

“Why?”

“Oh, I'm planning to return to my home country soon.”

“China?”

“Shanghai.”

I didn't fully know what kind of person Kim Wang-su was, but when he emphasized 'Shanghai' with such force, I felt I understood a little about who he was and the thoughts he lived by.

It was three years later when I heard from Kim Wang-su again.

It was at a time when war seemed imminent and the world was almost certainly heading towards catastrophe.

The call came on my first mobile phone.

An unknown number.

I had only used this first phone three years ago, and since then, I had kept the contract but not used the device.

The same number called again after the first call was disconnected.

Something felt off.

While monitoring the closed-circuit screens inside the air-raid shelter, I noticed an unfamiliar vehicle within my territory.

A man stood in front of the car, smoking a burning cigarette, his face anxious, one hand in his pocket.

When I saw his face, I hesitated for a moment.

Should I meet him, or ignore him?

Kim Wang-su made the choice before I could.

He opened the car door, said something to someone inside, invisible to me, and then ran towards the air-raid shelter with terrifying agility.

In his hand was an axe wrapped in a leather case.

And of all things, an axe.

“......”

I picked up the first mobile phone and called back the number that had rung twice.

“Oh, boss?”

Kim Wang-su answered the phone warmly.

Even while running full speed, his breath was steady.

“Mr. Kim Wang-su? What's the matter? Why suddenly?”

“I wanted to say goodbye before leaving Korea.”

“Goodbye?”

“Where are you?”

I showed myself to him.

From a distance, I saw Kim Wang-su smiling brightly with his characteristic friendly and cool demeanor.

He quickly closed the distance.

Ten steps away.

Suddenly, he kicked off the ground and charged.

The axe, hidden like mine in his wrist, came into view as he threw off the leather case that had been covering the blade.

I sighed softly as I watched the axe drawing a parabolic trajectory in the air.

Thump!

The axe buried itself deep between someone's shoulder and neck.

Not Kim Wangsu's.

Mine.

Kim Wang-su, with a horrified face, struggled to turn his head towards me, who had just embedded the axe blade into his body.

But by then, his neck was no longer obeying his commands.

Every twitch of his muscles only caused more blood to spurt from the flesh and muscle torn apart by the axe.

I let go of the axe, making sure he could see me, and stepped to the side.

Kim Wang-su jerked and swung his axe wildly.

But his axe passed futilely in front of me, missing by mere inches.

“A soldier......?”

I shook my head.

“A gangster?! No......!!”

“Why are you doing this?”

I sighed softly, glaring at him as he lay dying.

“If you had wanted, I could have given up my place.”

The corners of Kim Wang-su's mouth lifted.

“Sh, shitty bastard......”

Those were his last words.

As he collapsed, a mobile phone popped out of his pocket.

As I unlocked his phone, still warm from his grip, the familiar messaging screen appeared.

The conversation was filled with Simplified Chinese characters, unreadable to me, but the Korean-released emoticons gave me a sense of déjà vu.

A penguin character tilting its head, asking when he would arrive.

"......Sigh."

There was no time for sentimentality.

The sirens signaling a nuclear strike were roaring, threatening to rupture eardrums.

At that time, Old Man Kim was still alive.

*

How long had it been since the storm passed?

The Geiger counter, indicating levels safe enough to venture out, beeped steadily.

I got into the old four-wheel drive that had been carefully hidden inside the air-raid shelter and headed towards the air force base.

Just in case.

But then.

"What the... damn it."

I couldn't help but curse.

Beyond the collapsed buildings, there were loads of guns and weapons.

While the coveted hunter equipment was missing, it was still a jackpot. Enough to form a one-man army.

In the end, my rough plan to loot weapons from a military base after the world's collapse turned out to be the right answer.

I glanced towards the side where Kim Wang-su's vehicle had been.

The charred vehicle lay grotesquely.

I sometimes wonder.

If I hadn't made a deal with him, could he and his family have survived?

I think not.