The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 11

#11. Fire

The Blue Team’s advance squad was making its way up from the 10th to the 11th floor.

Among them, a man with a receding hairline addressed Kim Dong-gil.

“Branch Manager! Let’s just wipe them out! We even gave them food; aren’t they being way too presumptuous?”

“That’s right! If we strike first, they won’t even have time to react.”

The employees trailing behind were visibly agitated, voices rising from all sides.

However, Kim Dong-gil remained composed.

The moment he learned they possessed a gun, the power balance between the two teams had significantly shifted.

Launching a reckless attack now would result in considerable losses.

“Not yet.”

He needed a more calculated approach.

The gun was a factor, but that man from before…

He was a considerably dangerous individual.

In some ways, he posed a greater threat than the gun itself.

Thud, thud, thud.

Kim Dong-gil reached the 11th floor.

Instantly, the dozens of people before him recoiled.

They were all clutching kitchen knives and clubs.

Nearby, the corpses of goblins were piled high, and the people’s eyes burned with a fierce intensity.

It was the gaze of creatures awakened by the raw instinct to survive at any cost.

Kim Dong-gil surveyed them.

The initial plan was that the moment he arrived, the main force would immediately descend and eliminate the Red Team while they were hastily consuming the food.

However, Kim Dong-gil called off the operation.

They couldn’t attack now.

“The operation is canceled. We’ll need to devise another strategy.”

At Kim Dong-gil’s words, the people exchanged puzzled glances.

* * *

00:00 AM passed.

At that moment, a dark notification appeared in the air and then vanished.

[Round 1, Day 2]

Red Team’s residential area, 7th-floor children’s store.

I gathered the people and addressed them.

“We’re relocating our base to the 1st floor. Everyone, please prepare immediately.”

“Ah, yes… yes!”

“Hurry!”

The people immediately agreed to my instructions and began collecting the food provided by the Blue Team.

Staying here on the 7th floor is too risky.

It would be more advantageous to move to the 1st floor, which is the farthest point from the Blue Team’s stronghold.

Additionally, we needed to recruit any remaining survivors from the 1st to the 7th floors to bolster our numbers.

Regardless of how many guns they possess, they can’t overcome a significant disparity in manpower.

We had to strategically outmaneuver the Blue Team.

Jin Jae-hee, having completed her preparations for reconnaissance, approached me.

I spoke to her.

“You’ll be alright, right?”

“Yeah.”

I tasked Jin Jae-hee with scouting the upper floors.

Since they had dispatched scouts, we needed to do the same.

Information is always crucial.

Everything ultimately boils down to an information war.

I told her.

“If you’re caught, head straight to the basement level.”

“Okay.”

Jin Jae-hee headed towards the opposite staircase, sword in hand.

They likely haven’t established sentries yet.

There are three ways to move between floors:

The elevator, the escalator, and the stairs.

Since we can’t use the elevator, we’ll start by using the stairs.

If we can move via the stairs and scout out their base, that would be a success.

It would be even better if we could identify their leader.

I also instructed Jin Jae-hee to recruit any survivors she encountered during her reconnaissance.

Above all, the most important thing is to preserve as many people as possible in this building.

This is only Round 1.

Due to the nature of the game, a larger population translates to greater power.

The current population of the Red Team is 32.

If we can recruit more survivors and match the Blue Team’s numbers, this game…

We will be one step closer to victory.

Turning my head to look at the people, they were packing only the essential items according to my instructions.

They had already acknowledged and trusted me as their ‘leader’.

I will repay their trust and lead this game to victory.

“Sion.”

Kwon Kyung-soo approached me, breathing slightly heavily.

His hands were stained with goblin blood.

“I’ve removed all the flesh; it looks like it’s about 20kg.”

“Good job.”

“Now we need salt and fire for smoking [preserving meat by exposing it to smoke]…”

Kwon Kyung-soo placed his hand on his chin and looked around.

There was no suitable place to start a fire.

Lighting a fire is easy with a lighter, but this is a closed space.

If a fire breaks out accidentally, everyone will die.

I looked at Kwon Kyung-soo.

I told him to trim the meat, but I didn’t tell him to smoke it.

Yet, Kwon Kyung-soo knew that the meat had to be ‘smoked’.

Indeed, he was a man from a special forces unit.

He possessed a wealth of basic survival knowledge.

“What should we do? We can’t let smoke spread inside the building.”

Kwon Kyung-soo wanted an answer from me.

Of course, as he said, smoke shouldn’t fill the inside of the building.

We don’t know if it will be properly ventilated or not.

But I had already considered the solution.

“Let’s go to the bathroom.”

“The bathroom…?”

I grabbed the goblin meat nearby.

It was neatly trimmed.

Kwon Kyung-soo was bewildered, hesitated, and then followed me.

I entered the bathroom and opened a toilet stall.

Above the toilet was a non-functioning ventilation fan.

I climbed onto the toilet and examined the ventilation fan above me.

The cover of the ventilation fan came off when I tapped it with my hand.

I was a little surprised that it wasn’t as sturdy as I thought.

I peered inside.

It was dark, and I couldn’t see anything.

Still looking inside, I asked Kwon Kyung-soo.

“Kyung-soo, do you have a lighter?”

“Yes, here.”

Kwon Kyung-soo handed me the lighter.

I turned on the lighter and checked the inside.

‘It’s L-shaped and facing upwards.’

The width was less than 50cm [approximately 19.7 inches].

If we start a fire here, the smoke will rise upwards.

This is because the ventilation fan is vertically pierced from the bottom to the top of the building.

Of course, it wasn’t a certainty.

There may be an intermediate ventilation fan that leads to the exterior wall of the building in the middle.

But it was worth a try.

“How about here?”

I looked down at Kwon Kyung-soo from the toilet and asked.

Then Kwon Kyung-soo tilted his head.

“Won’t the ventilation fan melt?”

“We shouldn’t light a fire inside the ventilation fan. The place to start a fire is here in the toilet stall. The smoke will naturally escape this way.”

“Ah… I see.”

I got off the toilet, and Kwon Kyung-soo climbed up instead.

Kwon Kyung-soo examined the ventilation fan and nodded.

“I’ll do it.”

“Good. I’ll assign four more people to you. The location seems appropriate on this 7th floor. And if you sense even the slightest danger, come down immediately. You can throw away all the meat; just come back alive.”

At my words, Kwon Kyung-soo suddenly looked taken aback, and then answered with enthusiasm.

Perhaps my words were reassuring.

But I was only saying that because the number of people is more important than food.

“…Yes! I understand. I’ll come down as soon as the smoking is complete.”

Kwon Kyung-soo smiled and gave a thumbs up, and I nodded in response.

With this, a solution to the food problem began to emerge to some extent.

But even so, we shouldn’t let the round drag on for too long.

In any case, the Blue Team had a balanced diet, and we only had protein and fat.

Unless carbohydrates and drinking water are fully secured, we are still at a disadvantage.

Well, it depends on the monsters that appear and other variables, but the lack of resources remains unchanged.

“Then, I’ll start a fire first.”

He brought a pile of gathered tissue paper and placed it on the toilet.

And he turned on the Zippo lighter he had received from me from his pocket.

Click-.

Soon, the lighter flame flickered to life inside the dark ventilation fan.

Whoosh-.

The fire quickly spread to the tissue.

We both stared at the fire.

The blazing flames soon calmed our minds.

I think I know now why fire marks the beginning of human history.

Fire devours everything and provides humans with warm shelter and food.

People thrive from the moment shelter and food are secured.

Also, fire has historically been the most powerful force humans have wielded.

And strong power comes with strong responsibility. If you use fire incorrectly, it can consume your allies, so you must handle it carefully.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that fire is the only weapon to counter the overwhelming number of Blue Team members.

‘…….’

Kwon Kyung-soo laughed as he watched the burning flames and turned to me.

“It’s a success! Sion. The smoke is rising upwards!”

“…That’s a relief.”

“Yes. I think smoking is possible with this. I’ll figure out the method. I learned a few things in the military.”

“The fire shouldn’t get too big. Please keep that in mind.”

“Of course. Leave it to me.”

Kwon Kyung-soo smiled and gave a thumbs up.

I desperately hoped that the flame would bring victory to the Red Team.

* * *

The Red Team moved its base.

From the existing 7th floor to the 1st floor.

While moving to the 1st floor, the Red Team recruited the remaining survivors.

Two men and women from the 5th floor.

Three people who appeared to be a family from the 3rd floor.

And two people from the 2nd floor.

That was all.

The Red Team gained 7 more people, bringing the total to 39.

The rest will depend on Jin Jae-hee’s performance.

Down on the 1st floor, I examined the entrance to the outlet [store exit].

A woman was lying dead, cut in half vertically.

She had died as the ‘black mist’ rose up as she exited the entrance.

There were bloody handprints all over the nearby glass door.

It was reminiscent of a zombie movie.

I think I knew what happened.

A group of people chased by goblins rushed to the entrance and eventually died en masse.

The 1st floor, full of corpses, the entrance to the store.

In just one more day, it will start to rot and smell.

Managing people’s mental state was also important.

People will not be able to calm their minds in this place full of corpses and the smell of corpses.

I started by working to make this place a base.

I said to the people.

“Let’s move the bodies to the 2nd-floor store. Everyone, please help.”

Some people hesitated.

I could understand their reaction.

Most people can’t even handle animal carcasses.

But the revulsion would be doubled, no, several times greater for human corpses.

I carried the woman’s body, cut in half, under my arm.

And I headed to the escalator without saying a word.

A woman nearby walked over and moved a corpse after me.

A man behind her said in embarrassment.

“Sister…”

“Huh? Why?”

The woman was naturally carrying the corpse.

Without a single complaint.

The man, who appeared to be the woman’s younger brother, clenched his fist and carried a corpse after her.

Soon everyone here started moving the corpses after me.

There was vomiting, coughing, and sobbing.

Still, there were no complaints.

* * *

11th floor, Blue Team base. Movie theater.

Sizzle-.

Kim Dong-gil sat at the table and cut the steak.

He picked up the meat with a fork and put it in his mouth ravenously.

Next to him, an employee was pouring wine into a wine glass.

While eating, Kim Dong-gil sniffed and smelled something.

He frowned and looked towards the opposite escalator.

There, Blue Team citizens were putting corpses in bundles and moving them.

Kim Dong-gil wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and said to his subordinate.

“Fucking… disgusting. Tell them to hurry up. I’m eating.”

“Yes, Branch Manager.”

The subordinate bowed to Kim Dong-gil and approached the escalator.

There, people who were ordinary office workers, housewives, and students just 24 hours ago were moving corpses.

The corpses were of humans and goblins.

“Move it quickly.”

The subordinate said coldly to them.

The Blue Team citizens worked while holding back their revulsion.

Then a middle-aged man snapped irritably.

“Really, isn’t that too much?! Hey!”

At the man’s loud voice, Kim Dong-gil put down his wine and turned to him.

The man wiped away the blood and shouted at Kim Dong-gil.

“No matter what, this isn’t right. Who said I wouldn’t do it? Just don’t rush me!”

“…….”

The subordinate didn’t say anything.

Then Kim Dong-gil put down the wine glass and slowly approached the man.

He put his hand in his pocket and looked around at the Blue Team citizens and said.

“One hundred million won [approximately $75,000 USD] per person.”

At the mention of money, attention was drawn in an instant.

Kim Dong-gil continued confidently.

“Is that a small amount of money? Mister?”

“……Uh.”

The man trembled in front of Kim Dong-gil.

Then Kim Dong-gil patted the man’s shoulder.

“If you listen to me here, 100 million won will be deposited into your bank account. How many hours will you be here at most? Huh? You student over there. Tell me.”

“Yes? Me, me?”

The male student pointed to himself and answered hesitantly.

“I… I don’t know.”

“At most 3 days! A week at the longest, everyone.”

Kim Dong-gil kindly answered instead.

Kim Dong-gil walked among the Blue Team citizens and continued.

“Can you earn 100 million won in a week in society? Can you guys?”

Everyone was silent.

Except for Kim Dong-gil.

“If you don’t like my offer, you can quit at any time. Anytime!”

Despite his loud voice, everyone was silent.

Then Kim Dong-gil chuckled.

“Everyone, are you thinking of following my words veeery well now?”

Kim Dong-gil walked around the citizens and returned to the man.

The man was now very frightened and had his head bowed.

Kim Dong-gil said to such a man.

“Don’t talk back again. Do you understand?”

Kim Dong-gil was still smiling, and the man was very frightened and nodded vigorously.

“Yes… Yes. Branch Manager…”

“Good.”

Kim Dong-gil was satisfied with the man’s answer and smiled contentedly.

At that time, his sensitive nose twitched again.

“What… what’s this smell?”

Kim Dong-gil tilted his head and looked around.

It was the smell of something burning.

And he looked towards the passage leading to the bathroom.

“Fi, fire! It’s fire! Branch Manager!”

A man shouted, and Kim Dong-gil’s expression twisted again.

‘These bastards…!’

It was the Red Team’s counterattack.

(To be continued)