< Forget to Live (2) >
Leona was curious about many things, and although Zin was not kind, he answered most of her questions. And after four days of traveling north, Leona became very knowledgeable in weaponry.
For example, she learned about bows, guns, and launchers. She didn’t know about how gunpowder was based on shell diameter, but she learned about guns in general. She just didn’t understand the details.
‘When you pull the trigger, it shoots a bullet, and people die when it hits you.’
She was able to understand how a gun, a bullet, and the trigger worked. That was probably more than enough for her to know. A gun was a machine, and understanding how to use it was more valuable than understanding the mechanics.
“Will people die if I shoot a gun? Even though I’m a kid?”
“Don’t people get slashed by a knife regardless of whether it’s wielded by an adult or a kid?”
“Right. But I’m weak.”
“A bullet doesn’t travel faster if you’re stronger.”
“Wouldn’t a bullet travel faster if you pull the trigger faster?”
“… what an unimaginably interesting perspective. Interesting indeed.”
Zin felt funny after listening to Leona’s naive words. A gun had become a rare weapon, and although it varied by region, people in Ancient-Korea had grown ignorant when it came to weapons. And even though guns were uncommon in Central Asia and Europe, the people there knew about guns. Becoming ignorant about weapons meant that the people didn’t need weapons. And the lack of knowledge in weapons meant that people wanted to live in peace.
“I want a gun too.”
It was natural for Leona to ask for a gun if it was a weapon that required a single bullet to take down a person. And a weak kid who couldn’t overpower anyone by force would want a gun even more. Leona pondered for a bit and asked:
“Can I buy one with chips?”
“You might be able to get one in North or Central Asia.”
“Where’s that?”
“It’s a place where you wouldn’t survive past a day.”
“… Mister. You know what? You seem polite, but you’re just a punk. Just say ‘don’t even dream about getting one’.”
“Don’t even dream about it.”
“… Asshole.”
Leona wanted to curse at Zin, but Zin didn’t even bother listening to her.
“Well. I can’t use it anyway because it looks heavy and I won’t be able to lift it up.”
It was probably impossible for Leona to even carry firearms such as assault rifles, sniper rifles, and shotguns.
Zin looked at Leona and pulled out a revolver from his pocket.
“There are many types of guns. I don’t use this often though.”
Zin had pulled out a silver S&W-style revolver. A 6-round revolver that used small-caliber ammo and had a short range. People mostly used them for self-defense, not for hunting purposes.
“Oh… that looks pretty…”
Leona was charmed by the revolver as she looked at it. Zin was alarmed by Leona who was mesmerized by the revolver, but also realized that he was giving her false hopes.
“Are you giving that to me?”
“Not a chance. I was just letting you know.”
“Psssh… I knew it.”
Zin calmly put away his revolver. Zin just wanted to show and explain to Leona that he used rifles as well as small guns such as revolvers. Leona was annoyed because she thought Zin would let her shoot the gun. Curious Leona still asked him many questions, and he answered them patiently.
Zin chose to avoid most of the small beasts while traveling. Leona asked why he was avoiding them.
“Using a bullet would be the easiest option, but it’s better to avoid them since I won’t get enough chips in return.”
“You’re not scared of them, are you?”
“I don’t risk everything when I hunt.”
Zin was an extremely practical person, and he didn’t engage in any battles that weren’t profitable. However, Zin used a blade gauntlet and a wire blade to take care of some poisonous dogs in order to procure them food.
“What is that?”
Leona was more amazed by the wire blade than she’d been with a gun. Zin chopped up the meat and prepped them for cooking.
“It’s not a gun.”
“I can tell that?”
“You won’t even understand what it is even if I told you.”
“I really want to kick your butt…”
Zin explained how using the blade required more skills than using a gun.
After a week of traveling north, Leona became a
self-proclaimed expert on guns.
Leona breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the trash wall in the distance. They were near the city of Shera, and it was much bigger than the city of Zado.
“Finally… does this mean I don’t have to eat any more poisonous dog’s meat?”
“I’m sure it was tastier than ghoul meat?”
“Tasty? I’ve never tasted anything more disgusting. It tasted disgustingly like crap! Ah…crap…crap…What was that sour and bitter crappy taste?”
Remembering the sour and bitter taste of the dog meat, Leona felt nauseated and covered her mouth.
“Poisonous dog’s meat… isn’t that something eaten only by people with a deathwish? I got goosebumps when you told me to eat that meat.”
“It’s safe to eat poisonous dog meat as long as you remove the glands. And look, we’re just fine.”
Zin knew the beast’s anatomy and knew which parts were safe to eat. Leona was frightened because she knew nothing about slaughtering for meat. And she had no choice but to eat.
It might have been safe to eat, but for Leona, it was a taste that did not feel safe at all.
“In Southeast Asia, people separate the dog’s glands and use them as condiments. However, it has a side effect of causing anesthesia and hallucinations.”
“This world is full of crazy people…”
Leona shook her head. She didn’t really care how the people in Southeast Asia consumed the poisonous dogs. The city that they’d arrived at had a wall of trash, but unlike other cities, there weren’t any guards.
“I don’t mind a city, but… is this a safe place to settle down?”
“No.”
Zin promised to take Leona to a safe place, but the guard-less city didn’t look so safe.
“But if you like, you can settle down anywhere.”
“Well, it doesn’t seem like this is a safe place.”
For Leona and Zin, it was important for them to rest up at Shera after their tiring journey. People weren’t trustworthy, but staying in a place with many people was relatively safe. Leona was amazed looking at the people walking and passing by.
“That’s a lot of people.”
“There are many medium-sized towns around here. Shera somewhat serves as a focal point”
“Focal point?”
“People from neighboring towns visit Shera frequently to buy and sell goods.”
The many buildings and ruins served as the great trash wall around Shera. The collapsed buildings served as the wall and trash filled up between the walls allowed for a good environment to set up a city.
And in fact, the surroundings were more like ruins than wilderness. Although grass grew here and there, there were collapsed buildings and glimpses of civilization. Unharmed buildings and single-story buildings became shelters for city residents, and many people were trading goods.
Leona was looking around the city—everything looked amazing.
“This must have been a huge place. There are so many tall buildings around here.”
“Before the world ended, it used to be called ‘Seoul’.”
“Seoul?”
“Yes.”
Zin talked about a forgotten city, and Leona didn’t realize what it meant. To the north of Seoul was a dark hole called SMCP (Seoul Mass Confusion Point). It was a place that was inaccessible, and there was no reason for anyone to go inside.
“Hunters know so much random stuff.”
“Of course. We travel all over the place.”
Although that wasn’t the only reason, Zin didn’t say any more. Each store had banners with wobbly words written on them— “Weapon”, “Restaurant”, “Lodging.” Most people were illiterate, so most of the banners had small icons next to the words.
Zin first stopped by an inn. As soon as the owner saw Zin, he raised two fingers.
“It used to be a chip before. Now that’s some price hike.”
“Last time, you didn’t bring a kid. Check into the rooms #2 and #3 on the third floor.”
The owner said as he pointed to Leona. Zin asked back:
“How about we stay at a single room for one chip?”
“Our inn has a policy of one room per person. There is no issue sharing a room, but do check iinto two rooms.”
“You are quite a bastard, Mister Owner.”
“A bastard with lots of chips.”
“Haha… you.”
Zin paid up two chips without complaining further. He’d chosen the same inn that he stayed at the last time he’d traveled down south, and just as Zin remembered the owner, the owner remembered Zin staying at the inn.
“Well, you got a pretty good memory for a bastard.”
The owner took the two chips and smirked.
“I remember the faces of all my guests. That’s how I can describe them whenever a bounty hunter asks for a person’s whereabouts.”
“Aren’t you selling the guests’ privacy?”
“Then that guest should have lived a clean life to avoid being chased by hunters.”
Zin laughed at the inn owner who seemed to have a horrible sense of hospitality. He was a very creepy, yet funny owner.
“Last time I remembered you as a suspicious yet skillful hunter. But now I’ll remember you as a suspicious hunter with a small kid.”
“As you wish.”
The owner yelled at Zin who started going upstairs.
“I told you before, but meals are extra. And no complaining.”
“You don’t have to worry because this place is filthy, and I have no intentions of eating here.”
“Oh… what a shame.”
The owner laughed out loud, and Zin smiled. He had no ill intentions. Zin had come back to this inn because he liked the owner who seemed to be honest.
It was obvious that the owner would reveal Zin’s whereabouts in a heartbeat to any bounty hunter who’d pay him.
As soon as Zin entered the room, he sat down on an old squeaky mattress. It was a cramped room with no windows, which suggested that it might have been a karaoke bar. The only exit was the door, and it was a great room to stay for a night.
Leona put down her bag, and lightly stretched her limbs in the dark room.
“Isn’t that owner annoying? But you didn’t seem to care. Why did you overpay? There are many other inns around here.”
“I’d rather deal with a crude and honest person than a sneaky and polite person.”
“So you prefer honest bastards than sneaky ones, right?”
“You’re starting to catch on. Polite but sneaky ones are more dangerous. I like that this owner is a straight shooter.”
Zin laughed, and Leona smiled as well. Zin had his reasons for letting others rip him off.
“Are we resting for a day and leaving right away?”
“It will depend if I get any requests from the villagers.”
It was important to earn some chips if there were requests available. Taking Leona to the next location was secondary to Zin, and he planned to complete some requests to earn some chips along the way. He had no reason to forego any opportunity to earn extra chips. Leona looked unhappily at Zin.
“Mister, I think you’re not focusing on my request?”
“Professionals don’t give their best when doing favors.”
“Hah…”
“I’m going to rest.”
Zin lay down on the mattress.
“What about me?”
“The next room is yours. You can rest in that room.”
“Do the doors here have locks?”
Nodding her head, Leona knocked and examined the doors.
“You have to pay four chips a night for that kind of inn.”
Those types of inns were four times more expensive. Even the inns that didn’t have any doors charged a chip per night. The current inn’s nightly rate wasn’t bad at all considering that the rooms had doors.
Leona had a choice of sleeping on a bed by herself, or sleeping on the floor in the same room as Zin, a human weapon.
For Leona, the decision wasn’t hard to make.
“I’m staying in this room.”
Leona used her leather bag as a pillow, and lay down on the floor.
Although the floor was cold, she felt safer lying down on it.