The Returner Chapter 181

"A million?? Even when the greatest army in the history of Berafe  gathered, it barely broke the million mark! Don't you know that??" (Roabell)

"No, not true." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk quickly corrected Roabell.

"The army trying to stop me in Terra Latrel went past two million in the end, actually." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"….You must feel awfully good about yourself." (Roabell)

"Ehehe. Well, I mean, not really. It wasn't all that much." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

That wasn't a praise, you numbskull!

"But now, you want me alone to deal with that many zombies? A million zombies are a serious enough threat even in Berafe to issue the general mobilisation order there. It's that much of a terrifying event! Yet, you expect me to do something about it all by myself?" (Roabell)

"Oh, so, like….." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk's head leaned to a side in a rather crooked angle.

"….You telling me you can't do it?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"…………"

What could possibly be hidden behind those words of ‘You telling me you can't do it'??

Which one was it? Was it ‘You don't even have that much of a drive' or ‘So, you don't have any uses for me, then'?

Didn't matter which one, though; Roabell was certain that neither of them would lead to a good outcome for her.

"It, it's not like I can't do it." (Roabell)

"Oh, is that so?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk's expression brightened again.

Seeing that despicably immediate change in his expressions, Roabell felt incomparably upset in her stomach.

"I'm not saying it's impossible, but I am saying that it's realistically not feasible." (Roabell)

"No~pe. I know you can do it." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Ng??

What is he on about now?! (Roabell's inner monologue)

"Yup, you can definitely do it. I don't know about others, but you, you are the Elf that mad as sh*t Buzugote has blessed. I mean, a god with its head screwed on properly wouldn't have done something like that. Meaning, that dude must reaaaally like you if it did this." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"Will you stop insisting on profaning the name of mighty Buzugote?!" (Roabell)

"So what? Whatcha gonna do about it, huh?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"Euh, euhhh!!" (Roabell)

"Why dontcha summon your precious god over here and perform an exorcism or something? Ohhhh wait. This here isn't Berafe, now is it? What will you do now~?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"…………"

Roabell began shuddering violently, her hands clenched tightly into quaking fists.

This wasn't a thought a cleric like her should be carrying around, but right now, she was inundated with a certain desire to pulverise the pie hole of that hateful human with her sceptre.

‘Calm down, calm down…..' (Roabell)

"What's the matter? Your god don't wanna come? What, your great and mighty dear Buzugote can't even cross dimensions?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"M-my god is omnipotent!" (Roabell)

"Woooow. Must be so~ omnipotent that the fella couldn't even deal with the measly old me and had to beg its kids to beat me up, instead. Yup, what an omnipotent god you got there." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

When Roabell was driven to the state where actual, physical bubbles began forming on her mouth, Yi Ji-Hyuk decided to stop bullying her there.

She was already a crazy Elf to begin with, so who could possibly predict what she'd do next if he kept pushing her buttons? Evil men, obstinate men, rude and arrogant men… None of them were scary, but well, a crazy b*tch was the scariest opponent you could ever meet.

Roabell's eyes became bloodshot.

"So, what am I supposed to do now?!" (Roabell)

"Purifying a million plus." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"I'll do it! I'll get it done!!!!" (Roabell)

Roabell yelled out at the top of her lungs.

"I'll quickly finish this mission and go back to Berafe right away!! Or else, my heart might explode from frustration first!!" (Roabell)

"Now that is a commendable mindset." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yup, now that's a wonderful mindset to have there, miss.

Annnd with that, I've got myself yet another nice little slave to lord over now. (Yi Ji-Hyuk's inner monologue)

Yi Ji-Hyuk formed a refreshing smile.

"Just what are you thinking of right now??"

Christopher McLaren could only massage his forehead as he looked at the commander of the Tenth Battalion and his bulging veins.

Christopher McLaren currently felt that, if he could just abandon everything right now and go home to a can of ice-cold beer, he'd not hesitate to sell his soul to the devil. Unfortunately, it seemed that even the devil wasn't interested in buying his soul, because no tempting offer came at his way so far.

"Aren't they our citizens?" (Christopher McLaren)

"If the defensive line gets breached, then sure, they will become our citizens in the truest sense. Because, every other citizen will become like them in the end. Doesn't matter whether they are suffering from a virus or not, don't our still-healthy citizens have the right not to end up like them??"

"Even then, you want to kill the victims?" (Christopher McLaren)

"It can't be helped."

"Fine, let's say it is. I also don't think that's the wrong decision to make. Instead, if only you possessed such a decisive streak from the beginning, the situation wouldn't have become this desperate." (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren relaxedly lit up a cigar even though he was in the presence of the commander of the United States Army.

His position wasn't as high as the commander's in the hierarchical terms, but this scene was only possible because his actual political power or on-job experience vastly outstripped that of the commander's.

Seriously now, only someone on the level of a general might be treated as a superior officer by Christopher McLaren here, so why would be bother to do so with a mere commander?

"However, don't you think I'm the wrong target to vent your frustration on? I don't have the authority to make such a decision. If you want to discuss such strategies, shouldn't you be talking to folks higher up in your chain of command?" (Christopher McLaren)

"You think they will give a go ahead for such a plan?"

"So? What do you want from me, then?" (Christopher McLaren)

"Act now, explain later. That's what this is."

Christopher McLaren spat out a lengthy sigh.

"My friend. I see that you're thinking of spending a free vacation of around ten days or so inside the brig." (Christopher McLaren)

"I'm not kidding around here. You know this very well, don't you? There is no other way."

"Of course I do." (Christopher McLaren)

"In the end, we will be judged by history. Do you wish to go down as the greatest villain in history by wasting time doing nothing while the whole country becomes a zombieland?"

‘Actually, that'd be a good end for us.' (Christopher McLaren)

Indeed, Christopher McLaren would be much relieved if he was recorded in the history books as the greatest villain. Because, that implied that the country called the United States of America managed to pull through this crisis.

Regretfully, the country would cease to exist if the defensive line was breached, though. Without a doubt, the North American continent would become a land of death in no time at all.

"Why don't we wait for a little while longer?" (Christopher McLaren)

"Director!"

"I get you, alright?!" (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren's voice became increasing higher, prompting the commander to shut his mouth up. One wouldn't get a good result by being on the bad books of this man who just so happened to possess the unspoken authority to make the final call.

"Just what are you waiting for? Do you actually know how long you have been telling us to wait? The defensive line continues to be pushed back as we speak! If we get pushed back any further, the distance needed to cover would become far too great for us to maintain the line! You don't need me to explain what will happen next, do you?"

"Yes, I know. All too well. That is why I'm telling you to wait. The line hasn't collapsed yet. You can start your extermination after the line collapses. It wouldn't be too late by then!" (Christopher McLaren)

"But, the losses to life would be enormous by then!"

"I'm sure it'll be." (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren knew that. He wasn't waiting like this because he didn't know.

However, he couldn't choose the second available option and not the best one on the table just because the situation might get even worse in the foreseeable future!

Besides, the lives of the American people were at stake here. Not just one or two, either!

Christopher McLaren gritted his teeth.

"God d*mn it!! Just when will those stinking b*stards show up?!" (Christopher McLaren)

"This uncle, he's cussing us again." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

A voice that sounded both good and irritating at the same time came from his behind all of a sudden. Indeed, that voice sounded so, so welcoming yet so, so hateful that, Christopher McLaren should say he felt very compelled to bear-hug the owner of that voice and snap his spine in two in the process.

"We go somewhere for a while, and he starts cussing us out. He's like a sailor, man. This is why I just can't develop trust in people, you know?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

….Uh?

Wait, isn't this strange?

I was speaking in English just now, yet how did he understand me?

No, no. Before that, I…. I can understand what he's saying??

Could Yi Ji-Hyuk be speaking to me in English right now?? (Christopher McLaren's inner monologue)

"What's the matter?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"………."

"What now??" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Christopher McLaren hastily shook his head.

"No, please don't mind me. I'm just amazed by the fact that you learned to speak English so fluently in such a short space of time, that's all. That's just incredible." (Christopher McLaren)

"Ah, that…?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk scratched the back of his head.

"Well, let's just move on, shall we?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"Pardon?" (Christopher McLaren)

"It's not that important, anyway." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"If you say so…." (Christopher McLaren)

How could Yi Ji-Hyuk mention it, though?

Seriously, how would others think of him if he let it slip that, for the past three months, he had completely forgotten about the existence of the translation magic?

‘Yup, I've been living on my own whims for far too long.' (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

He'd been living for over a thousand years while smashing apart stuff he didn't like, and maintaining the stance of ‘You wanna talk to me? Then you learn my language' which led to him eventually becoming far too inflexible for his own good.

"I should start living like a proper person, at least starting from now." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"Impossible." (Choi Jung-Hoon)

"Eh?"

Yi Ji-Hyuk tilted his head this way and that after almost catching on to what Choi Jung-Hoon said behind him.

"It's nothing." (Choi Jung-Hoon)

Choi Jung-Hoon cleanly avoided meeting Yi Ji-Hyuk's question-filled gaze.

"Anyway, have you found us a solution?" (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren judged quite correctly that now wasn't the time to listen to Yi Ji-Hyuk's gag routine and jumped right into the main topic.

"But, of course." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk strutted arrogantly, his stomach pushed forward.

That posture looked a bit detestable for some reason, but Christopher McLaren was an adult who knew how to keep the stuff in his head private.

"Who will be helping us?" (Christopher McLaren)

It was the prudent decision not to start an argument with Yi Ji-Hyuk at any cost.

"Over here." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Christopher McLaren shifted his gaze over to the spot Yi Ji-Hyuk was pointing at, and found a blindingly beautiful woman wearing a sacred-looking priest get-up.

Most importantly, though, those ears and their long pointy tips visible just below the religious headgear left such an impression…….

"….An Elf?!" (Christopher McLaren)

"Ohh, he recognised her right away." (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"An Elf actually exists….??" (Christopher McLaren)

Christopher McLaren gazed on at Roabell with a pair of rather strangely ‘inspired' eyes.

"Well, that isn't all that important, either." (Christopher McLaren)

Other people may have needed more time to compose themselves, but not Christopher McLaren. He regained his reasoning way too quickly.

Indeed, he shouldn't be drowning in such ‘inspired' thoughts right now. The most important thing was to deal with the zombies trying to break past the defensive line right now.

"Can you revert those zombies back to normal people?" (Christopher McLaren)

"I'll have to take a look first before answering you." (Roabell)

"We don't have much time. Please, come with me." (Christopher McLaren)

At Christopher McLaren's suggestion, the group didn't say anything else and followed after him.

They must've been not too far from the frontlines, because they didn't have to travel for long in the military humvee before the sight of the lengthy line of make-shift barricade and the soldiers manning their position behind entered their view.

"That seems pretty inefficient, doesn't it?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk's muttering caused Christopher McLaren to shake his head.

"It's not like we haven't tried to build taller, more sturdier barricades before. In fact, we tried all kinds of methods but it became far too difficult to push them back without injuring any. No matter how tall we built the wall, they eventually clambered over in the end. A regular person wouldn't have scaled such a height, but zombies just know how to crawl up a surface really well. That is why we're using those make-shift barricades. If it's in danger of collapsing, we simply pull back the line and repeat the process again." (Christopher McLaren)

"Can't you just catch them and imprison them somewhere?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"I'd love to have a facility like that myself. Now that you mention it, some of the zombies have been captured for research purposes, but…." (Christopher McLaren)

Roabell had been listening to the two men's conversation until then, but she began shaking her head all of a sudden.

"This is going to be difficult." (Roabell)

"….You can't revert them back?" (Christopher McLaren)

"No, the process of the purification itself isn't difficult. These people have been infected by lifeforms from the demon world, and thankfully not by a demon, so it'll be quite easy to cleanse them, as a matter of fact. No, the real problem is…. With them gathered in one area like this, as soon as I purify some of them, they would get bitten and get infected again." (Roabell)

"Ah…………." (Christopher McLaren)

Now that was an unexpected problem.

Indeed, since those zombies were crowded into a single place, even if they were to be cured somehow, it'd be no different than throwing a handful of normal people back in the midst of hundreds of thousands of zombies.

"Please separate them into groups of dozens or hundreds. I'll be able to purify and treat them safely after that." (Roabell)

"H-mm…."

Christopher McLaren formed a troubled expression.

"That's easier said than done, unfortunately. They are zombies. With what method should we employ to control them and extract only the exact right number?" (Christopher McLaren)

"Not control, but capturing them. And besides, you have an expert in that field with you, don't you?" (Roabell)

"An expert?" (Christopher McLaren)

Roabell redirected her gaze towards Yi Ji-Hyuk, and Christopher McLaren's eyes widened in understanding.

"Ahh, now that I think about it…. Don't you control monsters?" (Christopher McLaren)

"….Uncle, that's a completely different field of expertise, you know? It's the same thing as telling a shepherd, ‘Hey, dude, you know how to corral cows so why don't you train this lion over here'. So, you shouldn't speak of it like it's a simple thing, okay?" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"Even then, it's still far better than not knowing at all, isn't it?" (Christopher McLaren)

"Uncle?? You surely have graduated from a top university, right? I mean, you ended up in your position ‘cuz you are one of America's top elite, riiight? So how come you don't know how to listen to people?! I'm telling you, there's no relation between the two!" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"What do you need from us?" (Christopher McLaren)

"Did you block your ears with something?! Pah, sh*t!" (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

"Hey, everyone, Mister Yi Ji-Hyuk said he'll take care of it! Get ready!" (Christopher McLaren)

‘….Maybe this uncle really has a hearing problem?' (Yi Ji-Hyuk)

Yi Ji-Hyuk began seriously pondering how to open up those clogged ear canals of this American uncle, but then, Choi Jung-Hoon approached him and whispered in a hushed voice.

"Do your best!" (Choi Jung-Hoon)

….Should I just go back home?

And I'm supposed to trust these people and do my thing?

I'm beginning to miss Berafe, man.

For the first time ever.

….Eh-whew….

< 181. Please, just go back to where you came from! -1 > Fin.

Chapter end