Hiding a House in the Apocalypse

It's a well-documented fact that mutations display an extreme hostility toward humans.

But their relentless slaughter of people isn’t solely driven by hatred.

Humans, when unarmed and untrained, are walking sources of protein—an easy meal if you know how to hunt them.

Even before the mutation outbreaks, there was the infamous case in India where an aging tiger hunted dozens of people.

The reality is, human flesh is a convenient, high-calorie food source.

The mutation we’re dealing with today likely hunts humans for practical reasons, not out of malice.

A narrow river like this can’t provide enough protein to sustain a multi-kilogram carnivore.

Meanwhile, despite their dwindling numbers, humans remain the most abundant large mammal on Earth.

If I were a giant otter, I’d hunt humans too.

Mutations that specialize in hunting humans are also well aware of human behavior.

They rarely expose themselves to gunfire.

Or rather, they actively avoid being observed by humans at all.

Their heightened intelligence allows them to understand that where human vision goes, the threat of gunfire follows.

"That bastard never gives me a clear shot. It’s even harder by the water. The moment it senses movement, it vanishes into the black depths. Once it’s in the water, there’s no tracking it. Even if you spot its shadow, that doesn’t mean you can kill it. I never realized how useless guns are underwater until now."

Ha Tae-hoon was explaining the classic difficulties of hunting man-eating mutations.

Creatures that are determined to flee are notoriously hard to catch.

The fact that the Gold Pack has survived despite countless hunters going after them is proof enough.

"So, I set up cameras along its usual routes, but it’s not easy. Even if I move to a location where it was last seen, the damn thing senses my presence first and disappears. You know that feeling, right? The tension when a mutation is lurking in ambush?"

"It’d be just as hard to approach from our end."

I stated, and Ha Tae-hoon spat on the ground before nodding.

"…Yeah. And I’m alone out here. If I screw up, I become one of those skulls the otter likes to pile up."

Ha Tae-hoon turned his gaze to the tablet screen.

On one of the feeds, the massive otter was leisurely swimming, its expression calm and utterly unbothered.

"So, how do you want to do this?"

He looked at me.

Mutant hunting isn’t my specialty.

My team and I always prioritized monsters over mutations.

Monsters were far more valuable and were considered targets for high-ranking squads like mine.

But I’ve seen plenty of cases, and I’ve had my fair share of hands-on experience with mutations in Korea.

And I’ve learned one crucial lesson—

"Mutations are smart."

Intelligence is what elevated them to near-human status in the food chain.

But nothing in this world is an advantage without a downside.

"Which is why they let their guard down."

Carelessness is a weed that only grows in the soil of confidence and security.

And the more certain a being is of its strength, the larger that weed grows.