Sweeping the Tracks
The meeting at Namdong Station wrapped up.
"Seoyul, let's go grab some kka kka. I'll even share some of the chocolate I stashed away."
"No way, unnie, you said there was none left for me."
"You're different from Seoyul."
"Wow, total letdown. Whatever. Let's just go eat. Seoyul, this unnie's no good."
"Are you sulking? Choi Yuri?"
"No, just that today's fruit summon's gonna be durian mixed right into unnie's meal."
"Hey!"
"Ah, no, unnie, Yuri..."
With the base issue settled, the main meeting's agenda had shrunk considerably. Base logistics, daily necessities, and miscellaneous problems were all resolved by the relocation. That left only Lee Seoyul's story to hear.
But her tale matched what I'd already heard almost exactly. The guy called Yellow Stork from last time. Hwang Jutae using the codename Haoraegi, and Kwon Yunhwan the lightning user dubbed Immortal. Even down to the headcount and how Yuseong University operated.
Black fog.
Of course, there was one unexpectedly crucial detail. The apartment complex below Yuseong University—Mirae Apartments—was shrouded in black fog.
High chance it's a remnant.
Seoyul hadn't gone that way herself, but I felt the need to swing by. Now that I knew killing remnants granted skills, I had to hunt them all down from here on out.
After we relocate, though.
Thud thud thud.
I followed the running girls up to the second floor.
Screech.
Click.
The usual duty command room. Jeong Suhyun sat in a second-floor chair, not even turning around as he spoke.
"...Planning to head out right away?"
True, at this hour, the only one who'd come in was me.
"Yeah."
No need to drag it out. The lingering Liberation Army stragglers were already getting on my nerves.
Clear Namdong Station, seize Gaeseong High School. Then Yuseong University. And the black fog at Mirae Apartments on top.
"Hmm. Couldn't you take it slow?"
"Didn't you bring it up?"
Then you should've just stayed dumb and oblivious.
Jeong Suhyun chuckled.
"No, I figured you already knew."
Innocent tone from him. Though his face showed nothing of the sort.
I sighed.
"Fine. Just sort out all the daily necessities by tonight."
"Got it. I'll tell Kim Jungshik, and we can prep for the move."
"Yeah. Skip the food stockpiles. We can summon meat and fruit there."
"Yep."
"...And keep the mood steady."
"Understood."
Since we were on the topic, I planned to wipe out Namdong Station and Gaeseong High today.
"But... what if the station interior's blocked? Couldn't the middle collapse?"
"Won't happen."
From the start, the fact they took people from Namdong Station pointed to the rail entrance, not the stairs I knew.
"Ugh. Can't stop you anyway. Better to rest a few days first, no?"
"I can rest there."
We'd overstayed Our Love Church as a temporary base. Plus...
Those black guys from yesterday are nagging at me.
Leave them be, and something would go down. Slack off, and we'd take hits for sure. Better to handle it quick while it was fresh.
"Thanks for today. You and Lee Yoon. Add some support staff too."
"Yes, sir."
"I'll be back by tomorrow."
Jeong Suhyun couldn't bring himself to block me. He saw the logic too.
Nod.
I slipped out the back door fast, heading for Northdong Station.
Northdong to Namdong was about 1.5 km. I walked into the old town center without using Frost Blink.
===
The dreary Northdong Station.
......
Corpses still lay there unchanged. I checked them one by one as I pushed inward.
No signs of tampering.
Surprisingly, the so-called Liberation Army remnants hadn't reached Northdong Station. I'd figured after smashing Benefit Mart and Southdong Office, they might come via Namdong, but apparently not.
Good or bad?
I sighed and headed deeper into the station.
"Ice Spear."
Crack.
Boom!
I'd reached the residential area... or rather, right in front of the platform. I smashed through the platform doors. Seoul subways had these to prevent accidents, and Northdong was no different.
A bit awkward, but...
Unlike other fully blocked spots, Northdong was only half-sealed. You could climb over, but it stopped deliberate pushes.
Pointless now, though...
Clank.
Anyway, I headed down the tracks where I'd gone with Lee Euna before.
Click.
The tracks below. Honestly, it felt uneasy. Truth be told, I worried about getting hit by a train down here. Obviously none were running, but...
Power and water still work.
Infrastructure Awakener or status window trick, electricity and water flowed. So maybe, just maybe, a subway train could run if handled right. Useless worry.
Haa...
Even so, subways stopped right after the outbreak, so trains would be at terminals or starts. And I had no clue how to drive one. Nobody did—they just rode. Running a train was nonsense.
Unless there's a train Awakener.
Even then, with Ashes Veil and Frost Blink, I wouldn't die.
Click.
Whatever.
I kept along the tracks toward Namdong Station.
Drip.
Stale air.
Step step.
Expected something.
Nothing at all. Thinking back, when I'd talked with Park Donghyuk and Lee Euna at Northdong, and with Kim Gapsu and Choi Youngchul, they'd said Liberation Army came from Namdong.
So they used this route.
No people now, not even a presence.
Not even zombies.
The path must've been blocked. Midway, I spotted wood scraps.
Barricade remnants?
Familiar debris. Looked like Lee Euna's barrier work. Small traces stood out in the empty tunnel.
I picked up a piece.
She set these up here too?
Explained no zombies. Even if stronger than humans, they couldn't break wooden barricades.
Bitter taste in my mouth. Northdong camp linked by Park Donghyuk and Lee Euna's abilities. Good people. Took in kids, elders, worked themselves ragged to hold it.
No Liberation Army, and they'd have survived. Her barriers were solid; his surveillance too, whatever his guts.
Water under the bridge. People gone forever. My mistake, always lingering, but prevent repeats.
Click.
Click.
I kept walking. Namdong wasn't far. 1.5 km from Northdong.
Above ground, zombies made it hell, huge hassle for groups. Underground? No zombies, smooth sailing.
Should've thought of this sooner.
Self-mockery at my stupidity. Escaping Seoul would've been easier. Subway lines let you cross districts, not just dong to dong.
Trains might block midway, though—rethink later. Luckily, none between Northdong and Namdong.
Out into Namdong Station underground.
No people.
"Ice Spear."
I floated two Ice Spears, cautiously heading up to Namdong Station proper. Past the platform, to where the underground mall should've been.
Crunch.
Stepping on shattered glass and concrete chunks, I scanned the convenience store ahead.
Smashed to hell.
Raiders' handiwork clear. Shelves looted bare, junk left behind.
Other shops same. Cafes, food spots wrecked worst. Clothing stores had some intact racks, but trashed.
And—
Groooan.
Zombies. Liberation Army must've abandoned Namdong Station.
Made sense—no time after their main base got wrecked. Or it wasn't viable as a base.
Saw a Liberation Army corpse, gun in hand, body torn. Comms guy probably dead. If alive, he'd have sealed it before zombies swarmed.
Doesn't matter why.
Key: No Liberation Army. Zombies crawling everywhere. Meant I had to clear the whole damn station.
I gripped my pickaxe tight, moving slow. Underground mall trashed—no telling zombie numbers or spots. Stay tense.
Groooak.
Groooaaak.
But easier this way.
Mana full. Walked from Namdong, hadn't used any.
Won't be over a hundred.
Staggering zombie shadows. Broken LEDs. Four shambling far off.
I summoned Ice Spears, slamming between them.
"Ice Spear."
Crack crack.
Splatter!
Whoosh!
Zombie heads exploded. Spreading blood. Echoing noise.
Thud.
I ducked into a shop interior.
Thud thud thud thud.
"Kieeeek!"
"Groooak!"
Station zombies swarmed the noise.
Drip drip.
"Kieeeek!"
Whoosh.
Splatter!
I kept launching Ice Spears. Two per mana, shredding zombies mercilessly.
No left, no right.
Empty shops meant just handle comers. Advantage. Emergency? Blink or Ice Shield.
But hold off on Ice Shield. Spam here, and later passage gets messy.
Melted mess would suck too.
Squelch.
"Kiek."
"Ice Spear."
Click.
Thud thud.
I whittled them down. Piling corpses. Easier as they stacked—mindless zombies charged regardless, simpler kills.
Clang clang clang.
Splat.
My pickaxe crushed a crawling zombie's skull.
Cleared?
Just under a hundred. Station interior muffled sound, so few to start.
Ugh...
Issue: Two exits to surface blocked by bodies. Clean later. Too much for solo. Bringing people could lure more.
Ice Shield to seal entrances ideal, but...
Check base first.
Gaeseong High grounds first, then decide.
Squelch.
Scrape scrape scrape.
Up stairs, brushed shoes clean, headed out.
Zombie blood stuck like glue—stones, glass wouldn't shake.
Hoo.
Dim buildings, dark. Staggering zombies.
And.
Dongsung Market?
Namdong Station neighbored Dongsung Market. Total wreck.
Rotten food stench.
Makes sense. Power/water on, but unlike marts closing at 10 PM, markets ran night ops. Food left weeks, zombies galore.
Problem: One path to Gaeseong High.
"Frost Blink."
I blinked to a nearby six-story rooftop. Scout path after checking Gaeseong High first.
No point clearing zombies if base trashed.
Hmm...
But groaning atop the building, eyeing Gaeseong High below.
Not the gym collapse. Not zombie piles at main gate.
Annoying.
Far off, two uniformed guys at main building front. One on roof.
What that meant?
What else.
Gaeseong High School was under Liberation Army control. Likely one of their points from before. Guards meant decent numbers.
I thought.
Turn back?
Or...
"Frost Blink."
I blinked straight to the main building roof. Swung pickaxe at the guy's head beside his staring gaze.
Whoosh.
Air whistled.