Yuseong Station (2)
"Then let's head down quick. Before those bastards show up."
"...What the hell are you talking about? Jeon Haechan. We said we're going up."
I kept my voice low. Sure, the zombies I'd cracked open on my way here might've made some noise, but they didn't seem to have noticed me yet.
"No, fuck, what bullshit is that? Seol Minyoung."
"We take Namdong Station, then head up. Past Bukdong Station to Samdong Station. I told you that already."
"How? You crazy bitch. We got jack shit for abilities. Mine's blunt weapon summon—fucking useless. And you're saying we go just banking on Seol Juyeong's magic bullet skill?"
"Then going down to Saseol Station is fine?"
Two male voices, one female. Names were roughly Seol Minyoung, Seol Juyeong, and Jeon Haechan. But they didn't seem connected to those zombies.
"Namdong and Bukdong Stations are where those Liberation Army psychos are, right?"
"No, it's fine. That's gotta be bullshit. Look around—no one's here. If the Liberation Army had reach all the way to Bukdong, they'd have taken the station for sure..."
Liberation Army. From the sound of it, they'd escaped them. But how the hell did they slip away from those lunatics? A question that answered itself soon enough.
"What about the zombies? They're everywhere. Didn't you hear them back there?"
"I said no. I showed you my ability. Ultrasound. Not a single rat in 50 meters. We don't have time for this."
"Yeah, I get that's good, but it's not solid. If you're sure there're no zombies or Liberation Army, I'll go. But you're not."
"What do you mean not sure? We ditched those gun-toting maniacs and made it here—that's proof enough. And it's still better than Saseol Station. That's way too risky."
Ultrasound. I narrowed my eyes. Hiding surveillance abilities to escape made sense. Plus, Lee Seoyul had said over a hundred students and professors were surviving at Yuseong University, maintaining a normal camp...
There might be cracks in their defenses.
Unlike Benefit Mart, escapees popping up here was understandable.
"So trust this and let's go slow. I can keep it up indefinitely anyway."
"Fuck. But if we fuck up, we're dead. Do we really have to go up? Let's just go down. Hit Saseol Station and we're at Cheonggyecheon Stream. Just trust me once."
"Jeon Haechan, you piece of shit. How many times you gonna say that? Shut up and follow! I said down's no good! What do you mean once—like you've got two lives?"
"What do you mean how many? It's right! Going up's dangerous! Hwang Jutae said those Liberation Army fucks are there!"
"You believe that shit? Fuck! If anyone's there, we wouldn't even be here! If they ditched the station, there's a reason, you thick-headed fuck! And even if they are, I spot 'em with detection and we bail fast! There's black fog down there—we go and we're dead without a trace!"
"How do you know that?!"
"'Cause you're just spouting dumb shit! Fuck! I said we're going up already! We timed it perfect to get out—why're you bitching now?!"
"Both of you, lower your voices."
Whatever. It was good either way. If they were escapees from the Liberation Army, I could contact them for intel on Yuseong University. Just listening had already given me plenty.
But contacting them now was a bad move. Worst case, they knew I was coming and this was a bluff. And honestly, the info wasn't that hot. Hwang Jutae saying Liberation Army was in Bukdong. They abandoned the station. Black fog's dangerous. Stuff I'd already confirmed once.
I leaned against the end of the subway car. Dark spot, LEDs off. Wait here, contact them once they hit Bukdong Station. Plenty of time. No need to rescue Yuseong survivors anyway.
"But... no matter how I look, south is the way. What's up there?"
"South is suicide. Even Liberation Army avoids it."
"Why? Subway all the way..."
"Jeon Haechan. Same shit. How many times now? What's the problem? Huh? Honey down south or what? Spill it. Got a reason?"
"Yeah, take the subway south, safe from the black fog. Down through Saseol Station. Aren't you looking for your parents?"
"No."
That's when Seol Juyeong cut off Jeon Haechan.
"...I think Minyoung's right."
"Fuck. Siblings tag-teaming bullshit, great."
Seol Juyeong and Seol Minyoung were siblings, apparently. He continued.
"Jeon Haechan, the guys who went south? All dead. Remember that buzzcut from five days ago? You saw him. Said he'd be back."
"Yeah, but why? They had guns and didn't come back? Nothing happened inside, maybe they lied?"
"Think. Certain death vs. a shot at escape."
"Fuck, still... I wanna find my parents up there."
"Haechan."
Jeon Haechan grumbled. But when Seol Juyeong called him seriously, he shut up.
"...They even took a detector with 'em and didn't return. We go up. People near the black fog don't come back—means trouble. There's a reason."
"...Seol Juyeong's right. Let's go, Jeon Haechan. Play the long game. Survive first."
Seol Minyoung persuaded him too. Finally, Jeon Haechan sighed.
"Fine, got it. So we go now?"
He waved the white flag. Seol Minyoung kept coaxing.
"Yeah. Tough, but now. Settle at the district office or wherever. Rocket Mart and rich neighborhoods there—good spots."
"Whew, okay."
"Let's go. Platform over there."
"Yeah."
Clunk. Something touched down. Man and woman approaching. I ducked deeper into the blind spot.
...Doesn't seem like a ploy.
Could be Liberation Army bluffing me, but their words suggested otherwise. Voices full of real desperation and frustration. But their bickering meant sweet-talking wouldn't work.
I changed my contact plan. Zombie corpses everywhere. Liberation Army bodies too.
Say I killed 'em there.
Threaten with ice shield, ice spear. Big and strong sells it. Then switch to friendly, swap info.
That detection ability's tempting...
Test with force, if good, send to base. Or leave 'em.
...Past Bukdong Station, they'll die anyway.
No issue. But as I moved to tail them—
"Wha... wh-what?!"
A woman's shrill scream. Panicked Seol Minyoung stammered.
"Wh-why... why?!"
"Presence detected. Eight. No, ten! Fuck!"
Urgent voice.
"Zombies? People?"
"People, definitely. Zombies don't charge empty-handed! Up! At the stairs!"
Who? Not hard to guess. If they were from Yuseong University, only Liberation Army from there would chase.
"...Quick, go!"
"Y-yeah."
Thud-thud-thud. Seol Minyoung's group bolted. Toward my subway car, past the platform. They vaulted the safety doors fast.
Screech-clunk.
"Here. Take this!"
"Yeah. Seol Juyeong!"
"Got it! Haechan! Ditch that shitty hammer!"
"Okay!"
Plump bag handed off. Desperate voices. They sprinted off into the distance.
Thud-thud-thud. Tat-tat-tat.
I stayed put, didn't chase. No detection risk for me anyway. Wanted to check the pursuers' numbers and gear.
Moments later.
Thud-thud-thud-thud. Horde of footsteps from above. Then—
Click. Familiar metallic rack of guns.
They halted at the platform en masse.
"They're gone."
Young woman's voice.
"Kim Yuna. Chase?"
Cynical man's reply.
Clunk.
"Yeah."
"Nothing pinging?"
"Nope. On detection. Hyeok. Yours clean?"
Kim Yuna and Hyeok. I perked my ears.
"Yeah. But didn't Hwang Jutae say there's one that doesn't ping?"
"That guy's coming here? We just grab escapees and kill 'em."
Hwang Jutae and "that guy." Probably me...
They've got info. Gaeseong High remnants fled here too?
Comms guy probably dead. I don't ping detection—that was deliberate.
So a detector escaped...
I focused on Yuna for now. Vaguely familiar name.
Yuna. Kim Yuna. Ah.
Memory clicked. When I first brought Lee Seoyul, she mentioned her—Yuseong University survivor.
Said she sold her out.
Kim Yuna. Unless a coincidence, Lee Seoyul said she had vision enhancement. But...
Detection.
Her real ability differed. She'd lied to Lee Seoyul.
Kim Yuna was Liberation Army. Hwang Jutae—codename Haoraegi. No need to reveal skills to a base member, trade list item like Lee Seoyul.
Smart cookie.
Underestimated her, but capable. How'd they nab her sleeping? Detection, then snatch.
Two detectors. Method unknown, but with that and numbers, grabbing a sleeping girl from a room? Easy.
Makes sense...
Puzzle pieced. But not complete.
Something's off.
Yuseong escapees right when I arrive, Liberation Army chasing. Coincidence?
Legs fitting too perfect?
Paranoid? I narrowed my eyes. Felt staged. So I watched more.
They might get caught and die. Fine. Save one.
Seol Minyoung.
Detector. Ultrasound. If not lying, 50m range—E-rankish. Other two guys? Ruthless, but expendable. Profane, argumentative, prime troublemaker material for base. Shitty abilities, poor socials and smarts from what I saw.
Might misjudge, but whatever.
Still.
Save as many as possible.
And smash anything that happens. Ashes Veil means escape's no issue.
Thud-thud. I watched Kim Yuna and Liberation Army tail Seol Minyoung's group, then stepped out.
Outside: corpse field at Yuseong Station, Yuseong University nearby. But not the goal.
"Frost Blink."
Blinked toward Namdong Station. No clue if they'd survive, but tailing inside noisy station? Nah.
Stations over 1km apart. Rooftops? Half that.
Instant to Namdong. Hid in subway car.
...Bluff or real?
Ten minutes later, distant running. Bloodied clothes on man and woman.
"Haechan. Haechan!"
"Leave him! Too late!"
One sacrificed to gunfire mid-escape, apparently. Sweat-drenched, terrified pair.
"Agh!"
"Minyoung!"
I watched frantic Seol Minyoung trip, Seol Juyeong haul her up.
...This ain't it.