Hell Train
The café where I'd agreed to meet Yoon Soo-ah was near Amsa Station, in Gangdong-gu.
It was still Seoul, technically, but the district sat far outside my usual range of activity, and this was my first time in the neighborhood. "Seoul really is bigger than I thought." On a map, the place looked hardly bigger than a rat dropping — how did ten million people cram themselves in here and jostle through life?
When I stepped into the café we'd settled on, Yoon Soo-ah, who had arrived first, greeted me.
"Yi-yeon!"
"It's been a while. Or — no, perhaps it hasn't really been that long."
Less than a week had passed since we'd crossed the line between life and death together at Lostco.
"I owe you so much from back then. Ah — please, order something to drink."
"You're treating?"
"Of course."
I ordered our drinks together with Soo-ah, and we took seats across from each other by the second-floor window.
"I've heard the reports — how you saved the Paranormal Administration Bureau when a joint assault by Cosmos and Jeong-myung-gyo very nearly annihilated us. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you once again."
"Just words?"
"Of course not. Compensation for this incident will be paid out at the Bureau level."
Government compensation was, as ever, calculated on the conservative side, so I wasn't expecting much — but money had been flying out the door lately, and even pocket change like this was cause for gratitude.
"So surely you didn't drag me all the way out to this far corner of the city just to deliver a thank-you?"
"Ah — I'm sorry. Ordinarily I would be the one calling on you, but..."
"No, I wasn't being serious, so don't take it too much to heart. So — what exactly did you call me out here for?"
"To explain that, I should first tell you about the Bureau's current situation."
"I shall listen attentively, then."
The state of the Bureau was, as it happened, the very thing I'd been wanting to ask about. Just how bad could things be, that they couldn't lift a finger while Cosmos ran wild? If she was willing to volunteer the explanation without my even asking, declining would have been foolish.
"Then... are you aware of the dispute between Cosmos and the Bureau — the one that began with the protests over the Baekmuleo incident?"
Did I know it? I was so curious I went and saw the place for myself. A Special-Grade — one of perhaps one or two in the entire country — had stripped off her rank insignia and thrown down in an all-out brawl at the headquarters of the world's number-one corporation. It would have been stranger if word hadn't spread through the industry.
"My grandmother... Team Leader Baek Gong-ju has taken responsibility for the incident and is currently confined to her home."
"That's... a serious problem."
With Baek Gong-ju gone from the Baek Gong-ju one-woman team, nothing more needed saying.
"And on top of that, the recent presidential and general elections proved the finishing blow."
"The elections?"
"Yes. You may not be aware, but a considerable portion of those elected — not only the new president, but many of the National Assembly members as well — belong to the pro-psychic camp."
Something in Soo-ah's account snagged on my mind. Choi Sun-woo. The father of Lee Jin-seol and the man whose actions had sparked the whole Yeoindo incident — he had, astonishingly, won re-election. Despite having lost the single most crucial stretch of the campaign outright.
"...Did someone use sorcery to meddle with the results?"
"Not exactly... The pro-psychic candidates spoke quite openly about the frequent anomaly incidents, and that, it seems, is what moved the voters' hearts..."
In other words... the times had chosen politicians who embraced mystery and anomalies over those who denied them. If that was the case, this was a problem even Baek Gong-ju couldn't have fixed.
"And... that many pro-psychic politicians actually got elected?"
"Yes... proportionally, more than fifty percent. And above all, the newly elected president is attempting to shrink the Bureau's functions in line with the pro-psychic camp."
"Shrink it? With anomaly incidents breaking out this often?"
Even now, stories were pouring into Here Comes Master Kim at a maddening rate. A run-of-the-mill evil-spirit case took nothing more than one smooth high-five on my way home from a drink, and the exorcism was done. But the channel was just as crammed with stubborn anomalies that couldn't be settled that way. And they wanted to cut the Bureau's power in the middle of all this?
"The president... intends to shift anomaly response, which currently revolves around the Bureau, over to the private sector."
"Privatized exorcism... how novel."
The problem was that I had never once seen a state institution run well after being privatized.
Soo-ah nodded.
"That's right. Many people have voiced concern over the president's course, but..."
"And with a majority of the Assembly elected from the pro-psychic camp too, there's no way to rein him in, is there."
"No... there isn't."
Soo-ah dropped her head, her expression gloomy.
Well — for Soo-ah and the Bureau's people it was a disaster, but frankly, from where I sat it was honey. Which meant the privatization of exorcism was, in effect, the government hanging wanted posters on anomalies, wasn't it?
Was Cosmos turning up at Yeoindo some kind of advance work for this? Either way, good news for me.
Besides, if you wanted to stack up merit, nothing beat putting down anomalies for efficiency. It was work I had to do anyway — getting paid on top? What wasn't to love?
"As of now, the Paranormal Administration Bureau stands at the crossroads of survival and dissolution. And so... there is something I would like to propose to you, Yi-yeon. Our Bureau—"
"Not joining."
"I haven't even finished talking!?"
"Seriously — whose brain produced the idea of moaning on and on about how your company is about to go under and then pitching a recruitment offer?"
"Th-then at least hear the terms—"
"That won't be necessary."
I had no such foolish hobby as crawling aboard a sinking ship when I didn't have to.
"And here I thought you, of all people, would help..."
Soo-ah bowed her head, looking utterly deflated.
"Just how much of a pushover is the me inside that head of yours, exactly?"
"It isn't that you're a pushover, it's just... unlike the other civilian psychics, you're a good person, so I thought you might possibly help..."
"A good person. Me."
At the wholly unexpected remark, I pointed at my own face.
"It was the same back when my uncle's family needed help, and at Seonhwa High, and in the Baekmuleo incident, and in the Yeoindo case too — even if all you received from Cosmos was a report after the fact... You always strove to save just that many more people, didn't you?"
"No — that was just how it happened to look. I was kicking and flailing to survive, and it coincidentally turned out that way..."
That was what I said — but looking back on it with fresh eyes, Soo-ah had it right.
So that's how it was. From a distance, I must have looked tremendously righteous.
Ugh... that's not a pleasant thought at all?
I'd said it before and I'll say it again: to me, I was always the most precious thing in the world. People take no interest in the circumstances or suffering of others. Nearly twenty years of dragging myself through life had taught me that much. And precisely because I knew it so well, I took no interest in others' suffering either. If nobody cares about anybody's suffering anyway, then the wisest course is to stop minding your surroundings and take proper care of number one.
Seen as an extension of that value system, being treated as a good person does your life no good whatsoever. People are selfish — if you fail to help them when they fall into trouble, they rage as though that trouble were the fault of the ones who didn't help. And "a good person," of course, also means someone who will help them.
"I don't know through what lens you're looking at me, Soo-ah, but don't press baseless expectations on me. It's unpleasant."
"I... I'm sorry."
Soo-ah hung her head, looking utterly ashamed.
Vrrrrrrm. The pickup buzzer went off.
"I'll go get the coffee."
To escape the awkward silence, I went down to the first floor and collected our drinks. By the time I came back, Soo-ah seemed to have sorted out her feelings to some degree; she bowed her head politely.
"You're right, Yi-yeon... I formed strange expectations on my own, and then forced them onto you — that was unquestionably wrong of me... I apologize."
"...Knowing that is enough. So put away that abandoned-puppy look and have this."
I handed over the café latte Soo-ah had ordered.
Soo-ah took a sip of the latte.
"Huh?"
"Is something the matter?"
"Did you perhaps ask them for two pumps of syrup?"
"I did."
"I always ask for double syrup because I like sweet things, but... did I ever tell you that, Yi-yeon?"
"...You mentioned it once, at the hotel restaurant — after you'd had a drink too many."
"D-did I?"
...Damn it. All that looking after Soo-ah inside the Corner Man's Inner Space had gotten into my bones, and I'd done it without thinking.
This was exactly why I'd been trying not to meet this woman too often...
"Also... I have no intention of joining the Bureau, but if an anomaly incident occurs, I can at least offer my cooperation."
"R-really!?"
"Yes. Cooperation, mind — and nothing beyond that."
With me already at odds with both Cosmos and Jeong-myung-gyo, the Bureau was the only candidate left worth having as an ally. Getting too chummy would do me no good, but keeping them at arm's length altogether wasn't the answer either. Milk them for all they were worth, and use them as a shield wherever possible — that was the soundest policy.
Besides, during the Lostco affair, Lee Ha-ram had hacked into the Bureau's database and turned up a considerable trove of records on anomaly explorations. The security was too tight to confirm the details, but by all accounts the volume was enormous.
If the day ever came when I had to clear another Lostco-class anomaly, the Bureau's records would be an enormous help.
Even setting that aside, the Bureau was a government agency. The ways to put it to use were endless.
Soo-ah, evidently overjoyed that I would cooperate, flushed and seized my hand, shaking it.
"Thank you! Thank you! Your cooperation will be a tremendous strength to the Bureau!"
Then, as though something had suddenly come to mind, she fixed me with a serious gaze and asked:
"Yi-yeon... that message you sent me, back in Lostco..."
Oh dear. Now that I thought of it, there had been that.
"Was that, by any chance, Cosmos technology?"
I was still turning over how to answer when Soo-ah went ahead and misunderstood on her own.
Answering "yes" here would have made the story simple.
But...
"It is not."
"If it wasn't Cosmos technology... then what on earth was it?"
"That much is a trade secret, so I'm afraid I can't tell you."
"...I understand. You'd rather not have these things known to others, correct? Just as I did with Miss Min-seo's affairs, I will keep this matter sealed on my end as well."
"I'd be grateful if you did."
"By the way — is Min-seo getting along all right?"
After the Seonhwa High incident, it had been Soo-ah who handled Min-seo's counseling and interrogation. Perhaps because of that, she showed considerable interest in where Min-seo had ended up.
"Yes, she's doing well."
"And the sorcery side of things...?"
"I'm teaching her summoning magic."
At those words, Soo-ah's expression darkened a shade. Separate from her worry for Yu Min-seo as a human being, as a Bureau agent she worried in exact proportion to how well she knew Min-seo's talent.
"Don't worry. Just in case, I'm having her contract with fairies and angels wherever possible."
"Th-then that's a relief."
Soo-ah let out a breath of relief.
"...By the way — something I've wondered since I first took charge of Min-seo... do you have a grounding in summoning magic as well, beyond Taoist arts and esoteric spellcraft?"
"Well, not to a professional degree — I merely know a little."
"...That's remarkable... do you happen to have any other fields you can practice as well?"
"Lately I've been slowly learning alchemy."
"...That's astounding."
Soo-ah stared at me as though flabbergasted.
"...For an ordinary psychic, the first hurdle is simply breaking into multiple disciplines at all."
"Is that so?"
"Yes... I've tried my hand at any number of fields, but I had no talent for any of them, and only barely managed to develop my psychokinesis."
Soo-ah sipped at her latte, looking downcast.
Hold on — psychic powers weren't something you were simply born with? They could be developed? Fancy that...
And so our café meeting drew to a close, and I resolved to head home by subway. As it happened, Soo-ah was boarding a train headed the same way.
"Come to think of it, you live in Gwanak, don't you, Yi-yeon? I'm headed that way too — let's ride together."
"...I don't believe I ever told you where I live..."
"Ah—! I'm sorry. Your residence was listed in the case files during the Seonhwa High incident..."
"Tch. Are civil servants allowed to just read that kind of thing and commit it to memory? Isn't that an invasion of privacy?"
"I-I'm sorry...!"
"No, it was a joke. Honestly, you wilt every time someone says a single word to you..."
Then as now, Soo-ah's failing was that she took everything far too seriously.
And so I boarded the Line 8 train with Soo-ah. To reach Gwanak, all I had to do was transfer to Line 5 at the next station, Cheonho.
As I sat waiting for the next stop, my eyes met those of a young boy from far down the platform.
"Huh? Huh?!"
The boy kept stealing glances at me, then came scampering over and studied my face from point-blank range.
"Master Kim! You're Master Kim, aren't you!"
"Ye-yes! What's this all of a sudden?"
His startled mother rushed over to rein him in, but the kid wouldn't stop.
"It IS you! You're Master Kim!"
"Uh, huh?"
I was caught off guard for a moment, but I grasped the situation at once.
The little guy in front of me was a fan.
Fair enough — my YouTube channel had grown by leaps and bounds, and I'd been on terrestrial television more than a few times. It would have been stranger if nobody recognized me.
"Ahem. And what might our young friend's name be?"
"Lee Ji-woo!"
"Right — Ji-woo, let's bring the volume down a notch... Good eye. I'm Master Kim, all right."
"I knew it! Me, me! I've watched every single one of your videos since the abandoned-house collab, Master Kim! The story readings and the fortune-telling segments — all of them! I enter the drawing every single time you do fortune readings, and I've never once been picked!"
I'd told him to keep it down, but Lee Ji-woo rattled on with a child's full-tilt energy, and naturally the gazes of everyone around us began converging on me.
And among them...
"Oh — it really is Master Kim?"
"Who, someone famous?"
"You know, the one who was on that paranormal society show..."
"Ah, the fake-video tard?"
Hm. As long as I was racing down the highway to YouTuber stardom, being recognized in public was an inevitable stage of the process. Still, having attention converge on me this abruptly was a touch embarrassing.
"Ah! Can I take a photo!?"
"Uh, sure."
"Woo! I'm so putting this on Insta!"
"You're on Insta too?"
"Yep! Every kid my age is!"
While I was taking photos with Ji-woo, the onlookers began drifting closer one by one.
"Um... Master Kim, I'm a fan too — just one photo..."
"I-I've been watching since the abandoned-house collab too — please, just one picture."
And so one car of the Line 8 subway abruptly turned into my fan-meeting venue.
Fans recognizing me was gratifying, but whatever else, letting it go any further would be a nuisance to ordinary riders — and just as I was about to put a stop to it...
"Huh?"
"What is it?"
Ji-woo pointed at the subway's display board, his face bewildered.
"Wasn't the next station Cheonho?"
"What!?"
"What is that thing!?"
"Is today Halloween?"
"Are they filming some kind of movie?"
Amid the flustered passengers, my eyes met Soo-ah's.
"This is..."
"Most likely..."
Soo-ah nodded, her face grave.
The Bukhansan Maneating Tiger.
Lostco [Resolved].
The people-eating hospital.
Alongside those three, this was one of the so-called Four Great Urban Legends that had all of Seoul buzzing at this very moment. A station that had no right to exist.
And right now, together with the countless other passengers on board, we had just been caught up in it.