Train Station (4)
Only then did Go Cheon-su examine Jo Yong-jin's ankle more closely. It wasn't broken—it was a bite wound from something.
"Ha…."
Go Cheon-su clenched his fist, his face twisting in a scowl.
"H-Hyung…."
Yang Min-cheol looked at him with tense worry.
Go Cheon-su grabbed Jo Yong-jin's face, locking eyes with him, and asked in a low voice.
"You know, right? About your condition."
"Ah. Ah."
Jo Yong-jin momentarily looked terrified.
"Am I… turning weird?"
"Yeah."
It wasn't just turning weird. Go Cheon-su had seen Yoo Young-jae get infected after the Silent Girl attack. Jo Yong-jin's fate was obvious now.
"Grr, grrr."
Jo Yong-jin began writhing, drool spilling from his mouth. Yang Min-cheol stared at him wordlessly, his face frozen like he'd stopped breathing.
Go Cheon-su spoke softly to Jo Yong-jin.
"Sorry, Jo Yong-jin."
It had been a short time together, but they'd leaned on each other to get this far. Go Cheon-su wasn't one to feel much sadness, but he couldn't hide the bitterness.
Thwack.
Go Cheon-su swatted Yang Min-cheol's hand away from Jo Yong-jin. He left the collapsing man behind and dragged only Yang Min-cheol away.
"H-Hyung?"
Yang Min-cheol's eyes widened at Go Cheon-su's ruthless action. But Go Cheon-su just shook his head.
"No choice. Leave him."
He couldn't kill Jo Yong-jin before the change either. Go Cheon-su quickly checked the nearby ticket booth with Yang Min-cheol in tow.
"As expected…."
No one was there. No station staff, no clues.
Do I have to hold out until the mayor shows?
If he had to pick a lead, it was the mayor Yoo Young-jae had mentioned before dying.
But that seems risky.
The mayor was with unknown people. No telling if they'd help or not. If it turned hostile, their side would lose in numbers.
"Let's get down from here first."
Go Cheon-su said to Yang Min-cheol. Silent Girls were still nearby. They couldn't stay, so the platform was their only option.
"Grrruuuh."
Jo Yong-jin's groans grew louder, left alone. Go Cheon-su gritted his teeth, glancing back at him in the waiting room.
Then it happened.
Jo Yong-jin pointed shakily at something. Go Cheon-su followed his finger and gaped.
"What…?"
His hand pointed to an electronic display board on the wall. And on it….
No way…!
A time was showing. The train's arrival time.
It's… working?
The other displays were dead. Only this one, the one Jo Yong-jin pointed to, was active. Maybe it had just turned on.
One minute left.
By the current time on the board, arrival was in just one minute. If that was accurate. It might be even less.
Jo Yong-jin.
Before heading down with Yang Min-cheol, Go Cheon-su looked back once more. Jo Yong-jin, even as he changed, gave a slight nod. He wasn't glaring at Go Cheon-su with resentment like he had for his superiors. The bathroom rescue had paid off.
Go Cheon-su steadied his shaky breath.
I'll remember.
He was the protagonist of this world. Remembering alone would let him repay Jo Yong-jin someday.
"Hyung…."
"Hurry."
If he hadn't pulled him from the bathroom, would he feel this shaken? Go Cheon-su suppressed his emotions and dragged Yang Min-cheol to the platform stairs.
Even descending took time. Silence stretched during it.
And luckily, no monsters appeared until they reached the platform.
"Min-cheol, listen up."
But Go Cheon-su knew this was another test.
"If you don't wanna die."
The train was coming soon. And that meant:
"The train's gonna bring a horde of those bastards."
A train wasn't quiet. Monsters drawn by the noise rushing in as it arrived and stopped? Not surprising.
"So keep your head straight. Got it?"
Yang Min-cheol nodded at Go Cheon-su's words. He seemed to get it, but Go Cheon-su sighed inwardly.
Will he be okay?
The platform was open on all sides, vulnerable to attacks. The upside: wide visibility to spot incoming threats easily.
Go Cheon-su had already calculated that much.
It said it's passing through the station.
If the train really didn't stop, it'd pass straight through. Despairing since they couldn't escape this station, but it offered a chance.
Rumble rumble.
The ground shook. Something approached.
"It's here…!"
With Go Cheon-su's shout, a massive roar erupted outside.
Hoooonk!
The train horn. Go Cheon-su peeked out by lifting the cover slightly.
A single KTX train was passing through the station at reduced speed.
That thing…!
Crawlers chased its tail.
Hoooonk!
Not just that. Monsters everywhere leaped out, drawn to the blaring horn as the KTX passed.
Hoooonk…!
Almost all the station's monsters chased after the KTX.
Go Cheon-su swallowed dryly, his face blank.
What the hell.
The KTX wasn't at normal speed. And the horn was extra loud. Plus….
That's the upbound line.
To go to Daejeon from here, they'd need the downbound. Yet the KTX headed upward.
As if baiting for another train about to descend the downbound.
Clack clack.
Then, a quiet rumble as a train slowly appeared toward the platform.
"Hyung, the locomotive…!"
Yang Min-cheol, peeking out too, shouted.
Yes. A single locomotive approached the platform.
The boxy Mugunghwa locomotive quietly stopped at the platform. Go Cheon-su didn't open the cover or step out yet. He just held his breath, observing.
"Hyung?"
Yang Min-cheol urged him. But Go Cheon-su couldn't move easily.
No way they came just to pick up regular civilians.
From the situation, it was waiting for the mayor. No clue who was inside.
Too late…?
The mayor's group hadn't appeared. No need to clash since they hadn't arrived.
"You stay here."
That meant neutralizing whoever was in the locomotive.
Go Cheon-su carefully removed the cover.
"Hyung, alone?"
"Don't worry. I won't leave you."
Stepping out of the cart, Go Cheon-su approached the locomotive quietly. Sidling up and peering up carefully, he saw a figure in the window.
Not a guy….
A tall woman with a ponytail stood in uniform.
Clunk.
Then, the woman inside suddenly opened the door and stepped out.
"Ah, shit."
Go Cheon-su hurriedly crouched and hid under the locomotive.
Didn't see me…?
As he caught his breath:
"What the hell, why's no one here."
The woman's voice was irritated.
"Mayor Jeong Chan-guk or whatever, nothing's here."
Go Cheon-su stayed put, doing nothing. Luckily, she hadn't spotted him.
Just one.
No companions, clearly. Unless she had special weapons, his side had the combat edge.
Go Cheon-su glanced toward the cart.
Can I signal Min-cheol to come up now?
Fsssh.
As ash fluttered before his eyes, the woman's voice rang out again.
"Ah, this 7.5 Division or whatever is such bullshit. Did these assholes just prank call on the emergency channel? They said they'd let us into the bunker if we followed orders, so I bothered pulling this out of the hangar and…."
She grumbled, oblivious even to Yang Min-cheol in the cart. He peeked out, signaling Go Cheon-su: thumb up first—one person, no matter how he looked. Then a fist—attack.
Simple, but effective.
Go Cheon-su, confirming no special weapons on the enemy, crawled out.
Fsssh.
The uniformed woman held a lit cigarette, flicking ash with a hand shake.
"Huh?"
She spotted Go Cheon-su crawling from under the locomotive and widened her eyes.
"What the—."
"…."
Go Cheon-su silently sized her up without responding. She looked a bit older than him, late 20s. A female engineer.
Examining her closely, he recognized her.
Jang Seo-yeon.
The first woman engineer hired in the region. She'd been interviewed in local news.
"What are you punks."
The interview had stuck with him despite being brief—her strong presence. Of course, no cigarette or swearing then.
For now….
Go Cheon-su had no intention of clashing pointlessly with Jang Seo-yeon. Whatever the reason, she was here for Jeong Chan-guk. Time to use that.
"Hyung!"
Then, Yang Min-cheol charged from the cart, clutching a steel pipe he'd found.
Go Cheon-su spun, raising his palm.
"Wait!"
He eyed Jang Seo-yeon to stay hidden.
"Hold up. We're not enemies."
"Uh, um."
Yang Min-cheol hesitated, blinking at Go Cheon-su's signal, and stopped reluctantly.
"You guys…."
But he couldn't stop Jang Seo-yeon from going on alert.
"Here to steal this locomotive?"
She scoffed, flicking more ash.
"Take it if you want. Why else would I be here alone?"
Jang Seo-yeon was famous as a serious martial artist too. She'd caught a station intruder herself, earning police commendation.
Not scared of that.
Go Cheon-su pulled out the business card from Yoo Young-jae. Two men against her was risky. Driving the locomotive themselves? Tough.
Better way.
"Here."
Go Cheon-su approached Jang Seo-yeon, offering the card.
"Take it first. This is who I am."
"Huh?"
She took it, eyebrow twitching.
"Yoo Young-jae? What, city hall guy?"
"Yes. And I have news."
Go Cheon-su met her surprised gaze directly.
"The mayor is dead."