On the Rails (1)
"So, where exactly were you holed up before, Jang Seo-yeon?"
After stowing their weapons in a makeshift storage box they'd both agreed on, Go Cheon-su continued chatting with Jang Seo-yeon.
"Me? The engine depot."
Jang Seo-yeon gazed down the straight tracks as she replied. It was a curt answer, but Go Cheon-su immediately guessed which depot she meant.
"The locomotive shed?"
"Yeah. Could seal it shut by closing the doors, and there was all sorts of useful stuff inside."
"I see."
The fact that she hadn't left ahead of time despite having the train suggested she had no idea where to go.
'The 7.5 Division, right.'
Go Cheon-su recalled what she'd grumbled when she stopped the locomotive.
"Jang Seo-yeon."
"What."
"Did the 7.5 Division promise to take the mayor to a safe bunker if they entered Daejeon at the agreed time?"
At the question, Jang Seo-yeon turned to meet Go Cheon-su's eyes.
"You know your stuff. It's exactly what you think."
"Do you know much about the 7.5 Division?"
"Huh?"
Jang Seo-yeon furrowed her brow slightly.
"Me? No clue. Just soldiers, aren't they?"
"Nothing else?"
"Nope."
Jang Seo-yeon let out a sigh-like breath.
"Those guys are impossible to figure out. If they're gonna save us, just do it. Why drag the mayor into it?"
"They didn't say why they need the mayor?"
"Something about administrative power collapsing, so they need him to bring people from each area. Said soldiers alone won't cut it."
It was clearly abbreviated, but Go Cheon-su could piece together the logic. Politicians and high officials were essential for maintaining order. In a national crisis, building a force with just soldiers could terrify civilians.
'Even so...'
It still felt like they'd gone to excessive lengths to rescue the mayor. But pressing Jang Seo-yeon further wouldn't yield more info.
Go Cheon-su decided to come clean instead.
"Thanks for the insight, Jang Seo-yeon."
"Yeah? Good to know."
"In that case, let me share something in return."
"What?"
Go Cheon-su smiled as he replied.
"My name's Go Cheon-su."
"Go Cheon-su?"
Jang Seo-yeon looked baffled.
"What the hell. Trying to exchange names now? We already know each other's."
"Do we really?"
"Well, except that high school kid over there... oh."
Jang Seo-yeon glanced at the name tag on Yang Min-cheol's uniform chest and froze. She'd just realized.
"Hey, you..."
As Jang Seo-yeon's voice turned icy, Go Cheon-su quickly cut in.
"Yeah, I'm not Yoo Young-jae."
"You!"
Jang Seo-yeon lunged forward and grabbed Go Cheon-su by the collar.
"Not Yoo Young-jae?"
"No."
"Then what the fuck are you!"
He was just one desperate citizen who'd lied to board this locomotive.
"What are you!"
"Just a train passenger, what else?"
Go Cheon-su gripped Jang Seo-yeon's wrist. He shook his head at Yang Min-cheol, who was reaching for the weapons box.
"Min-cheol, hold up."
"You bastards! Knew you'd stab us in the back...!"
Jang Seo-yeon's grip tightened. Go Cheon-su tapped her wrist in surrender.
"Wait, hold on! I still have more to say..."
"What more could you possibly have to say! Who the hell are you guys!"
"Passengers! Passengers!"
Go Cheon-su shoved her wrist away hard and yelled.
"Passengers!"
Jang Seo-yeon blinked in utter disbelief, her face twisting into confusion.
"Passengers?"
"Yeah, passengers."
Go Cheon-su dropped all pretense now.
"Passengers who wanted to board this train."
"You, right now..."
Jang Seo-yeon's voice trembled.
"That's your excuse?"
"Wasn't allowed?"
It was obvious—if he hadn't bullshitted his way in, they'd have wasted more time. They might've all gotten swept up by monsters.
"We had to get out of there, and you were about to miss your window waiting for someone who wasn't coming."
"No, asshole, that's..."
"Right or wrong? Just say it."
Go Cheon-su glared at her fiercely. Jang Seo-yeon gaped like she'd been struck dumb, then spoke softly.
"Y... yeah, right."
"See? Right? ...Huh?"
Thinking he'd won her over, Go Cheon-su suddenly felt his balance wobble.
"Where do you think—!"
Jang Seo-yeon had kicked his ankle. He steadied himself and clamped down on her wrist.
"Ack?"
"You're not the only strong one here."
Go Cheon-su smirked at her grimacing face.
"I'm pretty damn—gah!"
Jang Seo-yeon kicked his ankle again, shoving him over.
"Guh! Bro...!"
The cab was cramped. Go Cheon-su tumbled right onto Yang Min-cheol, flailing to get up.
Squish.
Jang Seo-yeon pinned him down with her body.
"What kind of passenger is this shit?"
She was pissed.
"Sneak on and it's fare-dodging, got it? Got it!"
"Had no choice but to lie!"
Go Cheon-su went all-in, no holding back.
"Couldn't we have left properly without it? We all could've died!"
"No, even then you should've been straight with me! You're lying about the mayor being dead too, right?"
"That's true!"
Of course, even without holding back, he had to bluff where it counted. Mixing truth and lies just right was key.
"How do you think I got that business card?"
"Well..."
"I got it after saving him once!"
Not exactly standard procedure, but he'd rescued the guy once before getting it as he was dying.
"Of course I heard all about it while saving him! The mayor died on the way! He was dead, but we came because we had the info!"
"What?"
"If the mayor was already dead and you tried picking him out from the crowd, what do you think would've happened?"
Lots of people had shown up on the platform. Not enough room for everyone on this loco.
Inevitably, chaos would've erupted.
"No one to control the crowd, everyone scrambling to hijack this train? Us boarding alone was a miracle!"
It was a stretch, but not illogical.
"No...!"
Jang Seo-yeon was furious at being duped but couldn't argue further.
"Right? If the mayor was dead, that's how it'd go."
"Shut up!"
Conflicted, she yelled again anyway.
"Doesn't change that you lied to get on!"
"You said it in the interview."
"What?"
Jang Seo-yeon looked flustered at the sudden mention.
"What're you on about, out of nowhere."
"Your answer about fare-dodgers. Forgot?"
No way she forgot. She just scowled, not getting his angle.
"What about it..."
"'Fare-dodging comes in shades,' you said."
In the interview, she'd allowed that some might board out of unavoidable circumstances. Tough as she seemed, it showed mercy.
"We had unavoidable reasons."
Jang Seo-yeon fell silent at his words. She just kept staring down, pinning him.
"Hah."
Was it a hollow laugh or a sigh? She slapped his shoulder.
"Ow."
"You got a mouth on you."
Ignoring the chat, Go Cheon-su watched as Jang Seo-yeon finally released him and stood.
"Well, if you read my interview..."
She trailed off, but he could guess her thoughts.
'That interview was from the <Good Roads> series.'
It was in a media outlet that posted feel-good stories. Not somewhere casual browsers went.
Meaning this alone bought him some trust.
"Whatever, fine."
It worked. Jang Seo-yeon turned back to the tracks.
"No taking it back now anyway."
"Exactly."
Go Cheon-su got up, brushing himself off.
"Might as well ride to Daejeon together safe and sound."
"Ugh."
Jang Seo-yeon irritably adjusted her cap.
"Should've just left without anyone."
"Don't worry. You won't regret it."
The 7.5 Division's moves were suspicious. Go Cheon-su knew letting her go alone to Daejeon could be dangerous.
'They won't let the engineer slip away, even without the mayor.'
They'd find a way to tie her down. Time to use her to dig into the 7.5 Division—essential for survival ahead.
"B-bro... mind moving?"
Yang Min-cheol groaned from below, shoving him.
"Ah! Sorry."
Go Cheon-su startled and quickly helped him up. Jang Seo-yeon clicked her tongue watching.
"Hope I didn't pick up idiots..."
"Told you, no worries."
Go Cheon-su murmured low.
"We'll pay the fare later."
"Yeah, right."
Jang Seo-yeon huffed shortly.
"Just don't cause trouble. Train wreck would be worse."
"Got it."
"And quit the casual talk?"
Pointing at him, she snapped like she couldn't take it.
"I'm 27. Older than you?"
"I'll watch it."
Go Cheon-su dusted off casually.
"I'm younger. Two years."
"..."
"Jang Seo-yeon, looking forward to working with you."
He pulled Yang Min-cheol to a corner and sat.
"We'll chill here nice and quiet."
"Please do."
Like she was done bickering, Jang Seo-yeon focused on driving without further fuss.
'Crisis averted.'
Go Cheon-su sighed in relief. Coming clean now prevented future blowups, but it was exhausting.
"Bro."
Amid it, Yang Min-cheol nudged his shoulder.
"Over there..."
"Yeah? What."
Go Cheon-su followed his gaze and froze solid.
Viewers checking the same direction flooded reactions in shock.
Go Cheon-su thought it was insane too. Standing by the locomotive door was...
"What, what's—mmph!"
Go Cheon-su clamped a hand over Jang Seo-yeon's mouth as she turned. She reflexively tried to swat it away, but he raised a finger to his lips.
"Shh!"
Only then did she look toward the door. Her eyes widened in shock.
It was, unmistakably, a Silent Girl.
The Silent Girl bobbed her head in confusion, seemingly overwhelmed. The locomotive's roar had dulled her senses once aboard.
'Shit. How long has it been on?'
Probably clung to the rear and climbed up. Whatever—Go Cheon-su had to deal with it.
'Now?'
Best during the noise. But how? The Silent Girl thrashed wildly, stressed by the din. Getting caught like that meant more than torn limbs.
'We're screwed.'