On the Rails (3)
Suddenly hand over a perfectly running locomotive? What bullshit.
Go Cheon-su could already guess how the inspection would turn out.
"Hey, brothers, lemme ask you something."
With a grim expression, Go Cheon-su turned to the viewers and spoke. His serious demeanor immediately sparked curiosity in the chat.
"When I say 'info window' to open it, you think anyone else would understand that shit?"
Go Cheon-su immediately pulled a deadpan face.
"The hell? Why's this nonsense?"
Muttering "info window!" out of nowhere in this cramped space? Anyone overhearing that would peg him for a full-blown chuunibyou case.
"Situation's serious right now. Don't wanna lose the group's trust over some dumb shit."
Seeing no real answers, Go Cheon-su sighed.
"Info window."
Hell, who cared if anyone heard at this point.
At his command, the info window popped up swiftly.
Always-On Info: Staying too long in one area is dangerous.
Info 1: The people at the small station are habitual looters. Best to avoid stopping there if possible.
Info 2: There's another checkpoint between the small station and Daejeon Station, guarded by a small group.
The info had updated since leaving the station.
'Don't stop at the small station?'
That was some seriously nagging advice.
The viewers finally tossed back answers to his question, albeit late.
"Thanks a ton, brothers. As thanks, I'll allow one more."
Go Cheon-su raised his index finger with a blank look.
"Spoilers are greenlit from now on. Hit me with 'em."
He shot the chat a subtle glare, but it didn't work.
Go Cheon-su dragged a hand down his face.
"C'mon, light spoilers are fine, right? Like, mild ones."
The chat filled with laughter, telling him not to push it, but he pressed on.
"Just tell me how many she could take head-on."
He'd already figured the road to Daejeon would be rough, and the info confirmed it. Might as well gauge how useful his new companion was.
That kicked off a viewer debate, ending with one line.
Go Cheon-su's jaw dropped.
'Five?'
Taking on five in a straight fight? Easier said than done—most wouldn't even try.
'Impressive, but gotta stay cautious...'
One slip and they'd be the ones done for. Still, she didn't seem like the type to stab them in the back. Just needed to frame her as a teammate.
"Hey."
Speak of the devil—Jang Seo-yeon, who'd been staring ahead, turned to him.
"You drop that 'it's all fucked' bomb and don't explain? The hell."
She seemed annoyed at the abrupt cutoff.
Go Cheon-su eyed her, hummed thoughtfully, then spoke.
"Uh, Jang Seo-yeon."
"What."
"Got a question."
Another one already? She sighed.
"What now."
"Small station—what if we just blow past it?"
The info window had tipped him off to the looters lurking there. Stopping could mean needless risk.
But Jang Seo-yeon, clueless, just tilted her head.
"Just... pass it? Why?"
"Doesn't feel safe."
Go Cheon-su spun his private intel into logic.
"Lots of reasons, but bottom line: no reason to hand over the train."
Nothing was broken. Demanding to inspect and swap locomotives? Shady as hell.
"They flip-flopped when the mayor bailed—that attitude screams suspicious."
"Uh... yeah, fair."
"If they've already radioed ahead to 'handle us' at the small station, shit gets real."
They'd be walking sheep to slaughter.
"Gotta push straight to Daejeon Station somehow. Small station's disposable, no witnesses. Least we can blend with other survivors."
Couldn't halt where safety wasn't guaranteed.
Jang Seo-yeon nodded, getting it.
"Makes sense."
"Plus, Seo-yeon. World's gone to hell and time's passed."
She'd been holed up too.
"Think dispatch units at spots like the small station or checkpoints are still running smooth?"
Detachments turning rogue was common. Fine in normal times, disastrous now.
"Sorry for all the 'what ifs,' but we can't just stop this loco on someone else's say-so. Too risky."
"Yeah, true."
She sighed, then raised a brow.
"So what do we do?"
"Already answered that, kinda."
"Huh? Answered?"
"Yep."
It was a question, sure. What if we just pass the small station?
"Oh."
She caught on late, exhaling.
"Yeah, you did ask that."
"Right. That's the play."
Easiest option now. No need to hop off and tangle with who-knows-how-many.
No matter how badass Jang Seo-yeon was, couldn't send her in as cannon fodder.
"Just... pass it."
Her face clouded with thought.
Then Yang Min-cheol raised a hand.
"Hyung, question."
"Shoot."
"If we skip the small station like you said, won't that cause issues?"
His guide experience showed—he hit the nail on the head.
"They could radio Daejeon Station or that other spot between to block us."
Spot on. Phones were dead, but 7.5 Division had comms gear. Small station likely did too.
Skipping might just jam them up later—Info 2 exactly.
"Seo-yeon."
"Yeah."
"Any spots between small station and Daejeon where they could derail us?"
Engineer mode kicked in; she answered smoothly.
"At this speed, about 13 minutes past the small station—there's a construction branch line."
"Branch line... meaning?"
"Someone flips the turnout manually, we veer off onto that unfinished branch."
Looked sketchy already.
Go Cheon-su swallowed dryly.
"Veer off there—where's it go?"
"Nowhere."
She shook her head.
"Nothing there. Rails end; no stop means straight-up crash."
Worst case.
Go Cheon-su rubbed his temple.
"Brothers, quiet down."
He griped at the viewers while tapping his throbbing forehead.
'Fuck. No choice.'
Couldn't bail now. He turned to Jang Seo-yeon.
"Still, we blow past the small station."
"Sigh, you sure?"
"One judgment call can mean life or death."
She clenched her jaw under his stare.
"Fuck it. Fine, let's go. Gotta hit Daejeon anyway. Finally out of that hangar, now they want me parking in some nowhere station? Bullshit."
"Good."
Her fiery temper meshed well for party-building.
But the real issue came next.
Go Cheon-su laid out post-station plans.
"Figure that branch line spot has the secondary checkpoint."
"Secondary... checkpoint?"
"If they can't remote-control the turnout now."
"Yeah, it's manual."
Answer locked in. High odds of a checkpoint near the manual turnout.
"Skip the small station, they get word and flip us onto the branch."
"Ha, if there's another checkpoint, that's probably it."
She sighed.
"Lucky if they don't shoot first."
Small station might buy entry with an inspection bluff, but secondary? They'd be prepped to attack.
"Gotta stop once after the small station."
Park before secondary, take out the guards, smash comms, then roll.
"...Your plan's obvious. But ain't that suicidal?"
She reacted but didn't nix it. Knew her spot was shaky too.
Survival meant getting dirty.
"Even if we die trying, better to reach Daejeon than get stuck in limbo."
He summed up, turning to Yang Min-cheol, who stared blankly.
'Intense.'
After losing Jo Yong-jin, the kid leaned harder on him. Annoying, but not unwelcome.
"Staring like you're my sidekick."
Yang Min-cheol nodded seriously.
"Sidekick... pretty much, right?"
"Eh, maybe."
Go Cheon-su grinned awkwardly; chat lit up.
Not wrong, no sting.
Plan was key.
'Seo-yeon seems cool with it.'
Rushed alliance, but meshing fine. Her strength minus plans made it easy. She was probably racking her brain for survival too.
'Alright then...'
He pondered skipping the small station.
Just don't stop. But they might signal the secondary to attack.
'Better than nothing.'
Plan set. Just pass the station.
"Almost there."
Jang Seo-yeon, eyes forward, warned.
Go Cheon-su peered ahead.
"How long?"
"Roughly three minutes."
He headed for the cab door.
Yang Min-cheol startled.
"Hyung, where you going?"
"Where else."
Door meant outside.
"Out for a bit."
"Huh? Better stay in. We're just passing..."
Before exiting, Go Cheon-su asked Jang Seo-yeon.
"Seo-yeon, if they contact from the small station, keep saying the train's busted. No answers to questions. Make it seem real."
"What?"
"Got it?"
No further confirmation.