Seoul Recapture Operation (1)
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Screeech.
My body felt heavier than usual today as I climbed aboard. I naturally made my way to the innermost seat in the Dodam-ban.
Five years ago, I'd barely squeezed onto the edge, but now I'd worked my way to this spot. It was a strangely nostalgic thought.
"Whoa, Sergeant Shin. You're practically beaming, huh?"
Yoon Byungjang, the guy with the next most seniority in our platoon after me, plopped down right across from me and teased.
"Me?"
"You're not even hiding it—tomorrow's your discharge. I'm dying of jealousy here."
"...You'll be out soon enough. Time flies faster than you think."
I gave his shoulder a light smack as I half-stood, then turned my gaze out to the distance for no real reason.
The area around us felt oddly peaceful, but far off beyond the bridge, thick black smoke billowed into the sky.
Maybe that's why.
I never imagined I'd make it to discharge in one piece.
In reality, soldiers deployed to frontline areas like this had discharge rates below even 70%.
"Everyone loaded up?"
A gruff voice called out toward us.
Captain Kim Hoyeon, who'd stuck his arm carelessly out the passenger window, asked. I gave a standard reply.
"Yes, sir. Platoon 1, Squad 1—all 16 personnel aboard."
"Moving out."
The captain knocked indifferently on the door.
Honestly, it was unexpected. I'd never dreamed he'd join us on this op personally.
He always made sure to stay in safe spots, prioritizing his own skin. I'd assumed he'd do the same this time.
Was he tagging along because it was my last mission?
...No way.
The guy had zero care for his subordinates. Best not to get my hopes up.
Vroooom!
The Dodam-ban jolted a couple times before slowly lurching forward. Two vehicles in total peeled out from battalion HQ toward the outside.
"Gangbuk recapture? What bullshit! Secure Gangnam safety first!" "Secure it! Secure it!" "Let us stretch our legs too! Take out the Han River monsters first!" "Take 'em out! Take 'em out!"
We ignored the usual racket near the HQ entrance and rolled past.
"Those assholes really think they're entitled to everything."
Yoon Byungjang spat out his irritation, chewing his lip.
It did look pathetic. Some of us were constantly thrown into dangerous ops, while others whined for even more safety. Anyway, the ROK government had announced that half of Seoul—up to Gangnam—was fully recaptured.
And it was true. At least since I'd been in Gangnam, there hadn't been a single casualty there.
But humans—at least those living near the Han River—lived in constant terror, trembling every day.
Screeech!
The Dodam-ban came to a brief halt.
The Hangang Bridge gate. Right now, it was the only passage linking Gangnam and Gangbuk.
"Salute! Stay sharp out there!"
A quick inspection wrapped up, and the thick barrier gate swung open.
Vrooom!
The vehicle crept onto the bridge, keeping noise to a minimum.
"......"
We weren't any different. Everyone held their breath as best they could.
The Hangang Bridge was generally safe. Experience proved it.
But even so, instinct made us all hold our breath. The bridge might be safe, but the Han River itself was anything but.
-Rooooaaarrr...!
A monstrous sound echoed from afar, accompanied by a massive splash.
Right under the bridge on Nodeul Island—the unreclaimed zone—something was constantly scurrying about.
It wouldn't be strange if some unknown thing burst through the bridge deck and attacked us at any moment.
Thud...!
Still, the Dodam-ban pressed on slowly.
Luckily, we crossed the Hangang Bridge without incident.
At least I wasn't dying a screaming death the day before discharge.
Not yet, anyway.
"You know where we're headed today, right?"
Yoon Byungjang, ever the veteran, flashed a faint smile and asked.
We'd been tense, but now we feigned calm.
Unlike the fresh recruit at the back of the Dodam-ban, clutching a cross and mumbling prayers.
"Dunno. Something about a base station, I think."
The Seoul recapture—specifically, the Gangbuk Recapture Operation—had Yongsan Station as its top priority.
Seize the train station and turn it into a hub for supplies and personnel transport.
"We could just expand slowly from this bridge... Why push all the way to the base station? It's needlessly risky."
I agreed completely, but soldiers follow orders.
The recapture ops had always worked this way from the start: grab key strongholds and expand outward.
That's why Yongsan Station—and Seoul Station beyond it—were prime strategic points.
And to seize Yongsan Station, first secure the base station. For smooth communications.
Screeech!
The Dodam-ban halted again after just five minutes past the bridge.
They'd scouted ahead with drones, but pushing further aggressively was clearly too much. Manpower could be reinforced, but vehicles were hard to resupply instantly in Seoul these days.
"Everyone, get ready."
Thud thud. At Captain Kim Hoyeon's knock on the passenger door, we all scrambled into action.
[97.1 mkg]
The dashboard gauge showed a high infection reading. From here on, we'd need special gas masks.
[Most monsters spread through the air.]
That's what I—and most of the public—believed, at least.
"Fuck, how long do we gotta keep wearing these things?"
The custom gas masks were thick and heavy, always sparking complaints.
"Then don't."
"No... You're not getting too cocky just 'cause you're shipping out soon? What if I get infected?"
"Then I'll put you down clean."
"You gotta make it painless, sir."
Silly banter. Even so, Yoon Byungjang donned his first, and soon all troops had their masks on.
Except me.
"Must be nice, Sergeant Shin. No need for this crap."
I had high resistance to the virus—the thing believed to cause monster infections.
Every test came back at 99%.
So no mask needed, no infection risk, and that's how I'd stayed intact this long. Word was, there was about one soldier per brigade with resistance like mine—though theirs topped out around 90%.
Hey, if it's luck, it's good luck.
"You can't discharge. It'd be a huge loss for the ROK Army."
"Cut the bullshit."
After grinding out five years here? Keep doing this? Insane.
"Get off already. Can't you see everyone's waiting?"
We followed the juniors already on the ground and dismounted the Dodam-ban.
This op: one platoon, 30 troops total.
"You all read the guidelines? Don't go picking fights."
The captain grumbled indifferently and shooed us with a wave.
Step. Step.
We advanced slowly.
Target: the base station 300 meters ahead. The road was basically rubble. Even if "secured," abandoned cars made it impassable for Dodam-bans.
Step. Step.
Jangling gear.
Heavy breathing from gas masks.
Tense bootsteps.
Just 100 meters in, things changed.
"S-Soldier mister! P-Please, save us!"
Two unidentified objects popped out from a ruined building 30 meters away.
"P-Please...!"
Ragged, cracking voices. Wounds everywhere.
It tugged at the heartstrings, and the rookie right in front of me couldn't hold back—he lunged forward.
Grab. "...You nuts?"
I'd seen it coming and yanked his collar hard.
"Huh...? S-Survivors...! We have to save them, right?"
"Didn't read the guidelines?"
"......"
The rookie finally clammed up, realization dawning. Standard hazing ritual, really. Even with guidelines drilled in, real situations blank your brain.
"Damn... the army's gone mad these days. Who's training these rookies?"
I hissed it quietly—just loud enough for those nearby. No need to stir trouble and get ambushed.
"P-Please, save us!"
Meanwhile, the two unknowns staggered closer, crossing into the regulated safety line—inside 15 meters.
And rules had no exceptions.
Yoon Byungjang at the front opened fire.
Bang! Bang!
The shots weren't too loud. The new suppressors were top-notch.
Huge holes in their torsos, they spilled dark blood and crumpled.
"......"
The rookie clamped his mouth shut, gulping dryly over and over.
Gruesome sight, but one he'd see to death from here on.
In unreclaimed zones, eliminate unidentified objects as necessary. Treat all unidentified objects as monsters. Survivors do not exist.
We couldn't tell if they were human or monsters.
Couldn't tell—so kill them all. Or we'd be the ones dying.
"N-No way..."
I gave the shaking rookie's neck an encouraging smack and gently pushed his back.
After that, we reached the base station without further trouble. An 8-story building with a half-smashed sign creaking in the wind. Brief op briefing at the front entrance.
Nothing tricky. Same as always: clear monsters, secure the base station.
"Enter."
At the captain's order from the rear, we slipped cautiously inside.
Drone recon showed no major threats indoors.
Meant infantry like us could handle it.
Conversely, anything drones missed could wipe us out. Praying the drone operator did their job, we stepped carefully.
"S-Sergeant! L-Let's go together!"
And unfortunately, my partner was the rookie who'd nearly fucked up earlier. He called me sergeant—hadn't even memorized my name.
Some discharge gift. Didn't need it. Maybe the captain coming along caused this pairing. Normal platoon leader assignments wouldn't have matched us.
At least it was considerate: our task was just seizing the 1st-floor conference room.
Compared to Yoon Byungjang climbing to the 8th floor, it was downright kind.
[← Conference Room]
The conference room wasn't far. Just down one long hallway.
Of course, all the side rooms off that hallway were a problem.
"Ready? Not on safe mode, right?"
"Y-Yes...! All good!"
His words said one thing, but the rookie fumbled his K-2.
K-2 modified for monster-slaying explosive rounds. Accuracy suffered, but power was guaranteed.
Which made it a bit scary.
...He won't miss, right?
What if he shot me in the back instead of a monster?
Had to trust him, though.
Being assigned here meant he'd passed the special shooting test.
Didn't mean he had soldier potential, mind you. He was barely 18—expecting calm from that was asking too much.
"Let's go."
I took point like it was routine; hesitant footsteps followed.
First room.
Door smashed, but nothing else. Clear.
Second room.
Half-collapsed ceiling, glass shards everywhere on the floor. No monsters. Clear.
Third room.
As we neared the door, a voice came.
"Save—me."
Stilted pronunciation. Too clear for a monster. The rookie blurted out something stupid.
"A-A survivor maybe?"
This kid still hadn't learned from earlier?
"Fall back."
"Y-Yes...!"
No windows, unfortunately. Even if there were, we'd have to enter anyway.
Bam! I kicked the sturdy door wide open.
The voice greeted us—along with a nauseating wave of blood stench. Bad enough the masked rookie dry-heaved.
"Save—me."
It was one of them, as expected.
Freakishly twisted neck, joints defying gravity. No longer human posture.
Dark tentacles wriggling out between ribs, moving with a will of their own. Squeeeel—!
Commonly called [Black Chains].
Its hallmark: puppeteering the host's body. It scraped the dead host's vocal cords to produce a voice—
"Save—me."
Repeating the host's final words endlessly to lure prey.
Click!
I shouldered firm, aimed at it, dry-loading sound echoing.
Once caused mass casualties, but now that countermeasures were known, not so dangerous.
"Save—me."
I fired without hesitation at the writhing core in its chest.
Bang!