Chapter 19: Passengers (1)
"Good work, guys. Go ahead and rest."
The drone trio had gathered mana stones and items for me. I told them to take it easy in the hangar and lay down on the bed. I tried to sleep at first, but...
"...Habit die hard, huh."
My old habit of scrolling my phone before bed kept sleep at bay, so I ended up pulling out my smartphone and logging into the Survivor Gallery.
I'm holed up on the outskirts of Seoul with my wife and kid, but our food's running out. I heard soldiers and awakeners cleared out the monsters around Yeouido and it's safe now. Any entry requirements? Do they take non-awakeners too?
We've successfully cleared the airport interior. The bridge to Yeongjongdo is cut, so getting in from the mainland looks tough. We've set up barricades inside and on the runways, and things are running pretty systematically. Note for anyone living on Yeongjongdo.
"Safe zones, huh..." I scrolled down, reading the posts with growing interest. Right after the world went to hell, everyone was too busy just surviving, but humans adapt. Awakeners who got skills from their Status Windows started banding together, slowly building safe zones one by one.
Places like Yeouido in Seoul or the War Memorial in Yongsan seemed to be expanding smoothly thanks to leftover military forces and crowds pooling their strength.
Things outside Seoul weren't as rosy. Even "safe zones" were mostly just lucky awakeners hunkering down in big marts or apartment complexes.
"They're all trying to group up and find a way to survive."
I stroked my chin. Unlike me cruising around in my train, moving for regular survivors was basically suicide. No wonder the gallery was full of questions about which safe zones were livable and safe routes to get there. And as post topics shifted, trade posts followed suit.
The trade tab, usually full of mana stones and food, now had a new breed of offers.
"Hmm..." I muttered, glued to the screen. Safe zones popping up had sparked a demand explosion for rides there. But outside was monster central. Weaklings naturally wanted to hire strong awakeners for protection.
Reading those posts, one thought bubbled up naturally.
"If it were my train..."
My train could solve their problems easy. But I hesitated. Leaking train info, letting strangers aboard... Before, I'd dodged such requests while barely surviving solo. Now? Not so much.
"...Did I always have this much heart?"
I wanted to help. I tore my eyes from the trade board and sighed. In this ruined world, with everyone at their limit, was it okay to let total strangers into my train? What if I saved them, they saw the setup, got greedy, and tried to hijack it?
"Still feels iffy..."
I smacked my lips, debating giving up—then a memory flashed. Back when I scavenged lowest-grade mana stones like treasure, an upgrade I'd ignored for low reward vs. cost. Train car addition submenu.
I pulled up the cockpit panel right away.
[Standard Train Car]
[Standard Cargo Car]
[Standard Passenger Car]
I tapped Standard Passenger Car details without hesitation and read.
Passengers cannot harm the engineer or train equipment.
The engineer can forcibly eject passengers.
Upon disembark, satisfaction is measured in points.
Unlocks additional modifications based on cumulative satisfaction.
"Oh... so that's it."
I let out a hollow chuckle. It blocked my biggest worry—with a satisfaction bonus to boot. Felt like the skill was nudging me: Pick up survivors, help them out.
"Alright, safety's guaranteed... game on."
Back to trades. Scrolling, my finger stopped on one post.
Plz save us. I'm 12 my sis is 7. Went out for mom hid in shop but huge wolf monster came in PC bang so in bathroom. Sis crying too much covering her mouth typing one handed lots typos. Siheung Royal PC Bang.
"..."
No reward listed, grammar a mess. Not even asking for a ride somewhere. But I couldn't look away.
"Siheung..."
Right by me. Siheung's big, but drones could pinpoint it.
"Sorry, one more job then real rest."
Old me? Probably ignored it, no time for others.
"Gettin' comfortable makes me nosy... Yeah, it's close..."
I rubbed my dry face, muttering excuses. Money? Dungeons with drones later. Ignoring this nearby? Nightmares guaranteed. Rationalizing my sappy choice, I summoned the system.
Add Standard Passenger Car?
Cost: 100 days fuel, 30 lowest-grade mana stones
"Yeah."
Car 3 connects to train rear.
Ku-gu-gu-gung—! The whole train shook with vibration. Behind car 2's hangar, blinding light poured out, and a massive, sleek black-armored passenger car materialized like magic, linking seamlessly.
I bolted from the cockpit, through car 2, and opened the new car 3 door.
"Whoa. And... way too nice."
Sound-absorbing thick carpet floored it, velvet seats lined both sides—reclinable to beds. Corner had water, tissues, basics.
"...Seats alone guarantee satisfaction."
I whipped out my phone and whispered the desperate 12-year-old:
Back in car 1 cockpit, realization hit.
"...Oh right. I'm not a bro."
Perfect timing—drone alert: location found. Sniper drone spotted from afar. One more station.
I slammed the throttle forward.
"Let's hurry."
"Hngg... Oppa..."
In the pitch-black, powerless second-floor PC bang of a rundown shopping arcade, 12-year-old Jiwoo frantically covered 7-year-old Sua's mouth from the deepest stall in the women's bathroom.
"Shh, shh. Sua, no noise. Please..."
Jiwoo's voice trembled with tears too. Cold tile chill seeped through thin pants, but what drove him mad wasn't the cold or stench.
Kre-rur-rur—
Just one thin door away, the beast's breath from outside. The massive wolf monster prowling for food had crawled into the PC bang.
One hand over Sua's mouth, the other gripped his phone. He'd stumbled into the site on a notification—full of monster slayers.
'Bro... said he's coming...'
After fumbling a post on Survivor Gallery with dying battery, a miracle reply: Wait 30 mins with sis.
"Just 30 mins... 30 mins, Sua... Got it?"
Sua wouldn't stop crying, but Jiwoo held his back. 30 minutes, and bro comes.