Chapter 4. I've Decided on a Direction. (2)

I crouched down in front of the tank holding the marimo, adjusting my height to eye level. That green puffball thing was oddly cute. Had my sense of aesthetics turned feminine too?

"Alright, from today on, you're Donggle."

I carefully laid out blue and pink gravel on the tank bottom with tweezers. This was the result of my devotion, even buying the 5-minute-fuel customization tank decoration set to add it in. In this bleak apocalypse world, a green lifeform like this... Just looking at it purified my mind.

This train car needed some green in it too.

Truth be told, this little guy becoming the first resident of our train was thanks to an impulse buy just a few hours ago.

A bit earlier in time, I was actually able to sleep deeply. The train had minimal shaking and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠noise, making it the perfect sleep environment, and my body, relaxed from the bath, craved rest.

"Mm... Huh?"

When I opened my eyes, morning light was breaking outside the window. Stretching refreshingly, I checked the control panel—and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my eyes went wide.

"Whoa, 12 while I slept?"

Auto-hunting never let me down. Overnight, the train had roadkilled monsters and diligently collected mana stones. These would turn straight into spare fuel.

"This should cover that thing I put off last time."

I immediately opened the shop and bought the armory I'd agonized over but skipped before.

But a problem arose.

When I hit internal customization to place the armory and scanned for spots, there was no space considering its size.

"Ah."

Looking around, it made sense. Control room with bed-sofa, mini-bar, kitchen, plus the deluxe bathroom from yesterday. The train car was packed like a studio apartment.

No room for the armory.

In the end, I made a bold call.

I poured in fuel worth 10 mana stones. With massive vibrations, a new car appeared at the rear, and the interior expanded hugely.

"...Should've picked just one?"

Now with space to spare even after adding Car 2. Plenty of room in Car 2 for the armory too.

Stepping into Car 2, it felt empty and lonely, standing there alone.

Suddenly, loneliness hit.

"...Gotta fill it with something."

Flipping through the [Interior/Props] tab while eyeing the vacant space, something caught my eye.

"Why sell something like this?"

For a bored engineer? Or mental health? Normally I'd call it fuel waste, but 30 minutes wasn't bad. I needed something to soothe my mind. Even a silent mossball companion.

Seemed easier than plants too.

And so, impulse bought—this was Donggle.

I placed the tank on the central table in empty Car 2, right by the armory. One tank in vast space felt unbalanced, but watching the green clump sway in the current was strangely comforting.

"...You're so round."

I tapped the tank and stood.

Heading to the armory section deep in Car 2. There stood a sleek silver machine straight out of a movie, majestic. Beside it, empty transparent reinforced-glass display cases lined the walls.

"Let's see how this works."

I operated the touch panel in front.

Scrolling down showed complex weapons needing lots of materials, but basics caught my eye.

"Additional materials, huh... damn."

Now reason to collect monster byproducts beyond mana stones.

Hadn't crafted yet, but clichés said use monster parts for weapons. Or toss in mana stones for good stuff.

Immediate issue: basic materials.

"Yeah, only grabbed food. Didn't think of this."

Convenience store haul was all edibles, maybe cigarettes for trade. No metal or wood.

Could use train chairs/tables, but remaking them costs fuel—inefficient.

"Farming it is."

I left the armory, peered out the window. Train looping Incheon Line 1. Gray scenery: crumbled outer walls, rusting container stacks. Traces of a big commercial complex construction site too.

Metal, wood... construction site...

"Not bad?"

Construction site: metal, wood, maybe extras if lucky—all at once.

Screeech—

I quietly stopped the train near the site entrance track.

"Phew, okay. Check first."

Deep breath, gripped the hammer tight. It handled average monsters, but no complacency.

Switched control monitor to external cams, scanned site. Dead silent. Fallen fences, scattered helmets told of hasty abandonment.

"Awfully quiet?"

No monster signs, no people. Perfect for looting.

Grabbed the blue cart from Car 1 corner, headed out.

Rattle-rattle-rattle—

Plastic wheels echoed hugely at the silent entrance. Tense, I warily advanced slowly.

First: rebar bundles on the ground.

"Ugh..."

Bent, picked rusty one—heavy, as expected. Dragging to cart was hard labor. Selected shortest for cart.

Enough for swords or whatever.

Next: wood. Corner stacked with pallets like a mountain.

"Phew... wood sorted."

Stacked neatly on rebar. Cart felt heavy just pulling.

Glanced: site office container. Door wide, inside mess, but wall hooks had work clothes, safety boots, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠thick gloves.

"Helmet at least..."

Pulled cart over, grabbed gloves/helmet/boots. Sizes off, but helmet strap maxed to fit okay.

Sites are dangerous.

Rattle-rattle—

Cart heavier, steps lighter. Watching basics pile up gave strange satisfaction.

"This should do?"

Wiped sweat, grinned at spoils. Too smooth. No monsters, good weather, materials everywhere. Calm before storm—

Rumble-rumble-groooan!

Sudden bad vibration underfoot.

"...Earthquake?"

No. Rising from deep earth. Source nearing.

Concrete before me crack— split, then BOOM! Massive roar, dirt exploded.

From it rose a 2-story building-sized earthworm. No, too grotesque. Head: layered circular saw-teeth spinning. Ashy skin like rock-hard stone.

"What the hell is that?!"

Overwhelming size choked me. As I froze, it turned toward me.

Felt it: targeted me.

Twisted, lunged huge maw. Ground-crushing shove tore eardrums.

"Ugh..."

Run. Dumped cart, bolted without looking.

"Gahhh!"

Thud! Crunch! Body slams shook whole site. Behind: concrete-chewing horror sounds.

Fast! Huge but quick—swimming underground, bursting up.

Bit lip, max effort. But couldn't shake. Short strides, body weaker than male days—

Then.

"Ack?!"

Mind strides, foot tangled. Tripped on own feet, sprawled pathetically.

Clang! Hammer—sole weapon—flew far.

"My hammer!!"

Reached, too far. No fight planned, but now no last stand.

Meantime, huge shadow over head. Looked up: hundreds teeth spinning, maw wide above.

Fetid drool plopped on face. No dodge, no weapon.

Dead.

No, can't die like this!

Terror-spinning brain. No weapon? Can't block? One thing left.

The ridiculous turnaround skill.

"T-Train!"

Screamed, reached at air. No track. Pointed above me, at monster's head.

Please come. Please!

Whoosh! Blue ripple above worm head. Space-tear noise, massive steel dropped.

My 2-car train. Huge mass, spiked front—ultimate bludgeon.

"Hup!"

Last strength, crawled aside. Then—

Rooooar—KABOOM!

World-ending crash. Train crushed monster head flat.

"...Phew, it worked."

No death scream. Mass crushed tough hide, saw-teeth useless. Upper body exploded messily.

Thud, thud... Shock kept collapsing site post-fight.

I stayed put awhile. Dust settled, dusted off, stood.

"Dead..."

Before: green-blood-soaked flattened corpse, my train triumphantly atop.

Soon, with blood, body smoked away.

"Haha..."

Legs buckled, sat again. Hollow laugh.

Train interior wrecked, but alive—good enough.