Suwon (2)
"You're scaring the kid with that glare."
"It's not me—it's all these people around here..."
The two old-timers, who had been disarmed amid the commotion, cleared their throats a few times before snapping back to their sharp expressions. Their ages were ambiguous—somewhere between middle-aged and elderly—but from that moment on, I decided to just think of them as two grandpas in my mind. It clicked when they started talking about their grandkids.
Ahem. "We're truly grateful for the supplies, but I have to say this first."
The politician grandpa spoke gravely. "Normally, we'd take the food and send you students off on your train out of the Suwon safe zone. But the situation has changed..."
"Changed how?" I asked, and they looked troubled as they explained.
"Our original deal with those Yeouido bastards wasn't just about taking supplies and leaving. The condition was to leave the Suwon safe zone in a state where it could hold out normally for a few months, even without us there—so the remaining people could survive."
"And that required supplies and daily necessities."
"Exactly." I nodded at his words. So originally, just the food and essentials would've been enough to keep things running smoothly.
"So you're saying Suwon can't hold on with just food anymore?"
"Embarrassing as it is, yes... Lately, some real pests have set up nest around here."
The mention of a "nest" made me think of monsters first. "Pests? Did monsters suddenly swarm the area? Or a dungeon...?"
"Pretty much monsters, yeah. And dungeon-like too."
As he answered, he glanced down at Sua, who was peering curiously out the train window beside me, then flicked his eyes to mine. It was clear he didn't want to say it in front of a child.
I patted Sua's shoulder lightly. "Sua, sweetie, go inside and play. Sis has to talk business with the grown-ups."
"Okay!"
Sua scampered happily into the train, and once the door to car 1 sealed shut, the man's demeanor shifted.
"Now we can speak freely. If not monsters, then what?"
"Criminals."
He ground his teeth as he spat it out. "Ever since the world went to hell, these bastards have been systematically threatening our supplies and people in Suwon."
The politician let out a heavy sigh. "We can't just up and leave for Yeouido while they're still out there. If we abandon this place to them, it won't last long."
"Damn it... I just wanna go see my grandkids..."
The chaebol chairman seemed to have different priorities, but he still leaned toward handling it before leaving.
The two grandpas eyed the train hulking behind me, especially the massive grinder dominating the front. "It's shameless to ask, but we need you and your train's help."
"Hold on. First, tell me exactly what these guys have done."
I fixed my gaze on them. Before deciding to help, I wanted to know why they called them a criminal gang.
My firm tone made the politician grandpa nod solemnly. "Fair enough. But it's a gruesome story—might turn your stomach."
"It's fine. Tell me."
The chairman gnashed his teeth and began recounting what the Suwon survivors had endured.
"We first learned about them through the Survivor Gallery's exchange board."
Apparently, the Suwon safe zone folks needed credits to use vending machines, so they'd been posting usable items on the gallery for trades under the username SuwonSafeZone.
"Then one day, a message popped up—from someone who seemed to know the username. They said they were holed up and isolated in the same Suwon area, begging for rescue."
"..."
A bad feeling hit me. The chairman bowed his head bitterly.
"Not the trade we expected, but how could we ignore a desperate plea from people right nearby? We immediately assembled a rescue team of five combat awakeners and sent them out."
His fists started trembling as he spoke. "But the next morning at dawn, only one came back. A female awakener, covered in bruises, her clothes torn to shreds."
I furrowed my brow deeply.
"At first, we thought monsters... but it was worse—humans, lower than monsters."
The chairman winced, turning his head as if the memory resurfaced. The politician picked up the story.
"The moment they arrived at the meetup spot, the 'rescue' requesters turned hostile, swinging weapons. The rest of their ambush crew jumped out and overwhelmed the team. The other four men..."
Silence fell. Everyone knew the rest—no one spoke, just stared at the ground or off into the distance, steadying themselves.
"The sole survivor..."
"They kept her alive as the only woman, dealing with the other survivors first. She seized the chance, fought through the encirclement with everything she had, and escaped."
"Hoo..."
A sigh escaped me unbidden. A group that exploited human kindness, striking from behind without hesitation to kill. No wonder they called them criminals.
"After tracking them, we found their hideout. They'd built sturdy barricades, posing as a safe zone, still luring victims via the gallery."
What the two grandpas wanted from me wasn't to wipe them out for them.
"That's why our ancestors sweated blood to build massive walls..."
The chairman gestured with his eyes to the train's front. "The path to their base and the subway tracks are blocked by a massive barricade. That's all we ask of you."
"Just smash it with my train?"
"Yes."
"And I don't have to fight?"
The chairman glanced between my face and the window, frowning. "Heh... We have consciences. This is our fight. We'll finish it."
"Yeah, we can't risk you getting hurt—the kids... And we'll make it worth your while."
"...Okay, I'll help."
The moment I agreed, preparations kicked off at breakneck speed under their lead. People checked weapons and gear with zero hesitation, like they'd been prepping for this forever.
We loaded the Suwon awakeners and the two grandpas into the passenger cars and rolled along the tracks. The destination was just two stations past the Suwon safe zone—they said I'd know it by the barricade.
It didn't take long before their base came into view. No need to ask from car 3; the barricade screamed it.
"...Impressive."
I let out a disbelieving chuckle at the sight through the cockpit window. Their subway track barricade was a tangled mess of whole tree trunks ripped from street roots and crumpled wrecked cars piled high.
What kind of strength or skills let them haul that heavy crap underground to build a wall like that? And they said the surface was even bigger.
"...It'll work, right?"
A bit worried, but I trusted my train and pushed forward.
"Hold on tight. Take care of the kids."
I warned Haseon in car 1 and asked the golem to watch the children—impact might knock them over. The golem positioned behind the two kids' backs; Haseon clutched her notebook tight. I pulled the lever.
KABOOM-!
GRIND-!
The train slammed frontally into the barricade, jolting the whole length. Shouts of surprise echoed from far-off car 3.
Speed dropped, but the front grinder kept spinning relentlessly.
CRUNCH-!
The savagely piled logs and car panels shredded like paper amid the grinding roar.
"Got it!"
The cogwheel pulverized everything, and their wall finally crumbled spectacularly into rubble.
"Phew... Scout drone, check the perimeter."
Dust cleared to reveal their hideout—way bigger than expected. Drone recon showed they'd fortified the entire station area. Ironically, the vast scale worked in our favor. Despite the thunderous crash, only two or three rushed toward the train from afar.
They scrambled down to the platform, staring in shock.
"Wh-what the hell?! That train?!"
"Attack!! Stop it!"
Panicked, they unleashed attacks. One hurled massive ice chunks from midair; another chucked sharp daggers in rapid succession.
CLANG!
TING!
Aimed at the windows, but they bounced off harmlessly without a scratch.
I left the car 1 cockpit and headed to car 3's passenger section.
"We're he—"
Before I finished, the Suwon survivors were already geared up, lined single-file at the door. Their eyes burned fierce.
"Student. Open the door."
"Wait—they're chucking ice and knives out there..."
I warned cautiously, but the politician grandpa and the stern-faced men up front showed no flicker of doubt.
"It's fine. Open it."
HISS-!
The instant I unsealed car 3's door, the three lead men bolted out without pause. They rolled behind platform pillars for cover, then drew sleek black weapons from their gear.
Wait—those are—
BANG!
BANG!
RAT-TAT-TAT-!!
Sharp cracks echoed through the station. Not items or skills—real firearms.
"Arghhh!"
"Guh!"
Just seconds after the three men coolly fired from cover. The attackers hurling ice and knives went silent amid screams.
The chairman and politician chuckled dryly.
"Serves 'em right!"
"That's what ammo's for. Use it up."
Those three were Suwon's best shots. Not originally, but hunting flying monsters with guns had honed their aim sharply.
Leading the way, the awakeners leapfrogged cover and advanced rapidly out of the station. Gunfire would draw more, but they brimmed with confidence.
"Alright, let's join 'em!"
That's when the two upright grandpas drew weapons to head out themselves.
"Wait—you're going out there?!"
"Bah! I'm ex-White Skull Unit. I'm good. Fine."
I yelped in panic, but their eyes said no way they'd stay put just because I said so.
No time to stop them as they charged out. I glanced aside.
"...Go protect the safe zone folks."
I ordered the drones and golem. Combat and sniper drones launched at my call; the artillery golem lumbered out with earth-shaking steps.