Black Tide Approaches
After that, the engine room fell silent for a while.
The Ticket Attendant turned on the lights early as the sun began to sink, and Hyun-soo had already drifted off into a deep sleep.
Watching him like that, the attendant felt his eyes unexpectedly welling up.
Hyun-soo had spoken so casually, as if it were nothing, but it didn't look that way at all to the attendant.
If anything, that forced brightness seemed like a desperate struggle to mask the darkness, and it filled him with pity.
Was this what they called the weight of years?
A lonely smile crossed the attendant's face as he gazed at his reflection in the window, thinking how much time had slipped away.
His heart still felt as young as Hyun-soo's.
Lost in such thoughts while staring ahead, he suddenly realized one fact.
Zombies hadn't been in sight for some time now.
Aside from the occasional glimpse when passing stations, they hadn't run into any.
They'd only ventured a little further out, and yet the zombies had noticeably thinned.
Just as Jaejeong had predicted.
The attendant slowly eased off the throttle.
Not knowing how far they needed to go, he figured saving fuel was wise, even if just a bit.
In the gradually slowing train, as he stared blankly ahead, hazy images of his fallen comrades flickered past his eyes.
If they just kept racing along the tracks forever, maybe everything would return to normal.
Round and round, back to the start—perhaps the world would regain its old shape too.
Snap out of it—the reverie-buried attendant jolted awake.
He must have dozed off without realizing.
Shaking his head, he scanned ahead.
Stations demanded extra caution, just like anywhere else.
If an abandoned train still sat there, it could lead to a massive wreck.
And sure enough.
The tail end of a train loomed ahead.
The attendant hurriedly cut speed.
But they were already too close.
At this rate, they'd either smash into it or screech to a halt right at its nose.
A stopped train meant something had prevented departure—zombies could come pouring out.
Screeeeech!
The emergency brake sent sparks flying between wheels and rails, accompanied by a deafening roar.
The noise snapped Hyun-soo awake from his sound sleep beside him.
"Grip tight!"
The attendant bellowed at Hyun-soo.
Collision seemed inevitable.
Hyun-soo hurriedly crouched in preparation for the impact, while the attendant shielded his face with both arms and clenched his jaw.
Screeeeech!
The two men, eyes squeezed shut in terror, slowly raised their heads.
"Haa..."
The attendant slumped back against the bulkhead with a sigh of relief, drenched in cold sweat despite the brief moment.
The gap to the front train was barely wide enough for a finger joint.
Seeing it, Hyun-soo felt a chill run down his spine.
They'd sensed the jolt in the engine room, but the rest of the group asleep in the cars wouldn't have.
A crash like that could've caused serious injuries.
Just as Hyun-soo and the attendant stepped out of the engine room, clutching their chests, the others—including Jaejeong and Youngman—emerged from the passenger cars.
Jaejeong peered out at the surroundings with uneasy eyes and asked,
"What happened?"
"There was a train stopped at the station. I nodded off for a second... sorry."
The attendant apologized with an awkward expression.
But Jaejeong clapped him on the shoulder instead.
"No need to apologize. We were all out cold. More importantly, a stalled train up ahead means zombies might be swarming the station."
"Yeah, that's what worries me. First things first, we should transfer to the front train."
"Sounds good."
With that, Jaejeong leaned out of the train.
The area was deathly still.
At least the station wasn't right in front of them—a small mercy.
The front train's length kept some distance from it.
No reason to scout or wait any longer.
Zombies or no, they had to move to keep going.
"Everyone, out."
Jaejeong jumped down to the tracks, rifle at the ready, and started walking.
The group followed in single file, feet hitting the rails.
Heavy clouds and the sun barely cresting the ridge made the area darker than expected.
Jaejeong headed away from the station's direction.
With the train between them and it, they could duck for cover or climb aboard if zombies appeared.
Every coupler between cars drew careful glances toward the station beyond.
The screech of the emergency stop hadn't been quiet—sparks had shot up to window height.
And in this eerily silent stretch, the noise would've carried far, not just to the station but beyond.
Deciding no more checking was needed, Jaejeong boarded the train.
The tense group followed one by one.
Engine room to the left from their position, passenger cars stretching right.
Tap tap.
Youngman, aboard, tapped the attendant's shoulder.
The oppressive quiet had everyone avoiding even small sounds.
Youngman led with his machete, heading to the engine room with the attendant.
To escape, they needed to check it first and foremost.
Meanwhile, Jaejeong entered the second car.
Squad Leader, Anna, Yeon-hui, Hyun-soo, and Minyoung trailed behind.
Fortunately, the car was empty.
Passing a stench of rot and blood that stung the nose, Jaejeong opened the door to the lounge between cars.
They crept past the bathroom; train doors flanked left and right.
Each step echoed only with breaths and soles peeling from the floor.
Was it really empty?
Zombies would've made some noise or sign by now.
But no one let their guard down.
They could lunge from anywhere, anytime.
It was always like this.
Every quiet they'd faced was the calm before the storm—preceding major crises with this same hush.
Experience kept their nerves taut.
After checking the lounge, Jaejeong moved to the next car.
Passing the third and fourth, he paused at the fifth.
Unlike the others, the fourth car's door was smeared with blood and flesh chunks, obscuring the interior.
Shh...
A few steps into the next car, Jaejeong froze.
Bodies lay lined down the aisle's center.
More slumped into seats like rags on hangers, blocking their path.
Gulp.
Minyoung, dagger in hand, swallowed dryly.
Lying corpses made her teeth chatter now.
Three had played dead at the station, nearly killing them.
Step. Step.
Jaejeong at the front slowly backed away one step at a time; the group caught on and retreated too.
How many steps back?
As Jaejeong lifted his last foot from the car,
One corpse on the floor like trash bolted upright.
It twisted its head at an unnatural angle toward them.
Raaaaagh!
With the roar, the corpses rose in unison.
"Run!"
At Jaejeong's shout, the group spun and bolted with everything they had.
But the narrow aisle forced single file; one slowdown rippled through all.
Minyoung, originally last, now led; Yeon-hui was in the middle.
Speed lagging, Jaejeong at the rear halted, turned.
Zombies shoved and trampled in the tight space, chaos.
But their strength and pain immunity made them far faster.
Confirming the group pulling away, Jaejeong readjusted his sledgehammer.
Down at least three here to build a wall, buy time.
Save at least one car for them.
Thud!
Jaejeong slammed his foot into the lead zombie's chest with full force.
The kick not only hurled it back but toppled the followers too.
No need to explain—his log-thick thigh throbbed from the effort.
Without pause, he pursued the tumbling horde.
Soon, gruesome crunches followed as heads burst like watermelons.
While Jaejeong stalled, another crisis hit the front.
Hyun-soo, racing after Minyoung, suddenly lost balance and pitched forward.
Something had snagged his leg.
Face-planting, before pain registered, he turned to see a zombie under the seat clutching his ankle.
It gnashed like possessed.
Yeon-hui and Anna behind fared the same.
The chain of falls left them sprawling, wrestling zombies.
"Die, you fucking bastards!"
Squad Leader, who'd doubled back, smashed his rifle butt into the zombies gaping at the fallen group.
His full-force blows crumpled them one by one; the group rose and counterattacked.
But unlike Squad Leader's sprint, Minyoung stood frozen at the car door.
Her gaze fixed outside.
Like enemy hordes charging across ancient fields.
Layered zombie howls merged into a single wave of sound.
Soon, a black tide swallowed the plains behind the station.
Not Seoul-scale, but thousands at least.
Minyoung's eyes shifted to the group.
They battled the few inside.
This way... they'd be trapped, dead.
She turned, sprinted for the engine room.
Don't leave now, all zombie chow.
"Dad!"
Her near-scream pierced to Youngman in the engine room.
"What is it?!"
Youngman burst out, face ashen.
She'd never sounded so desperate.
"Look outside!"
Her shout from the car's end drew his eyes outward.
Zombies swarming from behind the station.
"We gotta go now! Why aren't we moving?!"
Minyoung, now close, stomped in frustration.
Clearly dire.
But Youngman's face darkened; he stayed silent.
"Dad!"
"Looks like the engine won't turn over."
"What? It... won't start?"
Minyoung went pale.
Won't start.
With horde less than 200 meters away.
The area brimmed with their surging roars.
Everyone in the train now grasped it.
Right then.
Whoosh!
The engine room door flew open; the attendant appeared.
"What's the rear like?"
"Horde incoming! We need to go now!"
"Fuel's pumping—should move soon! Uncoupling first! Link's between cars 2 and 3, so guard the rear ones no matter what!"
As he spoke, the motionless train shuddered to life.
Then Jaejeong's voice from behind:
"Head forward! Keep it rolling!"
The group, finishing their fight, turned; Jaejeong raced from the rear, buying time.
Not alone.
Piled corpses long crumbled; zombies filled the aisle black, chasing.
Train inching forward, but not enough.
Uncoupling wouldn't beat them here.
As death's shadow fell over all, someone grabbed a rifle and leaped from the train.
Infected People