Arrested at the Gates
Heading back down into the sewer hadn't been difficult at all.
The infected, drawn by something, had all swarmed to the middle of the city intersection.
Truth be told, everyone was curious, but no one voiced it.
After the hellish day before, they had no desire to face those things again.
"There was some kind of sound, though."
Anna muttered to herself as she walked, lost in thought.
Hyun-su looked at her curiously.
"What kind of sound?"
"Like singing... or maybe someone screaming. It's weird, right?"
"Whatever it was, it's good for us."
"Aren't you curious? Unless someone did it on purpose, why would that happen?"
"Could be a machine malfunction, or something we haven't thought of. Especially with announcement broadcasts—they often set alarms in advance."
Hyun-su shrugged.
"It's almost been a week already. Alarms? Whatever. It just feels off to me."
"You're being too sensitive, noona."
"Shut up."
Anna, scolded, recalled the earlier memory.
As the group finished preparing to leave the gas station, curiosity got the better of her, and she walked a bit further.
She'd heard a faint, strange noise from afar, and infected were still pouring in from all over the city.
Even after the massive horde passed last night, there were still so many.
Like they were being mass-produced in a factory, endlessly gathering.
She desperately wanted to go closer.
To find out what the sound was and where it came from.
But she was getting too far from the gas station.
Reluctantly, she turned back.
Damn it, I should've gone just a little further.
Seeing Anna deep in thought, Jae-jeong advised her.
"Forget it, Anna. Once we reach the safe zone, we won't hear stuff like that from outside anymore."
"Yeah, you're right."
Anna agreed easily, as usual.
"And if someone helped us on purpose, we'll find out eventually. Someone with that kind of skill would know about the safe zone."
"True. What? Since when are you so smart?"
"It's not smart—it's obvious."
"Oh, so I don't even know the obvious?"
Anna teased deliberately.
"Acting all prickly again..."
Jae-jeong started to retort, but Beom-sik tapped his shoulder.
Up ahead, Young-man, leading the way, raised his hand signaling back.
He'd spotted something.
Soon, a single infected rounded the corner with a grotesque noise.
Young-man struck at that exact moment.
Thwack! Splash!
The thing's head took the hit and plunged straight into the water.
Jae-jeong picked up where he'd left off.
"What I mean is, that's not—"
"I know. You think I'm an idiot? That you're exhausting to be around? Can't even joke around."
"Unbelievable."
Jae-jeong clutched his throbbing head, watching Anna saunter past after having her say.
A little later,
the group spotted bright light filtering in at the dim end of the sewer.
Young-man emerged first, shielding his eyes from the pouring sunlight with a pleased smile.
The yacht marina was visible not far off.
Of course, fuel wouldn't have been available from the start.
Too many infected had trailed them from the hospital to here by car.
Slipping through to siphon gas at the station would have been impossible.
Just as Beom-sik said, things had turned out this way for a reason.
Looking around, not a single ant stirred on the hills and roads swarming with them before.
The infected must have gone toward the helicopter noise too.
The iron plates Gong-du had laid over the broken bridge were still there.
They crossed the plates one by one toward the boat.
Once Young-man climbed aboard, Jae-jeong handed over the fuel can he'd carried like a safe.
Hyun-su, aboard with him, helped pour it.
The two barely tilted the heavy can, realizing just how superhuman Jae-jeong's strength was.
Carrying this in one hand.
For an hour, no less.
The group's eyes swelled with anticipation as fuel gushed out.
Please start.
With so many variables, they knew logically it should work, but anxiety lingered.
"Ah, the key."
Young-man said, glancing at the driver's seat after pouring.
Minyoung pointed to the boat's side.
"It has a number. Boat 7."
"I'll go get it."
Beom-sik yanked back Hyun-su, who was waving his hand to volunteer.
Hyun-su scratched his head, back in place instantly.
"I could've gone."
"Don't go off alone anymore. I'll get the key... Ah, there he goes again by himself."
Beom-sik muttered, chasing after Jae-jeong, already far ahead.
At the marina building, Jae-jeong and Beom-sik opened the rusted, peeling white paint door.
The interior, untouched for days, was blanketed in dust.
Each step on the wooden floor sent smoke-like dust billowing, sparkling in the sunlight from the window.
They split up to search for the key box.
Assuming it'd be on some wall.
But no matter where they looked, no keys.
Beom-sik spoke up.
"Nothing there?"
"Seems not."
Plenty of cabinets and drawers left unsearched—it'd take time.
Jae-jeong, scanning a shelf, suddenly paused and looked at Beom-sik.
"Hey, but Yeouido's right there."
"Spit it out."
Beom-sik replied, crouching to pull out boxes.
"Isn't it kinda weird?"
"What?"
"Could they build all those fences in one day?"
"One day? Why one day?"
"It wasn't built after the outbreak started. When we first reached the marina from the hospital, the fences were already up. By then, people were dying left and right, no heavy equipment—how could they work that late? They must've built it beforehand."
Beom-sik paused, pondering.
It made sense.
With people biting each other nonstop, calmly doing construction?
Impossible.
"It is weird."
"Decisively..."
Jae-jeong grunted, heaving the last box from the shelf.
"The broken bridge. That's the strangest. They must've coordinated with the military ahead of time to cut it. But how? When was there time?"
"So your conclusion?"
"These bastards knew from the start. Before Japan collapsed, when the infection began there—they knew. They moved fast, thinking it'd be contained here. But it spread way quicker than expected. Things fell apart before they could fence everything, so they had to cut the bridge."
"Plausible. Fits together nicely. But even if true, does it change anything for us?"
Beom-sik asked pointedly.
"Nope."
Jae-jeong shook his head, tossing the rummaged box back on the shelf.
A thick finger hooked a silver key.
"But the past might've changed. We might not have ended up like this. Let's go see. Check the face of whatever smug bastard abandoned everyone for his own skin."
"Fine. But what if it's some high-up? You're a cop—can't go committing mutiny."
"Why not? Want me to beat 'em instead?"
"Not hard."
Beom-sik snorted and headed out.
Back at the boat, Jae-jeong handed the key to Young-man.
Everyone stared tensely at his hands.
Young-man inserted it and turned.
Vroom!
The motor roared powerfully, shaking.
Relief bloomed on their faces.
They boarded with helping hands, untied the mooring rope from the pillar.
"Let's cross then. See if our ordeal paid off."
Young-man said, steering.
Cool river wind seeped through their bodies.
Sticky sweat vanished instantly.
Jae-jeong looked up at the sky.
The weather was so perfect, it felt like a leisure outing.
How great if it really were.
Starting far from the bridge, diagonally crossing took time.
Yeouido drew nearer, fences sharpening into view.
Half curiosity, half worry.
Everyone probably felt the same.
Events to get here flashed like a montage.
So many moments he'd rewind if possible.
If the river wind could wash them all away.
The boat slowed nearing Yeouido.
"We'll beach it. No need to board again."
All agreed with Young-man.
Board again?
They didn't want to imagine such horror.
The only way out: getting kicked out.
The boat hit land with a light jolt and stopped.
Descending, the group was baffled by the blocking fence.
No gate or entry anywhere, despite searching.
Then—
Clunk!
Not far, a gray iron plate in the grass flipped open.
A group emerged from underground.
Soldiers.
Jae-jeong, in front, tossed his weapon down.
The others followed, stunned, dropping theirs.
Soldiers raised rifles, approaching spread out.
Any odd move, and they'd fire.
Jae-jeong raised his hands; Young-man and Beom-sik beside him did too.
But rifles stayed trained as they closed in.
"Everyone, hands clasped behind your heads. Turn around."
They complied meekly.
"Kneel like that."
Soldiers frisked immediately.
Anna and Minyoung got searched by a female soldier among them.
Aside, a young private checked weapon safeties, bagging them in a long sack.
And then...
A man appeared they'd barely noticed behind.
White coat, bald, early 40s maybe.
"You came by boat?"
Deep, resonant voice.
Jae-jeong nodded.
"Yes. Guided here by Captain Kang Jin-hyuk."
"Captain Kang? How?"
The man blinked, surprised.
Young-man briefly explained the radio contact backstory.
"Oh-ho, really? Open that sack."
The private rushed over with it.
The man eyed the weapons inside, then tilted his head.
"Where'd this pistol come from?"
He pulled a gold-trimmed pistol.
"This is weird. This gun belonged to one of our search team members. Why's it here?"
Search team?
The group's eyes widened.
Gong-du, that gangster punk, a search team member? No way.
Were they being framed right now?
Jae-jeong blurted urgently.
"That's not a soldier's gun. It was—"
"Arrest them."
The man stepped back after the order.
Soldiers roughly cuffed them.
"Don't touch me. You'll die."
Beom-sik warned, but ignored.
"Let go! Fuck! Let go?!"
Beom-sik thrashed wildly, then crumpled from a rifle butt.
Trampled by boots until dust-covered.
Thud!
Watching, Jae-jeong feigned stepping back, then punched a soldier's face.
Crack!
Dull bone-on-bone thud.
But his foot slipped—half the power missed.
The stumbling soldier swung back.
Instantly, rifle butts and boots flew from sides.
He dodged nimbly despite his size, but the rear attack was unavoidable.
Struck in the back of the head, Jae-jeong blacked out.