Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: The Zombie Subway
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The 19th Airborne Special Forces Brigade, led by Major Kim Juncheol, had seized Apgujeong Station.
We slipped quietly into their group and made our way inside.
There was a special item here that we could only get at this station.
Dealing with the zombies inside wasn’t too hard for a military unit like this.
There weren’t that many zombies in the station anyway, and they were all low-level ones—office worker zombies and elderly zombies.
Bang! Bang bang!
They fired at anything they took for an enemy lurking in the darkness.
It seemed they were extremely wary of casualties or any increase in zombie numbers.
Once the gunfire died down, Major Kim Juncheol guided us to the subway platform.
It was pitch black on the way down, impossible to see ahead, but once we arrived, he handed out standard-issue flashlights to the refugees.
Flash.
The area lit up.
“Everyone, please wait here. We’ve got the stairs blocked off upstairs, so no need to worry.”
A few people looked like they wanted to say something, their mouths opening and closing repeatedly.
Players, no doubt.
I memorized their faces, then took Yoo Sora and moved to the far left end of the platform.
“Sora, what about the knife I gave you?”
Yoo Sora held up the kitchen knife stained with vampire blood and showed it to me.
“Right here.”
“Good. When the game starts, do exactly what I tell you.”
“Yes, sir…”
“And like I said earlier, stick to the taboos.”
“Got it.”
“Then rest up for now. If not now, you won’t get another chance to sleep today.”
Yoo Sora nodded and leaned against the wall to lie down. She picked a spot in the corner where she could see everyone else.
I walked along the platform, scanning for anyone who looked like a player.
Narrowing it down to suspects, there were about ten.
Out of so many people, the number of players was incredibly low.
Which meant the rest had all failed the tutorial and died.
“Not gonna be easy.”
At the opposite end, I spotted Jeongwoo and Michael talking.
“Jeongwoo Kim, aren’t the zombies scaryyy?”
“They’re scary. How could they not be? There are monsters right in front of us.”
I walked up to them.
“Ready?”
“Cheonjae Kim!”
The guy handed me a cigarette.
“You’re here. Where’s Sora?”
“Over on the other side.”
“Why’d you come alone?”
“Scoping things out. Seeing how many other players there are. Checking if the story matches what we know. Just wandering around on my own.”
“Nice. How many players?”
I held up both hands, fingers spread.
“Roughly ten. Feels like one’s tailing me right now. Pretending I don’t notice.”
“You? Why?”
“We’re advertising ourselves as players pretty openly. Either wants to team up or take us out before we get big.”
“Take us out means they know about this game.”
“Exactly.”
Jeongwoo frowned, looking dissatisfied.
“…Just be careful, you never know. Radio if shit hits the fan.”
“Will do. Michael, listen to Jeongwoo.”
Michael grinned brightly.
“Okay.”
After the chat, I lit my cigarette and headed back the way I came.
Crackle. Crackle.
Hiss.
I took a deep drag to chase away the metallic blood smell stuck in my nose. Of course, I knew it wouldn’t really go away.
It was just a neutralizing ritual of sorts.
As I walked, puffing smoke, I sensed someone shadowing me.
Had been for a while now, matching my steps like a shadow.
When I stopped.
Step.
So did they.
Step.
I turned to check the refugees, but couldn’t spot who. If the same face kept popping up, I’d know, but…
Too many people, all unfamiliar faces. Hard to pick out.
“…”
I scratched my head and kept walking. If they were after my life, they’d have attacked by now.
I deliberately acted careless, over and over.
Yet they never showed themselves, so probably just scouting the situation.
Rumble. Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.
The sound of a train echoed from the open safety barriers along the subway platform.
No one else would hear it.
NPCs and low-level players didn’t have heightened hearing like ours.
Only our group could pick up the train noise from in here.
I keyed the radio.
Beep.
“You hear that?”
Beep.
-Heard it.
Good.
I put the radio away and picked up the pace, ignoring my tail.
On the way back, I considered chatting up a few player-looking types.
‘Nah.’
They’d just be baggage even if we hit it off.
The useful players are the ones who survive this place.
Wait for the right moment first.
It took about three minutes for the subway to go from one end to the other.
Would’ve been faster if exhausted refugees weren’t sprawled blocking the way.
Apgujeong Station itself wasn’t that long, I realized.
“Sora.”
No response.
I sat down gently next to the sleeping Yoo Sora. She hadn’t even noticed me arrive, snoring softly without waking.
Still, she gripped the knife handle tight even in sleep.
“…Hoo.”
Seeing her sleep made drowsiness hit me too.
‘If not for that one.’
Without the other player tailing me, I could’ve caught a quick nap.
I looked around again—no player-types nearby now.
I took a final deep drag from my cigarette.
Hiss.
Puff.
A cold draft blew in from the passage connected to the outside.
I tossed the spent butt onto the tracks.
‘That’s the one.’
Caught you.
No NPCs had reacted to my smoking on the way here. Plenty had seen me strolling casually, puffing away.
From kids to elders, no one paid my cigarette any mind.
I’d been exhaling smoke nonstop, yet no coughs, no acknowledgment—like they couldn’t even perceive it.
Now, that one’s eyes flicked to where my butt landed.
Not a guy.
A girl.
That bitch is the one tailing me.
“Hey, you.”
A young-looking girl in a school uniform, bandage on her forehead. She chewed gum with loud smacks, glaring at me.
Looked high school age at most. But her eyes had the sharpness of someone who’d seen it all.
Kids these days are scary, for real.
“What.”
“Why’re you following me?”
“…What’re you on about? Why would I follow some old fart like you?”
Player confirmed? Her thug speech was spot on.
“I’ve known you’ve been tailing me since earlier.”
“Wha, what? Got proof?”
“Proof? I saw you with my own eyes.”
“Saw me?”
“Yeah.”
The girl shrugged.
“No proof, don’t talk shit. Pissing me off.”
“What? Pissing you off?”
“Yeah, pissing me off. Hah! Figures some old geezer butts in.”
Tough one.
A high school girl like none I’d met before.
I cleared my throat and continued.
“You. Know where we are?”
“Subway. What else?”
“Short speaker, huh.”
“You’re the short one.”
“What?”
Her gaze dropped to my crotch. I shot up, yelling.
“How dare you to an adult.”
“Ugh, whatever. I’m out, don’t talk to me. Creepy old man yapping away.”
Rage boiled up for a second.
But I nodded calmly.
Wasting emotions here would just tire me out, no gain.
“Old man, playing mute now? Why just nod nod nodding?”
“…”
“You mute or what? Huh? MUTE?”
I ignored her. She flipped me off and headed to the opposite end of the platform.
“Whew…”
The world’s a big place.
All kinds out there.
First time getting dissed by a kid like that—threw me off, but kinda funny.
She’ll be on her knees begging me soon enough.
I smirked at her retreating back.
* * * * *
Checked my phone again—still dead. No internet, messenger, calls, texts. Nothing.
Just a clock now.
“Sora. Sora. Time to wake up.”
“Mmm. Mmm… Huh? Was I asleep?”
“Yeah. Sleep well?”
“Ah… Yes…”
“It’s starting soon. Get your head in the game.”
Yoo Sora stared at me with fierce determination.
“Yes!”
Rumble. Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.
Train noise from outside the tunnel again.
[Second Round]
[Starting the first mission of Choice A.]
NPCs lounged on the ground or chatted casually, oblivious.
Meanwhile, players sprang into frantic motion.
Anyone could tell—they were game players.
Overreacting hard to the system mission.
Classic noobs, unable to hide their confusion.
‘…They’ll figure it out.’
Rumble. Rumble—! Rumble—!! Rumble—!!!
Something barreled fast from the tunnel. Wind howled with the train’s roar.
Subway’s coming.
Heading from Sinsa Station to Apgujeong.
I pulled a chicken bone from my pocket.
Holding off on summoning—NPCs would freak if I did it now.
Whoooosh—
Growing wind meant the subway was closing in.
Major Kim Juncheol, waiting upstairs, hurried down, tilting his head.
“A subway’s coming?”
Yeah.
It is.
Then Goblin Unit special forces in their masks descended the stairs.
About thirty of them.
They surrounded Kim Juncheol like bodyguards.
“Operations officer. Didn’t you say zombies overran Sinsa Station?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Then how’s a subway coming?”
“Well… Don’t know the origin, but seems like the last train from downline.”
Half right, half wrong.
It did depart from downline.
But it wasn’t the last one.
Vibrations hit.
Train entering the tunnel.
A brilliant light pierced the black tunnel from within.
Powered train—electricity on.
Refugees cheered, jumping up.
Hope of escape to Gangbuk.
-Woooo!
-Subway! It’s a subway!
-We riding that out?
Rumble rumble rumble—!
Their hope was short-lived.
As the train pulled into the platform, faces froze.
Me and Yoo Sora at the front stared tensely at the incoming subway.
We knew why now that we could see inside.
Brightly lit cars—zombies devouring citizens.
A surviving citizen pounded blood-smeared windows in despair.
In mere seconds, everyone who saw the subway hardened.
Scratches everywhere on the glass from desperate escapes.
Even I, knowing it all, was stunned by the gruesome scene.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
Didn’t want to see.
The massacre.
The fast-approaching train head reached the platform end.
Screeech—
Friction wail.
Thud!
The subway stopped.
“Sora, let’s start.”
“Yes!”
-Kieeeek!!
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