13
Chapter 13
Honestly, I didn't really feel the weight of the mobilization order.
The government had dismissed everything as "Seoul unrest" and kept us in the dark; all I knew was that monsters called Amalgams were running rampant.
The fate of the affable Han Myeong-un still sent shivers down my spine, but...
Because the encounter with that Amalgam had been so intense yet brief, it felt like a single scene from a horror movie playing in my mind.
After about four days, a hazy feeling seeped into my memory, making me wonder if it had all been a nightmare.
Paradoxically, it wasn't the hordes of monsters that made the gravity of the situation sink in, but the people.
As soon as we arrived at Suwon Station and stepped off the 2.5-ton truck, the first thing our mages saw were soldiers frantically running around the above-ground platforms. Some signalmen were breaking into cold sweats while checking their batteries.
Following First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi, we eavesdropped on the signalmen's radios.
"Hwaseong One. This is Paldal Two. Checking communications. One, two, three, four, five. Please confirm signal strength."
"[...This is Hwaseong One. Signal strength five. Paldal Two, report on-site.]"
"Fog visibility near Paldal Two is within 300 meters. Should we check signal strength with other stations?"
"[Received. Report back after checking signal strength and fog visibility. Maintain radio contact at all times. Out.]"
The sight of soldiers scurrying through the damp, creeping fog finally brought the reality of the situation home to me.
It was seeing them struggle to unload ammo boxes from military trucks, loading fuel cans into armored vehicles, and checking magazines loaded with live ammunition with trembling hands as they adjusted their crooked helmets.
That's when I realized.
Ah, we are in the midst of a disaster.
Amidst the loud echoing of footsteps layered over faint breathing, First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi led us to where the ammo boxes were piled.
It wasn't just ammo boxes; K2 Rifles, M16s, grenades, gas masks, and ponchos were all stacked there. A sergeant managing the gear glared irritably at First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi before sighing and adjusting his helmet.
"The remaining firearms are in poor condition, but you'll have to use them."
"What about the CBRN protective suits?"
"The kids sent to the Blockade Line and the forward stations took them all. There's nothing left. Gas masks went to them first, too. Just wear the ponchos."
"You heard him? Operators, put on the ponchos."
And so, I found myself wearing a poncho—something I would have absolutely avoided back in my active duty days, even if it meant getting soaked in the rain.
Back then, I'd wear a coat-style raincoat or just use an umbrella, but the ponchos provided here were the typical kind. They had that distinct, pungent smell of gear that had been soaked in rain, not properly dried, and left to rot in a warehouse.
The stench, which felt like it was soaking through my combat uniform and into my skin, made my shoulders feel incredibly heavy.
The days of cumulative fatigue, where just breathing felt exhausting, had returned.
Staff Sergeant Lee Se-jun and Corporal Park Se-hyeok seemed to share the sentiment, as their expressions were all the same.
"I didn't even wear ponchos in the reserves."
"...Can't we just use umbrellas?"
Only Shin Na-in was relatively serious, putting on his poncho while checking his weapon and magazine.
"Chamber clear. Lord, please guide us."
I reflexively followed suit and checked my weapon.
I struggled a bit due to the different structures of the M16 and K2 Rifle, but Shin Na-in kindly stepped over to demonstrate, allowing me to handle it safely.
"Be careful not to get pinched by the hinge."
"Shin Na-in, you're a real ace."
"I just work hard at everything."
Compared to me, who had been called useless except when doing manual labor in the unit, Shin Na-in's natural handling of the K2 Rifle made him look like a super ace.
Looking back, I think his habit of spending twenty minutes in the restroom listening to hymns or church songs is just a minor flaw in the otherwise perfect ace.
Once I received the gas mask, rifle, magazine, poncho, and grenade, I felt somewhat reassured.
Surprisingly, the Dogma-type mages also naturally checked their gas masks.
Pastor Park Yo-han tilted his head, puffing breath into his mask, while Father Jeong Yong-hwan helped the other Dogma-type mages tighten their straps. Monk Cheong-hwi had already put his on perfectly and was pressing his palms together in prayer.
"Huff, huff. The chin strap is a bit loose."
"Just open your mouth a little to adjust the air. If that doesn't work..."
"Oh~ Father. You must have had some CBRN training."
After a few brief words, we fell back into silence.
Wrapped in ponchos and gas masks, everyone—whether religious figures or reservists—looked like nothing more than soldiers dragged into a war zone. Only the look in our eyes distinguished us from one another.
The only exception was Bosal Geulmun, who was glaring sharply at the four of us Alteration-type mages without a mask.
"What are you looking at?"
"Now, now, I'll guide you as we go down. Just follow me."
And so, we headed toward the subway station.
With rifles, magazines, grenades, ponchos, and gas masks, it was hard to tell if we were even mages. Around then, First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi, wearing his gas mask, began to explain in detail as he led us to the underground platform.
"There's been a slight change to the original operation draft. Bosal Geulmun is the key to this mission, and the reason she isn't wearing a mask."
"Huff, huff... May I ask about the changes?"
"Yes, of course."
Step, step.
As we descended the stone stairs of the platform, we saw several soldiers checking the status of the bulkheads.
"Command believes the above-ground tracks are likely to be blocked by artillery, but the subway will be harder to seal immediately since it requires significant demolition or blasting. Plus, it allows us to gather intel from inside Seoul and avoid criticism that the operation is inhumane."
When a few soldiers saluted First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi, he gestured for them to carry on and continued speaking.
"The Dogma-type magic we suspect Bosal Geulmun possesses is Spirit Sight."
"Spirit Sight?"
"She can visually perceive and distinguish the spiritual difference between a normal human and a head-type fusion Mimic Beast... an Amalgam."
At the question someone had casually asked, Bosal Geulmun crossed her arms, wearing a haughty and arrogant smile as she claimed that those clingy monster bastards have souls that look different from humans and that even the Grandmother she serves finds them repulsive.
If that were the case, the four of us Alteration-type mages, including myself, wondered if every single shaman should be drafted.
Corporal Park Se-hyeok, who spent most of his time grumbling, gave a tiny nod, seemingly in agreement for once.
Of course, our proud national army was operating with surprising precision, unlike their usual haphazard nature.
"That's why the military views Bosal Geulmun's case as vital and is politely requesting cooperation from shamans. However, those who actually have some spiritual power have either bolted or gone into hiding. The Military Police are currently hunting them down."
To think the shamans were one step ahead of the army.
Apparently, the skilled shamans knew the military would come for them and vanished in advance; they certainly lived up to their reputation.
"However, detection via Spirit Sight triggers aggression in Amalgams. To use Spirit Sight, Bosal Geulmun must look directly at them without the aid of lenses or filters, and it's been confirmed that this causes the Amalgams to show intense hostility toward her."
"How do you know that?"
"Six soldiers were sacrificed during the process of securing Bosal Geulmun's cooperation in exchange for her extraction from the restricted zone."
Now I understood why Bosal Geulmun was so grumpy.
As a skilled shaman with great power, she probably wanted to run, but she had a promise to keep and couldn't bear to watch ordinary soldiers die. She was a far more upright person than I'd thought.
"I will also disclose the abilities of the Alteration-type mages. Since we're on-site, we no longer need to worry about information leaks."
And so, the abilities of our quartet of Alteration-type mages were finally revealed.
Shin Na-in possessed an Alteration-type magic of the Hearing Line. Fittingly for someone who loves hymns, he can randomly hear people's inner voices, and with intense focus, he can hear a strange popping sound that distinguishes truth from lies.
"In times like these, honesty is essential."
Shin Na-in smiled, tapping his earphones.
Corporal Park Se-hyeok also had a Hearing Line ability.
Instead of voices, Park Se-hyeok could hear heartbeats. He could distinguish the heartbeats of inexperienced Amalgams mimicking humans, though this had become largely obsolete as the Amalgams' mimicry skills improved.
"Corporal Park Se-hyeok will assist Bosal Geulmun with the screening process."
"Can't we just shoot them all dead... Fuck, they're all just goddamn monsters..."
As he continued to grumble despite First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi's calm explanation, Staff Sergeant Lee Se-jun poked my shoulder and whispered.
"I looked into him, and he was from a unit under the Capital Defense Command. I heard he was near Geomdan. That unit has already collapsed, and the command basically considers them wiped out. I think he's a survivor."
"How did you find that out?"
"I told you I have connections at the Blockade Line. It seems like they're just shooting everyone now, but they probably brought him along because he can use magic."
Staff Sergeant Lee Se-jun's ability was the Heart Line.
He was capable of performing dramatically for about ten minutes without tiring, even after sprinting at full speed for nearly thirty seconds or in situations where adrenaline was surging. He was said to be the most combat-effective mage among us.
"Look at how the army is begging me to come back now that I failed my long-term service application."
Staff Sergeant Lee Se-jun was deeply resentful toward the army for rejecting his long-term service.
Finally, there was me, Baek Jemin.
"Mr. Baek Jemin can see approximately ten seconds into the future through footprints."
I felt the expressions of the Dogma-type mages change as they learned this.
Father Jeong Yong-hwan, who had mastered heat detection, seemed particularly intrigued. Now that we all knew each other's abilities... or so I thought. First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi suddenly looked around and frowned.
"By the way, where's Hamza?"
"Huh?"
"Eh? Where did he actually go?"
Only then did I realize that Hamza, the turban-wearing honorary Korean, was nowhere to be seen.
First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi looked visibly annoyed, even through his gas mask, before sighing and heading toward the subway platform.
"The situation is urgent, so let's look for Hamza later."
Hearing that, I felt a strange emotion.
Resentment toward Hamza? Hatred? Anger? No way.
My thought was simple.
I would've bolted too.
***
The Suwon Station Line 1 subway station was gripped by a strange tension.
Seventy-two soldiers were stationed on the platform where the train would arrive, all wearing ponchos or gas masks and holding rifles while moving benches and other obstacles near the screen doors.
Heavy metal objects were already being piled up on the tracks; you could tell everyone was anxious about when the train would push through.
The commander in charge was a captain named Bae Seol-gi, who was the only one without a gas mask, checking his radio with a sweat-drenched face.
"Salute. Captain Bae Seol-gi, this is First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi. I've brought the Civilian Operators for Localized Invasive Structural Alteration. I am handing over operational control of the operators."
"That Civilian Advisory Group? The ones who use magic?"
"That is correct."
"You're sure they can accurately distinguish those monsters called Amalgams?"
Without even looking back, Captain Bae Seol-gi remained crouched, puffing breath into the radio and busy checking cables with a signalman.
Yet, the resolve in his voice was undeniable.
"If you can't distinguish them, everyone dies. Most of the seventy-two people here were dragged in against their will, but they stayed instead of running. If you let those kids die for nothing, you'll never find peace even in death. Got it?"
"Yes, sir. I understand."
"Whew... are you staying here too?"
"I have to move again to recruit other Civilian Operators. If the situation on the above-ground platform is stable, I plan to gather people who can read Magic Runes."
"Alright. Get going."
"Salute!"
As First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi stepped back, the command over us mages passed to Captain Bae Seol-gi.
Captain Bae Seol-gi patted the signalman's shoulder, stood up, put on his gas mask, and checked his wristwatch.
"Current time is 3:21 PM. The first train from Yongsan Station is reportedly breaking through the southern Seoul area. Operators, please wait with me near the radio, listen to the situation up ahead, and identify the refugees once the train stops."
"Don't worry. You've already spoken with the engineers, right?"
At Bosal Geulmun's question, Captain Bae Seol-gi gave a tired nod.
"The military changed their policy to screen passengers, so they agreed to cooperate. They will stop according to military orders."
"It is only right to save them if we can. I am sure everyone will gladly accept the decision made by the military."
"I hope so."
After that came the waiting.
A spectacular and tense waiting, to be precise.
We could roughly guess the frontline situation through the radio, as the signalman checked the reception status almost every two to three minutes.
After listening past the static, the signalman would relay the information to Captain Bae Seol-gi in a slightly hoarse voice.
"They say the Gyeongchun Line was successfully blown up. It was stopped inside the Eastern Blockade Line, and they're fortifying a position in Gapyeong."
"What about the trains coming down to Suwon?"
"No news yet."
Tick, tock...
The sound of the second hand on Captain Bae Seol-gi's wristwatch had become the only thing filling this underground platform.
Then, after listening to the radio, the signalman suddenly shouted in a complex voice mixed with joy, shock, and dismay.
"They've started shelling the junction near Hwaseo Station. The first train has broken through!"
"Everyone, battle stations. Anyone who disembarks without permission will be shot on sight!"
Gulp.
Someone swallowed hard. I could see the tension creeping onto the faces of Bosal Geulmun and Corporal Park Se-hyeok, who would play the biggest roles in this screening operation.
Seeing the soldiers taping up the screen doors to prevent anyone from getting off randomly, and then using benches as cover to ready their muzzles, made my legs go weak.
In that bizarre silence, an automated announcement began to echo through the station.
[The train is approaching. Passengers, please step back behind the safety line...]
A metallic screeching sound could be heard.
Captain Bae Seol-gi hastily gestured toward the soldiers and spoke.
"Signalman, the moment they try to break through without complying with the inspection, notify headquarters immediately so we can prepare for artillery fire."
"Yes, sir!"
"Operators, please cover those conducting the screening."
Eventually, we mages also gripped our weapons, ready to screen the refugees.
Father Jeong Yong-hwan and Pastor Park Yo-han took the left, Monk Cheong-hwi was in the back quietly pressing his palms together in what seemed like a prayer, and our Alteration-type quartet stood behind Park Se-hyeok, ready to shoulder our rifles as we caught our breath.
Huff. Huff.
The sound of our breathing passing through the gas mask filters began to fill our ears.
Finally, the fateful moment arrived.
Would it break through, or would it stop?
What would the first train choose at this crossroads of fate?
With sweat-covered hands raising my rifle, I desperately fought the urge to fidget my index finger near the trigger.
Fortunately, however, the first train began to slow down.
Screeeech-.
Whether it was because of the obstacles placed on the tracks or the military's lethal warnings, the engineer chose to stop.
As it slowly came to a halt and the disheveled appearance of the refugees became visible through the screen doors, I could feel a strange sense of pity blooming among the soldiers alongside their tension. Bosal Geulmun was already busy staring wide-eyed through the windows.
"I'm ready. Have them get off one car at a time."
"Fuck... if even one monster is mixed in, we're screwed..."
Confirming that Bosal Geulmun and Corporal Park Se-hyeok were ready, Captain Bae Seol-gi contacted the engineer via his phone to issue instructions.
"When opening the doors, please instruct them to disembark only through cars 4-3. Failure to comply with military orders will result in immediate execution. Consider this a warning. You probably know martial law has already been declared in Seoul, and it can be expanded to southern Gyeonggi Province at any moment. We ask for citizens' cooperation in maintaining order."
It was a bizarre situation where a mobilization order had been declared without a formal war, leaving the citizens, the government, and the military all in a state of confusion.
Still, it seemed they understood the grim warning, as a commotion broke out inside the train before quickly settling down.
Instead, we could see through the windows that crowds of people began to push and shove their way toward cars 4-3.
Seeing this, Captain Bae Seol-gi attempted to contact the engineer once more.
"Tell them not to cluster together. It makes them vulnerable to the head-type fusion Mimic Beasts. Headquarters' policy is that we can shoot everyone here if they cannot evacuate in an orderly manner."
[Yes, yes. I will relay that...]
Along with the broadcast, we could hear the refugees shouting and buzzing with agitation through the windows, but they seemed to be gradually restoring order.
Eventually, with rifles aimed at cars 4-3, the disembarkation began by manually overriding the screen doors.
A few who tried to rush out slunk back inside when they saw the soldiers glaring at them with murderous intent, their muzzles aimed right at them.
"Load live ammunition."
With Captain Bae Seol-gi's cold declaration, the military prepared for slaughter.
Only after the sound of magazines being inserted and bolts being pulled back and released filled the station did one of the screen doors slide open.
Cars 4-3.
The refugees who disembarked in small groups were ordinary people, just like anyone we knew. Their pupils were massively dilated from the horrors they had witnessed, but they trembled with a fierce will to survive as they stepped onto the marble floor with their families.
Bosal Geulmun and Corporal Park Se-hyeok glared at them as if they were going to kill them, before letting out a sigh of relief.
"These five are clean. Pass."
"...Tsk."
The refugees couldn't even say thank you as they retreated toward the platform stairs under the soldiers' deadly surveillance. Then, perhaps because their legs gave out, they slumped down on the steps and began to sob silently.
"Next five."
And right at the moment Captain Bae Seol-gi dryly gave the order.
An urgent voice came over the signalman's radio.
[The trailing train has broken through Hwaseo Station, refusing orders to slow down!]
[Derailment failed... Heading toward Suwon Station!]
[Paldal Zero, Paldal Zero!]
"Th-this is Paldal Zero."
[Fall back!]
Ring-ring-ring-.
A mechanical announcement began to echo through the platform once more.
As I glanced up at the electronic display, I saw a train barreling in from the previous station at a terrifying speed.
[The train is approaching. Passengers, please...]
In that instant, Captain Bae Seol-gi barked the most urgent order of his life.
"Get down!"
The ground was vibrating.
As the stone floor shook, my heart seemed to vibrate with it. Amidst a heavy, humming tremor that rattled my entire body, I found myself staring at the train.
Then, I saw a fog creeping up from below.
The roar of a metallic beast, shaking the entire tunnel, tore toward the oblivious refugees beyond the screen doors.
Boom!
It was a simple sound of impact.
Except for the fact that it was powerful enough to rattle my eardrums and my entire skull.
It didn't take long for that crash to warp into something horrific.
A sound sharper and more piercing than nails on a chalkboard—the screech of twisting metal mingled with the sound of bodies bursting—swept over the tracks, carrying a heavy scent of blood. I saw flashes of people vanishing instantly within the crushing train cars.
Naturally, the screen doors weren't strong enough to withstand such an impact.
As the mangled train cars were forced onto the platform, blue sparks began to fly everywhere.
Instinctively clutching my poncho, I threw myself backward and landed hard on my rear, watching as people around me were either crushed by the wreckage or thrown aside.
Even that lasted only a fraction of a second.
Stone tiles ground against each other, sending plumes of concrete dust into the air. My gas mask filter was instantly clogged with debris, leaving me gasping for air, and the world beyond the mask became an indiscernible blur of grey dust and fog.
Before long, my ears stopped functioning properly.
Eeeeeee—.
A strange ringing echoed in my ears. It felt as if only the screeching of metal remained, drowning out all human voices.
Only the faint, popping sounds of gunfire broke through.
Bang! Bang-bang-bang!
A wave of intense dizziness hit me, and feeling something sticky in my ear, I touched it to find a viscous fluid leaking out. Only when I brought my hand to the front of my mask did I realize it was blood.
Thankfully, my hearing slowly returned, but instead of clarity, I perceived the silhouettes of figures clashing through the dust.
[...Fall back, fall back!]
As I struggled to stand to the sound of the static-filled radio, only one thought crossed my mind.
I have to get out of here.
Just as I turned toward the stairs, the sprinklers activated, drenching everything. I squinted through the burning sensation in my eyes and stared into the fog, which began to part, revealing strange footprints.
The future, ten seconds from now.
Waiting there was Father Jeong Yong-hwan.
I sprinted without hesitation. Fighting in this dust-choked hell was suicide. As I rushed toward the stairs, I found Father Jeong Yong-hwan struggling to his feet, emitting a strange light.
"Mr. Baek Jemin, get behind me!"
Seeing the light radiating from his arms, I knew immediately: Holy Communion. Trusting in that magic, I leaped up the stairs, retreated, and immediately aimed my rifle over the priest's shoulder.
His vestments were torn, exposing his bare forearms.
Human faces began to pour and slide down across his skin. It was a stomach-churning sight, but Father Jeong Yong-hwan crossed his arms, pushing the faces away.
But in the future ten seconds from now, those faces would tear open wide to swallow the priest.
However, as they stretched, their mass would decrease.
I fired at the points where the fog parted—the exact spots where the faces would tear and strike. I aimed for the points that remained clear even through the dust.
Bang! Bang-bang!
A heavy recoil slammed into my shoulder, but the damage dealt to that goddamn monster was minimal.
Calculating a ten-second time lag based on a ten-second vision of the future was insanely difficult. But it seemed to be a terrifying experience for the Amalgam; when one of its faces was hit, it let out a distorted shriek from a unified vocal cord and vanished back into the fog.
Waaaaaaaagh-!!!
When that single vocal cord vibrated, it sounded like a wind instrument.
Like a heavy brass instrument sounding a low note, the monster's vocal cords released a wretched scream as it disappeared into the clouds of fog.
Nevertheless, Father Jeong Yong-hwan and I survived.
As the acrid gunpowder smoke vanished into the grey haze, Father Jeong Yong-hwan looked back at me and began frantically scrambling up the stairs.
"Let's get to where there's no dust, first!"
"What about the others?"
"Inside... they're pouring out!"
I didn't need him to tell me what was pouring out.
Then, the aftershocks began to sweep across the entire platform.
The flickering lights died out, and red emergency lights began to blink. Even those were clearly about to be swallowed by the fog rising from the depths.
Feeling the heat radiating from my gun barrel, I followed Father Jeong Yong-hwan just as a siren blared through the station's announcement system.
[Underground platform breached. Underground platform breached. All units prepare for blockade. Survivors are to evacuate to the surface as quickly as possible...]
End.