17
Chapter 17
Even in this chaos, no matter how important you were, getting a room to yourself was impossible.
People with all sorts of injuries groaning as they filled every available space, and before long, the room I was staying in had far more people than its original capacity, all crowded together. It looked like it used to be a 4-bed room, but now it felt more like an 8-bed room.
Most of them were soldiers in combat uniforms.
Though I was wearing a combat uniform myself, as someone who was strictly a civilian, I couldn't help but feel awkward. Mixing civilians and soldiers together felt strange, to say the least.
Most of them were more severely injured than I was, arms and legs wrapped tightly in bandages, groaning with fever and suffering all through the night.
Among them, the soldier who came to first ended up sharing a phone charger with me.
The soldier named Lee Dae-min had lost his right leg. I didn't bother asking what happened. And Lee Dae-min didn't ask for my name either.
Instead, we passed the time watching the world go by on our respective phones.
Through cracked screens, people marching through the streets holding up picket signs were facing off against the Martial Law Army, who had raised their shields and readied their tanks.
As the camera busily zoomed in and out, the reporter on scene swallowed hard and spoke.
[As movements condemning the government intensify across the country, and with signs that martial law will spread nationwide according to the directives of the President and government recently relocated to Incheon, public opinion and support are greatly shaken. In Daejeon, Gwangju, Busan, and smaller cities in metropolitan areas, voices demanding a change of regime are growing louder...]
"Bullshit."
That wasn't me speaking. As a democratic citizen, I understood why they were reacting that way.
It was Lee Dae-min who had spat out that delayed curse. He twisted the scar on his slightly charred left cheek as he started rapidly tapping on his screen. Perhaps because it was a live stream, countless chat messages were floating up beside it, so I glanced at the chat out of curiosity.
[Resign, you incompetent regime that got 10 million Seoul citizens killed@@@]
[Looks like China finally launched a biological attack. Everyone, don't be fooled. Only by remaining thoroughly vigilant when China offered to help can we end this situation.]
[If the military isn't going to protect people and just shoot everyone, why the hell are they collecting taxes!]
[Full of shit. When those things pour out, are you gonna grab guns and stop them?]
Click.
I closed the chat window without hesitation.
The toxicity of South Korea's internet was shining even brighter in the face of this crisis. Trembling once more at the 5,000-year history of the Korean people, who had honed their rhetoric to shred their opponents' sanity with sharp tongues, I quietly browsed through other news.
[Power cutoff imminent? Internal documents leaked claiming the military is discussing cutting power to Seoul to prevent attempts to breach the Blockade Line...]
[What exactly are the Monsters that struck Suwon Station? Why are the military and government still silent?]
[Screams of hell from the Blockade Line... "The military no longer tries to protect its citizens"]
Wherever I looked, the news was a complete mess.
In the face of an unprecedented crisis, all of South Korea had plunged into one massive chaos, and no one seemed to have the power or knowledge to resolve this situation cleanly.
The citizens—that is, ordinary people like me—had opinions that split and split again, with all sorts of claims aimed at one another.
Then a freshly uploaded article caught my eye.
[First Release) Suwon Station Monster footage obtained, judgment is up to the citizens]
I checked the upload time without much thought.
January 18th, 1:01 PM.
The content was simple. Despite the military and government embargo, footage filmed by a citizen near Suwon Station had been leaked, and they were the first to obtain it.
Playing it with some suspicion, it didn't appear to be an AI-generated video.
Amidst the swirling fog, muzzle flashes and gunshots, the deep brass-like roars unique to Amalgams, and people's screams all mixed together.
Perhaps filmed on a smartphone—the moment the person's hands trembled as they tried to flee, an Amalgam emerged from the fog and charged.
Only then did the cameraman seem to turn and run without even screaming, the camera shaking wildly, and it was only natural that the military spotted the cameraman and opened fire.
Rat-tat-tat...
The cameraman fell without mercy. Before long, a pool of blood spread around the smartphone, and the video ended.
In an instant, all sorts of comments flooded in, and the article started racking up an incredible number of views.
[Fuck, what is that]
[The military is in the middle of an operation and this idiot was filming nearby, good riddance dumbfuck]
[They ruthlessly shot a citizen dead and the top comment's reaction is what?]
[Even one of those getting out is unacceptable... Kill them all~!!!]
If I were one of those safe in the rear reaping the benefits, I might have felt tremendous fear alongside a rush of dopamine upon seeing this article.
Experiencing a chilling thrill as if a zombie movie had become reality, I might have felt an unpleasant sense of liberation from the world going to ruin. However, the current me had achieved boundless maturity and personal growth.
Originally, I would have trolled the comment section with things like, "What's 10 million? Kill all 50 million if it means stopping them~" but matured as I was, I simply chuckled and turned off my phone.
My dopamine receptors had finally normalized.
This is exactly why people shouldn't get used to unpleasant stimuli. Feeling my mind grow healthier, I finally understood what true liberation meant.
It was right then that the chatty Doctor came in.
"Baek Jemin. You're being called by the CP at Suwon City Hall."
"Me?"
"Phew. Don't even ask. Considering your injuries, they said you wouldn't be discharged until early February, but they told me to bring you in anyway since it's an emergency and they don't need to formally discharge you. Still, your body is Sturdy, so if you get a painkiller prescription, you should be able to make it to Suwon City Hall. Just don't use your left hand under any circumstances."
I had no idea what they were thinking, wrapping someone's left arm up like a club and then telling them not to use it.
Anyway, it was my first time going out in 8 days. Spending time lying in a hospital room gets old after a day or two, and I was feeling restless from the boredom, so I decided to go and see how others were doing.
As I was getting ready to head out, Lee Dae-min looked at me for the first time and asked,
"Hey there. How did you lose your left hand?"
It seemed he was feeling a bit anxious since the only other person in the room who was lucid was disappearing.
I looked at Lee Dae-min's missing right leg, then grinned and very carefully tapped the bandages wrapped around my left arm.
"I shot it off myself. And then cauterized it with a heated gun barrel."
At that, the chatty Doctor turned pale in horror and almost slapped my back before suppressing the urge with great effort.
"Baek Jemin, that's nothing to brag about, so hurry up and go. Lee Dae-min, let's change your bandages."
With that, guided by a blunt Nurse, I made my way down to the lobby.
The lobby was already packed with visitors waiting to see patients and all sorts of groaning injured people.
It was to the point where finding a familiar face among them felt like a miracle.
First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi and the sensible Driver were passing the time chatting back and forth.
As I headed their way, First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi noticed me, took off his Helmet, and tucked it under his arm.
"Operator Baek Jemin. You're looking quite refreshed."
"You don't mean that, do you?"
"Just making conversation. Everyone's been pretty down lately, you know."
First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi offered a bitter smile before leading me to a requisitioned minivan alongside the sensible Driver.
"Driver, no need to rush. The Operator hasn't fully healed from his injuries, so he'll appreciate it."
"Yes, sir!"
"Is this how you scheme your way out of things?"
"Operator, considering the tension and immense responsibility this crisis brings, we need to relieve stress like this. Besides, I'm still just a First Lieutenant in terms of seniority."
We boarded the minivan and completely slumped into our seats.
The sensible Driver, however, couldn't do the same. He kept glancing at the rearview and side mirrors, constantly checking our surroundings—probably because of the Monsters called Amalgams. This was despite it being a perfectly clear day without a speck of fog.
Sitting in the passenger seat as the Escort, First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi placed his Helmet on his lap and let out a deep sigh.
"I'm in no position to tell you not to worry... Let's take it slow, nice and slow."
"Roger that!"
***
Arriving at Suwon City Hall in the requisitioned minivan, there was a strange atmosphere in the air.
If they had been preparing for battle before, now... how should I put it... it felt like a place ready to shoot anyone who got in their way.
You might wonder what the difference is, but while the former still held onto a romantic optimism that things would be okay, the latter had eyes gleaming with genuine hostility.
If anyone actually stepped out of line, they looked ready to shove a gun barrel in their face, let alone hit them with a Buttstock.
Only after showing his rank, name, and ID was First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi allowed to get out, breaking through the strict surveillance. The sensible Driver and I followed him out, and from that point on, people treated me a bit differently.
"This is Operator Baek Jemin, so treat him with proper respect."
As soon as First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi laid down the law, the hostile gazes shifted awkwardly, deliberately aiming elsewhere. Even so, they couldn't contain their curiosity, constantly glancing our way.
Even though I was just a civilian wrapped in bandages, wearing a Combat Uniform without even a Helmet, the reactions of the Soldiers I faced for the first time in 8 days were entirely new.
I hurried after First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi and asked in a voice that had unconsciously lowered.
"Why are the people here acting like this?"
"Due to this recent fog spread incident, a new evaluation has been conducted regarding Localized Invasive Structural Alteration and the Civilian Operators. That is why you've been called in this time."
As we walked through Suwon City Hall, a familiar conference room came into view.
The main entrance to the conference room was already heavily guarded by armed soldiers, who silently saluted and stepped aside as soon as they saw First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi.
Stepping inside, familiar faces were waiting for us.
Led by field-grade officers in Military Gear and a Colonel who had removed his nameplate, Mages were already seated throughout the room... Among them was Hamza, the honorary Korean wearing a turban who had bailed early on.
Glancing around, I realized there were more survivors than I had thought.
"Hmm? You're here, Baek Jemin."
Pastor Park Yo-han, pushing up the bridge of his glasses with a sly look, glanced our way.
"It seems you aren't someone who goes easily."
Monk Cheong-hwi smiled calmly and pressed his palms together.
Along with them, Hamza, Shin Na-in, and Staff Sergeant Lee Se-jun were looking our way, blinking and waving their hands. We weren't even that close, but surviving a fucking hellhole together seemed to have exploded our sense of mutual intimacy.
As I took a seat, I overheard First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi approach the Colonel, salute, and report.
"Loyalty. I have brought Operator Baek Jemin."
"Good. Good work."
"Loyalty."
First Lieutenant Shin Han-gi also took a seat at the end of the officers' line.
Only then did the Colonel without a nameplate look back at us with bloodshot, exhausted eyes, stroking his unshaven, stubbly beard with a heavy sigh.
After doing so, he seemed to gather himself and began to speak.
"First, I will explain that Hamza did not desert the operation."
The Colonel calmly explained as he tapped the blank white screen with his hand.
"Hamza rushed alone to the vicinity of Seryu Station and joined up with the 31 frontline personnel deployed there. Then, during the collision accident on the underground platform of Suwon Station Line 1, he rendered significant meritorious service by rescuing Staff Sergeant Lee Se-jun and Shin Na-in, who had escaped to the opposite track, and holding off the Amalgams that pursued them. Following Hamza's active suggestion, we have decided to name the magic he possesses [Angel's Intuition]."
"Angel's Intuition?"
When Pastor Park Yo-han frowned and asked, Hamza actively protested this time.
"The Quran. It is the word of Muhammad, guided by the Angel Jibril. There is no doubt that Jibril has granted me inspiration and guided me."
"Hey, you Islam bastard. Why the hell do you guys arbitrarily call Gabriel 'Jibril'?"
"Pastor, that's enough. Anyway, since Hamza himself stated he is a Sunni Islam believer, if similar magic manifests among Sunni believers in the future, we will classify it as Dogma-type Magic and designate it as Angel's Intuition. Save the religious debates for later. Thanks to him, Shin Na-in and Staff Sergeant Lee Se-jun survived."
Pastor Park Yo-han gave Shin Na-in and Lee Se-jun a quick sweep before crossing his arms with a face full of dissatisfaction.
Only the quiet chants of Monk Cheong-hwi pierced the silence of the conference room.
Realizing that he had finally calmed down a bit, the Colonel rubbed his eye sockets again and straightened his posture.
"The reason we have gathered the Operators today is because it has been proven through on-site testimony that this Localized Invasive Structural Alteration you possess... so-called magic, is far more useful... and powerful than the military initially thought."
The officers remained silent while the Colonel spoke.
Instead, they maintained their attention stance, observing us while trying to keep their expressions blank. Still, they couldn't completely hide their exhaustion.
Only the Colonel continued speaking, revealing his raw fatigue.
"Therefore, the military has decided to fully share detailed information regarding this incident—information the military has accurately grasped—with the Operators. In return, you must sign a non-disclosure agreement stating you will not discuss this with the press or anyone else. These matters are classified as Level 3 Confidential or higher, and any violations will result in a trial by court-martial under martial law, rather than a civilian court."
"Martial law?"
"Martial law will be declared as far as Gyeonggi-do starting from 4:00 PM on January 18th."
Hmm... Do I really need to know this...
I casually found myself thinking that, but on the other hand, a rational voice clicked its tongue and pointed out my complacency.
Don't you want to learn magic? You need information to use stronger magic! Are you just going to walk into the fog? Are you crazy?
Hearing this rational voice, I definitely reflected on how lazy and idle I had been. Right. Only thorough preparation is what allows you to survive the hell within the fog.
As I straightened my posture, controlled my breathing, and prepared to listen, the Colonel had his subordinates begin handing out iron-bound documents to the Mages.
The first was the non-disclosure agreement.
"You can just sign or stamp your fingerprint here."
"I don't have an ink pad."
Click.
Seeing him pull one out the moment I asked, I couldn't help but wonder if the South Korean military had always been this thoroughly prepared.
Why were they showing such a completely different side? The military I knew was a place where nothing was ever properly in stock, so borrowing supplies from the neighboring unit was an everyday routine whenever an inspection was announced.
Reluctantly pressing my fingerprint onto the non-disclosure agreement, I handed it back to the officers, and in exchange for the paper leaving my hands, I was finally given a proper Document Folder.
[Seoul Blockade Timeline]
It was then that a PowerPoint presentation appeared on the white screen.
With a slightly—no, very slightly—depressed expression, the Colonel began his explanation.
"I will start from the initial report of the fog..."
***
November 24, 2027, 03:48 AM. First occurrence of fog in the Bukhansan area. Deemed an anomalous weather phenomenon; no comprehensive investigation conducted.
December 3, 2027, 02:43 AM. First encounter with a Head-Fusion Mimic, colloquially known as an Amalgam. Police dispatched after reports from nearby residents were caught on CCTV fleeing toward the police substation, startled by the siren of a parked police car, marking the government's first official awareness of the entities.
December 5, 2027, 10:16 PM. First reconnaissance conducted within a zone of extremely limited fog visibility.
December 6, 2027, 04:03 AM. Reconnaissance failed, contact lost. Bodycam footage revealed that Amalgams utilize surrounding terrain for cover and employ intelligent hunting tactics, such as mimicking humans to approach.
December 8, 2027, 11:00 AM. Restricted access zones established within a 50-meter fog visibility radius to prevent the spread of Amalgams and initiate quarantine.
December 13, 2027, 03:32 PM. Police SWAT team successfully kills an Amalgam specimen. Confirmed vulnerability to sudden temperature changes and heat; death confirmed when a certain level of fluid leaks from the main body, the head. Amalgam carcass recovered and research begins.
December 14, 2027, 09:00 AM. The hunting methods, mimicry, and infectious nature of Amalgams deemed lethal. Acknowledged necessity of preventing civilian outflow from Seoul. Existing police forces deemed insufficient.
December 14, 2027, 03:12 PM. Attempts to stop Amalgams disguised as public security instability and civil unrest. Security martial law declared in some areas under the pretext of civil support and public service. Redeployment of human and material resources begins.
December 17, 2027, 08:17 AM. Biological disaster narrowly averted while attempting to separate an entity fused with an Amalgam. Handled by incinerating the related facility; subsequent rescue attempts strictly prohibited and carcass retrieval banned.
December 18, 2027, 1:00 PM. Additional restricted access zones established as fog spreads and Amalgam activity radius widens. Cooperation framework initiated through the US Embassy.
December 23, 2027, 02:13 PM. Amalgam response tactics established. Military, police, and fire departments jointly succeed in intercepting Amalgams escaping the restricted access zones.
December 24, 2027, 01:34 AM. A different form of monster, not an Amalgam, discovered at a construction site in a redevelopment area.
December 24, 2027, 03:11 PM. Named 'Autonomous Spine Extractor' based on the ecology and appearance of the creature found at the construction site. Experts first raise concerns that Seoul's ecosystem might be entirely replaced by an alien one.
December 28, 2027, 10:00 AM. Response tactics against the Autonomous Spine Extractor established. Tactics confirmed effective: blocking movement using the pressure of fire hydrants or extinguishers and sudden body temperature changes, followed by shooting. Photosensitivity also confirmed, but high-grade Bulletproof vests and shields required due to their lethal nature.
January 1, 2028. Successful containment of monsters outside the restricted access zones deemed effective.
January 2, 2028, 07:14 PM. Unidentified monsters of unknown cause confirmed near the Seoul sewage treatment plant while investigating the disappearance of a maintenance worker who went down to service the sewers.
January 3, 2028, 02:11 AM. Confirmed as a cell cluster derived from human DNA. Named 'Degenerative Cellular Cluster'. Indicates the impossibility of controlling the situation. Concerns raised about a critical point where monsters will spawn explosively.
January 3, 2028, 08:05 AM. Last reconnaissance attempt within the restricted access zone.
January 4, 2028, 1:00 PM. Circumstantial evidence discovered within the restricted access zone suggesting the possible existence of other Unidentified Species besides the three previously identified.
January 4, 2028, 04:11 PM. VIPs quarantined and evacuated due to the possibility of Amalgam infection and infection from Unidentified Species.
January 6, 2028, 02:13 AM. Fog visibility begins to shorten drastically.
January 6, 2028, 02:31 AM. Critical point breached.
January 6, 2028, 08:11 AM. Blockade orders issued to military units deployed on major roads surrounding Seoul.
January 6, 2028, 11:34 AM. Emergency martial law declared across all of Seoul. Lethal force authorized, firing permitted.
January 6, 2028, 01:46 PM. Mobilization order declared.
***
Listening to the explanation of what had happened, I smacked my lips and flipped through the pages for no reason.
"Excuse me."
"Yes, Operator Baek Jemin. Please go ahead if you have a question."
"Is there nothing about magic?"
It was an obvious question, but everyone was looking at me like I was a crazy person.
End