39
Chapter 39
Seoul, a land covered by a massive fog cloud hundreds of meters thick.
The reconnaissance mission there was reportedly split into two main parts. While countless reconnaissance drones and fighter jets entered Seoul's skies to gather intel and drop bombs, Special Forces entered as the vanguard.
The primary goal was to secure bases using the subway network instead of the exterior, which was prone to shelling or attacks from unidentified species.
Once the Special Forces successfully scouted and cleared the way, technicians—whether volunteers or conscripts—would move in to check infrastructure and supplies. Regular soldiers were then deployed to ensure the safety and maintenance of the bases.
That concluded the first phase of reconnaissance.
The second phase involved Civilian Operators—mages cooperative with the military—who were tasked with searching the surrounding areas and contacting survivor groups based on the routes secured by the Special Forces.
Accordingly, we of the Supreme Mage order planned to enter central Seoul by traveling through the subway tracks.
Our first entry point was none other than Bokjeong Station.
It was the very same station where we had encountered a Teratoma.
"Get out!"
Along with the loud shout of the escort officer, soldiers from other trucks poured out. Watching them struggle to unload searchlights and portable generators triggered distant memories. Yeah, keep hauling, boys.
We, the Supreme Mages, also got ready to disembark.
The fog, already so thick it was impossible to see even an inch ahead, surged like rolling waves. As I dove into it, a damp humidity instantly washed over me.
Thump.
As soon as I stepped off, I wiped the dew off my gas mask lenses. Only after loosening my sling and wiping the condensation off the barrel of my rifle could I finally look around.
If there even was an "around" to look at.
If not for the headlights of the armored vehicles or trucks, I wouldn't have known if there was any light at all. The gray fog was so dense that the soldiers, wearing neon IFF bands, had to grope their way forward.
It was around this time that all the Supreme Mages had disembarked.
"Oh, just my luck. I never thought I'd be hauled around in the back of a truck without a single cushion at my old age."
While Pastor Park Yo-han chatted cheerfully, a captain without a name tag approached through the fog. He too was wearing a gas mask and military cap, making his face unrecognizable.
Because of the fog and dew, I couldn't even see his eyes clearly; I could only hear his voice, which trembled like a eunuch's instead of sounding firm.
"Ah, Aphorism. Uh, Operators, please proceed to the Bokjeong Station concourse first. The commander at Bokjeong Station will give you the detailed instructions. We'll withdraw after checking the surface conditions."
"Yep. Good luck with that."
Some people volunteer, but this guy looked like he'd been dragged here.
Leaving the soldiers and officers who were fumbling around like blind men, we headed for the stairs leading into Bokjeong Station. Despite the thick fog pouring down, the underground area beyond the stairs was surprisingly clear.
Naturally, our gaze shifted toward Hamza.
"It's fine. We can go."
Since Hamza lacked combat power, he volunteered as the porter. Of course, even for a former foreign worker tempered by real-world manual labor, there were limits; most of what he carried was food like chocolate, hardtack, and water.
Yet, despite the weight, Hamza showed no sign of strain as he utilized his Dogma-type Magic, [Angel's Intuition].
Only after Hamza gave the okay did we step forward into the underground.
"Phew..."
The real porter was Lee Se-jun. As a possessor of heart-system magic, he had stuffed two ammo cans into his military backpack and didn't show a hint of exhaustion. They had to weigh at least as much as a sack of rice, but he was even yawning up a storm.
The sigh he just let out was simply because he was scared.
As we descended the stairs and slowly scanned the station, the state of the place became clear. The floor tiles were shattered, the walls were cracked, and the ceiling was smashed, but considering the shelling, it was relatively in good shape.
We carefully navigated through the debris, heading toward where the light was.
That was when we found traces of human presence.
Where thick concrete dust should have been piled high, a single smooth, thick cable was visible.
Seeing the cable neatly laid out in the wrecked station brought back memories. I remembered the signalmen running in their raincoats during stormy nights, fearing the consequences if the cable snapped.
I even remembered being ganged up on after teasing them for having an easy job.
"We can just follow this. Let's go."
"Hmm. Seoul isn't as bad as I thought?"
Lee Se-jun seemed to be brimming with groundless confidence.
But I felt similarly. Until I saw the Teratoma, I had been making a fuss about it being hell, but now it felt like just taking a stroll.
Of course, I'd be terrified if we were the initial vanguard, but the Special Forces had already cleared the path and soldiers were stationed; what was there to be afraid of?
Shin Na-in even started humming and singing a hymn with great enthusiasm.
"Lord Jesus~ There is nothing~ I'd trade for Christ~."
"I don't think this is the time for singing, Na-in."
"Nothing in this world~."
Pastor Park Yo-han's attempts to stop him were useless.
Shin Na-in was completely immersed in the hymn he was singing through his gas mask while wearing his headset.
By this point, it was only natural that the tension weighing on my shoulders vanished. There were no monsters in sight, Hamza said it was safe, Lee Se-jun was talking nonsense, and Shin Na-in was singing—what was there to be scared of?
Following the cable, we reached the stairs leading to the platform.
Only then did I feel a sudden chill in the air.
I adjusted my grip on my rifle and decided to load live ammunition.
I'd brought ten magazines per person. If I skimped now, I'd regret it later, so I'd use them while I could. There was nothing stupider than risking one's life to save a few bullets.
Click.
With the sound of the magazine locking in, I raised my muzzle and widened my eyes.
Eye Alteration Stage 1, Future Sight ten seconds ahead.
While the fog was thinner at Bokjeong Station itself, perhaps because we were deep inside foggy Seoul, there was almost no recoil pain. It was just a slight fatigue, similar to when I've had too little sleep.
In that state, I scanned the surroundings.
The generator connected to the cable, the searchlights illuminating the stairs and the interior, rifles scattered haphazardly, boxes filled with all sorts of supplies, and helmets left lonely on the floor as if someone had just stepped out...
It was only natural that I called out to Hamza.
"Hamza."
"No. No. It's really safe."
"How about you, Na-in?"
Something felt off with Hamza's radar, so I called out to Shin Na-in, our monster detector, but his reaction wasn't promising.
Shin Na-in looked around, breathing heavily, then loosened his sling to adjust his grip on his rifle.
"I can't hear anything."
"Nothing?"
"No. Neither the bizarre cries of monsters, nor the weeping of babies wanting to live, nor the usual inner voices of people... nothing. There are no people or monsters here."
"Everyone, don't let your guard down. We don't know what's out there."
Pastor Park Yo-han also aimed his rifle, staying alert.
Lee Se-jun followed suit and began scanning the area, but the interior of Bokjeong Station was ghostly quiet. There were signs of people, but only a silence that felt as if everyone had vanished long ago.
10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes...
After 5 minutes, Lee Se-jun swallowed hard and spoke in a slightly wavering voice.
"...Did everyone go to the bathroom?"
Since he knew he was talking nonsense, I didn't bother replying.
The Pastor was the first to lower his weapon and look back at us. His gaze behind the gas mask was resolute.
"Let's head back up and report to the soldiers on the surface."
Everyone followed Pastor Park Yo-han's lead. The only difference was that we were no longer relaxed.
Like a true ace, Shin Na-in followed the Pastor while maintaining a ready firing stance, and Lee Se-jun tightened his bag straps and tucked his rifle under his arm. Hamza looked around with his massive revolver, sliding his thumb over the safety.
Click, clack.
Despite wearing combat boots, the sound of heels echoed as we carefully climbed the stairs.
That was the problem.
As we retraced our steps to the surface, only the sound of our own footsteps echoed. When we finally reached the top, all that awaited us was a strange silence.
Rattle-rattle-rattle...
A generator was running, shaking violently with a loud noise. The searchlights stood tall, attempting to pierce through the fog, and the lights of the parked vehicles weren't flickering.
We, the Supreme Mages, walked silently toward the line of vehicles, circling around them.
Knock, knock.
Pastor Park Yo-han knocked on a truck door and peered inside through the window, then turned back to us and shook his head.
"They're gone."
"You dummy. How about Past Sight?"
"Nothing has changed. Not even an hour ago."
"Let's search without splitting up."
Everyone tacitly agreed with my suggestion.
The five of us formed a natural formation and checked all the other trucks and armored vehicles. The unloaded supplies were still there, the generators were running, and the engines were still on.
Just one thing. The people had vanished.
For a moment, I thought they might have fled, but looking at the running vehicles, I changed my mind. If you're going to bolt, you take the car. How far could you get running through this fog?
At the very least, one person should have escaped by vehicle.
Thinking it might be possible, I looked for a radio, but Hamza stopped me in a panic.
"No."
"You're saying we shouldn't contact them?"
"Yes."
With Hamza's short, blunt answer, we all realized. Something was tracking communications.
Hamza's magic could be frustrating, and he wouldn't give the answer until asked, but it seemed to help us avoid definitely wrong choices. I took a moment of silence for the soldiers' senseless deaths and made a decision.
"Let's go back down. We'll just take the things we need."
"Hey, the people might come back..."
Even the Pastor, who was trying to stop me, looked pale.
Still, it wasn't an entirely baseless point. Shin Na-in looked at me and the Pastor, then shrugged.
"Jemin thinks that if nothing is missing, the next reconnaissance team will realize the gravity of the situation quickly. Anyway, we can't carry more luggage. Let's just go, Pastor."
"Does Baek Jemin... actually think logically in weird situations?"
"Tsk."
This is Baek Jemin, a man nearly thirty.
He was a timid soul, the kind of man who would be deeply wounded by such minor remarks, grinding his teeth and waiting for a tiny chance for revenge.
Still, we couldn't shake the unsettling atmosphere. Leaving questions unanswered meant risking total annihilation.
According to Hamza, attempting to contact them via radio is dangerous.
And the soldiers who should have been above and below ground had vanished without a trace. With our limited imagination, only two options remained.
Either an Unidentified Species or a hostile mage.
That's when Shin Na-in had an epiphany.
"During the previous Teratoma incident, people in the convoy suddenly shifted positions. Could it be similar?"
"Oh, Na-in."
"It could be some other trick, but since we, the faithful warriors of the Lord, are fine, it's likely a monster's trick targeting the faithless regular soldiers. They were bewitched."
Shin Na-in suspected a mental attack entity.
It sounded plausible enough that I found myself nodding. The others seemed to agree, letting out "Ooh" sounds and even pretending to clap.
Being typical Supreme Mages, we lowered our voices and didn't actually let our palms meet, fearing the noise might attract a monster.
"Problem solved!"
"Wow, I love how clear-cut that is."
"I'm glad. I'm glad it's nothing major."
"If it's the work of monsters, then..."
The Supreme Mages finally let go of their worries and beamed.
"Now, let's head back into Seoul."
***
The Supreme Mages didn't turn back just because some soldiers had been wiped out by an unknown attack.
After a quick meal of hardtack and a few sips of water, we descended one by one into the pitch-black subway tunnels, lit only by sparse overhead lights.
A sudden chill swept through, making Lee Se-jun shiver dramatically.
"Does Seoul really have up to Line 8? With all this digging, doesn't the ground just cave in?"
"That's why it's been caving in."
"Oh."
Lee Se-jun went silent at Shin Na-in's response.
Once Hamza had joined us, we decided to follow the Pastor's plausible theory.
"If there are any survivors left, they're likely near a base where supplies are easy to find. They'd stay in basements or concrete structures that could withstand the shelling while scavenging nearby."
Checking his phone screen, the Pastor hurried his pace toward the north on Line 8, heading for Jangji Station.
"For now, let's move along the subway tracks near the outskirts to avoid northern and central Seoul. Since the fog first appeared near Bukhansan, survivors are more likely to be further away."
"Ooooh."
"Baek Jemin, what's with that reaction?"
"It's a beautiful organizational culture where we admire one another."
A diamond in the rough.
Though he had the reputation of being money-hungry and called the Pope the Antichrist, the Pastor still had his intellectual moments.
Once the destination was set, there was no reason to hesitate.
I, Baek Jemin, the eye-type mage, took the lead. Shin Na-in, the hearing-type mage, took the rear.
The Pastor and Hamza, who lacked combat power, occupied the center, while Lee Se-jun—serving as porter, grenadier, and rifleman—guarded them.
"Wow. Look at that echo."
"That's just how it is underground."
"Na-in, have you tried shouting 'Yoo-hoo'? Do you think it'll echo back?"
"Se-jun, please..."
As I pushed back my poncho and yawned deeply while leading the way with my tactical light, Hamza repeatedly poked my back.
"What."
"It's dangerous."
I shot a glare at Shin Na-in, who immediately proved his worth as a reliable detector.
Stopping his bickering with Lee Se-jun, Shin Na-in came to a halt and tightened his grip on his gun.
"The sound of nails on a chalkboard, irregular groaning."
"Stop being so poetic and just tell me the names."
"Spines and faces."
Click.
I readjusted my rifle, widened my eyes, and stared past the tracks where Hamza was pointing.
Then, I took off my gas mask, hung it on my arm, and stuck my tongue out.
Bleh.
It probably looked pathetic, but it was essential to keep blood from staining the inside of my mask or my clothes.
Eye Alteration Stage 1. And Tongue Alteration Stage 1.
I racked my brain for words that would make the monsters easy to track.
Target, monster, one minute, route.
Suddenly, the faint fog in the tunnel swirled and clung to the walls, leaving vivid marks. Red footprints began to appear on the walls and ceiling, trailing toward us.
A few days ago, I might have panicked. Hamza and the Pastor were indeed fussing, but the "Alteration trio" of the Supreme Mages remained completely calm.
The papillae on my tongue split.
My tongue cracked open, oozing bright crimson blood; naturally, it stung like hell. It was a pain that could almost replace my left-hand staff.
It was the perfect level of agony to prepare for Eye Alteration Stage 2.
Clack clack clack...
The sound of bone joints scratching the ceiling hit my ears.
Gasp, gasp... huff...
Heavy breaths were spat out from mouths crushed under the weight of layered faces.
Things that had been lying in ambush in the dark, hunting for the few remaining living, were rushing toward us. Out of the ten million citizens of Seoul, over nine million were likely claiming their citizenship in this form.
The dim ceiling lights were obscured by the shadows of Predatory Spines, and under my tactical light, crushed human faces rolled their compound eyes toward us.
I felt as if the monster called the Amalgam was smiling at us.
It wasn't that the corners of its mouth were lifted; it was just the way the compound eyes rolled in unison.
In that moment, a single drop of blood formed on the tip of my tongue.
The sensation of it dangling there made the searing pain feel even more acute.
And since my pain is longer and deeper than any other...
My eyes stung.
My eyelids tried to drift shut on their own. Since I blink frequently, the effect duration was short.
But it was enough time for Lee Se-jun to pull a grenade from his gear belt and yank the pin.
With a thunderous boom, fragments and dust flew, and my eyes closed.
Blink.
I pulled my tongue back in and swallowed the blood.
"Aim for the heads!"
Even though the effect of Stage 2 had faded, Stage 1 was still clear.
I could see it. Aiming points were drawn kindly across my retinas, showing exactly where to shoot.
No matter how the Predatory Spines twisted or leaped, the real-time adjusting crosshairs showed me exactly where to hit their heads.
My aim was far ahead of the monsters' movements.
At that moment, the Predatory Spines all turned to look at me.
With my rifle shouldered, I aimed at the crosshairs and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Rat-tat-tat! Bang!
I wasn't the only one firing.
Lee Se-jun and Shin Na-in were also shouting something as they pulled their triggers.
Acrid gunsmoke rose, and the sound of shell casings bouncing off the track rail echoed repeatedly. The heads of the spine monsters exploded, and their bony corpses fell in heaps like drugged flies.
Then, the head-mixed monsters—the Amalgams—began to lash out.
"Mom, Mom!"
"I just need to get out of here. Just get out..."
In that moment, I felt Lee Se-jun's hand tremble as he fired. One of the gunshots ceased.
On the other hand, Shin Na-in's shouting grew louder.
"Amen, Amen! Lord, I send this monstrosity to You! Cast it into the hellfire!!!"
Ting, ting...
Shell casings rolled relentlessly until a clicking sound was heard.
Shin Na-in kept pulling the trigger, but nothing came out. He had emptied an entire magazine. The Amalgams didn't miss the opportunity, charging forward with groans that sounded almost like laughter.
Just as I was bracing myself for how hard I'd have to bite my tongue this time...
Bang, bang!
Other gunshots echoed through the underground passage.
Shin Na-in let out a long breath and calmly replaced his magazine. The one firing now was Lee Se-jun, who had already moved up beside me.
Lee Se-jun was firing with absolute composure, his grip steady without a single recoil, meticulously piercing the heads of the Amalgams one by one.
He'd shoot a leg to trip one, then shoot the knee of another trying to climb over the fallen monster, hindering them before finishing them off with a shot to the head.
Since I had some spare time, I swapped my magazine as well.
Click.
"Jemin, what about the spines?"
"Got them all."
Lee Se-jun's gunfire stopped.
Still swallowing blood, I checked my Future Sight this time without the help of tongue magic. Shin Na-in seemed to have activated his Hearing Line magic similarly.
Shin Na-in and I advanced side by side, rifles ready, aiming for the heads of any remaining monsters.
Every time I pulled the trigger, disgusting fluids sprayed out.
The nightmare monsters thrashed and died, unable to do a thing.
After clearing them all and returning to formation, Lee Se-jun was blowing on his hot muzzle to clear the smoke.
"Se-jun, did you avoid shooting on purpose?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. If our reloads overlap, they'll swarm us, right?"
So the reason he hesitated wasn't because of the monsters' screams, but because he was thinking about the reload timing. That is a truly remarkable improvement.
With a satisfied smile at Lee Se-jun's growth, I considered our ammo consumption.
"Including the spines and the Amalgam pack, there must've been around 40. Finishing them with one magazine each is pretty efficient, right?"
"If we coat the bullets in Jemin's right-hand blood later, maybe we can do it with half a magazine?"
"Hey. Not the right hand."
Shin Na-in, that shameless bastard. What kind of absurd request is he making of my lover?
As we were chatting away...
Pastor Park Yo-han and Hamza were staring at us and the pile of monster corpses with wide eyes.
"Y-you guys... what are you?"
"Whoaaa."
The three of us looked at each other and blinked at their reaction.
Lee Se-jun fidgeted with his hood as if feeling awkward.
"Is it because we used too many bullets..."
Shin Na-in let out a chuckle while adjusting his rifle sling.
"Pastor, shouldn't a true believer hate the devil rather than fear him?"
Finally, I put my gas mask back on and spoke.
"And if you panic over every single mob, you won't be able to get around Seoul."
It was worth drinking less water to avoid peeing myself.
Because at this moment, I actually got to act cool.
It was only then that a hint of something like hope colored the Pastor's face.
"Mr. Anderson didn't come for nothing. You guys really were Supreme Mages?"
"That guy isn't actually coming to Seoul, right?"
The End.