An Unexpected Reunion
At that moment, the structure of Gongdeok Station came into view. I saw the iron gates and the barricades that had been installed. "...We made it." My legs were trembling, but a sigh of relief escaped me at that very moment. However, there was no time to catch my breath. Park Geonho raised his rifle and—Bang! The gunshot rang out. Immediately after, dozens of soldiers burst out from inside Gongdeok Station. Fully armed, they rushed toward the exit, gesturing frantically for us to follow.
"Survivors spotted! All units, provide support!"
Park Geonho, still carrying both Jang Yeeun and me on his back, sprinted toward the soldiers with everything he had. His breathing was ragged, and his clothes, soaked in sweat and blood, felt damp against my skin every time I touched him. "...Hold on! Just a little further!" I wanted to climb off his back, but my body wouldn't obey. My senses were fading. Jang Yeeun was the same. Her body hung limp, and the blood seeping from her bandages was soaking into Park Geonho's shoulder.
As we neared the entrance of Gongdeok Station, the soldiers moved quickly to receive us. "Over here! Hurry!" They shouted, opening fire on the infected that were trailing us. Bang! Rat-tat-tat! With the sound of gunfire echoing from all sides, the infected began to fall, yet they kept swarming in endless waves. "Park Geonho! Run faster!" Pushing his body to its absolute limit, Park Geonho threw himself toward the barricade the soldiers had erected, carrying both of us.
"Here! This way!" The soldiers grabbed his collapsing arms and hurriedly moved Jang Yeeun and me behind the barricade. I slumped to the floor. Even though the sounds of gunfire and screaming were still ringing in my ears, the steel door of Gongdeok Station slammed shut with a heavy clack.
"Close it! Close it right now!" The soldiers shouted, forcing the locks into place. Only then could I truly realize that I was still alive. Jang Yeeun was handed over to the military medics to begin treatment. Park Geonho knelt on the floor, gasping for air, exhausted. I laboriously raised my hand and placed it on his back. "...Mr. Geonho, thank you." He nodded without a word. Only then did I look down at my own hands. They were a horrific sight. They were stained with all sorts of blood and debris, and mottled with swelling that suggested broken bones. But there were no external wounds. Should I be grateful? That it ended like this? If I had even a visible scratch, I might have been shot on sight. And... it didn't even hurt that much. It felt like the numbness of anesthesia.
At that moment, as if noticing my gaze, Park Geonho looked at my hand, jumped up in surprise, and stood straight up. "Wait a second! I'll call a medic!" I quickly grabbed his hand to calm him down. "...Just bring me some water and bandages." "But..." "I'm fine." I made Park Geonho sit back down. "Just bring me the bandages."
While Park Geonho went to fetch water and bandages, I went to check on Jang Yeeun. She was receiving first aid from a medic, but her face was deathly pale, perhaps from losing too much blood. Her breathing was thin and weak, and she was barely holding onto consciousness. I knelt beside her. At that moment, a strange hunger rose from within me, shaking my core. The sweet... scent of blood pierced my nose. For some reason, her arm, where the blood was flowing, looked incredibly tempting. I slapped my own cheek hard.
"...Ah." With the faint pain ringing from my fingertips, my mind cleared just a little. Perhaps because I hit myself too hard, Park Geonho, who was returning, looked at me in shock. "Are you alright?! Why are you doing that!" I shook my head without a word and took Jang Yeeun's hand again. Her hand was cold, but it was moving, if only slightly. "...Stay strong." I don't know if those words reached her, but it was all I could do. I felt her slender fingers weakly grip my hand. "...Hang in there."
I wrapped the bandages around my hands as best as I could. It was an attempt to hide the stained blood and the swollen flesh. But I hated it, because the dull pain still felt in my fingertips reminded me of that moment. Crushing the head of something that... used to be a person, is unpleasant. Jang Yeeun is currently being treated and sleeping, and Park Geonho has been called away by his superiors. I stood up and decided to look around Gongdeok Station.
Gongdeok Station is a massive hub consisting of four underground levels. It is a transportation nexus where four different lines intersect. Above it lies a complex intersection where roads cross. In normal times, this location would have been a great asset. But in an apocalypse like this, it is too difficult to defend. That was the first conclusion that came to mind. There are 1,500 civilians in Gongdeok Station, and 300 soldiers staying to protect them. But no matter how many soldiers there are, defending this station doesn't look easy. The interior is too vast, and the manpower is woefully insufficient to guard every exit and passage. I could see soldiers moving busily in places where defensive lines had been built. However, because Gongdeok Station was located a bit away from the front lines, supplies were sufficient. That must be how they were able to create things like the iron doors I saw earlier. But Gongdeok Station is still a dangerous place, even at this very moment. It is a station under attack from both the Gyeongui Line and Line 5. Until those attacks end, we are bound to be stuck here.
Behind the barricades, the tension was evident on the soldiers' faces. "How long can this place hold out..." Their ominous conversation drifted past my ears. But there is no other choice. For now, this is the safest place. I have no choice but to quietly catch my breath, hoping that Gongdeok Station isn't breached by the infected. Just a little longer, let's rest here. Just a little longer... I repeated that to myself as I slowly moved my feet. Just as I was about to rest my weary body, the desperate screams of the soldiers who died flashed through my mind. The third basement level, the defensive line that collapsed under the weight of the infected. It felt as if their voices, fighting until the very end, were still echoing in my ears. I shook my head, trying to erase the memory. I held onto the desperate wish that their sacrifice would not be in vain.
And then. I heard faint footsteps. Small, light footsteps. Tap-tap. I opened my eyes to see a young girl walking toward me. Her clothes were tattered, and her face was slightly tear-streaked. But the child smiled at me and said, "Thank you." The girl's tiny, fern-like hands bowed carefully toward me. At that moment, I realized that everyone's eyes were now turned toward me. The 100 people gathered at Gongdeok Station. The people who had already died in the novel. They are standing right in front of me now. Alive.
"Thank goodness..." And suddenly, a strange, ticklish emotion rose from within my body. The fact that they were alive. That fact was throwing something at me. Just then, small voices could be heard from all around. "Thank you." "Thank you so much." Someone spoke to me with tears in their eyes, and a few others approached to offer sincere words of gratitude. I raised my hand to cover my face slightly. Out of shyness and awkwardness. But I couldn't hide it. The small smile spreading across my lips.
At that moment, the volunteer man who had been using an air rifle to deal with the infected approached slowly. He stood next to me and patted my shoulder without a word. "You made a good decision." And then, as if nothing had happened, he slowly walked away to another spot. As his words ended, small applause began to spread through the station. The sound of clapping grew louder and louder. The resonance filling the station struck my heart. Is this... the emotion of those who have survived? I don't know why I feel such great comfort from such small applause and laughter.
As the applause began to die down, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Just as the gazes of the people filling the station began to scatter, Park Geonho approached, looking hesitant, as if he had finished his conversation. He rubbed his hands together, not knowing what to do, and stopped in front of me. He scratched his head, wearing an awkward smile. "...What is it?" "...Um, well... the Major is calling for you."
The Major? A military commander-level official. "What for?" I asked cautiously, but Park Geonho kept his head down and said nothing more. He just nodded and gestured lightly for me to follow. I looked around, suppressing my inner anxiety. Behind me, Jang Yeeun watched me and gave a light nod. "I understand. Please, lead the way."
Park Geonho let out a sigh of relief and slowly took the lead. Why are they calling me? Did I do something wrong? No, perhaps... My head was filled with countless questions. But I knew I would only find the answer once I reached the Major. The place we arrived at, following Park Geonho, was a space crudely set up as a command headquarters. Operation maps and route charts were plastered on the walls, and military radios and documents were scattered across the desk. In the center, a man who looked to be in his early thirties was intently studying a map.
"Major, I've brought them."
At those words, the man slowly lifted his head. Our eyes met. And he... his lips trembled, and he couldn't speak for a long time, until finally, "Why are you here...? I really didn't think it was possible." He caught his breath for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "Damn it... I didn't think you'd be alive, you little sister of mine. Thank you for staying alive."