The First Step Toward Order
My brother, Lee Junhyeok, scratched his head and slowly began to speak. "First, the groundwater issue. We don't have the fuel to run the pumps. It’s true we need to drain the water, but if we start using more fuel, we might lose our power supply entirely. This isn't just a matter of lacking manpower; we are facing a total resource deficit."
I nodded, letting him continue without interruption. "Second, the security force. If we leave law enforcement to civilians, we’ll have untrained people walking around with guns and weapons. What happens if there’s an accident? Don't you know that internal division is more terrifying than the infected? Furthermore, if we lose the people's trust, even those who remain here will stop believing in us."
I listened in silence once more. "Third, external supply runs. Let's say we form a resource team as you suggested. What if that team gets infected or dies? The consequences would be catastrophic. No one would be willing to take that risk, and we can't force them to do it."
My brother let out a long sigh and pressed his fingers to his temples. "…I appreciate your concern, but realistically, many of these things are impossible." He looked at me with a slightly apologetic expression. "And I think I was a bit harsh earlier. I’m sorry. But truly, this is a difficult problem." He waved his hand, trying to send me away. "Go and get some rest now, Sieun."
But I had no intention of backing down. "Brother, wait. Let me explain again."
He stopped, about to say something, and looked at me. I didn't miss my chance. "For the groundwater, we can organize the civilians into shifts to operate the pumps. By working in rotations, we can conserve resources. If we raise awareness among the civilians about hygiene and disease, there will be volunteers."
He listened without a word. It was probably best not to bring up the mosquito infection theory just yet. I was relieved that my pre-prepared justification was working. "And for the security force, Jang Yeeun and I will train them ourselves. Handling simple weapons isn't that difficult anyway. Even having basic defensive measures will be a huge help in maintaining order. We can manage it systematically to prevent accidents."
I added one final point. Jang Yeeun was skilled not only in archery but also in other martial arts. I had set her up that way, after all. "As for the external supplies… yes, I know it’s dangerous. That’s only possible if we create a way to defend this place for the long haul. But you know we can't stay here forever."
My brother bowed his head and remained silent for a long time. Then, he let out a deep sigh. "…Fine, I understand. Let's try the first and second points as you said. Let's try to utilize the civilians. But the third one is out of the question. It’s too dangerous."
"Thank you, Brother."
He waved his hand and grimaced. "Ugh, seriously. It’s weird when you say it like that all of a sudden."
I chuckled at his reaction. "No, really. Thank you, though."
He followed with a faint smile. "Honestly, watching you, I’m going to go crazy. Anyway." He shook his head, still lost in thought. "But what you’re trying to do involves mobilizing civilians, right? The 100 people from Mapo Station won't be enough. You know how many people are at Gongdeok Station, don't you?"
I nodded. "1,500."
Ah, it was 1,600 now. That was a lot of people.
My brother sighed and opened a drawer. He pulled out a few documents and handed them to me. "This is the list of representatives leading the survivor community at Gongdeok Station. If you want to execute this plan, you have to get their permission first."
As I took the list and scanned the names, my brother reached out and lightly patted my head. "…Your personality, trying to take care of others when you can’t even take care of yourself, hasn't changed at all. You really are…"
I looked at him, flustered, but he just shook his head with a bitter smile. "It’s just amazing that you’ve survived this far with that personality."
I clutched the list tightly, not knowing what to do. "…I understand. I’ll go get their permission."
"Good. Come back once you have it. If you’re going to take responsibility for it, I’ll help you as much as I can."
I nodded quietly, hugging the documents to my chest. "Thank you, Brother."
He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Ha… seriously, I’m hearing 'thank you' a lot today."
I stopped at the door as I was about to leave. I turned back and glanced at him. "…Oh, and Brother. Make sure to catch those bugs, like the mosquitoes. I just have a bad feeling about them."
He looked at me with a puzzled expression, spinning his pen. "…What is that? Why mosquitoes all of a sudden?"
I shrugged and opened the door. "Just catch them. We shouldn't be getting sick with anything."
He sighed, shook his head, and began scribbling something in his notebook. At that moment, a sharp sound erupted from the radio. "Major Lee Junhyeok! Emergency situation! Requesting a report!"
His expression turned serious in an instant. "This is Lee Junhyeok. What’s going on?"
Feeling the shift in his tone, I quickly left the room. Just before closing the door, I could feel the air in the room grow heavy. "…He’s really busy."
At that moment, my footsteps naturally began to head toward where Jang Yeeun was. I walked slowly, my mind racing. I had to meet Jang Yeeun first and talk about the security force. But as I walked, the soldiers suddenly began to move in a flurry. Except for the troops guarding the exits and platforms, all the soldiers were gathering one by one at the command center where my brother was.
…As expected.
I stopped and watched the soldiers moving away. And then, the keywords I heard among them: *Infection. Chungjeong-ro. Dispatch. Loss of contact.* These keywords could only mean one thing: the 'Chungjeong-ro Incident.'
The event that had appeared in the original novel was now preparing to shake Gongdeok Station. Because of the mosquitoes, Chungjeong-ro would be devastated, and the infected would push southward. In the original story, this incident was the major catalyst that forced the protagonist's group to move south instead of north. But I knew. This incident would also lead to a fatal event within Gongdeok Station.
The Chungjeong-ro infection incident wouldn't end with just the infected. It would lead to a 'security vacuum' caused by the mass dispatch of soldiers, which would cause the dissatisfaction and conflict among the survivors left in the subway to explode. As a result, each survivor community would form factions and clash, eventually causing Gongdeok Station to collapse from within. I would never let that happen.
I gritted my teeth and started walking again. Before long, I entered the makeshift hospital. Jang Yeeun was still in her bed, but perhaps because she was naturally robust, she was just about to get up. She was recovering even after losing so much blood. As expected of the protagonist.
When she saw me, she chuckled, then suddenly approached and hugged me tightly. "…What are you doing?!"
I felt my face heat up instantly. Should I push her away? But my hands hesitated due to my conflicting emotions. Jang Yeeun saw my reaction and smiled.
"…Thank you for saving me."
Her gaze drifted to my right hand, which was wrapped in thick bandages. There was something warm in her eyes. "It’s nothing. It’s only natural for comrades to help each other."
At that moment, Jang Yeeun lifted her head while still holding me. "…How about friends instead of comrades?"
Her smile sparkled right in front of me. "…That sounds good. Friends."
Saying that made my heart feel a little lighter. Then, a thought occurred to me, and I straightened my posture while still in her arms. "Oh, and there’s something I need to tell you."
"…What is it?"
"A security force."
"…A security force?"
I explained the situation at Gongdeok Station, the security vacuum that would arise from the soldiers being dispatched to Chungjeong-ro, and the civilian-led security force I had envisioned. "…So, while the soldiers are away, you’re saying we should maintain order ourselves among the civilians?"
"Exactly. The soldiers alone can't manage the entire station right now. That’s why we need to persuade people among the civilians to form this security force."
She thought about it for a moment, then gave a small nod. "I understand. I’ll help with whatever I can."
A small smile spread across my face at her words. "…Thank you, Jang Yeeun."
"I thought we were friends?"
"…Thank you, Yeeun."
She smiled playfully and reached out her hand. I stared blankly at her hand for a moment. "…Do friends hold hands, too?"
"Of course."
She held my hand tightly and led me forward. I took a short breath at the warmth I felt from her hand. A little while later, we met the first representative. It was the man who had slapped me earlier.
"…Huh?"
I looked at him with a flustered expression. But the people standing behind him were all wearing ragged clothes. They looked like people who had just come from a construction site. The man saw us and greeted us with a slightly uncomfortable expression. "…I’m sorry about what happened earlier. It’s just… how should I put it, I’ve been a bit sensitive lately."