The Architect of Order
There were five survivor communities formed within Gongdeok Station. First, the hundred or so construction workers who had been working in the surrounding area. Second, the eight hundred residents who had fled from the apartment complexes near Gongdeok Station. Third, the two hundred congregants gathered from the church. Fourth, the four hundred refugees who had been using the station that day. And fifth, the hundred people from Mapo Station.
I finally understood why the construction workers were the most volatile group in the original novel. Their leader, the man who had been slapping me earlier, was destined to be shot to death in the original story. If things had proceeded as written, their rage would have reached a breaking point, triggering a revolt from within Gongdeok Station and leading to its collapse. But things were different now. That man was alive, and he was, to some extent, favorable toward me. That made all the difference.
"I really need your help, sir."
The man stroked his chin, pondering for a moment, before answering in a gruff, easygoing voice.
"I have to listen to the person who saved my life, don't I? Fine, I'm in."
The moment his answer fell, the construction workers behind him exchanged glances.
"I used to work as a site foreman. I'm used to leading people. Being responsible for dozens of lives was my job. This is no different. I'll take the lead."
Next up were the apartment residents—the largest and most conservative group. They held the most sway within the Gongdeok Station community. Their numbers reached eight hundred. The church group, too, had originally formed when a portion of the apartment residents gathered separately for religious reasons. Above all, the reason Gongdeok Station’s survival was currently being maintained was thanks to "supplies." And more than half of those supplies had been brought in by the apartment residents.
What was surprising was that they hadn't monopolized the supplies they brought. They had offered them up as communal property. But in exchange… they had sought to control the "order" of this place, and in return for providing the communal supplies, the apartment residents held the political initiative. Of course, the soldiers were a separate matter, but no matter how many supplies the military had brought, it was never enough to feed thousands of people. As a result, while the place was run in an orderly fashion, it was inevitable that other survivors would view them as a conservative and exclusionary group.
In this situation, I had to secure their cooperation. I organized my plan in my head once more. Infection via mosquitoes. It was impossible to block it completely. The mosquitoes were just too damn persistent. But if we just got rid of the puddles, there would be almost no internal infection outbreaks within Gongdeok Station. That was the law of the world I had set. Therefore, our job was to clear out the places where water pooled as quickly as possible.
With that thought, I went to meet the representative of the apartment residents. She wore an armband and had a stern expression on her face. And right now, she was writing in a household account book. A household account book? In this apocalypse? But… I realized it immediately. That book was the "Gongdeok Station Communal Supply Ledger." She wasn't just an "apartment resident representative." She was the person managing the supply chain for the entire station. Having to persuade someone like that… it wouldn't be easy.
I took a deep breath and stood quietly in front of her.
"You're the representative from Mapo Station, I hear?" Her voice was firm.
"My name is Lee Sieun."
She was the person with the most "power" here. I took a deep breath and spoke to her.
"How much longer can the supplies here last?"
The woman with the armband stared straight at me.
"Why are you curious about that?"
"The people from Mapo Station need to be allocated food and water. Naturally, I'm interested."
If she was a person who approached things "logically," appealing to emotion would be meaningless. She kept her guard up, tapping her finger against the ledger.
"The food, water, and medicine currently in Gongdeok Station… at this rate of consumption, we have a month at most. After that, everyone will have to fend for themselves."
"Exactly. That’s why we need something." I went straight to the point. "We need an organization to maintain public order. Right now, the soldiers are maintaining order by force, but because some of the troops were pulled out due to the incident in Chungjeong-ro, there’s going to be a security vacuum."
"So?"
"I intend to organize a civilian security force to fill that gap. However, the security force will be composed mainly of apartment residents."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Why specifically the apartment residents?"
"Because you are the strongest group here."
She was speechless for a moment.
"It’s a fact that the apartment residents make up the largest faction here and manage a significant portion of the supplies. If a security vacuum occurs, who do you think will be in danger first?"
She didn't answer, but I knew. The people with the most power here were the ones who wanted order the most.
"If there is no organization to maintain order while the soldiers are away, there is a high possibility of chaos. The first people to suffer will be the 'apartment residents.' You are the ones with the most supplies here, after all."
"I… don't like the sound of that." The woman quietly clenched her fist.
"The security force won't just be an armed group; it will take on the role of maintaining order so that people don't feel anxious. If the apartment residents participate directly, you can maintain your initiative here as well."
She stared intensely at my face.
"The second thing we need is a drainage project."
She furrowed her brow slightly.
"You should request that from the soldiers."
"No."
"The soldiers have been dispatched to Chungjeong-ro. In reality, they have no choice but to focus their troops solely on Gongdeok Station’s defense and internal management."
She pressed her lips together.
"Water pools easily in the subway station due to groundwater. Even now, puddles are forming everywhere. What do you think will happen if we leave this alone?"
"Hygiene problems will become severe."
"That’s not the end of it. The risk of infection also increases." Her gaze wavered. "Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water. What if a mosquito that drank infected blood bites a person…? With the soldiers gone, we are the only ones who can solve this. The reason for organizing the security force, and the reason for clearing the drainage, is ultimately for the survival of Gongdeok Station."
"…."
"After the work is finished, we can distribute roles to those who haven't been doing anything until now." I looked around. "Honestly speaking, many of the people here in Gongdeok Station do nothing but eat and sleep."
"…."
"We have to let them know that 'everyone has work to do.' Otherwise, people will become increasingly helpless, and in the end, everything will collapse."
"…."
"If we don't prepare now, Gongdeok Station will start to crumble 'from the inside.'"
The woman was silent. She stopped tapping her finger on the table. With a deep sigh, she closed the ledger and closed her eyes for a moment.
"…You, you speak well."
"Have I persuaded you?"
"…I have no choice. I don't want to see Gongdeok Station go to ruin either." She looked into my eyes. "Fine. I’ll take charge of persuading the apartment residents. But if you can't execute this properly, I won't let it slide."
"Of course."
She folded her arms and thought for a moment, then sighed.
"I’ll persuade the church people."
"…Pardon?"
"Those people are a group that split off from some of our apartment residents. So it will be faster if we talk to them directly."
"…You’re really helping me."
"It’s work that needs to be done anyway." She said that and stood up from her seat. "Aren't you supposed to persuade people in other places too?"
I nodded. Now, all that was left were the refugees. The four hundred or so people who had fled to Gongdeok Station that day and were staying there. I had to persuade them. I headed toward the refugees' quarters. But before I could even arrive, they found me first.
"Kim Se… no, are you Lee Sieun?"
Standing in front of me was a middle-aged man wearing an armband. He was a former police officer.
"I heard from Park Young-sik."
Was the construction worker's name Park Young-sik? I hadn't known because he died immediately in the novel. "We actually want to work."
"…Pardon?"
"We are mostly refugees who came to Gongdeok Station that day. Honestly, it’s agonizing to live relying on the supplies brought by the soldiers and apartment residents without lifting a finger."
"…."
For a moment, I couldn't say anything.
"Among us refugees, there are police officers, firefighters, and people who worked in security."
"…."
"I, in particular, worked as a police officer for 15 years. If this is enough, can I become a core member of the 'security force'?"
"I’d be grateful if you did."
I went to my brother with the paper full of signatures.
"…You actually pulled it off."
"I promised you I would."
My brother sighed, checking the signatures one by one. Then he let out a long, heavy breath.
"But you and Jang Yeeun are staying out of the security force."
"…What?"
"You said there were former police and firefighters among the refugees, right? We’re going to form the security force around them."
"No, we can do it too!"
"I’m worried about you."
There was no hesitation in my brother's expression. I tried to speak because I was frustrated, but—
"…I made contact with Father."
My heart felt like it had dropped into my stomach.
"What…?"
"He’s in Sejong City. He told me to make sure you don't get hurt."
Father did? "And he figured out the fact that you can be infected by mosquitoes in the rear."
…What?
In the original work, the government doesn't find that out until much later!