The Zealot's Call
My head is spinning, and my footsteps feel heavy. But is it that I don't want to stop? The memories that haven't yet been sorted—thinking of them makes me feel like I'm going to lose my mind. Suddenly, the sound of voices reaches me, and I turn my head toward them.
"Representative! Representative!"
I freeze for a moment. Several residents rush toward me the moment they spot me, their eyes filled with concern. "Representative, are you alright?" "What happened? How could the country be like this..." It was mostly the elderly. They vented their frustrations about the National Reconstruction Committee, asking, "What are we supposed to do in this situation?" "How are we supposed to handle all of this!"
Truly, what has become of this situation? At that moment, Jang Yeeun hurriedly grabs my hand and pulls me along. "Let's go to where Lee Junhyeok is."
We barely manage to push through the crowd and reach the room where Lee Junhyeok is staying. But the sight inside was beyond anything I could have imagined. The smell of cigarette smoke hung thick in the air, and documents and various supplies were scattered across the floor, making it look like a chaotic battlefield. Lee Junhyeok sat in the middle of it all, sporting dark circles under his eyes. When he looked my way, his eyes widened in shock, and he jumped to his feet.
"Ah, ah seriously..." Lee Junhyeok puts his hand to his face and pauses for a moment. "It's been a week since you collapsed. You, who are already in such poor health, to push yourself until your body is this wrecked... ha..."
But he doesn't yell at me anymore. Instead, he sighs again, picks up a paper cup from the side, and gulps down some water. "Everyone, sit down first. I don't know how to start, but for now."
He begins to organize the situation, pointing at a map with his finger one by one. "During the week you were unconscious, the terror attacks at Aeogae Station—the ones where they rode bikes and threw flashbangs... that was just the beginning."
The terror attacks have been continuing? Lee Junhyeok sighs and continues. "Over and over, they rode bikes and threw flashbangs. Because of that, the exits at Aeogae Station are blocked with the corpses of the infected, making movement impossible... but we couldn't just sit still either."
He taps his finger on the map over Aeogae Station. "There are even casualties piling up. Because of this, everyone capable of fighting has flocked to Aeogae Station, which makes maintaining the defensive line even more difficult."
Damn it. "The current situation... people are incredibly on edge." I bite my lip hard.
"...We even went as far as to request a dialogue first." He rests his chin on his hand and speaks with a sarcastic edge. "And do you know what they said?"
I shake my head.
"They told us to hand over all our supplies."
...What? I couldn't understand it. It's not like we're in a war, and aren't they fighting to survive just like us? But... their demand isn't a negotiation; it's looting. These crazy bastards.
Lee Junhyeok smiles bitterly and continues. "While they were attacking, I tried to figure out their intentions as much as possible... it seems they plan to drain our resources until we can't defend ourselves anymore." He scans the map quickly, pointing to locations as he speaks. "Those guys... they have plenty of time and superior firepower."
Lee Junhyeok runs his hand through his hair and sighs. "...There's nothing we can do."
I clench my fists. "Is there really nothing we can do? But... shouldn't we try?" We have broken through impossible situations until now. Why can't we do it now?
Lee Junhyeok tilts his head and looks at me. "What do you mean, 'something we can do'?"
Instead of answering his question, I point my finger at Chungjeongno Station. "They haven't done anything particular to Chungjeongno Station, right?"
Lee Junhyeok thinks for a moment and nods. "According to the person monitoring from Exit 9 of Chungjeongno Station, people did approach the Line 2 side, but as soon as they saw the infected pouring out, they blocked the entrance and haven't even approached Chungjeongno Station since."
So, nothing is happening at Chungjeongno Station right now. But a thought crosses my mind. "Then, they must not know that the Line 5 area of Chungjeongno Station is 'our territory.' Right?"
"That's right."
"Then... they have no intention of talking anyway, right? We can just go and crush them first."
At those words, I begin to draw a line on the map from Chungjeongno Station to Seosomun Shrine History Park with a pen. Suddenly, Lee Junhyeok cuts me off.
"Denied."
When I look at him with wide eyes, his face is contorted. "Why?"
Lee Junhyeok hesitates to speak, then bites his lip hard. "It's too dangerous. Those guys aren't idiots; there's no way they haven't set up defenses around Seosomun Shrine History Park."
I cross my arms and offer a small smile. "Then, couldn't we move in a small group?"
"You, with your body in that state—don't tell me you're thinking of volunteering to go out there again?"
"We can't just sit here and watch."
"What if you die doing that?! Don't you think about the people left behind?!" He crumples the paper next to him violently and shouts. I'm momentarily speechless, but I have no reason to refute him. Certainly, I lacked the time to think. I wanted to escape the current situation somehow, and I believed it would lead to good results for me and my colleagues, but... Lee Junhyeok was quite right.
Just as I was about to open my mouth, Jang Yeeun, who was standing next to me, took my hand and said quietly, "...This time, it's not really the right move, is it?"
At her words, I close my mouth for a moment. "...Yeah."
Then, Jang Yeeun adds quietly, "However, the idea itself was good." She pulls a paper out of her pocket and unfolds it. The names of people were written on it.
"No way..."
Jang Yeeun laughs briefly and tells me not to worry. Indeed, the paper was... a list of people who had volunteered for the strike team. Of course, Jang Yeeun was included as well. At that moment, it was as if words were spilling out of my mouth on their own, and I couldn't stop anymore.
"Take me with you."
The moment I let those words out, my heart began to race. Only after the words left my lips did Lee Junhyeok stop and stare at me. "Really? What are you going to do if you get hurt in that state?"
Nevertheless, my heart did not waver. "I can do it too. I'm not that weak." I retorted, unaware that my lips were trembling as I spoke. Can I even trust my own words? Am I perhaps doubting my own abilities? A trembling fear welled up inside me. But I had no choice.
"I'm coming with you," I said, but as soon as the words ended, my body trembled slightly. Jang Yeeun and Lee Junhyeok's expressions twisted, as if they could no longer stay still. Lee Junhyeok stood up in a rage and slammed his fist onto the desk. At the sound, I flinched, and my fingernails dug into my palms unconsciously.
"Tsk..." Lee Junhyeok lets out a long sigh and bows his head. Seeing him look as if he were suppressing something, anxiety filled my chest.
"If you're going to do that, take me with you too."
Lee Junhyeok places his hands on the desk and doesn't speak for a moment. Seeing that, I feel as if my heart has stopped once more. "Even if I do as you convinced me, do you realize I have to take responsibility if it ends up like this?"
- Aeogae Station, Basement Level 4, Line 5 Platform -
- Lee Sieun -
Lee Junhyeok and Jang Yeeun didn't stop me anymore. Lee Junhyeok lets out a short sigh, holds the map in his hand, and scans Aeogae Station once more. "We're going to a dangerous place, too."
We each strapped on our weapons and headed toward Aeogae Station with minimal gear. A tense atmosphere enveloped us. Aeogae Station was far from peaceful. The broken barricades were half-collapsed, and beyond them, the corpses of the infected were strewn about. Most people tried to ignore the bodies, but everyone could tell that these were the ones that had inflicted fatal damage on our allies. It seems there was a terror attack this morning as well. Perhaps because of that, the members of the strike team walked with murderous expressions. They said that since they were finally going to get some payback, plenty of people had volunteered.
However, an unexpected figure stood out in that place. Pastor Son Gangjo.
"Now, we will no longer hide! Our homeland, our people, are already rotten to the bone! Corrupt, twisted inside, and there is no one left to save us! Then who shall save us? It is us—we must be the ones to save ourselves!"
His words burned like a flame, splitting the surrounding air. People were absorbed in his words. He paused for a moment, looked around, and glared with wide eyes.
"We have no forgiveness for our enemies! The enemy must be thoroughly trampled and destroyed! All those who are unnecessary to us must be purged! We must drink their blood to reclaim our land!"
The members of the strike team and those at the defensive line were increasingly stimulated by his words, fire igniting in their faces, and soon an atmosphere of fanaticism for his words spread. What is this...
I took a step, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease inside. ...Come to think of it, in the original novel, there were guys obsessed with religion who showed up and caused trouble. A groundless, ominous premonition welled up, but it was a fact that Pastor Son Gangjo was proving to be helpful.