Chapter 338

A mountain trail in Se-gwang Special City.

Ryu Jaegwan, gasping for breath, looked at the person running ahead.

The person on the bicycle—no, the “agent”—was making astonishingly fast, decisive calls and leading him along.

“Huff....”

They were riding the mountain now.

More precisely, they were taking a shortcut out of the residential district by using a well-maintained mountain walking trail to avoid densely populated areas.

[Walking Trail & Rest Area]

It was maintained just enough that they didn’t quite need a mountain bike.

On the lead agent’s back, the Counseling Teacher was perched as if laid over him, and Ryu Jaegwan was clinging on behind with a bike he still wasn’t used to, sheer stubbornness forcing him forward.

The agent kept checking his own condition without slowing down. You could feel the will in him—get away from danger as fast as possible.

Even in this situation that was like a disaster movie—so cold it felt unreal, so urgent it made your skin crawl—he was calm and resolute.

And yet....

“Student Jaegwan, careful!”

How does he know me?

I’m an orphan with no connections.

Then why is he trying to rescue me?

Something that wasn’t quite hope and wasn’t quite fear churned in my chest. Between the terror of an extreme, non-everyday situation where I might die, a strange thrill rose up.

A teenager’s longing.

The excitement of being given a special role.

But things were too urgent for that feeling to take the front.

Beeeep!

“...!”

“We’re turning!”

The moment the disaster alert alarm rang again, the bike in front swerved hard.

Ryu Jaegwan hurried after it.

But a shiver ran through him at the realization that he’d almost let go of the handlebars, grabbed his phone, and checked the message.

That impulse was getting worse and worse....

And after riding for who knew how long—

“Over there—huff—let’s rest for a moment.”

They stopped in front of a rest area sign.

Ryu Jaegwan reflexively swept his gaze across the inside.

The rest area halfway up the mountain trail was a cabin, with a small flat clearing around it and a fence set up.

In a corner, in a gap between rocks, he could see a faucet shaped like a wooden sculpture and, beneath it, pooled water like a little spring.

[Comma Mineral Spring (No Washing Allowed)]

Following the agent, Ryu Jaegwan got off the saddle and wheeled his bike by hand, trailing toward the cabin entrance....

He heard the Counseling Teacher whisper softly.

“There are other people inside the cabin.”

...!

“They’re watching us from the window. ...I don’t think their intentions are good. Don’t look.”

Ryu Jaegwan almost turned toward the window. Cold sweat slid down his temples.

...He could almost feel a leering gaze scanning their bicycles, their bodies, their supplies.

Then, beside him, he heard a flat voice catching its breath.

“We weren’t going to go in anyway.... If we need to move right away, indoors isn’t good. Let’s just sit outside the rest area for a moment and then go. There’s a spring here.”

At the agent’s calm voice, the teenager’s prickling tension eased.

“Are you all right, Student Jaegwan?”

“......Yes.”

After checking Ryu Jaegwan’s condition with a faint smile, the two adults’ faces hardened and they began speaking in low voices.

“It’s only been an hour since the disaster started, and people are already thinking in extremes....”

“When it’s your life on the line, nothing’s off the table. They must’ve realized right away this isn’t normal. It’s only natural.”

They were talking about the “people with bad intentions” inside the cabin.

Ryu Jaegwan swallowed.

But the agent who looked back at him seemed unfazed, just patting the seat beside him as if to say It’s fine.

His eyes between black hair were even.

As if he’d lived through this countless times.

Ryu Jaegwan, who had no idea what kind of internal scream this “agent” might be holding back, felt a small measure of relief and sat beside him.

Then, catching their breath, they traded words about the situation.

“The alarm that rang earlier... it probably wasn’t on the mountain trail. It was likely down below. We should be safe here for a while. We don’t know when it’ll happen again, so let’s take in water and nutrition now.”

The agent pulled out an empty plastic bottle from his pack, filled it at the spring, and held it out to the Counseling Teacher.

The Counseling Teacher refused, but under the agent’s insistence, he drank a sip or two and put a candy in his mouth.

Then the agent asked him.

“You said you’re going to the station.”

“Yes.”

“You said there’s a way to end this disaster... so exactly where are you trying to go by subway?”

“I’m going to Se-gwang Station.”

At that, agitation showed on the agent’s previously calm face.

Why?

“Teacher. The origin point of this disaster is Se-gwang City Hall. Se-gwang Station is right near there.”

Ah.

“What you’re saying is you’re going to step into the fire while it’s burning. With no manual, no basic equipment, in a newly erupted large-scale disaster.”

Then the agent paused, swallowed, and spoke.

Ryu Jaegwan had the strange sense it was—somewhat deliberately—meant to heighten urgency.

“And this isn’t an ordinary disaster. I... at minimum this is wave-class. In the worst case....”

“I know.”

The Counseling Teacher’s voice sounded slightly anxious.

“That’s why we have to move faster. And don’t worry. I have my own methods.”

Then the Counseling Teacher suddenly thrust out an empty candy wrapper, almost as if to show them.

He clenched his hand tight so they couldn’t see inside, then opened it.

And—

Sparkle.

From inside the candy wrapper, small red bead-like things spilled into his palm.

“...!!”

“Looks like magic, doesn’t it?”

They were small berries, ripened bright red.

“They’re the fruit of a plant called fox marbles, Student Jaegwan.”

Speaking with a hint of warmth, the Counseling Teacher held the tiny fruit and smiled in a slightly playful way.

“If you eat this, you’ll be fine for a while. You won’t be bewitched by the disaster alerts. ...I can’t promise you’ll be completely safe, so we still need to get out of here as fast as possible.”

As he spoke, the Counseling Teacher’s eyes dimmed for a moment, as if looking at the empty space where his right hand had been—slack and melted, then cut off—but he smiled again and held out the berries.

“Go on.”

Ryu Jaegwan hesitated, watching the agent. When the agent nodded, he took the berries.

He’d thought it earlier—when the Counseling Teacher shoved his hand into the Security Guard-turned-monster, and when they cut that hand off—

The Counseling Teacher didn’t seem like an ordinary person....

.......

Wait—did his school even have a Counseling Teacher like that?

...Was he always like that?

A faint sense of wrongness rose up, but a young, restless mind quickly erased it.

Because the Counseling Teacher’s next words kept coming.

“So you two eat this and go somewhere safe.”

“.......”

“Just taking me to the station is already more than enough. And you, agent... you should rescue the people who want rescuing.”

The agent closed his mouth.

Ryu Jaegwan studied his face.

For an instant, he felt fierce deliberation and conflict flicker across it.

“Thank you.”

A composed voice followed.

“Student Jaegwan.”

“...Yes?”

“If we just take him to the station, then we can keep following the mountain trail like this. We’ll reach a river. There won’t be many people there, so it’ll be relatively safe.”

When their eyes met, the agent spoke gently.

“We can use that route to get out of this city. And I’ll stay with you until you get out of this disaster safely, so don’t worry.”

“.......”

In that moment, Ryu Jaegwan understood.

Right now, this agent had given something up for him.

“...Then you’re leaving with me, too, aren’t you?”

“For now, that’s the plan.”

Ryu Jaegwan spoke up.

“That’s a lie, isn’t it.”

“......!”

“It looks like you’ll get me out, then come back here.... Didn’t you say there are other people you have to rescue?”

“.......”

“I want to come with you.”

“What?”

Ryu Jaegwan said it steadily.

“There’s no need to send only me outside. Isn’t that a huge waste of time.”

“...!!”

That was clearly what weighed on the agent.

When the agent’s complexion changed, Ryu Jaegwan felt relief instead.

Resolve beat fear.

“This is an urgent situation. Until you find the others you need to rescue, you don’t have to take care of me separately. I’m... strong, and I can do what you tell me without complaining.”

“No—”

The agent’s face hardened, then he let out a breath. Ryu Jaegwan’s heart lurched, but the agent looked at him with eyes that said, somehow, I knew you’d say that.

...How?

“First—”

The moment the agent began to speak—

“Hey!”

...!

At the unfamiliar voice, they turned.

...Between the cabin door, cracked open only halfway, a pair of eyes appeared.

A chill shot through Ryu Jaegwan as he sprang to his feet.

“You’re not coming in?”

The door opened wider, and a middle-aged man in ordinary hiking clothes stepped out.

“Outside doesn’t look normal. Come in for now! Even a little safer is better.”

Ah.

He was trying to help.

For a moment, the high schooler relaxed.

But the two adults shoved the high schooler behind them and took on a strange, guarded posture.

‘...!’

“It’s all right. We’re going to head out again.”

“Head out? They say terror happened at City Hall—are you going to a shelter?”

Then he glanced at the bikes.

“Riding that’ll be fast, sure, but wouldn’t it be better to eat something first? Take at least a cup ramen. We’ve got some inside.”

But while his words pretended concern, the eyes that naturally slid to the bicycles were greedy.

So Ryu Jaegwan understood.

He wants the bikes.

When the roads are blocked, there’s no better means of moving.

As alarm flared in him and he reflexively opened his mouth—

“Agent....”

“Agent?”

The middle-aged man’s eyes swept the agent’s jacket. It looked like he realized it was a uniform; his expression changed.

“Uh—are you a civil servant?”

Damn.

“Police? Military?”

Inside the cabin, he could hear other people standing up, a rising murmur.

Ryu Jaegwan clenched his teeth, but the agent smiled.

“Mm. It’s similar, but... we’re not on duty. We don’t have support from our organization, either.”

Then he patted Ryu Jaegwan on the back.

“I’m just traveling with my younger brother.”

...!

“We’re not going to a shelter. We’re leaving the city.”

“Hold on.”

“The situation isn’t good, so you all should leave the city too—head in a direction where there aren’t people. Anyway, we’ll be going.”

“Me too.”

The two adults eased backward, then climbed onto their bikes.

“Jaegwan!”

Ryu Jaegwan grabbed his bike without hesitation and started pedaling like crazy.

“Hey!”

Glancing back, he saw people bursting out of the cabin door, holding trekking poles and what looked like wire cords.

A chill hit him and he pedaled harder.

Soon, the footsteps behind them faded.

“Student Jaegwan, the berries!”

“Ah...!”

Heart hammering, Ryu Jaegwan shoved the berries—nearly crushed in his grip—into his mouth.

Somehow, even mixed with fear and revulsion, he felt a faint sense of brightness.

A sense of belonging.

***

Holy shit, I almost got killed.

Tongue out, I pumped my legs harder.

Those people were absolutely about to tie us up and steal the bikes.

[We nearly screened a low-budget thriller film script this afternoon. How about the title ‘The Cabin Murder Case’? Something obvious and vulgar would suit it perfectly!]

Hahaha....

Hoo.

From behind my head, I heard the Counseling Teacher speak.

“You’re a flexible agent. Some agents I know might’ve tried to persuade those people too, to rescue them somehow.”

Ah.

“Sometimes you have to acknowledge the limits of what you can do. I decided to rescue the people I can reach—within the range my hands can actually touch.”

“...I see.”

“Are you disappointed?”

“No.”

The Counseling Teacher looked mildly approving.

“I’m glad. It seems like you found a way that won’t destroy your mental health.”

“.......”

Just what did it take for this person to get picked by the Disaster Management Bureau in a way that set it off like a rabid button....

This is driving me insane.

Is it really right to take him to the subway station like this?

It wasn’t bitterness anymore—it was almost despair. Holding back a sigh, I pedaled again.

The Counseling Teacher hanging off my back was strangely light, and the bike whipped forward, closing in on the station.

Jui Station

The station name was different from the mutated subway station I’d experienced.

But I could guess, roughly.

...A broadcasting station.

Near the station, I could see a massive local broadcasting station building.

Ohu Station (Blood Broadcasting Station)

A subway station connected to the Se-gwang Special City Local Broadcasting Station.

In this station, a temporary stage had been installed in the concourse in coordination with the broadcasting station, and civic choirs or orchestras sometimes performed there.

I could vividly recall the wiki entry I’d read back then.

This is almost the exact opposite position from Se-gwang Station.

Thankfully, because it was far away, the commotion still hadn’t reached the level of the disaster’s origin point. Those “entities” walking along the main road from City Hall hadn’t arrived here yet.

Good call taking the mountain shortcut by bike.

But the area around it was already desolate, as if everyone had evacuated.

There were barely any pedestrians on the street—just a few moving fast, as if fleeing.

“.......”

And as I looked at Ryu Jaegwan, wearing a stubborn expression that said I’m absolutely not leaving alone, I swallowed a sigh.

This one’s driving me insane too.

Let’s think while we see the Counseling Teacher into the station.

Inside the subway, at least, it was a space where the disaster outside couldn’t easily reach—so there was a decent chance Se-gwang Station would be relatively intact.

It might even be safer than when I visited.

Whether we can get out of this city safely is a problem too, so confirming more information before moving wouldn’t be the worst idea.

I forced down the anxiety.

Hoo.

First, right in front of the station entrance, I stopped and collected the bicycles.

“Hand them over.”

And I shoved both bikes straight into my tattoo.

“...!!”

“Shh.”

High school student Bronze Agent nodded hard. His eyes were twice as wide now.

After checking the surroundings, I started heading down through Subway Exit 3.

Fortunately, the entrance hadn’t been barricaded yet.

“.......”

Going back into the subway felt strange.

And the subway I entered—

“What do we do??”

“My mom won’t answer the phone....”

“Aaaaaagh!”

I understood where all the people who’d vanished from the streets had gone.

“We’re all dead! They say it’s a virus terror attack!”

“All paramedics dead—this is real?”

“This video—look at that, is it real? Is this really happening at City Hall?”

Citizens who’d swarmed into the subway station as a shelter packed the concourse wall-to-wall.

On top of that, panicked testimony from people who’d fled from other stations turned it into a madhouse.

We’re already infected from the bio-chemical terror, war broke out and nuclear missiles will be launched soon—rumors of every kind made the panic surge.

In one corner, people were fighting like they meant to kill, and others were trying to pull them apart.

Somebody else wandered barefoot, muttering to themself....

Damn it.

It was the kind of scene that made your spine go cold.

We hurried, trying to avoid the crowd and get down to the platform.

“What are you going to do?”

“For now, I’m thinking of taking the outer loop line—”

But the platform toward the outer loop line was already blocked.

...Just like when I’d explored the subway stations.

[Oh? So it was already impossible from day one!]

“No service! Go back!”

Station staff stood in the way, controlling the crowd. Damn it!

We sprinted back to the opposite platform.

“It’s a loop line anyway, so taking the other side is fine. It’ll be more trouble, but....”

“.......”

I realized something.

Taking the inner loop gets you to Se-gwang Station a tiny bit faster.

Because there are fewer stops.

So choosing the opposite direction on purpose means....

My gaze slid to the machinery room on the blocked platform beyond the tracks.

“Is the place you’re trying to go... a facility on the opposite platform?”

“......!”

The Pleasant Research Institute facility.

For an instant, an eerie, strange look surfaced in the Counseling Teacher’s eyes as he stared at me.

A gaze that observed.

“...Why do you think that?”

“.......”

“What... do you think is in there...?”

That was when—

The train is arriving.

“...!”

A train began to enter the platform. Beyond the screen doors, it shoved air forward as it rushed in and stopped.

And then—

The screen doors are opening.

Some of the people crammed inside the train spilled out as if shoved. People near the doors struggled not to get out, but were pushed and tumbled anyway—

“Aaaagh!”

“Save me!”

The moment they got off the train, several people collapsed, covered in injuries.

Some clung to each other and sobbed, others barely managed to move.

It was pure chaos.

We have to get on in this?

“Teacher!”

Fortunately, the Counseling Teacher’s strange expression had vanished completely as he pushed through the crowd toward the train. I gritted my teeth, torn over whether to follow.

Or should I... check this station’s Pleasant Research Institute?

What would it even look like right now?

I looked at the opposite tracks, then at Ryu Jaegwan....

In that short moment, with the doors open, I made a fierce, rapid decision—

“Ggh....”

...I saw another group getting off the train.

And among them, there was a face I knew.

A cool, pale face, sharp lines.

Deputy Eun Haje.

“...!!”

I stopped without thinking.

“Agent...!”

Deputy Eun Haje—his hair longer than I remembered, tied tight into a single bundle—was being carried off the train on someone’s back, unconscious.

“Reporter!”

“What do we do.......”

Faces that looked like coworkers were smeared with blood and sweat.

And I understood.

“Huuung....”

He wasn’t unconscious.

He was dead.

Eun Haje’s breath was already gone.