Chapter 24
Yu Sol, who was descending the stairs last, spoke with a finely trembling voice. Even though she was responding quickly, she seemed confused by something she had never experienced before.
Seo Won caught Yu Sol as she stumbled from stepping wrong and said, “Calm down. It’s okay, so let’s get the people evacuated first.”
“Uh, …yeah.”
With the restless Poong-i trailing behind them, Seo Won quickly descended the stairs. When they reached ground level, people were running around everywhere.
Yu Sol, who had come down to ground level with him, began running frantically somewhere. Seo Won and Poong-i chased after her, running hard.
“Where are we going?”
“I have to open the underground bunker. Only hunters can open it.”
When they entered the department store building, people were crowded together in droves. Shouts from people calling for Yu Sol could be heard from here and there, but Yu Sol just pushed through the crowd and kept moving forward. Fortunately, people made way for Yu Sol as she passed.
Finally arriving in front of a sturdy-looking iron door, Yu Sol placed her hand on it and closed her eyes. Then an intangible energy rose from her body like a heat haze.
It was similar to Baek Rak’s appearance that he had seen before. Even though she was young, a hunter was still a hunter.
Seo Won continued watching Yu Sol’s white, undulating energy. The energy that had been spreading randomly around suddenly began to be sucked inside the iron door. The pitch-black door turned white, and finally the closed iron door opened with a sound.
Only then did Yu Sol, who let out a long sigh, turn around.
“Be careful not to fall while moving. Did everyone bring food?”
“We brought it.”
When she opened the door wide and stepped aside, people began entering the bunker while looking after each other.
After watching the people for a while, Yu Sol seemed to remember something and hurriedly scanned those remaining. Her reaction was unusual, so Seo Won asked, “Why? Looking for someone?”
“…Poong-i’s wife and pups.”
Only then did Seo Won realize he hadn’t seen them either. He had seen several animals going in together, but there were no Jindo dogs among them.
“Isn’t someone bringing them?”
“Most of the people are already here. Only armed combat personnel should be left outside.”
Yu Sol stamped her feet and took out her radio.
“Has anyone seen Rang and the pups?”
[I haven’t seen them.]
[Me neither.]
[Haven’t they already been brought in?]
“No, I’ve been watching from the beginning and they haven’t come yet.”
[I’ll look for them.]
[I’ll look around too, so Yu Sol, don’t come outside.]
Only then did Yu Sol relax and catch her breath.
During this time, people continued entering the bunker. When all the people had moved, only a few remained on the first floor. Just when he thought the evacuation was mostly complete—
He felt the faint remaining protective energy suddenly extinguish. Then heavy air began pressing down on their shoulders.
Seo Won and Yu Sol’s gazes met. At that moment, along with creatures’ screams, thundering sounds echoed. Massive impacts that shook the ground had begun from outside the barrier.
Yu Sol urged the remaining people with a pale face.
“Hurry in! Hurry!”
“Yu Sol! What about you?”
“Go in first!”
After pushing the last person into the bunker, Yu Sol breathed heavily. Her originally pale face had turned completely white, making her look like someone whose life had completely drained away. Seo Won carefully placed his hand on Yu Sol’s shoulder.
“Rang and the pups. Where are they usually?”
Yu Sol, who had been breaking out in cold sweat, barely managed to lift her head. Her heart was pounding like crazy, making Seo Won’s voice sound fuzzy, but seeing his calm face helped her collect herself a little.
“…Why?”
“I’ll bring them, so go inside first.”
“…How would you know where they are.”
“You can explain to me. I’ll find them quickly, so just tell me the location.”
It would be impossible for Yoon Seo Won, who had only looked around once, to remember the entire shelter. Knowing this, he still said he’d go alone. Yu Sol tried to calm herself with several deep breaths.
But bombs trying to stop the creatures kept exploding with loud bangs. The voices of people running around and shouting outside were also full of fear, making it difficult to collect herself. It felt like creatures would cross the barrier and enter the shelter at any moment.
Why had this suddenly happened? Although the protective shield had sometimes wavered unstably, this was the first time it had disappeared like this. She couldn’t understand what was happening.
“Yu Sol, quickly!”
Just when only bad thoughts kept coming to mind, Seo Won’s voice shook her to attention.
Yu Sol stood there dazed before belatedly squeezing her eyes shut. Wasn’t Yoon Seo Won scared of this situation? How could he be so calm?
When she opened her eyes again to look at him, Seo Won was nodding as if everything was okay. Yoon Seo Won, whom she had met for the first time today and had to explain everything to because he knew nothing, somehow felt reliable now. It was different from having Poong-i with her. Having someone by her side was comforting.
Yu Sol let out a long sigh and spoke in a subdued voice.
“…Near the station ticket gates.”
“Thank you. Now go inside.”
“No. Let’s go together.”
“It’s okay.”
“Did you forget the captain said to stay together? And Rang won’t follow someone she doesn’t know.”
No matter how much he tried to persuade her, she didn’t seem like she would listen. Seo Won thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded.
Han Seong Hyeon had said to stay together, and since the creatures hadn’t crossed the barrier yet, if they moved quickly, they could somehow manage it.
Moreover, Jindo dogs are as wary of strangers as they are loyal to their owners. With newborn pups as well, it might be impossible for him to bring them alone. In many ways, Yu Sol’s opinion was reasonable and realistic.
Once the decision was made, Yu Sol spoke quickly.
“Then I’ll close the bunker for now. There are other shelters besides here, so once we rescue Rang and the pups, let’s go there.”
Yu Sol quickly closed the door and covered it with nearby cover.
“This way.”
Her spirited running figure looked small but seemed big. Seo Won steeled himself and ran after Yu Sol.
When they came out to the department store’s first-floor lobby, they could see people running somewhere. Looking closely, they were heading toward the barrier carrying guns and various firearms. But that’s where the creatures are?
It seemed too reckless in a situation where they didn’t know when those things might cross over. Surely they weren’t planning to fight like that? He doubted whether ordinary people who weren’t hunters could face those things. Seo Won, who had been looking back and forth between Yu Sol and the people, finally couldn’t hold back and shouted.
“Yu Sol! Are those people okay?”
“Who?”
“Those people running toward the barrier!”
Yu Sol glanced at the people Seo Won was pointing to and nodded.
“Don’t worry! Inside the barrier is safe too. They can attack from there and hide too!”
Seo Won felt relieved that it was fortunate and ran up the stairs leading to the station with Yu Sol. Taking two or three steps at a time, even the high stairs quickly came to an end.
Arriving at the Yeongdeungpo Station lobby, which was wide open without even a glass door, Yu Sol headed toward the ticket gates without hesitation. Poong-i ran ahead first, as if he too was trying to find his family.
However, when they arrived at the location, neither Rang nor the puppies were visible. Only a soft-looking blanket was scattered about.
“Poong-i! Find Rang, quickly!”
Even at Yu Sol’s shout, Poong-i just hesitated. It seemed like he was troubled about having to move away from the subject he had to protect. But since he was also worried about his family, he kept whining, not knowing what to do.
“I’ll follow you, so don’t worry and look for them. Let’s find Rang and the pups and move quickly. Okay?”
Whether Poong-i understood Yu Sol’s words, he immediately began running toward somewhere. He was heading down the stairs.
“Are they down there?”
“Why there… Did they hide below because they were startled?”
With creatures’ screams constantly heard from all directions and people running out in panic, it seemed the startled mother had moved with her pups to a safe place. Seo Won and Yu Sol quickly went down the stairs.
When they arrived below, Poong-i was barking in the distance with his body crouched low. Running to that spot, Seo Won was able to find Rang and the pups among a pile of huge wooden boxes stacked below the railroad tracks.
“Rang! Come out quickly!”
Yu Sol, who had gone down below, reached her hand between the boxes. However, the gap was too narrow for a person to enter. Rang was also squeezed in tightly, as if she had desperately tried to hide herself.
“Rang, come here! Hurry, it’s okay!”
Even though she saw Yu Sol and Poong-i, she just cowered. Holding the pups to her chest and rolling her eyes around, she looked terrified.
Seo Won wondered if he could move the boxes and pushed with all his strength. But whatever was inside, they wouldn’t budge. They probably contained weapons or machinery.
He had thought his body had gotten a bit stronger from the first awakening, but his strength was nowhere near enough to move the boxes.
‘What should we do?’
Yu Sol was trying to calm Rang by changing her voice to be gentle and even pleading. He wanted to tell her to come over here too, but since he was a stranger, he was afraid that if he stepped forward, it would only heighten Rang’s wariness.
Then Poong-i, who had been standing aside, blocked Yu Sol’s path. Watching to see what he was trying to do, he stared intently at Rang and then began squeezing through the gap.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
