I Returned, and Now I See Strange Things-Chapter 34: This Is Mine Now
Because that bastard Hyesung fell asleep first, it was a bit of a hassle getting here.
If I’d been just a little later, my job—no, Hyesung would’ve been in serious trouble.
...Well, even if it wasn’t about the job, I still would’ve come to get him.
I recalled the way Hyesung had been checking over his body a little while ago.
When I came to find him, I’d hoped not—but as I suspected, it seemed less like he was dreaming and more like his soul had separated from his body.
If something had happened to him here... he probably would’ve never opened his eyes again.
Surprisingly, Hyesung seemed to be aware of that on some level.
Whether it was from the pain or something he instinctively realized, I wasn’t sure.
With that thought, I ran quickly through the train.
It’d be better to get to the front before the one I kicked earlier brought its friends.
I’d told Hyesung I was going to hijack the train in dramatic fashion...
‘Well, it’s not exactly a lie.’
Since we weren’t technically in a dream, I couldn’t use the usual methods I knew.
What I’d originally planned was a very simple approach: find the source and smash it.
But... this place didn’t seem to be a space where such a “source” existed.
It was a space more unfamiliar than even anything I’d seen in Entera.
So for now, the best course was to run while figuring things out.
"Hurry up."
"I—I’m coming!"
Hyesung was gasping behind me as he followed.
Strictly speaking, his physical body wasn’t here—it was more like his spirit form—but still he was exhausted?
...Well, I hadn’t explained anything to him, so he was probably feeling like he had a real physical body.
That would explain the fatigue.
But I didn’t bother telling him any of that.
It was probably better for him to think of it as a nasty dream.
...Him slowing me down was annoying, but it was something I had to accept.
I turned my eyes away from him and looked outside the train.
If there was a hell of fire, this must be it.
That’s the kind of landscape it was.
There were still things burning wildly out there.
Screaming in agony and pain.
"..."
Either way, they couldn’t be saved.
Even if I’d arrived sooner, chances were I wouldn’t have been able to save them.
If my guess was correct.
I pulled my gaze away and ran through the train.
How far had we gone?
Up ahead, something that looked like the front of the train came into view.
It was the same kind of structure I’d seen on the subway coming here.
...Really made me realize how grimy this place was.
"We’re here."
"Hah... huhh... really?"
"This time for real."
There seemed to be something inside, so I gestured to Hyesung to keep quiet.
You know, the classic finger-to-lips sign.
He must have understood immediately, because he grabbed his mouth with both hands and went mmph!
...He didn’t have to go that far.
A grown man doing that—honestly, kind of gross.
If it were Hyeyeon, maybe I’d understand.
Anyway.
I carefully gripped the handle and opened the door.
Something dressed like a conductor stood inside, staring out the window.
It looked like a mass of pitch-black shadow.
I quietly approached—
And just hit it.
Even though it had a human silhouette, it clearly wasn’t human, so there was no way to identify a weak spot.
It wasn’t something I’d seen even in Entera.
How would I know where to hit?
In that case, you just cover it with overwhelming volume.
So much that weak points don’t matter.
I kept pounding it until I could feel the resistance through the gauntlet start to soften. Only then did I pull my hand back.
I gave the gauntlet a quick flick and called to Hyesung outside.
"Come in."
"Yes—ack!?"
Why’s he so startled?
He looked seriously spooked.
When I tilted my head, not understanding, he pointed shakily at the floor.
"W-what is that?"
"I don’t know."
"Ugh... that’s... just..."
"Really?"
At his whimpering, I glanced again at the thing lying on the floor.
...I didn’t see what was so bad.
Just looked like a black, vaguely human shape in clothes, lying there.
Still, since it freaked him out, there was no reason to leave it in here.
"Hold on."
I dragged the black thing out and chucked it off the train.
As it fell into the fire pit, its clothes began to burn instantly.
And then the problem started.
The moment the smoke from its burning body began to spread, the other creatures seemed to catch on and started flying this way.
"...Ah, shit."
The way they flew, flames blasting from their backs, was honestly... terrifying.
I quickly turned and rushed into the engine room. Hyesung still looked sick.
If it was going to end up like this, I shouldn’t have bothered throwing it out.
I left him alone and stood in front of the controls.
...That’s where the second problem greeted me.
‘How the hell do you drive this thing?’
"Hyesung."
"...Yeah?"
"Do you know how to operate this?"
He blinked, then shook his head.
"How would I know that?"
"Don’t they teach you this in Class 1 standard license?"
"Of course not!"
"...Right."
I didn’t get a license either, how would I know?
The way he snapped back, he seemed pretty anxious.
...Probably frustrated that I’d dragged him along all confident and now had no plan.
"Hyesung."
"...Yes?"
"Close the door and hold on tight."
"All of a sudden?"
"Not ‘all of a sudden’—those things from earlier are swarming us right now. Just hang on until I figure out how to get this thing moving."
"WHAT!?"
He looked flabbergasted but moved fast, shutting the door.
He turned some kind of locking mechanism and started glancing nervously around.
...Not bad.
I turned my eyes back to the complicated machines in front of me.
Why the hell are there so many buttons?
Do they really use all of them?
I randomly pressed a few, flipped any switches I saw lowered.
But the train didn’t budge.
What was the problem?
Thud!
A loud bang shook the door.
"N-noona! I think they’re here!"
"...Yeah, I know."
It was starting to feel a bit hot.
...Well, they are blasting fire, after all.
New novel chapters are published on freewёbn૦νeɭ.com.
I kept pressing buttons, but the train wouldn’t move.
Thunk!
Another loud hit.
Even the front windshield was now covered in them, plastered against the glass.
It was starting to look like the air in front of me was wavering.
"Ah! Hot!"
Hyesung, who’d been near the door, jumped back in alarm.
The door was glowing red, like it was about to melt.
Between the cracks, a black figure was visible.
It looked... furious.
‘Shouldn’t have tossed that thing out earlier after all.’
"N-noona, you still haven’t figured it out?!"
"Don’t rush me."
"I—I don’t wanna sound like I’m whining, but I really think this door’s gonna burst soon!"
Yeah, I know, you little shit.
I scanned the mass of machinery again, more carefully.
There was a panel covered in unreadable script—ignore that.
Most of the buttons weren’t even lit. Seemed like the power wasn’t even on.
‘What’s missing?’
And then—I saw it.
A hole just the size of a hand.
Thud!
No time to think. I moved Aslan—the gauntlet—to my foot.
My still-not-used-to-it pale white hand appeared.
Without hesitation, I shoved it into the hole.
The quiet machine lit up.
"Found it."
And there it was. Something that looked like it was made to start the train.
Just looking at it screamed pull me to depart!
I shoved it forward with all my strength.
The train lurched into motion.
SCREECH!
With a noise like metal being scraped, the train accelerated.
The ones stuck to the door—
The ones plastered against the window—
Were sucked away, dragged into the inferno.
Then Hyesung collapsed to the floor like a dropped sack of potatoes.
He let out a huge sigh and °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° shook his head.
I watched him for a moment, then looked forward again.
As we exited the subway platform—
A pitch-black void spread out before us.
‘Running away’s great and all...’
But now... what do we do?
Even if I wake up, Hyesung will just get dragged back here again.
That can’t happen.
Not while things are still quiet.
There must be a way—I just have to think it through.
As the train raced forward into the darkness, I watched blankly.
"...Can’t upload this to YouTube."
I remembered my empty bank account.
‘I need to get out of here fast, film a new video, and make some money...’
To my mutter, Hyesung responded in a drained voice.
"You’re thinking about that even now, noona...?"
"This is my livelihood we’re talking about."
"..."
When I looked over, he was watching me with a faintly bitter expression.
Didn’t feel good.
His face looked like one of those guild receptionists telling you there was no need to bring back any more materials.
In other words... I was getting fired.
Trying to steady my trembling hands, I opened my mouth.
"Hey... that’s not it, right?"
"Honestly, isn’t it kind of insane to keep filming this stuff even after what we’ve been through?"
"...It’s not over yet, though?"
"Still."
His face said he was totally sick of this.
Why do bad feelings like this always end up being right?
Threatening to leave him behind probably wouldn’t work.
It’d just make me look bad.
...This sucks.
If this were Entera, I wouldn’t have a problem.
‘I’ll just have to get out and try convincing him again.’
...But I wasn’t feeling very hopeful.
The pitch-black void beyond the window looked just like my future.
As I stared into that abyss, a pale white light began to flicker—as if telling me not to give up.
As if saying—there’s still hope.
