Chapter 6: Survive the horreur
A murmur of incomprehension passed through the crowd. The students exchanged uncertain glances, their faces tense, shaken by this idea as sudden as it was distressing.
Kim stepped forward quickly, pushing aside a few students who were in his way. His furrowed brows, dark gaze, and firm expression clearly showed his disapproval. His voice darkened:
"Explain yourself, Do-wan. What do you mean?"
Do-wan raised his index finger and pointed it directly at Ken.
"Don't you find it strange? That it happens exactly when he returns… that a murder takes place?
Funny coincidence, isn't it?"
Do-wan hated Ken Jiheon. Before his arrival at the high school, he was the king, the number one, the rising star in all sports. But his light had quickly been eclipsed by Ken's monstrous talent, shining effortlessly.
He had never forgotten the humiliation of the basketball tournament. That duel where he wanted to prove his superiority… and where Ken crushed him in front of the whole school. Not a single basket scored. A one-sided massacre.
According to the rules of the bet, Ken had regained his captain title… a title he immediately refused, leaving the basketball team without the slightest interest. This contempt only worsened the defeat, fueling even more his shame and hatred.
He, son of a CEO, heir to one of the most powerful families in Korea… how could he accept feeling inferior to a half-blood? A boy without a name, without lineage. Undeserving to stand at his level.
He had tried everything to get rid of him, without success. His usual methods — fear, threats, blackmail, sabotage — had proven useless. And violence? To be avoided against such a monster. But now, it seemed he had a solution.
He paused, letting silence settle, then advanced slowly toward the crowd of students, his steps confident, his tone theatrical, as if performing the greatest scene of his life.
"We all knew him here. He was a good guy. Friendly. Kind. Sociable.
Who could want to hurt him? It makes no sense."
He let the words hang in the air, heavy with implication.
Do-wan turned to the students gathered behind him. A malicious smile slid across his lips.
"It's as if… it's not the first time he's seen a corpse, right?"
A shiver ran through the assembly. Under the guise of suspicion, he slowly but surely planted seeds of doubt in every mind.
Do-wan's plan was in motion. The bully knew that, in fear and chaos, people always looked for someone to blame, any explanation to reassure themselves. They would swallow the first justification, true or false, that came their way.
A wicked, delighted smile twisted his face inwardly, while outwardly he wore a mask of calm.
Perfect… absolutely perfect. If I can turn these idiots against him, I just need to falsify a few proofs thanks to my father's connections. Getting rid of him will be just a formality… perfect, he thought, a shiver of glee running down his spine as he clenched his fists, drunk on his own calculation.
"So? Still no reaction?" he said, pointing at Ken.
"Tsss… That's what I'm saying. A real psychopath… with demon eyes."
Ken frowned. He met Do-wan's gaze. Unflinching. Impassive.
He sighed. Then, in a calm voice, cold as steel, he replied:
"Why should I react… when they're just dogs barking absurdities?"
Do-wan's face twisted in furious anger. He opened his mouth to respond, but didn't have time. A sharp, authoritative voice cut him off.
"That's enough, Do-wan."
Kim's voice snapped like an order. He stepped forward silently. The usually joyful and loving young man's face had become severe. He placed a firm hand on Do-wan's shoulder, strong enough to make him lose composure.
"Do you have proof? A single tangible proof of what you claim?
If you rely solely on assumptions, you'd better keep them to yourself."
Kim's voice had changed. The voice that was usually kind, attentive, and warm had taken on a tone nobody suspected, surprising the students. It had become graver. And more threatening.
He turned to the rest of the students, arms open, his voice carried by natural authority:
"If you accuse an innocent without a shred of proof, then you are no better than the criminal you seek."
Silence fell. Kim's intervention was enough to silence the doubts. Do-wan saw his plan to get rid of Ken crumble instantly. His credibility had vanished.
"You're all idiots…" he whispered, voice trembling.
How do you explain his calm, huh? He's too calm! As if he isn't even trying to hide his crime…
"Interesting," said Ken, cutting him off in a calm but sharp tone.
"You talk a lot for a brainless monkey. We shouldn't hold it against you… It's in your nature."
Leaning back on a seat, he slowly straightened, crossed his arms, and cast a piercing look at Do-wan, a look only he could give.
"You should know… that keeping calm is an advantage reserved for the powerful."
Ken jinheon slowly lifted his head, looking down on him. His red eyes stared at him with contempt.
"Really pathetic," he said in a freezing voice.
His words hit Do-wan like a slap, and that gaze brought back painful memories. He froze, fists clenched, his face twisted between anger and humiliation.
"Who do you think you are?! You mixed bastard!"
"Do-wan… stop." A firm female voice stopped him cold.
Seo Hanna stepped forward slowly, passed between them without looking, holding a sheet. She respectfully covered the lifeless body, closed her eyes, clasped her hands in a short prayer, then stood up. She faced Do-wan and the still-shocked students.
"Our friend is dead. And you, you find nothing better to do than spread rumors? Show at least a minimum of respect."
Then, in a calmer but confident tone:
"The priority now… is to alert security. Not to tear each other apart. We must stay united."
Her voice alone was enough to reassure everyone. All listened to their president. The whispers ceased. Faces relaxed. The atmosphere calmed.
Do-wan remained isolated in a corner, fists trembling, eyes bloodshot with rage.
Kim… Seojun… Ken… Jiheon…
I swear… you will regret humiliating me in front of Hanna.
A few seconds later, Jae-sung, who had been sent by Do-wan to the front wagons to call security, returned, stammering, eyes darting. He announced that the door connecting the front wagons to the others was blocked by a strange translucent blue symbol engraved on it, shaped like a lock, like a hologram.
Listening to him, one might think he had gone mad. But the same symbol appeared on the rear door of the wagon in front of them, confirming his words: they were trapped.
As they tried to comprehend, another scream split the air, cutting through their shock.
"It moved! It moved! I saw them move!" insisted a terrified boy.
"What are you talking about…" said another, but the sheet covering the dead young man suddenly jerked. Everyone instinctively recoiled.
Suddenly, the young man… dead just minutes ago, slowly stood up.
His back cracked. His limbs moved like those of a disjointed puppet. A mysterious black mist escaped from his grayish skin, slowly enveloping him like an evil aura.
No sound came from the students' mouths. Unable to believe what they saw, they rubbed their eyes, sweating at their temples.
The morbid sounds of cracking and shifting bones, accompanied by monstrous growls, froze their blood.
The once-dead young man stood upright before them. His gray skin, completely empty eyes now glowing with evil neon green.
Shortly after, a trembling female voice pierced the air.
"Oppa…? Oppa, is that you?!" stammered choi-minjin, his girlfriend, approaching hesitantly. Tears ran down her cheeks. Others shouted to stop her. She did not understand. She did not want to.
"Oppa, it's me… it's me, Hye-jin… I'm here… I'm here now…"
She reached out her trembling hand. But in response, a sinister sound rang out: teeth piercing flesh, followed by the hiss of blood from an open vein.
The corpse had bitten into the girl's throat, with a disgusting ripping noise. Its neon green eyes were no longer human, glowing dangerously as it bit ferociously.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Panic erupted. Screams and shrieks filled the scene. Some students fell back, some fell to the ground. Others ran to the blocked doors, in vain.
"He bit her! He bit her!"
Do-wan, pale, tried to take control, but his trembling voice convinced no one.
Hanna, immobile and trembling, eyes wide, hand pressed to her chest, could not believe what she was seeing.
Kim Seojun looked at her for a moment, clenched his teeth, then spoke. His voice, loud and intense, cut through the screams:
"Listen to me all of you! Stop panicking! He's slow, we can neutralize him! If we stick together, we are more numerous!"
The boys nodded slowly, admiring him.
The undead student remained focused on his prey, unaware that three boys jumped on him. They tried to immobilize him, pinning him to the seats. But the undead was too strong.
Kim and one of them tried to separate the girl from his jaws, while another grabbed him from behind, attempting a chokehold. Their combined effort worked: the undead was pulled away from his victim.
But he suddenly turned his head in an inhuman motion. His bones cracked. Without warning, he sank his teeth into the shoulder of the boy behind him.
A scream of pain erupted.
"He's infected! He's doomed!" shouted Jin, the glasses-wearing boy, legs trembling against the wall.
The undead kept gnawing on his new victim's arm, the bite so strong the bones cracked while the boy screamed in pain.
Kim didn't hesitate. He ripped a metal bar from a seat and smashed it into the monster's skull, again and again, until it released the victim's bloody arm and fell to the ground. In a final rage-filled strike, he crushed the undead's skull for good, not caring about the blood splattering his school uniform.
A chilling silence fell. Hanna rushed to check on the girl, but it was too late. Her body lay on the floor, throat torn, still warm.
Everyone stared in horror. A new, deep fear crawled in their guts. Kim sat alone, looking at his trembling, blood-stained hands. By his reaction, it was his first time killing someone, even if that thing was no longer human. He was in shock. He was not the only one.
What kind of nightmare is this… it's a real zombie, like in the movies?
"Are… are there others infected like this?" someone whispered.
Thinking of a classic apocalypse scene, several students tried contacting their families, but the network was blocked. Others banged on the metal doors, screaming for help.
Before they could regain their minds, the worst happened again.
The dead girl lying on the floor began to move, trembling violently. The same black mist that had escaped from the first corpse poured from her body. She rose in a terrifying spasm, her blood dripping onto the floor, her torn throat producing a muffled sound. And as if it were a cruel joke of fate, she was not alone.
The young man bitten on the shoulder also began to vomit blood. The same evil mist escaped from all the openings of his body, engulfing him. His skin turned gray as he writhed in pain on the floor. Soon, only a terrifying growl came from his mouth.
It wasn't over yet. Above and behind the two undead, a mysterious translucent blue screen appeared.
[ Blink. ]
[ Loading the selection trial… ]
[ Blink… ]
[ Selection trial loading complete! ]
At the same moment, suddenly, for no reason, the compartment lights went out, followed by a terrifying scream echoing powerfully throughout the train. A sound from another world. A guttural, deep, distorted howl… a mix of human screams drowned in agony and monstrous beast growls.
It was as if something gigantic, ancient, was awakening in the depths of the dark rear wagons.
The mysterious blue interface reappeared behind the motionless silhouettes of the two undead, their neon green eyes glowing in the darkness. Its cold light pulsed through the dim wagon, reflecting on the students' fear-frozen faces.
====
[ Selection Trial Has Begun ]
[ OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE THE HORROR ]
Description:
[ Number of passengers at start: 300 / 300 ]
[ Remaining survivors: 30 / 300 ]
[ …blink… ]
====
Main Objective:
SURVIVE THE HORROR
You are trapped in a train isolated from the real world, overrun by the undead.
The puppets of an abyssal entity known as the Corpse King are hunting you.
Anyone bitten by its minions or possessing insufficient mental strength will be corrupted by the necromantic curse: the Black Death.
Contamination is irreversible.
---
Success Conditions:
1. Survive until dawn
Time remaining: 10 hours 29 minutes
Current time: 19:31
All exits are sealed until 06:00.
OR
2. Reduce the number of survivors to 2 / 300
All means are allowed. Betrayals, alliances, sacrifices… choose your path.
[ blink… ]
[ Warning!!! ]
[ You are being watched. ]
[ blink… ]
[ Penalty for failure: Death. ]