Apocalypse Survival Guide

Chapter 19 On an Ice Satellite (7)

Nadia and I couldn't close our mouths, having lost a colleague in an instant.

Death. The sheer voidness of a death witnessed right before our eyes wrecked my mental circuitry. It wasn't the first time we had seen people die on our journey here. However, this time was a bit different.

"Why?"

Why did he die?

We must have made the best choice. Yet, Ted died—against an irresistible force and an unfathomable unknown.

Nadia finally grasped the situation and took a trembling step back, careful not to fall toward the rear of the tram that had flown off.

I had no time to panic. The monstrous tram, which we believed to have gone far away, was starting to chase us.

It wasn't over yet. We hadn't escaped the tram moving with intent.

Emitting a stronger blue light and letting out a terrifying shriek, the tram was closing in fast. Faster than before. If we took no action, not just the rear, but the entire tram would be blown away.

With the road to the central tower expected to be very tough, action was necessary to survive.

"Nadia, pull yourself together!"

"Hyun-woo, just now...."

"We're not dead yet! But if we don't move, we might die! I need your help!"

"But the panel control authority—... no, I'll try something. I don't want to die without trying. ... I have so many things I want to do. I can't die here."

Nadia barely escaped her panic. Though she wore a resolute expression, she couldn't hide her trembling hands as she touched the tram control panel. She reached out with one hand as if to dismantle the circuit board, but it took quite a while for that hand to lower.

"... Huh? I have authority? Hyun-woo, I've got authority...! Limited, but it's there!"

The control panel screen recognized Nadia's bracelet, and a message appeared confirming her temporary authorization. As Ted's assistant on the maintenance team, no less.

"Is this why he kept tinkering with the panel?"

Remembering Ted's actions before he died, I felt deep gratitude for a brief moment before Nadia and I looked at each other and nodded, immediately springing into action.

"Carry and I will somehow hold on! Nadia, just focus on the tram's path!"

"Okay!"

Through the gaping rear of the tram, scenery sped by quickly.

We were on the boundary between Zone C and Zone B. As we neared the residential area center, we saw buildings still engulfed in flames, and monsters roaming the blood-soaked streets looked up at us, making grotesque noises.

Even security robots, cornered but not yet fallen, were firing shockwaves, and the cries for help we passed struck a chord too.

【RAAAWR!】

I could clearly see the burning tram closing in rapidly. The front of the tram, which should not have been separated, was parted vertically, resembling the mouth a living creature would fundamentally have.

Between the parted maw was visible a red flame along with mysterious biological tissue being incinerated yet remaining intact.

It was unclear whether a monster was aboard the tram or if the tram itself had become a monster due to a strange biological tissue. One obvious fact was that we had to shake off its pursuit to live.

Clatter-clatter!

Inside the tram—unsteady due to its loosened fixtures—I fixed my focus on the monstrous tram spewing hellfire. Although I had stepped up to somehow hold on, the actual method to do so was elusive.

The tools in hand were not enough to fight that. The size difference was vast, to begin with. Moreover, my movable range was limited.

Due to running parallel on tracks, each area was restricted by the tram.

"... Still."

I had to. I was determined to hold on no matter the cost. Like Nadia said, I had many aspirations yet to fulfill. Falling here was intolerable for myself.

"Carry, use the laser to detach the armor plate and give it to me! As swiftly as possible!"

【Beep-beep!】

Sensing the urgency, Carry began cutting the tram armor with the laser. The beam sliced through with a red trace, dissolving the armor, while the auxiliary arms detached the wide armor plate.

At my command for urgency, Carry expended energy without reserve, allowing the task to complete quickly.

"Good job!"

I took the armor plate to use as a shield. Lifted easily thanks to the grooves Carry had made, even though it was a massive hunk of metal incredibly heavy.

The heaviness equaled strength. Instead of finding it burdensome, I felt relief. Given its weight, the armor plate likely possessed the toughness to withstand a few attacks from the monstrous tram.

"If my estimation is correct."

The projectile that claimed Ted's life was shot by that thing. The probability of something else attacking was low.

And my estimation was spot on. Though I hoped it wouldn't be.

【Screeaaaach!】

As the monster tram opened its maw, a black object became visible inside. Appearing like a rod, it recoiled slightly as if being loaded.

Instinctively sensing danger, I crouched and raised the shield nearly simultaneously.

Thump-!

"Dea—, damni...!"

Tremendous impact expelled all the breath I held. Metal fragments scattered in every direction. Though not fully pierced, the black spike that partially penetrated the armor plate halted right in front of my eyes, making breathing difficult.

"Hyun-woo!"

"I'm, okay! Adjust the route...! To the safest, place possible...!"

"I'm searching! There's a fork in the track ahead, hold on until then...!"

I could hear Nadia desperately tapping the panel behind me. As fervently as she was moving, realizing the shield wouldn't last long, Carry autonomously began detaching additional armor plates.

Meanwhile, the monstrous tram fired another spike, and I took it on again. Although the force wasn't notably stronger than the initial impact, it became increasingly difficult to block.

My strength was waning. All this within a mere few breaths.

Carry had made the armor plate look like a porcupine. I adjusted angles as much as possible to protect myself and Nadia behind me, but the already tattered shield was on the verge of breaking.

Tchk... tchk.......

The spent shield ceased to fulfill its protective role. A spike punctured completely through, embedding its end in my forearm.

Numbness filled my consciousness, and I chewed on the intermediate-level medication Ted left behind. The bitter taste spread briefly, and the intense pain in my arm eased slightly.

Even though Carry was hastily working to detach additional armor plates, it was uncertain if I could hold out until then. My issue wasn't physical exhaustion; despite feeling like I was on the brink of death, my consciousness was sharper than ever.

The tram we were on was the problem. The spikes launched by the pursuing monstrous tram were beyond my ability to block entirely, and the ones I failed to deflect smashed into the tram.

Already on its last breath, the tram screeched with the sound of metal being torn—the expected sequence.

Just as the monstrous tram opened its maw wide to fire another spike.

"A fork...!"

Nadia's voice, filled with hope of salvation, cried out. We were currently at the boundary between Zone B and Zone A. With a simple operation, the path could split, deciding which zone to head to.

"It might shake a bit! Hold onto something, Hyun-woo!"

"I'm holding on!"

Right after Nadia's warning echoed in my ears, the tram rattled. As the tracks diverged, the movement directions of the two trams altered. With an announcement of emergency track change, the inertia from skewing to one side toppled the balance.

Both trams had been moving at a high speed, so after blinking, the situation had shifted. The receding scream of the enraged tram, missing its prey, signified it just had been there moments ago.

"Whoa!"

I almost floated off my feet. Nadia, considerably lighter, nearly fell out but fortunately, I caught her in time to prevent a fall.

"Eek! Pull me up! Pull me up...!"

"Ugh...!"

Nadia turned stark white as her feet dangled in the air, the wind brushing past her lower body. Her tail tucked tightly between her legs.

Clinging to my hand like it was her lifeline, even after climbing back up the tram, she wouldn't let go. Seeing her so startled she even hiccupped, I decided not to challenge her grip.

"... The tram isn't, hic-, chasing anymore?"

"Yeah. The paths are distinctly divided."

"Yeah, then, hic-, it's over. Since the path won't cross again, losing it now means there shouldn't be any... hic-, more encounters."

There weren't many tracks granting entry into Zone A. Unless it had taken our current path, it would have to loop around. No matter how fast it traveled, by the time it got here, we'd have already reached the central tower.

Even the monster tram couldn't create its own path. That would be just absurd.

"Thanks to you, Nadia, we survived."

"I survived thanks to you, Hyun-woo."

Recognizing the situation had settled, Nadia and I let out a deep sigh of relief. Praising Carry, we leaned against the wall silently.

A little late to notice, Nadia tried offering me the intermediate medication she was given, but I declined. Taking more wouldn't immediately heal the wounds.

Ted's absence was palpable. We hadn't even known each other a day, not even half. The loss was substantial.

His cooperation had been crucial during numerous breakthroughs. It's safe to say we're alive largely because of his efforts.

He was someone who gave us hope of survival in this godforsaken place, yet died without a chance to fight back. It was a profound shock for us.

"I wish he could've survived with us."

The tension filling my body showed no sign of dissipating, as time passed. My heart pounded relentlessly, refusing to stop, as if it had malfunctioned.

Remaining on guard in case another monster might appear, time passed swiftly. Thanks to setting the tram on a relatively intact track, there was no incident of it stopping.

The darkness of the residential area deepened, and we drew closer to the central tower. Before long, the tram's internal broadcast sounded.

【Attention. Approaching Central Tower Tram Station. Please collect all personal belongings before disembarking.】

"... Let's prepare to disembark."

"Yeah...."

The tram station at the base of the central tower was crowded not with monsters, but with security robots. Unlike the chaotic residential area, there remained a modicum of order.

The solemn atmosphere from the security robots, dripping blood from what seemed like a fierce battle, was intimidating. Had we not contacted the broker ahead of time, we'd likely have faced deadly aggression from the robots.

Screeech– screeee...!

The tram, even its brakes malfunctioning, came to a swaying halt. I didn't need to wait for the door to open since I had already used it as a shield.

Watching the metallic bridge from the tram station connect to the tram, I stepped off, hiding the tremor in my legs.

The relieved Nadia, wobbly like a newborn fawn, almost stumbled but managed to retain her balance with my support.

Then, with us fully off the tram, a woman accompanied by security robots appeared. Wearing a distortion mask, the woman was indeed the broker.

"You made it just in time. I didn't think you'd actually come alive, especially with the puppy companion."

"... Don't call Nadia a puppy. And we almost died."

"As long as you're alive. Ultimately, what matters is the result. Glad you made it."

The broker smirked and extended a hand. Initially, it seemed like a greeting to acknowledge our safe arrival, so I hesitantly reached and clasped her hand, only for the broker's demeanor to sour unexpectedly.

"Why the sudden sentimentality? You think I extended a hand just for a handshake? Pay up. Hand over the 2.5 million credits you promised."

"...."

"...."

【( l|l⚆ᗝ⚆)】

Both humans, a beastman, and a robot stared incredulously at the broker. Unfazed by the attention, she leisurely waggled her outstretched fingers.

'What a woman.'

Feeling a strange comfort in the perceived welcome, but realizing now, her relief at our survival stemmed from being assured of getting her credits.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
That monster tram chase was nerve wracking. Also, the tram becoming monstrified is bad news. It means the thing that made people monsters can also affect non-living things. I'm guessing the Blue Crystal is causing it.