episode_0057

18. Nodeul Island, Radio, and His Confession (1)

After a day that made me think deeply, I helped Elina and Minhee find equipment to use for radio broadcasting.

After several days of heading to Nodeul Island in search of useful supplies, we finally arrived there.

Even while heading to Nodeul Island, I thought about Elina’s story over and over again.

If it were me… what would I have chosen? But no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t make a choice.

No, rather, whenever I recall the moment when I was about to make a choice, I chose to run away.

And as for that opponent… I kept thinking about Hyunseok and I couldn’t find an answer no matter how much I thought about it, so I felt bad but sent him far away.

I spent time asking and talking about Nodeul Island with Ms. Elina and Unnie Minhee.

‘Well, when that time comes, I’ll take care of it. Who cares?’

*****

” Okay! This is Nodeul Island! How is it? It’s decorated quite nicely, isn’t it? ”

Nodeul Island, which Minhee showed off with her arms proudly spread out, was indeed a beautiful place, just as she had said.

Since Nodeul Island narrowly escaped the devastation of the tower, the buildings were preserved to the greatest extent possible, and thanks to this, people painted many murals on the island, and the paintings seemed to be quite well-made.

Aside from the murals, the forest on Nodeul Island was also decorated with trees in various shapes, just like the garden I saw on Seonyudo Island, which caught my eye.

Above all, the sight of people playing instruments or dancing to them on the square or lawn is truly amazing.

Even now, in this era when the world is falling apart, it was so nice to see that it had not lost its vitality.

” What a great place. I think it’s the first time I’ve seen such energetic people. ”

” Right? That’s the characteristic of our Noddle Island settlement~ Oh! Sister Dohee! It’s here! ”

Minhee, who was smiling proudly, waved and called out to a woman passing by.

The woman approached us with quite neat attire and measured movements.

Her name is, she wears neat black-rimmed glasses and has short hair.

” You’re here? Hello? My name is ‘Lee Do-hee’ and I’m in charge of running Nodeul Island. ”

” Hi, my name is Charlotte. And… ”

” Ah, I don’t have to introduce the other two. We already know each other. Let’s skip it since we don’t have time. ”

‘ Oh… You’re quite a strong person, aren’t you? ”

” Hey, what are you talking about, unnie? You should say it’s nice to see you again after such a long time or something~ ”

When Minhee smiled and nudged Dohee Lee’s waist with her elbow, she sighed deeply.

” Haa, Minhee. Do you know how busy I’ve become while you guys were out looking for supplies? For now, you and Elina, quickly transfer the supplies to the people I’m sending, and you three, follow me. ”

” Okay, I can’t help it. Charlotte~ See you later! Okay? ”

Minhee and Elina, who hugged me before leaving and quickly left, had tearful expressions on their faces.

” Ms. Elina, why are you making that face? ”

” Oh, Charlotte. It’s nothing. I guess I’ll just broadcast now that the equipment has arrived. ”

” I thought you’d like it? Now you can broadcast it again, right? ”

” What are you talking about? It’s sad because you’re on air. ”

‘This damn elf…! ‘

What I felt when I met Ms. Elina was… She’s quite ‘my pace’ and like Minhee said, she’s a ‘old fart’ and at the same time a ‘lazy elf’.

” Sister Elina. The tea you said you wanted to drink before. I worked hard to get it, but you don’t need it? ”

” Let’s get ready quickly! Okay! ”

When Elina and Minhee, who had led the others and left with their equipment, disappeared, Dohee Lee took the lead, signaling for us to follow her.

” Dohee noona. You said you were busy, but could we help you… Ah… It hurts! Yeonseo?! ”

Lee Do-hee, who had a cold expression on his face as Hyun-seok asked if there was anything he could help with and Yeon-seo quickly grabbed Hyun-seok’s ear and got angry, burst into laughter.

” Phew, really, you guys are still the same? ”

” Did you say Mr. Lee Do-hee? Is there a reason you only called the three of us? ”

” Just call me Dohee unnie. I’ll call you Charlotte too. Lee Yura… For now, like I said, we don’t have much time, so let’s talk as we go. ”

At the entrance to the island, you can see more closely where people are dancing and playing on the grass, and behind that is the ‘Nodleseoga’ where books are collected and read by children and adults.

Next to it is a rest area called ‘Nodle Lounge’ located in a building, a studio where you can hear the sound of music being played, even if it is very faint, and a hall where you can see traces of paintings that used to be hung.

And through the glass window, I could see people working hard at their desks with various documents.

” You’re looking at it in pretty good detail, huh? ”

” Ah, this is my first time in a place with so many different activities. Mokdong, well, it was almost like a place where people lived, except for Mr. Hyuncheol’s office.

Seonyudo is mostly a playground for children or a garden where plants are grown, unless it is a library or cafeteria. ”

” Well, compared to those two places, our Nodeul Island settlement is a place with quite a variety of activities. Do you know why? ”

” Well…? ”

” If you go up from our settlement, you will find Garam settlement right away, and if you go up further from there, you will find Cheong Wa Dae settlement right away. ”

When you say that, I finally understand.

” Indeed, since it is a place that people pass by frequently, right? That is why many people come to see performances or come for work. ”

” That’s right. That’s why I’m usually busy. Compared to the others, those two are just playing around. ”

As I listened to Dohee talking about Nodeul Island, I soon arrived at a building with a sign that said ‘Nodle Seminar’ and several small rooms.

*****

After we entered the seminar room and sat down to rest for a while, Dohee brought us some drinks, gave them to us, sat down in front of us, and started talking.

” Hoo, so that’s why I called you separately, right? It’s simple. Right now, starting from Garam, the area around the Blue House settlement is in chaos. ”

At those words, Yeonseo jumped up from her seat and asked Dohee with a surprised expression.

” Dohee, is my sister okay?! ”

” Calm down. You should have contacted me a little while ago, right? Right? ”

” That’s… yeah. ”

” Yeah, that’s a good time. ”

At those words, Yeonseo suddenly blushed and lowered her head, and Hyunseok asked her again.

” So what do you mean by chaos? ”

” It’s true. The devil is running wild everywhere. ”

” Huh? What’s that…? The tower raid is going well, right?! ”

” Well, that’s right, it’s a place that was built not too long ago. But there’s only one place. You know? ”

” Namsan… are you talking about? ”

I couldn’t follow what the two of them were talking about, so I grabbed Hyunseok’s collar and asked.

” Why Namsan? What’s the problem? ”

” Huh? Oh, you didn’t research Namsan? ”

” Yeah. I just looked around. I don’t know much about that area. ”

I shook my head and spoke to Hyunseok, and at the moment he was about to ask Dohee to wait for a moment,

” No, let me explain. It’ll save more time. ”

Dohee got up, touched the device, and used the projector to project a map in front of her eyes.

” First of all, this is where we are, right? Nodeul Island. And let’s go up Hangang-daero like this.

The settlement located on the right side of the National Museum of Korea is called ‘Garam Settlement’, and if you go straight up, you will reach Yongsan Station.

Next, go up and pass Seoul Station, and you will reach the Blue House settlement located in the Seoul Special City Hall. ”

The three of us nodded at her easy-to-understand explanation, and she began to explain again.

” First of all, a new tower was built at Yongsan Station, but we are taking care of that, and the tower at Seoul Station was also being taken care of by the Blue House.

But the problem is the tower on Namsan between the Blue House settlement in Seoul Special City Hall and the Garam settlement located in the National Museum of Korea. ”

” Is that the tower on Namsan? ”

” That’s… the tower that was there before the ‘Ryan Incident’ happened. And it’s also the only place that Yoo Ji-seong attacked and then retreated. ”

‘Brother… where did you fail…?! ‘

My older brother, Yu Ji-seong, conquered several towers from a fairly early age, said Uncle Du-sik.

So, he must have been quite capable, but I had a bad feeling that he had failed and retreated.

” So, there was a problem there? It’s between the two settlements, so there’s a devil in between… ”

” Yeah, they’re all crowded together. And unfortunately, that tower on Namsan will soon have its clock counter completed. When that happens… ”

” What’s happening? ”

Dohee sighed deeply at my question, pursed her lips, took a sip of tea, and opened her mouth.

” I don’t know. ”

” Oh, I see. That… Huh?! You don’t know?! ”

” I don’t know, I don’t know. I searched through the network that the device can access, but there is no information after the clock counter on the top is completed.

No, there was just one. ”

” Well, that’s fortunate. At least there’s one. ”

” Fortunately… but what if it was just one sentence: ‘Everything within a 10km radius of where the tower was was gone.’ ”

The map that showed the 10km radius of Namsan was said to be

It included all the places we had passed through up to Nodeul Island, including the Mokdong Settlement and Seonyudo Settlement.

I was speechless at the enormity of the scope.

If the clock counter on the tower in Namsan is completed…

Now, everything I have met and passed since I returned from this world, including myself, will disappear.

Hyunseok and Yeonseo just opened their eyes wide at those words and stared at the map that Dohee showed them, unable to close their mouths.

” Then… Then! How much is left?! Huh? Dohee unnie! ”

” At best, a month… or so… ”

When Yeonseo heard that there was only one month left, she stormed out and Hyunsuk started muttering as if he had lost his mind.

” That… Only a month… This is too much… ”

” That’s right, that’s too harsh. It’s hard to get out of this range in a month. ”

I didn’t know what to say to the gloomy atmosphere they were creating.

Just holding Hyunseok’s trembling hand.

That was the only one.