The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 45

An-yang Station (1)

The winter sky was clear, without a single cloud.

Against that backdrop, a giant screen flickered to life, displaying a familiar face.

It was K.

[Effective today, Round 2 escalates to Cold Wave Stage 2.]

[Hello! This is your daily weathercaster, K!]

[Currently, the temperature in An-yang is -20 degrees Celsius, with a wind chill making it feel like -35 degrees or lower! Wow! It must be so cold! For reference, the coldest winter in Earth’s history was recorded at -76 degrees Celsius. Hmm… Thinking about it that way, we still have a long way to go, right? Haha!]

[Due to the extremely cold weather today, please wear thick padding or layers of thermal underwear when going out! And be careful of slippery icy roads. Haa… I wish I could just stay home on a day like this. Sniffle.]

[That’s all for now. This has been weathercaster K! Have a happy Round 2, everyone!]

The video appeared at 9 AM and was replayed continuously until 3 PM.

-20 degrees Celsius.

Outside the building was a frozen hellscape.

The snow had piled up, now completely submerging low-rise houses up to the second floor.

If you went outside naked, you would freeze to death in under five minutes.

With the Cold Wave reaching Stage 2, the police station faced a dire situation.

People were starting to die from frostbite.

As many as five people a day, or at least three.

Mostly the elderly and children couldn’t withstand the cold and succumbed to it.

A week had already passed since they started trying to restart the boiler.

During that time, Jin Jae-hee focused on artifact training, and Kang Si-on and the workers poured all their efforts into getting the boiler running.

If they couldn’t solve the cold soon, everyone would eventually die.

Si-on, already acutely aware of this fact, had dedicated all available labor to getting the boiler running over the past week.

And finally, today, they were able to complete it.

Manaan Police Station, first floor.

There, a massive heating tank was placed.

The heating tank was large enough to fill more than one room.

It was a steel water tank salvaged from the rooftop of a nearby apartment building.

Several layers of coating were applied to prevent it from melting in the furnace.

The steel bars supporting the heating tank were installed by workers, and a furnace was placed underneath.

Tents were set up around it to protect it from the cold and snow.

The heating tank was filled with snow.

Workers, barely showing their eyes from beneath their layers of clothing, gathered there one by one.

“The important thing is not to let this fire go out, Manager.”

There are various types of fuel for combustion.

Oil, coal, electricity, charcoal, briquettes.

None of which they could readily obtain.

“The best thing we can think of right now is briquettes. They are easy to burn and last a long time. Fortunately, we managed to find a few briquettes during several reconnaissance missions… but I don’t know how long they will last.”

“It’s hard to find briquettes in this area.”

Few households use briquettes anymore.

Most use gas boilers; briquettes were already an outdated heating method.

In the end, there was only one way.

Si-on called out to Kim Su-kyung, who was dozing off beside him.

“Kim Su-kyung.”

“Ah, yes!”

Kim Su-kyung was startled and quickly approached Si-on.

“Bring all the flammable items inside.”

“Ah… yes!”

“All the butane gas and any remaining briquettes. And any dry leaves or anything else we can burn. Wait a minute. Just bring everything that can be burned.”

“W-wait a minute. Butane gas and… briquettes and….”

For the past month, the police had been consistently running reconnaissance teams.

The underground warehouse stored not only food but also various other supplies.

There was no other way.

They had to use every possible method of heating.

They had to protect themselves from the immediate cold.

Si-on looked at the boiler operator and said,

“Let’s start. We have no choice now.”

They really had no choice.

As the weather got colder, people started dying.

There was no turning back, and their efforts had to come to fruition.

“Alright. I’ll get ready.”

Lee Jong-cheol hurried with the final preparations to start the boiler.

Kang Si-on watched them and then went inside the building.

* * *

Inside the compound, the leaders and citizens all came out to the connected flues [ducts or pipes for conveying exhaust gases].

The flues connected from the first floor all the way up to the fifth floor.

The flues were passages for transporting heated steam.

Due to the nature of steam rising, the heated steam would naturally warm the building and then escape outside.

There were managers stationed at intervals along the flues, checking for any problems they found.

Si-on walked along the flues.

On both sides of the flues, countless people were shivering in the cold.

Thud, thud, thud.

As Si-on walked, people looked at him.

Everyone was aware.

Of Kang Si-on’s tireless efforts over the past week.

The unbelievable operation he had carried out to save everyone here.

The very act of operating a boiler in a world that had been destroyed was something unimaginable.

The only person who could do something here, rather than vaguely waiting for a rescue team that would never come.

That person was Kang Si-on.

People watched Si-on, following his footsteps, and Si-on was only focused on the flues.

Only the final inspection remained.

Once the inspection was complete and the boiler was running, the citizens would acknowledge that Si-on was their true leader.

Si-on slowly and meticulously inspected the last flue.

‘Good. Perfect.’

His breath endlessly escaped from his lips, and his toes felt like they were freezing.

Stage 2 was already this cold; he didn’t even want to imagine Stage 3 or 4.

Si-on entered the narrow hallway.

The flue stretched out in the middle, and citizens stood on both walls.

Shivering, children were held tightly by their parents.

‘It’s okay. It’s good here. Good. Good. Again. Good. Good.’

Inspect, inspect, inspect.

He absolutely couldn’t fail.

He had to succeed no matter what.

They didn’t have much time left.

“Manager.”

“Manager… Manager.”

“Manager. Manager…!”

Voices that were subtly heard from around him as Si-on walked.

Si-on kept all the voices in his ears as he walked.

And finally, he reached the fifth floor.

Inspection result: condition good.

He went back down to the first floor.

Si-on looked at the person in the heating room and said,

“Start it.”

At his words, they lit the fire.

The boiler was started.

* * *

There was an old man.

Four days ago, his wife of 40 years had frozen to death.

Her body was abandoned far south of the police station.

The day before yesterday, his son and daughter-in-law’s young daughter had frozen to death.

The coldness still remained on the palm of his hand that had held his frozen granddaughter.

Yesterday, his son and daughter-in-law ran away from the police station.

They had decided that they could no longer live here.

The old man had come here with his family of five, but in the end, he was the only one left.

Thud-!

Such an old man knelt in front of the flue.

And slowly approached and put his hand on the flue.

As if putting his hand on it wasn’t enough, he put his right cheek against the flue.

“……”

“……”

Everyone in the hallway was looking at the old man.

Soon, the old man shed tears of emotion.

“Thank… thank you… Thank you… Thank you so much….”

The warm heat rising from his palm and cheek.

It was the first warm sensation he had felt in a month.

The boiler was running.

Kang Si-on’s plan had worked perfectly.

“Ah… he was right… he… haha… Ah… it’s warm… haha, it’s warm! This pipe is warm.”

At the old man’s emotional tears, the people around him also clung to the flue.

It was faint, but a warm heat was definitely transmitted to their skin.

People were drawn to the flue as if possessed.

When rescued from a disaster by a certain entity, that entity is deified.

They admire and respect the entity that protects their lives and gives them a new future.

This boiler was salvation to them.

Assemblyman Gil In-ho smiled softly as he watched the people captivated by the boiler.

“Chief. What did I tell you? That man would be able to do it.”

“Wow. Hehehe. No, he’s really amazing. I can’t believe he would make a boiler in a place like this.”

Assemblyman Gil In-ho raised one corner of his mouth and put a cigarette in his mouth.

Whoosh-.

Gil In-ho exhaled cigarette smoke.

The admiration and respect of these citizens that he felt now.

‘…After the rescue, I can make it all mine.’

All of Kang Si-on’s achievements could be made his own with a single word.

That was the power of City Councilman Gil In-ho.

In the end, the more Kang Si-on achieved, the more it would become his own achievement.

Gil In-ho was aiming for that.

‘Hahaha. Do more. Do more.’

Gil In-ho dropped the cigarette on the hallway floor and put it out, chuckling to himself.

He was smiling as if everything was going according to plan, but there was something he had overlooked.

Gil In-ho still couldn’t let go of the idea that the government would function.

In the end, he was not aware that he was indulging in delusions.

It was then.

Clang clang clang-!!!

It was Police Officer Kim Su-kyung.

Coming up from the fourth floor, he was banging on an aluminum pot with a spoon.

He shouted at the people.

“Get away from the flues!! Hurry!!! Move aside! It’s the manager’s order!”

Kim Su-kyung ran along the flues, banging on the pot diligently.

* * *

First floor of the police station.

Boiler supervisor Lee Jong-cheol felt the warmth transmitted to the flues and smiled brightly.

“M-Manager! S-Success! It’s a success! Wahaha-! We have restarted the boiler.”

The surrounding workers let out small cheers.

Smirk-.

At that moment, Si-on smiled for the first time.

It was the first smile he had made since coming to the police station.

“That’s a relief. But this is just the beginning.”

As he said, this was just the beginning.

There was no problem with starting it right away, but they had not yet solved how to maintain it.

Only when that was resolved could they say that they had completely restarted the boiler.

They had to safely protect people from the cold and be able to fully reuse their labor.

But either way, they had put out the immediate fire.

Now they could take a breather.

At that moment, Kim Su-kyung came running up from downstairs with a bright smile.

Kim Su-kyung had been on the fifth floor, the last floor the boiler reached.

“Manager! It’s a success. The warmth is definitely being transmitted to the fifth floor. Hahaha.”

It seemed that warmth was being transmitted to the farthest end as well.

Si-on looked at the burning flames.

The warmth generated by boiling the water inside the heating tank is sent to various parts of the building through the flues.

And the heat returns to this heating tank, and the boiler continues to maintain a constant level of moisture.

Unless there is an external shock, as long as the fire is not extinguished, the temperature of the heat will continue to keep the building warm.

“The citizens are all clinging to the flues, hugging them and making a fuss. I can’t believe they are the same citizens who were getting sick from the cold every day. I’m so glad. You’re really amazing! Manager!”

Kim Su-kyung said with a smile, but Si-on’s expression distorted.

At the same time, the boiler managers also distorted their expressions.

“Su-kyung. Right now. Mobilize all police forces and tell the citizens to get away from the flues.”

“Ah, yes? Why…?”

“Just do as I say. Immediately!”

“Ah… Ah, yes!!!”

Kim Su-kyung quickly ran downstairs.

The flues were really weak.

Even though it was metal, it could be dented even if an adult put a little force on it.

If there was even a small hole, they would have to redo the equipment.

They had barely made it after staying up all week, and they couldn’t let it break down like this.

Especially the citizens who were desperate for heating.

It wouldn’t be easy to quell their desires.

Si-on had only thought about starting the heating right away and missed the most basic thing.

“Ah, that’s a mistake. It’s my management responsibility.”

Si-on sighed noticeably.

Then the surrounding workers dissuaded him.

“No, it’s not the manager’s fault. Absolutely not.”

“That’s right. We wouldn’t have even thought of this if it weren’t for the manager.”

The workers all spoke up in Si-on’s defense.

Originally, there was quite a big age difference, to the point where they could be uncles and nephews.

But now they all recognized Si-on, who was young enough to be their nephew, as their leader.

It had only been a week since they met and started working together.

But during that week, they had finally created a miracle.

The person who created the miracle was the right person to be their leader.

“Thank you. Manager.”

Boiler supervisor Lee Jong-cheol bowed his head slightly and expressed his gratitude.

Si-on gave him a slightly bitter smile.

At that moment, Kim Su-kyung, who had gone downstairs, came running back up in a hurry.

“Haa… Haa…! I’ve delivered everything! M-Manager… Haa…! Right now, the police officers… even the orders… everything. Yes… Haa.”

Kim Su-kyung gasped for breath.

Because the weather was cold, he felt like his lungs were freezing even after running a little.

Kim Su-kyung slowly caught his breath and asked again.

“Manager… what’s next?”

Kim Su-kyung took a deep breath and looked at Kang Si-on.

Si-on was looking at the city beyond the fence.

Manaan Police Station was located in a fairly high area, so they could see the scenery of most of the city.

The city that came into their eyes was all snow.

It was to the point where they couldn’t even imagine that people, or any living things, could live there.

Si-on stared at it for a moment, then turned back to Kim Su-kyung and answered.

Everyone was surprised by his words.

(Continued in the next episode)