Silver Heart owner.

A kind person with a badge-shaped item that can influence people.

A crucial figure in this Tamra-bound high-speed train incident, but one who only becomes notable in the latter part of the short story-like entry.

So it's perhaps natural that I can't remember their seat number or specific name.

'I mostly read the wiki for ghost story solutions...!'

After falling here, I repeatedly read mostly the ghost story entries and exploration records, which were like my lifeline.

This means I mainly read wikis that provided information for clearing ghost stories.

'The additional content took a backseat for now.'

Long, emotional prose like short stories or wiki side stories? They were far down on the priority list.

Moreover, the Silver Heart owner's personal details were only mentioned once or twice there.

Trying to recall those numbers and letters accurately after a month or two of reading...

...It seems that was indeed too much to ask.

'I'm screwed...'

No!

I swallowed hard.

'I can still make guesses.'

And even if I don't pin down that person early on, I'll definitely think of a way to deal with it.

'I remember other wiki entries about the Tamra-bound high-speed train incident.'

Like urgent reports or documents registered with the Supernatural Disaster Management Bureau.

Since I know the flow of this incident by episode, I can do this.

I can do it...

...

'Alright.'

I decided on my future direction.

'It's a bit extreme, but there's no other choice.'

Of course, all this happened quickly in my head over a few seconds, and meanwhile, the elite team members next to me were casually chatting.

"Wow, a time loop! I've read a lot of SF short stories like this."

"It means we can keep trying until we meet the conditions, right? It's a bit annoying but convenient."

"..."

What an extraordinary conversation...

Fortunately, no one was paying attention to our hushed conversation.

The entire train was filled with shock, panic, and crying.

"Huk, huk!"

"It's a dream, this is a dream, a dream..."

But there's always someone who can't just stand by in such a situation.

"Just a moment. Everyone, please calm down! Calm down!"

...There it is.

Round 2:

People started appearing in each car of the high-speed train, trying to calm passengers' anxiety and gather opinions.

-Ah, didn't someone say crisis is opportunity! In chaotic times, there's always someone who volunteers to be a leader.

Right.

And in our car, it was the bespectacled office worker.

The one who, in the first round, argued about closing the window and then his opponent fell out of it.

"Isn't it important that we're all still alive? ...Let's all calm down and try to figure out what's going on."

"Ah... yes."

"Do, do you have any thoughts?"

People started paying attention since someone was taking the lead.

"In my opinion, it seems time is repeating itself."

The bespectacled office worker began to calm people down and summarize the situation in his own way.

"We're definitely caught up in a strange phenomenon, but I think there's a reason we're given this chance. Maybe we need to guess the correct answer to escape."

"Ah..."

"Let's believe that and try. Calmly."

He probably thought the situation was flowing in a fairly good direction.

If only he hadn't turned to look at my seat last.

"Look, there are some people already sitting calmly over there."

"...!"

"Let's try to assess the situation with that kind of attitude."

'Damn.'

The three of us, Daydream Inc. employees, were singled out.

'Were we too quiet...!'

...No, this might actually be good.

It's time to establish a position. I needed to step up now, in the early stages of the second round.

"Ah, no. We're not calm... we're just confused."

I immediately shook my head with a forced smile that looked fearful.

"It's just... it just doesn't feel real. We were all dozing off on our way to a business trip."

I shouldn't have aroused suspicion. My face was already pale without trying.

However, when I spoke up first, Deputy Jin Nasol's eyebrow raised slightly, but she let it slide for now. I quickly continued, riding the momentum.

"But suddenly, the window outside became the sea, and there's talk of sacrifices and stuff... Was that all real?"

"Well, um. It seems so."

I swallowed, as if slightly nervous.

"Then, the person who fell out the window earlier..."

"..."

For a moment, the frozen gazes of people slowly turned.

The middle-aged man who had been sitting right next to the window where the 'sacrifice' was offered. The seat of the man who had fallen out after picking a fight was now...

Occupied.

"...!!"

The silhouette of a passenger sitting blankly was visible.

...It was indeed the person who had fallen out the window.

"He, he's alive?"

"Oh, thank goodness..."

That's when it happened.

The passenger suddenly stood up and lunged at the bespectacled office worker.

"...!!"

"You goddamn bastard! Because of you, because of youuuu!"

"L-Let go of me!"

It was pandemonium.

The middle-aged man, dressed like a nouveau riche, stared at the other with crazed eyes, spitting as he spoke.

"Die, die! I fell because of you... Ah, it hurts! It hurts so much...!!"

Madness flowed from his eyes.

"Do, don't fall there! It hurts! It's weeeird! Urk, uweeek!"

"Hiiik!"

The middle-aged man staggered and trembled, then started vomiting something like a strange reddish-black mass on the floor.

"Urk!! Uuuurk!"

The bespectacled office worker stepped back with a shocked face.

'Ha.'

Those who became 'sacrifices' and fell out the window showed symptoms of mental instability bordering on derangement and strange supernatural disease signs in the next round.

They testified that after falling out the window, they suffered endlessly in excruciating burning pain and inhuman whispers.

...Seeing it in person, that unstable state really was overwhelming.

The bespectacled office worker, completely overpowered, quietly retreated on shaky legs.

-Hmm, voluntary resignation! We can evaluate it as a short but meaningful leadership! Anyway, the leader's position is now vacant from this point on.

-Perhaps my friend would like to lead these people with your excellent skills... Hmm, I guess not. That's fine too! Let's commentate on the situation together with this Brown.

'Right.'

I deliberately took a step back.

And at that moment.

Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. Those who wish to arrive in Tamra, offer a sacrifice. 

The cabin display changes again.

"Th-that appeared again!"

"Um, so, last time, clearly..."

When a person fell from the window.

The train safely exited the tunnel and continued on.

"..."

"..."

Perhaps because there was still time, people deliberately ignored that fact and muttered.

"...What does it mean by sacrifice?"

"Well, I guess it has to be something alive? Like, in those horror YouTube videos..."

I chimed in.

"No. It could be an object too. Food offerings in ancestral rites are actually sacrifices."

"Aah...!"

"That's right, let's calmly think about various things and try throwing them..."

But fear, excitement, and anxiety still swirled in their eyes...

"..."

"Th-then. Does anyone have any food?"

After a while, people who had snacks voluntarily gathered food that could be thrown outside.

Fruits, eggs, meat, bread, and so on...

And just in the nick of time, the scenery outside changed.

Entering the first altar

This time, people were a bit calmer.

"Let's throw them."

"Yes...!"

Splash, splash.

Food items disappear out the window in silence.

Remaining distance: 4

The display doesn't budge. Only the numbers count down.

"No! It's not ending!!"

People scream.

In fact, even when sacrifices were accepted, the countdown always went to the end, but I deliberately didn't point that out.

...I knew from the start that food items weren't the answer.

Remaining distance: 3

And it seems the passengers finally accepted it.

The answer.

"I guess it has to be a person after all. A person..."

"Ah..."

"No, how can we to a person..."

"If we don't, we'll all die! The train will sink, I'm telling you?!"

"But who..."

Remaining distance: 2

"..."

"……."

Gazes turn.

The meaning is clear.

'Since they've lost their mind anyway, can't we throw that one over again?'

An unconscious thought, expressed in an emergency, too terrible to voice aloud.

The "first round sacrifice" who receives these looks starts to convulse.

"Save me, save meeee! I don't want this! No! No!!"

"C-Calm down. It'll be alright..."

Remaining distance: 1

"No! Nooo!"

"First, step away from the wind- Wh-What??"

Whoosh...

Splash.

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The tunnel ends.

The train interior brightens as the blue sea comes into view again.

Eerie purple text fills the cabin screens: 'The offering has come, open the sea path.'

And in front of the window...

Broken glasses lie on the floor.

"……."

"……."

And the "first round sacrifice" who pushed him.

"The bastard who pushed me is dead! I'm not dead! I'm not dead! I'm nooot deaaad!"

Drooling, the middle-aged man flails down the aisle, then buries his head in a corner and starts sobbing.

A pale silence flows through the train car.

The atmosphere was maddening.

-The former leader becomes the sacrifice! Hmm, typical. Though a bit early.

Just then.

"Hey, there's another one coming up, right?"

A jarringly cheerful voice echoes through the train.

Supervisor Dolphin.

"Wh-What did you say?"

"The second altar is coming up soon, right? I think we should prepare for that."

"Enough already!!"

"Eek!"

Stress-induced reactions burst out. But Supervisor Dolphin continues, seemingly unfazed.

"This time, let's find the worst person and make them fall without any mistakes!"

Then he points his finger forward.

"Including all the other cars!"

"...!!"

"Well... there's no guarantee they'll die, right? They came back alive last time. So isn't it better to make the worst person suffer?"

It was madness.

But in an incomprehensible disaster, sometimes appealing madness can prevail.

Albeit in a slightly distorted way.

"That's right! So far, people have only fallen from our car! The front cars should do it too!"

"Exactly!"

Why should our car alone bear this pain and anguish?!

Overwhelmed by indignation and strange anger, the people of our car, car 7, rushed forward en masse.

The elite team staff and I got caught up in the crowd moving forward. No, Supervisor Dolphin is right at the front.

"Hey! There's an open window here too, right?? I think that's why no one fell when the train crashed last time..."

But as expected, the further forward we went, the more people we encountered who had no idea what was going on.

"Wh-What nonsense is this?"

"What's wrong with these people?"

"Look, if you don't want to get hit, just leave."

"Ooh."

"...Let's move on and inform more people."

Supervisor Dolphin looks at the last speaker as if marking them as a prime candidate for good character, so we hurriedly move to the next car.

But the moment we enter car 3.

Entering the second altar

It begins again.

"Aagh!"

"Someone fall quickly!"

"The train's going to crash, waaah, waaah..."

"Throw someone! We need to throw someone out the window!"

We hear the cries of the people from our car, car 7, their stress at its peak.

And also the voices of people from other cars who haven't yet grasped the situation.

Remaining distance: 5

"Who are these people?! Where did they come from??"

"They're crazy bastards!"

"If you don't want to die, quickly find a volunteer! Choose a volunteer!"

"Then why don't you fall yourselves?!"

"Someone from our car already fell! Other cars should contribute too!!"

"So right now, a volunteer..."

Remaining distance: 4

A clear voice cuts through the chaos.

"There isn't one?"

Deputy Jin reaches out her hand.

'...No!'

She's going to pick the least cooperative person here and throw them out.

'And if it starts again, she'll keep using the people she's marked as sacrifices...!'

It's efficient, but it can't be allowed.

Deputy Jin was certainly capable, but it was clear she'd never cared about public opinion.

I immediately raised my hand.

Remaining distance: 3

"I'll volunteer!"

"……."

Deputy Jin turns to look at me.

"What?"

I repeat myself.

"I'll be the one to fall."

"...!!"

"Why..."

Remaining distance: 2

"It's not like we actually die, so I'll try to endure it."

Then I quickly whisper to Deputy Jin.

"I think we need to check. What exactly happens down there?"

"Is that necessary?"

"I can't trust civilian testimonies. And I've prepared mental defense measures."

"Hmm..."

Remaining distance: 1

"Go ahead then."

"...! Thank you."

I quickly finish the private conversation and shout to the people.

"There's not much time left! I'm going to the window, so everyone please move aside!"

"Uh, um..."

People retreat hesitantly, unable to stop me. The reaction is the same in our car and the others.

'...Good.'

My hands are shaking, though I'm trying to act calm.

But there's no choice.

'According to the plan, this step is absolutely necessary at least once.'

If Plan A, to immediately find and secure the Silver Heart owner, has failed.

'Then we need to use a more extreme method.'

"Everyone be careful!"

As I grab onto the window, I take out a painkiller from my pocket.

There's a chance it won't work, but.

'It's better than nothing...!'

I stab the "Happy Maker" into my forearm. And at the same time, I throw myself out the window.

Into the red tunnel.

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