Let's pause for a moment.

Let's examine Baek Saheon's tumultuous experiences with his psychopathic roommate.

A psycho who mocked him for giving up his left eye, a dopamine addict who used people as bait in dangerous darkness, a madman who wielded an axe while pretending to be a serial killer...

"And now he's acting like a cult leader too??"

At this point, it's beyond shocking - it's starting to feel like an anomaly that all these traits naturally belong to that bastard Kim Sol-eum.

You could say it's all fine.

But how is he face to face with that bastard now?!

"I even took time off for this!"

He had not only left the company housing but even Seoul itself.

Baek Saheon shook his head vigorously, wondering if he was having a nightmare, but it was an undeniable reality.

Accompanied by two senior elite team members and leading dozens of people, Kim Sol-eum stood in the middle of the Car 3 passageway with his arms raised.

Saying things that really sounded cult-like.

"There's no need to worry. We can all overcome this test safely."

The only consolation was that the fools in this train car were pointing fingers at him!

"What's with that guy?"

"Damn, now we've got another crazy bastard..."

"Sigh..."

"D-Don't make eye contact."

Mockery and rejection erupted towards Kim Sol-eum, who was spouting nonsense.

"Y-Yeah. This is normal..."

But Kim Sol-eum didn't even flinch.

He just smiled gently and looked around Car 3.

"...?!"

That was even scarier!

"Everyone, I'm sure you were surprised by the sudden crowd gathering. And you're probably thinking this sounds crazy. 'A test? What test?'"

Kim Sol-eum smiled wryly with the face of a neat office worker.

"To be honest, even as I'm saying this, um... I know it sounds cult-like. It's embarrassing."

His tone was calm and not particularly excited. It was a serious tone, as if giving advice to an acquaintance in a cafe.

"But because the situation is so frightening and terrible, I'm gathering the courage to speak up. If one knows the answer, isn't it human duty to share it?"

Kim Sol-eum's expression hardened as he made eye contact with those around him.

"I'd like you to put aside your aversion for a moment and think about it. We're not fools either, that's why dozens of us have come together to tell the same story."

Baek Saheon looked around.

At the people on the verge of madness in this surreal situation of dying and starting over again on a train that falls meaninglessly several times.

At Kim Sol-eum, who started saying what they desperately wanted to hear - those who wished to escape this train, or for it all to be a dream.

That confident story.

"This is a test, and there's a way to pass it."

A voice suddenly spoke up.

"So... you're saying you know how to get out of here?"

"That's right."

"...!!"

Kim Sol-eum naturally turned his gaze back.

Then the people from Car 7 standing behind him shouted with eyes shining with excitement and passion.

"Just once through the window!"

"You just need to go out the window. Then it's over!"

"What kind of crazy talk is this?!"

A flood of explanations poured out to the astonished people of Car 3.

"No, there's a way to do it without any pain! About ten people have already gone out that way!"

"Honestly, it's a bit creepy, but you just need to go out through the exit while seeing the light. Anyone can do this."

"If someone has trouble walking, another person can fall with them and support them! It's not difficult at all!"

"As long as the Forerunner helps us...!"

What's surprising is that while they said only ten people had gone out, dozens were explaining.

No, nearly a hundred people were following that crowd, and among them were people from other cars mixed in.

Kim Sol-eum looked at those eyes full of hope and passion, then turned his gaze forward and smiled again.

"That's right, everyone. You can all go out through the window."

At that moment, Baek Saheon realized.

"There won't be any problems."

"That's right!"

He's pulling a scam!

"Y-You crazy bastard."

He's trying to incite these other idiots to all jump out, while he himself plans to slip away!

"But you can't fool me."

Baek Saheon swallowed, thinking he was the only one who had noticed.

"Hey, if you listen to the stories of people who've gone through the window here..."

"Us! My wife and I went out at the second altar in our third life..."

Baek Saheon clicked his tongue as he watched the people in Car 3 gradually start to listen to the people from Car 7 who were excitedly sharing their experiences as if giving success stories.

Fools.

"I could create such experience stories by brainwashing with my fountain pen!"

Kim Sol-eum must have used his confiscated fountain pen to brainwash people.

Right. If that's the case, he just needed to maintain his strategy.

"Stay still."

All he had to do was not join that parade of Kim Sol-eum worshippers.

Baek Saheon smiled triumphantly, firmly resolving.

He was glad he had judged the situation astutely.

He had almost gotten caught up in the situation!

"I'll just lay low and hold out until that bastard tricks all the other fools into throwing themselves out at once..."

That's when it happened.

"Hey, enough talk, I'll show you right now! Going out the window!"

Huh?

"I'll go out the window at this altar."

"That's right. You've qualified this time."

"Ooooh!"

"Everyone, applaud!"

What?

"The first altar might be lonelier and scarier because you have to go alone..."

"It's okay! I want to do exactly what the Forerunner did!"

"I-I'm not a forerunner, just someone who tried it first... Um. Well. If that's the case."

Kim Sol-eum smiled a bit shyly, then seriously held the other person's hands as if praying.

"I'll do my best to protect you from pain and give you a strong mark."

"...! Yes!"

Entering the first altar

Baek Saheon watched the situation with a dumb expression.

In the dimly lit red train car as they entered the altar, he saw Kim Sol-eum gently grab the person's forearm and do something...

"I'm going now!"

"See you soon!"

"Fighting!"

And amid the enthusiastic cheers of the people, the volunteer went down to the window with a determined face.

This was repeated several times, and at the end of those repetitions...

Entering the fourth altar

"These are the last people."

And then he realized.

"...An item!"

Kim Sol-eum was cleverly using an item on the people going down.

He didn't know what it was, but it was something that would prevent them from going crazy even if they really fell from the window!

"W-Wait a minute."

Was he really serious?

And for that psychopath to go to such lengths...

Baek Saheon's mind raced as he instantly changed his stance.

"This darkness must be a first-come, first-served clear!"

Isn't it the kind where it won't clear until the required number of people is met?

"The real game starts from falling out the window!"

And Kim Sol-eum was the type of person who would go to the extent of acting like a cult leader to incite people to jump voluntarily.

Why?

"Because that gives more dopamine!"

Because it's more fun than forcibly grabbing people and throwing them out the window!

He really is a chilling bastard...

Baek Saheon shuddered.

But that's not what's important right now.

"If that bastard has a plan!"

Then!

"S-Supervisor!"

He's jumping on board!

He raised his hand abruptly and stood up for the first time, revealing his presence.

It was right after the train had brightened following the passage of the fourth altar.

"W-What?"

"Was there someone there?"

Regardless of the surprise on the faces of the people in the same car who had come to know each other after five repeated loops, Baek Saheon approached Kim Sol-eum, trying to sound as natural and friendly as possible while wearing an even more surprised expression.

That's right, to Kim Sol-eum!

He actually wanted to speak to the elite team first, but no matter how he thought about it, they didn't seem likely to give any meaningful attention to an unfamiliar new recruit.

If that was the case, he might as well try to approach the one he had some connection with as a roommate.

After all, they had put that psychopath forward as the face of the operation!

"Oh my... Hello! I didn't expect to see you here."

"..."

Kim Sol-eum silently stared at him.

Then grinned.

"Really? I knew you were here."

Damn it!

"Really?"

"Haha, of course not. I was joking. How could I have known?"

"..."

The terror clawing at Baek Saheon's throat was barely suppressed by his rising anger!

"Ah, this person is also a coworker from the same company. I heard he took some time off, must be heading home."

"Oh."

"Nice to meet you."

The two elite team employees nodded halfheartedly. They showed little interest in the newbie who hadn't earned his stripes yet.

Instead, it was the people behind them who perked up.

"Oh, if you're workplace colleagues, you could go right out the window too!"

"That's right. Just like those folks!"

Not a chance!

Baek Saheon brightened up.

"Ah, well, if that's the case, I'd be happy to try the window test as well..."

"No. This person doesn't qualify yet."

You bastard!

"Th-Then... when will I qualify?"

Kim Sol-eum shook his head at Baek Saheon with an expression of sincere regret.

"I'm afraid I don't know that either."

"..."

"I'm simply someone who passed this test first, and I only wish to guide you all on the least painful path possible."

A vein throbbed in Baek Saheon's temple.

But he forced a gentle smile and said:

"I see. Ah! Even though the situation is like this, I was hoping we could have a quiet chat about work, just the two of us..."

"Hey now!"

Harsh criticism erupted from the passengers who were fully focused on seeing off those going through the windows.

"Come on, with the train situation like this, you're worried about work? Trying to bother the Forerunner for something so trivial..."

"This guy can't read the room!"

"It's alright, everyone. We all have different priorities... There's some time before the next life, so I'll step away for a quick chat."

"Oh my, okay then."

People murmured that he was 'too kind for his own good'.

By now, Baek Saheon wasn't even getting goosebumps anymore...

"Shall we talk over here?"

"...Sure!"

But as soon as they entered the bathroom and locked the door, he couldn't hold back anymore.

"Listen. I saw you using items, Supervisor."

Kim Sol-eum's smile vanished as if it had never existed, his face becoming expressionless as he crossed his arms.

"And?"

Baek Saheon swallowed.

"Just... think about it. What would happen if I went out there and exposed everything to everyone?"

He had to draw this lunatic to the negotiating table somehow.

But Kim Sol-eum just stared silently at Baek Saheon... then gave a slight nod.

"Brown says you won't do that."

"...Oh, really?"

"Yeah. He says if you tried that in this atmosphere, you'd be thrown out the window bare-handed."

"..."

"If the result's the same, it'd be simpler to just jump voluntarily, but I guess there's no reason to go back."

It was the truth.

'F-Fuck.'

Baek Saheon gulped.

Fortunately, instead of pressuring him further, Kim Sol-eum did something unexpected.

He used the carrot instead of the stick.

"Come to think of it, I have a favor to ask."

"...!"

"I need your eye."

Huh?

"The one I gave you as a gift."

Baek Saheon reflexively touched his eye patch.

Thinking of the purple reverse eye underneath.

When viewing through that equipment, dangerous entities appear with halos of hot colors.

An excellent danger detector.

It was an invaluable tool for the field exploration team where split-second judgments were crucial.

So much so that even Baek Saheon couldn't understand why Kim Sol-eum had given it to him.

Well, the reason was actually simple.

For Kim Sol-eum... there was a high chance everything would appear with blazing red halos if he wore that equipment...

Since it was a body part, it was greatly influenced by the wearer's subconscious judgments, so it wasn't very useful for someone with a coward's heart.

But giving it to someone else would be like encouraging them to pluck out their eyeball, so he ended up giving it to Baek Saheon who was already missing one eye.

In fact, he was the perfect candidate.

There was no one among his peers with a stronger survival instinct.

Anyway, unaware of all this reasoning, Baek Saheon just asked warily.

"...When do you want me to use it?"

"In Car 1."

"Car 1?"

He felt like he'd heard about it in people's conversations. Baek Saheon furrowed his brow, racking his brain before remembering.

"...I think I heard the door there was closed."

"That's right."

Kim Sol-eum readily admitted.

"The door was probably locked from the second round. And now, they're locking the door every time the train returns to its starting point."

"..."

Just hearing this...

It was suspicious.

'No, more importantly, how does this bastard know all this?'

Didn't he come from Car 7?

So how does he know the situation in the front car so well?

'Don't tell me he's been gathering people and saving them for this...?'

For information?

W-well, anyway.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"It's simple."

Kim Sol-eum said casually.

"When the door to Car 1 opens, go there immediately and pick out the person who appears most dangerous."

"W-Who's even in Car 1?"

"I don't know."

If you don't know, who would?!

Sure enough, Kim Sol-eum tilted his head and stroked his chin.

"But you know... they've been throwing people out the window in Car 1 as they please every time."

"...!"

"Without my knowledge. It seems like someone's falling every round... It's such a shame. It must hurt..."

"..."

"So I want to stop them."

Bullshit.

"What do you think? Sounds good, right?"

"Y-Yeah. Absolutely!"

This is complete bullshit.

'He's just pissed that they're falling on their own and messing up his grand plan, that bastard.'

But he decided not to say a word.

Baek Saheon valued his own life too much...

Instead, he forced a smile and said:

"So, if I identify the most dangerous person in Car 1, won't that person gain a 'qualification'? The qualification to receive an item, I mean."

You're giving out items for this, right?

"Huh? That's just a favor I asked. What does it have to do with items and qualifications?"

"..."

"More importantly, if someone were to encourage the people in Car 2 to persuade those in Car 1 to open the door voluntarily, well... don't you think that person might gain a qualification?"

"..."

Baek Saheon grinned widely!

"Wow! That's exactly what I wanted to do. Hahaha..."

"Really? Then I'll leave it to you."

"Sure!"

Die!

Die, you bastard Kim Sol-eum!

* * *

And so, Kim Sol-eum successfully put Baek Saheon to work without pay.

'Even dog poop can be used as medicine, they say.'

"You're here!"

"Yes. Let's do our best this time too."

As the train started again, the people in Car 7 greeted each other energetically and also greeted Kim Sol-eum. No, now people from other cars were coming to chat as well.

They looked so stable, it was hard to believe they had experienced six train crashes.

...It seemed true that having hope made enduring even a little easier.

'The important thing is to keep people's spirits up.'

And to do that... he had to keep up this insane cult leader act that was so unlike him...

'Ugh.'

-Let's go, Mr. Roe! I wonder what kind of audience, no, passengers are eagerly awaiting your wonderful performance today. Ah, this is so exciting...

"Everyone, today many people from Car 8 have gained qualification."

"Ooooh!"

Brown, please don't cheer along...

Kim Sol-eum was starting to feel the onset of a hangover, but he didn't give up on steadily conning people.

No, he devoted himself passionately to this duty.

And as time passed...

Round 14.

"Forerunner!"

"Forerunner, we're almost there now. Haha!"

Kim Sol-eum had gained the support of 342 out of 355 passengers across seven train cars, successfully unifying public opinion in all cars except Car 1.

Brown had even started asking Kim Sol-eum if he was interested in producing a related program.

Now only one car remained.

'Car 1.'

The place where 53 passengers had locked themselves away, silent and isolated since the second round with no news.

The only thing known was that they were steadily offering sacrifices.

"I-It's open!"

Finally, news arrived.