"I'll go out now, Supervisor. I'll be fine on my own."

Supervisor Dolphin volunteered to fall at the first altar without hesitation.

Someone had to take the lead since the first altar required going alone, but I needed to stay until the end to organize and check on the remaining passengers.

However, Supervisor Dolphin didn't fall alone.

"Th-Then I'll go first too...! I'll do it."

"It's better to do it sooner rather than later anyway."

Since there were so many volunteers, we decided that a few people would jump together even at the first altar.

And just before it began.

Remaining distance: 4

"You still have a chance to back out."

Even at this final crossroads, not a single person gave up.

"Let's go!"

"Aaaah!!"

People went out the window.

Led by Supervisor Dolphin, over seven people descended at the first altar.

Open the corridor

The train quickly passed through the altar, and the surroundings brightened again.

"Huh..."

People blinked at the almost learned, routine scene that had been repeated 14 times.

"Th-They're gone."

Naturally, it probably didn't look much different from jumping out before.

'The lack of painkillers only takes effect after they've descended.'

And a strange symptom occurred.

'Wait, was it actually not a big deal?'

As if thinking that, people started saying they wanted to jump too, belatedly.

Like this person, for instance.

"Hey! I'll go out too."

This passenger was the one who had been caught being rude to Supervisor Dolphin and marked as a potential sacrifice...

Conveniently forgetting how he threatened to punch people in the early rounds, saying things like "I'll hit you if you don't go," he casually speaks to me.

Well, it doesn't matter.

"Then you'll fall at the second..."

"No, I want to go with you, the Forerunner. I really want to go together. At the end."

"...I see. Alright."

If that's what you want.

-Quite a rude fellow, isn't he?

That's right.

And I hear that passenger chattering with his companions behind me.

"Hey, what are you doing? Why are you suddenly saying you'll jump out?"

"Shh, can't you read the atmosphere? I'm sure if you trust and jump out, you'll get some special ability or something. It's so obvious. You have to go with the flow quickly at times like this."

Hmm.

'Oh dear...'

There's nothing like that.

"The pain is probably just a bluff to filter people out, you know?"

No.

'It's going to really hurt.'

Well, delusions are a personal freedom.

I decided not to try to dissuade him. Instead, I checked his face once more to add him to the list of people going to the altar...

Wait a minute.

Come to think of it, that person's face...

'...He has a big mole on his cheek.'

It was a feature I hadn't noticed before because I had hurriedly passed by, fearing Supervisor Dolphin might preemptively punch him in the face.

'And he was from Car 6, right?'

Someone with exactly matching characteristics came to mind.

Hmm.

'I think that person was originally the passenger who became the cult leader...'

-Oh my! Has he been pushed out of his role by you?

Well, I hate to admit it... but it seems so.

'I guess cases like this happen when a total of 14 rounds flow so smoothly.'

Well, it's much better than dragging passengers around in fear and madness, extracting people's organs to offer as sacrifices, and throwing only the husks out the window...

Anyway, the important thing is that most of the volunteering passengers are descending to the altar together calmly and resolutely, without any problems.

"I'm going."

"Let's all become better people when we meet again!"

"We can do it!"

The atmosphere strangely got better and better. Some people even wiped away tears while waiting.

"Actually, this is the first time I've ever challenged myself like this..."

"That's amazing!"

Amidst people encouraging each other and sharing sincere stories, I turned to look at one person standing apart.

Baek Saheon, who was watching all this with a skeptical expression.

"...I don't know why you're looking at me, but I'm not going down."

"That's fine."

I didn't expect you to anyway.

"But you know."

Baek Saheon speaks in a slightly subtle voice.

"Well, if you need it, I could go down if you give me one painkiller."

"Oh, are you going to use it now?"

"No, after all this is over and we get out."

"Oh..."

I smiled slightly.

"That's alright."

"..."

Just freeload comfortably.

'Trying to get an item for free, are you?'

"Ah, it's the fifth altar, Forerunner!"

"Yes. I'll go now."

Leaving Baek Saheon behind, I joined the crowd of passengers to give advice and applause to the volunteers.

This means I did what I could as a Silver Heart owner.

And...

After about 3 hours passed like that.

Entering the ninth altar

"..."

Finally, the last moment has come.

"Let's go."

"Yes."

I stood with all the remaining volunteers.

...The number of people saying they would go out the window this time easily exceeded twenty.

'That's an absurd number.'

Honestly, I'm scared.

If these people start writhing in pain and blaming me, can my mental state handle it?

"We're going!"

"Yeah, let's go!"

Two or three people hold hands and jump into the window without hesitation, followed by a stream of others.

After confirming that the last of the volunteering passengers had jumped out the window, I immediately stood in front of the window.

"A-Are you going?"

Actually, even if I skip out now, it won't affect clearing the mission.

But...

-Ah, are you going to use that excellent painkiller again this time, friend?

...

'No.'

I put the painkiller back in my pocket.

And I threw myself towards the window.

Splash.

The body that fell from the high-speed train rolls onto the dark red altar passage.

And the moment my five senses grasp the surrounding scenery...

...

'Fuck.'

It was a primal hell.

I couldn't believe I hadn't felt disgusted by this scenery before.

Even though I had done this twice before, the difference between having the Happy Maker injected in my arm and not was stark.

Countless rotten flesh pieces of unknown origin writhe on the ground, creating waves like worms, in a hell full of rotten blood and filth. The flesh is moving!

I-is this causing hallucinations too? No, I'm wearing the silver ring so it should be fine... No, stop, stop thinking.

I took a deep breath to let the silver ring's resistance take effect.

Still, the sound hitting my mind isn't heard like before.

'Gather your thoughts...'

Then.

A pain like my whole body was on fire struck me.

"...!!"

I almost fell over.

Burning pain.

Burning pain!!

Bur

ning

pain

Bur

ning

pain

Bur

ning

pain

Each letter felt like it was searing my entire body with candle wax.

Not hearing that strange sound in my head didn't mean it was over!

Moreover, the people who could hear that sound...

"This is crazy! Crazy!"

"Aaaargh!"

"Wh-What are you saying, what... S-Sin?"

Cries, screams, and symptoms of confusion echo through the altar.

My head was spinning.

Thud.

Someone near me completely fell over and got stuck between the flesh pieces. I held back a scream and pulled that person up.

"Grrrrrr..."

'P-Painkiller.'

The thought of pulling them up and injecting the Happy Maker dominated my mind.

So the moment I supported them and tried to carry them on my back.

"...!"

Suddenly.

The burning pain whoosh, decreased.

'...No!'

It didn't decrease, but because I couldn't feel the burning pain on my back and shoulders where I was in contact with this person, it relatively felt easier to bear...

"...Ah!!"

I realized.

In the areas where we're in contact with each other, the burning pain can't be felt.

Because those parts aren't exposed to the altar's environment!

"Everyone! Stick together! It gets better if you stick together!"

As I said that, I pressed my body against someone nearby as if putting an arm around their shoulder.

The message spreads.

"Don't expose bare skin! Th-The sound is coming from there!"

"Hold hands with each other!"

Eventually, the groups of two or three people scattered around started to gather, and those people huddled together front and back.

"Fuck off! Aaaargh!"

Of course, some people who couldn't come to their senses kept pushing others and ended up sinking completely into the flesh.

"I'm not going to let you get away with this, you bastard! You tricked me! You tricked■■■"

Tl/PR: Maybe you can replace it with You tricked the shit out of me or You son of a bitch tricked me?? or anything on your choice.

Even the passenger who had joined at the end, barking about getting a "special ability," glared at me and pointed accusingly before being buried in the flesh and falling behind.

However, more than twenty people, the majority, started to huddle together like penguins, surrounding each other.

"I-it's okay..."

"It's bearable. It's bearable...!"

"L-Let's move!"

And sticking together as much as possible, linking arms, we started running towards the light while pressed against each other.

The pain is minimized.

Hands that can't be bitten or scratched tightly grasp the people standing on either side, and the rotten flesh under our feet scatters with each running step.

Screams and shouts echo, but encouragement and fighting spirit resound together.

A shared sensation.

"We're almost there!!"

The light gets closer.

Slowly but surely.

A little more.

A little more...

And finally!

"Ah..."

People throw themselves into the light with desperate cheers.

"Waaaaaah!!"

I too am enveloped in light, and my mind starts to become sublimely elevated.

The voice that had already disappeared couldn't be heard, but...

...

I suddenly had a thought.

Perhaps the test given by this ghost story had never been truly 'solved' before.

And in this moment, I felt I glimpsed the direction of the answer.

'Maybe Tamra is...'

A mysterious world that could be reached if all the train passengers jumped off together, going through this process.

* * *

I opened my eyes.

"Ugh!"

"Mmm..."

"Ah... W-What's going on?"

Gasps and small groans could be heard here and there.

The jerky movements typical of people startled awake from a light sleep were visible as seats shook all around.

I immediately lifted my head to look at the train display.

And the text on the screen changes.

Bound for Mokpo

Departure

Whooosh!

With a cheerful sound, the high-speed train began to pull out of the station...

"Oh, we're back safe and sound."

"...Yes."

Escape, successful.

'Phew...'

I slumped back in my seat, the tension completely draining from my body.

But I snapped back to attention when I saw the person in front of me.

'...Deputy Jin Na-sol!'

Deputy Jin was staring at the train ceiling with her arms crossed, expressionless and silent.

Of course, it had all become a dream now, and Jin hadn't jumped at the end, so she probably wasn't too angry...

'Still, I should do what needs to be done!'

I hurriedly rummaged through my pocket, pulling out something to give energy to my efficiency-obsessed, tired superior.

It was something all three of us sitting here had. Namely...

"...Deputy."

"..."

"The Dream Essence Collector is full."

The clear golden liquid sloshed around inside the collector.

That's right.

We were on a business trip, so of course we had Dream Essence Collectors, and since we cleared the ghost story, the liquid was collected.

'If we had cleared it on the original Iksan-bound train, it probably would have been F or D grade, but...'

With the anomalous manifestation extending the route, restarting with double digits, and countless people falling to the altars together just now...

"It's C-grade."

The same grade as the darkness in Mokpo we were planning to enter.

And since the Dream Essence Collector was already full, there was no point in entering a new darkness now.

An expression finally returned to Deputy Jin's face.

"This means we don't have to go to Mokpo, right? Let's head back at the next station."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

I let out a sigh of relief, clutching my chest.

'Thank goodness.'

I guess for office workers, finishing work early is the best gift...

That's when I heard it.

Whispering from the seats behind us.

"Hey... I had a weird dream... The train was running on water?"

"Whoa, what's that about? Sounds like nonsense."

"No, but it was interesting. There was chaos, and this saint-like person appeared... They called them the 'Forerunner' or something? Anyway, it was right in the seats in front of us?"

"Oh, really?"

"...!"

W-Wait a minute.

It seems my intense act as a cult leader left a strong impression on people's memories.

'I-I should leave for now.'

After excusing myself to my superiors, I headed to the restroom, trying not to draw attention.

Click.

"Phew."

Hmm. I should stay here for a few minutes until the details fade from the passengers' memories...

-You're like a celebrity avoiding obsessive fans...

It was somehow embarrassing that it was so similar...

Still, it wasn't a bad situation.

'No, it's an extremely good ending.'

A faint sense of satisfaction spread through my chest.

...The peace that the passengers of the original Tamra-bound express train incident never got to enjoy.

'That's because... the ending was more horrific.'

It was so shockingly hopeless that I remember it vividly even without the wiki.

After hundreds or thousands of loops, when the passengers' minds had completely collapsed and they had gone beyond mass hysteria to become almost inhuman.

The train cars had already become hell, with all passengers' minds shattered, a swamp of suffering where it was impossible to even consider jumping out the windows according to the number of people.

'But if you keep repeating something, the "correct answer" can sometimes appear by chance...'

After countless restarts and endless time, they finally managed to jump through the 9th altar with the right number.

They dramatically escaped this anomaly, but...

'In a sense, they never escaped.'

Even someone who experienced the offering once and woke up would think it was a nightmare and be affected for more than a few dozen minutes.

What about the minds of people who repeated it hundreds or thousands of times?

'...They never escaped the nightmare at all.'

It's presumed the passengers didn't realize the anomaly had ended and they had returned to reality.

They mistakenly thought they were still trapped in the loop...

Rather, as their mental strength recovered slightly upon returning to reality, they became more desperate and started actively doing insane things.

That's how hell arrived in reality.

Most of the passengers killed and tore each other apart in their seats, in the aisles, at the windows.

After that tremendous uproar and frenzy, the train derailed and...

Exploded.

That's how the 'Tamra-bound Express Train Incident' met its horrific end...

Survivors: 7

Deaths: 404

TL/PR: Wasn’t it stated that there was only one survivor from this incident in previous chapters? or Am I seeing things

...I'm glad it didn't become reality.

I let out a sigh of relief.

Well, now that it's all over, I finally have the leisure to wonder about something.

Deputy ■■■

The only Daydream Inc. employee among the original incident's survivors.

The employee who bought this silver ring I got from Dead End Alley in exchange for three civilians.

Where was that person?

'Or were they even here?'

I'm not sure.

Earlier, the only company employee we could confirm on the train was Baek Saheon.

I didn't want to do anything conspicuous like hunting for employees, which wouldn't help with clearing anyway.

'In any case, it's fortunate.'

If they were here, they must have survived since it ended safely.

The important thing is that the tragedy that happened on that train didn't occur.

Thump thump thump!

Ah,

'I should get out soon.'

The next person was impatiently knocking on the restroom door.

I quickly jotted down a few notes on my smartphone about the memories of the past 14 rounds that were starting to fade, washed my face with cold water, and left the restroom.

Click.

The person waiting rushed into the restroom.

'They must have been desperate.'

I quickly brushed past them and returned to my seat...

Whoosh.

"You bastard."

I lowered my head.

A box cutter blade.

The knife was barely grazing my chest...

"...!!"

Shit!

I stepped back while grabbing and twisting the attacker's wrist with one arm.

Clang!

The box cutter fell to the floor with a sharp sound. I subdued the attacker, pinning them to the ground.

In the process, I saw their face.

"You son of a bitch, uh, uhhh!"

Damn it.

I pinned down the attacker, breaking out in a cold sweat.

'The cult leader...!'

"Fuck! It hurts, ahhhh, it hurt! Ugh!"

It's the person who fell behind at the last 9th altar!

'This crazy bastard...'

"You trick people?! Then you should die, you son of a bitch, you..."

I slammed the cursing attacker against the floor once more.

With a short thud...

They passed out.

"Huff."

My hands were drenched in cold sweat.

'...Did they go insane after being left behind?'

Their original personality was probably bad too, so they might have suffered longer due to having more sins to atone for...

Even if it was just a nightmare, they must have really poor anger management.

'That's probably why they ended up like this.'

"Phew..."

I wiped away my sweat.

The fortunate thing is that my chest, which was slashed by the knife, is fine without any pain.

Why?

'...Good thing I wrapped myself in packaging beforehand.'

I didn't expect to get dragged into another ghost story while on a business trip for one, but I had wrapped defensive packaging item directly on my skin from the start, in case I wouldn't have the chance later.

The "Packaging 12B357na" sold at the Alien Shop.

It was a natural precaution, considering I had even received a death prediction.

'Still, I never dreamed I'd nearly die from a knife-wielding maniac rather than a ghost story...'

Could this be the death I was warned about, and I just prevented it?

'What do you think, Brown?'

...

...

No answer.

"...Brown."

An ominous feeling ran down my spine.

So... my chest was just slashed.

I wasn't hurt, but that's because of the packaging on my bare skin.

But outside of that, in the left breast pocket of my suit, what was in there was...

"...Brown?"

Still,

There was no answer.

I hastily reached into my suit's inner pocket.

My trembling hand pulled out the fluffy plush toy inside...

Plop plop.

Cotton fell downwards.

Tattered pink fabric fluttered down in pieces.

"..."

I froze, holding the plush keychain that had been cut in two.