Chapter 115

Now, a moment.

Let us review Baek Saheon's eventful history of encounters with his psychopathic roommate.

The psycho who mocked him for giving up his left eye. The dopamine addict who dragged people through dangerous Darkness as bait. The lunatic who swung an axe while pretending to be a serial killer...

'And now he's playing cult leader too??'

At this point, it went beyond incredulity. Anomie was beginning to set in: that whole lineup started to feel perfectly natural if the bastard in question was Kim Soleum.

Fine. Suppose he could accept all of that.

But how could he possibly be running into that bastard now!

'I even took time off!'

He hadn't just left company housing. He'd left Seoul altogether.

For a moment, Baek Saheon wondered if he was having a nightmare and gave his head a vigorous shake, but no such luck. This was reality.

Accompanied by two elite-team superiors and leading dozens of people, Kim Soleum stood in the middle of Car 3's aisle with both arms raised.

Saying things that really did sound like cult nonsense.

"There's no need to worry. All of us will be able to overcome this test safely."

To think his only consolation was that the idiots in this carriage were pointing fingers at the guy!

"Who the hell is that?"

"Fuck, now we've got some crazy bastard..."

"Ha..."

"D-don't make eye contact."

Mockery and rejection erupted at Kim Soleum's deranged pronouncements.

'R-right. This is normal...'

But Kim Soleum wasn't even fazed.

He simply smiled gently and looked around Car 3.

"...?!"

That was even scarier!

"Everyone, I'm sure you're startled to have a whole crowd suddenly turn up like this. And you're probably wondering what sort of crazy nonsense this is."

'A test? What test?'

Looking every inch the neatly dressed office worker, Kim Soleum gave a rueful, almost sheepish smile.

"Honestly, even as I'm saying it, um... I know I sound like I'm in a cult. So it is embarrassing."

His delivery was calm, not particularly animated. His tone was earnest, as though he were giving advice to an acquaintance at a cafe.

"But this situation is so frightening and horrific that I'm working up the courage to speak. ... If you know the answer, sharing it is the decent thing to do."

His expression firmed as he met the eyes of those around him.

"Please set your aversion aside for a moment and think about it. We're not fools either. That's why dozens of us have come here together to tell you the same thing."

Baek Saheon looked around.

At the people on the verge of losing their minds in this unreal situation, dying pointlessly in a plunging train and starting over, again and again.

At Kim Soleum, who had begun telling those desperate to escape this train, desperate for it to be a dream, exactly what they wanted to hear.

At his utterly confident declaration.

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

A voice suddenly broke in.

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

"Yes."

"...!!"

Kim Soleum turned his gaze behind him with practiced ease.

The people from Car 7 standing at his back shouted, their eyes shining with excitement and enthusiasm.

"Just once each, through the window!"

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

"What kind of crazy bullshit is that?!"

A torrent of explanations poured down on the horrified passengers of Car 3.

"No, there's a way to make it completely painless! About ten people have already gone out that way!"

"Honestly, it's gross, but you just look at the light and walk to the exit. Anyone can do it."

"If someone has trouble walking, somebody else can fall with them and help them along! It's not difficult at all!"

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

The astonishing part was that, although they clearly said ten people had gone out, dozens were explaining how it worked.

No, nearly a hundred people were following that crowd, and some were from other carriages.

Kim Soleum gazed at those eyes brimming with hope and enthusiasm, then faced forward and smiled again.

"That's right, everyone. All of you can go out the window."

At that moment, Baek Saheon realized.

"Everything will be fine."

"That's right!"

This was a con!

'Y-you crazy bastard.'

He was riling up these idiots so they'd all jump, while Kim Soleum himself got to sit it out!

'But you can't fool me.'

Baek Saheon swallowed, convinced he alone had caught on.

"Now, if you'll hear from the people who went out the window..."

"Us! The two of us went out at the second altar in our third life..."

He clicked his tongue as he watched Car 3's passengers gradually lend an ear to the people from Car 7, who were recounting their experiences as if writing testimonials about passing an exam.

Idiots.

'You could manufacture stories like that by brainwashing them with my fountain pen!'

Kim Soleum had obviously brainwashed these people with the fountain pen he'd confiscated from him.

Yes. In that case, he could stick with his current strategy.

'Stay put.'

All he had to do was stay out of that procession of Kim Soleum worshippers.

Firmly resolved, Baek Saheon smiled in satisfaction.

Thank goodness he'd been so quick on the uptake.

He'd almost gotten swept up in this mess!

'If I keep my head down and hold out until that bastard tricks the other idiots and tosses them all out at once...'

That was when it happened.

"Hey, let's skip the long explanation and show you right now! Going out the window!"

Huh?

"I'll be going out the window at this altar."

"That's right. This person has now qualified."

"Ooooh!"

"Everyone, give them a hand!"

Wait, what?

"You have to go alone at the first altar, so it may feel lonelier and more frightening..."

"It's all right! I want to do exactly what you did, Forerunner!"

"I-I'm not a forerunner, just someone who tried it first... Hmm. Yes. In that case."

Kim Soleum smiled a little bashfully, then took the volunteer's hand, looking at them earnestly as if in prayer.

"I'll do my very best to protect you from pain and give you a powerful token."

"...! Yes!"

Entering the First Altar

Baek Saheon watched the scene with a blank look.

In the dim, red carriage as they entered the altar, Kim Soleum lightly gripped the person's forearm and did something...

"I'll be back!"

"See you soon!"

"You can do it!"

Then, amid the passengers' enthusiastic cheers, the volunteer climbed down through the window with a determined expression.

This repeated several times, until at last...

Entering the Fourth Altar

"These are the last volunteers for now."

And he realized.

'... An item!'

Kim Soleum had been covertly using an item on the people going down.

He didn't know what it was, but it really did keep them from going insane after falling out the window!

'W-wait a minute.'

Had he actually been serious?

And if that psychopath was going this far for them...

Baek Saheon's mind raced, and he changed tack in an instant.

'This Darkness is first come, first served!'

Wasn't it one of those first-come-first-served types that wouldn't clear until enough people had filled the quota?

'Falling out the window is where the real game begins!'

And Kim Soleum was more than capable of playing cult leader just to manipulate people into jumping voluntarily.

Why?

'Because that gives him a bigger dopamine hit!'

Because it was more fun than grabbing people and throwing them out the window by force!

He truly was one chilling bastard...

Baek Saheon shuddered.

But that wasn't what mattered right now.

'If that bastard has a plan!'

Then!

"S-Supervisor!"

He'd hitch a ride!

He shot his hand up and stood from his seat, revealing his presence for the first time.

It was just after they passed the fourth altar and the carriage brightened.

"W-what?"

"There was someone there?"

Never mind the surprise of his fellow passengers, who had gradually gotten to know one another over five loops, at this unfamiliar face.

Baek Saheon made himself look even more surprised and desperately tried to address Kim Soleum in a natural, friendly manner.

Yes, Kim Soleum!

He had actually wanted to approach the Elite Team employees first, but however he looked at it, they weren't likely to give an unfamiliar recruit any meaningful attention.

Then he should try the one with whom he at least had the connection of being roommates.

That psychopath seemed to be their figurehead anyway!

"My goodness... Hello! I never expected to see you here."

"..."

Kim Soleum stared at him in silence.

Then grinned.

"Really? I did."

Fuck!

"Really?"

"Haha, of course not. I was joking. How would I know?"

"..."

Baek Saheon barely suppressed the fury threatening to break through his fear!

"Oh, he joined the company with me. He said he'd taken some annual leave, so I suppose he was on his way to visit his family."

"Ah."

"Nice to meetcha."

The two Elite Team employees nodded perfunctorily. A recruit who hadn't even put in much time yet made little impression on them.

It was the people behind them who brightened instead.

"Oh, if you're a coworker, maybe you can go straight out the window!"

"Right. Just like those two!"

Exactly!

Baek Saheon brightened.

"Oh, well, if that's the case, I'd be happy to try the test through the window myse—"

"No. He isn't qualified yet."

You son of a bitch!

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

Kim Soleum shook his head, looking at Baek Saheon with apparent deep regret.

"Even I can't know that."

"..."

"I'm merely someone who passed this test first. All I want is to guide everyone down the least painful path possible."

A vein bulged at Baek Saheon's temple.

But he desperately maintained a gentle smile as he spoke.

"I see. Oh! Just a moment. I know things are difficult, but I'd like a quiet word with you alone about company busine—"

"Now, hold on!"

A thunderous rebuke erupted from the passengers, who had been wholly engrossed in seeing off the people going out the window.

"The company? With the train like this? You're trying to call the Forerunner away over something so trivial..."

"This guy doesn't understand the situation!"

"It's all right, everyone. Different people may have different priorities... We have a little time until the next life, so I'll have a word with him in the meantime."

"Oh, yes, of course."

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

By now, Baek Saheon couldn't even muster goosebumps...

"Shall we talk over here?"

"... Let's!"

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

"Look. I saw you using an item, Supervisor."

Kim Soleum's smile vanished as though it had never existed. His face went blank, and he folded his arms.

"So?"

Baek Saheon swallowed.

"I'm just... asking you to think about it. What would happen if I went out there and exposed everything?"

Somehow, he had to drag this lunatic to the negotiating table.

But Kim Soleum merely stared at Baek Saheon in silence... then gave a slight nod.

"Braun says you won't do that."

"... Oh, really?"

"Yeah. He says that with the mood they're in, you'd get thrown out the window without any protection."

"..."

"If the result's the same, it'd be simpler just to jump voluntarily. No reason to take the long way around."

It was true.

'F-fuck.'

Baek Saheon gulped.

Fortunately, rather than press him further, Kim Soleum did something unexpected.

He offered a carrot instead of the stick.

"Speaking of which, I have a favor to ask."

"...!"

"I need your eye."

Huh?

"The one I gave you as a present."

Baek Saheon reflexively grabbed his eye patch.

Thinking of the purple reverse-colored eye beneath it.

When looking through that piece of equipment, the more dangerous an entity was, the warmer the color of the halo around it.

An excellent danger detector.

It was also an exceedingly useful tool for the Field Exploration Team, where split-second judgment mattered.

So useful that Baek Saheon himself couldn't understand why Kim Soleum had given it to him.

Well, the reason was simple, really.

Even if Kim Soleum wore it... there was an extremely high chance that everything would appear with a bright red halo...

Since it was a body part, it was heavily influenced by the wearer's unconscious judgment, making it of little use to someone with a coward's heart.

But giving it to anyone else would amount to encouraging them to gouge out an eye, so he'd given it to Baek Saheon, who was already missing one.

He was actually the right person for it, too.

None of their fellow recruits had a stronger survival instinct.

In any case, unaware of any of this, Baek Saheon merely asked warily,

"... When do I need to use it?"

"In Car 1."

"Car 1?"

He thought he'd heard it mentioned in people's conversations. Baek Saheon frowned and racked his brain until he remembered.

"... I think they said the door there was shut."

"That's right."

Kim Soleum readily admitted it.

"It's probably been locked since the second loop. And by now, they're probably locking it every time the train returns to the start."

"..."

Just hearing that...

It was suspicious.

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

Hadn't he come from Car 7?

How the hell did he know so much about what was happening in the very first carriage?

'Is this why he's been leading people around and saving them...?'

For the information network?

A-anyway.

"So what do you want me to do?"

"It's simple."

Kim Soleum spoke casually.

"When Car 1's door opens, go straight in and pick out whoever registers as the most dangerous."

"Wh-who's even in Car 1?"

"No idea."

If you don't know, who does!

Sure enough, Kim Soleum tilted his head and rubbed his chin.

"But here's the thing... They keep dropping someone out the window in Car 1, just as they please."

"...!"

"Without my knowledge. It seems someone's falling every loop... Isn't that awful? It must hurt..."

"..."

"So I'm going to stop them."

Bullshit.

"What do you think? Good idea, right?"

"Y-yes. Absolutely!"

Complete and utter bullshit.

'You're going to beat their asses for falling without permission and ruining your grand plan, fuck.'

But he decided not to breathe a word of it.

Because Baek Saheon valued his life...

Instead, he spoke with a desperate smile.

"Well, then. If someone identifies the most dangerous person in Car 1, wouldn't that make them 'qualified'? Qualified to receive the item, I mean."

You'll give me the item for this, right?

"Huh? That's a favor I'm asking you. What do the item and qualifications have to do with that?"

"..."

"On the other hand, if someone encouraged the people in Car 2 to keep persuading Car 1 until they open their door willingly, well... Maybe that person would qualify."

"..."

Baek Saheon beamed!

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

"Really? I'll leave it to you, then."

"Yes!"

Die!

Die, Kim Soleum, you son of a bitch!

* * *

And that was how Kim Soleum successfully put Baek Saheon to work without pay.

'They say even dog shit has its uses.'

"You're here!"

"Yes. Let's give it our best this time, too."

The train had started over. The people of Car 7 greeted each other heartily, and greeted Kim Soleum as well. In fact, people from other carriages were now coming over to chat about all sorts of things.

They looked so composed that you would never imagine they'd experienced six train crashes.

... Having hope really did seem to make enduring it at least a little easier.

'What matters is keeping people sane.'

And to do that... he had to keep playing this crazy cult con artist, a role he'd never imagined for himself...

'Urgh.'

-Better get going, Mr. Roe Deer! I can't wait to see which audience members—no, passengers—are awaiting your magnificent performance today. Ah, this is such fun...

"Everyone, today many people in Car 8 have qualified."

"Oooooh!"

Braun, please, not you too. Don't cheer...

Kim Soleum was beginning to feel the crushing absurdity of it all, but he still didn't give up on diligently conning everyone.

No, he threw himself into the job with enthusiasm.

And as time passed...

The fourteenth loop.

"Forerunner!"

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

With the support of 342 of the 355 passengers across seven carriages, Kim Soleum had successfully united public opinion in every car except Car 1.

Braun had even begun asking whether he might be interested in producing a related program.

Now only one carriage remained.