Hell Train - Stations of Judgment

I looked around the inside of the train. Was it much roomier than a KTX? The aisle was wide enough for two people to pass each other, and it had a slightly old-fashioned vibe. At the far end, there was a monitor displaying "Car 14." So this must be car 14.

Aside from us, there were no other passengers in car 14. Instead, there was a crew member. Or... was calling it "one" even accurate? It wore a dark brown uniform that could almost pass for a suit at a glance—probably because of the necktie. It stood in an incredibly polite posture, but its head was unmistakably that of a beast. A dog. No matter how you looked at it, it had a dog's head.

"I'll just verify the passengers for a moment. Yes, you're confirmed. Have a pleasant journey."

It said that and walked down the aisle. The kind of demeanor you'd expect from someone working on a real KTX train. Aside from the dog head, there was nothing particularly weird or threatening about it.

With the crew member gone, car 14 was left with just us. Na-o made a face ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like this whole situation felt strangely familiar.

"So, unnie, what do we do now? Are we dead?"

"Not dead yet...."

In the game, the "Hell Train" was a supernatural phenomenon that usually appeared when a bad ending trigger activated. Or sometimes it showed up to give the player one last chance. Either way, it wasn't something that should be appearing right now. But getting caught in this one was basically a death sentence—survival odds were extremely slim. Which meant not zero, technically.

"We'll pass a few stations. Which one we hit is the key."

I explained simply.

Beep-

"Ugh, unknown station."

I waited anxiously, and soon the train stopped. A new passenger boarded—a figure in a raincoat holding a black umbrella.

『Ah, it's raining.』

Whoosh-

The raincoated passenger opened their umbrella inside the train. At that moment, raindrops began dripping from the ceiling.

The instant one hit my cheek—

"Kyaa!? It hurts...."

It stung like a bee sting. Wait, judgment for making others cry? When the hell did I make anyone cry!

-"If it means becoming a magical girl, I'm ready to shit on the street, but this name... hic... waaah...."

-"Don't abandon me, detective. Watson will do anything... I'll do whatever you say, so don't abandon me, detective...."

...Okay, apparently I did.

Should've given them better names if I knew this was coming.

"Mayuri-nim."

A faint shadow fell over my vision. The train's bright lights were blocked. Before I knew it, Lisa was standing in front of me. The classic wall slam pose? Except it was a seat instead of a wall, and I was sitting down.

Lisa loomed over me, back to the ceiling.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah.... Just stings a bit, not that bad."

"That's a relief."

Lisa smiled gently. She was getting soaked shielding me—the rain barely reached me thanks to her. Watching her clothes soak through, I asked,

"What about you, Lisa? You okay? Not too hard...?"

"I can bear it. I'm fine."

She seemed surprisingly calm. Had the Carnival Chef never made anyone cry? Hard to say—maybe yes, maybe no.

Sua next to me, Na-o and Ari across—everyone seemed to be holding up. First station, so probably manageable levels still.

[The train is departing.]

With a low exhaust hum, the wheels started turning again. The "judgment" lasted until ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the next station. Meaning Lisa had to keep taking the rain until then.

That was how the Hell Train worked. Arrive at a station, judgment begins. It manifests as torment for the passengers—if you couldn't endure and got off right away, instant death.

"Picky eating...!"

I shouted without thinking. I knew this station. A notoriously brutal one.

The Hell Train was all about gritting your teeth and enduring. But the problem was enduring properly. Plenty of players died from running out of HP or SAN (sanity) mid-judgment.

You had to survive all the judgments within your limits until the final stop. The issue? Some judgments straight-up tried to kill you. Like this one: Picky Eating Station.

"Why do humans trample other lives just to survive themselves?"

The rain stopped, and a new passenger boarded—holding what looked like a butcher's knife.

"How many lives die for one meal? And for what—a human scraping by a few more days? Selfish bastards! Selfish bastards! Devouring other lives for your own!"

"You're being loud."

Lisa glared at the passenger.

"Keep it quiet in the train, please?"

"I can't forgive humans who waste lives! Pay for your sins!"

"Shut it."

As the passenger swung the butcher knife, Lisa kicked out—nailing the knee and toppling them. Seizing the opening, she drew her kitchen knife and severed the arm.

Thud.

The butcher knife and an arm hit the floor rolling.

"You don't even know how to use that properly. Want me to teach you more?"

"...Sorry."

"If you hate picky eating so much, start by thinking up tasty dishes."

With that, Lisa kicked the passenger once more and returned to her seat.

Thump thump thump-

"Where is it? Not here?"

This passenger was the classic knocker ghost—head smashed flat, walking on its hands. It hopped along the floor like a knocker, flattening its head more with each bounce.

"Living person, where are you? Not here?"

It was checking each seat. Easy enough: hide from it. Get spotted, and you die.

I held my breath, staying silent—then it approached us.

"Hmm?"

The knocker ghost tilted its head at our spot.

"Here—"

Whirr-

Before it could finish, flies swarmed and stuck to it. The ghost paused mid-sentence.

"Ah?"

"Over there."

Ari spoke up. The knocker ghost twitched as if understanding.

"Got it...."

Thump thump thump-

It moved away from us, heading to car 15. Soon, a scream echoed from afar: "Gaaah!"

"Detective-nim, detective-nim."

After the ghost vanished, Sua sidled up to me.

"What's up, Sua?"

"That guy just now? Missing person."

"Huh? Missing person?"

"Yeah, from Incheon. Watson remembers every investigation detail, yup."

The 3-4 missing persons cases in Incheon. I'd forgotten amid the chaos post-supernatural mess. Right—we'd chased the wanted suspect and ended up on this Hell Train.

According to Park Jong-cheol's info, no link between the missings and the suspect. But seeing one turned into that? Suspect was definitely behind it.

"What's the goal?"

The connection felt solid, but it left me uneasy. What was the point of the abductions? The suspect suicided right in front of us. Why go to such lengths to lure us onto the Hell Train?

The cult was crazy, but not stupid. There had to be a purpose.

"Hot!"

My seat suddenly heated up. The floor too—hot enough to seep through my shoes. Probably scorching heat matching how much you'd raged in life.

But I wasn't the type to get mad often...? I mean, I'm the galaxy's number one gentle cutie.

-"Trainees, hurry and change, sort your bedding! Repeat! Five minutes left!"

-"Five minutes!"

-"Voice too quiet! Three minutes left!"

-"F-fucking insane...."

...Yeah, okay, I lost it then. But who wouldn't in that situation?

Unfair, but the Hell Train was peak irrationality. Nitpicking to absurd levels.

Haa.

As I sighed, Na-o whispered,

"Unnie, sit on my lap."

"Huh?"

"Here."

Na-o grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto her lap. The heat vanished, replaced by her lukewarm body warmth.

"Na-o, you feel the heat too, right?"

"A bit, yeah. But I'm good."

"Good how...?"

"Well, I'm a vampire? Pain's no biggie."

She hugged my waist tight to keep me steady.

"Plus, I don't hate it much."

"Weird way to put it."

"Is it?"

Na-o tilted her head, puzzled.