Although they come back half-crazed from the pain of ‘tearing off their sins’, the person themselves always returns.
“They leave their sins behind, in the form of torn flesh scattered throughout the passageway.”
Chewed, vomited, and discarded as they go.
“That’s what I believe is the offering.”
The agony.
The searing pain proportional to their sins. The voice echoing in their head.
Once you see the tunnel littered with rotting flesh from that perspective, it’s easier to understand.
Those grotesque remains aren’t just remnants of gore—they’re accumulated offerings.
“So, the surest way is for someone with sins to offer them at the altar and letting them fall down. …That’s what I think, at least.”
“……”
Clap, clap, clap.
Supervisor Dolphin softly clapped from behind, but Assistant Manager Jin Nasol remained perfectly still.
“Of course, my theory could be wrong. But isn’t it rational to take the safer route, just in case I’m right?”
Maintaining eye contact with Jin Nasol, I pleaded earnestly,
“So, for a safe clear, please allow me to convince the passengers—”
“You.”
The assistant manager opened her mouth.
“You’re a good liar.”
“……!!”
“Well, I’d rather deal with someone who can talk than someone who can’t.”
“Assistan—”
“This is the third time.”
Thud.
She grabbed me by the collar and lifted me into the air.
“Venerable Pathfinder!”
“Aaaah!”
“Getting lenient with you seems to have no end. We have to dive into the next Darkness at Mokpo Station, but you’re wasting my time and energy here?”
From beyond the connecting corridor, passengers from Car 2 screamed and ran toward us. But Jin Nasol didn’t flinch.
She calmly shut the door to Car 1 and locked it.
Click.
“Be grateful I’m wasting my time explaining this to you.”
She leaned in close, her face right in front of mine.
“You said the offering is the flesh torn off their bodies? Then how come those people you injected with painkillers didn’t offer anything, and yet they moved on to the next altar just fine?” ⱤÀȫВÈš
“…!!”
“According to you, they didn’t give any offerings, and yet the train progressed just fine, didn’t it?”
That’s…
“You knew the truth, didn’t you? You lied.”
……
“You’ve been caught.”
– Oh my goodness!
That’s right.
I’d tried to con her.
‘Didn’t expect to get caught this fast, though.’
Sweating, I forced a smile.
But most of what I’d said was true.
Except for one thing.
The conclusion.
“Of course.”
The grip on my neck tightened.
“So, we can just throw anyone into the altar, right?”
“Y-Yes, that’s right.”
I confessed willingly.
“The amount of sins they offer probably doesn’t matter. Even if they don’t offer anything at all, the act of entering the altar is what’s important.”
And beyond that—
“After all… in this Tamra-bound train, it seems like everyone is considered guilty.”
We’ve seen it, haven’t we?
Even the virtuous owner of the Silver Heart had to tear at their own flesh at the altar.
In the twisted logic of this nightmare, no human is free from sin.
Everyone is a sinner—the difference lies only in degree.
So, if the goal is to clear the loop, there’s no need to waste time picking and choosing the ‘worst’ people.
“Now you’re making sense.”
Jin Nasol let go, dropping me.
I barely managed to regain my balance and gasped for air.
“Good. Now stop wasting time and make sure everyone cooperates efficiently.”
“……”
I forced a smile despite my aching body.
“That sounds strange.”
“What?”
“Assistant Manager, you’ve made an inefficient choice.”
Thud, thud!
I glanced back at the passengers knocking on the door, Supervisor Dolphin, and Baek Saheon.
“If you proceed with your method, you’ll have to fight three of your own employees.”
“…!!”
“And since the passengers just saw you grab me by the collar, they’ll resist you fiercely and fight back no matter what you do.”
“……”
Given how things had already unfolded, the ‘most efficient plan’ Jin Nasol had in mind was bound to meet massive resistance.
The passengers wouldn’t cooperate at all!
And now that the situation had reached this point, Supervisor Dolphin would certainly side with me and work together to overpower Jin Nasol.
“Of course, Assistant Manager, you could subdue all of us, but that would be such a hassle, wouldn’t it?”
“A great point, Supervisor!”
Supervisor Dolphin smiled and stepped closer.
“Why go through all that trouble? Just take a nap, and the three of us will handle everything.”
Behind her, Baek Saheon had a face that seemed to say, Me? Seriously? But instead of siding with the assistant manager, he silently rolled his eyes and kept his mouth shut.
Since I was an elite team member now too, he’d likely choose to align with the side that had the numbers advantage.
“So, Assistant Manager, could you just turn a blind eye this once? Please?”
“……”
“This isn’t really company business—it’s just a situation we happened to get caught up in. We just want a slightly safer and calmer approach. It’ll only take a little more time.”
Please!
‘Jin Nasol is a rational person.’
She’s not the type to throw tantrums and take the long way around just because she’s annoyed.
That was my only hope.
But still, she’s human, and humans can act unpredictably when their mood sours.
Especially an elite team superior—she’d naturally feel resentment toward two subordinates opposing her.
I swallowed hard.
“Just as the Supervisor said. This isn’t exactly work, is it, Assistant Manager?”
“……”
“……”