Chapter 39: Train to hell (I)
"Hello guys, I just came from the newly opened coffee place, and you guys were right. There were so many different flavors, but I decided to try the pineapple americano, and so far I’m liking the taste. Never thought I would enjoy it. 10/10."
A wave of comments suddenly began to fill the screen the youthful girl held in front of her face.
[🧢❌ No cap, pineapple americano is 💯🔥🍍☕]
[👀🍠☕❓ What about sweet potato latte?]
[🍋👉 NOW TRY LEMON AMERICANO ☕😂]
[🍠☕💀 Sweet potato latte?]
[ @Borabyte DON’T LISTEN TO THEM 😭 Passion americano is 👑🔥☕]
"So many options... I don’t know what to choose."
Go Nana slowly walked the streets as she continued her livestream. She now had about two thousand people watching. She was a bit low on cash, so she hoped today’s stream would at least bring in something.
Then, suddenly, her eyes landed on a familiar face.
"Is that Ryu Seong Hee?" Go Nana suddenly asked as she turned her livestream to show a girl being chased by a bunch of people.
[👀 Yo, what’s happening?]
[🤨🚔 Is she like a criminal?]
[😟👥 Why are they ganging up on her?]
[🗣️ @Borabyte, do you know the girl? 🤔]
Go Nana seemed to reminisce for a moment.
"We went to the same elementary and middle school, but we weren’t close. After all, I was a few years ahead of her. But I heard she had, like, mental issues or something. I’m not sure. Those people could just be her caregivers. She seemed to be from a wealthy family."
[😮 Really?]
[😂👋 Why don’t you go say hi?]
[😟💭 You guys... maybe she really is in trouble. @Borabyte, shouldn’t you go check on her?]
[💸✨ You have received a $50 donation from StarrryNight.]
[💰🔥 If you go save her from the people chasing her, I’ll donate 10× what I just sent. 😳]
Go Nana could feel the gears in her mind turning and her hands itching as she considered the request.
Her financial situation wasn’t the best, especially after her recent splurge, so this could be enough to at least help her feed herself, pay some utilities, and have something to work with.
But then again...
She hesitated.
She turned back to her stream.
"Chat, what do you think? Should I take the request?"
Soon enough, the frequency of flowing messages exploded. "Yes" and countless variations of it appeared one after another, with even a few five and ten dollar donations pouring in, giving her the much-needed motivation.
With the wave of traffic and donations continuing to pour in, she decided to follow the direction Ryu Seong Hee and the group were heading.
Only then did she realize...
They were heading for the subway.
She discreetly followed them, boarding the same train as they did.
A strange thrill welled up inside her.
For a brief moment, she felt like some kind of ninja.
But when she entered the train, she seemed to lose her composure even more.
There was this weird atmosphere all around. Sure, train rides were usually quiet with a toned-down atmosphere, but not like this.
She shrugged it off as nerves and began to look around the area when her eyes landed on a fierce tattooed woman.
It wasn’t that uncommon to see tattooed people these days. It was becoming more and more popular, especially among younger people, but the association of tattoos with gang members was still far from gone.
Yet she ignored it and continued her stream, looking for where the girl had disappeared to, her chat becoming even more active.
Then, suddenly, the train doors closed, and it began to move.
As it pulled away from the station, a wave of notifications swept across the entire carriage. Soft chiming sounds filled the cabin before, suddenly, a blinding light engulfed the whole area, forcing everyone to shut their eyes.
When it was finally possible to open them again...
The train’s PA system suddenly scrambled to life.
"Welcome to the game."
As soon as those words echoed through the carriage, a cluster of skull tattoos branded themselves onto everyone’s hands, including Go Nana’s.
The moment Go Nana saw the tattoos, alarm surged through her as she remembered the stories from that morning about a ghost targeting people.
She had never been one to believe in ghosts, especially after seeing what believing in them had done to some people. But with the sudden appearance of the three skull tattoos on her hand, she couldn’t convince herself this was normal or come up with any reasonable explanation.
She desperately tried to scrub the tattoos off her hand, but no matter how hard she rubbed, they wouldn’t come off.
As she did, her chat went absolutely crazy over the sudden developments.
But she wasn’t finding any of this funny.
Her fear was screaming at her.
She immediately gave up on looking for Ryu Seong Hee. She just wanted to get off at the next station, away from the eerie atmosphere and all the supernatural shenanigans.
She glanced back at her phone, only to discover that an app had somehow installed itself.
Bright golden words reflected across her screen.
Welcome to the Game.
The sickening voice was still speaking.
"...The second rule is: don’t leave the train unless you have reached your destination.
The third rule is: seek to appease justice.
The fourth rule is: seek to balance the scales of justice and sharpen the sword of judgment.
The final rule is: seeking forgiveness and penance for one’s sins will shine the path to the self.
Follow all these rules, and all will be well.
Let justice prevail, and all sinners be cleansed."
The voice suddenly went quiet, leaving everyone on the train confused as they tried to comprehend what was happening.
Then, another wave of beeps rippled throughout the cabin.
Go Nana wasn’t paying attention to any of it.
She just wanted to leave.
But at the same time, a deep, sinking feeling settled in her chest as she remembered the rules that had just been presented.
Go Nana was familiar with horror stories.
What if she lost her life just because she didn’t believe what had just been said?
No.
She couldn’t take that chance.
Maybe she should wait and see what happened at the next station.
She looked around to see how the people around her were acting. Some seemed confused, others worried, while a few remained alert, constantly scanning the area.
She didn’t know what else to do but wait.
Just as she was thinking that, another announcement blared through the speakers.
"The next station en route is Reflection. All whose destination is Reflection, get ready to disembark."
As soon as the words were uttered, everyone looked at each other.
No one had ever heard of a station called Reflection.
Were they truly dreaming?
Go Nana watched as people pinched themselves and each other, trying to determine whether this was a dream. When nothing happened, a strange resolve began to form among some of them. They started planning how they were going to disembark even though it wasn’t their station.
Who wanted to play along with whatever prank was being carried out?
Go Nana simply watched as the train continued moving.
After a few minutes, it slowly began to decelerate. The blurred scenery outside gradually slowed until the surroundings finally came into focus.
Then the train came to a stop.
Looking outside, everyone could clearly see the station’s name.
Reflection Station.
The same people who had been eager only moments ago suddenly quieted down.
The train remained still as the voice spoke once more.
"We have arrived at Reflection Station. All who have arrived at their destination, please disembark."
Everyone waited for someone else to make the first move.
Soon enough, a middle-aged man stood up, ready to step outside. But just as he walked toward the exit, a group of people stepped in front of him, warning him not to go any farther.
The man refused.
Calling the whole thing a farce, he complained that he needed to get home quickly and didn’t have time to waste.
Inspired by his confidence, several others lined up behind him.
Together, they walked past the human barricade and stepped through the open doors.
The crowd happily exited the train, the once-packed cabin becoming more and more spacious.
Nothing happened.
Seeing that there were seemingly no repercussions, Go Nana herself was tempted to get off.
But she stopped.
She needed to make sure.
Looking around, she noticed several other passengers who seemed to be thinking the exact same thing.
After the last person from the group had disembarked...
The train doors suddenly slid shut.
The people outside immediately began to cheer, relieved that nothing had happened. Some were already turning to leave.
Then...
The middle-aged man suddenly grabbed his own throat.
His right hand tightened around his neck while his left desperately tried to pry it away.
His own body was fighting against itself.
He clawed at his face.
He gouged out his own eyes.
Bones snapped one after another as he twisted himself into unnatural angles, brutally killing himself before everyone’s eyes.
The people who had disembarked stood frozen in shock, unable to comprehend what they were witnessing. Some screamed while others vomited at the horrifying sight.
Then...
They suffered the very same fate.
One after another.
More than twenty people began killing themselves in horrific ways.
The station was instantly filled with screams, cracking bones, and splattering blood.
Everyone still inside the train was left horrified.
Many violently covered their mouths, fighting the overwhelming urge to throw up as fear consumed the entire cabin.
Go Nana stood completely frozen.
Her face had gone pale.
The PA system suddenly buzzed to life once again.
"All violators of the rules have been dealt with accordingly. Please ensure you follow the rules."
Go Nana immediately began scrambling to remember the rules, only to realize she could recall only four of them.
Not the first.
She frantically looked around, unsure where she could even find them again.
Then she remembered.
Her livestream was still running.
"Chat! Rule one! What was rule number one?" she shouted into her phone.
The chat immediately flooded with messages.
[😨 Is this real?]
[😰 Yo... that was...]
She grew increasingly frustrated by the comments.
Then, finally, one message appeared.
[Rule one: Be truthful and find your true self, and guide that truth with all you have. Get your true...]
Before she could read the rest...
The livestream was abruptly cut off.
Her account had been flagged for violating platform policy by broadcasting violent content.
Go Nana stared blankly at the screen.
She couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of alarm.