The train towered above me, its massive black metallic frame blending with the darkness around.
I hadn't spotted it at first because it was set back from the main track, hidden behind one of the platforms. From a distance, it looked like part of the wall. But once I cast my light on it, everything became clear to me.
This was the train I had been looking for.
'What now...?'
I had found the train, but what next?
I scanned the area, searching for anything that might offer a clue, but there was nothing. The train looked completely abandoned.
Taking out the photographs, I even went as far as to go to the same spot to see if I could figure something out, but there really was nothing.
'...Surely there must be some sort of record about the train. About where it went in the past, and for how long it operated.'
I tried looking for such answers on the internet, but that also led to nothing.
I also went as far as putting on the glasses, but...
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
There was nothing for me to see.
'Could I have guessed wrong?'
That could've been the case.
I felt rather stumped at the situation as I took a brief pause to contemplate it. Eventually, however, I craned my neck to stare at the massive frame before me and decided to enter the train.
Perhaps I could find a clue inside...
Thankfully, getting onto the train wasn't difficult. The doors weren't locked, and after giving one a firm pull, it opened with a soft metallic creak.
Moving onto the train, I looked around.
The chairs were lined up on both sides, made of soft fabric stretched over wooden frames, all facing each other. A worn, dirty carpet covered the floor, muffling my steps. The windows on both sides were clouded with dust and grime, making it almost impossible to see through.
I casually walked around the place, inspecting every inch of it.
I was hoping to find more clues about the situation, but...
"Nothing."
I couldn't find a single thing that could help with my investigation. In a last-ditch effort, I pulled out my glasses and slipped them on.
The cold around me seemed to deepen, sinking further into my skin as I scanned the space again.
I hadn't expected much when I put them on. Honestly, I was just grasping at straws.
But then—
"Huh?"
I saw it.
Footprints. They glowed faintly under the blue light of the glasses as they trailed forward, leading toward another carriage. I followed their path with my eyes until they stopped at the door separating this carriage from the next.
I licked my dry lips and stepped forward, following the glowing footprints. A tightness settled in my chest as I reached the carriage door.
With a slow breath, I pulled it open, revealing a familiar-looking carriage.
Clank!
The carriage was identical to the one I had just left. The glowing steps continued along the narrow aisle, leading straight to the very end, where they stopped beside a single seat.
I was too far away to see what it led to, but I knew in that moment that whatever I was looking for was right there.
My throat grew drier with each breath as I took a step forward, following the trail of footsteps.
The closer I drew to the spot, the heavier the feeling in my chest grew. Nonetheless, I carried on. I had to carry on.
I knew that I was onto something, and I needed to see through it.
For some reason, as I moved toward the distant area, it felt like the space ahead of me was stretching. The path seemed to grow longer with every step, as if the train itself was warping to keep me from reaching it.
But I knew that this was all an illusion.
Soon, I reached the spot and paused.
"....."
Slowly turning my head, my eyes traced the steps until they eventually paused towards a certain crack.
Yes...
An all too familiar crack where I saw hands move out from.
CRACK!
At that moment, a sharp cracking sound echoed through the carriage. I instantly realized what was happening. I stepped back quickly and pulled off my glasses, just in time to see the space ahead of me split open, revealing a massive opening right in front of me.
"H-ho."
Looking in, I could make out the outline of several corpses, and I covered my mouth.
'This situation...'
It was exactly the same as what had happened not too long ago.
....I also understood that this was most likely the main goal of the mission.
'I can already guess that in order to clear the quest, I need to enter the place.'
I bit my lip, staring at the crack without moving a single muscle.
If this was the same as the crack from before, and there was the possibility of another Twisted Man appearing... I really didn't want to go.
One experience was already bad enough.
'Realistically speaking, I know how to defeat it, but who is there to say that the Twisted Man won't be different? No, this... I don't think the risk is worth the reward.'
I was really close to talking myself out of the situation, but at the same time, thinking about everything that I had thought before, I pulled out my laptop from my bag and booted up the app, loading the chat box as I began typing.
[Is this part of the quest?]
I didn't have to wait long for an answer.
[Yes]
'Yes, okay...'
This pretty much confirmed my previous thoughts. This was part of the quest, meaning that it was within my capabilities.
But so was the previous quest.
I almost felt scammed while thinking about the previous quest.
[Will there be a Twisted Man inside?]
[.....]
No answer.
I scratched the side of my cheek.
I felt quite distressed at the moment. I didn't want to go. I really didn't want to go.
But I was going to go.
I had made up my mind a while back. It was just that self-doubt was continuously trying to make me not go. But I was going to go.
'I have to go.'
This was all for myself.
To become stronger. To learn to be less of a coward. To cure my disease. To be less passive.
All of this was to help me improve.
This was why I knew that I was going to go. But just because I was going to go didn't mean that I was going to go straight away.
There were a few things that I planned on going over before entering.
"Since now I have the money, I'll buy some items that might be useful for me inside the strange space. Maybe some sort of escape item."
The amount of SP that I had was quite abundant.
I didn't see why I couldn't invest some of the money in some items to help me.
The thought of buying new items excited me somewhat, but at the same time, there was something else that was more important.
"Where is he... Where is he... Where is he..."
Scrolling through my contacts, my eyes eventually fell on a certain number.
"It should be this one."
I was sure of it when I saw the [Annoying Bastard] name as the contact. It wasn't Kyle nor Myles.
It was the Section Chief.
Without hesitation, I pressed the number and began typing a message.
[This is my location. Pick me up as soon as possible.]