Surviving Among the Entities

‘It’s been a week now.’

Instead of going to the office, the scenery of Suwon Station where I commute to has become quite endearing. In the late evening amidst the unchanging scenery, I sat on a bench waiting for the entity to manifest.

‘The 0 Line Express Train to Hell.’

While waiting, I ruminated over the information about the entity I would soon face.

‘A hazard-grade entity that randomly kidnaps train passengers from around the world and transports them to hell. The kidnapping cycle is between one week and one month. The minimum number of victims taken at once is 10, maximum is 50.’

This was information I had learned precisely from the game and the wiki.

‘However, the time period when kidnappings occur is fixed – in Korea it’s between 11 PM and 12 AM, the hours when the last subway trains typically operate.’

As reality became the game, I kept experiencing new attributes unknown before, but the fact that it still provided helpful information could not be denied.

‘Those kidnapped victims have to pass through a total of six train cars.’

I took out a notebook and wrote down the information on the cars the victims must pass through.

[Crusher]
[Narrator]
[Violator]
[Whisperer]
[Desirous]
[Judger]

According to the wiki, each car symbolized human sins.

‘Crusher is physical violence, Narrator is verbal violence, Violator is sex, Whisperer is lies and fraud, Desirous is greed.’

And the Judger meticulously analyzes the life of anyone who passes through all the preceding cars, identifying even the most trivial of sins.

‘But those ‘sins’ are nearly at the nitpicking level.’

Just by virtue of being a living human, one’s very existence is presumed sinful, so even a newborn infant would be deemed a sinner upon meeting the Judger.

‘If the judgement was fair, it would never have been called an entity to begin with.’

The way to neutralize the 0 Line Express Train to Hell is through appropriate choices to progress through the cars and escape.

‘Up to the Whisperer, I can avoid the judges through appropriate choices and advance to the next car.’

Then I must bribe the Desirous and escape the train to survive the entity – that was the neutralization method according to the information.

‘If I progress past the Desirous all the way to the Judger, I’ll be inevitably branded a sinner to be judged and burn in hell as the train’s fuel for an eternity – the bad ending called 「Avici Hell」, so I must not proceed that far.’

Seeing that the bad ending was named after the Buddhist concept reinforces that this is an entity inspired by Eastern Buddhist hells.

‘Well, I’ve prepared everything, but will it show up today?’

While waiting, I checked over the items I had prepared once more.

’12 dried 「Friendship」 apples, the enhanced Polaroid camera, and 24-carat diamonds to immediately bribe the Desirous.’

I brought the camera, inspired by my realization with Homun, to photograph my experiences and encounters with entities.

‘I haven’t verified yet if it can capture ghosts or special entities, but I can test that this time.’

Then I took out the vials of Weaken, Purify, and Strengthen Potions from my pocket.

‘The Forgotten Alchemist’s Potion set, for object-type entities.’

Next, I retrieved my smartphone – a safe entity I obtained by trading the weakened derivative entity 「Challenge Coupon to Another World for You」 to a shady merchant.

‘The 「Karma Call Center」.’

I slid my thumb across the black slide feature phone.

[Currently connecting to a service representative. Due to hell being extremely busy, connection may be delayed but you will eventually be connected, so please wait.]

The text on the screen made me smirk wryly.

‘A safe entity that connects to hell’s call center, allowing you to learn all the karmic causes you’ve accumulated, whether positive or negative, and through the combined result value it informs you what judgement awaits you in the afterlife.’

From the experimental results listed on the wiki, this too seemed to be an entity inspired by Buddhist hells. That’s why I specifically obtained this entity when trading with the shady merchant, fortunately still having it.

‘The Hell Express Train and the Buddhist hell, the Karma Call Center and the Buddhist hell.’

I prepared it thinking I could perhaps utilize the connection between these two entities, but…….

‘The issue is when it will actually connect.’

Finally, I took out one more item that may be related to this matter.

‘This one too.’

Written on the small rectangular card was:

[(Co.) Lucifer Company Research and Development Division Head Baal Zebub]

And I checked the back.

[HP 666-666-666-666-666-666 Feel free to contact if you need anything.]

“I really am curious.”

Lucifer Company is the Christian hell.
The 0 Line Express Train to Hell is the Buddhist hell.

‘Who decides where souls go in the afterlife?’

Besides these, there are various other entities one could potentially encounter after death, so I wondered how a human soul’s afterlife destination is determined.

‘There are even ghosts like Mr. Sin Yeong-mun who remain in this world after dying.’

Are the realms divided? Or like in Baal’s case, do they go on sales calls? Or is it decided at birth?

‘Does it depend on one’s beliefs?’

Perhaps my pondering is meaningless, and it’s simply decided by chance.

‘It’s here.’

Along with the train’s headlights, a platform announcement played.

[The next train arriving is for Seryoo, Seryoo direction. Please stand back from the platform edge.]
《The next train arriving is for Hell, Hell direction. Please step closer to the platform edge.》

‘It came today. I definitely heard it.’

I boarded the train and took a seat.

‘The Hell Express Train.’

In the blink of an eye, all seats in the car were filled.

“Wha, what is this!”
“Where is this place!”

The panicked commotion of the people.

“We’re speaking different languages but I can understand them?”
“This is just like a horror movie! We’re going to die now!”

Followed by ensuing panic.

『Ah, an announcement from the engine room. First, we sincerely thank all passengers for boarding the 0 Line Express Train to Hell. This train is currently heading to Hell, Hell……』

The announcement precisely matched what I had seen in the game.

“Car No. 1?”
“It’s telling us to go there?”
“But following the instructions of this unknown entity is a bit……”
“More importantly, didn’t it just say hell?”

Before it was too late and the passengers at the crossroads choice had to decide, I stood up to try calming them down.

“Everyone please calm down. I am Resolver Seung-hoon Lee!”

I shouted that while prominently displaying my business card, but the passengers’ reactions were indifferent.

“Resolver? Like a detective?”
“Shut up! Don’t just spout whatever you want!”

There was a high ratio of foreigners, but even after showing my business card their reaction was still like this.

‘Is the effect of the Great Author’s Pen not working here?’

It seems this is an irregularity not listed on the wiki.

『Kikikikikiki!』

Unfortunately, before I could think of another way to gain the passengers’ trust, the Crusher appeared.

“Uwaaah!”
“An Asian ghost!”
“Run away!”

Except for me, all the passengers fled to the next car. While I wanted to save them, without the Great Author’s Pen being effective there was no other way.

‘I hope they can survive.’

As the passengers fled, I stepped forward to face the Crusher.

“Hello there?”

Since it was a humanoid entity with a sense of self and intelligence, the possibility of resolving the issue through dialogue was always open.

“My name is Seung-hoon Lee.”

And a proper greeting and self-introduction was surely the most courteous and appropriate choice for that, wasn’t it?

『Kikikikikiki!』

Or so I thought, but it seemed the other party did not wish to converse as it immediately attacked me with an outstretched hand.

“Can we not engage in a dialogue?”
『Kikikikikiki!』
“I’ve heard the Hell Express Train judges sinners. Since judgement necessitates hearing the sinner’s arguments, dialogue is essential, is it not?”
『Kikikikikiki!』
“So how about we have a dialogue first?”

It did not understand at all.

‘It will catch me soon.’

Moreover, its speed had been increasing so I felt it would soon catch me.

“I have no choice then. I don’t really like violence, but I’m not naive enough to believe all the world’s problems can be solved through dialogue alone.”

I first evaded its grasping hand and lightly threw a jab. Despite my physical abilities being greatly enhanced, the opponent took no damage and instead my hand hurt.

“So from now on, this is self-defense.”

I put a dried 「Friendship」 apple in my mouth.

“If you feel like having a dialogue, please feel free to bring it up at any time.”

I continued evading the Crusher’s grasping hand to the left and threw a liver blow.

“Let’s begin.”

The sensation of my fist connecting was extraordinarily vivid compared to before.

『Kikikikikkung!?』

The Crusher’s movements stopped. Beyond its shaking hair, our pupils and eyes met.

“Let me say it again.”

Ah, it’s been so long since I did martial arts that adrenaline is already starting to rush through me.

“If you are willing to have a dialogue, please say so at any time.”

‘The effects of 「Friendship」 are tremendous.’

The Crusher, which had been motionless at first, began convulsing as if in pain from the physical damage.

‘My original body was already strong, so this is likely not due to the force but rather the effects of 「Friendship」.’

Perhaps it allows me to inflict damage on entities that cannot normally be harmed physically?

‘Somehow, the moment I consumed it I felt like I could defeat physical entities through force.’

『Ki, kikikikiki!』

I caught the Crusher’s recklessly charging right hand and slammed it down with an arm throw.

『Kiek!』

The physical impact must have been from the ground, but seeing its anguished reaction, the conceptual effect seems to be that I as the subject am attacking it.

“Still unwilling to converse?”

I proceeded to take mount position, pinning both its arms under my knees as I rapidly struck its face.

“I will wait at any time. Resolving issues through violence will only breed further conflict, itself becoming the spark for new problems. So please, I want to resolve this through dialogue.”
『Kkung! Kkung! Kkung!』
“Please, let’s talk! I’m begging you!”

For a moment I was flung back by a burst of powerful force. However, in the instant I was launched my superhuman reflexes allowed me to quickly grab one of the Crusher’s arms, take an arm bar position as I landed on the floor, and break that arm.

『Kieeek!』

Still, the door to dialogue had not opened.

‘This matter will not be easy.’

The Crusher retreated while waving its broken arm.

“Why do you refuse to converse?”

I rapidly moved with footwork and struck its leg with a low kick. Having lost its balance, the Crusher fell to the floor, and I once again took mount position to strike its face.

‘Could the reason it won’t converse be due to some mental issue?’

Perhaps these judge entities, like us, are sinners themselves – sacrificial victims of the train.

‘The very first sinner captured may have become a derivative entity through the train’s powers.’

If so, I would need to resolve any mental issues, but I lacked such means.

‘Maybe I should recite some Buddhist scriptures.’

Since this train is related to the Buddhist hell.

“The Maha Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra. Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when deeply practicing prajna paramita, perceived that all five skandhas are empty, and was saved from all suffering and distress.”

The Crusher continued convulsing, so I struck its shoulder joint in an attempt to dislocate and hinder its resistance.

“Form is no other than emptiness, emptiness no other than form; form is exactly emptiness, emptiness exactly form; sensation, perception, mental formation, and consciousness are also like this. All dharmas are marked with emptiness…”

Come to think of it, with my current strength measured in tons, the train floor is neither denting nor piercing.

“No eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body or mind; no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharma; no realms of eyes and so forth, until no realm of mind consciousness…”

The Crusher’s thrashing gradually subsided as it somehow tried to escape, but it was difficult to tell if this was due to the violence or if the scripture was having an effect.

“Do you now wish to converse?”

There was no answer. I released the mount position and stood up to check, but the Crusher’s state was not good.

“Oh dear.”

Black blood was pooled on the floor. Its arm was broken, face swollen to the point of bursting, and its body intermittently convulsed.

“Hmm.”

The moment I saw that sight, I felt pity for it.

‘This is an extremely violent entity that has crushed countless people to death. The number of humans the Crusher has killed is likely in the hundreds at least.’

If I was unaware of that fact, I could feel this emotion.
But despite knowing that fact, I still ended up feeling sympathy.

‘This means the human heart sometimes heavily relies on visual information.’

Sometimes we are not swayed by unseen information and are heavily influenced by outward appearances.
Sometimes we do not judge based on unseen information but are greatly affected by visible outward appearances.

‘This is the realm of instinct we cannot choose.’

The artistic sensibility within me awakened. Desiring to capture this moment, I took out my smartphone to photograph it.

“As expected, it’s an entity.”

Neither the Crusher nor the blood stains showed up at all on the smartphone camera.

“Then……”

I took a photo with the enhanced Polaroid camera. The confirmed enhancement effects so far were that photos could be instantly developed without film, with the development time being nearly instantaneous.

“Oh.”

And now, the fact that it could photograph entities was added.

“Not bad?”

The pitiful sight of the Crusher lying convulsing on the floor in the developed photo was the artistic expression I wanted to capture.

“I’ve decided.”

I wrote the title on the back of the photo.

[Objects Are Far More Dangerous Than They Appear]

A title imbued with meaning poking at human perception and truth, parodying the side mirror warning on vehicles.

『Ma……』

At that moment, the Crusher finally uttered human words.

『Mas……ter…… please…… give…… me…… res……t……』
“That’s quite a human reaction. Could you perhaps be human in origin?”
『……』

Having struggled to finish speaking through its shattered and dislocated jaw, the Crusher’s convulsions stopped.

“I can’t tell if it’s dead or just unconscious.”

I checked for a pulse but there was none. It also didn’t have one when I applied the arm bar, so it seems it originally lacked a pulse, making its state of life or death unclear.

“It’s probably still alive. Since it’s an entity.”

Thanks to the Crusher, I learned one issue.

“For physical violence against entities, it’s difficult to know the appropriate upper limit.”

If it’s too weak, I’ll be the one getting hurt. If it’s too strong, situations like this occur. And with the severe standard deviation between entities, setting an average is impossible.

‘Still, since all the judging entities emerging from the train will be similar, I can just use the Crusher as the baseline.’

I proceeded to the next car. After walking through some woods, I arrived at a temple gate.

『Heheh.』

A smiling, obese Buddha statue reminiscent of Budai – and the dead passengers scattered around.

『Another sinful sentient being has come.』

My artistic sensibility had already decided on the title.

“Physiognomy is not science.”
『Undergo ascetic practice.』
“Hello there.”

But I should still try conversing first.

“My name is Seung-hoon Lee.”
『Practice asceticism, and keep practicing.』
“You seem to be a monk, so I wish to discuss Buddhist teachings in relation to your current actions.”

It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t work.

“Didn’t the Buddha say extreme asceticism is fruitless?”

Since I can just take another artistic photo.