Chapter: 112
### 112 – Room 107, The Gate Room – ‘Doppelgänger Train’ (3)
—
– Han Kain
Calm down. The structure of the car I was in shouldn’t be much different from this one.
One of them is real, and the rest are fakes.
The reason the real one isn’t visible is one of two things: either the ‘Ahri’ I took over is the real one, or the real one is pretending to be fake.
I took a moment to rummage through the mind of the ‘Ahri’ I possessed.
My proficiency with the grimoire is far inferior to that of the original owner, the Apostle from the Mansion of Horror.
So, while I couldn’t fully read the target’s mind the instant I possessed them like the Apostle could, I was still confident from the fragmented memories I gleaned.
There were definitely memories that couldn’t belong to Ahri.
Moreover, if she truly was the real one, it was already confirmed she could shake off my possession.
The fact that she couldn’t resist and allowed her body to be taken means this Ahri is a fake.
That would mean the real comrade in this room is in a state of imitating the fake.
I thought carefully about each person.
First off, the Han Kain and Kim Ahri in this room are definitely fakes.
Next, Cha Jinchul and Park Seungyub are also fakes.
I’m sorry to those two, but there’s no way they could suddenly react and start acting like this; they just don’t have that acting talent.
Also, I doubt Hyung would think about acting in such a situation; he’d probably think of pulling out his stars to fight instead.
Following the same line of thought, Songhee also seems fake.
There’s a shared comfort among legacy holders—when faced with a crisis, those who’ve received the legacy will instinctively use it before considering acting.
Psychologically, they rely heavily on their inheritance.
But Mooksung is also a fake. If he were real, there’d be no need for the real Mooksung, armed with a gun, to act at all, right?
The fakes have neither inheritance nor blessing. In this situation, Mooksung could kill everyone on his own.
I concluded that Han Kain, Kim Ahri, Park Seungyub, Cha Jinchul, Yu Songee, and Kim Mooksung are all fakes.
This left me with two: Elena and Lee Eunsol, which complicated my thoughts.
Considering Pero’s reaction, Elena seems real, but just looking from afar is a bit ambiguous too.
Most importantly, every action of that woman leaning against the window dripped with disgustingly arrogant and evil racist tendencies.
…
I observed my surroundings.
As time passed, the fakes began to bring their memories into sharper focus, while inversely, the hotel’s implanted real memories started to fade quickly.
Not long after, the fakes reached a consensus to check their legacies to determine authenticity.
Cha Jinchul pulled out his star first. It was fake.
Han Kain unfolded the grimoire, which is obviously fake.
Yu Songee’s case was ambiguous. Even if her bracelet were real, there’s no way to distinguish it from a fake unless she wears it.
Then, at the moment when everyone’s eyes focused on me—specifically, Kim Ahri, the one I had possessed.
A brilliant idea struck me.
*
– Elena
What am I going to do?
Despite my best efforts to act, suspicions lingered, but that’s all.
There’s no way I can subdue these people by myself.
Should I just wait for my comrades from another car to arrive?
As I pondered my situation, the fakes in this car began checking for their legacies.
After Han Kain, Cha Jinchul, and Yu Songee, all eyes turned to Kim Ahri!
Suddenly, Ahri acted strangely.
She was trying to draw her own blood with a syringe, oddly enough, repeatedly touching her chest.
She kept changing angles, seemingly feeling around. Was she hiding a syringe in a place like that?
From my memories, I recalled the syringe used to be in a pocket at her waist, right?
As I watched that, a memory sprang up from when Ahri jokingly mentioned during a meal.
When Kain took over Ahri’s body, he immediately tried to touch her chest and was swiftly chased away, being teased as a perverted man.
Kain had panicked and asked what was happening, while everyone burst into laughter.
…
Wait a second!
Could that Ahri be…!
In that moment of surprise, I failed to keep my expression in check!
Ahri looked at ‘me’ and let out a light laugh.
Suddenly a thick book appeared in Ahri’s hands.
Instinctively, I shut my eyes.
—Flap!
“AAAAAAAAAH!”
“Ugh-weck!”
“Gyaaaaaaah!”
In an instant, the train car was filled with screams as the fakes tumbled around.
The power of a grimoire, which no one but its owner can dare to read!
At that moment in the train car where everyone was focused on Ahri, the moment she summoned the grimoire and opened it wide, the fakes—excluding me, who shut my eyes anticipating chaos—were instantly rendered powerless.
The fakes all bled from their eyes and vomited, not daring to fight back.
Ahri, or should I say the real Han Kain possessing Ahri, calmly drew the pistol from the fake Mooksung’s waist and shot the rest dead.
“…When exactly did you possess Ahri?”
“Not long ago. I’ll be offing this body soon, so would you please take Elena to the back? I need support as I’m in pretty rough shape.”
“Are you badly hurt?”
“Something like that.”
Seeing Kain aim the gun at the head of the possessed Ahri, we moved toward the back of the train car.
—Bang!
With the gunshot, all fakes in my car died, and the barrier dissolved.
On the other side of the barrier, Kain was clearly in bad shape. Even just helping him for a moment, I could feel bones breaking beneath my grip, and blood flowed from his eyes.
“Are you seriously okay?”
“At this level, it’s just a minor injury in the hotel, right?”
“That was a joke even in this state!”
“Ahaha… honestly, it hurts.”
“I didn’t expect you to unleash the grimoire like that; you could use it that way?”
“I’ve never done something so deliberately in front of others before. If I had thought up that earlier in the previous car, maybe it would’ve been easier to get through.”
“You just got it not long ago, right? You have to gradually learn how to use it, just like when you mastered the filter while using the status window.”
As I supported Kain while heading toward the front car, a laugh unexpectedly escaped me.
“Hey, what was that sudden touching of your chest all about?”
“The fakes seemed to almost entirely forget their real memories. I figured those who could decipher my movements would be only the real ones…”
“Still, touching your chest is all you came up with? You really did it with pure intentions, right?”
“That’s exactly what came to mind at that moment.”
“I’ll be sure to pass that answer on to Ahri.”
It felt like that.
While helping Kain, who was so injured he could barely manage his body, we laughed and chatted our way into the next car.
*
– Han Kain
Even while laughing with Elena, I genuinely worried. Would I be able to push through to the remaining train cars in this state?
Fortunately, I didn’t need to think on this for long.
As soon as we arrived at the corridor, we discovered our friends heading our way.
The whole party from the hotel, having dealt with all the fakes in their rooms, joined us.
As soon as they did, an announcement echoed throughout the train.
“/Congratulations participants! You have passed the first trial, ‘Doppelgänger Train’./”
With the announcement, it was as if the cursed room had been resolved, causing the surrounding space to crumble.
…
The surroundings brightened again. The status window returned.
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)]
Date: Day 37
Current Location: Layer 1, Room 107 (Gate Room)
Advisor’s Advice: 3
We gathered in a place resembling the design of Room 105, where makeshift beds and some snacks were around.
An announcement popped up on the display in front of us.
“/In one hour, the second trial will begin./”
One hour. While I could guess this when they said there wouldn’t be a break, it was barely enough time to catch my breath!
And my condition was shot to pieces!
The words I had said to Elena about it being just minor injuries in the hotel turned out to be a cruel truth.
Watching Jinchul’s unbelievable state, it left me speechless.
We didn’t even have time to rejoice at reuniting with our comrades.
Mooksung rushed towards me, frantically beginning first aid.
“Hang in there!”
—Clack!
“AAAAAAAAAH!”
“You need to remain still while I reset this bone. Someone grab Kain’s arm!”
“Yes~! Kain, just bite down tight.”
As I shook with pain, I thought.
I was injured only to the point where Mooksung could patch me up, but Hyung’s situation seemed helpless.
The doctors would open his belly, sigh once, and close it again as is.
The price for using the stars without blessings was nothing short of horrific.
Even if blessings returned and regeneration began, was there any chance of recovery in that state?
—Clack!
“Ah, is this the wrong angle?”
“EEEEEEEK! Damn it, what’s wrong with you?!”
“Hey! It’s been way too long since I’ve done this seriously!”
… This doesn’t feel like the time to worry about others.
One hour wasn’t enough time for proper rest, let alone to give first aid to the injured.
In the end, Hyung couldn’t regain consciousness, and I was still unable to lift my arm properly when the next trial began.
*
[User: Han Kain (Wisdom)]
Date: Day 37
Current Location: Layer 1, Room 107 (Gate Room)
Advisor’s Advice: 3
– Han Kain
When everyone regained their senses, we found ourselves in an unknown forest.
[Understanding the Scenario]
Of course! This could also be used in the Gate Room.
“Scenario: Gate Room – ‘Witch’s Forest’”
The hotel party woke up in an eerie forest. Amidst the ominous vibe, there’s an unknown echoing of wails.
With a major injury among our comrades, rest is absolutely necessary. Let’s look around; a suspicious wooden house has appeared. Maybe it has a comfy bed and some snacks?
For further details, please check the suspicious house.
—AAAAAAA!
As I read the scenario, a creepy, child-like wail pierced the air.
My companions’ expressions froze. I updated them on what I found.
Mooksung sighed heavily.
“Ugh… the name alone, ‘Witch’s Forest,’ is just awful.”
“Let’s check the house first. It seems to be where we need to go to proceed.”
Ahri, still supporting Jinchul, answered.
“It’s true that we need a rest. Let’s get Jinchul to somewhere warm and comfy first.”
Fortunately, finding the house wasn’t difficult.
—Creeeak!
As the door opened with a rough sound.
The moment we stepped inside the house, aside from Jinchul and me, everyone else was bustling about.
Sister Eunsol lit the fireplace with a candle lighter, and Mooksung found a cozy blanket upstairs, setting a place for Jinchul to lie down.
Elena found cushions and some clothing from somewhere to make a spot for me to lie down as well.
As I sat there watching the flames, Ahri approached me.
“So, how was it?”
“Huh?”
“How did it feel to touch?”
“Ew! E-Elena! Why—”
“Whoa! You actually did touch her? Elena only said she possessed my body!”
“…”
Ahri looked at me with an expression that seemed to indicate her distaste.
I began to think that it would have been better to just faint like Hyung.
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