TSOT#1 Chapter 33

The train door opened to car No. 12, right in front of the exclusive No. 13 luxury car.

Seo Joo-ah’s team quickly stepped onto the train before the door closed.

Shin Jae-rim entered first, scanning the train before taking a seat. Choi Yeon-joo sat beside him, while Yoo Chan-hee took the opposite seat.

Joo-ah, following behind Chan-hee, was about to sit next to him but hesitated. She decided against it, unwilling to deal with his provocations during the ride. Instead, she moved toward the seat beside Jae-rim.

Chan-hee, seemingly indifferent, crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

The doors shut shortly after, and the train began to move. The seating arrangement mirrored that of a typical subway: rows facing one another.

Joo-ah observed her train ticket, labeled “100th Floor Tower.” This was a significant reward for her first quest, a higher floor than what most first-timers typically received.

Glancing out the window, she watched the darkness outside blur past, her mind slightly tense.

Her gaze shifted, drawn to the far corner of the car. At the end of the row where Chan-hee sat, a monster of eerie appearance was seated.

In non-luxury cars, encountering monsters was a possibility. Whether they attacked or not was a matter of chance. With luck, the train would simply reach its destination without incident. Without it, a tedious fight in the cramped space could ensue.

Ding—ding—

A chime echoed as the train pulled into a station.

【The train will stop at the 3rd Tower, 75th Floor, shortly.】

The doors opened at the platform, and a group of loud hunters boarded.

“Ack, thinking about that monster slapping me still pisses me off. Should’ve toyed with it longer before killing it,” one hunter grumbled.

“Don’t be cocky. You’ll get yourself killed first,” another retorted.

Laughing, they entered, their boisterous presence a stark contrast to Joo-ah’s team.

“Oh, look! The upper-tier B-Team’s already here. Pardon us,” one said mockingly.

“Isn’t this the team called for this run? What brings the prestigious lot to such humble quarters?”

Their eyes flicked to Joo-ah, and one clicked his tongue.

“Figures,” he muttered.

The newcomers were a mix of A-rank and B-rank hunters from a general group. Naturally, their numbers turned the once-quiet car lively.

The hunters soon shifted topics and settled down near Chan-hee.

Moments later, a door at the other end opened, and a monster dressed as a train conductor entered.

“It’s here to collect tickets,” Yeon-joo whispered to Joo-ah. “When it reaches us, just hand over the train ticket you received.”

“Yes,” Joo-ah replied calmly.

The conductor monster moved through the rows, collecting tickets. Chan-hee and Joo-ah both offered theirs without issue.

But trouble erupted across from them.

“Give it back!” a hunter shouted.

“What’s the rush? Relax,” another teased, holding the ticket just out of reach.

The conductor monster waited as they argued, its posture unnervingly still.

Yeon-joo sighed, mumbling, “If this escalates, they’ll provoke a fight with the monster…”

Sure enough, as one hunter attempted to snatch the ticket back, both fell toward the monster at the end of the car.

The monster’s bloodshot eyes glimmered as it stared them down, its grotesque tongue darting out to swallow them whole.

Chaos erupted.

“Ridiculous,” Chan-hee muttered, standing.

Yeon-joo sighed, also rising.

“We’re leaving, aren’t we?” she asked.

“Obviously. A little earlier won’t hurt.”

Jae-rim stood as well, while Joo-ah gaped at them.

“Wait, leaving? The train is moving!” she protested.

Chan-hee answered with a smirk, “So? Just jump off.”

Joo-ah stared incredulously. “I’ll stay on the train, thanks.”

Before she could argue further, a flailing hunter was thrown toward her seat.

Chan-hee swiftly grabbed Joo-ah’s wrist, pulling her up.

“No solo actions, D-rank,” he murmured, guiding her toward the door.

“You’re not serious,” Joo-ah muttered, eyeing the rushing scenery outside.

“Don’t worry,” Yeon-joo said with a smile. “You won’t die. You might get a little hurt, though.”

“That’s… not comforting,” Joo-ah retorted, sighing.

As the conductor monster lunged at them, Jae-rim held it off with his sword.

“Open the door already,” he called out.

Chan-hee pulled a taser gun from his inventory.

“One shot’s all it takes.”

With a loud bang, the door shattered, along with the adjacent window.

Chan-hee extended his hand to Joo-ah.

“Come on. You won’t get a scratch, I promise,” he said with a sly smile.

Reluctantly, she took his hand.

The wind outside stung, carrying the scent of water.

“Smells like the sea,” Chan-hee noted, arm draped protectively over Joo-ah’s shoulders.

“Hold your breath,” he instructed.

Without hesitation, he leapt from the train with Joo-ah in his grasp.

The world outside was submerged in water.

【The Anonymous Constellation advises Seo Joo-ah to use her power to adjust a barrier and breathe comfortably.】

Eyes wide, Joo-ah glanced at the system message. “…Barrier?”