Chapter 35: Chapter 33
"Well... that explains things"
Seeing the poor state of the Operator, I can't help but feel like puking. I was just a normal office worker just before I was brought here, so seeing people getting killed is already out of my league. With more mysteries presenting itself every minute, I truly wonder what's happening in this place.
"Y-you seem pretty chill about it..."
"Again, I'm pretty used to things like this. Hmm... it seems that someone intentionally stopped the train"
"Huh?"
"Someone pulled the brakes it seems, that explains why the train has stopped. But it doesn't explain why the lights was turned off. Try and look for the key will you, new recruit"
"Wait, you're not even going to investigate what just happened to the Operator?"
"Worry about that for later, just focus on the task for now"
"...Fine"
Following Null's order, I began searching the Operator room for any key. After a few minutes of searching, I quickly found a bloodied key lying in the ground, which was somewhat well-hidden. Reaching for said key, I manage to grab it with my hand. After which, I quickly informed Null about my findings.
"I found a key"
"Where you found it?"
"In the floor, it's even covered in blood"
"I see... Hey!"
"A-aahh.. What?"
"Is this the key, to the locked room you've mentioned?"
"I-I think so..."
"Well let's see then, where's this room you've mention"
"It's the one you've passed just a moment ago"
Being guided by the Conductor, we quickly arrived at the supposed power supply room. Checking the door, it indeed is locked to the brim. Which conforms what the Conductor has said. Seeing how we are unable to open it, Null inserted the key that we found and tried unlocking the door. Seeing how the key perfectly worked, the once locked room is now opened, allowing us to finally enter and explore the place.
Opening the door, we were greeted with a very dark and small room. Observing the place with my eyes is indeed difficult, but despite said difficulty I was still able to notice a few things. What struck me the most of the place, was the silhouette of what seems to be a somewhat large electrical panel and the wires that travel onto it.
"How dark... It seems that observing the place will be difficult"
"There's a lamp just over the other room, I'll go and grab it"
"I'll wait here and watched the room along with the Conductor then. Just hurry it up, new recruit"
"Right..."
Making my way to the other room, I quickly grabbed the lamp and made my way back to Null. But before I can even get out of the room, I've notice something particular about the lamp. Sniffing the thing, what my intuition is telling me was indeed correct. The lamp that I'm currently holding definitely smells like blood. With said information now in the light, I then began observing the lamp to see if there's anything that I missed.
After a few seconds of observing. I manage to find that the lamp has a little blood stain in it, which is pretty hard to notice in first glances.
With said information in hand, I grew even more confuse at what's going on. But seeing how there's nothing much I can do with said information, I then continued my way back to Null and the Conductor.
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"I'm back"
"Oh? Hey, you're finally back. What took you so long?"
"Nothing... here's the lamp"
"Okay..."
Receiving the lamp from my hands, Null quickly turned the thing on. With a light source in our possession, we are able to fully see the room more clearly.
"The hell?"
With the lamp illuminating the room, we are able to see some unexpected things lying in the ground. Not far from where we stand, is a bloodied knife and a bunch of paper tickets. Seeing from my observations, it seems that said tickets is covered in blood as well.
"Hmm... it seems that our murder weapon has finally been revealed. Quite clumsy of the culprit to leave it in the open"
"Sure... but what's with the tickets?"
"Don't know... mind explaining what's this about, Mr. Conductor"
"U-ummm... I don't anything about it. I-I always leave the tickets in the other room after every trip. Plus, I don't have the key to this room, remember! Didn't we already establish that the Operator has it"
"Relax, I was just asking a question... But seriously it's such a mess in here"
"I-I'll take care of then..."
"No need Mr. Conductor, tampering with evidence is generally a bad idea. Plus, with how bloody this place is, that gloves of yours is going to get messy"
"O-okay..."
"With that well and said. So, this is the power room, huh? Quite the dark place to be honest"
"I-Is this all, what you came here for, sir?"
"Kind of. I was very curious with how the lights was suddenly turned off. And it seems that in this case, one just can easily turn them off with just a switch, which is very convenient"
"Right... so what now?"
"Well, we already solved how the train was stopped and how the lights were turned off. I guess we can all for help now"
"Call for help?"
"Well a Train Operator's seat always has a radio device on it. We can use it to call for help, from the other station"
"Are we seriously going to ignore, what just happened in here. Two people just died and you're very nonchalant about it!"
"Right... Will you please leave this area for now, new recruit. With how long we have been in here, I'm pretty sure that the first cart is probably on chaos right now"
"Huh?! What do you mean leave? Aren't we here to deal with this problem?"
Without warning, Null suddenly grabbed me by my clothes. Leaning my face directly to him, he quietly whisper said words to my ear.
"There are multiple culprits in this incident, so I suggest you to get out of here for now. I'll deal with the Conductor while you go look for the other culprit. My clue for your investigation is that the other culprit will have a difficulty of moving in the dark"
"Huh?"
"Well there you go, new recruit. Go and take care of the crowd from the other side will you"
With Null's message fully delivered, he casually let's go of my clothes and push me back to the door that leads to the other side.
Seeing how calm he is in the situation, I decided to trust his words for now and leave the place. With the information that he just provided to me; it seems that the train's situation is more complicated than I thought.
Arriving back to the 1st cart, I was greeted with the confuse and terrified look of the crowd. It seems that the lack of answers and the dead body has really taken a toll of them.
-Sigh...
Calming my senses, I can't help but give the longest sigh that I have. With my composure and mind clearer than it was before, I began my investigation to find the other culprit that Null mentioned.
"U-umm.. Everyone, please calm down..."
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"Well then... with my partner out of the picture, how about we go and call for reinforcements?"
"R-right..."
Making their way back to the Operator Room, Null quickly began searching for the train's radio. Upon finding what he was looking for, he began messing with the thing. In hopes to get a call from the other station.
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"Say... what was your agenda, here?"
"U-umm... E-excuse me, s-sir? What do you mean?"
"This whole incident and the murders. I'm asking you, what's the reason for doing all of those"
"H-huh?! I don't understand what you're talking about sir. Are you saying that I perpetrated all of those things"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"A-aaahh.. Again, I don't understand what you're saying. I'm just a Train Conductor, why would I kill anyone? Especially someone that I work with?"
"That's why I'm asking you that. I don't really understand nor can I come up with any reasons for this incident"
"I'm very sorry sir, but I take great offense by your accusations. If you're going to accuse me of being the one to perpetrated this incident. Then I'll need you to prove such accusation, otherwise I will be force to make you leave this place"
"Well-well-well... already dropping you're panicked facade this early, you're quite clumsy are you sir culprit"
"I'm sorry sir but I need you to leave"
"You've said that there are only two workers in this train and that would be you and the Operator. If what you've said is true, then you being the culprit who killed the operator is highly likely"
"Preposterous, anyone could have killed anyone from the previous instances"
"Oh really?"
"That's right, the lights were out, remember! With no one being able to see, anyone could have killed the driver and the man from the other cart"
"I'm not talking about any blackout. With how the events chronologically occurred it's obvious that the Operator was killed before the blackout"
"W-what do you mean?"
"If what you're saying is indeed true, then explain how said "culprit" was able to stop the train"
"Weren't you listening, the culprit started the blacko-"
"No, you're wrong. The train stopped first and then the blackout occurred. Plus, the only way to enter the power room is by borrowing the key from the Operator. So, you already mess up there"
"S-so, what? That doesn't explain how I'm the culprit"
"It actually does, you're the only person in this place. And that essentially makes you the suspect"
"Bullshit! A-anyone could have entered this place"
"Only workers are allowed in this room, that's what you've said earlier. Plus, even if someone did enter this place, you could have easily noticed said person. But seeing how you've said nothing until now, then the scenario that you're suggesting didn't happened"
"A-aaahhh... then the culprit could have s-sneak passed me. I was very tired when I-I was r-resting here"
"What you're saying is already hard to believe. But even if said case is true, then how will you explain the blackout"
"H-huh?!"
"The power room is a very dark place. One would need a light source if they need to mess with the electrical panel. And we know for a fact that the lamp is located in the other room, the place where you should be resting"
"A-aahh-ahhh... P-preposterous.. what you're saying is all false... One can still mess with the electrical panel, without the lights. P-plus, if you're saying that I'm the one who killed the Operator. Then explain it, you still haven't given me any evidence on how the Operator was killed"
"Getting desperate huh?"
"Bullshit, how would I be getting desperate? You've still haven't proven shit, that I'm the culprit"
"Well... isn't the Train Operator bleeding from his neck. And from the bloodied knife we've found, it clearly suggests that he was killed by getting his throat slit"
"That's right! The Operator was killed by having his throat slit. But if that's the case, then wouldn't I be full of blood. And there isn't anything in here that can help wipe any blood, so try explaining that!"
"Easy, there's a way to conduct the murder without getting covered with too much blood. All you need to do is kill the Operator from behind, while having your sleeves rolled up. That would essentially minimize the amount of blood that can potentially spill of you to only your hand"
"See it's still impossible to kill the Operator without getting covered by blood. Then I'm not the culprit"
"You're wrong... You've said that isn't anything that can wipe any blood. But you're forgetting about the train tickets. With that amount of paper one can easily wipe any blood from one's hands. And I'm pretty sure that said tickets are your possessions"
"A-aahhh-ahh...."
"Plus, I don't think that those tickets alone, can completely wipe any trace of blood from one's hands. Blood stains can still be present unless one washes it and I find it very weird that along with your long sleeves, you're also wearing gloves. If you're really are as innocent as you keep saying, then would you please show me your bare hands"
"P-preposterous... All you're saying is lies. I-I don't need to show you anything"
"If you really want to prove your innocence, then please show me your hands"
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"F-fine..."
Slowly taking off his gloves, Null awaits to see the result of the Conductor's innocence. But after a few seconds of delay in his part, the Conductor quickly pulled his glove revealing a hand full of blood stains.
And without warning, the Conductor swiftly threw the glove at Null's direction. Hoping to block his sight and slow his movement. Upon throwing his glove, he promptly backed off from Null's vicinity and tried pulling a gun from his pocket. Which he quickly aims directly to Null.
Seeing what just happened, Null with his quick reaction. Promptly swipes the incoming glove away from him and quickly threw the key that he was holding unto the Conductor. Startled by the key, Null was able to seize the opportunity to strike first at the panicking Conductor.
Closing his range to the man, Null firmly kicks the gun away from the Conductor's hand. Which he quickly followed by a lunging attack. With the helpless Conductor in his hands, he then quickly pinned the man down with both his arms and legs. Making the Conductor unable to move or do anything.
Not wanting to alert his companions or even give the Conductor any chance of escaping. Null tried locking the man's neck with his hands, which keeps the Conductor from even breathing.
Seeing how he's unable to breathe, the Conductor tried fighting back from Null's hold. Which prove to be useless for after a few minutes of fighting, he quickly ran out of strength. Which in turn made him passed out.
With the conductor out of breath, Null promptly let's go of the man and grabs the gun that was kicked away.
With his threat now neutralized, he quickly calls for reinforcement in the radio. Which took about a few minutes of his time. After his radio call has ended, he then left the Operator Room and made his way back to the first cart. Where he hopes that Bruce has already figure out the other culprit.
"You better be safe, new recruit"
-End of Chapter 33
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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