WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Ceaseless
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the Gate Summoner Hunters Obsess Over ◈
Chapter 24: [Express Train on the Way to Work] - [Exit Station]
──────
In an atmosphere so warm that it was hard to believe they were exploring a Gate, the subway search continued.
"Our rookie has talent, huh? Nice, I like you! If you run into trouble from now on, tell your senior! I'll help you no matter what!"
"Thank you, Team Leader Oh."
Whenever Kang Yul did something, Team Leader Oh, who was walking ahead, would shower him with praise like, "Our rookie's amazing!"
'...Do I actually like this kind of thing?'
The expectations felt a little burdensome to Kang Yul, but at the same time, something inside him felt satisfied.
How should he put it? It felt different from the creepy cooing and fussing he had received from Kim Chaeryeong.
In any case, it did not feel bad, so he did not stop her. They continued their exploration in a friendly mood.
But only for a while.
"Rookie. I think we've seen everything there is to see here, so let's move to the next car. We should start looking for Team Leader Myo, too."
There did not seem to be any more anomalous phenomena to investigate in this car.
If Team Leader Myo had entered with us, she would be in another car. With that in mind, we decided to continue our search in the next car.
"All the letters are smudged, so we can't tell which car we're in right now."
"Since there's only one door we can pass through, we're either at the very front or the very back."
Thinking we would not miss Team Leader Myo with only one connecting door, we opened the door to the next car.
Rattle... Clunk!
And at that moment.
As if fate had it in for us.
We came face-to-face with something that imitated a human, standing motionless in the next car.
Ding!
[You have discovered the Commuter Express Train (Train Attendant).]
[Exploration Rate increases.]
[Some information about the Gate has been revealed.]
"..."
Kang Yul and Team Leader Oh immediately stopped all movement, as though they had agreed on it beforehand.
They did not want to provoke the supernatural life-form before them, dressed in a train attendant's uniform and made of black smoke.
Then.
Step!
Was it because Kang Yul and Team Leader Oh, facing one another, would not move?
Step!
The sound of shoes drew closer, carrying the clear intent of, If you will not come to me, then I will come to you.
Step!
One step.
Step!
Another step.
Step!
Then, with only one final step remaining.
The supernatural life-form came right up to us, close enough to touch if it merely reached out a hand.
...
The attendant stopped moving.
As if that distance was the most appropriate one.
Then, shortly afterward.
...
﹝Special Characteristics﹞
: It is considering whether you are a 'guest' or a 'disruptive customer.'
The attendant in front of them stared at Kang Yul and Team Leader Oh for quite some time without moving at all.
Actually, "stared" was not quite the right word.
It was doubtful whether that being, standing still while black smoke rippled around it, even possessed the sense of sight.
Still, Kang Yul judged that it was definitely looking this way with some sort of intent.
The Worm did not have eyes either, but whenever it wriggled-! toward Kang Yul, he would feel its gaze and turn around.
Anyway, as they maintained that suffocating standoff.
Step.
The attendant soon took one step back, then shifted diagonally as though making way for them.
Swish.
﹝Special Characteristics﹞
: It believes it is dangerous for 'guests' to walk around on a moving train.
Then it raised its white-gloved hand and pointed at the train seats.
It looked like a train attendant urging guests to sit down because it was dangerous to walk around while the train was moving.
Then.
"...Let's go."
Team Leader Oh signaled Kang Yul with a low voice and a slight nod.
An enormous number of emotions filled her back.
"...."
﹝Special Characteristics﹞
: She is terribly afraid of you.
: She hopes you will not do anything sudden.
: She hopes you will quietly sit in a seat.
: She desperately hopes you will remember the rules.
Kang Yul briefly wondered, 'Why is she afraid of me...?'
➤ If you disturb order through violence, disorderly conduct, property damage, or similar acts on the train, the attendant will intervene, and you will be treated as missing.
But he soon reached the reasonable conclusion that she was worried a rookie might panic and cause trouble, dragging her into it too.
'I'm not that useless, Team Leader Oh.'
After that, they quietly went to the seats indicated by the attendant, just as Team Leader Oh had wanted.
The attendant watched us once more, then disappeared into the next car.
"Haa... I thought I was going to die from the tension."
Only after the attendant disappeared did Team Leader Oh finally let out a relieved sigh. She relaxed her stiff body and began grumbling.
"This is why I hate rule-based Gates. There are restrictions on everything here, so it's hard to do anything."
As Kang Yul listened and responded politely with, "Of course, absolutely," he learned that Team Leader Oh was usually a typical damage-focused Hunter who conquered Gates through supernatural abilities, or magic.
"Rookie. This senior can steamroll most Gates, you know? Even a damn C-rank Gate can be conquered somehow if I charge in ready to die. But..."
Team Leader Oh recalled the attendant they had just encountered and clicked her tongue in displeasure before continuing.
"...Tch. That thing isn't something you can deal with merely by being ready to die. It's the kind of being that's bound by rules, but possesses the ability to kill its opponent without fail."
"Then that means...?"
"This Gate is at least B-rank in danger. Ah, since you figured out some of the rules, Rookie, maybe it's about C-rank now?"
Despite saying that, Team Leader Oh muttered, "We might actually die if this goes wrong..." once afterward.
Then she began rummaging through her inner pocket like an office worker searching for cigarettes because stress had become too much.
"Ah, I'm craving sugar. I should have some candy."
But unexpectedly, she pulled out a lollipop rather than a cigarette.
It was an expensive-looking piece of candy that gave off a rich, sweet scent.
"Want one too, Rookie?"
"I would appreciate it."
Kang Yul never turned down anything offered to him.
Especially if it was food, and all the more so if it was sweet.
"Sure, have one too, Rookie. Oh, and I don't give these to just anyone, okay? They're precious candies that I only give to people who are really good at their jobs."
Then she waved a brown lollipop that looked chocolate-flavored at Kang Yul and added, "I'm giving it to you because you're good at your job, Rookie!"
'So if I'm good at my job, I get free candy?'
Kang Yul interpreted Team Leader Oh's words differently.
He had to do the work anyway to receive the reward Team Leader Myo had promised.
And she was even throwing in candy. If this wasn't a dream job, what was?
Therefore.
"If you put it that way, I have no choice but to prove my usefulness."
"Huh?"
"Please wait a moment."
Kang Yul took out the dokkaebi club, disguised as a pen, from his pocket.
Then he began writing down the information he had learned upon encountering the attendant, which he had been too flustered to check earlier, in his small notebook.
A short while later.
Scratch scratch scratch!
Tap.
Riiip!
"I'll accept the candy as payment for this new information."
Kang Yul handed over the torn note in his hand.
──────────────────
[Gate Compendium] - [Commuter Express Train]
──────────────────
■ Train Attendant
ㆍIt continuously patrols from one end of the train cars to the other.
ㆍIt has a grotesque appearance far removed from that of a human.
ㆍIt considers courtesy extremely important.
ㆍIt protects 'guests,' but immediately deals with 'disruptive customers.'
※ No cases have been reported so far in which the attendant attacked a 'guest' first.
──────────────────
Then he practically snatched the brown lollipop from Team Leader Oh's hand.
"...?"
﹝Special Characteristics﹞
: She is terribly afraid of you.
: She is flustered by your actions.
Team Leader Oh's face clearly showed the bewildered thought, 'Why is this monster acting like this...?'
However, Kang Yul was too busy enjoying the sweetness of the chocolate-flavored lollipop to notice.
Of course, that warm atmosphere did not last long.
Ding-dong!
[Our train will shortly arrive at Exit, Exit Station.]
[Guests whose destination is 'Exit,' please check once more that you have not left behind any belongings.]
[Guests who are unable to disembark at this station, please use another exit.]
[Also, if you experience any inconvenience while using the train, please ask the attendant patrolling the cars for assistance. They will be happy to help you.]
[We hope you have a comfortable commute today as well.]
[The doors are opening.]
As the announcement that the train had arrived at its first station played and the doors opened.
Once the platform connected to the outside came into view, we had no choice but to head for the next car to find Team Leader Myo.
As quickly as possible, but at a pace that would not violate train etiquette.
Ding!
[You have discovered the Commuter Express Train (Exit Station).]
[Exploration Rate increases.]
[Some information about the Gate has been revealed.]
──────────────────
[Gate Compendium] - [Commuter Express Train]
──────────────────
■ Hazards
➤ Disembarking at the wrong station (Exit Station)
ㆍThe moment one gets off the train, all doors close, and they cannot be opened again by any means.
ㆍAfterward, the entire platform is covered in green guide lights and signs reading "Exit."
ㆍThe platform contains dozens of exits, including stairs, emergency exits, and elevators.
No matter which exit one chooses, it leads to the same endlessly continuing corridor.
ㆍWhile walking through the corridor, the sound of fare gates closing repeatedly echoes from behind.
If one looks back, a fare gate they have never passed through stands behind them.
ㆍAfter a certain amount of time, the distance shown on the exit signs gradually decreases.
[300 m to Exit]
[50 m to Exit]
[3 m to Exit]
[0 m to Exit]
ㆍWhen the display reaches 0 m, green emergency exit symbols begin appearing all over the passenger's body.
ㆍThen thin lines like gaps in a door form between the passenger's skin and joints, and countless hands begin pushing from inside the body as though trying to open a door.
ㆍThe passenger remains conscious while experiencing their body turn into a single exit.
ㆍIn the end, the gaps formed all over the body open at once, and unidentified passengers crawl out from inside.
ㆍThose that emerge perfectly imitate the passenger's face and voice as they walk deeper into the corridor in search of the next exit.
ㆍThe original passenger is left stuck to the corridor wall along with portions of their body that remain like a shell.
ㆍAfterward, one new exit sign is added at that location.
[Exit]
※ The names of passengers who went missing at Exit Station are occasionally found on emergency-exit signs in real-world subway stations.
※ No one who has entered an exit bearing such a name has returned so far.
──────────────────
####
Right after the train arrived.
Kang Yul and Team Leader Oh quickly moved toward the next car.
Rattle... Clunk!
After passing through one car.
Team Leader Myo was nowhere to be seen.
Without delay, we moved quickly again and opened the door to the next car.
Rattle... Clunk!
The second car.
Once again, Team Leader Myo was nowhere to be seen.
However, Kang Yul felt chills as he noticed that the scenery of the green platform outside had not changed.
They had clearly passed through two cars, yet the appearance of the exits had not changed at all. It was proof of an obvious anomaly.
Rattle... Clunk!
After passing through the third car.
Team Leader Myo was nowhere to be seen again, but...
Rattle... Clunk!
...When he narrowed his eyes at the sound of a door opening in the distance.
A black-haired woman with cat ears and a tail came into view far away.
And at that moment.
"You fucking crazy bitch! You should've told us about this beforehand!"
Team Leader Oh, who had been walking ahead, suddenly shouted at Team Leader Myo in an irritated voice, as if overcome with anger.
While Kang Yul wondered what had suddenly gotten into her, Team Leader Myo's low voice carried from ahead.
"I could not be the only one to go through it."
Anyway.
"You dog bitch."
"I'm a cat."
"You cat bitch."
"? That's right."
After watching the two team leaders growl at each other while maintaining eye contact for a while, Kang Yul noticed something in Team Leader Myo's hand and asked about it.
"Team Leader Myo. What are you holding in your hand...?"
"I picked it up on the way."
Team Leader Myo gave a brief answer as though she had picked up money from the roadside.
Unfortunately, what she held in her hand was not money.
Because.
"A person...?"
What Team Leader Myo held was a person.
More precisely, it was a living person with all four limbs severed, dripping blood as they were dragged along by Team Leader Myo.
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
