Macult arrived at the location where the man had asked him to come. Without wasting time, he walked straight to where the police and the same man stood. "What's the matter?" Macult asked, his tone direct. The man replied, "The driver of yesterday's last train claims that when the train passed through the last tunnel, all the passengers vanished. He believes the train was full, but when he stopped at the last station, there was no one." A police officer interrupted, "Or maybe there was no one in the train from the start. Maybe it's just in his head." Macult gave the officer a cold look, a smirk forming on his face. "You think he imagined a full train, drove it alone, and then acted scared at the station? Don't talk nonsense." The officer stayed quiet, eyes lowered. Macult turned back to the man. "Where's the driver?" The man pointed inside a small room, "Still inside. Still scared." Macult nodded slightly. "Take me to him."
Macult walked into the room where the driver sat, his face pale, hands slightly trembling. Macult pulled a chair and sat in front of him. "Hi. No need to be scared, I'm here for some investigation," Macult said calmly. "Can you tell me... while passing through the last tunnel, did you hear any noise? Any unusual sound? Or... did the train stop somewhere inside?" The driver looked up slowly, his voice weak. "No... I didn't hear anything strange. The train didn't stop either, I swear. It just... it felt cold inside the tunnel, colder than usual. But when I crossed it, I announced the last stop... and no one was there." He shook his head, still confused. "I don't understand how... they were all there when we entered." Macult listened silently, observing every expression, every word. Something wasn't right — and he could feel it.
Macult, without wasting any more time, simply nodded and said, "Okay," before getting up and walking out. He spotted the police officer standing outside and went straight to him. " Henrex," Macult called. The officer turned, waiting for instructions. "Don't let any news about this spread to the public," Macult said firmly. "Let today's last train pass through the same tunnel again. I want everything to stay normal. No drama. No announcements." Henrex raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Understood." Macult lit his pipe, staring in the direction of the tunnel. "Let's see if the tunnel's still hungry tonight," he muttered to himself.As Macult was about to leave, Henrex called out, "Macult!" A man standing nearby looked confused. "Macult?" he asked. Henrex smirked, "Yes. Marcus Holt, aka Macult." Henrex walked closer, his voice serious. "Macult, listen to me. I know you think you're enough for this case... but this is much bigger than you imagine. Please, keep an assistant. You'll need it." Macult gave a faint smile, shaking his head. "You don't need to worry, Henrex. I can handle it alone." Henrex sighed, "Okay... as you wish." Macult adjusted his coat and walked off.
Macult went near the tunnel, searching carefully for any proof, but all he could find was mud scattered near the entrance and nothing else. No signs of passengers, no belongings — just the cold silence of the tunnel. He checked the length and calculated how long the train usually takes to cross it. Then, without wasting time, he decided to wait till night. As darkness spread, Macult positioned himself a little far from the tunnel, keeping a clear view. He watched closely, checking his watch, observing how much time the last train took to enter and come out of the tunnel — hoping to catch even the slightest clue in that short window. After observing the tunnel, Macult went straight to the station, just as the last train pulled in. He walked along the compartments, scanning every seat — but once again, not a single passenger was inside. The driver this time was a different man, looking confused but calm, unaware of what had happened the night before. Macult stood silently on the platform, watching the empty train as if it held all the answers but refused to speak. "Something is definitely happening here… but there's not even a single clue," he muttered to himself. Whatever it was, it wasn't coincidence — it was planned.
As Macult was about to leave the station, his phone suddenly buzzed — an unknown number flashing on the screen. He picked it up without hesitation. A shaky voice spoke from the other end, "Is this... Macult?" Macult replied calmly, "Yes. Who's this?" The voice continued, "I'm the driver from the night before... the train. I have something to tell you." Macult's tone turned serious, "Go on, tell me." But the driver quickly said, "Not here. Not on the phone. I can't say it like this. If you really want to know, come to my house." He then gave the address in a hushed tone, almost as if he was scared someone was listening. "Please... come soon," the driver said before abruptly hanging up. Macult stared at his phone for a moment and smirked slightly. "Finally... something," he muttered before setting off towards the driver's house.
Macult left the station and quickly took a taxi straight to the driver's address. The ride was quiet, his mind focused on the possible answers the driver might reveal. But when the taxi stopped in front of the house, something felt off. The front door was slightly open, creaking gently with the wind. Macult stepped out, cautiously pushing the door wider. As he entered, the house was dark and eerily silent. Then he saw it — the driver, lying on the floor, lifeless. Dead. Macult knelt down, checking for a pulse, but it was too late. He stood up slowly, eyes scanning the room, realizing one thing — someone had gotten here before him.
Just then, Henrex arrived at the scene, his face tightening in shock when he saw the dead driver lying cold on the floor. "What the hell... Macult? Why are you here?" Henrex asked, stepping inside quickly. Macult didn't respond immediately, his eyes still locked on the lifeless body. "He called me... said he had something to tell about the tunnel," Macult finally muttered, his voice low. Henrex looked around, still processing the scene. "The neighbour called us," he said. "They reported loud sounds of fighting from here." Macult stood still, frustration building up in his mind — the only man who knew something was now dead. The murder had shattered his lead, messing up his thoughts completely. Sadness and anger swirled inside him, but his face stayed calm. Deep inside, though, he knew — things had just gotten worse.