Ron briefly considered the possibility of a fractured space-time cognitive paradox, but dismissed it as highly improbable. If it were a mere matter of localized temporal sanity, things would not be this convoluted.
He shifted his focus to the wooden bullet.
It was vital to note that a wooden bullet was primarily ammunition designed for training. Its lethality stemmed entirely from the mass of wood splinters spraying outward at point-blank range; its long-range damage was practically non-existent. It was also utilized to conserve precious military assets during drills—making it incredibly cheap and easy to mass-produce. That was its sole practical application.
In other words, aside from the year stamped onto it, this structural nature was the primary point of interest. The wood itself was thoroughly ordinary, bearing no anomalous trace of magic. Given that Ron had also packed standard BB pellets and live ammunition, his past self must have deliberately left this specific item behind as a critical clue.
Conservation of resources. The concept quickly clicked in his mind: do not expend civilian lives. He accepted this premise immediately.
The second aspect—close-range damage and the cloud of wooden debris—was harder to parse, but a realization gradually crystallized in his mind: Intimidate without killing.
Indeed, a wooden blank generated immense acoustic force and sensory shock rather than actual lethal trauma. In many instances, the wood disintegrated into ash upon firing; it possessed none of the devastating ballistic power people typically imagined.
Terrify, but do not execute.
To pull off such an intimidation tactic under those stakes would be incredibly difficult, likely requiring a massive crowd or overwhelming authority. Ron did not choose between the two; instead, he allowed them to run parallel.
Next was the number 2026—the year following his death in his previous life. It directly pointed to the future. It either implied that time within the train car was a finite currency meant to be rationed, threatened, and controlled, or it served as an explicit signpost for the future that the current Ron needed to heed. But if that were the case, the old Ron must have known the new Ron would lose his memories. His past self had either flawlessly deduced this outcome or realized it beforehand.
So, how exactly did the old Ron beat this demon game?
There was one viable strategy that perfectly aligned with both Ron and Quan's capabilities, while checking all the boxes of the available clues: The Ruse of the Righteous Guise.
First, he re-examined the parameters of the game:
There is only one demon. The entity that consciously perceives itself as the demon is the demon. There are twenty-nine players in total.
The demon can deploy their personal magic to execute a target for a window of ten seconds every ten minutes. Within those ten seconds of active magic, they must claim a life.
If the demon successfully claims a life, they receive a mobile ward of protection that can be anchored onto any individual.
If a standard player murders another player, they will face a terminal penalty once the game concludes.
If a standard player successfully executes the demon, that player instantly mutates into the new demon.
All participants must possess a valid train ticket. Losing a ticket designates the individual as a stowaway, resulting in an immediate penalty.
If the demon does not possess an active protection ward, they will be classified as a criminal riding the transit line with a forged identity, triggering a guilty verdict.
After exactly one hour, the train will reach the terminal station, at which point the conductor will board to inspect everyone's tickets.
Ron recalled that every two seconds, the train would violently jolt—a rhythmic, physical trait of the journey he had experienced firsthand.
According to Ron's calculations, the execution of the strategy unfolded across precise phases:
1. Identity Establishment and Crowd Manipulation
Playing the Devout Believer: Ron completely conceals his demon identity, donning the facade of a man overflowing with faith to easily build trust and seize the leadership of the entire train carriage.
Creating Psychological Pressure: He actively divides the crowd into smaller groups (men, women, the elderly, children) to establish a system of mutual surveillance. At the same time, he continuously instills the notion that "only those who believe they are demons are truly demons," successfully shifting the crowd's mindset from panic to righteous anger.
Orchestrating a "Crowd Confession": Acting as a psychologically astute priest, Ron plants specialized questions to expose frauds and boasters who try to inflate their self-worth.
2. Ally Coordination and Trapping the Adjacent Carriage
Manipulating Through Allies: Ron stations Quan and a group of men in the four corners of the carriage to maintain communication, fabricate stories, and subtly guide the psychology of the passengers in the neighboring carriage.
Targeting the Prey: Capitalizing on the demonic instinct to isolate oneself from the herd, he narrows down suspicious targets at the far end of the adjacent carriage, continuously planting psychological suggestions to push them across the boundary of murder.
3. Time Manipulation and Securing Protection Rights
Reporting False Time: Taking advantage of the lack of clocks in the neighboring carriage, Ron deliberately reports incorrect timeframes, driving tension to its peak and causing the occupants to panic and slaughter one another.
Seizing Immunity Rights: Ron times things with absolute precision (around minutes 49 to 50) to receive the protection rights transferred from the other side through Quan, ensuring total safety for himself and his allies.
4. Cornering the Prey and Ending the Game
Inciting the "New Demon" to Strike: In the final moments, he brings overwhelming pressure to bear on a pre-selected guilty target, anonymously slipping a sharp weapon to this individual. With a mocking smile, he triggers an illusion of power, tricking the target into murdering someone with physical force rather than magic.
Turning the Enemy Into a Scapegoat: Ron controls all the train tickets and intentionally delays the countdown of time. The fresh killer is bogged down by hesitation until the train officially pulls into the station without managing to use their protection rights. Ron calmly redistributes the tickets to everyone, transforming the new "demon" into the ultimate sacrificial scapegoat.