Last night was unexpectedly calm.
The heavy rain outside had been pouring for who knows how long, seeping a damp chill into the train that mingled with the train’s inherent coldness. Even under the covers, it left one feeling icy all over.
Without the support of his body data, Yan Wei felt particularly cold. He had considered exchanging for an electric heater, but after some thought, given that everything inside the instance was still unclear, and no one knew if a sudden addition of a small item could be a fatal key, he ultimately decided against it.
The sleeper berths inside the train were cramped and narrow. Yan Wei curled up under the blanket, with the ceiling of the compartment pressing down close, barely a meter above the bed. The incessant sound of rain and the constant mechanical noises of the train made it all the more irritating. The sleeper felt like a coffin with an opening, amplifying these sounds.
The entire train was filled with the smell of old rust.
Yan Wei closed his eyes, the cold creeping in, his hearing and sense of smell heightened. He tossed and turned several times but couldn’t fall asleep. He eventually gave up on sleeping and stayed alert, sensing his surroundings.
Around midnight, faint rustling sounds came from the lower berth. A dull thud, and someone rolled into his blanket. Yan Wei’s vigilance and alertness weren’t triggered; instead, he instinctively moved closer.
The refreshing scent of soap from Yan Mingguang instantly overpowered the unpleasant rust smell in the air. The warmth from the man’s body dispelled the cold. Yan Wei almost curled up in Yan Mingguang’s arms, the two of them huddled together. The surroundings became even more cramped, but the oppressive feeling clinging to his bones completely dissipated.
Only then did Yan Wei let down his guard and slept for a few hours.
When he woke up, Lin Qing was standing in the small aisle in the center of the sleeper compartment, holding a bottle of mineral water, offering it to Yan Wei.
Yan Mingguang was still holding Yan Wei.
He seemed to have gotten used to the sight of these two sticking together, his expression unchanged as he said, “I’ve tested the water; it’s fine. Logically, it should be safe. After all, people can’t survive for days without drinking water or eating.”
“Alright,” Yan Mingguang calmly took the mineral water.
Yan Wei: “…”
At this moment, the outside had brightened, the daylight filtering through the curtains, bringing a faint light into the dimness. The rain had stopped, it seemed to have ceased during the night.
Everything inside the train was calm.
Only the strong smell of rust and decay lingered in the air, incessantly filling one’s nostrils, making Yan Wei’s mouth feel as if it had just been filled with blood.
Yan Wei, Yan Mingguang, and Lin Qing quickly freshened up and carefully inspected their compartment again. From a few carriages away, the dining car suddenly erupted into chaos.
Yan Wei quickly arrived at the compartment where they had boarded and saw the number “1109” written on the previously blank blackboard.
All the windows of the dining car had been covered, and the other players stood at a distance, observing.
Ding Xiao, dressed in a cheongsam today, lounged lazily on a chair at the very end.
Near her, in the corner of the carriage, stood a male player named Cao Qun, a cigarette between his fingers, the smoke rising and drifting, covering Ding Xiao’s fair face. In the silence, Ding Xiao still maintained her gentle smile, her lips slightly curved.
Only Xu Miaomiao stood in front of the blackboard, her expression grave.
As soon as Yan Wei entered the compartment, Ding Xiao’s expression changed. She had previously allowed Cao Qun to smoke, but now she suddenly turned cold: “Put that out.”
Cao Qun, not wanting trouble, reluctantly pinched out the ember of his cigarette with his fingers.
As the smoke dissipated, Yan Wei walked up to the blackboard.
The blackboard was covered with faint chalk marks, clearly used for a long time, leaving many powdery traces that couldn’t be erased. Among the mottled marks, the number “1109” was written quite prominently. The first three digits were relatively neat, but the last one was slightly skewed. The chalk lay on the small shelf below the blackboard, judging by the traces of use, it was the same chalk used to write the number.
Yan Wei subtly shifted his gaze, about to inspect the fingertips of those who had arrived first, when Yan Mingguang whispered in his ear, “No traces.”
So the likelihood of the number being left by a player was extremely low.
“Is it your berth number?” Xu Miaomiao said, “My berth is 1105, you’re next to me.”
Yan Wei raised an eyebrow: “I don’t feel anything.”
Not only did he not feel anything, their compartment was also very calm.
The other players had already started talking in small groups, likely discussing the current situation. Zhao Jingchen had also woken up. He saw the number on the blackboard, reacted, and sneered, “You were so cocky yesterday. Lin Qing, I’d like to see how you protect him.”
Before Lin Qing could respond, Yan Mingguang gave him a cold look and took a step towards Zhao Jingchen.
As soon as he lifted his foot, Zhao Jingchen took several steps back and said to another member of Yue Mang, “Let’s take advantage of the daytime and check out the carriages further back.”
Lin Qing scoffed, “Coward.”
In front of the blackboard, Xu Miaomiao frowned, looking conflicted. While Yan Wei was pondering, Xu Miaomiao stared at the number for a while and whispered to Yan Wei, “This number is most likely left by the train attendant or a hidden ghost. Whoever it is, it’s not a good sign. Shouldn’t you talk to Lin Qing, have him team up with Sister Ding? Sister Ding reached the higher levels earlier than Lin Qing. If she’s willing to help you, at least you’d have an extra guarantee. I mentioned it yesterday, but Sister Ding ignored me…”
Yan Wei listened, his expression somewhat strange.
“Sister Ding has a good temper, but she’s stubborn and hard to persuade. However, she likes good-looking people,” Xu Miaomiao glanced at Yan Wei’s face, “If you beg her, she’ll definitely agree.”
Yan Wei: “…”
He said, “No need.”
“Little brother, why are you still so stubborn?”
“Little sister, if something happens, remember to come to us for help.”
Xu Miaomiao was speechless again.
Yan Wei had already turned away.
There were several breakfast items on the counter, likely left by the attendant. Yan Wei didn’t take any, instead choosing to sit at an empty table. Yan Mingguang sat beside him, and Lin Qing joined them.
Lin Qing asked him, “Should we ask the attendant?”
Yan Wei shook his head, “If he left it, he wouldn’t tell us. If he didn’t leave it, he wouldn’t have useful information for us. If it was something he was going to tell us anyway, he would have left it when he brought breakfast, waiting for us all to arrive before telling us.”
It was clear they were meant to figure it out themselves—perhaps even with their lives.
“The meaning of this number could be many things. It could be a significant number that just happens to coincide with my berth number. It could also be a death list, pointing to my berth number, indicating the passenger in that berth. But…”
When they boarded the train, there were no specific tickets. Even after boarding, the attendant gave them door cards that could be used for any sleeper compartment. It wasn’t until night, when they finally settled in, that the berths were determined.
And last night, berth 1109 wasn’t occupied by Yan Wei alone.
Yan Wei glanced at Yan Mingguang.
Yan Mingguang also frowned slightly and shook his head, “I didn’t feel anything either.”
Yan Wei: “Strange. When being targeted by a ghost, we usually have some sense of being watched. I don’t feel much sense of crisis, just a slight unease, but that’s been there since we boarded.”
Lin Qing said, “It could also be a warning not to sleep in that berth tonight.”
“Then why wasn’t there any warning the first night?” Yan Wei countered, “That doesn’t make sense. If there’s a fixed berth taboo every night, the first night shouldn’t have been exempt.”
Yan Wei still remembered the flash of the headless ghost in the thunder and the ghostly face he saw in the window, as well as the pale ghostly hand reaching out from under the berth…
The malevolent spirits in this carriage weren’t the type to patiently toy with their prey.
“Don’t worry,” Yan Mingguang suddenly said, “I slept there last night too.”
“Then I should be even more worried.”
“…”
“There’s still time, let’s stay calm and look for clues. We must have missed something. Tonight, we’ll switch berths, and I’ll stay up past midnight. If there’s any danger, I’ll handle it.” Yan Wei stood up, “I’m going to the restroom first.”
The restrooms were located between every two carriages.
Yan Wei walked through the dining car to the passenger car, but heard noises from inside, light seeping through the door crack, the door locked. It seemed one of the players was using it.
He glanced at the door and walked to the next restroom.
The restroom door handle, like the sliding door of the sleeper compartment, had a frosted metal surface that wouldn’t reflect images, at least making it seem safe.
This restroom was dimly lit, the door not only not closed but slightly ajar, as if telling anyone who approached that it was empty.
As soon as Yan Wei reached for the door handle, his hand paused.
Not long after, only Yan Mingguang and Lin Qing remained in the dining car.
This carriage was the one they had boarded yesterday, already inspected multiple times, with only tableware and kitchenware left, the only notable item being the small blackboard now bearing Yan Wei’s berth number. The tables on both sides of the aisle were spotless, nothing of interest to be found.
The train was still large, and the other players naturally took the opportunity to explore other carriages.
Lin Qing and Yan Mingguang stayed.
Lin Qing stood in front of the small blackboard, staring at the small eraser in the shelf below.
The number was written in chalk, so the eraser could easily wipe it away. Could players erase it? Could they write on this small blackboard?
If he erased this number, would any effects on berth 1109 still exist?
As Lin Qing pondered this, a loud cry for help suddenly came from several carriages behind.
—It was Yan Wei’s voice.
He paused, turned to rush over, but his shoulder was suddenly pressed down with great force.
Yan Mingguang firmly held Lin Qing down, his gaze calm, his expression composed, “Your understanding of his way of handling things comes from only one instance.”
And that instance was even one of confrontation.
Lin Qing was stunned.
The cries for help grew louder and more urgent.
But Yan Mingguang walked over to the corner where Cao Qun had been smoking earlier, lit a cigarette, the smoke dispersing, and stood there straight, unmoving.
