As Bai Ci's voice faded, a brief silence fell over the dining car.
“There is one more thing,” she paused, continuing in an even lower voice. “Don't you think the passengers on this train are a bit too quiet?”
Zhou Caiwei blinked, a look of confusion on her face as she instinctively replied, “Ah? Could it be that they're just too tired?”
“After all, this train has been running for so long, and with such heavy rain, it's only normal for everyone to want to seize the time to rest, right?”
“Nay,” Arbiter said, raising her index finger and wagging it. “Know you that all things in this world have their order. The weary may sleep, and the fatigued may whisper; such is the natural state.”
“If all are silent and the collective consciousness is unified, it is by no means an accident. There must be an eerie power at work in the shadows, quietly suppressing everyone's will, or causing them to fall into a helpless state where they are at the mercy of others.”
Yan Zheng nodded in agreement, half-translating and half-clarifying his own perspective: “Arbiter is right. If everyone is in this condition, it is definitely not normal.”
“Unfortunately, we have too few clues right now. The trainmaster's identity is suspect, the entire crew is abnormal, the purpose of the wisteria vines remains unclear, and the state of the passengers is growing more and more bizarre.”
His gaze shifted toward Vigi, who was still dozing off by the counter, and a trace of contemplation flashed in his eyes. “From the looks of it, our only breakthrough point is him.”
“He's the only member of the original crew who wasn't replaced, and he's a demoted deputy trainmaster. He must know something.”
“However, it's not hard to see from his attitude that this man is highly guarded. Ordinary questioning probably won't pry his mouth open. We must get closer to him or find a way that will definitely make him speak.”
Zhou Caiwei hurriedly nodded in agreement. “Right, right, right. Big Boss Yan Zheng is absolutely right.”
“That Vigi is really hard to talk to. Last time I tried to strike up a conversation, he just glared at me and ignored me completely.”
“If we force the issue, he might even kick us out, and then we won't even have a chance to get close to him.”
Actually, interrogation was an option. Although Zhou Caiwei didn't know how, she had been through several games and had seen other players do it.
She didn't say this out loud; she was merely all talk and no action, and wouldn't actually dare to do it herself.
Moreover, while she didn't view NPCs as human, the big bosses seemed to, so if she wanted to cling to their thighs, she had to align herself with their values.
Furthermore, there was another seemingly important NPC sitting right here listening. She couldn't treat NPCs too much like non-humans in front of her.
Bai Ci didn't speak, merely reflecting in silence.
She knew Vigi's situation was unique—he was both an outcast being marginalized and the only person who might hold the core clues. To get him to speak, they indeed needed a proper opportunity and couldn't act rashly.
Just as the group harbored their own thoughts, pondering how to approach Vigi, the train suddenly let out a piercing screech. The carriage shook violently, and then it ground to a halt.
Everyone instinctively held onto the tables, their faces filled with shock.
Why would a train that was running smoothly suddenly make an emergency brake?
Before they could react, a loud announcement from a crew member echoed from the connecting passage outside the carriage.
“Attention, all passengers. Due to torrential rain in the mountainous area ahead, a sudden mudslide has occurred. The train has been forced to make an emergency brake and is temporarily stranded on the mountain tracks.”
“At present, external communication has been completely cut off, and we are unable to contact the outside world for assistance.”
Unlike the gentle demeanor the crew members usually displayed, the announcement sounded cold, carrying a subtle, hard-to-detect malice.
Announcing that they couldn't contact the outside world for help might seem like a transparent update on the current situation, but in reality, it was bound to trigger panic and chaos among the passengers.
“Additionally, as a friendly reminder, the food and drinking water stored on the train can only sustain all passengers for one day.”
“We ask all passengers to distribute and cherish resources reasonably. Please do not fight over them to avoid unnecessary conflict.”
The voice paused for a moment, then continued.
Under the guise of a “friendly reminder,” they had laid out the worst-case scenario before everyone. Compared to the previous statement, the malice in this one was no longer even hidden.
They—or more accurately, those things.
They were deliberately inciting panic, looking forward to the passengers fighting among themselves out of despair.
The players in the dining car were no fools; they naturally understood the underlying meaning of the announcement, and their expressions changed.
With external communications cut off and only a single day's worth of food, they were trapped in these desolate mountains with no way forward and no way back, all while facing a severe shortage of supplies.
Zhou Caiwei's gaze drifted between Arbiter and Yan Zheng. “How did this happen? A mudslide? Cut communications? And only one day's worth of food... Are we going to be trapped here and never get out?”
Arbiter frowned. “Illusory malice, a despicable provocation.”
“This is by no means a natural disaster born of a capricious heaven and earth. Rather, someone is lurking in the shadows, deliberately manipulating the board. They hope to use this desperate plight to stir up people's hearts and throw their minds into chaos, so they can reap the benefits and carry out their filthy, sordid deeds.”
“I shall never allow such a foul scheme to succeed.”
Just then, Vigi by the counter snapped awake. The exhaustion on his face was instantly replaced by vigilance, any trace of his previous sleepiness vanishing.
He glanced at the clock, then flipped through his notebook. Ignoring the active players sitting nearby, he muttered to himself, “No, it shouldn't be here.”
Without even taking the time to process the announcement, he bent down and pulled out a metal box with a handle from under the counter. It looked like some sort of toolbox.
Vigi quickly grabbed the raincoat hanging beside the counter, threw it on, picked up the toolbox, and headed toward the dining car door. His expression was urgent, as if he had something of the utmost importance to attend to.
Yan Zheng's eyes narrowed. He immediately stood up and said to the others, “The opportunity is here.”
“Vigi is heading out at a time like this. Whatever he's trying to confirm, he's currently unsettled, making this the perfect time to get information out of him.”
“Leave Vigi to me. I'll follow him to help out and use the chance to pry some information from him.”
He then looked at Zhou Caiwei and instructed in a concise tone, “Zhou Caiwei, you come with me too. Your class is suited for helping out. Keep an eye on our surroundings as well, and let me know immediately if you notice anything unusual.”
What else could Zhou Caiwei say? She was here to cling to their thighs, and she had to have the self-awareness of a freeloader. Since the big boss had made the arrangements, she naturally had to follow.
Besides, wasn't this clearly a key opportunity to gather clues? If she tagged along, she might even earn some extra points.
She nodded hurriedly and quickly caught up with Yan Zheng. “Okay. Big Boss Yan Zheng, I'll go with you.”
Rate on N.U.
