Chapter 35: Stop 22: Slaughter

Chapter 35: Stop 22: Slaughterhouse

Gazing at the young man engrossed in his phone beside him, Yan Qiling asked with a smile,

"Am I not your partner?"

Ming Yiyang replied coldly,

"I don't need a partner who tries to get me to quit smoking. Besides, am I worthy? Anyway, I don't need to know anything. Your information is of no importance to me."

...It seems like he's still upset.

Without any intention to appease, Yan Qiling turned directly to Simon and said,

"My partner has a penchant for joking around. If you need anything, feel free to approach me directly. He doesn't take kindly to being bothered."

Ming Yiyang glanced at him, his expression enigmatic, but this lasted only a few seconds before he returned to staring at his phone.

Yan Qiling didn't neglect Ada, standing by the side. He spoke to her warmly:

"Should you have any need in the future, feel free to approach me."

Ada's gaze remained perplexed and hesitant, even after receiving what could be deemed a well-intentioned promise. He only nodded hesitantly, temporarily accepting his kindness.

"Thank you."

Simon's stern expression softened as he held the cross against his chest.

"Thank God, the situation is better than anticipated."

The Prison Train has two distinct forms.

The first form is their essence, which is what they currently appear to be.

Those who awaken at this stage mean that their means of entry are slightly different from others.

Alternatively, they might possess the unique ability to resist interference from their dreams.

The second phase is Metamorphosis, during which it can transform into any form of transportation according to the Wujian Lord's will, and at this moment, everyone will awaken.

In Simon's past experiences, the initial phase usually found him alone upon awakening. Occasionally encountering another fellow awakenee was considered fortunate, implying more assistance and chances of survival.

Yet, this time, there were three other awakenees besides him! And one of them was someone he had collaborated with multiple times, making the situation far better than before.

Seeing that their conversation had ended, Ada turned back to her seat.

Although the beginning wasn't as thrilling or intriguing as she had imagined, it was still an eye-opening experience overall.

As she passed by the seats, she casually glanced over and spotted a man with an odd attire.

The man had his hair tied up in a bun, secured with a wooden stick. He wore a modern black down jacket, but underneath was a dark blue robe that resembled Eastern ancient attire, with the front crossed as if laced. A wooden lump seemed to be tucked under his arm.

What caught everyone's attention the most was the lapis lazuli gemstone earring adorning his left ear. From this gemstone, Ada sensed a subtle yet mystical aura of destiny, captivating and intoxicating.

Underneath the shimmering bead hung long, indigo tassels that cascaded down from the man's shoulder, meandering gracefully.

His head leaned against the window, seemingly fast asleep.

This person pretending to sleep was none other than Chi Zihe.

Before arriving, they had planned to split into two groups.

He and Si Shuhao would pretend to be cousins, while Yan Qiling would pose as Ming Yiyang's employer. The two groups would feign a chance encounter and then find an excuse to unite.

This way, they could freely move among various cliques, gathering information from multiple perspectives.

Otherwise, if others saw the four of them, acquaintances, entering together as a tight-knit group, it might arouse suspicion...

However, Simon's appearance slightly disrupted their plan. Thankfully, he pretended to sleep in time, preventing anyone from discovering his connection with the other two.

Sigh, how could this team function without him?

The Taoist leaned nonchalantly in his seat, secretly pleased with himself.

-

The train swiftly entered its second phase, transforming into a luxurious coach that charged through the snowy landscape like a fearless warrior.

Slumbering figures stirred awake as the radio delivered the weather forecast in crisp American English:

"Alert from Ararat Mountain Hotel: You have entered our jurisdiction."

"The blizzard is expected to persist for the coming week. Kindly prepare accordingly, and if you require assistance, feel free to contact our front desk staff. We offer complimentary clothing services to ensure your comfort."

"At present, the snowfall is still mild. On this eve before the storm, let us bask in the warmth of jazz..."

Jazz music filled the air with its lively tune, yet the carriage was eerily silent.

Ming Yiyang leaned close to Yan Qiling's ear, his voice hushed:

"No newcomers."

Any newcomer who had paid the symbolic fare of 1 would typically react with the classic trio of questions upon awakening to a transformed world.

Yet, now there was no such response, not even a gasp. This indicated that everyone present had adapted well to their new surroundings.

This "adaptation" itself implied an unspoken understanding of the fundamental rules of this boundless world.

As the words faded, a graceful figure in deep red emerged from the bus's passenger seat.

It was a hostess in a standard uniform.

She wore low-heeled, crimson stilettos and a matching felt hat on her head. Her heavy makeup concealed her natural appearance, but it didn't hinder her sweet smile, revealing eight pearly whites as she spoke in a cheerful tone:

"Welcome to the Ararat Mountain Hotel. We hope your stay with us will feel like home.

"Please, esteemed guests, present your invitation letters now. We'll expedite your check-in process. Should you have any needs, don't hesitate to contact the front desk. We're always here for you."

Yan Qiling paused and reached into his coat pocket.

His fingers encountered something slightly rigid.

It was an envelope that had somehow found its way into his pocket, adorned with elegant gold foil against a black background, giving it an air of sophistication.

He opened the envelope, extracting the invitation with his pale fingers and unfolding it.

The handwritten golden ink shimmered faintly against the backdrop of the gloomy snowfall.

Dear Mr. Yan Qiling,

In celebration of the 119th anniversary of the Ararat Mountain Hotel, we cordially invite you to attend the "Snow Spirit Banquet" on March 13th, 2022.

It would be our humble honor to have your presence at our establishment.

Inviter: Ventus Jane Smith

2022.3.1 can be elegantly translated into English as "March 1st, 2022."

The receptionist with her sweet smile took their invitations. Yan Qiling waited until she was near and suddenly asked,

"Excuse me, miss, I'd like to jot down a note. Could you tell me today's specific date?"

The receptionist maintained her polite smile, "Of course, it's the 13th of March, 2022."

As the receptionist gathered all the invitations, the luxurious bus pulled up slowly in front of the Ararat Mountain Hotel.

The receptionist, clad in heels, tapped down the bus steps and gracefully ventured into the swirling snowfall.

Despite the moderate intensity of the storm, her slender figure moving so effortlessly through it was astonishing to witness.

Especially when the warmth within the bus was swept away by the icy winds and snow outside, turning this surprise into disbelief.

The driver waited silently for the passengers to disembark.

Through the rearview mirror, Yan Qiling caught a glimpse of the driver's identical dark red uniform. He wore a pilot's cap with its brim pulled low, casting a heavy shadow that concealed his expression.

The chill urged everyone to rise. At that moment, a young man's voice echoed from the back of the bus:

"Hello everyone, my name is Qi Yongxin. I've already been through two worlds, and this is my third. Before we head to the hotel, I suggest we all share our names and ticket numbers, to gauge the difficulty level of this world."

Dressed in a tailored suit with a classic silver watch on his wrist, Qi Yongxin looked ordinary but carried himself like a typical elite. His manner of speaking was persuasive, making it easy for people to trust him.

No one in the bus opposed his suggestion, and they each announced their ticket numbers and names.

As more than half of them revealed a "3" as the last digit of their ticket number, Qi Yongxin's expression gradually shifted.

"So many threes... Could it be a slaughterhouse this time?"

A sportswear-clad boy, roughly the same age as him, rubbed his slightly numb right cheek with one hand.

A freckle the size of a sesame seed was located beneath the cheekbone on his right face, now protruding slightly from between his fingers due to the pressure.

His name was Di Chen, and it was his first time entering the "3" realm. Upon hearing the ominous term "slaughterhouse," he immediately inquired,

"What exactly is a slaughterhouse?"

The couple sitting beside him were both from the "4" realm, yet strangely, they also wore expressions of curiosity and innocence as they awaited an explanation about the slaughterhouse.

A clear and gentle voice echoed through the carriage:

"A slaughterhouse refers to a lawless world where rules are unpredictable and inconsistent, with total annihilation being a highly probable outcome."

The three who heard the answer gasped, while the other passengers, who had remained silent until now, also subtly shifted in their expressions.

Yan Qiling seemed oblivious to the impact of his words. He narrowed his affectionate twin eyes slightly and spoke with an ordinary tone:

"Certainly, the rules not being fixed doesn't mean they change at every moment. Their transformations also adhere to certain principles for them to function."

In that couple, the wife named Ruman gripped her husband's hand and asked,

"Why did we encounter the Slaughterhouse? My husband and I have traveled through so many worlds, and this is the first time we've heard of this name. And both our tickets are 4—will we be affected too?!"

The man replied patiently,

"The difficulty of the Realm of No End is determined by the proportion of people with odd-numbered ticket endings. For instance, if over half the people have an odd number, then the world's difficulty will align with the odds."

"But this time, we gathered the special number '3.' This digit represents the death number in the Realm of No End."

"When the number of people with a 3 at the end of their ticket exceeds half, the danger level of this world escalates to the Slaughterhouse."

"The Master of No End possesses greater power, and at times, can even defy its own rules to arbitrarily eliminate one of us."

Most people were stunned by this unexpected information.

Seeing no one respond, Ming Yiyang rolled up his sleeve.

Title: Express Ticket

Left Margin: From Guang City to Feng Prison

Right Margin: July 03, Train No. 13, Carriage 05, Seat 05, Hard Seat, 8 stops, fare paid.

Bottom Margin: 71 hours, 58 minutes, and 41 seconds remaining until return journey.

Just as Ming Yiyang was about to suggest they disembark, the man named Qi Yongxin picked up where Yan Qiling left off, speaking with gravity:

"Mr. Yan's explanation is accurate. This is precisely what I wanted to convey to everyone. The situation ahead might be perilous. I hope we can support each other and share resources in these challenging times."

Then, clapping his hands like a leader ending a meeting, he said,

"Well, that's all from me. If there are no further questions, let's alight."

Although there was nothing particularly wrong with this man's words, Ming Yiyang found his manner highly irritating – more so than when Yan Qiling had stopped him from smoking.

Before he could speak, a hand, cold as an icy fish, snaked under his sleeve, making him shiver involuntarily.

The chill in Yan Qiling's gentle voice somehow soothed Ming Yiyang's irritation a little.

"Come on, let's not bother with them."

"...Mind your own business."

Ming Yiyang said this as he shook off the other's cold hand and stomped away, his departure seemingly authoritative but his back view betraying a hint of a beleaguered retreat.