Chapter 261: Train No. 444 (Conclusion)

Chapter 261: Train No. 444 (Conclusion)

No one expected the attendant to reappear after such a long time.

For over twenty hours after the second stop, the train had been traveling at a steady speed through the endless gray fog.

The scenery outside remained unchanged, and the players inside gradually became numb, their faces expressionless as they slumped in their seats.

This situation persisted until the third day.

By then, most players had given up hope of seeing the NPC reappear. They only stared intently at the wall clock, counting down the minutes and seconds, hoping the train would stop soon.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, there was still an hour left before the estimated stopping time.

The breathing in the carriage grew heavier, and the players visibly grew more anxious.

At that moment, a familiar figure slowly materialized in the air.

It was the long-absent attendant.

The sudden appearance of the NPC instantly became the focus of everyone's attention. This time, the attendant did not push a cart but held a large blue megaphone:

"Good afternoon, passengers. This train is about to reach its final destination. Please gather your belongings and make sure not to leave any personal items behind. After the train stops, please line up to disembark, and do not push or crowd. The crew of Train No. 444 is honored to have served you. We wish you a pleasant journey ahead."

After the official announcement, the attendant smiled politely. "Do you have any other questions? I can answer them for you."

Hands immediately shot up, as if it were an exemplary classroom.

The attendant kept her word and asked each person, "What would you like to ask?"

Player: "What is the next station?"

Attendant: "I'm sorry, I cannot disclose that information."

"Is the next station dangerous?"

"Cannot disclose that information."

"The next station..."

"Next."

The attendant's smile remained unchanged. "If there are no other questions, I will take my leave."

Players: "..."

You could just say you don't want to talk to us!

"Miss Attendant."

A voice rang out.

The NPC, who had been wearing a false polite mask, suddenly looked genuinely sincere upon hearing this voice.

She quickly walked towards the source of the voice.

Everyone else in the carriage was stunned. Was she treating people so differently? But no one dared to interrupt; they could only watch secretly.

Xiao Qin seemed oblivious to the gazes on him and calmly met the attendant's eyes.

When the attendant approached, he did not speak immediately but took out a small porcelain bottle from his personal space and placed it gently on the table.

The attendant's position and the seat divider blocked this corner from view, frustrating the players behind who couldn't see anything.

"I wonder, is this a souvenir sold on the train?" Xiao Qin asked softly. "I've seen these in many places on the train. They're beautiful, and I'd like to take some with me."

Whenever Xiao Qin conversed with NPCs, he created an unusually harmonious atmosphere, as if he were a native of the various scenarios, genuinely curious rather than driven by ulterior motives like other players.

The attendant picked up the small bottle and promptly replied, "Yes, this is a souvenir sold by the government office of Porcelain Capital on the train."

She explained in detail and order, "Because of government support, the souvenirs are reasonably priced. Five bottles cost 100 yuan, or individually for 25 yuan each. If you like them, you can buy some."

The NPC looked at Xiao Qin, her eyes filled with anticipation. "These ceramic ornaments are exclusive to the collaboration between Porcelain Capital and Train No. 444. You won't find identical ones anywhere else."

In other words, miss this opportunity, and you'll miss out forever.

Xiao Qin's smile deepened, but his words were, "I really like them, but—"

His clear eyes showed a hint of concern. "Could you perhaps offer a discount? As you know, we've already bought quite a bit, and we don't have much money left..."

Lu Cheng and Mi Yang, who had been trying hard to stay inconspicuous, couldn't help but show their exasperation.

They had indeed bought a lot, but using someone else's money! Besides, Xiao Qin still had money left, enough to buy twenty-five bottles at five for 100 yuan.

Although they didn't know what use these bottles might have in the upcoming tales, according to the typical usage of props in rule-based worlds, twenty-five was hardly a small number.

Xiao Qin completely ignored the astonished looks from behind and calmly discussed wholesale prices with the attendant:

"These souvenirs are indeed beautiful. I'd like to buy some to give to friends and family."

He took out five hundred-yuan bills and handed them to the attendant, looking exceptionally sincere—clearly not the type to haggle endlessly and then back out due to the price.

"This is all the money I have left, but I have quite a few friends and family members, and I don't want to favor one over another." He emphasized the word "all." "I know the prices are set by the crew, but... could you please make an exception for me?"

The stewardess was a bit hesitant, but looking at the passenger she found most pleasant on the entire train, she wavered after a moment.

"Alright."

Just like that, the NPC relented because of the player's few casual words. "I can't give you too much of a discount, but I can give you five more."

Five more wasn't bad.

The stewardess, who wasn't pushing a cart, reached out and pulled a medium-sized sack from behind her, seemingly out of thin air. It was bulging and made a clattering sound when placed on the table.

"Pick whichever ones you want," the NPC declared grandly.

Qin Fei curiously took the sack.

All the porcelain bottles inside were adorned with different patterns; some were familiar from what they had seen on the train before, while others were entirely new.

Even though he still hadn't figured out the purpose of these items, Qin Fei carefully selected new patterns.

Qin Fei didn't plan to ask the stewardess more about the bottles or the next station.

When the stewardess mentioned "souvenirs," her expression seemed sincere, suggesting she might not know any hidden secrets about the bottles. Her attitude towards other players earlier also indicated that she couldn't reveal too much about the next station, possibly due to rule restrictions.

While selecting, Qin Fei engaged the stewardess in casual conversation.

The space in the compartment was limited, and even though Qin Fei kept his voice low, the other players had already figured out what they were doing after so long.

Many players' expressions became indescribable.

To be honest, Qin Fei wasn't the first one to ask the stewardess about the porcelain bottles.

Even if other players hadn't obtained those two rule cards or realized the small bottles were sold on the train, they had mouths and eyes.

After discovering the unusual ceramics on the train, several groups had approached the stewardess, asking if she had seen them before, where they came from, and what they were for.

But the stewardess's attitude remained unchanged, smiling warmly yet refusing to talk, always saying, "I don't know."

...Forget it, forget it.

Fuming players tried to swallow their frustration.

Xiao Qin was just naturally likable to NPCs, something they all knew.

Everyone had studied each other's clearance records and had expected this, so there was no need to get worked up.

...How could they not get worked up!

Those who had previously approached the stewardess were grinding their teeth almost to the point of bleeding.

Unmoved, Qin Fei put the carefully selected porcelain bottles into his personal space and bid farewell to the NPC with a smile.

...

An hour passed in the blink of an eye.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, the train stopped again on schedule.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at our final destination: Porcelain Capital. Please disembark within 5 minutes and do not remain on the train."

"Please disembark within 5 minutes..."

As the announcement played, Qin Fei stood at the compartment junction, looking out the door.

No one was hiding this time. Although the dangers of the new station weren't any less than those of the death stations, players were rushing off the train one after another.

Lu Cheng used vines to probe the way and was the first to step off the train.

The fog separated the inside and outside of the train, and like the other players, Lu Cheng disappeared into the mist as soon as he stepped off.

But his voice echoed back onto the train.

"Come down, it's safe outside!"

Hearing this, Qin Fei frowned slightly.

Something felt off, but getting off the train was inevitable.

He responded and gracefully jumped off the train.

The fog outside carried a faint sweet scent, and Qin Fei held his breath the moment he sensed it.

But it was too late.

His body swayed, and he fell straight down.

At the same time, the source of pollution, who had just watched Qin Fei disembark along with a group of players, seemed to sense something and narrowed his eyes slightly.

The man's figure gradually faded, but no one on the train noticed him.

...

Qin Fei felt something grab the skin at the back of his neck, lifting him like a piece of unwanted trash, then violently tossing him aside.

His back hit a pile of uneven objects. Judging by his instincts, it seemed, perhaps, to be human bodies.

It was not just one person's.

A muffled groan came from beneath him and quickly faded away.

Qin Fei's eyelids felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, his consciousness scattered. Judging by the light piercing through his eyelids, they seemed to be outdoors.

His body jolted continuously.

It appeared they were on the move. He seemed to be... on some form of transportation, packed together with others, like pigs being herded onto a truck after a year of fattening up.

Qin Fei's self-awareness briefly returned for a moment, only to swiftly dissipate again, plunging back into deep darkness.