Chapter 7: Lights Out
The heavily made-up woman crossed her arms over her chest. "I've told you everything I know."
Her words formed a stark contrast with her posture and expression.
Li Fei gritted his teeth, then turned to stare at Xu Huo.
Xu Huo remained silent.
"Brother Li is asking you a question," the oval-faced woman said, glaring at him with displeasure.
"Do I have an obligation to tell you?" Xu Huo tapped the table. "Did you pay?"
The oval-faced woman choked on her words. Li Fei blocked her, realizing his usual tactics wouldn't work here.
"You know the situation, can't you share it with everyone?" the middle-aged woman said. "You can't be too selfish!"
"That's right," the square-faced man added. "Since you knew about this before getting on the train, telling everyone so we all know—the more people who survive, the better it is for you too."
The others in the carriage didn't speak, but they all agreed with this view. However, the heavily made-up woman said, "I've said everything I can. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do. Besides, who among you can be sure that others don't know about the Preliminary Train? Come on, share and share alike!"
"So you're saying you want to watch others die?" the oval-faced woman said with deep disgust. "You're so selfish!"
"People who engage in moral blackmail are the disgusting ones," the heavily made-up woman shot back, and it looked like a fight was about to break out. Professor Han stood up and interrupted them loudly, "Everyone, stop arguing!"
He looked at the crowd and said, "This train is called the Preliminary Train. Evolvers have only appeared in society for less than a month. Even if there are people who have experienced it, the information they've revealed isn't much. It's not strange to know a little."
"What about him?" the middle-aged woman pointed at Xu Huo. "I saw him whispering with people from other carriages earlier. Don't tell me he's selling us out!"
Xu Huo ignored her hostility. "Wasn't the note I showed you earlier clear enough? Even the information bought from the steward is included in the train's explicit rules."
"Exactly," Professor Han said. "I believe that as long as we follow the train's requirements, we can avoid danger to the greatest extent possible."
"Also, the players in the game are humans. The settings must conform to human ethics and values. So cannibalism will definitely affect the game score."
"The food on the train can satisfy hunger. With food available, no one would want to eat people, right?"
"We are only preparatory players now. We might become formal players only after the Preliminary Train ends. The rating classifications mentioned at the start of the game are mostly linked to assets, traits, and evolution levels. Our performance over these three days will determine the future game process. The train's explicit rules, plus the implicit rule against cannibalism—following these rules is the only way to get a high score."
Professor Han paused and said, "I suggest everyone follow the rules. This game might just be the beginning."
He was a smart man and very persuasive. Players had no choice in whether to participate in the game. The higher the starting point, the safer they would be.
"I'll listen to the professor. Who knows what dangers we'll face in the game later? If we fall behind others first, we might end up losing our lives," the female student said.
The others silently weighed the situation and reached a consensus.
Forcing the heavily made-up woman or Xu Huo to reveal what they knew through force was clearly unrealistic. And what Professor Han said was exactly what everyone was worried about.
Professor Han took out his small notebook, tore it into strips, numbered them, and had them draw lots. "Six people per shift, divided into first half and second half of the night."
No one objected to this, and they went up one by one to draw their slips.
"Aren't you going?" Yan Jiayu asked Xu Huo as she stood up.
Xu Huo snapped open his lighter with a "click" and reached into his pocket. "You all draw. Give me whatever's left."
Professor Han glanced his way, saw him starting to smoke again, and looked away.
In the end, Xu Huo drew number five, and was grouped with Chen Yi and the female student for the first half of the night.
The square-faced man, the oval-faced woman, and the old man were also in the first half of the night. The remaining six were in the second half.
"The train has a lights-out time. To be safe, don't use your phones or lighters after the lights go out. It's best to turn off your phones. The people guarding the front door are responsible for watching the light switch."
Xu Huo's group was guarding the front door. He nodded. "No problem."
"But what if there are cannibal players among us?" the heavily made-up woman said. "In the pitch black, wouldn't it be convenient for them to harm others?"
"Do you think cannibal players are stupid?" the oval-faced woman retorted.
The heavily made-up woman said nothing more, and the matter was settled.
Time quickly approached eight o'clock. Everyone took turns going to the front restroom. After returning, except for those on night watch, everyone else went back to their seats.
"Ding-dong!"
"The train is about to turn off the lights. There may be slight turbulence when passing through the dimensional rift. Please return to your seats and remain calm."
After three consecutive announcements, the lights in the carriage went out. At the same time, the sky outside darkened at a visible rate, sinking into darkness within just a few minutes.
Xu Huo stood guard in front of the light switch, pulling out his folding knife.
The darkness on the train was absolute, with no trace of light. Not only was there no operational glow from the instruments inside, but outside there was no starlight or moonlight. The entire train was speeding through an abyss of pitch black.
As time passed, the breathing of the people in the carriage gradually slowed, no longer as tense as when the lights first went out. It seemed someone had even fallen asleep.
Xu Huo counted his heartbeats to track the time. Just before midnight, the train suddenly lurched violently, as if it had crashed into a storm. The carriage swayed left and right, continuing for three minutes before stopping.
"Is everyone alright?" Professor Han's voice rang out.
"I'm fine... Ah!!!" The female student's answer turned into a scream before she could finish.
Xu Huo frowned and was about to step forward when he suddenly felt a gust of wind brush past the side of his head. He reflexively blocked, and a long, thin, rod-like object pierced through the back of his hand, pressing his head against the carriage door!
Xu Huo braced his elbow against the door, kicked the other person's shin, heard a "crack" of bone breaking, and pulled out his knife to stab!
Chen Yi let out a miserable scream and stumbled backward. At the same time, something went wrong at the back door. The square-faced man also cried out in pain: "Someone from outside got in!"
"Don't turn on the lights!" Accompanied by Professor Han's shout, the others in the carriage were on high alert. For a moment, they didn't know whether to block the front door or the back door. Just then, Chen Yi shouted in panic: "Xu Huo attacked me! He's a cannibal player!"
The moment he finished speaking, he was sent flying by a powerful kick, crashing into overturned seats. Before he could get up, his head was pinned down, and a thin knife was shoved into his ear!
At the same time, the back door slammed shut, but the footsteps were chaotic, making it unclear what was happening.
"Don't use your phones! Everyone stay where you are! If anyone moves, I'll assume they're a cannibal player!" Professor Han roared.
The carriage fell much quieter. Xu Huo confirmed that Chen Yi had stopped breathing before standing up against the window.
"The front door is fine. Chen Yi was a cannibal player."
After two seconds of silence, the square-faced man said, "The back door is closed too. Just now..."
"Did someone die?" Xu Huo interrupted him.
"I smell blood," the old man said.
After counting heads, they confirmed that the person dead at the back door was the oval-faced woman.
"No breath," the square-faced man said, feeling her body in the dark. "Neck broken. There are wounds on her body."
"So is the third-class player still in our carriage?" He Yang asked.
"I heard someone go out just now," the square-faced man answered quickly.
This statement made everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Li Fei then asked Xu Huo: "How do you prove that Chen Yi was the cannibal player?"
"I... I can prove it," the female student said from the corner, her voice choked with tears. "Chen Yi attacked me first just now... I don't know why he changed his mind..."
Xu Huo tilted his head slightly, thoughtful.
"What do you say? Maybe you two are the cannibal players," Li Fei sneered.
"I trust my student," Professor Han spoke up. "Arguing now is harmful and not beneficial. Since there are no outsiders in the carriage, everyone stay in your original positions and don't move. We'll talk about everything tomorrow. You don't want to be wiped out because of suspicion and infighting, do you?"
No one spoke, tacitly accepting his words.
Although people were arranged for the night watch in the second half, under these circumstances, no one dared to sleep. Everyone stayed alert in their seats, eyes wide open until dawn.
At four in the morning, the train lurched again. At eight, it got light, and the announcement began inside:
"Ding!"
"Welcome, players, aboard Preliminary Train Route 301. This train departs from Three-Dimensional Point, passes through the dimensional rift, and will arrive at the terminal station, Five-Dimensional Station, in two days at train time eight o'clock. There may be turbulence during the journey. Please remain calm."
"The train will classify and rate players based on their performance during the journey. Please be mindful of your words and actions."
"Below are the boarding rules..."
The boarding rules had not changed, only the time had been reduced from three days to two.
The sky suddenly brightened. Xu Huo squinted, adjusting to the light.
"Look outside!" Yan Jiayu exclaimed.