That group of strangers seemed to be lined up in a queue, quietly and quickly flooding into the “Train,” leaving Earth-Pig and “Cat” team, who were closest, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
Soon, the corridor within a radius of several meters was completely filled with people. If the crowd continued standing in place, those behind wouldn’t be able to board.
“The situation doesn’t seem right…” Bai Jiu stared at these faces, looking at their dirty countenances and tattered clothes, and said quietly, “These people look like ‘Natives.'”
“Damn…” Luo Shiyi was completely stunned on the spot. “The ‘Natives’ also return to the ‘Train’ after getting off work?”
“Tsk, are you seriously ill…” Zhoumo rolled her eyes at Luo Shiyi. “What work are the ‘Natives’ getting off from?”
Qian Wu turned to look at Earth-Pig at this moment. “Do you know what’s going on?”
“No idea.” Earth-Pig looked at the many people entering in the distance and silently shook his head. “‘Natives’ never board the train. But I have a feeling the situation isn’t right… Our group is too conspicuous. We need to leave first.”
“Okay…” Taking advantage of the gradually growing crowd, the group hurriedly left this location.
However, whether it was Wei Yang or the “Natives” boarding the train, they all seemed to have overlooked one issue.
After boarding the “Train,” there were still left and right paths to choose from.
In this long corridor, if there were no internal personnel to receive them, this group had a fifty percent probability of heading in the wrong direction.
Even if they were lucky enough to go the right way, they still had the probability of dying at the hands of other “Zodiacs.”
Moreover, when this group appeared, the view along the “Train” that could previously see from end to end had now been blocked in the middle by them.
Now, no matter from which direction on the “Train” one looked toward this place, they would ultimately see a mass of dark heads gathered together.
When Yan Zhichun heard Zhoumo say “all tasks completed,” she immediately brought the people behind her and Earth-Snake onto the train.
It seemed that all the “Extreme Path” members had tacitly waited for a while, causing them to only see scattered figures when boarding, rarely encountering any “Zodiacs.”
Earth-Snake’s room was very close to the work departure point. In less than a minute, the entire team had hidden inside Earth-Snake’s room.
This was also Yan Zhichun’s first time entering a “Zodiac’s” dwelling, and she felt the situation was somewhat bizarre—
Were all “Zodiac” rooms this girlish?
Unlike the old wooden walls outside, this place was covered with pink Rococo-style wallpaper. Apart from books, the bedside and desk in the room were decorated with small ornaments collected from various places.
Yan Zhichun felt that compared to Earth-Snake, she was a complete tomboy.
Not only had her hairstyle not changed in ten years, but she had bought three identical white dresses, so she wouldn’t have to worry about what to wear each day or care about others’ opinions of her aesthetic taste, greatly reducing her internal friction.
“Dead girl, sit down.” Earth-Snake waved at Yan Zhichun and several “Extreme Path” members. “Why are you all standing?”
“I can’t quite sit still…” Yan Zhichun said. “Weren’t we too smooth?”
“Smooth…?” Earth-Snake chuckled lightly and walked to a nearby dresser to start making tea for everyone. “Your group here has barely ten people standing—you call this smooth?”
“At least it looks smooth so far.” Yan Zhichun turned her head to look and saw a box of bloodied bandages in the corner. “White Snake, are you injured?”
“I…” White Snake paused slightly after hearing this. “I have some old injuries that haven’t healed to this day. It’s nothing serious—I just need to clean the blood regularly.”
“Alright…” Yan Zhichun nodded absentmindedly. “I always feel the situation is a bit strange…”
She turned around to address the several “Extreme Path” members behind her. “Has anyone heard the ‘Sound Transmission’ from Zhoumo?”
Everyone shook their heads.
“‘Sound Transmission’…” Upon hearing these words, White Snake’s teapot paused slightly in mid-pour, then said, “Dead girl… you’re preparing to use ‘Echoes’ to cause a big commotion in this place… but you don’t know the strange aspects of this place?”
“This place…?” Yan Zhichun said. “Can ‘Echoes’ not be activated here?”
“How should I put it…” White Snake raised the teacup in her hand and turned to hand it to Yan Zhichun. “It’s like someone who’s driven a forklift for several years learning to drive a speedboat. People with high comprehension can master it immediately, but for those who aren’t very perceptive… I’m afraid it will be extremely difficult.”
Yan Zhichun took the teacup, feeling that this “unable to use Echoes” situation seemed familiar—as if she had already received training for it in advance.
“Isn’t this similar to ‘Cangjie Chess’?”
“‘Cangjie Chess’…?” White Snake was stunned. “What do you mean? Isn’t that just a legend? ‘Taoyuan’ really has a ‘Cangjie Chess’ venue…?”
Yan Zhichun didn’t answer, her expression just somewhat anxious.
Although she had received training, what about the other “Extreme Path” members?
Once Zhoumo’s “Sound Transmission” couldn’t be activated, everyone could only march through the fog.
“We need to hurry.” Yan Zhichun turned to Earth-Snake and said, “We want to find a Black Sheep. Do you know where he is?”
Earth-Snake paused after hearing this. “His room isn’t far… but how are you going to get out now?”
“Time is very tight.” Yan Zhichun added, “Our task is to reach the ‘Cargo Hold’ together with Black Sheep and liberate all the ‘Ants.’ If we can’t liberate them within the specified time, the ‘Ants’ will be sent to the ‘Land of the End,’ and our mission will be a complete failure!”
“Damn…” Earth-Snake frowned. “What grand ambitions you all have…”
“So even if there’s a probability of death, we must set out now.” Yan Zhichun continued, “I have ‘Soul Seizure,’ you have ‘Brute Strength.’ Theoretically, we won’t fear individual ‘Zodiacs.’ Even ‘Earth-level’ ones won’t be our opponents.”
“Yes, I also have ‘Mourning.'”
“Don’t mention ‘Mourning.’ Your ‘Mourning’ would be good if it doesn’t add to the chaos.” Yan Zhichun said. “If you’re worried about danger, you can just point me in a direction and I’ll take people there myself.”
After thinking for a few seconds, Earth-Snake shook her head. “Sister, you may think I’m too leisurely. I also have my own task to settle.”
“You…?”
Earth-Snake turned back and pointed at the bandages in the corner.
“I’m going to return these wounds,” she said. “Return them to that greatest inventor.”
“Inventor…?”
“Not for any ‘grand plan,’ not for any ‘Land of the End,’ and not to benefit anyone.” Earth-Snake said. “This is just my personal grudge with him. I simply want to make him die…”
Yan Zhichun nodded after hearing this. “But your ‘personal grudge’ sounds very dangerous. Will you be alright?”
“Me? No… sister.” Earth-Snake smiled and shook her head. “People like us have actually learned to resist—you should be happy for me.”
Yan Zhichun’s expression was complex as she pursed her lips, wanting to reach out and pat Earth-Snake’s shoulder to comfort him. But just as she was about to touch Earth-Snake, she thought of something and withdrew her hand.
“Then let’s set out together.”