Chapter 281: The Train Eunuch (This Chapter Is High-Energy)

"I'll tell you, plenty of people want to pay to come here—I'm an Annengzhe, in your Pulu Province we'd call it having cultivation base,

in Chunshen City there are many circles of Annengzhe; I joined several, and only then found the right path to Mengqian Tower."

The man introduced himself as Zhao Dajun, a very talkative fellow who volunteered his background before Li Banfeng could ask: "I'm a number theorist—in your Pulu Province, you'd call me a calculation cultivator; in Chunshen City, I spent ten full years as a coder."

"Calculation cultivator"—just hearing the name suggests mastery of mathematics.

Li Banfeng said: "You were a coder? Perfect match."

"Exactly!" Zhao Dajun nodded. "When I first graduated and started working, I felt this job suited me perfectly—I was destined to become an industry titan.

I truly had the talent for it; I'm not boasting, but at my peak, I earned fifty to sixty thousand a month easily.

After ten years working in Chunshen City, after covering my living expenses and sending money home, I saved over two million—enough to buy a house in Chunshen, even in the best neighborhoods, I could've paid the down payment with ease."

Li Banfeng nodded: "Impressive."

Zhao Dajun sighed: "I thought I was impressive too—but I couldn't go on.

I'm a Level One Annengzhe; my body's stronger than an ordinary person's, but still, I left home at seven every morning, returned at eleven, never got more than a few days off all year—my frame just couldn't take it.

That wasn't even the worst part: every time I sat at my desk and saw code, I wanted to vomit; every time the phone rang and I heard my department manager's voice, I wanted to vomit even more.

I didn't want to do it anymore—but if I bought a house in Chunshen, I'd have to spend all my savings, pick a prime location, and still take on a heavy mortgage—how would I live?

I didn't want to buy a house, so my girlfriend broke up with me. Fine, she left— I could live alone. But my family kept scolding me every day—called me useless, unfilial, a failure.

I was exhausted, I'd had enough—I wanted to live for myself. So with help from friends in the circles, I spent every last penny I'd saved, went through countless detours, and finally arrived at Mengqian Tower—the best place on earth—I'm going to spend the rest of my life here properly!"

Li Banfeng didn't quite understand: "What's so great about it?"

Zhao Dajun looked astonished: "Do I really have to explain? Here, you want anything, you get it—meals are free; as long as you're not excessive, whatever you crave, the kitchen staff will cook it for you anytime.

Accommodation's free too—warm in winter, cool in summer, not even a single mosquito."

Li Banfeng said: "You spent over two million just for food and shelter?"

"More than that! We have dreams—dreams where everything exists: snow-capped mountains, farmland, islands, beaches,

and girls from hard drives—and they speak, and we understand them."

"Really?" Li Banfeng found this deeply interesting.

"Absolutely!" Zhao Dajun nodded vigorously. "That's my dream—I'm in complete control. If I think the girl's real, she's real."

In truth, Zhao Dajun had a point: real girls might not be as perfect as the one in his dream.

"But what if you have a nightmare?"

Zhao Dajun shook his head: "At Mengqian Tower, no one ever has nightmares, and no one ever suffers insomnia—unless you offend the Tower Master."

"Who's the Tower Master?"

"I don't know. I've never seen her. If it's unnecessary, I don't want to meet her—so long as the rules stay the same, I'm happy to live here peacefully."

Li Banfeng said: "What if I don't want to stay here?"

"I urge you to think again," Zhao Dajun looked at Li Banfeng sincerely. "No one who comes here wants to leave. Sleep a little longer, dream a few more dreams—then decide."

Li Banfeng said nothing.

After eating, Zhao Dajun told Li Banfeng the cafeteria was on the second floor, the exit on the first— if he didn't want to leave, he should return to his bedroom and make his own choice.

Li Banfeng had already decided.

He went downstairs, pushed open the door to the stairwell, and with the flicker of a match, glimpsed the exit's location.

It was two large glass doors; Li Banfeng hurried toward them—suddenly a cold wind struck, blowing out the match.

He struck another match—the flame flared—and a tall, white-clad woman suddenly appeared right before him.

The intruder from my dream!

The woman stared at Li Banfeng, expression nearly blank, only a hint of languor.

This time, Li Banfeng clearly saw her face.

Oval face, high nose bridge, eyes like peach blossoms that held your gaze, lips full and small, the corners slightly upturned in a faint, elusive smile.

She seemed to radiate an elusive, otherworldly aura.

A peerlessly beautiful woman stood before him; Li Banfeng stared at her for a moment, then lit her clothes on fire with the match.

As her clothes caught fire, the aura grew even more pronounced.

The beauty still gazed at Li Banfeng lazily, her voice calm: "Why are you burning my clothes?"

Li Banfeng replied sincerely: "Why are you frightening me?"

The woman used the flames on her body to light a candle, then placed it on the wall's candlestick.

She gently blew out the fire on herself, looked at Li Banfeng, and spoke in a hollow, ethereal voice: "Leaving so soon?"

Li Banfeng replied: "Do I need to check out?"

The woman smiled faintly: "Why such haste to leave? Why did you come?"

Li Banfeng answered honestly: "I really didn't want to come—I was carried here by an old man who thought he was a train."

"He's the Train Eunuch."

"You know this crazy old man?"

"Why do you think he's crazy?"

"As a train, he doesn't even burn coal—isn't that crazy?"

The woman nodded slightly, as if agreeing with Li Banfeng's logic; she stepped lightly aside, clearing the path.

Li Banfeng walked forward without a single glance back.

At the door, the woman asked: "What's your name?"

Li Banfeng recalled scenes from his dream—some called him Seventh Master, others Night Boss.

This woman knew all that.

After a brief mental synthesis, he answered: "I'm Night Seven."

The woman didn't seem to doubt it; she replied seriously: "I'm Meng Qian. Walk straight ahead until you reach where you want to go—never look back."

"Thank you, Miss Meng."

Meng Qian nodded: "Until we meet again."

…

Li Banfeng stepped outside the door—the world beyond was pitch-black forest, dense with vegetation, and a barely visible mountain path.

Whether Meng Qian's words were true or not, leaving this place quickly was certainly the right choice.

He sprinted along the mountain path, recalling his prior experiences.

I got lost at the edge of Xin Di, reached a train station, met a crazy old man who brought me here.

If the station was real, and the old man was real, then I must've paid the fare and fallen into a dream, then wandered blindly into this building and was put to sleep in a room.

In the dream, I felt the urge to urinate and found a toilet—if I'm right, in reality I was sleepwalking and actually went to the toilet.

Did I even know where the toilet was?

Everyone in this building could find the toilet without opening their eyes.

Not just the toilet.

In the dream, I dreamed of going down the mountain and climbing back up, and eating a meal at a restaurant.

In reality, I must've gone downstairs and upstairs, and eaten in the cafeteria.

How did I find the cafeteria?

It must've come from some subconscious hint in the dream.

The owner of this building must be the woman named Meng Qian.

She can invade everyone's dreams here, and manipulate the guests' behavior through their dreams.

If I jumped off a cliff in the dream, in reality I might have climbed to the roof and jumped.

Would I die?

It depends on how high the building is, and what kind of response I make—as a Traveling Cultivator, I'd likely survive, but that's just one example I can think of.

If Meng Qian wanted to kill me, she'd have countless methods. Realizing this, Li Banfeng's spine chilled—he ran faster than before.

She didn't want to kill me—she let me go. What was her purpose in bringing me here?

Could she not even know why I came? Was this just an accident created by that crazy old man?

That crazy old man called himself the Train Eunuch—what was his purpose in bringing me here?

He ran nonstop for over an hour before stopping.

Roughly estimating, he'd covered more than three hundred li—he'd definitely escaped the building's control range.

Ahead, faint light appeared—he was nearing the main land.

His stamina was still good; he could run a few hundred more li without issue.

But he was thirsty—he'd woken up parched, and hadn't drunk a drop of water since.

I'll return to my Sui Shen Ju for a drink, and tell my wife about this—see if she recognizes this Meng Qian.

Li Banfeng reached for his key—when a sound that made his scalp crawl rose from behind him.

"Huff-puff, wu~ wu wu!"

Without thinking, Li Banfeng bolted.

The Train Eunuch!

How did I run into him again?

Is he going to force me back on board?

He's a high-level Traveling Cultivator—outrunning him won't be easy; I need strategy, I need to plan my route—I'm a Level Five Traveling Cultivator, what's his level? Seven? Eight? Or…

The Train Eunuch suddenly turned his head and said: "Departing."

When did he get ahead of me?

"Get on!" The Train Eunuch moved with astonishing speed; before Li Banfeng could clearly make out his form, he found himself on the old man's back.

"Woooh~" The Train Eunuch swung his arms and surged forward.

Li Banfeng was speechless: "Old man, where are you taking me?"

"Huff, puff," the Train Eunuch turned his head and asked, "Have you ever ridden a train?"

Li Banfeng said, "Of course I have!"

"If you have, why are you asking?"

"Why can't I ask?"

"Anyone who's ridden a train knows: where the train goes, you must go too!"

"He's saying..."

He... what he said actually made sense.

"But the point is, I never wanted to get on your train!"

"You must get on my train."

"Why?"

"Because you haven't woken up yet."

What did that mean?

Is this old man truly mad, or just pretending?

Li Banfeng frowned: "How do you know I haven't woken up?"

The Train Eunuch, while blowing his whistle, replied, "Because I haven't woken up either."

To an ordinary person, the old man's logic would have shattered their mind.

But Li Banfeng did not break; he asked seriously, "How do you know you haven't woken up?"

The old man looked at Li Banfeng with bafflement: "Do you really have to ask? If I were awake, would I mistake myself for a train?"

What he said... still made sense.

But if what he said was true, did that mean I had entered his dream?

How could I possibly have entered his dream?

Li Banfeng remained rational and asked further: "Why would you dream that you became a train?"

The Train Eunuch fell silent for a moment, then said, "Because I miss my own train."

"You once had a train?"

"I did."

"Where is your train now?"

"I sold it."

"To whom?"

"The peddler."

Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead, silently mocking the mad old man inside his mind.

Even madmen's dreams have logic—how could a peddler possibly buy a train?

PS: Maybe he really could.

(End of Chapter)