Chapter 8: The Lucky Star (Thanks to Patron Nyaiko)

Yuezhou Province, Yuezhou City, East Railway Station.

East Station is the oldest station in Yuezhou, with six waiting halls; trains passing through include high-speed rail, express trains, and green-skin trains.

Li Banfeng carefully checked his ticket information: Train 1160.

Why is it this train again?

Li Banfeng sent a message: “Aren’t they saying this train derailed?”

Click-clack~

He Jiaqing replied: “The accident is all handled, the train’s back in service.”

Handled?

Such a big incident, fixed this fast?

There’s no ‘K’ before the train number.

That means it’s not even a regular express—it’s the slowest kind of train.

I hope his hometown isn’t too far.

The ticket says Gate 96 for boarding.

Li Banfeng walked around all the waiting areas, seeing many middle-aged men in suits, and many casual young people.

What struck him most were the elderly in plain clothes, their luggage piled high—carried on their backs, held in their hands, even balanced on their shoulders; many had large tea mugs tied to their bags, the most common and distinctive sight in the station.

But after looking around, Li Banfeng didn’t see Gate 96.

“Where is Gate 96?” Li Banfeng sent a message to He Jiaqing.

“It’s not fixed—ask a staff member.”

Li Banfeng asked five station staff in succession; the first four said there was no Gate 96.

The fifth staff member, after checking Li Banfeng’s ticket, led him to the second waiting hall, past the restroom, down a corridor, through a metal door, into an underground passage.

Underground passages are common in railway stations, but this one was unusual—long, dimly lit, with waves of damp, rotting stench hitting his nose.

The ground was pitted and uneven, puddles crawling with damp bugs; such a vile underground passage only appeared in Li Banfeng’s childhood memories.

As a child, he often went to an abandoned railway station—not to ride trains, but to steal scrap iron with Old Lady Wu.

After walking the long underground passage, the staff member brought Li Banfeng directly to the platform.

He pulled out a pitch-black box, shaped vaguely like a mailbox.

On the right side was a crank; the staff member turned it, and a sliver of ticket emerged from a slit above.

It was a sliver of ticket—ten centimeters of soft paper, not the hard-card tickets Li Banfeng knew.

The staff member stamped it and handed it to Li Banfeng.

On the front of the ticket were listed every stop and arrival time.

San Tou Cha, Hai Chi Ling, Lü Shui Wan, Ku Dai Kan…

He didn’t recognize any of the place names; at the bottom of the ticket was his destination: Yaowang Gou.

Is Yaowang Gou He Jiaqing’s hometown?

Li Banfeng had never been there, never even heard of it.

He checked the departure time: June 28, 1:53 PM—about fifteen minutes left.

Then he checked the arrival time: June 30, 7:00 AM.

Nearly two full days!

This journey is long.

He looked at the seat.

Car 7, Seat 7, first-class sleeper ticket.

So it’s a soft sleeper.

Soft sleeper is tolerable.

There was a small line of text on the ticket; Li Banfeng read it closely: “This train provides hot water but no food. Passengers must prepare their own.”

A two-day journey, and no food sold on board?

What about peanuts, drinks, mineral water?

Is there even a basic snack cart?

Why didn’t they tell me this sooner? What am I supposed to eat on the way?

There’s food in the waiting hall—should I run back the way I came?

Only fifteen minutes left until departure; it seems impossible now.

The route is too complicated, and I’d have to pass through a metal gate.

Besides, if I run into that big-eyed man, I’ll be killed.

Buy something from someone on the platform?

The old platform had only Li Banfeng waiting.

Buy from someone after boarding?

Would anyone even sell to me?

…

At a critical moment, Li Banfeng’s phone rang—He Jiaqing sent a message: “Brother, did you buy food?”

“You only just thought of this? Why didn’t you warn me when I was at the supermarket?”

“It was urgent—I forgot. Once on board, don’t leave the carriage under any circumstances.”

Why can’t I leave the carriage?

What about going to the restroom?

I can’t hold it for two days!

As Li Banfeng puzzled over this, he suddenly saw an old woman walking toward him, carrying a cardboard box.

“Young man, want instant noodles?”

Li Banfeng eyed her warily—there was a vendor on the platform!

Actually, vendors usually sell food on green-skin train platforms; Li Banfeng had ridden them before, so it wasn’t unusual.

But why hadn’t he seen her before?

The old woman said: “The train’s coming soon. No food on board—buy a few boxes to take with you!”

“How much per box?”

“Four yuan.”

Only four yuan!

Not even in a Yuezhou supermarket would this price be cheaper.

“Ten boxes!”

Two days, ten boxes—plenty to eat.

Li Banfeng pulled out his phone to scan the code, when suddenly a tall man in uniform stepped onto the platform and snatched the entire box of instant noodles from the old woman.

“Who told you to sell here?” the uniformed man demanded.

“I told the station chief,” the old woman replied, trembling.

“I never heard the station chief say that. Confiscated!” The man slung the box over his shoulder and walked off; the old woman stared after him, heartbroken over the noodles but too afraid to speak.

Li Banfeng stepped forward, yanked the box off the man’s shoulder, sending him stumbling.

The uniformed man stared, stunned: “What are you doing?”

“What are you doing?” Li Banfeng shot back. “In broad daylight, you’re robbing?”

The uniformed man frowned: “I’m station staff. She’s operating illegally—I’m enforcing the rules!”

“What illegal operation?” Li Banfeng looked at the old woman. “This is my second aunt. She’s seeing me off, bringing me a box of instant noodles—is that illegal?”

The uniformed man fell silent. Li Banfeng turned to the old woman: “Second aunt, you can stop here—I’ll board soon.”

As he spoke, Li Banfeng slipped a hundred-yuan note into her hand.

The old woman stared at Li Banfeng, saying nothing for a long while.

One box of instant noodles—twenty-four packs—slightly too many.

Too many? Fine. I’ll bring them to He Jiaqing’s place and eat them together.

Huff! Huff! Huff!

What’s that sound?

Li Banfeng looked down the tracks toward the horizon.

First he saw white smoke.

Actually, it wasn’t smoke—it was white steam.

Within the steam swirled thick black clouds—that was the real smoke, coal-burning soot.

Ding-gong! Ding-gong! Ding-gong!

The unique mechanical clatter of crankshaft and connecting rod.

Ooooh~~~

The true steam-powered whistle!

This is…

A steam locomotive?

Li Banfeng’s jaw dropped.

Could there still be steam trains in this era?

A deep black locomotive, exhaling steam, gradually slowed and rolled into the platform.

The green-bodied carriages opened their doors one by one; attendants lowered the boarding ladders.

Li Banfeng carried a box of instant noodles toward Car 7.

At the platform entrance, Xiao Zhenggong and Dengpao silently watched Li Banfeng’s figure as he prepared to board the train.

“Dengpao, move!” Xiao Zhenggong gave the order.

Dengpao’s heart jolted—he hadn’t expected Xiao Team Leader to arrive yet still not act himself.

Is this Xiao Team Leader’s test of me?

No, it’s not a test—it’s my final chance.

Xiao Zhenggong had considered acting himself, but he’d seen the old woman on the platform, the one selling instant noodles.

The old woman kept staring at Li Banfeng, and that terrified Xiao Zhenggong.

He knew who the old woman was; if she had any connection to Li Banfeng, then Li Banfeng could not be touched here—otherwise the consequences would be dire.

But letting Li Banfeng walk away like this left Xiao Zhenggong deeply unwilling.

Is the old woman really watching Li Banfeng?

Maybe she has no connection to him at all.

Rather than let Li Banfeng slip away, better to let Dengpao run an experiment.

“Eliminate the suspect immediately—this is the final opportunity!” Xiao Zhenggong issued the order again.

Hearing Xiao Zhenggong’s command, Dengpao gritted his teeth and moved to charge onto the platform—when someone grabbed him from behind.

Dengpao turned around—it was Team Leader Lao Chen.

When did Lao Chen arrive?

Dengpao quickly saluted. Xiao Zhenggong pointed at Li Banfeng, who was about to board, and said to Lao Chen: “Team Leader Chen, Li Banfeng is fleeing. He may be carrying something vital—this is our only chance to catch him.”

Lao Chen nodded and said to Xiao Zhenggong: “That makes sense. Go ahead. I’ll wait here for you.”

Xiao Zhenggong’s cheek twitched—but he made no move.

Dengpao was baffled. He didn’t understand why Xiao Zhenggong refused to act.

Is it really just to test me?

Lao Chen looked at Xiao Zhenggong and smiled: “You’re afraid?”

Xiao Zhenggong offered no defense—he truly was afraid.

Dengpao grew even more confused.

Why was Xiao Zhenggong afraid?

Why fear a mere white lamb like Li Banfeng?

Lao Chen stared at the old woman on the platform: “Li Banfeng took something from Fuxing. He must receive three strokes of good fortune.”

Facing Fuxing directly, you send Dengpao to arrest Li Banfeng—aren’t you just asking Dengpao to die?”

These words left Dengpao utterly stunned.

Who is Fuxing?

That old woman?

If I go, I’ll die?

Then why did Xiao Team Leader still order me to go?

Dengpao stared in shock at Xiao Team Leader, who showed no special expression—not a trace of guilt: “I’m not certain that’s Fuxing. I’m not certain Fuxing has any connection to Li Banfeng.”

You’re not certain?

Not certain—and you still want me to be the test subject?

Dengpao’s face turned deathly pale. His view of Xiao Team Leader changed completely.

Xiao Team Leader continued: “The item in Li Banfeng’s hands is critical. We cannot let him take it away. We must accept some risk!”

“Am I supposed to bear all the risk alone?” Dengpao stared straight at Xiao Zhenggong.

Xiao Zhenggong spoke calmly: “It’s your duty. You lost track of Li Banfeng!”

Lao Chen patted Dengpao on the back, soothing his emotions.

When Dengpao calmed down, Lao Chen turned to Xiao Zhenggong: “Let that thing go where it’s meant to go—wouldn’t that be better?”

Xiao Zhenggong’s expression turned icy: “Li Banfeng isn’t an Annengzhe . With such a vital item, if he reaches Pulu Province, it’s a death sentence. Better to end him now...”

“I still say the same: if you want to go, go,” Lao Chen smiled unchanged. “Didn’t you just say you’d execute him? Go ahead—I won’t stop you!”

Xiao Zhenggong said nothing. He would not risk his own life provoking Fuxing.

Lao Chen gazed at Li Banfeng’s back, murmuring to himself:

Young man, under Fuxing’s protection, you should reach Pulu Province safely.

But when you return, who knows if you’ll still look the same.

Woooo! Woooo!

The whistle blew again, as if urging passengers to board quickly.

Li Banfeng reached the door of the green-bodied carriage. The attendant checked his ticket, clipped a notch into it with a pair of shears, and let him on board.

Inside the narrow corridor, Li Banfeng found his Seat 7.

This... is a seat?

Li Banfeng pushed open Door 7.

Behind it was a small room.

A private cabin?

In Huan State, do trains even have private cabins?

Inside was a long bench—common on green-bodied trains—but in Li Banfeng’s memory, there should have been two. Now there was only one.

Before the bench was a small dining table—the standard feature on green-bodied trains, which Li Banfeng knew well.

Beside the table was the window, with two handles and latches at the lower corners. Li Banfeng was about to open the window for air, when he noticed two more doors in the room.

Li Banfeng pushed open one door—and a familiar smell drifted out.

It was a toilet. Through the urinal, he could see the tracks directly.

Beside the urinal was a sink.

This was the standard toilet of a green-bodied train.

First-class sleeper ticket—even comes with a private bathroom?

Li Banfeng turned and pushed open the other door. Inside was another small room—more accurately, a berth, since it held only a single bed.

One room, one living area, one bathroom.

Is this exclusive to first-class sleepers?

Worried he’d made a mistake, Li Banfeng was about to step out and ask—when suddenly the living area’s loudspeaker crackled to life:

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard Train 1160. All passengers already on board, please remain seated. First-time riders on this train: please close your curtains, do not look out the windows, and absolutely do not open them.

Train attendants are only responsible for ticket checks and station announcements. They will not disturb you at other times. Unless necessary, do not allow strangers into your carriage.

Wishing you a pleasant journey.”

Zzzzzt~

The announcement ended. Li Banfeng was puzzled by the strange rules—why couldn’t he open the window? Why close the curtains?

His phone vibrated. He received a message from He Jiaqing.

“Brother, you must follow the train’s rules.”

PS: Thank you to our patron Nyaizihighest for your unwavering support since the beginning of this journey!

(End of Chapter)