Chapter 127: Elder, Subway, Cellphone

Starry Dome Train·Observation Carriage

Walther sat alone on the sofa in the Observation Carriage, his brows slightly furrowed, his fingertips unconsciously tapping his knee, and his mind repeatedly replayed recent anomalies concerning Xinghe and San Yue Qi.

Xinghe's bizarre Sleepwalking and violent tendencies, the mysterious figure in the Party Carriage that resembled San Yue Qi, and the Bi Zui (Cocktail Technique) that delivered an inexplicable cold joke in a voice that made him extremely uncomfortable…

The clues were chaotic, yet all hinted at something unusual.

The clacking of high heels, "tap tap," grew nearer, interrupting his reverie.

Jizi came carrying a tray, on which rested two steaming cups of coffee emitting a distinctive rich aroma.

She sat opposite Walther and pushed one cup toward him.

"You've been sitting here alone for a long time; ran into a problem?"

Jizi asked with a smile, taking an elegant sip herself first.

Walther's gaze fell on the dark brown liquid before him, and the corner of his mouth twitched imperceptibly.

He forced himself not to touch the "energizing" drink, merely nudging it gently to the center of the table as if it were a hazardous item that required careful handling.

"There are indeed some matters…"

Walther adjusted his glasses, gathered his thoughts, and detailed to Jizi Xinghe's bizarre Sleepwalking, what he had seen and heard outside the Party Carriage, and the subsequent investigation of Bi Zui (Cocktail Technique) that yielded only a slew of cold jokes.

Listening, Jizi's relaxed expression gradually turned solemn; she set down her coffee cup and said, "So, as the only possible source of information, Bi Zui really revealed nothing?"

Walther's face grew complex, he was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "No. It merely… used a very 'standard' tone to tell a dozen cold jokes that could drop the average temperature by three degrees."

(If my resolve weren't strong enough, I might have actually torn that cocktail robot apart to see if it hid a fragment of Ao Tuo or something…)

He only ran the words through his mind, never uttering them.

Jizi sighed helplessly, rubbing her temples, "It seems the situation is more complicated than I imagined. In any case, we can't watch Xiaosanyue being deceived. She's naive, inexperienced, and easily misled by these unknown 'intimacies.'"

She paused, then her tone steadied, "I think, as family, we should have an open, honest talk with her. At the very least, she needs to understand that concealment and facing things alone may carry risks."

As she spoke, the Observation Carriage door slid open, and San Yue Qi poked her head in, her face still bearing the relaxed smile from the just‑ended leisure activity, "Uncle Yang Shu, Sister Jizi, you're both here?"

"Perfect timing, Xiaosanyue."

Jizi waved at her, a gentle smile returning, "Come sit, let's chat."

San Yue Qi, without suspicion, hopped over and sat on the sofa between the two elders, "What are we talking about? Is there a new itinerary?"

Walther and Jizi exchanged a glance, and Jizi spoke first, trying to sound casual, "Nothing much, just that you seem… a bit busy lately? You're often nowhere during break times."

San Yue Qi's smile froze, her gaze drifting, "Huh? Is that so? I was just… um, sorting photos in my room, or… just wandering around…"

Walther took over, his voice steady and reassuring, "Xiaosanyue, we're not trying to interfere with your freedom. It's just that you recall how Xinghe almost got duped by that Black Tower's Sister, right? The universe is vast, full of possibilities, and some malevolent beings exploit people's inner desires to get close."

He looked at San Yue Qi's slightly pursed lips and continued, "We're only worried about you. If you encounter any… special person, or something incomprehensible, you can tell us. The Train Group is a whole, and we'll all help you."

In San Yue Qi's perception, Walther, Yang Shu, and Jizi are extremely important family members.

Facing their gentle yet concerned gazes, the words San Yue Qi had intended to conceal got stuck in her throat.

She lowered her head, fingers twisting her hem, wrestled internally for a moment, then whispered, "Actually… there is one… she said she's my sister."

"Sister?"

Jizi raised an eyebrow slightly, "What's her name?"

"Chang Ye Yue."

San Yue Qi lifted her head, seeming to seek some recognition from the elders' faces, "When you hear that name, does it sound a bit like my own? She said we've been separated for a long time…"

Walther and Jizi exchanged another glance, each seeing puzzlement in the other's eyes.

"Chang Ye Yue?"

The name indeed shares a structural similarity with 'San Yue Qi', yet it's unheard of, its truth uncertain.

"How did she… meet you?" Walther asked cautiously.

"Right in the Party Carriage."

San Yue Qi answered honestly, "Whenever I'm on break, she comes to find me, and we chat there. She told me a lot… about my hometown and past stories."

Walther leaned forward slightly, "Stories? What kind of stories?"

"She said our hometown is a place called Weng Fa Luo Si."

"There, it was once shrouded by a disaster called the Black Tide, and then… to combat the Black Tide, a group of heroes called the 'Ying Jie' emerged, composing a tragic epic…"

"Ying Jie?"

Walther's brows knit instantly, his heart gave a thud, a profoundly ominous premonition poured over him like icy water.

San Yue Qi, unaware of his subtle shift, continued enthusiastically, "Yeah! There are many heroes inside! Like one named Kevin, who seems especially powerful, wielding a gigantic sword…"

Walther: "…"

(Hmm, coincidence—there are tens of thousands of Kaiwens in the universe, and those wielding massive swords are countless…)

"…and a very beautiful, lively sister named Ailixiya, proficient with bow and arrow…"

Walther: "…"

(The sounds are similar, right? Must be a mishearing…)

"…and one called A Bo Ni Ya, who seems gentle but apparently can foresee destiny or something…"

Walther finally couldn't hold back, raised his hand, made a pause gesture, his face displaying the classic 'elderly, subway, cellphone' expression.

He inhaled deeply, clinging to a sliver of hope, and tentatively asked, "Xiaosanyue… the Kevin you just mentioned, does he wield a great sword ablaze with Flame, looking especially imposing?"

San Yue Qi's eyes widened in surprise, "Uncle Yang Shu! How did you know?! That's exactly how sister's story described it!"