Chapter 83: Dream

The Infinity Train continued to roll on.

Zero sat across from Rengoku Kyojurou, holding a notebook and pen, writing in his diary.

Tanjiro sat beside Rengoku Kyojurou, chatting.

Rengoku Kyojurou felt he and Tanjiro really hit it off, and so he wanted to take Tanjiro as his tsuguko.

Though Tanjiro looked helpless, he could smell that although Rengoku Kyojurou sometimes talked off the wall when chatting with him, there was no malice whatsoever.

Warm and passionate as fire, his whole being brimming with a sense of justice and trust.

"You really do love looking after people~"

Tanjiro thought to himself.

"Yaa ha ha ha! So fast! I'm gonna go out and race him, let's see who's faster!"

"That's dangerous, you idiot! Cut it out, Inosuke! Even an idiot has its limits!!"

Inosuke beside them was always causing a ruckus, and Zenitsu could only hold him back, stopping him from doing all sorts of stupid things.

"This is very dangerous! Because we never know when a demon might appear." Rengoku Kyojurou spoke up.

"Eh?!" The moment he heard "demon," Zenitsu's expression immediately changed. Looking a little disbelieving, he asked, "Are there really demons on this train?"

Rengoku Kyojurou didn't hide anything at all and said straight out, "Yes."

"Eh?!! There really are?! No no no!! Not a train heading to a place with demons, but demons right on the train! I hate it! I want to get off!"

So frightened that he threw himself down in the aisle, kicking up a fuss and rolling around, Zenitsu declared he absolutely refused to run into any demons and wanted to get off right now!

"In a very short time, over forty people on this train have already gone missing to this day! Many swordsmen have been injured or even killed! That's why, as Pillar, I and Zero have come in person!"

The moment Rengoku Kyojurou finished speaking, Zenitsu grew even more afraid!

He shouted, "I want to get off! Let me off right now!"

Just then, from a car not far away, a conductor came over.

Only he looked terribly pale, no color in his face at all, a deathly white, utterly gloomy.

When he came before Zero and the others, he slowly said, "Please show me your tickets!"

Then everyone took out their tickets and handed them to the conductor.

The conductor took out a tool and began punching the tickets; once that was done, he returned the punched tickets to them.

But in that very instant of punching, Zero suddenly felt something was off!

Yet he couldn't say exactly what was off!

"Thank you… I've confirmed everything…" the conductor said, his tone somewhat stiff.

Squeak… squeak…

On the ceiling of the car, the lights flickered in and out.

Suddenly, Tanjiro caught a whiff in the air of the car — a nauseating stench.

And Zero and Rengoku Kyojurou rose at the same time, stepping in front of everyone, drawing their weapons, their gazes fixed on the doorway to the next car.

"Conductor, it's dangerous here, please leave first! The situation is extremely urgent, so please don't ask about the matter of carrying swords!" Rengoku Kyojurou said.

Click!

The ceiling lights went out for a brief instant, then came back on, and at the end of the aisle appeared the figure of a two-faced demon.

Four horns grew on its head, and the same on its shoulders!

On both sides of the demon were passengers, all of them terrified.

"You used Blood Demon Art to hide that enormous body — no wonder it was so hard to detect you! But since you mean to lay murderous hands on the innocent, the Flame Katana in my hand, Rengoku's, will surely burn you until not a bone remains!"

Flame Breathing. First Form. Unknown Fire!

Rengoku Kyojurou slowly drew his Nichirin Blade, unleashed his technique, and in a flash closed on the demon, beheading it!

Roooar!!!

The demon let out an enraged howl, then charged at Rengoku Kyojurou — before it could react, its head was already parted from its body, and it crumbled to ash.

Just as Rengoku Kyojurou finished off the Two-Faced Demon, Zero's figure shot past him, bursting through the door into the next car.

He sensed that in the next car, there was still another demon!

Sure enough, right ahead, another demon appeared.

Its four limbs were long like a spider's joints.

And in a corner of the seats not far away, a passenger was hiding there, trembling all over.

When Rengoku Kyojurou caught up, the two exchanged a glance.

Rengoku Kyojurou understood at once what to do, rushed over swiftly, and rescued that passenger.

Then, on his way back, Zero spun his Nichirin Scythe in a flash, appearing before the demon, and in one strike beheaded it on the spot!

With the demons dealt with, Tanjiro and the other two little ones hurried over as well.

What they had just witnessed filled their eyes with admiration and awe!

"Big Brother Rengoku, Big Brother Zero, you're amazing!"

"Please take me as your disciple! Big Brother Rengoku, Big Brother Zero!"

"Yaa ha ha ha! As I thought, real tough guys — me too!"

The three of them crowded around Rengoku Kyojurou and Zero, looking for all the world like obedient little sidekicks.

Zero smiled a little helplessly, clapped Rengoku Kyojurou on the shoulder — the meaning clear: I'm leaving this to you!

Then he stepped aside.

Rengoku Kyojurou laughed heartily and said, "No problem! I'll take care of all three of you in one go! Ha ha ha ha!"

"Big Brother!!" x3

Watching the funny yet heartwarming scene before him, Zero couldn't help feeling a little moved.

But at the same time, the uneasy premonition in his heart grew stronger and stronger! It felt as though something was about to happen!

Moreover, when he had just slain the evil ghost earlier, those passengers had been standing in another car, completely motionless!

Like statues, deaf and indifferent!

He thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it!

He could only take it one step at a time.

However, reality was an entirely different scene.

The five sat in their original seats, fallen into deep slumber; everything that had just happened was nothing more than a dream.

Rengoku Kyojurou and Tanjiro leaned against each other, fast asleep.

Zero crossed his arms in front of his chest, sleeping with his head lowered.

Zenitsu leaned back in his seat, snoring loudly as he slept, while Inosuke lay on his back on Zenitsu's lap, sleeping.

…………

Tap! Tap! Tap! ……

A burst of hurried footsteps ran quickly, passing through car after car.

Finally, in the car just behind the locomotive, he knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed tightly against the floor, tears streaming down his face.

This person was the conductor who had just punched Zero's group's tickets.

"I have followed your instructions and clipped their tickets, making them fall asleep! Please, let me enter the dreamland quickly too! Please let me go see my deceased… wife and daughter! Please… please, I beg you…"

The conductor cried out.

"Alright~~"

The moment the words fell, a palm appeared before the conductor; on the back of the hand grew a mouth and an eye, and at the wrist there was also an eye.

"You did very well, now sleep obediently~~"

Snap!

The palm spoke an incantation, casting a Blood Demon Art, and the conductor quickly fell into deep slumber, seeing his deceased wife and daughter in his dreams……

"You just have a nice dream of reuniting with your family~~"

Afterwards, the palm turned around, looking at the four children behind it—two boys and two girls.

Their eyes were unfocused; in their eyes, there seemed to be no light or hope at all……

"Um, what should we do next?" one of the little girls asked.

"Wait a little longer, and they will fall asleep~ Until then, you just wait here~ Sometimes, demon slayers with sharp intuition might unconsciously wake up again because of killing intent or a demon's aura~

When you go over to tie the ropes, be careful not to touch their bodies~ I can't leave the front car for now~

Before I finish the preparations, work hard, okay~ It's all so that you can have a happy, beautiful dream~~"

After saying this, the palm left the spot, leaving the remaining tasks to the four children.

"Yes… we understand." ×4

At the locomotive of the train, Enmu stood there, continuing to gaze up at the sky.

And that palm also returned to his hand.

"What a wonderful night it is~~ It's almost going to succeed~ This all really feels like a dream~ I'm so happy~~"

Lower Moon One — Enmu

…………

【Ding ling ling~】

An alarm rang, and in a high-tech room, a young man with red eyes and white hair instantly woke up.

He tapped the projection screen beside him, and the alarm turned off.

He got up and left the bed, checking the time:

Year 4333, Month X, Day X, 13:00 PM

"Those… were they dreams?" the young man murmured to himself.

This young man was Zero (Bai Bai Yue).

【Creator, you are awake.】

To Zero (Bai Bai Yue)'s left, a graceful virtual projection appeared, wearing a red queen's dress and a rose crown on her head.

Her name was Rose, an ultra-advanced AI that Zero (Bai Bai Yue) had spent nearly a hundred years creating; she likewise possessed self-awareness.

But in her eyes, since Zero (Bai Bai Yue) had created her, he was her creator; apart from certain military matters, she obeyed only Bai Bai Yue in everything else.

For example, taking care of daily life, operating the machines in the room to make him breakfast, or drawing a bath for him after he completed his missions.

Rose had even requested Bai Bai Yue multiple times to craft her a physical body so she could stay by Zero (Bai Bai Yue)'s side and attend to him.

But Zero (Bai Bai Yue) refused.

He hoped Rose could properly guard Huaxia on behalf of himself and 【them】, after all 【Nantianmen】……

Because of this, although Rose was somewhat discouraged, she did not disobey Zero (Bai Bai Yue)'s order.

"Rose, how long did I sleep?"

【Creator, you slept a total of 5 hours, 3 to 5 hours less than usual. Rose suggests you rest more, so as not to affect your health.】

"No need, I still have to go on an inspection."

【Yes, Creator. Thank you for your hard work.】

"By the way, how is the protection work for Huaxia's Martyrs' Cemetery going now?"

【Reporting to Creator, the plasma shield you created has already protected the Martyrs' Cemetery. Non-Huaxia personnel or those without special permits cannot enter! Otherwise, they will be treated as invaders!】

"Is that so? That's good then… They are all my forebears; I cannot let anyone with ill intentions disturb their rest…"

Saying this, Zero arrived before a massive floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at everything from on high.

Looking out the window at everything — one maglev track after another, and suspended cars streaking through the air one after another…

And all these drone guards patrolling everything around them.

The drone guards, codename: Sky Eye.

Each drone guard has its own serial number, such as 【Sky Eye-01】 or 【Sky Eye-02】, and so on.

They were manufactured by Hua Xia's top-tier scientists over the course of nearly fifty years.

【Sky Eye】, just like Hua Xia's soldiers, has its own duty — to hold the line!

Above 【Sky Eye】 is 【Sky Net】.

【Sky Net】 monitors the situation on Blue-White Planet from outer space, conducting reconnaissance and reporting environmental changes.

It can also take control of 【Sky Eye】 to track down hidden criminals and the like…

Looking at everything before him, Zero couldn't shake the feeling that something was off!

Was that dream really just a dream?

Butterfly Xiang Nai Hui, Kanroji Xiao Xiao Mili…

And Xiao Bai Yue…

"Xiao Bai Yue?! Right, Rose, where did Xiao Bai Yue go?"

【Creator, who is Xiao Bai Yue?】

"Sorry, I almost forgot — T0 is Xiao Bai Yue."

【T0 is currently on patrol with your sister Bai Yun and Young Lady Luo Li. She should be back soon.】

"I see…"

As he spoke, Zero's mechanized smart door slid open automatically.

"Master!"

Thump!

T0 (Xiao Bai Yue) threw herself straight into Zero's arms, clinging to his chest.

At the same time, two other women walked in together — Sister Luo Li and Bai Yun.

"Zero, good work on this morning's patrol." Sister Luo Li said.

But Zero felt a little puzzled, because the name 【Zero】 — he seemed to remember it wasn't given to him in this world, but rather in…

In his mind, scene after scene grew terribly blurry, as if wrapped in a fog…

"Brother, what's wrong?" Bai Yun asked.

"It's nothing… I just thought of some things, but I can't remember them. It feels like those things… were important…"

"Then don't think about it for now. You must just be too tired." Sister Luo Li said, then took Bai Bai Yue's hand and walked outside.

"Come on, I'll walk with you. Think of it as clearing your head."

"Mm…" Though he said so, Zero still had many questions he couldn't recall.

Why does Sister Luo Li call him 【Zero】?

Why had he almost forgotten the name 【Xiao Bai Yue】?

Why did that dream feel like something he had actually lived through?

Too many, too many whys surfaced in Zero's mind.

Right now, his head was a mess — he clearly still remembered something, yet he just couldn't bring it to mind…

"Brother, Sister Luo Li, come back early! I'll take T0 to go run some checks first." Bai Yun waved at the two as they left.

"Mm, alright. T0 is in your hands then, Little Yun."

Sister Luo Li took Zero's hand and led him into a maglev flying car.

They arrived at a man-made 【Giant Sky Garden】.

Here, it looked like a garden stretching as far as the eye could see, but in reality it covered only a little over two thousand square meters.

Because virtual projection technology was used, it looked extremely lifelike.

Of course, most of the vegetation was real — there were small groves and cabins meant for resting.

And you could also adjust it to whatever mode you wanted.

Such as daytime or nighttime, and so on.

As for this Sky Garden, the Luo family had poured in a fortune and spent over thirty years building it — a gift for Sister Luo Li.

Holding Zero's hand, they passed through a small grove, where the trees formed a uniquely beautiful scene.

Breathing in the scent of the air was enough to lift the spirits.

They reached the central spot and found that little cabin.

She led Zero inside the cabin, then switched both the cabin and the Sky Garden to night mode and transparent mode.

Here, what greeted the eye was a starry night sky, and you could see the city you were in.