Chapter 14: The Farewell Gift
“Boom——!”
The deafening roar erupted, causing the entire train to shake violently.
Luxianbei, experiencing a ride like never before, held onto the alchemical bomb with one hand and grasped the train’s handrail with the other, her body swaying in the car like a small red flag, her stomach churning violently as a wig floated by from unknown origins, slowly passing in front of her.
The severe vibrations from the collision of the giant train with the rock wall did not last long. Seconds later, the feeling of weightlessness vanished, and Luxianbei’s feet returned to the ground.
“Ugh——Ugh——!”
Luxianbei gagged repeatedly as she steadied herself and paced back to Biesuzhen’s side, taking a while before her complexion returned to normal.
Seeing her stuffing the scattered alchemical bomb back into her guitar bag, Biesuzhen’s expression eased somewhat as she weakly asked, “Calamity, are you okay?”
“I’m sorry, I forgot to remind you that when the giant train passes through the city barrier, there are usually severe tremors. This is a normal phenomenon.”
What use is that now? Luxianbei rolled her eyes at Biesuzhen, instinctively wanting to buckle her seatbelt but touched something cold and slimy.
In shock, she jerked her hand back to find a tentacle over half a meter long and two fingers wide extending from the gap between two seats, waving in the air and sticking its suction cup “smack!” onto her waist.
Luxianbei glanced down at the tentacle wrapped tightly around her waist, then turned to Biesuzhen, expressionless, and said, “Is this also normal?”
“Y-yes,” Biesuzhen nodded, avoiding her gaze.
“…” After two seconds of silence, Luxianbei sighed silently and said seriously, “Excuse me, do you know where I can file a complaint?”
Those human passengers could either not see these things due to weak spiritual sensitivity or had been knocked out by someone after getting on the train; otherwise, how could anyone endure this d*mn riding experience?
If it were me, I would have written seventeen or eighteen complaint letters without a second thought! Luxianbei thought.
“This…” Biesuzhen opened her thin lips, about to say something to Luxianbei.
At that moment, after violently colliding with the rock wall, the giant train resumed its forward movement, and a wet, sticky sound could be heard from outside the carriage.
Hearing this, Luxianbei stretched her neck to look outside the window, only to see that the gray-black rock wall had seemingly softened into a muddy form, gradually enveloping the giant urban legend that was pulling the train.
Then, following a strong spirit energy fluctuation, the rock wall suddenly opened up as if some gigantic creature had expanded its cavity, instantly swallowing the entire train, plunging the carriage into darkness.
In that extreme and profound darkness, not even the outlines of the surroundings could be seen.
However, the change in light did not affect Luxianbei’s vision; she turned to peer out the window and saw a dark red substance that resembled flesh writhing.
Luxianbei lightly nudged Biesuzhen with her shoulder and pointed outside, saying, “What the hell is that? Are we inside some urban legend’s belly now?”
“This… Calamity, to be honest, I’m not very clear about how the giant train operates either. All I know is that every time we pass through the city barrier, there are severe tremors, and then we plunge into darkness. By the time we can see anything, we’ve already arrived at the Lanxi Inn.”
After a pause, she added, “By the way, this area seems to be referred to as the Flesh Tunnel by the sisters.”
Biesuzhen explained everything she knew to Luxianbei without holding anything back, afraid to hide anything after the torment she had endured in the past few days.
In those days at the Lanxi Inn, when she debated with several guests, none had been able to stir things up as much as she did alone.
Flesh Tunnel, huh? Luxianbei nodded thoughtfully.
It seems her earlier guess was indeed correct.
Even Biesuzhen, with her spiritual energy fluctuation at 0.2, couldn’t see some things; ordinary human passengers probably thought they were riding the everyday subway, thinking they had already reached their destination.
Lost in thought, she reached into her guitar bag, rummaging around until she pulled out a lightning-attribute alchemical bomb. Leaning half out of her seat, she used the dazzling lightning from the bottle to illuminate outside, only to see that the dark red flesh was covered in a dense cluster of eyeballs.
Those eyes, like a swarm of communal creatures, gathered together, and when illuminated by the deep blue light, scurried away like startled rats, dragging long bl**d vessels and nerves behind them.
“…”
These can’t possibly be relatives of eyeballs, can they?
Luxianbei thought, returning to her seat and catching a glimpse of Biesuzhen’s terrified expression, her body trembling lightly. She tilted her head in confusion, asking, “Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
Biesuzhen twitched at the corner of her mouth, pointing at the alchemical bomb in Luxianbei’s hand and weakly said, “Calamity, you just said, what is this thing?”
Luxianbei shook the alchemical bomb in her hand, causing Biesuzhen to instinctively shrink back.
“Um…” Luxianbei pondered for two seconds, “From a certain perspective, it should be considered a bomb.”
Biesuzhen, “…”
So, you were using a bomb as a flashlight just now?!
If anyone was confused about how Calamity had tormented her, they should understand now.
Her torment wasn’t the usual kind; it was something special, hard to describe, clearly without any harm yet keeping one on edge all the time, Biesuzhen thought.
Seemingly guessing Biesuzhen’s thoughts, Luxianbei smirked slightly and simply explained, “It’s indeed a bomb, but it can also be used for illumination.”
Although the modified alchemical bomb had enhanced power compared to the earlier version, with the division of attributes and a more convenient activation method, it didn’t change the fact that its main composition was a mixture of alchemical residue and calamity agents.
Typically, as long as Luxianbei didn’t activate it with her special skill, it wouldn’t explode.
Biesuzhen fell silent, just trying to move aside and turn her head away.
A bomb is also something that can illuminate?
If it explodes, the whole train could be lit up!
Granny, I miss you so much; I promise I won’t leave the inn to earn side money again. Biesuzhen thought gloomily.
“Seriously, how come a urban legend like you is so timid?” Luxianbei commented disdainfully while putting the alchemical bomb back into her guitar bag.
————
The giant train traveled through the Flesh Tunnel for about thirty minutes. After the lights turned on, a zombie stewardess appeared once, kindly offering various meal options to the passengers on board.
Looking at the cart overflowing with items that seemed ready to jump out and bite someone, Luxianbei pondered for a long time before finally ordering a cup of ice soda and thoughtfully getting Biesuzhen a cup of plain water.
Even though Biesuzhen really wanted to try the giant train’s special beef eye with bile tequila.
Thirty minutes later.
As the train exited the Flesh Tunnel, the carriage was suddenly filled with light, and a sweet, sticky fragrance wafted through the window, causing an inexplicable restlessness in their chests.
Immediately after, the voice of the man in the top hat came through the train’s announcement system.
“Dear passengers, this train is about to stop at the Lanxi Inn. The stop will last for thirty minutes. Please ensure that you take your belongings and disembark in an orderly manner.”
“Passengers heading to the Dan Sha Gu Shi Pharmacy and Dream Come True Entertainment City should not wander too far while disembarking to avoid missing the departure time.”
After finishing the friendly reminder, the man changed his tone and began reading advertisements for the Lanxi Inn.
“The Lanxi Inn is a place dedicated to fulfilling various fantasies. Besides sleeping, there are four important things you must do: three meals a day…”
At first, Luxianbei found the advertisement for the Lanxi Inn quite interesting and listened intently. However, when she saw the scenery outside the window change, all her attention was completely drawn to it.
Outside the train window, in a giant cavern that seemed to have no end, countless semi-transparent corridors crisscrossed, intricately connecting numerous antique-style pavilions, forming a palace-like architectural cluster.
At one end of the building complex, a section was shaped like a station, with winding tracks extending over to the bottom of the giant train.
As the train continued forward, it slowly entered the station, where an opulently decorated platform was bustling with all sorts of people and urban legends, all sporting tipsy red faces and bizarre smiles.
A melodious piano tune drifted through the crowd.
Looking for the source of the sound, on the platform, a giant holographic projection displayed several girls whose appearances could rival those of a girl group, their outfits as skimpy as their garments, dancing energetically along with the music.
Below the holographic projection, a line of three-dimensional text flickered, reading “Eight Beauties in Rainbow Attire.”
Seeing Luxianbei entranced, Biesuzhen leaned in closer, saying, “Calamity, that’s our new top girl group at the Lanxi Inn. Interested in experiencing it?”
“Not interested,” Luxianbei shot a glance at Biesuzhen.
Biesuzhen rolled her eyes and said with a knowing smile, “There are male performers too; the next advertisement should be about that.”
Just as her words fell, the holographic projection flickered, and the image changed to reveal three burly men comparable to the Special Action Team members, twisting their bodies and displaying their muscles as if they were acting in some dark-themed movie.
“If you’re not interested in this type, there are also fresh meat types, and I can help you arrange that!” Biesuzhen added.
Luxianbei glanced at Biesuzhen impatiently, saying, “I appreciate your good intentions, but I’m not interested in men either…”
As she spoke, she suddenly noticed that there were four departure gates at the station, each marked with a dazzling neon light.
“Monster Characters…” Luxianbei read the words on those neon lights, frowning slightly, “What does that mean?”
“Categories!” Biesuzhen raised an eyebrow, “Didn’t you say you weren’t interested in men or women? Our business scope at the Lanxi Inn isn’t limited to humans!”
“Monster Characters refer to urban legends, plants and animals, humans, and objects, providing a simple classification for travelers during departure to help us serve better! Of course, for some niche requests and specific preferences, customers will have to ask for them inside the establishment.”
“So, how about it? Interested in taking a look?”
Luxianbei frowned at Biesuzhen, “Aren’t you a performer? Why are you conducting business as a pimp?”
Is it because you robbed me of my three hundred chips, making me work for nothing? Of course, you want to earn some commission back to mitigate the loss! Biesuzhen thought bitterly.
“Alright, stop talking.” Luxianbei straightened up and said formally, “I already said I’m not going, unless you can get me Bai Xiaohua.”
“A two-dimensional character? We have that!”
“Really!?” Luxianbei’s eyes lit up, gleaming.
“Of course!” Biesuzhen excitedly replied, “Lots of people come here to meet their two-dimensional ‘wives’ or others!”
Luxianbei, “???”
Wait! Is it really “Your wife is amazing”?
“So, we’ve already opened related services, guaranteed to achieve a ninety-nine percent realism! Let’s go, it’ll definitely not disappoint you!” Biesuzhen continued to coax.
“…”
After a mental struggle comparable to a world war, Luxianbei closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and chose to embrace reality, waving her hand at Biesuzhen.
Not going! Am I here for this kind of business? I’m a serious person here for serious matters.
Moreover, lust is akin to a kn*fe to the bone; I don’t want to turn into a madman whose only thought is about his wife…
I think my wife Bai Xiaohua would understand me, and even if the realism is a hundred percent, it’s still just a semblance, not real! Luxianbei thought disdainfully.
Just then, an announcement echoed through the station.
“Dear passengers, the giant train will depart in five minutes. Please board the train if you’re heading to the Dan Sha Gu Shi Pharmacy and Dream Come True Entertainment City…”
Upon hearing the announcement, Biesuzhen gently tapped the tentacles wrapped around her, and as they receded back into the gap between two seats, she stood up and slightly bowed to Luxianbei.
“Calamity, we agreed that I would give you all the chips and get you on the train, and now that you insist on not going with me to experience it, I’ll take my leave.”
“Okay, okay, you hurry and go!” Watching Biesuzhen get ready to leave, Luxianbei responded without a second thought.
To be honest, she had almost been swayed by Biesuzhen a moment ago and wished she would hurry to prevent herself from succumbing to temptation.
Moreover, she wasn’t here to play; she had a “main quest” to attend to and couldn’t afford to delay.
Although she still didn’t know how to trigger or complete this “main quest”…
Ultimately, a very simple reason for Luxianbei not getting off was that she was broke!
The chips on her entire body added up to just over seven hundred, while just having Biesuzhen perform a show would cost three hundred chips. Any more stimulating service, and she probably couldn’t afford it.
Well, poverty makes one’s will as strong as steel!
No wonder Biesuzhen can rule a city as the urban legend king… Biesuzhen thought sarcastically, no longer encouraging Luxianbei to get off. She bowed once more, saying, “Fate will bring us together again,” and turned to walk toward the platform. She hadn’t gone far when she heard Luxianbei call out softly behind her.
“Wait!”
This is promising! Biesuzhen’s eyes brightened as she turned back with excitement, saying, “Calamity, have you changed your mind? Then quickly come with me to get off? We’ll miss the train if we wait too long!”
“Do you take me for someone? I said I’m not going!” Luxianbei said as she took her guitar bag off her shoulder and pulled out five alchemical bombs of different attributes, stuffing them into Biesuzhen’s hands.
Biesuzhen stiffened, holding the bombs, trembling slightly, and weakly asked, “W-what is this?”
“This?” Luxianbei rubbed the back of her head, “I thought since we have met, you’ve helped me a bit, and now that we’re parting ways, shouldn’t I give you something? But I don’t have anything else, so I’ll just give you this.”
“This thing is quite powerful; if five of them explode together, they could probably take down a B-class urban legend. Just keep it for self-defense! No need to thank me, I have plenty more!”
“Also…”
Luxianbei wanted to say more when the giant train suddenly emitted a burst of horn.
“Whooo——!”
Immediately after, the platform echoed with an announcement.
“Dear passengers, the giant train is about to depart. Passengers disembarking at the Lanxi Inn should hurry to get off. Passengers heading to the Dan Sha Gu Shi Pharmacy and Dream Come True Entertainment City should board the train quickly.”
Upon hearing the announcement, Luxianbei exclaimed, “Uh-oh! We’re about to leave! You need to get off quickly, or it’ll be too late!”
As she spoke, she hurriedly pushed Biesuzhen off the train.
One minute later.
Holding the bombs, Biesuzhen was in a state of mental paralysis until the gust of wind from the train starting up brought her back to reality.
She looked at the bombs in her hands and then at the gradually receding train, suddenly remembering something, and tears streamed down her face as she couldn’t move.
“You give me this kind of thing; you should at least tell me how to use it! b*stard——!”
Hearing Biesuzhen’s anguished scream, passersby turned to look at her with strange expressions.
————
Luxianbei sat in her seat, watching Biesuzhen with tear-filled eyes as her figure gradually disappeared into the moving crowd, a warm feeling quietly rising in her heart.
Who says courtesans are heartless, performers lacking loyalty? Just look at Biesuzhen, isn’t she both caring and loyal?
We’ve only known each other for a short time, and during our farewell, she’s even shed tears!
So, whether it’s urban legends or between people, shouldn’t there be a bit more kindness? Luxianbei thought.
“Ugh——!”
The giant train emitted its simulated, eerie horn, its countless strong legs running wildly on the tracks, whipping up gusts of wind on the platform.
“Whoosh——Whoosh——!”
Just as Luxianbei prepared to withdraw her gaze from the platform leading to the XP satisfaction journey, she heard the light sound of paper rustling in the wind. An A4 paper with a photo and brief text flew past her, momentarily stunning her.
It appeared to be a missing person notice, and the person in the photo seemed to be…
Jiang Li.
