Chapter 891: The Silent Zhu Xingshu

The Chat Room had once again begun its condemnation of Zhu Xingshu.

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Ye Qiyan likewise didn't continue speaking in there.

That bastard charlatan Zhu Xingshu would absolutely never allow a full nine Card Sequences to fall directly into the hands of anyone outside the Emperor's Order members.

Given her temperament, it was also impossible that she hadn't prepared a backup plan.

Fan Huo most likely wouldn't die.

Going to that Utopia City offered near-zero benefits aside from danger.

He was desperately short on money right now. Rather than getting mixed up in that charlatan Zhu Xingshu's affairs, it'd be far more satisfying to go earn money in the next Station World.

【Beep beep】

In the private chat interface, someone had sent him another message.

Ye Qiyan took a look. If it was Zhu Xingshu, he didn't plan to respond.

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But.

It was Zhao Lin.

【"Brother Qiyan, that... this event, are you going to participate? I... what comes next is Misfortune, so..."】

Misfortune, huh?

In other words, if Zhao Lin's next stop was Utopia City, then that meant something absolutely terrible would happen there.

Now Ye Qiyan wanted to go even less.

【"No need to go. That charlatan Zhu Xingshu is up to no good. Let her figure something out herself. There's no way she doesn't have a plan."】

【"Oh oh, that's good, that's good. If Brother Qiyan you went and I didn't, I'd feel kind of bad... But speaking of which, it seems like people from Future Guild are going. I heard Shangguan Yingxue and the others say that it seems that lady named Mo Shi is curious about the Emperor's Order people, so she's bringing some people to take a look."】

Mo Shi?

She was going?

Then he definitely couldn't go.

Moreover, if the Mayor of Utopia City really intended to make a move against Train Conductors of Ye Qiyan's generation, it would inevitably involve Mo Shi as well. Although that Lady Death had said she wouldn't use her past power.

But if someone really pushed her too far, opened a door to the Death Realm and let the End descend, that place would probably become a dead land.

【"Got it. Speaking of which, you seem pretty familiar with those Future Guild people."】

【"Hehe, I'll secretly tell Brother Qiyan, I'm actually their honorary advisor now. Although it doesn't count as officially joining, I occasionally provide some intel and experience about Advanced Stations. After all...

I'm also the first person besides you to enter an Advanced Station.

Oh right, that Mo Shi and Miss Shen Yuan both pay a lot of attention to you. After adding me as a friend, they always ask me about you... Brother Qiyan, are you very familiar with both of them?"】

Familiar... were they?

Ye Qiyan recalled his encounters with the Abyss and Death, those beings.

One wanted to turn him into a figurine, one wanted his life.

If that counted as familiar, then yes, they were quite familiar.

【"It's alright."】

After a bit of idle chat, the conversation ended.

The Emperor's Order Chat Room was still buzzing with excitement.

Menrojina: 【"Damn charlatan, nothing but scamming people. I'm not going this time. I know you have your own agenda. That guy Fan Huo is just your bait, meant to lure us to Utopia City to complete your plan.

Don't bother me, otherwise next time we meet I'll strip you naked and string you up.

Oh right, @Ye Qiyan, don't listen to this guy's nonsense. Tsk, I'm still very busy, we'll talk later..."】

Lin You: 【"Exactly, exactly. Boss, no matter how much you like scamming people, you can't joke with Brother Fan Huo's life. I'm really angry this time. I want to go save Brother Fan Huo, but I really can't get out. Boss, if you really let Brother Fan Huo die there, I'm quitting the Emperor's Order."】

Achuan: 【"Big sister Zhu Xingshu... you've gone a bit too far...."】

This time even Achuan was disappointed in Zhu Xingshu.

Clearly her actions this time had angered everyone.

In response, that charlatan had, unusually, offered no explanation or rebuttal at all, as if she'd been struck in the heart and felt ashamed.

But was that real?

Zhu Xingshu, that charlatan, that lunatic, feeling ashamed?

Back in Suoluo City, she had been willing to ruthlessly use everyone to try to deny that city's fate of the End.

So, Ye Qiyan didn't believe it.

【Beep beep】

Another private chat message came through.

The sender was Shaya.

【"Ye Qiyan, are you busy?"】

【"What's up, Sister Shaya?"】

----

Level-12 Station · Pretender Kingdom

Aboard Shaya's Night Angel.

Nine of her twelve Angel Cards' Angels were circling outside.

One after another, monsters disguised as humans reverted to their true forms under the radiance of the angels' glory, charging toward the Train.

On the Train, on a Dynamic Train Skin, an angel with black feathered wings spread its twelve wings.

A pitch-black sun hung high in the sky. The Black Sun meteors that fell smashed the disguised monsters into fragments.

Shaya pursed her lips, looked at Ye Qiyan's name on the Light Screen, and sighed.

【"No... mm... how should I put this. You might not believe it, even I don't believe it.

But this time it really might have nothing to do with Zhu Xingshu."】

Ye Qiyan didn't reply, waiting for Shaya to continue.

【"Because Fan Huo, after obtaining the ninth card, wanted to learn the whereabouts of the tenth card.

And it was during this period that Utopia City extended an olive branch to him, wanting to commission him for some things. The price was a War Card.

Fan Huo asked Zhu Xingshu for his own Fate line.

He'd already long known from her mouth where he would encounter near-certain death.

But he still chose to go. Do you know why?"】

Why?

Ye Qiyan didn't even need to think to guess the answer.

【"Because of Desire. Because he wanted to obtain the tenth, that's why he willingly went to take the risk, to try, even knowing there were risks, even, the risk of certain death. But to fulfill Desire, he must forge ahead, must try to obtain that Card Sequence, even if, that place is a trap."】

【"Bingo! Full marks~ Seems like you've already become a truly powerful Train Conductor, Ye Qiyan~

Zhu Xingshu had long tried to persuade him, but this was Fan Huo's own choice.

Once the path is chosen, there is no turning back.

Even if ahead lies a bottomless abyss, one must jump in, until a way out is found.

That's what a Train Conductor is.

Mm... many races call us a kind of Calamity that walks through the worlds~ hmph hmph."】

Ye Qiyan raised an eyebrow.

【"Sister Shaya, what benefit did you receive from her to speak up for her like this? Relax, I never thought well of her in the first place, so whatever she does doesn't matter."】</p>

【"It's not about receiving benefits. She's my friend. Although she's a brain-damaged bastard charlatan, a lot of the time, things she didn't actually do shouldn't be pinned on her."】

【"So you'll go?"】

【"I've been tangled up by a Station World. I can't go for now. I suggest you don't go either. Although I don't know why, I keep feeling that this time their goal isn't Fan Huo at all, but you.

Or rather...

your disguised identity, Altos.

At that RUN Company station, did you get something? That charlatan Number Two, Menrojina, the one who won't show her face, told me that lately, the name Altos has appeared in the Homeward-bound Souls' circles over ten thousand times.

She's also been tangled up by a Station World recently and can't free herself yet, so she hasn't told you yet, has she?"】

Ye Qiyan hadn't told Shaya about the Memory Object.

He sank into thought.

If it really was as Shaya said, and Utopia City's true target was him.

Perhaps...

he really did need to make a trip there after all.