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墨書 Inktalez
The rolling White Smoke drifted with the wind, and the massive red Wheel gradually came to a stop. The enormous black body of the vehicle, with its azure drive rods, left Yuan An in awe, unable to resist the urge to reach out and touch the weathered surface of the machine. She held back, despite the surge of artistic inspiration bubbling within her; she had to suppress her curiosity and impulse because this Industrial Behemoth had an owner.
With a clang, the metal door of the carriage swung open, revealing a smoke-stained middle-aged man peering out. He wore Bottle Bottom Glasses, his hair a mix of gray and white, giving him the appearance of being in his forties. He was dressed in a yellowed white shirt and a black vest, with a prominent Mole at the corner of his mouth.
The man removed his glasses and pulled out a Miner's Lamp from behind him, shining its dim light on the two girls before him. He scrutinized them from head to toe and suddenly spoke up, “Hitch a Ride?”
The two girls exchanged glances, still unable to shake off their astonishment at this weathered vehicle. A Steam Locomotive, Miner's Lamp, Old Scholar—this train should have vanished into the dust of history. Where did it come from, and who was driving it?
“Were you bitten by a Zombie?” The middle-aged man frowned and jumped down from the vehicle, standing straight but still shorter than Yuan An.
“No.”
“Do you need help?”
“No.”
“Oh.” The man seemed somewhat bewildered as well; two ghostly figures standing on desolate tracks created an unreal scene.
Huihui suddenly jolted back to reality and hurriedly asked, “Is this your train?”
“I’m the conductor,” he adjusted his thick glasses and frowned. “Is there a problem?”
“Where are you coming from, and where are you headed?” Huihui regretted her question as soon as it left her lips; it felt like too much for a chance encounter.
“To a safe place.” The man grinned slightly, his gaze shifting to some Paper rustling in the wind beside the Railway Track. “Is this your artwork?”
“It's hers.” Huihui pointed at Yuan An, feeling an inexplicable sensation rise within her.
The middle-aged man walked over, holding a Miner's Lamp, and carefully picked up a piece of Paper. He brought it closer to the light and examined it for a moment, puzzled, "Why is it only red?"
"If Zombie Blood turns black, it can't be diluted," Yuan An replied, glancing around the darkened carriage while tearing off the burnt skin of a baked potato. She blew on the steaming mashed potato and took a gentle bite.
The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and praised, "What a clever girl, using Zombie Blood to paint."
Huihui furrowed her brow as she looked at the two of them, feeling that the atmosphere was increasingly strange. She quietly pulled Yuan An aside and asked, "He has a train."
"You want to ride?" Yuan An blinked her big eyes, her mouth full of mashed potato, speaking with a muffled voice.
"I do, but it feels kind of off," Huihui admitted candidly.
"Young lady, can you give me that painting? I can trade you supplies—clean water, food, clothes; I have them all." The middle-aged man leaned closer and pointed to the dark interior of the carriage, smiling as he said, "My bedroom could use a painting."
"May I ask who you are? How many people are on this train?" Huihui struggled to control her intense curiosity and calmly inquired, "Are you Survivors?"
"Of course. We traveled from Tongliao all the way here; we've covered several thousand kilometers," the middle-aged man smiled slightly and added, "Interested in traveling through the apocalypse together?"
Before either of them could respond, footsteps echoed from within the carriage. A young man emerged from the darkness and paused when he saw the two girls. He exclaimed in surprise, "There are actually Survivors here!"
The middle-aged man, referred to as Teacher Tian, glanced back at him and proudly raised the painting in his hand. "Go get some food and drink; I want to keep this painting."
The young man raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Aren't they getting on the train?"
Huihui quickly interjected, "Excuse me, are there any conditions for getting on your train? Also, where are you planning to head? Are there many people on the train?"
The young man smiled and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go find the conductor. He will answer your questions." With that, he turned back into the dark carriage.
Yuan An looked puzzled and quietly tugged at Huihui's sleeve, whispering, "Do you really want to go up there?"
"Why not?" Huihui turned to her and replied, "We've been wandering around for so long; don't we want to find a place to settle down?"
"But, but you’re being too reckless. What if—"
"You can come up and take a look," Teacher Tian said, having appeared behind the two girls. Adjusting his glasses, he continued, "We've encountered many Survivors along the way. Some have joined us on our journey, while others have bid us farewell with doubts. It's quite normal."
"Let's go take a look!" Huihui exclaimed excitedly.
Yuan An frowned, unable to understand why the usually cautious Huihui was suddenly acting so irrationally.
Just then, the young man returned, followed by a tall man in a conductor's uniform. The man had sharp features and looked to be in his thirties, sporting a neatly trimmed beard and wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
"These two ladies and one Zombie corpse," the young man introduced before leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He winked at Yuan An from a distance, and she responded with a roll of her eyes.
The conductor took off his hat and adjusted his slightly long hair as he approached them with an outstretched hand. "I am the conductor of the Forward Train, an uninfected Survivor."
The two girls shook hands with him and introduced themselves.
"There are many empty carriages on the train; you are welcome to board," the conductor said, his chiseled profile quite appealing. He pointed toward the long line of carriages behind him. "We have plenty of clean water and food, a group of Veterans to ensure the train's safety, as well as doctors, teachers, and musicians. We have no destination; we will stop wherever is suitable for living."
Yuan An felt confused, thinking that such good fortune seemed too good to be true. After drifting outside for three years and encountering many Living Persons more terrifying than Zombies, she was not willing to risk her life. However, Huihui displayed an intense interest in what was being offered. Yuan An could sense her excitement radiating from her; Huihui was gripping her arm tightly and trembling with anticipation.
Feeling quite helpless, Yuan An cautiously surveyed the area around the train and tentatively asked, "If we board the train, what do we need to give in return?"
"Labor and wisdom," the conductor said with a warm smile. Turning his head, he noticed the painting in Teacher Tian's hand, and his eyes brightened. "Are you an artist? The scenic views along the way are endless sources of inspiration."
Yuan An looked a bit confused and nodded blankly.
"Doing laundry and cooking can earn you a seat," Huihui said, regaining some rationality amidst her excitement.
"Of course, the progress of the train requires everyone's effort," the conductor replied, maintaining his gentle smile. As the daylight dimmed under the soft glow of the miner's lamp, everything seemed so unreal.
At that moment, a few carriages at the back opened their curtains, lights flickered on, and some heads poked out of the windows, pointing and whispering.
"How about it? If you have any concerns, I won't force you," the conductor said, turning to the young man leaning against the door. "Bring some water and food over for these two lovely ladies."
"No, no need," Huihui glanced at Yuan An and made a firm decision. "We want to get on the train."
Yuan An widened her eyes at her, receiving a pleading look in return.
"And you?" The conductor and others turned to Yuan An.
"I'll join too then, but I want to ask something," Yuan An said with a slight frown, testing the waters. "What if I want to get off midway?"
"You're free to come and go as you please." The conductor stepped aside from the door, making a gentlemanly gesture for them to enter.
The two exchanged glances before turning back to collect their belongings left by the railway track. After hesitating for a moment, they finally mustered their courage and stepped onto the train.
"I'll take you to your carriage. You two can stay together for now; get familiar with each other. If you need anything, come find me in Carriage Five," the young man said with a broad smile as he held up the miner's lamp, leading them toward the back of the carriage. The orange glow swept across several empty hard-seat compartments, filling the air with a pleasant fragrance. The tables were covered with cloths, set with all kinds of utensils.
"The dining car is in Carriages One, Four, and Seven. The conductor and chief attendant are in the cabin. The guards at the back and middle of the train ensure safety; they will show great enthusiasm towards beautiful ladies. But don't worry; no one here can force you into anything you're unwilling to do. Carriages Three, Five, Six, and Eight are filled with ordinary people like you and me. Tomorrow, the chief attendant will take you to behind Carriage Nine; that's where work takes place. You can choose suitable positions there; everyone is very friendly, and I'm sure you'll get along well."
"By the way, you can't go into the first three and last three carriages. You can move freely in the other carriages. No weapons or dangerous items are allowed in the sleeping compartments, and you can't take other people's things without permission. Meal times are fixed; just choose the dining car closest to you."
The Young Man spoke as he walked, with Yuan An and Huihui following closely behind, listening attentively while glancing around at the dining cars and sleeping compartments they passed. The third and fifth compartments were fully occupied, and curtains hung down from the bunk partitions. A few men and women stood by the doors, watching along the way, greeting the two with friendly nods.
They were assigned to the sixth compartment near the water station, a Hard Sleeper Compartment with a cramped space containing six beds stacked above and below.
"Make use of the space as you like. Rest today; I will come by tomorrow with the chief attendant," the Young Man said as he helped stuff a drawing board and backpack onto the luggage rack. "By the way, my name is Chu Guangxu. What do you call yourselves?"
"Huihui."
"Yuan An."
"Alright, you both seem younger than me; just call me Brother Xu." Chu Guangxu stepped back to the door and suddenly clapped his hands, calling out loudly, "Everyone welcome our new friends in compartment six, Huihui and Yuan An!"
Amidst their astonished expressions, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the carriage, accompanied by some playful whistles.
"I regret it," Yuan An murmured, biting her lip.
"I think it's not bad," Huihui replied with a somewhat forced smile.
"Okay, I won't disturb you two any longer. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me; if you're too lazy to find me, just ask someone next door." After completing the new student registration process, Chu Guangxu exchanged a few words with those nearby before turning to leave the compartment.
Yuan An pressed down on her mattress and turned to say, "I'll take the upper bunk." With that, she climbed up to the top level and exchanged a glance with Huihui before reaching into her backpack to retrieve the Yingjisha Dagger.
Huihui paused for a moment, casting a questioning look.
Yuan An shrugged her shoulders and glanced around at the neighboring compartments. Understanding her cue, Huihui stood by the compartment door pretending to chat while secretly keeping an eye on their surroundings. Yuan An carefully slipped the exquisite dagger back into its sheath, unbuckled her belt to lower her jeans to her thighs, then pulled out a roll of tape from her backpack. She tore off a long strip and secured the Yingjisha against her inner thigh before pulling her pants back up. It felt a bit awkward but was concealed well enough from outside view.
Just as she finished her task, the train jolted violently, followed by a rumbling sound. Thick white smoke billowed up, and the bright red wheels began to turn slowly, gradually picking up speed. Watching the desolate landscape slip away outside the window, Yuan An couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. Huihui climbed up to the upper bunk, and the two girls exchanged silent glances across the narrow passage, bursting into laughter at the same moment.
"Why are you so determined to get on this train?" Yuan An still couldn't understand. She pulled up her blanket to cover herself and whispered a question.
"I've seen the conductor before," Huihui blinked, though there was confusion in her eyes as she muttered, "But I can't remember where."
"You know him?"
"I've just seen him."
"That's not right. You were eager to get on even before that conductor came out."
"Uh..." Huihui's cheeks flushed as she replied softly, "There's no special reason. I just wanted to come up and take a look. We've been drifting for too long; I feel like we should return to the crowd."
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