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The train compartment door slammed shut, cutting off the prying eyes from outside. Wu Wentao involuntarily shivered, took a deep breath, and stepped slowly into the dining car. The atmosphere inside was strange; two unfamiliar young women sat on one side, while a man continued to face away from him, seemingly unaware of his arrival. The short knife in his hand spun endlessly between his fingers, exuding a relaxed and carefree demeanor that made it hard to gauge his intentions.
Wu Wentao stood at the doorway, momentarily lost in thought, unsure of what to do next. His mind felt foggy as he wondered why everyone around Kenny had changed—where were Heizi and Aso? He glanced around and caught sight of the two vaguely familiar young women with odd expressions. Dr. Zhong was sitting nearby, sitting upright and constantly signaling him with his eyes. The figure that made his heart race seemed increasingly unfamiliar; something felt off.
Liu Yan followed closely behind him, clearing his throat as he pressed the gun's muzzle against Wu Wentao's waist.
Wu Wentao froze, as if understanding something. Before he could ask, the overly confident Ming Junwei spoke up first: "Now that you're here, don't just stand there; take a seat."
"You all..." Wu Wentao's chest tightened, nearly choking on his words as he glared angrily, ready to explode.
"Calm down," Ming Junwei turned around and flashed a smile at this "old acquaintance," pointing out the rain-soaked field duty gang outside the window. "Dozens of guns are aimed at them; don't act impulsively."
Even Wu Wentao, no matter how foolish he might be, understood the situation now. His anger subsided slightly as he cast a cold glance at Liu Yan behind him and spat out a few words through clenched teeth: "No wonder... no wonder."
"This was a last resort," Liu Yan said with a faint smile, gesturing for him to sit across from Ming Junwei.
"What about my people?" Wu Wentao was still tough as nails; the heart forged in a bloody life was not easily shattered. He walked over and sat down opposite Ming Junwei. His first question wasn't about the current situation but rather about those left behind on the train.
"Don't worry; they're all fine," Ming Junwei straightened up, lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and continued, "Let me introduce myself; I'm Ming Junwei. My people are living in the city. You might not remember me, but I have an impression of you—we had quite a bit of interaction three years ago."
Wu Wentao narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Ming Junwei for a moment before hesitantly nodding. He took the cigarette box and lit one for himself, waiting for Ming Junwei to continue.
"Weren't you Kenny's right-hand man before? Why did you decide to go solo?" Ming Junwei asked casually, not rushing to reveal his true intentions.
"That's none of your business," Wu Wentao regained his composure and allowed Luci and Song Yao to search him for weapons. He glanced at Dr. Zhong, who looked away with a hint of shame.
"Then I won't beat around the bush," Ming Junwei exchanged glances with Liu Yan, cleared his throat, and said, "Today's situation is all a misunderstanding. Since we are all just trying to survive, there's no need for unnecessary bloodshed. I come with sincerity—how about we both back off?"
"Wu Wentao" chuckled softly, glancing around with a playful glint in his eyes.
"Dr. Zhong, explain it to your boss," "Ming Junwei" said nonchalantly, leaning back in his seat and pushing "Dr. Zhong" forward. He was the one who understood the situation best, so it would be more efficient for him to explain.
"Dr. Zhong" sighed and recounted everything that had happened to "Wu Wentao." He didn't know much about "Ming Junwei" and his group, but he had observed their strength closely at the bar and knew that neither side would come out unscathed from a confrontation. Moreover, "Wu Wentao" was currently under control; there was no option but to negotiate. Thus, he tried to ease the tense atmosphere in the compartment and finally dropped a significant piece of news.
"So, I overstepped my bounds and spoke with Mr. Ming. I believe we can reach a truce; misunderstandings can be cleared up, and there's no need for further conflict. After all, the virus vaccine is our top priority," "Dr. Zhong" said, exhaling deeply as he raised his glass to moisten his throat. He sincerely added, "The decision is yours."
"You have a point," indeed, when "Wu Wentao" heard the words 'virus vaccine,' the anger in his eyes suddenly vanished, replaced by shock.
"Yes," "Dr. Zhong" swallowed hard and affirmed, "I just made some breakthroughs this morning; if it weren't for unforeseen complications..."
"Wu Wentao" raised his hand to signal him to stop talking. He frowned in thought and turned to "Ming Junwei," saying, "You mentioned she has been here."
"Yes, if all goes well, she will return shortly," "Ming Junwei" replied casually, following the script they had discussed earlier: "The reason we are willing to negotiate is based on your current position; you are no longer the RCA's Field Duty, so there is no need for us to remain adversaries."
"How can I trust you?" "Wu Wentao" raised an eyebrow and coldly replied, "You started this mess; isn't it a bit ridiculous to talk about reconciliation now?"
"I've said it before; this is a misunderstanding." "Ming Junwei" waved his hand, signaling "Liu Yan" to bring "Yuan An" in. He added, "'Yuan An' is not one of my people; her encounter with us was purely coincidental. Whether you choose to believe it or not is your issue."
"Yuan An" showed no signs of intimidation as she walked in with "Liu Yan," sitting beside "Ming Junwei." "Chief Conductor, it's good to see you again."
"Wu Wentao" glanced at her, furrowing his brow as he pondered for a moment before reluctantly realizing that he seemed to have no other options.
"Liu Yan" spoke up at the right moment: "Captain, 'Us' has worked together for a long time; I know you fairly well. Since you've also distanced yourself from RCA, there must be a reason behind it."
"You don't need to say anything more. Let's get straight to the point. After all this back and forth, what do you want?" Wu Wentao raised his hand to stop the persuasive comments and said directly, "Since you're with Liu Yan, you must know what kind of person I am. I don't want to provoke Kenny's people. If you're interested in negotiating, then please outline your terms clearly, and I'll consider them."
"Straightforward," Ming Junwei remarked with an appreciative glance before turning to Dr. Zhong. "Your boss has agreed to negotiate, so can we see the evidence now?"
Wu Wentao's brow furrowed as he asked, "What do you mean?"
Ming Junwei shrugged and replied, "The train is still your train, and the doctor is still your doctor, but the Vaccine—I want to share that."
"What can you provide?" Wu Wentao did not answer directly.
"I'll provide everything I can," Ming Junwei said as he presented a substantial offer. "You wouldn't want Kenny to know your whereabouts, would you? He will be back. I can provide military support. I have a camp in the city with complete medical facilities. The conditions on the train can't be better than what I have."
Wu Wentao fell silent; he wasn't skilled at negotiations, especially in a situation that seemed to offer nothing but benefits, leaving him uncertain.
Ming Junwei glanced at Liu Yan, who nodded and spoke up, "Captain, you should consider this, but time is limited."
"Hmm," Wu Wentao frowned as he looked at him.
Liu Yan pointed outside the car window and said, "You might not know this yet, but this Acid Rain has been falling for almost a week now. Your people have been exposed to it; their bodies won't hold up much longer."
"Acid Rain?" Wu Wentao's eyes widened in shock, and Dr. Zhong beside him was equally stunned.
"So you need to make a decision quickly," Ming Junwei extinguished his cigarette and prepared to wrap things up. "It's just cooperation; it shouldn't be too difficult."
"I want to see my people first," Wu Wentao hesitated, planning to ask Old Tian for advice.
"Sure." Ming Junwei waved his hand, signaling Liu Yan to get up and bring Chu Guangxu and Old Tian over from the cabin. Before Wu Wentao could speak, Ming Junwei nodded towards Yuan An and said, "Two for one, hand over her friend."
Yuan An cast a grateful glance and fixed his gaze on Dr. Zhong. "Where did you hide her? I searched the car and didn't find her."
Dr. Zhong's expression stiffened as he unconsciously looked at Chu Guangxu. Seeing him safe and sound eased his mind, and he replied calmly, "She's safe."
"Bring her here," Ming Junwei commanded.
"Wait." Dr. Zhong panicked and quickly intervened, "You can't have her."
Ming Junwei and the others changed their expressions in unison, while Yuan An was furious, shouting, "Huihui isn't yours! Why shouldn't you return her to me?"
Wu Wentao was also confused, unsure of what Dr. Zhong was up to this time.
Dr. Zhong was momentarily speechless, stammering, "In any case, she's doing well in the car."
On the other side, Song Yao's eyes lit up as he sneered, "Your so-called Antibody Vaccine isn't in that girl, is it?"
Dr. Zhong's face shifted through shades of pale and green as he struggled to argue but didn't know how to respond. He looked pitifully at Wu Wentao, who was just as lost.
Yuan An was stunned, asking blankly, "What do you mean?"
Song Yao smirked and said, "It seems you don't have much leverage; the virus vaccine isn't yours either."
"But I discovered it!" Dr. Zhong insisted, yet words felt powerless in the current situation. Ming Junwei and the others controlled the cabin; finding a living person wouldn't be difficult at all.
Wu Wentao thought for a long time, sighed heavily, and raised his hand to silence the incessant chatter of Dr. Zhong. "Bring her here."
"But—"
"Just bring her," Wu Wentao gently shook his head, signaling him to stop talking.
Liu Yan untied the ropes binding Chu Guangxu, pressing the gun against him. He shot Liu Yan a glare and reluctantly walked toward the trunk. A few minutes later, he returned with a bewildered Huihui in tow. Yuan An gasped and rushed over; the two long-separated companions embraced tightly, joy and relief flooding over them.
Everyone in the dining car watched the two girls weep in each other's arms. While others remained composed, only Song Yao and Luci looked utterly astonished, as if they had seen a ghost.
"Huihui," Luci exclaimed in disbelief. She had felt something familiar when she heard Yuan An call out the name, but it was only when Huihui stepped into the car that she recognized her. Three years had passed, but neither had changed much in appearance.
The two girls stood frozen for a moment. Yuan An turned her head in confusion, glancing between Luci and Huihui, exclaiming, "You know each other?"
Huihui's shock was no less than Luci's. She stood there dazed for a while before murmuring, "It's you..."
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