Players, Please Board the Train

”I think I should be the one to go out,” Professor Han said. ”We’re already short-handed, and now we’re dividing our numbers further to watch me...”

”One more or less person makes little difference,” Xu Huo replied. ”If those monsters only move under light conditions, one person can hold the line. If not, having more people won’t help either.”

Professor Han remained worried about his potential mutation. Wang Xiaohui mustered her courage and said, ”I’ll guard Professor Han.”

”You’ve all seen my special ability. Though I have limited mobility, I can seal off a corner. Even if something happens to Professor Han, you’ll have time to react.”

While the connecting carriage wasn’t safe, Professor Han might not mutate. They couldn’t just send him out to die because of that possibility.

Xu Huo had no objections and stood by the window, quietly waiting for darkness to fall.

Several minutes later, the light around the train gradually disappeared. After running through such darkness for about an hour, the train suddenly began shaking violently—this time much longer and more intense than the previous two nights.

Feeling the tremendous weight pressing against the window, Xu Huo couldn’t help but frown. But before this storm passed, a tremendous crash came from behind them, as if something massive had landed on the carriage. The entire train jerked momentarily, while the pressure against the table abruptly receded like an ebbing tide.

Something had boarded the train!

Everyone in the carriage held their breath simultaneously, their attention fixed on the ear-piercing sound of twisting metal coming from behind. The connecting carriage seemed to be dismembered—the rear of the third-class carriage sank slightly—followed by something slamming against the back door. Amid the creaking sounds, wind seeped through the door cracks before being abruptly blocked again. After a brief pause in the carriage’s air, a warm, fishy breeze slowly seeped in from behind...”Mm...” Liu Jia let out a faint whimper through her fingers.

That tiny sound caused the massive object clinging to the back door to shift upward rapidly, scaling the carriage wall to the roof. Sharp scratching sounds rang out against the glass before it shattered, accompanied by dripping liquid sounds. A powerful gust of wind poured in from above as something swayed inside the carriage!

Neither the front nor back doors were transparent, so despite the back door being deformed by the creature’s grip, Liu Jia couldn’t see what had chased down the train. But the claw marks far exceeding ordinary beasts’ size and the fishy wind made her instinctively terrified—she reflexively covered her mouth and shut her eyes.

Yet the creature was still drawn by the faint sound. Hearing the glass break, her mind went blank with panic. Unable to resist, she opened her eyes—just in time to see an enormous tongue lashing toward her!

Liu Jia was petrified with terror!

A hand suddenly clamped over her mouth from behind, stifling her scream!

A shard of glass flew out of the carriage and struck the stone wall alongside the tracks. The tongue that had nearly licked Liu Jia’s face abruptly retracted, followed immediately by the sound of shattering rocks—but the noise was left far behind by the speeding train in an instant.

Xu Huo gently pressed Liu Jia’s shoulder and made a silencing gesture. Whether he could see it or not, Liu Jia covered her mouth with both hands and nodded frantically.

Xu Huo withdrew from her side. Just as he returned to his position, an intense light suddenly flashed ahead of the train—though brief, in this ink-black darkness, it stood out more glaringly than a spotlight!

In that instant, the train that had stabilized was thrown into turmoil again, its exterior roaring as if trampled by a thousand horses!

The enormous shadow caught up with the train again, sweeping over the second-class carriage. Faint screams and cries for help were drowned out by roars and tearing sounds. The entire train swayed violently as if about to fall apart—but after mere minutes, it calmed again, continuing its breakneck speed in eerie silence...

”Ding dong!”

”Congratulations to all preliminary players for completing the Preliminary Trial Train dungeon and becoming official players of Dimensional Rift. Due to staff error, the train encountered a D-level incident. As compensation, each player will receive one complimentary ticket. Please check your inventory.”

”Train 301 will arrive at the station in ten seconds. Please prepare to disembark.”

”Countdown begins: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!”

...

When his vision brightened again, Xu Huo found himself alone in a pure white space. The train and other passengers had all disappeared. Firework effects burst around him as his personal panel popped up:

[Congratulations, Player Extra. During this journey, you did not consume any players but killed one cannibal player and one ordinary player, officially becoming a Black Player. Note: The Preliminary Trial Train does not have dungeon functionality, so you cannot obtain the killed players’ items.]

[Your performance during the trip has been rated C-level Excellent, the highest comprehensive index among surviving players on Train 301. You will receive: New Trait ”Informer’s Perspective,” Item ”Super Running Shoes,” C-level Dungeon Clearance Bonus ”Arsonist’s Tools,” +2000 White Bills, eight potions, and a complimentary gift package from Chef Yongxing.]

[Updated data follows:]

[Player Nickname: Extra]

[Player Type: Black Player]

[Occupation: Extra]

[Remarks: As someone always on the move, his chance to become the protagonist is only one in ten thousand.]

[Player Level: E]

[ID: 556688]

[Evolution Rate: 7%]

[Assets: 2000 White Bills]

[Remarks: A player who can both earn and spend money—how could the game not reward that?]

[Primary Traits: ① Never-Tiring Legs; ② Informer’s Perspective]

[Remark 1: Congratulations on developing a new trait. An extra who subconsciously gathers intel can’t lack keen observational skills.]

[Items: ① Super Running Shoes (Remarks: Not fast enough? Shoes can help. Ten minutes of work, one full day of charging. Double-tap heels for +30% speed boost.)

② Arsonist’s Tools (Remarks: Good for lighting cigarettes—or people. Open the lighter and say ”Burn” to make target’s clothes combust. Nudists excluded.)]

[Potions: ① 3 bottles of P0 Evolution Serum (Remarks: The lowest-grade evolution serum only allows slow physical improvement. Players below 10% evolution rate must consume at least one bottle monthly. Obtainable via dungeon clears—or perhaps hidden in unexpected places. Oh, there’s also a P1 version.)

② 2 bottles of E-grade Healing Potion (Remarks: Outdated product—only relieves pain.)

③ 2 bottles of E-grade Cleaner (Remarks: Highly efficient trace remover, long-lasting. Most common game reward. To increase difficulty, it’s even given free to cannibal players—utterly undignified.)

④ 1 bottle of D-grade Hair Growth Serum (Remarks: Just one application grants silky, dream-worthy hair. The middle-aged professor who developed it gladly gifts it to all balding-risk players. Note: Creating hair from nothing is harder—effects last only one week.)]

[Gift Package: 1 Yongxing Restaurant membership card, 1 10%-off coupon (Remarks: A gift from the head chef—those who respect food deserve respect.)]

[Ticket Folder: Clown City Station, Hot Springs Mountain City Station, Garden Castle Station (Remarks: One-way tickets only. Return tickets require dungeon clearance.)]

[Note: Players must board a train with tickets at least once per calendar month. Failure to enter the game within the timeframe will result in forced teleportation to the station three hours before the deadline.]

[Next Game Countdown: 12 days.]