Chapter 1800: The Train and the USB Drive

Clang—clang—

On the desolate black earth, a domain train was moving forward with a low rumble.

Unlike other domain trains, the number on the front of this one had been forcibly erased, and the entire body was black, like a phantom ghost shuttling through the Grey Realm...

This was a ghost train that did not exist in the archives of the Chengtian Domain.

Inside the carriage at this moment,

a figure in a theatrical robe was sitting quietly by the window.

The orange light emitted by the kerosene lamp on the small table swayed silently, illuminating his face and that of Li Laide opposite him. Neither of them spoke; only the clanging sound of the train speeding along the tracks remained in the carriage, along with the noise of other Dusk Society members in the next carriage.

This domain train was stolen from the Chengtian Domain.

The Sixth Generation world was different from the Fifth. After Ying Fu established the Grand Historian’s Office, every generation of the Grand Historian’s Office had poured their life’s work into the construction of infrastructure, and the domain train was the most important link... In terms of quantity, the number of domain trains in the Sixth Generation world was more than five times that of the Fifth.

The increase in the number of domain trains gave the Dusk Society an opportunity. This time, they didn't need to scrimp and save to build tractors with leftover scraps, but instead moved an entire, complete train.

"How long has it been since you returned to the Ancient Collection of the Theater Path?"

In the dim light, Chen Ling was the first to break the silence.

Li Laide withdrew his gaze from outside the window but didn't dare to look at Chen Ling’s eyes, instead looking slightly to the side at the ground, as if there were a few ants moving house there, and answered:

"...Two years."

"Go back for a visit." Chen Ling said faintly. "Your uncles and aunts all miss you very much."

Li Laide was startled. Several figures appeared in his mind, and a warmth rose in his heart... He looked up slightly, this time looking directly into Chen Ling’s eyes, and asked proactively:

"Are you going back too?"

"You go back first." Chen Ling paused. "I still have some things to do; I’ll go back once I’m done."

Li Laide immediately replied: "I can go with you."

"No need."

Chen Ling looked away calmly, looking at the desolate Grey Realm earth outside. His tone carried a hint of unquestionability. "You just wait for me at the Ancient Collection of the Theater Path."

"..." Li Laide’s hands under his sleeves clenched silently.

He was silent for a long time before finally nodding:

"...Understood."

The carriage fell into deathly silence again.

Clang—clang—

The outline of the next prison gradually approached on the horizon. The domain train didn't drive into it, but stopped far away.

As the train doors opened, some Dusk Society members in the next carriage began to get off and then walked on foot toward the nearby prison.

Although the Dusk Society had a domain train, it couldn't drive into the prisons; once it got close, it would be discovered... After dropping off the Dusk Society members at this distance, they would have to follow another intersecting track and continue driving toward the next prison.

As the doors closed, the train started up again amidst a rumble.

At the same time,

a USB drive was gently placed on the table by Chen Ling.

"Keep this safe." Chen Ling’s tone was somewhat solemn.

Li Laide, who was looking out the window with a gloomy expression, suddenly came back to his senses. He looked at the strange-looking metal piece in front of him, confusion appearing in his eyes...

"This is..."

"The era save file, the key to the Dusk Society restarting the world."

Chen Ling briefly introduced the function of the era save file, and the confusion in Li Laide’s eyes gradually turned into shock.

He carefully examined the USB drive in front of him, seemingly unable to understand why this small piece of metal could restart the entire world...

"There are three era save files in total." Chen Ling said slowly. "The one in your hand is called..."

"[Origin]."

"[Origin]?" Li Laide frowned. "What a strange name."

"With your current strength, you should have no opponents within the era save file... How to make good use of it is up to you." Chen Ling looked into Li Laide’s eyes. "But if I find that you aren't doing well enough, I will reclaim it and personally re-enter it to overwrite the traces you left behind... Do you understand?"

At this moment, Li Laide suddenly thought of what Lord Ruoshui had said in the Ruoshui Base just now...

"Then... I’ll leave the me of the next world to your care, Mr. Li."

So that’s it...

So that’s how it is.

Li Laide was incredibly intelligent. The moment he held [Origin], he understood everything, and at the same time, he realized what it meant for Chen Ling to entrust such an important item to him...

The gloom on his face was swept away. Those deep blue eyes were once again as bright as stars. He gazed at the archive in his hand with a burning intensity, as if he were holding a future in his grasp.

Li Rider took a deep breath, his tone tinged with a hint of excitement:

“……I won’t let you down.”

Chen Ling said nothing. He merely glanced out the window and spoke calmly: “You should get off the train.”

The Boundary Train had already entered the depths of the Gray Realm. Since there were no tracks leading directly to the Ancient Theater of Arts, Li Rider had to disembark here and walk the rest of the way… The current trajectory should be the closest point to the Ancient Theater of Arts.

Li Rider gave a nod and solemnly tucked away the Era Archive. He stood up, seemingly wanting to say something to Chen Ling…

But after struggling for a long time, he still didn't speak.

The Boundary Train slowed to a halt in the Gray Realm. Li Rider pressed down the brim of his hat and passed by Chen Ling. He opened the carriage door, and the biting cold wind rushed in from outside, causing his British-style overcoat to flutter wildly.

“I’ll be waiting for your return at the Ancient Theater of Arts.” After saying this, Li Rider stepped off the train.

Bang.

As the door closed, the carriage fell back into a deathly silence.

The biting cold wind was shut out. Chen Ling sat alone in silence as the train roared back to life, heading toward the next prison.

The train passed one prison after another, stopping time and again. The Twilight Society members on board returned to their respective prisons, and the Fire-Tamers departed one by one.

The number of passengers on the train dwindled until, in the end, only Chen Ling remained.

The orange kerosene lamp still swayed silently on the table, and the surroundings were so quiet that only the rhythmic clanking of the train remained. Chen Ling glanced out the window and slowly stood up.

“……Let’s stop here.”

Screech—

The shuddering sound of the train braking echoed through the deathly silence.

A moment later, the door opened, and a figure draped in a red-bottomed, black-patterned theatrical robe stepped out from the carriage, illuminated by the swaying orange light, and walked alone into the depths of the Gray Realm.

The Boundary Train pulled away, and Chen Ling’s figure transformed into a black shadow that dove into the night, speeding rapidly toward a certain direction.

A moment later,

The silhouette of a massive, withered, towering tree gradually began to outline itself against the edge of the horizon.