Chapter 54: K18

Chen Ling checked the time after waking up; it was about as expected.

He walked to the District 3 Arbiter headquarters. As soon as he entered the door, he saw a familiar figure walking over.

“Chen Ling? You’re finally here.” Jiang Qin checked the list, “Now we’re all here…”

Chen Ling still had an impression of Jiang Qin. On the night his house was destroyed by the red-paper monster, it was Jiang Qin who had questioned him and even told him to find him anytime if he had any issues. He was one of the few Arbiters Chen Ling had a good impression of.

Chen Ling’s gaze swept to the side. Besides himself and Jiang Qin, there were only two others, both from the same batch of reserve seats who had taken the martial arts exam, so they were familiar faces.

“Officer Jiang Qin, are just the few of us going this time?”

Chen Ling and the other two reserve seats were the top three in this year’s Arbiter exam. According to Han Meng’s agreement, they were naturally qualified to go to the Armory Vault, but logically, besides them, there should be other old Arbiters who were due for their three-year term going as well…

“Yeah, just the few of us.” Jiang Qin shrugged, “Originally, five or six of my peers were going too, but two days ago, their collusion with Ma Zhong was exposed, and they were all slaughtered by Brother Meng…”

Chen Ling: …

“Our District 3 situation is already not bad… Look at the Arbiters of District 5 and District 6, they are either dead or disabled. The total number of people who can go doesn’t even add up to five.”

Jiang Qin was quite optimistic. He put away the personnel list and led Chen Ling and the other three straight outside.

“Officer Jiang Qin, how are we going to the Armory Vault?” asked one of the Arbiters from Chen Ling’s batch. Chen Ling remembered his name; it seemed to be Zhong Yaoguang.

“The Armory Vault is in the Frozen Sea on the northern border of the Aurora Domain. To get there, you have to take a boat from the port.”

“Winter Port? That’s so far away…”

“Taking a train there is actually not bad.”

“Train?”

Chen Ling was startled. He had thought there was no such thing as a train in this era, but upon closer reflection, if it were a steam-powered train, it wouldn’t require very high scientific technology… It was just that he had been in Frost Street and had never heard anyone around him taking one.

“Yeah, Chen Ling, have you never taken one?” Zhong Yaoguang’s eyes lit up, “If it’s your first time seeing one, you’ll be shocked… That thing is amazing!”

“I haven’t taken one either… The ticket price for that thing isn’t cheap.” The other silent peer spoke up.

“Don’t worry, the ticket money this time is being reimbursed by Brother Meng.”

Jiang Qin smiled slightly.

The three followed Jiang Qin all the way to the border of District 3. A straight railroad track extended from the snow in the distance, and in front of them stood a short, dilapidated platform.

Calling it a platform was actually just setting up a large shed on the ground, placing a few stone steps, and having a small ticket booth standing to the side, with a large “3” written on it.

For the vast majority of residents in the Aurora Domain, especially those in the seven major districts, there was no need to take a train. They could spend their whole lives in their districts and didn’t have the concept of “traveling” to other major districts…

The development of the seven major districts was basically cut from the same mold; it was the same everywhere.

The laying of train tracks was more for the convenience of material transport between the interior of Aurora City and the seven major districts, so it was only natural that the platform and such were set up simply.

Jiang Qin walked to the ticket booth, and after a while, came back with four tickets.

“Wait a bit, the train will be here in ten minutes.”

“We timed it just right. This train only runs once a day; if we miss it, we’re done for.”

The four of them walked onto the platform. In the empty wilderness, besides the ticket booth, there were only the four of them freezing in the cold wind.

The snow had just melted, and with the platform leaking wind on all sides, everyone silently hunched their necks, watching the end of the tracks, waiting for a train to come and save them.

“How about it, Chen Ling, are you cold?” Jiang Qin’s concerned voice came from the side, “I see you’re wearing very little.”

“Not cold.” Chen Ling shook his head.

“If you’re cold, I can get you a coat from the box. We still have to go to the Armory Vault for training later, don’t catch a cold on the way.”

Before Chen Ling could answer, Jiang Qin squatted down and opened the hard-leather suitcase on the spot, rummaging through it.

“Really, no need.” Chen Ling waved his hands quickly, “I have a good constitution, I’m cold-resistant…”

Before he could refuse, Jiang Qin pulled out a dark brown overcoat and wrapped it around Chen Ling without a word.

“I’m the team leader for District 3 this time, listen to me.” Jiang Qin patted his shoulder, “But even if you catch a cold on the way, it doesn’t matter. I brought four portions of cold medicine before leaving, it should be enough.”

“……Thank you.”

Chen Ling was wrapped in the thick windproof overcoat, not knowing what to say for a moment.

“Don’t thank me.” Jiang Qin stood beside him, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke,

“Chen Ling… some things, actually, aren’t what you think… Brother Meng is a good person. He’s just stubborn, and he’s very heartless when working, and he’s too lazy to explain any misunderstandings to others…

Brother Meng and I had long suspected the things Ma Zhong and the other District 3 Arbiters were doing, but we had no evidence… What’s more, Ma Zhong had backing in Aurora City. Without evidence, Brother Meng couldn’t touch him at all.

About your brother’s matter… we are really, really sorry.”

Jiang Qin looked at him sincerely, his eyes without a trace of impurity. Chen Ling didn’t expect him to suddenly say these things and fell into silence in the cold wind.

“……I guessed as much.”

If Ma Zhong didn’t have backing, he wouldn’t have been able to develop black businesses so unscrupulously in District 2 and District 3, and Han Meng was just an Arbiter ostracized by Aurora City. It wasn’t that easy for him to topple the powerful Ma Zhong faction.

“This time, Ma Zhong took the initiative to seek death, attempting to assassinate Brother Meng, which gave us the pretext to root them out… But even so, Brother Meng was punished by Aurora City.”

Jiang Qin sighed, “Do you know? If it weren’t for the large-scale Gray Realm convergence in Districts 5 and 6, Brother Meng would have been in jail long ago… It’s because Aurora City is extremely short-handed right now that they haven’t dealt with him yet, but even so, he’s been suspended.”

“Jail?” Chen Ling frowned, “Isn’t he the victim?”

“There are many people in Aurora City who don’t like Brother Meng… In this era, people who are too upright and too serious have a hard time having a good ending.”

Just as Jiang Qin finished speaking, a roar came from the distance.

“The train is here!” Zhong Yaoguang said immediately.

“……So fast?” Jiang Qin turned back to look at the clock in the center of the platform, “Ten minutes early?”

As the thunderous rumbling sound drew closer, a black steel behemoth, spitting out large amounts of steam, slowly drove toward the platform on the railroad tracks in the snow.

Zhong Yaoguang, who was on the side, nudged Chen Ling with his elbow and winked, “How about it? Spectacular, right?”

Chen Ling raised an eyebrow and said nothing.

“K18… that’s right, this is the one.” Jiang Qin looked at the ticket and then at the number on the front of the train, nodding slightly, “Looks like we really came early.”

As the train gradually came to a steady stop, the conductor opened the door and stepped out, placing a board between the stone steps and the train door,

“Those going to Winter Port, get on.”

With the conductor’s shout, everyone hesitated no longer and boarded the train one by one.

As the whistle sounded again, the train slowly started along the tracks, and amidst a clanking sound, it gradually disappeared into the end of the snow-white horizon…

A few minutes later, a figure walked out of the ticket booth.

He looked at the empty platform, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, and then dragged a blood-stained black cloth bag from the bottom of the booth counter and walked away into the distance.

Clang—clang—clang…

A black steel train passed through the snow and slowly stopped at the platform.

A conductor poked his head out of the train, looked around, and then said: “No one at this station, let’s go.”

The humming of steam sounded again, and the train gradually disappeared at the end of the tracks. On top of the pitch-black locomotive, three large characters painted in red were clearly visible.

——K18