Chapter 55: Stealing Faces

Chen Ling and the other three walked into the carriage.

This train had a total of six carriages, five of which were for freight only, and only one was for passengers. As soon as Chen Ling and the others got on, they saw four figures also wearing Arbiter uniforms sitting together.

If nothing went wrong, they should be the same batch of Arbiters heading to the Armory Vault.

“A-3… here.” Zhong Yaoguang followed the signs to find the seats and was the first to sit by the window.

“What a pity, if I had known, I should have brought some fruit and snacks, the journey wouldn’t be so boring.”

“If you want to eat, I have some right here.” Another peer from the same batch handed over a bag of melon seeds from his bag.

“Thanks.”

Chen Ling had no interest in eating melon seeds, because ever since he got on the train, he saw two lines of characters condensed in the fog on the window:

【Audience Expectation +7】

【Current Expectation: 36%】

Something’s not right…

Every time he saw the audience expectation value rise for no reason, Chen Ling would tense up, because this often meant that something was about to happen.

“Chen Ling, don’t you want to eat some?” Zhong Yaoguang took the initiative to hand the melon seeds to Chen Ling.

Chen Ling narrowed his eyes. This time he didn’t refuse, but took the melon seeds, crushed them in his hand, and watched them drift to the ground bit by bit…

No poison.

Chen Ling thought thoughtfully.

“…” Zhong Yaoguang’s eyelids twitched, “Chen Ling… even if you don’t want to eat them, you don’t have to do that, right? You could have just said so.”

Ever since they met, Chen Ling’s attitude had been extremely cold, as if he didn’t want to get close to them at all.

To be honest, Zhong Yaoguang didn’t resist this kind of personality; after all, everyone grew up in different environments, but Chen Ling’s actions just now really made him feel it was a bit excessive.

“Don’t make noise, be quiet for a while.” Chen Ling was currently frowning and carefully looking for what was wrong, having no interest in bickering with him.

The expectation value rose suddenly after they got on the train, so there must be a problem with this train!

“Chen Ling, you…”

“Alright, alright, stop arguing.” Jiang Qin intervened at the right time to persuade them, “Everyone is a colleague from District 3, such a small matter, what’s there to argue about… Chen Ling is tired, let him rest for a while.

Zhong Yaoguang, aren’t you bored? How about the three of us play some cards?”

Seeing Jiang Qin speak, although Zhong Yaoguang was displeased, he didn’t say much. Since Chen Ling didn’t want to be sociable, then don’t bother with him.

“Okay.”

Jiang Qin seemed to have been prepared; he took a deck of cards out of his bag and started playing with the other two.

Chen Ling’s gaze swept across half the carriage. Even with the bonus of the 【Secret Eye】, he didn’t find any problems… Plus, he didn’t know much about the trains of this era, so it was hard to get any useful information.

Chen Ling’s gaze fell upon the four law enforcers at the next table.

"Which district are they from?" Chen Ling asked suddenly.

"The Fifth and Sixth Districts."

Jiang Qin glanced at the numbers on their uniforms. "As expected, only four of them came... just like the list said."

Seemingly sensing Chen Ling’s gaze, the four law enforcers turned to look at him. After a brief exchange of glances, they looked away and stared calmly out the window.

Chen Ling remembered that since boarding the train, he hadn't heard them say a single word—not even to each other.

Chen Ling frowned slightly. He vaguely felt that something was wrong, though he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Which district is Winter Harbor in?"

"On the border of the First and Second Districts... Why do you ask?"

"Winter Harbor should be further away from the other major districts. They have no way to get here other than by train." Chen Ling’s brain raced.

"But why... are there only us and the people from the Fifth and Sixth Districts on this train?"

Jiang Qin was taken aback. "Maybe the Seventh District is too far away, and they took a train yesterday?"

"What about the Fourth District? The Fifth and Sixth Districts both chose to leave today; there's no reason the Fourth wouldn't take this train... Where are they?"

Zhong Yaoguang spoke up gloomily, "Isn't it enough that we're on the train? Why do you care if the people from the Fourth District made it or not?"

Chen Ling ignored him completely, because he felt he had grasped something.

"Officer Jiang Qin, how many people did the Fourth District send this time?"

"Ten, I think?"

While the two were talking, Zhong Yaoguang, impatient from waiting for the card game, propped his head up with one hand and glanced out the window.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong?" his peer beside him asked.

"Are my eyes playing tricks on me?" Zhong Yaoguang rubbed his eyes and stared wide-eyed out the window. "...Where are the tracks??"

At these words, everyone froze. Chen Ling quickly looked out the window. Snow was swirling in the air, kicked up by the steam train, and everything outside was a vast, white blur. Somewhere along the way, the tracks the train had been traveling on had vanished.

"Gentlemen, please sit still and do not walk around," a female attendant said, approaching with a black basket filled with snacks and fruit for sale. She reached a hand into the basket and asked with a smile,

"Would you like to buy something?"

The three men, including Zhong Yaoguang, were stunned. Just as they were about to say something, Chen Ling’s voice rang out sharply!

"Look out!!"

Bang—!!

A thunderous gunshot echoed through the carriage. A bullet pierced the basket and instantly struck Zhong Yaoguang, who was sitting closest, in the head.

The next moment, Zhong Yaoguang’s head exploded in a daze, red and white matter splattering onto the peer sitting next to him, covering him in blood!

This sudden turn of events terrified him and Jiang Qin. Immediately after, the attendant pulled the trigger again!

But almost simultaneously, a whip kick slammed into the bottom of the basket, flipping it over entirely!

Bang—

The second gunshot rang out, the bullet embedding itself into the train's metal siding with a piercing screech.

Jiang Qin was a veteran law enforcer after all; his reaction was lightning-fast. He immediately lunged in front of the female attendant and delivered a right hook to her temple. The terrifying force sent her flying, crashing into the seats nearby!

He drew his gun from his waist in a flash, but the moment he aimed at the female attendant, another bullet whistled in from afar!

This time, the shots came from the four law enforcers from the Fifth and Sixth Districts sitting by the window.

They sat calmly in their seats, eyes narrowed, looking at Chen Ling and the others with mockery.

The bullet pierced Jiang Qin’s palm, and he let out a scream as his pistol clattered to the floor.

At the same time, a figure appeared at each end of the carriage—one was a middle-aged man in a conductor’s uniform, the other a male attendant. They stared coldly at Chen Ling and the others, sneering:

"Nice reflexes... too bad you aren't getting out of here."

"Number 17, if you don't act now, that kid's blood will go cold."

The female attendant, knocked down by Jiang Qin’s punch, slowly stood up. She shot a venomous look at Jiang Qin, then walked over to Zhong Yaoguang, whose head had been blown apart, and placed her palm over his face.

A gray shimmer flashed, and Zhong Yaoguang’s skin and features vanished into thin air, leaving only a bare, bloody face staring blankly at the ceiling.

The next moment, the female attendant’s face twisted violently, gradually morphing into Zhong Yaoguang’s likeness...

She had stolen Zhong Yaoguang’s face.

Seeing this, Jiang Qin’s eyes widened in disbelief!

"The Path of the Thieving God... You’re Fire-Tamperers?!"