Bai Chuan slowly lowered the thing from his back, eyes devoid of emotion,
"Chuan Chuan what's wrong."
"Bai Chuan?"
"Lao Chuan?"
It seems Bai Chuan had been broken. He stood emotionless in from the exit, even as the thing lurking under Zhan Xi's skin wound its arm charmingly around his neck
They waited with bated breathes, bodies stilling with fear.
But then Bai Chuan moved. His eyes blinked back to consciousness, with only terror underneath. From his lips came an awful wail, like a dying animal on the vestiges of death!
The roar of the predator was finally descending!
Chu Yi heard glass shattering—With an inhumane shriek, Zhan Xi was sent barreling into the group of passengers
Blood fountained forth like the broken stamen of a flower!
The entire station was filled with screaming, crying, roaring as their claws ripped heedlessly through flesh and bones.
"Bai Chuan, Bai Chuan Bai Chuan."
Like a broken record, even after her body could no longer be seen, ground to putrid flesh, the shrill voices still kept on repeating his name over and over again
Bai Chuan stood where he was, He could still see Zhan Xi's eyes, black and staring. In her pupils was pain, was opaque horror, was the question, why me?
She was dead.
Zhan Xi was dead.
While they were still distracted, Zhong Feng who had been standing quitely on the side suddenly broke out with inhumane force and shoved Bai Chan out of the way! Flying out of the train in an instant before anyone could react, just in time for the timer to finally reach its end!
[00:00:00]
A wicked triumphant grin perched on his ugly face, laughed wildly, he shouted back hypocritically
"Sorry bout that fella's, I'm going to have to leave here first. Try to be smarter in your next life."
With a cackle, the door of the exit slammed shut at that, their hope extinguishing right In front of their very eyes. Despair and horror blended into Chun Li's and Bai Chuan.
All the details that they missed suddenly became clear, Chu Yi also became sure of his guess.
For one, when they first met, Zhong Feng had said that he had been left by himself in the empty car but considering that Bai Dan, Wu Xin and Ren Yuanqing didn't seem to be the type to leave someone by themselves, why would they leave him.
When he was running around behind Chu Yi, he didn't have time to complete his task, so how did he find his ticket unnoticed and even if he did have time why would he lie about being scared into running immediately after entering the dining car.
And why would he be going to the conductors cabin since he knew the map judging from him searching the dining cart, no one in their right mind, scared or not, would willingly venture into the conductors room.
And on the second day when Zhan Xi was in the verge of death for the second time, Zhong Feng had uncharacteristically stood behind her comforting her, but considering that behind Zhan Xi would have been the most dangerous place at that moment, why would he stand there?.
There were so many why's and what if's but it was too late. They could already hear the sounds of footsteps dragging onto the floor towards them. They are going to die. Bai Chuan dropped limply onto the floor, light in his eyes already extinguished the moment Zhan Xi.
It couldn't be said that he loved her, it was more like she was a kind of spiritual sustenance, a pure kindness that he held onto to desperately to keep himself afloat in this terrifying world because he honestly didn't know what he would become without that last bit of humanity.
She was dead.
Zhan Xi was truly dead.
Chun Li let out a resigned sigh, this was already his 5th instance. He has seen virtually all the most painful ways to die. He was never a strong willed person and holding pathetically onto that last piece of strength was the only thing he could do to keep his life,
When some people are faced with imminent death, they try their best to fight it against their fate even at the moment they take their last breath, some people lose themselves to despair, numb and motionless waiting for the grim reaper to take them away and some decide to admit defeat, and run away cowardly.
Behind that reliable steadfast mask, Chun Li was also such a coward. The hand that held the knife trembled violently as he brought it up to his neck.
He would have definitely preferred a less painful death but it was the only thing he had on him.
Violent gasps racked his figures, hot tears pooling in his eyes, pressing the knife deeper onto his neck, droplets of crimson blood spilling from the shallow wound. He could hear the footsteps drawing closer as he closed eye,
Without a sound, he pressed down,
"There's another exit."
GASP-
As if he had been giving amnesty, Chun Li snapped his eyes open in an instant.
Before him stood Chu Yi, who had been watching the changes of the two play out with amusement.
And it was only at the very last moment did he speak up,
" Why didn't you say anything earlier!! "
"Why should I-"
Chu Yi was right, he neither had the responsibility or obligation to help anyone, but it still left a bad taste in Chun Li's mouth. As if he had stripped bare and all his secrets exposed to the world.
He wasn't a kind, reliable strong leader, he was a poser hiding under a mask of courage to keep himself from cowering under the pressure of reality. The Chun Li before was just a perfectly honed mask, what they were seeing now was the real Chun Li.
Chu Yi disdainfully turned away unhurriedly walking back up the stairs, towards the conductors room.
It was the only other place on the train that had been untouched by time from the very beginning and therefore it was also the other exit of the train.
As if it was sensing his decision, the sounds all around them seemed to pause and with nothing left to lose Chun Li and Bai Chuan.
Da, Da, Da.
All around them came only the sounds of their feet stepping onto the floor, no monsters assaulted them and their shadows didn't try to steal their light either.
They were in complete and utter silence.
The door to the conductors room was wide open in invitation.
Chu Yi stood at the door and for the first time, hesitation appeared on his face and although it quickly dissipated, it was clear enough to show that Chu Yi was scared.
With a split second decision, he stepped headlong into the room.
One ..two.. three.
Nothing.
Chun Li and Bai Chuan followed behind him, slightly relieved that it was empty.
They immediately set to work searching each corner of the room, Chu Yi didn't wait for them to find it but immediately lifted the mattress where he had found his ticket.
Underneath it hid, a red handcuff, a King of Hearts and a crumpled note.
But before he could read it, Chun Li's ecstatic cry from behind him.
"We found it."
The exit was placed in the closet.
A narrow trap door that could only fit one person at a time.
"Ahem-"
Pin drop silence.
Without the notice of anyone, the conductor had strolled casually into the room.
There was nothing much to be said of their luck, being caught right in the act of escaping.
Chu Yi, however instantly thought of another use of the handcuffs in his hands, so before anyone could react he had already advanced onto the conductor.
With an audible click, the handcuffs appeared around the hands of the conductor.
To Chun Li's surprise the conductor didn't fight back, only smiled happily at Chu Yi.
"Go."
Pulled away from his thoughts, Chun Li immediately dropped to the floor and started crawling through the narrow hole.
He had already wasted one opportunity, there was zero chances of another appearing. Bai Chan was next, throwing a lifeless look in Chu Yi's direction he left.
[Ding.]
[All passengers please be seated, the train will begin again in 10 minutes.]
"Aren't you going to leave dear passenger, there's only 10 minutes left."
It seemed the handcuffs on his had were somewhat special because as time moved along, blood started dripping slowly from his wrist.
Chu Yi didn't answer, a conflicted look appearing on his face.
The only way he was able to get away on that day was because he had made a deal with the conductor.
The only condition was,
"At the end of the instance, think twice about whether you want stay here with me or not."
He remembered the way the conductors sultry voice had been subtly serious. The light lilt at the end of his words disappearing.
It was only now did he realize the difficulty, staying meant undoubtedly being fucked, leaving meant ignoring the plead in that voice.
[All passengers please be seated, the train will begin again in 5 minutes.]
The conductor didn't rush him, only waiting with anticipation.
Finally, when only one minute was left, Chu Yi started for the exit.
He had made his decision.
The conductor couldn't hide the disappointment in his eyes, a light sigh leaving his lips.
It was ok, it was enough for him to have hesitated just for a moment.
The handcuffs on his hands fell apart with a slight pull, with the he blood still dripping from his hands, the conductor stood up in preparation to leave the instance space and merge with the main body.
It was enough.
'Where are you going, giving up so fast?"
The conductor paused, slight suprise flashing across his face. Swiveling on his feet, he turned to see Chu Yi l, standing at the closet, a teasing smirk on his face.
He didn't know why he decided to stay, but at the moment he had walked towards the exit, he had caught sight of that silent brooding and something in him moved.
"Tell me now, Mr. Conductor. How would you like to punish me. "
[All passengers please be seated, the train will begin now]