Chapter 437: October 26th Carriage

"Lu Ming, get back to your seat!" Lu Wenchang had no idea why his son had suddenly changed so drastically. His tone was stern, but the normally submissive and obedient Lu Ming ignored his father's command. He shook his head frantically, staring at the passengers in the surrounding seats like a startled bird, his face twisted with despair and terror.

'What exactly did this kid see right before he died?' The more strangely he acted, the more curious I grew. It was obvious Lu Ming had suffered some intense trauma just before his death.

"Lu Ming, get back here right now!" Lu Wenchang stood up and stepped toward the boy, reaching out to grab him.

To Lu Ming, his father seemed entirely different from the man in his memories. He shrieked his parents' names in a blind panic, whirled around, and bolted down the aisle.

"Damn it! The kid's heading for the other carriages."

The situation had spiraled out of control the moment I let my guard down. Lu Wenchang still hadn't processed what was happening; he glared at me fiercely. "What kind of poison did you feed my son?! If you don't give me a straight answer today, I'm not letting this go!"

"This isn't the time to argue. This train is bizarre, and the other carriages are extremely dangerous. If Lu Ming runs around blindly, his soul will likely be shattered." Everything had happened too fast, and I had no interest in bickering with the man.

"I went through a lot of trouble to get this seat, but the kid lost control because of my questions. Ah, well. You guys stay put. I'll go find him in the October 28th Carriage." Staring down the pitch-black aisle and the swaying figures seated on both sides, I braced myself and stood up.

"Trying to run?" Lu Wenchang clamped a hand down on my shoulder. "I've been nothing but polite to you, but first you insult my faith, and now you're brainwashing my son. If you don't give me an explanation right now, I swear I'll—"

"You'll what? Your son is missing and you still have time to argue with me? Let's get him back first, and we can sort this out later." Watching Lu Ming scramble frantically into the October 28th Carriage, I was even more anxious than Lu Wenchang. The man clearly didn't understand the consequences of wandering around the train, but I remembered exactly what had happened when I first boarded. Entering the wrong carriage could easily get you killed!

I slapped his hand away. Checking both directions and seeing no sign of the conductor, I immediately sprinted toward the October 28th Carriage.

"Wait, I'm coming with you." Lu Wenchang was genuinely worried about his son. He hurried after me, trailing closely behind.

If I had a choice, I wouldn't be running around at all. I had already struck a deal with the blind old lady: if I helped fulfill her final wish, she would tell me which station was safe to disembark at. It was a solid plan, but the incident with Lu Ming was going to complicate things.

We crossed the connection point, rushing from the October 29th Carriage into the October 28th Carriage. Since I had originally come from this carriage, I didn't feel anything unusual. But the moment Lu Wenchang stepped inside, his face turned deathly pale, and his body began to exude a faint, foul stench.

"What's going on? It feels like I can't control my own body!" Lu Wenchang cried out in alarm.

"Keep your voice down! Go back to your seat. You shouldn't be wandering into the other carriages. I'll find Lu Ming and bring him back."

"No way. What if you try to hurt my son?" Lu Wenchang was certainly protective of the boy now. He was inherently a responsible, loving father; otherwise, he wouldn't have sacrificed his faith for the sake of his disabled wife and child.

"If you want to tag along, fine. Just be careful." Knowing there was no reasoning with the man, I picked up the pace. But in the pitch-black aisle, there wasn't even a trace of Lu Ming.

"This carriage is way too long!" After running for nearly a minute, there was still no end in sight. Lu Wenchang's legs were growing weak, and the rotting stench rolling off him was becoming so thick it could no longer be ignored. Every time he passed by, the passengers seated on either side would stir slightly in response.

I had no idea what was causing his condition. Since I couldn't convince him to turn back, all I could do was let him follow me.

"Huh? Mr. Lu, why are you back?" It was Feng Minglong. He had been on the verge of falling asleep, but a sharp, pungent smell jolted him awake just in time to see Lu Wenchang and me rushing past.

"I'm back here already?"

I glanced over at Feng Minglong. "Did you see a little kid run past here just now?"

"Someone might have run by, but I wasn't really paying attention." Feng Minglong offered a helpless smile. "What kind of trouble did you stir up this time?"

"Just go back to sleep." I pressed forward, sprinting all the way to the connection point between the October 27th and October 28th Carriages. I remembered this spot perfectly—it was where I had first boarded the train.

"Damn it, the kid might have run into the October 27th Carriage." My first time entering that carriage was still fresh in my mind. If Xu Qin hadn't shown up to drag me out, I probably would have met a gruesome end.

I glanced back at Lu Wenchang, my frown deepening. The stench rolling off his body had grown even more putrid.

'Why do passengers emit a foul stench the moment they leave their designated carriages? October 29th, October 28th...' I vaguely sensed I was overlooking some crucial connection, but finding Lu Ming was the absolute priority. I didn't even have time to calm down and think about it.

"Lu Wenchang, if you want to see your son come back safely, then stop getting in my way and go back to your seat right now."

"Are you threatening me?" Lu Wenchang shot back. Driven by the sheer panic of losing his son, he refused to yield an inch, dead set on finding Lu Ming himself.

There was no reasoning with the man, so I simply let him follow. I just prayed we wouldn't bump into the conductor. Ever since I kicked Lu Xing off the train, that terrifying woman had been suspicious of me.

"Every carriage serves a different purpose, and the path ahead is going to be incredibly dangerous. If things go south, turn around and run back." Leaving Lu Wenchang with that warning, I ducked my head and stepped into the October 27th Carriage.

A biting chill swept in from all directions like vengeful spirits demanding my life, clawing at my nerves. Forcing my eyes open, I stared into the darkness. The rows of shadowy heads swaying in rhythm with the moving train felt distinctly horrifying.

"Move fast." I hadn't even taken a few steps before an overpowering stench hit my nose. The moment we stepped into the October 27th Carriage, the foul odor radiating off Lu Wenchang multiplied. It was hard to describe—like the nauseating scent of rotting corpses, thick with the aura of death.

"What... is going on?"

"Get back! Stop moving, or you're going to get us all killed!" I hissed, shoving him back. The stench pouring off him had already begun to rouse some of the passengers. Even in the pitch-black carriage, I could feel pairs of unseen eyes fixating on us.

Time was limited. To avoid alerting the conductor, I ignored the biting chill and sprinted down the aisle.

"Where did that brat run off to?"

I was nearing the very end of the October 27th Carriage, yet there was still no sign of Lu Ming. A strong urge to retreat began to swell in my chest.

Just then, that abhorrent stench hit my nose again. I whipped around. Lu Wenchang was still following me.

"Where is my son?" His face was etched with panic, and he opened his mouth to scream Lu Ming's name. I lunged forward, clamped a hand over his mouth, and dragged him into the connecting area between the October 27th and October 26th Carriages.

"Shut up! Have you still not figured out how dangerous this train is? Stay quiet!" The stench radiating from the man was so vile that even I could barely stomach it. The moment he stopped struggling, I immediately let go and backed away. "Damn it, what is wrong with your body?"

We had both left our designated carriages, yet my body hadn't undergone any abnormal changes. Lu Wenchang, however, was experiencing some terrible transformation.

"I don't know! Forget about that, did Lu Ming run into the next carriage?"

Even now, his only concern as a father was his son's safety. Seeing the sheer desperation on his face, I swallowed the angry words I was about to say. Turning toward the October 26th Carriage, my expression darkened.

The layout of the October 26th Carriage was completely different from the rest. It looked like a sleeper car. There were three tiers of wooden berth boards stacked from top to bottom, each draped with a white cloth.

Judging by the bulging silhouettes beneath the white cloths, there was a "person" lying on every single one.

'Should we go in?' As I hesitated, my peripheral vision caught a glimpse of movement. Huddled beneath one of the bottom bunks, not far from the entrance, was a violently shivering child.

"Found you!"