Chapter 442: October 30th

Why would I appear in the October 30th Carriage?

That person was definitely me. He looked exactly like me, but if he was Gao Jian, then who was I?

The question had suddenly escalated to a philosophical level. For the first time, I felt that kind of terror.

"Calm down. Based on the clues I have so far, this train is filled entirely with dead people, and the carriage numbers correspond to the passengers' dates of death." I suppressed my fear and looked at my counterpart in the October 30th Carriage. "In that case, does my appearance in the October 30th Carriage mean I'm going to die on October 30th?"

This was bad news, but it was also good news.

The bad part was that I had just witnessed my own death. The good news was that this livestream was taking place on October 29th. Did seeing myself in the October 30th Carriage mean I would safely survive the eleventh livestream?

I wouldn't die on October 29th; I would die on the 30th. It was a baseless prophecy built entirely on my own speculation.

"Interesting. This train is getting more and more interesting." My gaze passed through the small window in the center of the iron door, watching the version of myself inside the October 30th Carriage.

It was a peculiar feeling. When a person stared into a mirror for a long time, their reflection would gradually become unfamiliar. This phenomenon occurred because when the brain focused on a familiar whole, it looked closer and closer, eventually zeroing in on specific details and creating a sense of alienation.

However, I wasn't feeling that right now. A faint voice deep in my mind kept telling me that the person sitting in that carriage was me.

It was the exact opposite of staring at a mirror image. The closer I looked, the more familiar he felt.

There were still subtle differences between the me in the October 30th Carriage and the me now. That version of me kept his head lowered, seemingly having lost his self-awareness. His face was pale, and his lips looked as though they had been soaked in water—ulcerated and swollen.

"My cause of death seems to be related to water." I wanted to look closer, but most of the passengers behind me in the October 29th Carriage had already taken their seats. I didn't have much time left.

"Wait, something isn't right." I frowned. Observing carefully, I noticed several anomalies. For example, the me in the October 30th Carriage was dressed completely differently than I was now. He wore a black suit, and a strip of white cloth was wrapped around his arm.

Given my personality, I strongly disliked formal attire. Under what circumstances would I be forced to wear a suit?

"What's going to happen on October 30th? This outfit looks like I'm preparing to attend someone's funeral."

By now, I had moved past my initial shock. I started slapping the iron door, trying to get the attention of the me in the October 30th Carriage.

I knew myself better than anyone. If that person really was me, no matter what he had encountered or how dangerous his situation was, he would never give up as long as there was even a sliver of hope. There had to be a chance for the two of us to communicate.

Bang! Bang! The iron door let out a loud noise, but the me in the October 30th Carriage maintained the same posture—silent and despairing, giving off an impression of utter hopelessness.

"This damn train!" Anxious, I tried to pick the lock. I fiddled with it for a long time without success, so I had no choice but to restore everything to its original state and retreat to the October 29th Carriage.

By the time I sat back in my seat, the passengers between the October 29th Carriage and the October 28th Carriage had all boarded. The conductor, holding the Yellow Leather Notebook, happened to look up and glance at me right at that moment.

Feeling a guilty conscience, I lowered my head. I wasn't sure if the conductor knew about what was in the October 30th Carriage. Based on the intelligence I had gathered earlier, she had probably never entered it either. After all, logically speaking, that day hadn't arrived yet; no one would expect someone to be inside.

"The reason I appear in the October 30th Carriage is very likely because I am personally on the train right now. The living me is in the October 29th Carriage, and the dead me is in the October 30th Carriage. Life and death are separated by just an iron door. I can see death, but I am powerless to change it. This train is getting more and more interesting."

I knew too little about this train and could only rely on guesses and deductions. I had half a mind to ask the livestream viewers, but the conductor wasn't far away. I was afraid that any unnecessary actions would draw her attention. If she snatched away the Underworld Live Show Phone, it would be disastrous.

The conductor made check marks in the Yellow Leather Notebook, tallying every name. As the train slowly started moving, I sat on pins and needles, waiting for her to come over.

At a time like this, I couldn't count on anyone. Facing the impending terror, I slowly calmed down instead. "If I'm going to die on October 30th, then no matter what happens today, my life shouldn't be in danger."

What was meant to come would eventually come, sooner or later. Escaping was useless.

After finishing her tally, the conductor put away the Yellow Leather Notebook and walked toward me. "Get up. Follow closely behind me."

Her tone was harsh; it wasn't a request, but an order.

Unwilling to use force unless it was the absolute last resort, I stood up and obediently followed the conductor. We left the October 29th Carriage, passed through carriages twenty-eight and twenty-seven, and walked all the way to the door of the October 26th Carriage. The conductor suddenly stopped. She turned her head to look at me, a hint of surprise in her eyes. "Why aren't you emitting a deathly aura?"

I paused for a moment and immediately understood. The deathly aura the conductor mentioned was likely the thick stench radiating from Lu Wenchang's body.

"The date every passenger boards the train is fixed, matching their seats. If a passenger rashly leaves their assigned carriage, their physical body loses its protection and leaks the deathly aura." Blocking the doorway to the October 26th Carriage, the conductor pulled out her Yellow Leather Notebook and started searching for something.

"Physical body?" I noted the conductor's choice of words and felt even more confused. According to my previous deductions, this train was loaded entirely with dead people—or, more accurately, the souls of the deceased. How could souls possess physical bodies?

Thinking up to this point, I felt an immense sense of doubt regarding the purpose of this train's existence.

At first, I thought the train was a manifestation of the natural order of heaven and earth. On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, the Double Ninth festival, the Yang Qi of heaven and earth peaked, causing ghosts to hide everywhere. Therefore, this train appeared traveling underground through the city, picking up wandering souls and wild ghosts to transport them to the Underworld.

But as I continued to interact with it, I discovered that this train was absolutely not as simple as I had imagined. It seemed to hide an even deeper secret.

"Dead people, living people, self-awareness, physical bodies, souls..." From the time I boarded the train until now, I originally thought I had stabilized the situation and completely figured out the contents of this livestream task. But ever since I saw that numb and silent version of myself in the October 30th Carriage, my mind was instantly thrown into chaos, and the situation once again became as tangled and confusing as running hares.

"Is the destination of this train really the Underworld? Aside from the conductor, are there even more terrifying things on board?" While I was deep in thought, the conductor sneered continuously. Watching my expression gradually grow solemn, she grabbed my shoulder with one hand and dragged me into the October 26th Carriage.

This was my second time entering the twenty-sixth carriage. The conductor's grip on my shoulder was immense, and I had absolutely no way to resist. If I wanted to escape now, I could only borrow someone else's strength.

My eyes darted around, and I spotted the bed where Wang Shi lay. Gradually, a highly risky idea formed in my mind.

I reached back and grabbed the conductor's arm. It was impossible to tell that her slender, ice-cold arm contained such immense strength.

"Wait a minute! I want to know where you're taking me. Will I end up like that guy from just now?" I spoke loudly on purpose, wanting Wang Shi to hear me.

"Follow me and you'll find out."

The conductor was getting impatient, but this time I didn't comply. Backing up against one of the beds, I gripped the handrail tightly with both hands and raised my voice again. "If you don't tell me now, you'll definitely regret it once I lose consciousness later!"

The conductor found my words baffling. In reality, I wasn't saying this for her benefit; I was threatening Wang Shi.

That old fox had boarded the train two days earlier than I had, and he knew one of the conductor's weaknesses. Yelling while standing right next to his bed was my way of telling him to hurry up and tell me that weakness. Otherwise, if I lost consciousness, he could forget about getting off the train too.