"Where will the next stop be?"
Seeing the game prepare for the next leg of the journey, Stelle couldn't help but ask.
Pom-Pom stood there with wide, aggressive eyes.
"No matter where it is, we cannot follow the game's plot!"
"We absolutely cannot let it lead us by the nose!"
"Wherever it says to go, we'll go the opposite way!"
Welt remained calm, offering an analysis. "Based on the current game content, the next stop is likely to take place on the Xianzhou Luofu."
"Because among the playable characters currently available, quite a few originate from the Luofu."
Hearing the words "Xianzhou Luofu," Dan Heng's expression shifted slightly.
However, he said nothing.
His gaze grew deep, as vast as the starry sky outside the window.
"That's great! Our original destination wasn't the Luofu anyway, right, Himeko?" March 7th was full of energy.
After all, she had just made a bet in the livestream.
Even though no one believed she was the real March 7th, and no one had actually taken the bet...
Himeko wasn't as optimistic. "Let's keep watching. Until the plot is confirmed, I won't give any opinion."
Soon.
It was time for the Express to Warp.
Everyone focused with two hundred percent intensity!
They had to see where the story would go!
Would it be the Xianzhou Luofu, which had so much foreshadowing?
Or was it the secret destination the Express crew had yet to announce?
It felt like observing Schrödinger's cat.
Himeko remained silent partly because she feared her decisions might influence the game's plot.
The best move was to do nothing!
And see how the story unfolded!
Pom-Pom's voice rang out: "Thank you for waiting, passengers! Thanks to the dedicated assistance of our three Trailblazers, the Fragmentum activity has been reduced to a minimum, and all Star Rail readings have returned to normal!"
"The Express is about to depart Jarilo-VI. Please remain seated and hold on. Let's say one last goodbye to this planet!"
Just as the Express crew waited for the next station to be announced...
The twist came!
The screen cut to black.
A line of text appeared in the center.
[Xianzhou Luofu · The Shackling Prison]
Tap... tap... tap...
Inside a dim corridor.
The surroundings were a blur of white, as if a thick mist were lingering.
A man was walking through this eerie environment.
Upon closer inspection, two soldiers holding long blades were escorting him from behind.
The man's hands were bound.
He walked step by step toward the end of the corridor.
At the end.
Two people waited.
In this dark prison, they looked like judges waiting to sentence a sinner.
On the left sat a young boy on a bench, his eyes partially closed.
On the right stood a man clad in light armor.
A golden lion ring was embedded on his shoulder.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his breath held steady.
The livestream exploded the moment this appeared!
"Holy shit, what am I seeing? It's my main carry, the god of war, Yanqing!!!"
"Luofu! It's actually our Xianzhou Luofu!"
"What's going on! Why did the perspective suddenly jump to a prison on the Luofu?"
"The one on the left is Yanqing, so the one standing there is..."
"The Dozing General! No... it's the Divine ForesightJing Yuan!!!"
"General Jing Yuan!!!! (Losing my mind here)"
"Damn! This is insane!"
As the prisoner approached step by step, General Jing Yuan spoke.
"Yanqing. In a moment, look closely at this man."
By now, the prisoner had been escorted to the platform.
Jing Yuan asked in a heavy voice, "Do you remember me?"
"I do."
Despite being a captive, a strange, eerie smile crept onto the man's face.
After answering, he began to speak to himself.
"Of five people, three must pay a price..."
Yanqing and Jing Yuan were both startled.
Yanqing's hand instinctively moved to the hilt of the sword at his waist.
When those words left the man's mouth, they sounded like a terrifying curse.
"Jing Yuan, you are not one of them."
The next moment.
As if a candle had been snuffed out by the wind.
The man's face turned deathly pale. The firelight seemed to reflect in his eyes as he stared fixedly ahead.
He raised a broken sword.
"You... are one of them!"
Whirr!
The scene shifted abruptly.
It was Dan Heng, lying in bed, drenched in cold sweat!
He looked as though he were trapped in a nightmare, his teeth clenched and his chest heaving violently.
As the voice faded, Dan Heng bolted upright, gasping for air.
"Hah... hah..."
He panted heavily.
His pupils were dilated.
Inside the carriage.
Everyone turned simultaneously to look at Dan Heng.
The next part of the story was about him!
Dan Heng himself was filled with shock and suspicion.
Beads of cold sweat lined his forehead.
He never imagined he would see that nightmarish image inside the game!
His current panic was an exact mirror of his in-game self.
"How is this possible..."
Dan Heng muttered to himself in disbelief, his breathing ragged.
Himeko handed him a cup of coffee and comforted him, "Relax, Dan Heng."
"We're all here. We won't let anyone hurt you."
"No, I'm just..."
Dan Heng took a sip of the coffee and nearly choked, tears pricking his eyes.
Welt, being the more attentive one, patted Dan Heng's back with a look of sympathy.
March 7th whispered into Stelle's ear, "This is the first time I've seen Dan Heng like this."
"The man in that scene... he's Dan Heng's enemy, right?"
"Who do you think that guy is? He scared Dan Heng half to death..."
Stelle shook her head. "I don't know, but I do know one thing..."
"If we keep watching, we'll definitely find out who he is."
"Maybe he'll even turn into a boss like Cocolia!"
"When the time comes, we have to make sure our character levels and gear are all maxed out. We'll help Dan Heng beat this enemy and overcome his inner demons!"
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