Chapter 68

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Chapter 68: The Slave Transport Train

“How did it arrive so quickly?” Zhou Zhi couldn’t help but be taken aback. “Wasn’t it supposed to depart at midnight?!”

“We’re out of time—we have to climb aboard!” Asahara Naruko’s sharp command cut through the fog like a blade. She was already on her feet, ready to move towards the bridge edge. “Zhang, come with me!”

Damn! Zhang Zhiyuan cursed under his breath, he knew Naruko’s assessment was correct. They had mere seconds—fifteen at most—before the train would thunder past their ambush point. Missing this window meant losing their only chance to intercept it. There was no way they could catch up on foot once it sped past. The only option left was to sprint towards the bridge, duck beneath its low structure, and seize the moment to latch onto the moving train!

But as his eyes darted to the massive, dark shape emerging from the fog, he realized this was no ordinary steam train. Gun positions had been mounted on the roof, turning the train into a fortress on wheels. One wrong move during their ascent, and they’d find themselves directly in the line of enemy fire.

“Spread out, get down! Everybody, hit the ground!” Zhang Zhiyuan barked, instinctively falling back on the training that had kept him alive so far.

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out through the fog, laced with the distinct accent of rolled consonants.

“Anthony?” Zhang Zhiyuan barely had time to register the sound before a brilliant flash of light erupted from the low bridge, illuminating the night like a sudden sunrise…

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Three deafening explosions tore through the stillness, each one more violent than the last. Flames flared one after another, seemingly bidding farewell to the train. The shockwave whipped through the depression, shaking the bushes violently and sending splinters of shattered wood bridge raining down with a terrifying roar.

Buzz—! Buz…

Once stability was lost, A low, resonating hum followed—the first to succumb were the iron tracks laid upon the bridge.

The steel bars emitted a dull vibrating sound, indicating their inability to support the train’s weight as they began to severely deform. The massive metallic beast lurched heavily to its right, seemingly sinking into the fractured bridge surface, but inertia prevented it from stopping abruptly. Its heavy body continued relentlessly forward until the derailed carriages were completely pushed off the low bridge.

It all happened in an instant, too quick to fully comprehend.

As the last echoes of the explosions faded, the colossal engine pitched forward, plunging headlong into the depression below. Dirt and shrubbery exploded into the air, creating a spectacle akin to a fountain of earth.

Following closely behind were the rest of the carriages, the first few diving into the abyss, while others teetered precariously on the edge. Only two or three cars tumbled down after the engine, the rest held precariously in place on the ruined bridge, adding a grotesque twist of metal to the already shattered wooden structure.
As the train finally came to a complete stop, silence reigned, broken only by the soft hiss of escaping steam. The fog, ever persistent, quickly reclaimed the wreckage, wrapping it in its opaque embrace until the train’s outline became nothing more than a ghostly silhouette.

It was evident that the lamp used to disperse the fog had been shattered during the crash.

“Suka Blyat! Did you see that? That’s my craftsmanship at work, ha ha ha ha!” Anthony’s booming laughter shattered the silence as he emerged from the fog, loudly boasting towards the other four individuals, grinning ear to ear as if he had just accomplished the greatest feat of his life

“Where’s your lamp?” Zhang Zhiyuan realized at that moment his teammate had virtually no light source on him.

“I smashed it.”

“Huh?” The three others were greatly surprised.

“How was I supposed to know there isn’t a single battery-powered item in the exchange list!” Anthony shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I initially planned to create a short-circuit detonation device, but ended up having to use gunpowder as a fuse line instead. The maximum safe distance for detonation barely reached ten meters. Thankfully, black powder burns slowly; otherwise, I’d have been forced to go down with the railway tracks! You see, while guarding near the bridge, keeping the lantern intact would’ve exposed our presence.”

That explained why they couldn’t find any trace of the Russian…

It turned out Anthony had stayed hidden, waiting in the shadows after setting the charges, ready to spring the trap as soon as the train appeared.

“Now that we’re all here, let’s move in!” Asahara Naruko removed her automatic rifle from her back, her voice steady and resolute. She specifically instructed Luo Di, “If you can’t handle a gun, stay farther away from us. Remember, whenever you hear gunfire, seek cover immediately.”

“That’s right, bullets don’t have eyes!” Anthony eagerly chimed in, his enthusiasm undiminished. “This is the moment I’ve been most looking forward to!”

The four-person team made their way across the crippled low bridge, their footsteps echoing with a grim resolve as they approached the derailed train cars. The Russian took the lead, his movements brimming with a rough, unyielding determination. With a forceful kick, he sent the carriage door flying open and charged inside without hesitation.

A foul odor assailed their senses.

“F**k, they’re transporting slaves!” Anthony’s voice was laced with disgust.

Inside the carriage, rows of iron bars divided three-quarters of the space. A narrow aisle ran along the left, while cages lined the right side. Behind the bars were emaciated, terrified individuals, most of them Nepheids. The recent collision had thrown the slave laborers to the floor, leaving them scattered and disoriented. When they caught sight of the intruding “Players,” their eyes filled with a primal fear.

“Who… are you?” A man who looked like a guard, holding his profusely bleeding forehead, slurred his question. At his feet lay not only a leather whip but also several empty liquor bottles.

Without a second thought, Anthony brought the butt of his gun crashing down on the man, silencing him with a brutal efficiency. “He should know which carriage holds the money,” Anthony muttered.

“What do we do with these people?” Zhou Zhi asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

“Release them,” Zhang Zhiyuan replied, his tone firm and decisive. “Let’s create some chaos for the Gaotian Mining Corporation. Search the place—the keys have to be nearby.”

Soon, Asahara Naruko found the keys.But when the iron doors were flung open, not a single prisoner dared to step out. Both sides—the captors and the captives—stood frozen, staring at each other through the bars. The atmosphere was thick with tension, an uneasy silence settling over the carriage.

“Quick, run! What are you all waiting for?” Zhang Zhiyuan urged, his voice breaking through the stillness.

However, this admonishment made the prisoners shrink back further, fear evident on their faces.

“Let me handle it,” Luo Di suddenly spoke up.

She glanced at everyone briefly before stepping into one of the cages. Asahara Naruko frowned and tried to follow, but Luo Di stopped her with an outstretched hand.

“What does she intend to do?” Zhou Zhi couldn’t help but ask softly, his confusion evident.

Zhang Zhiyuan could only shake his head. Luo Di remained an enigma to him, a girl no older than sixteen or seventeen, yet carrying herself with a wisdom and confidence that belied her years.

Luo Di approached a similarly aged young Nepheid who looked just as frightened as the others. She paused before him, her hand gently coming to rest on his head. “I know you’re a brave person,” she said softly, her voice soothing and kind. “You’re just overwhelmed by panic right now, unsure of what to do. Let me help you. You have two choices—either lead everyone away from this danger, or do nothing and watch as everyone misses their one chance at freedom. Tell me, which choice will you make?”

Though soft, Luo Di’s voice was clear enough for everyone to hear distinctly. Her words seemed imbued with a mystical power that involuntarily evoked feelings of relaxation and tranquility. Even Anthony, who had been moving with his usual roughness, found his actions slowing down as he listened.

After several seconds of hesitation and silence, the Nepheid spoke for the first time, “Can we truly escape?” His voice was a whisper, fragile yet filled with a glimmer of hope.

“Walk back along the rail track, and when the fog clears, turn westward—there is a stretch of beach there from which you can make you way back to the city.”

The boy gazed at her momentarily, as if searching for the truth in her eyes. After a moment, he nodded, a spark of determination flickering to life within him. He whistled three times, a clear, sharp sound that cut through the air, then waved his hand towards the others in the cage. “Everyone, follow me!”

An incredible transformation took place. The slave laborers, who had moments before been huddled in fear, suddenly seemed galvanized into action. They began to gather near the cage entrance. Led by the boy, they ran out one by one. Although fear still lingered in their eyes when looking at Zhang Zhiyuan and the others, it was no longer as guarded as before.

“How… exactly did you manage that?” Zhou Zhi asked, astonishment coloring his voice.

“I spent some time in the slums before,” Luo Di answered softly. “I had deep interactions with the people there. The more desperate and destitute individuals gather together, the easier it is for a leader to emerge. Once you find that person, negotiations become much more efficient. Of course… leaders aren’t always fierce and combative; each situation must be handled accordingly. For example, with that Nepheid boy just now, calming him down first followed by encouragement yielded better results.”

Zhou Zhi was astounded. “You’re incredibly skilled!”

“Why does having less make it harder for leaders to emerge?” Asahara Naruko asked, puzzled the previous statement.

“… Because they are already very vulnerable,” Luo Di murmured while watching the continuous stream of people fleeing from the carriage. “Just like sheep deeply trapped in danger, if they don’t band together, their only fate is death.”

At that moment, Anthony reappeared, dragging the bloodied guard towards the group. “I got the information. The conductor’s cabin is in the eighth coach; we still have four more coaches to go through.”

“Let’s hurry up; we don’t have much time,” Zhang Zhiyuan nodded.

“Anthony grinned, his expression wild with excitement. “You’re right.” And without another word, he pulled out a dagger and plunged it into the guard’s chest, his grin widening as the man’s body went limp.

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