The group of strangers seemed to be lining up, quietly and quickly flooding into the “train,” leaving the nearest Earth Pig and “Cat” momentarily at a loss.
Soon, the corridor within a radius of several meters was completely packed with people. If the crowd continued to stand still, those behind them wouldn’t be able to board.
“Something feels off…” Bai Jiu, staring at their dirty faces and tattered clothes, muttered under his breath, “These people look like ‘Natives.'”
“Damn it…” Luo Shiyi was stunned. “Do ‘Natives’ even clock out and take the ‘train’?”
“Tch, are you out of your mind?” Weekend rolled his eyes at Luo Shiyi. “What ‘clocking out’ for ‘Natives’?”
Qian Wu turned to Earth Pig and asked, “Do you know what’s going on?”
“No idea,” Earth Pig replied, shaking his head silently as he watched the crowd entering the train. “‘Natives’ never board. But something feels wrong… We stand out too much. We should leave first.”
“Right…” The group quickly slipped away as the crowd grew.
However, whether it was Wei Yang or the boarding “Natives,” they all seemed to overlook one critical issue.
Once aboard the “train,” there were still two paths to choose from—left or right.
In this long corridor, without an insider guiding them, there was a fifty percent chance these people would head in the wrong direction.
Even if they lucked out and took the right path, they could still end up dead in the hands of other “Zodiacs.”
Moreover, with the crowd now present, the once-unobstructed view down the “train” was completely blocked.
No matter which direction you looked from, all you could see now was a sea of dark heads gathered in the middle.
When Yan Zhichun heard Weekend announce “All tasks completed,” she immediately led her group and Earth Snake aboard.
It seemed all the “Extremists” had silently waited for a moment, so by the time they boarded, they only saw scattered figures and very few “Zodiacs.”
Earth Snake’s room was conveniently close to the disembarkation point. In less than a minute, the entire team had hidden inside.
This was Yan Zhichun’s first time stepping into a “Zodiac’s” quarters, and she found the situation a little bizarre—
Were all “Zodiac” rooms this… girly?
Unlike the aged wooden walls outside, the room was covered in pink Rococo-style wallpaper. The bedside and desk were adorned with small trinkets collected from various places, aside from books.
Compared to Earth Snake, Yan Zhichun felt like she was practically a boy.
Her hairstyle hadn’t changed in a decade, and she owned three identical white dresses—just so she wouldn’t have to fuss over what to wear each day or care about others’ opinions on her fashion sense, drastically reducing mental exhaustion.
“Damn girl, sit down,” Earth Snake waved at Yan Zhichun and the other “Extremists.” “Why are you all standing?”
“I can’t sit still…” Yan Zhichun said. “Doesn’t this feel too… smooth?”
“Smooth…?” Earth Snake chuckled, walking over to a dresser to brew tea. “You’ve got less than ten people here. That’s smooth to you?”
“At least for now, it is.” Yan Zhichun glanced at a box of bloodied bandages in the corner. “White Snake, are you injured?”
“I…” White Snake paused slightly. “Just some old wounds that never healed. It’s nothing serious. Just need to clean the blood regularly.”
“Alright…” Yan Zhichun nodded absentmindedly. “I still feel something’s off…”
She turned to the other “Extremists” behind her. “Did anyone hear the ‘Message’ Weekend sent?”
They all shook their heads.
“‘Message’…” White Snake’s teapot halted for a split second upon hearing this. “Damn girl… You’re planning to cause chaos here with ‘Echoes,’ but you don’t even know the quirks of this place?”
“This place…?” Yan Zhichun frowned. “Can we not use ‘Echoes’ here?”
“Well…” White Snake lifted the teacup and handed it to Yan Zhichun. “It’s like someone who’s driven a forklift for years suddenly trying to pilot a speedboat. The quick learners might adapt fast, but those who aren’t as sharp… It’ll be a nightmare.”
Yan Zhichun took the cup, feeling a sense of déjà vu—like she’d already been trained for this “no-Echo” scenario.
“Isn’t this similar to ‘Cangjie’s Game’?”
“‘Cangjie’s Game’…?” White Snake froze. “What? Isn’t that just a legend? Does ‘Peach Spring’ really have a ‘Cangjie’s Game’ arena…?”
Yan Zhichun didn’t answer, her expression tense.
Sure, she’d had practice—but what about the other “Extremists”?
If Weekend’s “Message” couldn’t be activated, they’d be marching blindly through fog.
“We’re running out of time,” Yan Zhichun turned to Earth Snake. “We need to find a Black Sheep. Do you know where he is?”
Earth Snake hesitated. “His room isn’t far… But how are you planning to leave now?”
“Time’s tight,” Yan Zhichun pressed. “Our mission is to reach the ‘Cargo Hold’ with Black Sheep and free all the ‘Ants.’ If we don’t liberate them in time, they’ll be sent to ‘Terminus,’ and our entire plan collapses!”
“God damn it…” Earth Snake furrowed his brows. “You guys have some audacious ambitions…”
“So even if there’s a risk of death, we have to move now,” Yan Zhichun insisted. “I have ‘Soul Theft,’ you have ‘Brute Force.’ In theory, no single ‘Zodiac’—not even an ‘Earth-Level’—should be a match for us.”
“Yeah, and I also have ‘Lament.'”
“Don’t even mention ‘Lament.’ If it doesn’t backfire, that’s a win.” Yan Zhichun sighed. “If you’re worried about danger, just point me in the right direction. I’ll go with my team.”
Earth Snake thought for a few seconds, then shook his head. “Sis, you’re making me sound like I’ve got nothing better to do. I’ve got my own mission to handle.”
“You…?”
Earth Snake pointed at the bloody bandages in the corner.
“I need to return these wounds,” he said. “To that ‘greatest inventor.'”
“Inventor…?”
“Not for any ‘grand plan,’ not for ‘Terminus,’ and certainly not to benefit anyone.” Earth Snake’s voice turned cold. “Just a personal grudge. I just want him dead.”
Yan Zhichun nodded. “But this ‘personal grudge’ sounds dangerous. Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“Me? No… sis.” Earth Snake grinned. “People like us actually learning to rebel? You should be happy for me.”
Yan Zhichun’s expression grew complicated. She hesitated, almost reaching out to pat Earth Snake’s shoulder—but pulled back at the last second.
“Then let’s move out together.”
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