Abyss Express

[The Talisman: Heart of Steel]

[Properties: A pair of rings made of carbon-silver synthetic steel and corundum. ]

[Amulet category: against spirits/rings]

[Universality: Amulets can drive away spirits for passengers in the environment of spiritual disasters. Most spiritual disasters can affect people's brain waves and optic nerve signals, causing people to have hallucinations. The light of pyroxene can illuminate the real environment. Passengers are directed to the right path. ]

[Instructions for use: Corundum is extremely hard, and its shock resistance is very poor. Take care of this sharp and fragile stone—when you are in a spiritual disaster environment, it will naturally help you escape the disaster. ]

[Production organization: Jiujie Station Iron Works, Lingweng. ]

[Remarks: The rings that appear in pairs are the treasures of passengers and waiters. Passengers are always traveling from station to station, and bellboys always follow when the bell rings. ]

Jiang Xueming recorded the information in the manual in the passenger logbook, and then tore up the isolated page to ensure that no one else would see it.

Immediately afterwards, he took out another note from the small cloth pocket next to the lunch box—it was the instruction manual for the "magic wand".

[Mingde's Bad Work: Magic Wand]

[Characteristics: Iron sword-shaped stick cast from a clay mould. ]

[Weapon Type: Strike/Catalyst]

[Versatility: This stick can open paths and break doors for passengers. It has a simple structure and is strong and durable, but the maker still thinks it is an unpopular work. As a wand, it can only use the most basic luminous magic. ]

[Instructions for use: In dark surroundings, it lights your way, striking both living and dead as it shines. ]

[Production organization: Jiujie Station Iron Works Ao Run]

[Remarks: The rough-crafted sword-shaped iron rod that was disliked by the maker has been left in the treasury of the terrifying giant beast, waiting for the arrival of passengers who have become attached to it. It emits dazzling light and cuts thorns for friends Cut the thorns. ]

Like the previous manual, Jiang Xueming wrote down the information and tore the paper into pieces smaller than a grain of rice for safekeeping.

Bu Meeoxing has been sticking to Jiang Xueming's side all the time, and he finished reading the manual together. Seeing that Jiang Xueming can tear paper more efficiently than a shredder, he couldn't help but ask, "Brother Ming, are you being too cautious?"

Jiang Xueming didn't explain anything, always be careful when going out.

He took out the lunch box and started to fill his stomach—what Xiao Qi cooked for him were all fitness meals, and he divided the portions with the small squares of the lunch box.

Ah Xing was bored watching from the sidelines, Leziren couldn't stop for a moment, so he wanted to go to other compartments.

Jiang Xueming called to Ah Xing: "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to visit other compartments." Bu Liuxing explained: "Our ticket didn't say anything, and the boss didn't say how far and how long this train will drive. I'll think about it. Why don't you ask other passengers? Clearly, maybe there is an old man who often takes this bus, willing to tell us about the specific situation of this destination?"

"It makes sense but..." Jiang Xueming had other worries in his heart, the train is a very unstable environment. The two left together, and they couldn't run around in the car with heavy luggage—if A Xing was left alone to deal with strange passengers, he would definitely not feel at ease.

After all, the last time, Ah Xing explained everything to a stranger he met for the first time in the toilet, without any defensiveness.

So Xueming packed up the big and small bags, and put them together: "I'll ask the flight attendant to help keep our luggage, let's go to another car and sit together."

At this moment—Ah Xing also came to help, happily touching Brother Ming's baggage.

He touched the brocade box of [magic wand], and then touched another brocade box that was both strange and familiar.

"This is." Bu Liuxing brought the brocade box onto the table, he didn't remember who it belonged to.

Jiang Xueming recognized it immediately: "It's a gift from Brother Ye Bei, who is my benefactor. He gave me this collectible and told me to keep it with me, and sell it when I have no money."

Bu Liuxing picked up his own cane box again, and put the two boxes together on the table.

This time Jiang Xueming was also stunned.

Because Brother Ye Bei's gift box looks exactly the same as the brocade box of sticks given to every passenger by the station boss.

The glowing moss outside the car window casts a faint blue light on the two brocade boxes.

Their silk embroidery pattern and dark red background color, as well as the pattern of the pattern are exactly the same, with a human head and a tiger body, without limbs, accompanied by cloud patterns, like monster patterns in ancient art paintings.

It's just that the gift box given to Jiang Xueming by Brother Ye Bei was covered with a lot of dust, and there were wounds bitten by termites. It seemed to be old, and it was something from a long, long time ago.

Jiang Xueming immediately untied the red silk ribbon on the box, pushed the animal jaw buckle, and opened the box lid, revealing the bottom edge of the yellow brocade inside.

Bu Liuxing also opened his cane brocade box, and compared them again, they were exactly the same.

It's just that Ah Xing's cane is not protected by any packaging, lying in the groove at the bottom of the brocade.

Looking at Ye Bei's gift again, it was tightly wrapped in a dustproof cloth, Jiang Xueming struggled to pick it out of the box.

The two worked together to get this mysterious ancient collection into their hands——

——Remove the cloth bag, and there is a layer of anti-oxidation oil paper bag.

——Remove the oiled paper bag, and there is a layer of fireproof gold foil.

It can be seen that this gift is very expensive, otherwise Brother Ye Bei would not have taken so many protective measures.

From the layers of packaging, emerged the handle of a stick.

Jiang Xueming tried hard and finally pulled it out completely.

Mindless and unhappy are dumbfounded——

——Because for a while, they couldn't see what it was.

Its handle is like a thick steel handrail, but it is made into a polygon that is not convenient to hold. There are grooves on the corner prisms, revealing the color of metal. Rust protection fluid.

Its body looked down all the way, and it became more and more slender and streamlined, with a total length of more than three feet, a little shorter than Xue Ming's wand, and it would be awkward to use as a walking stick.

The two carefully identified the opening and closing gaps on the stick, without any gaps in the splicing of materials, it was a one-piece thing.

At the end of the stick, there is a leather sheath tightly wrapped around the stick tip, like the non-slip leather sheath of a walking stick.

Bu Meeoxing was full of doubts: "What is this?"

"Maybe it's a crutch." Jiang Xueming didn't understand either.

Bu Meteor saw the handle of the walking stick: "The owner of this walking stick is a ruthless iron hand."

Not in a hurry, Jiang Xueming dialed Brother Ye Bei's number to ask for clarification.

"Hello, is that Brother Ye?"

"Oh! What's the matter?"

"What is the stick you gave me?"

"I don't know either."

"Where did this stick come from?"

"Depending on my parents at home, relying on my friends when I go out! ~ I have helped many people, and they have no cash to return gifts. I have received a lot of inexplicable gifts. This stick is one of them, and I don't remember who sent it. Yes. I thought it should be quite valuable, so I gave it to you."

"So it is"

"Stop talking, my wife asked me to cook, let's talk later when I have time."

"good."

hang up the phone--

——Jiang Xueming wrapped the stick back intact.

Except for this strange stick, there was nothing else in the brocade box, not even an instruction manual.

Xueming thought carefully, this stick must be a gift from BOSS to the passengers for a lifetime. Judging from the degree of corruption of the brocade box, it was a long time ago. Brother Ye is only in his thirties this year, so it is impossible for him to be the original owner of this stick.

It may have changed countless owners long ago, wandered in the antique market, passed through the hands of many people, and finally passed to Brother Ye's shop.

In any case, if he didn't know how to use this thing, Xue Ming would never try to use it.

For him, these strange spirits are just like Mr. Bourne's AR-15 rifle. If he hasn't used it before, he won't know how to use it.

If you can return to the station safely, take it to ask the BOSS, maybe this ancient stick can be exchanged for other useful things.

During the period when Jiang Xueming repackaged the stick.

Meteors can't stop for a moment——

——He first went to the pantry of the train to call for the flight attendant, asking the flight attendant to look after their luggage. He took out playing cards and fighting chess, two packs of cigarettes and chewing gum from the big backpack, and prepared to use these things to make friends.

Ah Xing felt that it was not enough, so he took two extra volumes of newspapers, which were exclusive newspapers in the underground world, called "The Sun Times".

Most of the contents of the newspapers are underworld news that is difficult to distinguish between true and false. There are passengers' experiences in exploring unknown lands, and there are also serials of long novels. There are also a large number of advertisements for tofu cubes.

Seeing that the issue number of the newspaper was still last month, Bu Liuxing anxiously asked the flight attendant for the latest issue.

Because these are outdated news, it is too shameful to use outdated talk materials to chat with new friends.

But soon, he was freed from the anxiety of this social miscellaneous disease——

——The station stops at the trade transfer station near Area 31.

This place is called Gold Township, and there is a huge underground non-ferrous metal mine. There are also a lot of people at the station, and the supporting facilities are very complete.

Ah Xing wanted to get off the train to buy the latest newspapers, this bustling station must have the first-hand information he wanted.

But he just wanted to speak.

"Brother Ming, I want to get out of the car and go shopping soon."

"No, you can't get out of the car." Jiang Xueming frowned, staring at the motley crowd outside the window. There were many peddlers pushing goods buckets to deliver goods to the car window.

He also caught a glimpse of many sneaky people, holding pairs of chopsticks in their hands, stuffing things into the pockets of passengers getting on and off the bus.

That's what a habitual offender does—like Xiaoqi's stick is a pair of silver chopsticks, I'm afraid she used to earn her living like this.

Armed employees of the station also came whistling to drive away the crowd hiding the criminals.

Bu Liuxing pouted, looking aggrieved, just like a child watching a video game arcade stand still under the discipline of his parents.

But God gave him a second chance.

A group of black monsters flew out from the crossing of the platform.

Jiang Xueming's heart trembled. He had never seen these underground creatures before, and his nerves tensed up.

But Meteor stared wide-eyed to see the appearance of those monsters clearly.

That is yarn sheep——

——a gigantic bug of the Underworld.

They put on clothes, covering the hideous fuzz and sharp exoskeleton on the step limbs with neat cloth.

In order to look more friendly, their fat tails and bellies are wrapped with a layer of navy blue staff uniforms.

The wings are vibrating violently, making a high-frequency noise. In order to cover up this maddening noise, many yarn sheep hooks are equipped with a large tape recorder, playing brisk jazz music in a loop.

These huge dragonflies are carrying the cargo baskets, hovering flexibly on both sides of the train, stopping in front of every window, selling goods.

A yarn sheep came to them.

"Butter toast, Mrs. Bai's milk tea, and 9mm gruel bombs. There is always something you like. The latest issue of the Sun Times has Mr. Victor's new novel. What do the two handsome guys want?"

There are tens of thousands of compound eyes in the pair of big bright red eyes, and the mouthparts of the yarn sheep come out in human language. It is an unusually sweet female voice, like a girl of seventeen or eighteen years old.

The monster's wings were more than two meters wide, and its body was about 120 centimeters long. It almost blocked the entire window, and it was full of pressure.

Bu Meteor shouted immediately: "I want a newspaper! The latest!"

"Newspapers are free." Miss Shayang shook her head, hooked the publications with her thick legs and threw them into the window: "Do you want anything else? You don't look like people who are short of money."

"How to contact?! Young lady, can I ask you for your phone number?" Bu Liuxing didn't finish asking.

——Jiang Xueming covered Ah Xing's mouth and closed the window.

Even so, the giant insect lady outside the window seemed to be scratching her head in doubt, dipped some egg liquid rations from the snack pot, and wrote a phone number on the car window.

"Okay!" Bu Liuxing wrote down the phone number of his new friend, very happy.

"A Xing." Jiang Xueming emphasized: "When you touch these things"

"Got it, got it! Brother Ming!" Bu Liuxing nodded fiercely: "Be careful, be careful!"

The train moves slowly——

——Leaving this bustling golden town, heading for the next station.

Gathering all the things, Bu Meteor pulled Jiang Xueming to the other compartments, ready to say hello to new friends.

Xue Ming followed A Xing silently, not thinking much.

Until the two pushed open the mahogany door of another carriage.

The passengers glanced at the shooting star first, their expressions were quite normal.

He glanced at Xueming again, as if seeing the God of Plague and the King of Hades, and immediately walked deeper into the train.

Almost within a dozen seconds, the guests in the carriage left completely, and before Ah Xing's joyful energy was released, they rushed to nothing.

Inspired by other passengers, they called the police frantically, telling them to stay away from Jiang Xueming.

"Looks like it's all right!~" Bu Liuxing smiled, "Brother Ming, you won't stop me this time, right? I'm going to find out what they say by myself?"

"Don't drink alcohol." Jiang Xueming solemnly reminded: "Don't sleep with strange people, no matter men or women, no matter whether they are human or not - I will give you an hour, keep your mobile phone open, call me if you have any situation, tell me you Where is it, I will come to you immediately."

Bu Liuxing hugged the social props tightly, and compared thumbs up with Xueming: "You said that, you care about me like my mommy!~"

"Don't be too happy." Jiang Xueming turned around, ready to go back to his seat to rest: "If you can ask something useful, I will be very happy-if you have some funny jokes again this time , get into trouble, even if I scare your new friend away, I will follow you like a conjoined twin."

"Understood! Others are afraid of you, but I'm not afraid!~" Bu Liuxing rushed to the farther carriage with his things.

Ah Xing walked all the way forward, while watching the latest Sun Times, trying to find a fashionable topic so as to open the hearts of strangers.

"Let me take a look at the things that are popular in the underground world recently - Mr. Victor's serial novels, wow! The theme of love is interesting."

Unknowingly, he crossed the rows of seats, as if caught by inexplicable magic, the fun people never let go of new and interesting things.

"The lovers who have been separated for many years have been communicating with each other through letters. In a desolate town in Vienna, on a cold and dreary morning, the hero of the story suddenly received a mysterious email, which contained his lover's severed hand."

Ah Xing's pupils shrank violently.

"What kind of weird thriller plot is this?! Isn't it a romance novel?"

He commented on the newspaper articles, completely forgetting what he was supposed to be doing.

"Oh oh oh! This severed hand can write?! So it is alive?! It also has the soul of the lover attached?"

"She wants the hero to find the rest of the body."

Ah Xing showed an unbelievable expression, and continued to move forward with his handbag. He felt that his eyes could no longer leave the newspaper.

— cannot be diverted from that passage.

He seemed to be under a spell, muttering silently.

"On that night, I held the severed hand and fell asleep uneasy and happy. It was a complex emotion mixed with fear and warmth.

For seven years, I haven't seen her again. How could I have imagined that when we met again, Yin and Yang would be separated—I could feel the warmth of life from the five fingers of this hand, and feel the love from the tightly clasped fleshy palms. The sweetness of the sweetness and the dread of death.

Is this hallucination? This must be my hallucination. I miss her so much that this hallucination appears. "

Ah Xing's eyes suddenly swept across the end of the novel——

"—but something seemed wrong with this Halfhand, in the early morning before dawn, when I was defenseless.

——She crawled off the bed and sneaked into the kitchen, like a walking corpse who knew no pain, climbed from the shelf to the kitchen countertop, fell to the ground again and again, and the floor was covered with blood. God, what kind of evil is this? What is she going to do? My love—what happened to her? "

Ah Xing screamed, following the plot of the story, he lost his voice in an instant.

"This severed hand is holding the knife, although it is not very flexible--

——Even though she only had one hand, she couldn't tell the ingredients apart, so she had to carefully grope and confirm everything.

- Can't tell the front and back of the knife. Although she only had one hand left, she had to try the sharp edge with her fingers.

——she wants to make the Austrian snack I learned when we first met her in cooking class seven years ago, and make a plate of apple strudel”

Ah Xing stared at the newspaper pitifully, with tears rolling in his eyes—he had been tightly grasped by Mr. Victor's brushwork, and could no longer escape.

"Margaret. My dear Margaret."

He muttered the name of the heroine in the story.

"Who caused you to become like this? Who caused you to have only one hand left?!"

"How do you knead dough? How do you mash apples?"

"How much did you suffer? To return to your lover?"

"You have no mouth and eyes, you can't speak, you can't see me, how much do you want to say to me? I'm too clumsy to recognize the gestures you make - I'm too stupid to imagine you writing How many longings and sufferings are hidden in those lines of words."

"I'm going to get you back, I'm going to get you back! My most precious treasure."

"No more?! This is no more?!"

Ah Xing lost his mind, and unknowingly, stopped in front of the door of the VIP carriage.

"Why is there no more content?! Why did the story stop so abruptly?"

He wiped away his tears and carefully identified the last paragraph of the tail page.

The story stops at the kitchen, at the last scene where the male protagonist cries bitterly while holding his bruised and severed hand.

"Dear Margaret—

—I thought you were dead, a long, long time ago.

We quarreled for various reasons, and we decided to break up our relationship and live in two places.

At that point, I felt like we were already dead, but the funeral hadn't come yet.

When I saw the broken porcelain bowls in the room, the scattered flour, and the bloody wounds with cut skin and flesh, and the brighter blood falling on the pink apples, I smelled a strong and unforgettable smell.

I can see clearly that you touched the mask, and tied a wreath knot on your ring finger with the ear loop of the mask. I recognize that knot, which is the way we tie each other's aprons.

At that moment, I woke up from the horrible night. Only then did I foolishly recognize the reality—you are not a walking corpse manipulated by evil magic, not a sweet and terrifying phantom imagined in my head.

In this desolate and lonely town, just like the first time I saw you—you are the sun rising from the Alps, sweeping away all the haze in my life.

Forgive me, I have to keep you waiting a little longer.

——Just for a while.

I must,

must,

must,

I will definitely bring you back from hell! "

——staying in the male protagonist's deafening roar, like gunshots, everything is over.

Those few [must], like bullets, pierced Bu Meteor's heart.

There are [To Be Continued] tags to be continued in the following text, as well as the full name of Mr. Victor.

Original Author [Original]: Devil Victor [David Victor]

The name of the chapter is placed at the end——

[Hanging By a Thread·life hanging by a thread]

Ah Xing raised his head——

——I saw the owner's name written on the door of the VIP room.

It was David Victor.

"The author is right in front of me. The author is right in front of me?! Mr. Victor, are you on this train too? Yes!! I'm so lucky!"

Bu Meteor's face was flushed, panting like a cow, and felt like there were ants crawling on his body.

"This weird and bizarre story is like a magician's wand - what evil spell did it cast on me?! There is only one thought left in my mind. Turning to the next page, I really want to know, I really want to Knowing the story of the next issue, I really want to know immediately!"

He completely forgot what he was going to do, knocking on an unfamiliar door, and got lost in front of the VIP compartment of this train.

On his talisman, the bright ruby ​​of the golden lock shone like a flame.

It seems to have been warning the master to leave this place quickly.