Chapter 35: Spiraling Out of Control (14)

Wei Ling slumped to the ground, her eyes momentarily vacant before she looked up at Lu Jinchao, wanting to say something.

"I..."

She had barely begun when the stinging in her throat forced her to stop. The spot where Lu Jinchao had gripped her throbbed painfully; it was clear that she had not held back. Yet, it stood to reason—if she hadn't been on the brink of death, how could she have snapped out of the hallucination?

Lu Jinchao seemed to grasp what she wanted to say. The impatience and agitation that had flickered across her face moments ago had vanished, and she spoke in her characteristically calm tone: "No need to thank me. I just didn't want to be the only one to survive this station."

Saving Wei Ling’s life provided a debt of gratitude that would make it easier to ask questions about the train later. Moreover, Wei Ling had already proven to be one of the more capable individuals Lu Jinchao had observed. Her behavior in leading Ye Jingyun had provided inspiration; perhaps she, too, could cultivate some suitable teammates.

However, it was all too early to talk about that now.

"Be careful. This isn't over yet."

There was still some time before dawn and the arrival of the train. Lu Jinchao did not believe the ghost would simply give up on killing them. Yet, judging by the anomalies since entering the ancestral hall, could it be that the ghost was entirely unable to harm them within these walls?

That made sense... After all, it was only a Grade C instance. If a ghost could inflict harm inside the ancestral hall, the difficulty of this mission would be excessive.

"But there's still so much time left until the mission ends. There are only two of us—what if something else happens?"

Wei Ling’s voice no longer held the confidence she had shown upon first entering the station. Lu Jinchao frowned slightly upon hearing the tremor in her tone, but when she lowered her head to meet Wei Ling’s gaze, she composed her expression, looking at her with calm detachment.

"Based on the current situation, as long as we stay inside the ancestral hall, the ghost cannot truly harm us."

"The only thing to watch out for is the hallucinations, which could manifest at any moment."

She emphasized, "Just remember: no matter what happens in front of you, absolutely do not attempt to leave this spot."

Wei Ling exhaled in relief, her complexion easing slightly. Unconsciously, she had come to trust Lu Jinchao implicitly.

In the time that followed, the two did not exchange much conversation. As time trickled by, hunger, exhaustion, and fatigue all surged at once; they had last eaten over a dozen hours ago. While not enough to be fatal, it was enough to slowly drain the body’s strength and erode one's willpower.

Lu Jinchao’s serene face betrayed nothing, but the frequency with which Wei Ling checked her watch spoke volumes of her inner anxiety.

"Soon, soon..."

"Only half an hour left..."

In her mind, Wei Ling was already dreaming of what she would do once she left this place. First, she would definitely go home, sleep soundly, and then wake up, take a shower, and go to the restaurant downstairs to order every single dish on the menu! At that moment, Wei Ling felt as though she could finish everything on the menu.

Time passed second by second amidst her intense anticipation, and the ghostly attack she had feared never materialized. Finally, as the clock hand moved past another mark, she heard the distant roar of the train.

A look of joyful surprise washed over Wei Ling’s pale face. Her weak body stood up abruptly, ignoring the purple bruises on her neck left by Lu Jinchao’s grip, and she blurted out: "...The train!"

"...The train is here!"

The familiar train pulled slowly to a stop outside. In Wei Ling’s expectant gaze, the doors creaked open. Warm light spilled out from the carriage—it was the embodiment of hope.

"Thank goodness, we survived."

Joy radiated from Wei Ling’s face, the relief of someone who had escaped death. She took a difficult step forward, intending to walk toward the train, but then, Lu Jinchao’s voice came from behind her.

She said:

"Don't go."

Wei Ling stopped. She turned back, her expression complex—a mix of sorrow and joy, with despair woven into her hope. She paused, pointing toward the train doors. "The train is right there. Why shouldn't I go?"

Her voice trembled; she seemed to know something, but her subconscious refused to entertain the possibility. Yet, Lu Jinchao punctured her hope, stating the cruel truth in a calm voice.

"How do you know that isn't a hallucination?"

Wei Ling’s hand dropped instantly. The complex expression on her face died away, and the light in her eyes flickered out.

Yes. Throughout the long wait, hadn't she realized this? She had merely been clinging to a desperate hope—what if the ghost couldn't manifest the train? If the ghost's illusions could even create a train, then were they not doomed to die?

She looked up at Lu Jinchao, her expression more agonizing than tears.

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

If they couldn't determine whether the train's arrival was a hallucination, they would... never be able to board it. They would be lost here, forced to wait passively for death to arrive.

Lu Jinchao fell silent. Seeing her silence, Wei Ling’s composure shattered further. She dragged her weak body a few steps closer to Lu Jinchao and, completely disregarding her dignity, knelt before her, clutching Lu Jinchao’s sleeve as if in prayer. "You must have a way, right?"

"You are so smart..."

As she finished, she realized she had said almost exactly what Xu Ruolin had said. But she couldn't even distinguish now whether that had been a hallucination or the real Xu Ruolin. Perhaps it had been an illusion all along—perhaps her subconscious had been begging Lu Jinchao for help long ago?

Lu Jinchao wrestled with her thoughts. Many ideas flashed through her mind as she sought a way to break this deadlock. In the end, she realized that relying solely on herself and Wei Ling, this puzzle was unsolvable.

It was too difficult. Why was a Grade C instance this challenging? A flicker of anger, born of sheer incomprehension, rose in Lu Jinchao’s heart.

Then, a line of blood-red text suddenly appeared before her eyes.

The content was hauntingly familiar.

[Pay the price, trade for a path of survival.]

It was the parchment.

Knowing there was something wrong with it, Lu Jinchao had still brought it before entering the station. Now, it was finally making a move.

A sense of resentment flashed in Lu Jinchao’s eyes, but no matter how she thought, there was only one answer. Either stay lost here, or strike a bargain with the parchment.

Wei Ling was still pleading with her. Lu Jinchao could see that Wei Ling’s mental state, after so many trials, had reached a limit. If she said it was impossible, Wei Ling would likely turn and walk toward those doors—whether they were real or not—in the next second.

She closed her eyes, sighed helplessly, and then opened them. Meeting Wei Ling’s gaze, which clung to her like a lifeline, she said calmly:

"I understand."

"Don't worry, I will save you, okay?"