chapter 43
Jiang Li returned from another timeline this time with one very important task.
That was to find the Key Figure and help the Key Figure disembark safely.
This was the hidden condition for clearing the Instance.
So far, Jiang Li had not received any notification of “Instance Failure.”
This meant that the Key Figure was still alive!
And, most likely, hidden among these 39 Survivors…
Jiang Li furrowed her brows.
This round had involved a certain amount of luck.
If the Key Figure had died in the previous rounds, then no matter how hard Jiang Li tried, clearing this Instance would have been nearly impossible.
Now that luck was on her side, the rest depended on her own abilities.
Jiang Li needed to identify the Key Figure as soon as possible!
But the difficulty now was that Jiang Li had no clues about the Key Figure at all.
With no information, trying to pick out the special one from among 39 people was like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Jiang Li’s gaze unconsciously fell on the boy sitting opposite her.
This Liang Jie kept appearing in front of her, and each time managed to escape danger.
Could he be the Key Figure of the Instance?
Thinking this, Jiang Li’s eyes lingered a little longer on Liang Jie.
Liang Jie blinked twice, glanced at Jiang Li, his face slightly flushed.
Afraid he might misunderstand, Jiang Li quickly looked away.
At this moment,
Inside Carriage 09, Staff Members in Black Vests began distributing the “Dining Car Rules” one by one.
The Old Lady who served porridge was also one of the Staff Members.
She approached Jiang Li’s table with a stack of slips, deliberately leaning close to Jiang Li as she handed out the slips, her elbow subtly signaling Jiang Li.
Jiang Li knew she was asking for payment.
Jiang Li reached into her pocket, retrieved several gold ornaments from her Space, and discreetly slipped them into the Old Lady’s hand.
“Read the Dining Car Rules carefully.”
The Old Lady lowered her eyes to Jiang Li, kindly reminding her.
Then, she tucked away the loot and moved to the next table.
Jiang Li took the rules slip and read it carefully.
[Ghost Train – Dining Car Rules]
[1. If you are injured, purchase Deodorizing Spray at the counter immediately upon entering the Dining Car! Remember, never let others smell blood on you.]
[2. Beware of those with a Red Mole on their earlobe. This person is extremely dangerous. If discovered, keep your distance! But remember, do not speak of it.]
[3. Each person’s Wrist Tag can be changed once. If you need to change your number, call a Staff Member with a Red Armband.]
[4. All services in the Dining Car require Points for purchase. Points can be earned through games.]
[5. Credit Points must be settled on the same day.]
[6. In team games, those who are left alone will die.]
[7. After a single game, those with less than 50 Points will die.]
[8. Before dawn the next day, those with less than 1000 Points will die.]
As soon as Jiang Li finished reading, the erroneous rule automatically appeared before her eyes.
The second rule was wrong!
People with a Red Mole on their earlobe were not dangerous.
If Jiang Li hadn’t obtained the SSS Rank clearance reward “Eye of Truth” in the previous Instance, she would have been misled by this rule.
This rule was cunning.
If Jiang Li failed to identify it as false, she would intentionally avoid that person, playing right into the Aberration’s hands.
But if Jiang Li recognized it as false and tried to find that person, she’d still be restricted.
Because the rule said “do not speak of it,” other passengers would instinctively keep quiet.
Even if they saw someone with a Red Mole on their earlobe, they wouldn’t easily reveal it.
Therefore, Jiang Li couldn’t rely on others’ information to find this person quickly.
A single rule-pitfalls on both sides.
Jiang Li smirked.
The more the Aberration tried to hide something, the more obvious it became.
Wasn’t this a clue about the Key Figure delivered right to her?
Jiang Li glanced up, her eyes sweeping coolly over Liang Jie across from her.
The boy always wore headphones…
Was he deliberately hiding something?
Just as she was thinking this, the Staff Members began preparations for the next round of games.
“Good afternoon, all 39 Survivors!”
The voice came from the middle section of the Carriage.
Everyone looked toward the source.
A Staff Member wearing a Red Armband stood at the center, reading out the rules.
“Presumably, everyone received their own Wrist Tag upon entering the Carriage.
On the back of the Wrist Tag, a pale Roman numeral is printed.
The Survivor corresponding to that Roman numeral will be your partner for the next round.”
Jiang Li picked up the Wrist Tag on her wrist, turned it over, and glanced at it.
It read the Roman numeral “xVII,” which corresponds to the number “17.”
Xia Xiaoqiang turned hers over and hesitated for a moment. “Sister Jiang, what number is this? I… can’t really tell.”
Jiang Li glanced at it. “27.”
Opposite them, Wang Qiang, who hadn’t wanted to bother with the frail-looking male college student, now, unable to recognize the Roman numeral himself, had to lower his head:
“Xiao Liang, oh no… um, Brother Liang Jie, could you take a look? What number is this?”
Wang Qiang wore a forced smile, holding out his Wrist Tag, hoping Liang Jie would help.
Liang Jie glanced at it. “30.”
Wang Qiang thanked him repeatedly, “Thanks, thanks, brother. Being educated really is different!”
Liang Jie remained indifferent, barely acknowledging him.
Wang Qiang, searching for conversation, craned his neck and asked curiously, “By the way, brother, who’s your partner?”
“32,” Liang Jie replied, sparing his words.
It was just a simple question.
But when Jiang Li heard this number, her expression changed-
Number 32…
Wasn’t Number 32 just killed?!
So what about Liang Jie?
Wouldn’t Liang Jie be the one left alone…
Dining Car Rules, Rule Six:
(In team games, those left alone die.)
If Liang Jie really is the Key Figure of this Instance, and he dies in this round, wouldn’t Jiang Li be finished as well?
Just as Jiang Li was hesitating, the wireless earbud in Liang Jie’s left ear suddenly fell to the ground.
In that second, Jiang Li caught a clear glimpse of his earlobe.
The Red Mole… it really was on him!
As the earbud fell, Liang Jie’s expression clearly flinched in panic.
He quickly bent down, picked up the earbud, and stuffed it back into his ear.
He really is the Key Figure!
He can’t die.
At this thought, Jiang Li gritted her teeth, slapped the table, and stood up. “I want to change my number!”
Jiang Li’s declaration stunned everyone present.
Not only the passengers in the Strange Tale World, but even the Experts in the Live Streaming Room were visibly startled.
The Experts looked grave.
– “What is she trying to do? Did she find some clue…”
– “Based on analysis, the second description about the Red Mole should be the trait of the Key Figure. And that Red Mole is exactly on the left earlobe of that male number 01!”
– “So the Key Figure is in real danger.”
– “With 39 people forming teams, there will inevitably be one left alone. Does she want to take the Key Figure’s place?!”
– “Doesn’t Jiang Li have the ability to transfer harm? This time she transferred it to her sister, her sister died, so Jiang Li still has one life left?”
– “Even so, it’s too risky! If anything goes wrong, no one can say what will happen.”
The Experts discussed anxiously, all feeling nervous for Jiang Li.
Jiang Li… she’s being too reckless!
Even if she wants to protect the Key Figure, she shouldn’t risk her own life!
Now, all they could do was hope that when Jiang Li died later, it wouldn’t be ruled as an immediate Instance failure.
Otherwise, all the effort over the past days would have been in vain…
In the Live Streaming Room, the Staff Member with a Red Armband quickly came over to Jiang Li.
The Staff Member asked respectfully, “Changing your number will cost 20 Points. Are you sure?”
Jiang Li nodded. “I’m sure.”
“Which number would you like to change to?” the Staff Member asked.
Jiang Li was silent for a moment.
Just as all the Experts thought she would take Liang Jie’s place and change to ’01’-
Jiang Li spoke: “32.”