A few days quickly passed, the countdown reached zero, and a new instance began.
When her consciousness returned, the first things she felt were the noisy chatter of people and the hissing of a steam train.
Bai Ci opened her eyes, and the bustling scene of a train station filled her vision.
The wooden platform stretched into the distance, with a massive wooden sign hanging on the stone station building. Passengers of all kinds came and went, while porters pushing wooden luggage carts hurried past.
A warm hand grasped her wrist, and a voice filled with reluctance and worry said, “Miss Lora, please be careful on your way back alone. Keep a close eye on your luggage.”
The speaker was a slightly plump middle-aged woman with kind eyes.
Bai Ci had a good memory and quickly recalled who this person was. She had met her before—it was none other than Aunt Martha, the warm-hearted neighbor from the post office instance.
This woman had given her a lot of information back then, especially the most crucial detail: the location of the final boss.
So, was she back in a sequel to that previous instance?
She had indeed mentioned wishing her next instance would have the same high degree of freedom as the post office one, but she hadn't expected Anomalous Infection to actually take it literally.
This was probably a case of: if a similar one is hard to find, why not reuse the original?
Bai Ci organized the information in her mind. From Aunt Martha's words just now, she could deduce that she was currently about to leave the town and was already at the station.
“I know, Aunt Martha. It was pretty much the same when I came here. I'll take good care of myself, so don't worry too much about me.”
Recalling her previous experience, Bai Ci quickly slipped back into Lora's persona and replied in a matching tone.
Hearing this, Aunt Martha also remembered Lora's experience and let out a long sigh.
“Be that as it may, you're still a young girl after all. If only Hugo... Ah, let's not bring that up.”
Realizing what she had just mentioned, Martha lightly slapped her own mouth.
“As a young girl traveling alone, you must be careful. Don't talk to strangers easily, don't meddle in other people's business, and definitely don't accept things from others blindly. Keep your wits about you at all times.”
“I will. Aunt Martha, thank you for taking care of me all this time.” Bai Ci lowered her gaze, the smile on her face looking somewhat forced.
On the wall clock above the platform, the hands slowly pointed to three in the afternoon. Steam hissed from the locomotive, accompanied by the long, low wail of the train whistle.
Hearing the whistle, Aunt Martha knew it was time to board.
She let go of her hand, gently nudged Bai Ci's arm, and urged her, “Go on, then. Don't miss your train.”
“Remember what I told you. You're a good girl. Learn to look forward. Everyone wants you to be happy. Hurry and head back.”
Bai Ci nodded and said no more. Carrying her suitcase, she quickly glanced at the ticket in her hand and headed toward the Mary train.
If the ticket hadn't already been bought, she would have really preferred to change trains. This name didn't sit well with her.
Bai Ci couldn't help but think to herself as she looked at the ticket.
Call her superstitious, but having entered a place as unscientific as Anomalous Infection, being a little superstitious was perfectly normal, right?
The Mary was an all-black steam train. It looked like it had only recently been put into service, as everything appeared brand new.
Following the information on her ticket, Bai Ci approached the door of Carriage One.
Carriage One corresponded to something like first-class seating. Two male conductors stood by the door, dressed in dark uniforms and neat caps, with standard, professional smiles plastered on their faces.
The conductor verified her ticket, returned it, and respectfully stepped aside, gesturing for her to enter. “Please board, miss.”
As Bai Ci stepped through the door, she ran right into a man passing in front of her.
He wore the same dark uniform as the other conductors, but the design was visibly more refined.
He walked at a brisk pace, not pausing as he passed Bai Ci, heading straight toward the front of the train near the locomotive cab.
Bai Ci subconsciously took a closer look. The first thing she noticed was his beautiful purple eyes—a shade of purple so pure it looked as if it had been tempered in ice.
Next was his very dark brown hair, which reached his shoulders and was tied into a small braid hanging behind his neck.
Perhaps there were no grooming standards for conductors in this era.
Right now, Bai Ci was more interested in figuring out what was going on with Lora's family, so she was anxious to get to her seat and check her suitcase.
She withdrew her gaze after that brief glance and continued walking toward her seat.
What Bai Ci didn't know was that behind her, the man had turned his head.
He stared blankly at her retreating back, one hand gripping his own neck—right at his throat—as he muttered in a low voice, “So hungry...”
The furnishings in Carriage One were exquisite and tasteful. The wooden seats were upholstered in soft velvet, and small side tables stood by the windows, each holding a delicate glass vase with a few fresh white roses. A faint scent of roses filled the air.
Despite the carriage's large size, it was partitioned into only four seats. Although Bai Ci was the first to arrive, she quickly located her spot.
After sitting down, Bai Ci pretended to organize her belongings, opening her suitcase to take the opportunity to carefully inspect its contents.
A few changes of clothes, which seemed to be the same styles she had seen last time;
A stack of cash—money spent always found its way back, and the funds she had completely exhausted in the previous instance had been fully replenished, with the amount being significantly larger than last time.
It was probably because the money she had seen last time was what was left after a round of spending.
This time, however, the journey was just beginning, so the cash was at its initial maximum value.
Aside from that, there was only a letter. The envelope read, "To my daughter Lora, to be opened by her own hand," dated after the end of the post office instance.
In that case, things had indeed proceeded as she had casually mentioned: she had sent a letter home to explain the situation, and her family's response was to tell her to return.
Bai Ci picked up the letter and opened it. It was written in the same elegant copperplate script, coming from Lora's mother.
[My child:
Your letter has safely reached my hands. When I finished reading those words, the grief in my heart nearly overwhelmed me.
We have failed.
My dear child, you must return this time. The end is drawing near. We have reached a point where we can no longer hide or avoid it; you must make a personal appearance.
Please do not be afraid, my dearest child.
You are the only daughter of your father and me, the most precious treasure in our hearts. There is no doubt about this, even though you were not raised by our side from a young age.
Please believe that no matter how stubborn and irresistible destiny may be, your father and I will do everything in our power to ensure you do not repeat the mistakes of those before you or fall into the abyss of misfortune.
I look forward to your return, my child.
Your mother, who loves you forever]
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