Chapter 299: The Front and the Back
Inside the train compartment, the dim light flickered weakly.
The white-haired man’s face, like a withered branch, was pale and sunken, his eyes wide with exhaustion. Some of his hair had loosened, and strands of white were scattered across his forehead like snow. Others were still neatly pinned back, their ends slightly frayed.
A sudden, sharp expression crossed his face—his eyes snapped wide open, yet no sound escaped.
At that moment, his expression flickered again, as if something invisible had passed through him. His already pale face turned even paler, and his breaths grew shallow and uneven.
The man’s hands trembled slightly as he reached for the pocket of his coat, intending to pull out a small vial. He paused, then pulled back, sighing quietly.
A faint, soft voice broke the silence.
"Still alive, then? I suppose I’ll just have to check anyway."
The man’s face tightened. His eyes narrowed, still faintly alert, but he remained silent.
This time, he seemed unusually calm, almost resigned. Yet the faint tremor in his hands betrayed his inner anxiety.
He then handed over a small package to a passing attendant, instructing him to keep it safe. He also made sure to send a message to someone named "Rufus" to stay alert and watch for any signs of trouble.
Finally, two figures stepped into the compartment—one with a neatly trimmed beard and a small, curious-looking fox at his side, the other entirely expressionless. The rest of the passengers slowly moved away.
The man who entered was one of the two, the one with the fox. His demeanor was calm, almost indifferent. He glanced at the other man, who remained seated, and said, "I wonder… how could this place possibly be safe? There’s money here, and they clearly can’t afford to lose it. How could anyone even think they’d be able to carry someone off from this train?"
The fox’s ears twitched. The young man beside him—small, sharp-eyed, with a mischievous glint—gave a lopsided smile. "I’m going back to my seat. Don’t tell anyone I’m here. And whatever you do, don’t mention my name."
He opened the compartment door, adjusted his coat, and stepped out, still hearing the faint, distant sound of water dripping somewhere behind him.
The young man turned back, his voice low and steady.
"Wait… you know, you could just leave it all behind. No one’s watching. Just walk away."
He paused, then added, "But I suppose… it’s not that simple."
The fox tilted its head. The man sighed, then turned back toward the window.
Outside, the train was passing through a stretch of open countryside. The sky above was dark, but patches of gray light hinted at the approaching dawn. The trees along the track swayed gently in the wind.
The young man stared at the view, then slowly reached into his coat. He pulled out a small, folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, he read a single line:
"Keep your eyes open. The storm is coming."
He folded it back, then slipped it into his pocket.
He turned back to the window, his expression unreadable.
Time had slipped by unnoticed. The train rattled forward through the dark, and the young man’s thoughts drifted. He needed something—something simple, something real.
He closed his eyes, and for a moment, he saw a face. A name. A memory.
He whispered, almost to himself, "I can’t keep running forever. Not like this."
Then he opened his eyes.
The world outside was still moving. The train was still running.
And somewhere, deep within the train, a small fox curled up beside a quiet man.
The train continued.
The night was long.
But the journey had only just begun.
—
Time had passed.
A small, quiet figure stood near the edge of a remote platform, watching the train approach. Three people waited beside him.
"Are we still waiting?" asked the first, voice tight with tension.
"Maybe," the second replied. "They could’ve come from a different exit."
"No way," said the third, shaking his head. "The platform is sealed. No one can enter or leave without permission. So if they’re not here, they must’ve already left."
"Could be…"
"Impossible. The system’s too tight. No one gets through unnoticed."
"But what if they did?"
Silence.
The first man stared at the train. "They’re not coming back. Not through here."
"Then we’ll have to find them another way."
The third man looked up. "But how? We don’t even know who we’re looking for."
The first man turned. "We’ll find them. We have to."
A long pause. Then, quietly:
"Someone’s been watching. We need to be ready."
The train passed.
The platform remained empty.
But the hunt was just beginning.
—
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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