Time’s passage became blurred within the enclosed carriage, with only the occasional flash of lights and station signs outside the window reminding everyone of the journey’s progress.
One day and night of travel had passed, and it was now deep into the second night.
The train seemed to have entered the territory of the western continent. According to the schedule, barring any unforeseen events, they should arrive at their destination around noon tomorrow.
In the early hours of the morning, all was silent.
The rhythmic clack-clack of wheels on rails was the only lullaby.
Most students and passengers had fallen into a deep sleep. The carriage echoed with even breathing and occasional snores.
Sefina had also been in a light, steady slumber, accustomed to maintaining a degree of alertness in unfamiliar environments.
When the train entered a long tunnel, completely swallowed by darkness and amplified noise, Sefina woke up.
She wasn’t startled awake; it was merely a physiological need that required a trip to the restroom.
Sefina slowly sat up. Her wine-red eyes adjusted to the dim light and quickly scanned the surroundings.
Teacher Shalina was fast asleep by the window, and the students were slumped in various positions, immersed in their dreams.
She moved with light steps, silent as a cat, passing through the aisle between the seats towards the restroom at the very front of the carriage.
After taking care of her needs, the cold water flow while washing her hands made her much more alert.
She subconsciously raised her head, her gaze unconsciously passing through the glass door of the carriage connection and landing on the white number painted on the outer wall of the opposite carriage—Carriage 8?
Sefina’s movements froze. A nameless chill crept up her spine.
Wait! Carriage 8?!
She was instantly wide awake, her pupils contracting slightly. She immediately turned and walked back a few steps to the connection point of her own carriage, looking up to confirm—
It was unmistakably Carriage 10!
Then… where was Carriage 9?!
The thought, ‘Could the numbers have been mislabeled all along?’ had just surfaced in her mind when she immediately dismissed it herself.
Impossible!
Her memory had always been sharp, especially for such details.
She clearly remembered that just yesterday during the day, when she went to the restroom, she had inadvertently seen the number on the opposite carriage. It was undoubtedly 9.
But now, Carriage 9 had vanished into thin air, as if evaporated from this moving train!
To confirm this unbelievable situation, Sefina risked leaning her upper body out the window. The biting night wind instantly tousled her blue hair.
She squinted her eyes, fighting against the strong wind, and tried to count the carriages ahead in the direction of the train’s movement…
One, two…
There were indeed only eight carriages ahead! Including her own Carriage 10, there were only nine in total!
The originally existing ninth carriage was gone!
A powerful sense of unease gripped Sefina’s heart.
This was definitely not a normal phenomenon!
How could a moving train lose an entire carriage into thin air?
Had it detached? Or… had something beyond reason occurred?
She forced herself to calm down and made a quick decision, striding towards the very front row of the carriage.
Flovi was still holding her sword, leaning against the seat back, seemingly fast asleep.
Sefina gently pushed her shoulder.
Almost simultaneously, Flovi’s pale purple eyes snapped open, sharp as ever.
The long sword in her embrace, as if possessing a will of its own, rose again.
With the cold deterrence of its sheathed blade, it pointed directly at the newcomer! The movement was so fast it left only an afterimage.
Recognizing Sefina, the vigilance in Flovi’s eyes instantly faded, returning to her usual slightly vacant expression as she swiftly withdrew her sword.
“It’s me,” Sefina said in a low voice.
Flovi blinked, seemingly thinking Sefina had come for more “sustenance for the mind.” Very naturally, she began rummaging in her small waist pouch, apparently intending to pull out a certain novel…
Watching her actions, Sefina felt a wave of helplessness and couldn’t help but rub her temples.
“Not for a book!” she whispered, her tone serious as she grabbed Flovi’s wrist. “There’s a situation!”
She quickly and clearly explained her discovery to Flovi—the mysterious disappearance of Carriage 9.
After listening, a visible confusion appeared on Flovi’s innocent face, her brows slightly furrowed.
Clearly, she found it hard to comprehend something that defied common sense.
“Carriage… disappeared? Master, this… is a bit strange.”
Sefina pulled her along, walking back to the carriage connection point and pointing at the two completely different numbers—
“See for yourself.”
Flovi looked carefully, even rubbing her eyes to confirm she wasn’t mistaken.
“8” and “10.”
Her usually flat tone carried a hint of gravity.
Now, even she sensed something was wrong.
“Indeed, very strange. Carriage 9 is gone.”
Harboring doubts, Sefina decided to investigate further.
She signaled to Flovi, and the two of them carefully pushed open the heavy door connecting to Carriage 8 and stepped inside.
Upon entering Carriage 8, a slightly different atmosphere washed over them compared to Carriage 10.
The lighting here was similarly dim, and the passengers also seemed to be sound asleep. Everything appeared normal, even quieter than Carriage 10.
But it was precisely this “normalcy” that felt increasingly eerie under the circumstances.
Sefina keenly sensed that the air here seemed stuffier, carrying a faint, musty odor.
She discreetly observed the passengers on either side.
Most wore casual clothes, looking like ordinary travelers, predominantly young people, all slumped in their seats, sleeping soundly and unaware.
“Do you have a detailed map of the western continent border?” Sefina asked Flovi in a low voice.
Flovi nodded and once again pulled out a neatly folded parchment map from her seemingly small waist pouch.
Sefina quickly spread the map open under the slightly brighter light at the carriage connection point. Her slender fingers traced over it, searching for their possible current location and the terrain markings along the railway line.
Her gaze lingered on a few specific points on the map, her brows furrowed tightly, as if combining known information for some deduction.
After a moment, she closed the map, a flash of resolve in her eyes.
“I have a suspicion, but I need further confirmation. I’ll continue checking the carriages ahead. You stay here, stay alert, and watch over our carriage and the students’ safety,” Sefina instructed Flovi.
Flovi nodded solemnly, gripping her sword more tightly.
Though her pale purple eyes still held a trace of natural innocence, the focus of a warrior had returned.
“Understood, Master. Be careful.”
Sefina took a deep breath and stepped forward again, moving silently deeper into Carriage 8.
She tried to lighten her steps, the soles of her shoes making a very soft rustle against the carpet.
The further in she went, the more pronounced that eerie sense of age became.
The leather of the seats seemed more worn, the window frames appeared somewhat duller, and even that musty smell in the air grew stronger.
The sleeping passengers had peaceful expressions, but in this environment, their slumber seemed more like a lifeless stillness.
Sefina’s heartbeat involuntarily quickened. Her wine-red eyes swept the surroundings vigilantly, missing no sign of abnormality.
She finally passed through the entirety of Carriage 8 and arrived at its connection point with Carriage 7 ahead.
She looked through the glass door of the connection into Carriage 7—
The next moment, the most bizarre scene crashed into her vision without warning!
Carriage 7 was completely empty!
The lights inside the carriage were off. Only a faint glow from distant carriages barely outlined the interior.
All the seats were intact, neatly arranged, but they were empty—no luggage, no people!
The windows were closed, the curtains utterly still. The entire carriage was as silent as a forgotten tomb, forming an extremely stark contrast with the “normal” Carriage 8 behind it.
Sefina stood frozen in place, the feeling of strangeness intensifying in her heart.
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