Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 445 445: 385 Chapter Before Departure_1

"Amazing!"

At dusk, Huai Shi stared at the notice posted outside the waiting room, dumbfounded. "Even luxury trains can be delayed?"

"It's just a delay, not an explosion. Some things that nobody wants to happen just happen."

The Raven on his shoulder said calmly, "Besides, if it really had to depart on time, it would have left yesterday. How could you have bought your ticket today and made it?"

To tell you the truth, I have a feeling this damned train is really going to explode.

Huai Shi rubbed his temples, pushed the door open, and then felt the eerie atmosphere of the Star's exclusive waiting hall.

It was completely different from what he had imagined. There was no warm atmosphere, no casual laughter, and certainly no scenes of a happy family of three traveling together.

There was only a cold silence filled with mutual wariness.

What's going on here?

Huai Shi's expression twitched, and he froze at the door.

「Twelve hours earlier」

After the far-from-joyous decision to embark on this impromptu 'sweet' trip, Huai Shi had taken out his phone and requested leave through the Astronomical Society's internal app.

He also saw his dreadful attendance rate. If they could dock pay for it, his entire salary for next year would be gone.

But Huai Shi didn't care.

After all, his pockets were stuffed with Pure Gold; being rich was nice!

Unexpectedly, the leave was approved quickly. The Jinling office was unusually generous with leave approval this time. Even though Huai Shi had casually put down "border tourism" as the reason, he still got a full ten days.

Could it be that they took into consideration the major ordeal he had just survived and specially gave him a break? Thinking this way, the Astronomical Society didn't seem as heartless as he thought. Occasionally, they did show some consideration for their lower-level staff.

However, before long, Chai Fei from Jinling sent him the coordinates of a restaurant via WeChat.

Accompanied by a smiling emoji, she asked him, "Can I treat the kind-hearted person who approved your leave to a meal?"

Huai Shi's mouth twitched.

Could you please return the favorable impression I just had of the organization?

If Huai Shi had any impression of the Jinling Branch, most of it came from this lady—a self-proclaimed 'bestie' whom Ai Qing had never acknowledged. This was because this lady's expertise in slacking off was simply breathtaking; he inwardly regarded her as the strongest.

Not only did she slack off herself, but she also led others to do so, like coordinating a dungeon run in a game. All that was missing was for her to start a slacking-off training class and become the slacking reminder in every group chat.

Most importantly, she was incredibly easy to talk to! As long as you treated her to a meal, any procedural work was easy to handle!

The average cost of the restaurant she'd sent wasn't expensive, but the sheer calorie count practically spilling from the photos made Huai Shi's eyelids twitch.

Alright then. If Chai Fei isn't afraid, why should I worry on her behalf?

After placing the takeout order, he successfully gained Chai Fei's favor and received sporadic tips on slacking off: the end of the year is statistics month, and the accountants at the Jurisdiction Bureau are in for a long stretch of overtime. Before that, remember to spend all of this year's budget...

So, without any hesitation, Huai Shi unabashedly booked all his upcoming travel within the Current Circumstances on public funds. He moved skillfully and quickly, without an ounce of hesitation.

It wasn't until after booking that he noticed the Raven's strange look.

"Hmm, what's up?"

"No, I was just wondering..." The Raven shook its head and sighed. "Where did that refreshing and upright youth go?"

Let me think, he probably got angered to death by a raven, right? Huai Shi rolled his eyes and looked at her. "We're also looking for the culprit; do you have any clues?"

"I didn't see anything. Maybe you're looking in the wrong place?"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, yes."

...

And so, the night passed without another word.

The next day, Huai Shi got up early in the morning, grabbed his luggage, and started a long day of travel. First, he took a car to the train station, then a high-speed rail to Jinling. From Jinling, he took a special underground line to the nearest public Border, 'Stone City'.

Yes, that was the one Huai Shi had once considered fleeing to with his boss.

As a large, open Border, Stone City's level of development was quite advanced. It had as many amenities as the Current Circumstances. Also located within the range of the Secret Ritual's influence, both safety and order were guaranteed.

After several years of continuous migration, the population had successfully surpassed three hundred thousand. It was almost like one of Jinling's suburban towns.

Even though a minority of ordinary people would feel slightly unwell for a period after arriving at the Border, after so many years, measures and contingency plans were in place for any situation. Nothing serious would happen, and most would adapt in about a week.

Therefore, the streets were bustling and looked full of vitality.

It wasn't much different from the Current Circumstances.

The most noticeable difference... would probably be the perpetually dim Endless Sea overhead, right?

Huai Shi stood at the entrance, looking up at the distant waves and sails above him.

The absurd sensation, as if the world were upside down, made him feel slightly light-headed.

No matter how many times he saw it, he could never get used to it.

It won't really collapse on us, will it?

Huai Shi couldn't help but scratch his chin, full of worry.

"Although it might sound a bit like worrying over nothing, you might not yet understand that this place is no longer the Current Circumstances. In the framework here, gravity is just a set of values, do you understand?"

"..."

"Yes, even though you can see the Endless Sea overhead, it's merely the relative position displayed within the transit framework.

Indeed, it exists there as a medium formed through profound changes between all the Borders in the Asia Region. However, this is merely a phenomenon. It wouldn't even fall on this Border if it collapsed one day. Even if it did, a slight adjustment of the gravity values would easily deflect it."

"Besides," Raven explained, "the benefits of its existence outweigh the drawbacks. Thanks to this thing, there are flight routes and schedules between the various Borders, much like Europe's underground high-speed rail, America's aerial ziplines, and the massive land cities of the Russian Federation that operate within iron rain..."

Seeing Huai Shi's still puzzled face, she couldn't help but shake her head. "Just think of it as a background setting, like a dynamic texture in a game; there's no need to delve into it."

Huai Shi suddenly realized. "You could have said that earlier!"

"No, I just didn't expect my Contractor to be so uncultured..."

Raven sighed, deeply feeling the hardships of her bird life.

.

Unfortunately, due to the limited time, there was no opportunity to truly experience the local character of the Border.

After a brief glance, Huai Shi hailed a cab to the boarding point stated on his ride card—a train station that looked exceptionally ancient in its design.

The journey was unobstructed; there wasn't even a ticket check.

According to Raven's analysis, even this station itself was likely a projection established within this Border, like a mirage existing between reality and illusion.

Without a ride voucher, one probably wouldn't even be able to see the station, let alone enter it.

And upon entering the station, the first thing Huai Shi saw was a highly unprofessional delay notice.

Although Huai Shi could catch the train thanks to this, as a paying, distinguished customer, seeing this notice was still unavoidably irritating.

So unprofessional!

"You have to look on the bright side," Raven whispered in his ear. "It's better than a free limited-time offer, right?"

Huai Shi was flabbergasted.

"This thing even has free limited-time offers?"

"Of course, the operating company needs to make a living too! Well, it's more accurate to say Forever Investment isn't short on cash; such events do happen occasionally. It allows the many passengers who usually sprawl on the train roof to experience the charm of a luxury train. It also includes a guest book you'll never see elsewhere, providing an unprecedented riding experience. Although, by then, the passenger review section will be filled with comments like 'just average goods,' making any enthusiastic praise seem forced or unconvincing, but you can't help that..."

"I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Huai Shi sighed, glancing at the weird atmosphere inside the waiting room. "Also... what is this situation exactly?"

Inside the waiting room, it was chillingly silent.

There was no gentle ambiance, not even the slightest hint of the cheerful atmosphere of people going on a trip.

When Huai Shi pushed the door open, everyone seated turned to look at him in unison, their calm expressions tinged with wariness.

After seeing that the newcomer was just an 'unarmed' youth, most people looked away.

However, a small number of them continued to look at his face, feeling as if they had seen him somewhere before. Quickly, some of them averted their gaze as if they'd received an electric shock, while a few others' eyes became even more dangerous and guarded, as if they regarded Huai Shi as a potential enemy.

...Did he become disliked by most of his fellow passengers the moment he entered the door?

Huai Shi was utterly confused.

What the hell was going on?

"Are you still not aware of how famous you are?"

Raven shook her head. "As an Astronomical Society dog with an official position, a stable unit, social insurance and a housing fund, fixed annual leave, a year-end double salary, an extra year-end bonus, and who's even been on TV—everyone would love to condemn you, you know?"

After hearing this, Huai Shi felt that these people's dislike was damn justified.

He even felt like hitting himself.

"Anyway, find a place to sit first," Raven said, retracting her gaze. "The train will arrive in a few minutes, and I'll explain slowly after we board."

Huai Shi looked around.

He saw that most seats in the luxuriously decorated, café-style waiting room were already filled, and Huai Shi didn't want to sit with those who were hostile toward him.

There was only one seat left at a table in the corner, but someone was already sitting there, their back to Huai Shi. He could only see a bowl of noodles in front of the person and an old briefcase resting by the chair.

The person was dressed in a gray suit that wasn't particularly high-end.

That was also the only person who hadn't turned to look when they heard Huai Shi push the door open.

He was completely engrossed in eating his noodles, as if savoring some delicacy...

Huai Shi walked over and asked quietly, "May I sit here?"

"Hmm?"

The man eating noodles slowly raised his head, making Huai Shi gasp.

He was taken aback.

The overwhelming sense of greasiness, the listless, numb aura, the pallid face that looked as though he might collapse on the street at any moment, and the striking dark circles under his eyes...

How many all-nighters had he pulled?

Though he didn't look old, appearing to be around thirty, his hair roots were already showing traces of gray.

Brother, are you some kind of corporate slave from Hell?

Seeing Huai Shi, the man opposite also seemed startled.

Apparently surprised, the man in the gray suit glanced at the youth before him, then at the raven on his shoulder. Soon, he politely shifted his chair slightly to make way.

"Please, have a seat, both of you."

His voice carried an inescapable weariness even as he spoke.

Then he continued to bow his head and eat his noodles.

He ate with focus and relish, savoring each bite slowly and methodically. It was as if what lay before him was some unparalleled delicacy he could eat for twenty-four hours straight!