novelraw Chapter 307
Chapter 307
The duplex suite in the train carriage was dimly lit, with only two warm yellow night lamps turned on.
Yu Xi wrapped herself in a thin robe, slipped on soft slippers, and quietly made her way up the stairs to the upper-level tea lounge area.
This section occupied one end of the train carriage, with an intentionally enlarged scenic glass window. Sitting on the cushioned chaise, she only had to turn her head slightly to take in the full view outside.
It was five in the morning—the time displayed on her wristband. She opened the automatic curtains and saw that it was still dark outside. The vast fields beyond the window had transformed into a deep canyon.
The train tracks stretched across the gorge, a seemingly endless chasm. If she leaned just a little closer to the glass, she could glimpse the winding railway ahead.
Two meters to the left of the tracks was a sheer drop, plunging hundreds of meters into the canyon. At the bottom, dense vegetation and rushing rivers were faintly visible. To the right, towering cliffs rose steeply, enclosing the passage.
She had once taken a canyon train ride with her classmates after graduating from university.
Sitting here in silence, gazing at the landscape, her mind emptied, leaving her with an uncanny sense of déjà vu—as if she had returned to her original world.
Yet, despite the pre-dawn darkness, she could see everything outside with absolute clarity. She could make out every ripple and splash of the river below, even the smallest details.
Her exceptional eyesight was an undeniable reminder—she was no longer the ordinary girl who had just graduated from university, nor was she in her original world. She was in the Endless Train’s world, having passed through one station after another. Now, this golden train was carrying them toward an unknown destination. And she couldn’t even be sure if the scenery outside the glass was real or an illusion.
A sudden urge to talk to someone filled her, but she didn’t want to wake Ya Tong or Yu Zhenzhen, who were still asleep. Instead, she tried calling out in her mind, are you awake?
Almost instantly, Xing Min’s voice echoed in her head. His tone was neutral and slightly distant, completely different from when he spoke aloud, yet it was a voice that had accompanied her through countless mission worlds.
can’t sleep?
Yu Xi: did I wake you up, or were you already awake?
slept for a bit, then woke up.
Yu Xi: do you see the canyon outside? Even though I know what I’m looking at could just be a simulated image, I still feel a deep sense of joy at such a magnificent view. Look—the silent drifting clouds before dawn, the faint bluish-white glow at the eastern horizon, the splashes of water as the river crashes against the rocks, the birds soaring above the cliffs, the tenacious plants growing out of the cracks in the mountains, blooming with small, delicate flowers… everything is so breathtaking. If this is just an illusion, it’s far too real.
that’s what I was talking about before—the difference between a virtual world and a lower-dimensional world. If something can make you feel real, alive, and moved, then it has already transcended the boundaries of mere illusion.
Yu Xi: so you think the scenery outside the train is real? That the golden train is truly traveling through this landscape?
no need to overthink it. If the truth of something doesn’t impact you, you can choose to ignore it or simply immerse yourself in it. No matter where you are, as long as you know the road ahead, as long as you understand what you are doing and what you will do in the future, everything else becomes less important.
As he spoke, the train sped through the canyon, emerging from the towering cliffs. At the canyon’s end, around a bend in the cliffs, the view suddenly opened up.
What lay before her was a vast, endless ocean.
The first light of dawn pierced through the clouds, and the tracks followed the winding coastline forward.
Not long after, Ya Tong woke up. She saw Yu Xi sitting in the upper lounge area, threw on a coat, and climbed the stairs.
“how long have you been up?” Ya Tong sat beside her, reaching out to press her hand against Yu Xi’s hair.
“about an hour.”
“Zhenzhen already went through all the function carriages and their schedules with the wristband last night. She even planned out the order of carriages we’ll visit today.”
Yu Xi smiled. “then we’ll just follow her lead. Everyone’s been exhausted lately. We should take the time to relax.”
Ya Tong looked down at her, able to guess what was on her mind.
Leng Mian had gone to great lengths to send them into this world, to bring them to Yu Xi’s side, and had even dropped hints along the way.
They all shared the same goal and had long been prepared for battle. Especially she and Lin Wu, both system tower missioners—joining this fight meant directly opposing their own system. The risks they faced were far greater than the others, and they had already braced themselves for the worst.
But after journeying through so many stations, after even boarding what could be the final train, the great battle they had expected had yet to arrive.
As the one holding them all together, Yu Xi would naturally care about this more than anyone else.
Ya Tong didn’t say much, simply pressed her hand against Yu Xi’s hair again. “don’t overthink it. We’re all here together. You need to remember, this isn’t just your will—it’s ours too.”
“mm.” Yu Xi looked up at her and wrapped an arm around her waist.
**
Yu Xi and Ya Tong ordered breakfast through the wristband, summoning an attendant to deliver their meal.
Yu Zhenzhen woke up to the aroma of curry beef vermicelli soup.
Compared to fancy sashimi, steaks, or massive pizzas and burgers, Yu Zhenzhen still preferred the street foods of her homeland.
“the train serves food like this?” She quickly washed up, not even bothering to brush her hair before dashing to the dining table.
The table was filled with more than just curry beef vermicelli soup. There were crab roe soup dumplings, fried dough sticks, tea eggs, scallion pancakes, mini wontons… and even a fruit platter stacked into a pyramid.
Not only did the food look exquisite, but the flavors were also completely authentic.
Halfway through breakfast, the doorbell of the duplex suite rang.
Yu Xi opened the door, and Xi Yuan immediately pulled her into a hug. “good morning, Xiao Xi—”
At the dining table, Yu Zhenzhen wrinkled her nose in disgust. “if you want to say good morning, just say it. Why are you hugging her? Did my mom give you permission to hug her?”
“Why do you care? I’m hers. Only what she says matters.” Xi Yuan glanced at Yu Zhenzhen before deliberately resting his chin on Yu Xi’s shoulder, tightening his embrace.
Yu Xi wasn’t surprised; she was already somewhat used to it. She patted his back lightly. “Alright, have you eaten breakfast? If not, have some more. There are crab roe soup dumplings—your favorite.”
With just a simple sentence, Xi Yuan’s temper instantly settled. He let go of Yu Xi and happily joined the breakfast table.
As he walked away, Yu Xi noticed Xing Min standing outside the door. He hadn’t stepped in yet, his lake-blue eyes watching her with an expression she couldn’t quite decipher.
“You’re not coming in?” she asked.
Instead of answering, the man leaned in and embraced her. Unlike Xi Yuan’s playful hug, Xing Min’s movements were gentle and slow. His slender fingers pressed lightly against the back of her head. “Good morning.”
Yu Xi was momentarily surprised but then laughed softly. Resting her face against his shoulder, she patted his back as well. “The attendant brought a fruit tart. It’s made with eighteen different fruits from all four seasons. Go have some.”
Xing Min walked toward the dining table but hadn’t even taken a seat before he sensed Xi Yuan’s gaze on him. He turned slightly to look at him.
Xi Yuan sat with his arms crossed, staring at him with an expression that carried both dissatisfaction and silent protest.
“What?” Xing Min asked indifferently.
“…Nothing.” Xi Yuan huffed. Was he supposed to outright say that the guy was deliberately copying his way of getting close to Yu Xi? That would just be handing him a confession on a silver platter. He wasn’t that stupid.
At the door, Yu Xi turned to see Lin Wu hesitating at the entrance. She teased him, “Do you want one too?” She made a gesture for a hug.
Lin Wu clenched his fist and coughed lightly against his lips, his expression unusually serious. “I just think… it’s not appropriate to enter a ladies’ room.” Even as he said that, he still walked inside.
Yu Xi: …?
Yu Zhenzhen, who had been listening intently the whole time, finally couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter. “It’s barely morning, and you’re all going to make me die laughing! Hahaha… what’s the benefit of making me laugh to death? Hahahaha!”
Xi Yuan’s face twitched in embarrassment. He stuffed a soup dumpling into her mouth. “Eat your food.”
Yu Zhenzhen: Mmph mmph!
**
They were in luck. On their first day aboard the Golden Train, the journey happened to bring them to the coastline.
The wristband’s information explained that the train would travel along the coast for several hours before entering a transparent underwater tunnel, passing through the ocean itself.
The tunnel segment would last four hours, during which multiple observation carriages would be opened, offering coffee, tea, and exquisite afternoon desserts.
Although their suite already had large scenic windows, the observation carriages were entirely different.
These carriages had massive glass windows on the walls, ceiling, and even the floor. When passing through particularly scenic areas, even the metal panels on the walls would retract, transforming the entire carriage into a full panoramic glass enclosure.
The ocean tunnel wasn’t an ordinary underwater passage—it had been specially built in the most biodiverse region of the sea. The transparent metal-glass shell encased the tunnel, and dimly lit lights were embedded at intervals to ensure travelers could clearly see the world outside.
Sitting inside such a 360-degree glass carriage would allow them to witness an underwater world they had never seen before.
After a leisurely breakfast, they changed into fresh outfits from the wardrobe. Yu Zhenzhen picked a designer dress, while Yu Xi and Ya Tong opted for casual pants and sweatshirts, making Yu Zhenzhen dramatically lament the missed opportunity for matching outfits.
They selected one of the observation carriage numbers on the door’s control panel and scanned their wristbands. A countdown appeared on the electronic display, indicating a short wait before the door would open. Since other travelers were heading to the same carriage, they had to queue for entry.
Sure enough, when they entered, there were already some passengers seated inside.
Yu Zhenzhen, who had thoroughly explored the wristband’s functions, informed them that all functional carriages had a passenger limit. Once a carriage reached capacity, no one else could enter, ensuring an optimal experience.
To accommodate this, the train had multiple identical carriages for each function, allowing all passengers to participate at the same time.
Yu Xi, however, focused on something else. She quickly scanned the available seats and compared the total number of observation carriages displayed on the wristband. “So, the maximum number of passengers on this train at any given time is 180?”
The others quickly caught on. Lin Wu spoke first. “That few? I thought it would be more.”
“Yeah, I also think that’s quite low,” Yu Zhenzhen agreed.
But soon, as the lights dimmed and the metal panels on the walls, ceiling, and floor retracted, all their attention was drawn to the breathtaking scenery outside.
In the soft blue glow, schools of fish swam past the transparent tunnel. Bright yellow fish darted swiftly through the water, resembling an endless shower of flower petals suspended in midair.
The train seemed to slow down slightly, as if giving the passengers more time to take in the spectacle.
As they traveled further, more marine creatures appeared—blue-spotted mackerel, tuna, sailfish, marlins, swordfish, sharks, stingrays… species they had seen before and others entirely new to them. The view unfolded like a vibrant, living painting of the ocean.
Even those like Ya Tong and Lin Wu, who had experienced countless worlds, or Xi Yuan, who had wandered through different dimensions for centuries, found themselves captivated. Let alone the regular travelers aboard the Endless Train.
One by one, people moved closer to the glass, eyes wide with wonder at the near-surreal beauty outside.
The murmured conversations around them were all variations of the same sentiment.
They had spent their journey teetering on the edge of life and death—battling monsters on platforms, enduring disasters at stations, fighting other travelers for survival. They had assumed that even the train heading toward the final station would be fraught with danger and deception. Yet from the moment they boarded, everything about this train had defied their expectations.
Some travelers even sighed, wondering aloud—compared to the Golden Train, wasn’t real life just a mess?
They had fought so hard to survive each station, but now, here on this train, they had everything they could ever need. Did they really still want to reach the final station?
Reality was filled with hardships—bosses’ moods, workplace politics, endless responsibilities, working the hardest while earning the least.
Family burdens weighed down on them—children and elderly parents who needed constant care, never-ending household chores, endless arguments, the cars and houses they could never afford, the vacations they could never take.
What was the point of going back to reality?
…
The low voices of those complaining suddenly fell silent.
They looked down at their wristbands.
A moment later, their expressions turned to surprise.
Then, several members of each team huddled together, passing their wristbands around for a closer look.
Yu Xi overheard someone speaking in a hushed voice. “Can we do it now?”
“It seems like it.”
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s choose…”
“Wait, let’s go back to the room first…”
They were experienced travelers who had been through many stations, revealing nothing important in their conversation. However, they quickly became aware of their surroundings, scanning cautiously before heading toward the carriage doors, inputting their cabin numbers, and leaving.
Yu Xi exchanged a glance with Xing Min. He, too, was watching them leave, then turned back to meet her gaze.
What was going on? What were they selecting?
**
The same thing wasn’t only happening in the observation carriage passing through the ocean tunnel.
Yu Zhenzhen had planned an incredibly packed one-day tour for everyone, so they didn’t stay in the observation carriage for too long. After enjoying the exquisite afternoon tea and desserts, she led them to several other carriages:
The music carriage, where they could listen to live performances from the train’s band or even go on stage and sing themselves…
The beauty and spa carriage, offering milk baths, saunas, and essential oil massages…
The arcade carriage, featuring various gaming consoles and motion-sensor games where they could compete for prizes…
The garden carriage, with fragrant flowers, swings, and wicker chairs where they could enjoy coffee and tea while watching the sunset over the sea…
The grand banquet carriage, spanning two full train cars, divided into upper and lower levels, with top-tier chefs from different regions cooking live. Passengers were required to wear evening attire, helping them meet new people or dine privately with their team. The upper-level dining area had dim lighting and a glass ceiling for an unobstructed view of the night sky.
Beyond that, there were also escape room carriages, theater carriages, dance and performance carriages, swimming pool carriages, and many others they hadn’t even had time to explore yet.
This Golden Train felt like a miniature world of its own, containing everything imaginable—whether reasonable or not.
And yet, throughout the afternoon and evening, Yu Xi kept observing the other passengers, recalling the strange behavior she had noticed in the observation carriage.
She noticed that whenever the train reached a peak moment of enjoyment, some passengers would sigh and remark on the train’s perfection—just like those in the observation carriage.
That wasn’t surprising. The train was indeed too perfect.
But what was strange was that right after they had these thoughts, they would always glance at their wristbands, as if some message had appeared there that caught their attention.
What was this message?
And why hadn’t they received it?
Late at night, the six of them gathered in their suite in Cabin 28 to discuss the matter.
Ya Tong and the others had also noticed this while visiting different carriages. However, since all the passengers were highly alert and they had only boarded the train the day before, they hadn’t been able to gather any useful information.
Lin Wu analyzed the situation. “The wristbands represent the train. No matter what the message is, it must have come from the train itself. I don’t think we need to rush. We’re passengers, just like the others. The train should treat us the same, so it might just be a matter of time.”
Ya Tong nodded. “Regardless, until we get off the train, we need to be extra cautious. No one should go to another carriage alone—at least two people should stick together.”
“Understood.”
Over the next few days, they continued following Yu Zhenzhen’s itinerary, visiting the other functional carriages on the Golden Train.
Meanwhile, the scenery outside the windows kept changing. The train moved from the ocean, across sandy dunes, through the desert, and into the rocky wastelands. The landscape transformed again as the tracks climbed higher, weaving through the towering snow-covered mountains.
They traveled through the snow-capped peaks for an entire day and night. By this point, Yu Xi and the others had long stopped questioning whether the scenery outside was real or not. Regardless of its authenticity, the beauty of nature was something they could all appreciate.
The vast sky, the majestic snow-capped peaks, the thickly blanketed evergreen forests, and the delicate snowfall drifting down like feathers—it was all breathtaking.
The train traveled for seven straight days.
On the eighth afternoon, when they once again looked out the windows, they saw something new—a distant silhouette of buildings at the far end of the tracks.
Moments later, a soft electronic voice echoed through the train.
“Esteemed passengers of the Golden Train, we are approaching the final stop of this journey. If you need to disembark, please finish any activities in the entertainment carriages and return to your rooms to gather your belongings. If you require any assistance, please call your designated concierge. Thank you for traveling with us. Arrival countdown: four hours.”
After the announcement, their wristbands displayed a four-hour countdown.
Since they were already in their suite, they exchanged glances but hadn’t spoken yet when the doorbell rang.
Xi Yuan went to open the door. Outside stood their train concierge—Number Seventeen.
The young attendant wore the same polite smile as on the first day, bowing respectfully at the suite’s entrance.
Xi Yuan didn’t bother with formalities. “We didn’t call for you.”
“That’s correct. My apologies for disturbing you,” Number Seventeen replied. “The train is approaching the final stop. May I ask if you wish to disembark?”
Xi Yuan answered, “All six of us are getting off.”
“Alright, here are six copies of the train’s feedback form. Please have the guests who wish to disembark fill them out. I will return an hour before arrival to collect the completed forms. The Golden Train upholds a philosophy of top-tier service and continuous improvement, always evolving based on the valuable suggestions and feedback of our esteemed guests. So please take the time to fill these out seriously.”
As Seventeen spoke, he raised the tray in his hands and handed the stack of feedback forms to Xi Yuan.
Xi Yuan glanced at Yu Xi, and when she gave a slight nod, he accepted the forms.
Seventeen bowed slightly and then exited through the cabin door, leaving Carriage 28.
Only after the door closed did Xi Yuan shut the suite’s door and distribute the forms to the others.
“Looks pretty standard, just regular checkboxes for feedback,” Lin Wu skimmed through the form. But when his eyes reached the last question, his brows furrowed.
The final question read: Would you be willing to stay and become a permanent passenger of the Golden Train?
Yu Zhenzhen also noticed it. “Permanent passenger? Does that mean staying on the Golden Train forever?” A thought struck her. “Wait—could this be the same question those passengers received on their wristbands?”
“Very likely,” Xi Yuan agreed. “These travelers have spent so long fighting through stations, surviving life-and-death struggles, and growing accustomed to having everything at their fingertips. Going back to the real world, where they’d live ordinary, mundane lives again… Many of them might not be able to accept that.”
Yu Zhenzhen found it hard to believe. “But no matter how mundane, reality is still reality. No matter how perfect this train is, it’s still just a train. Would people really choose to stay here forever?”
“Not everyone will, but some definitely will,” Ya Tong said, pulling out a pen and beginning to check off her form. “The reason we didn’t receive the wristband message might be because we never even considered staying. But now that the train is about to reach its final stop, every passenger who intends to disembark is probably being asked this question. Some who weren’t sure before might change their minds when they see it.
“Honestly, if I weren’t a mission traveler, if I were just an ordinary native of this post-apocalyptic world with nothing left, I might consider staying too.”
But now, that was impossible.
Their paths forward were too clear. No matter how extravagant, beautiful, or dreamlike this Golden Train was, they would not stay.
Yu Xi nodded, firmly selecting No on her form.
The train was reaching its final station. They would disembark and leave the Endless Train world.
**
An hour later, Seventeen knocked on their door again to collect the forms, bowing politely before departing.
As the final ten-minute countdown began, the electronic voice of the train made another announcement.
“Passengers disembarking, please open your suite doors. This time, there is no need to enter a cabin number. Between each train carriage, there is a transition space where you will find the exit doors.”
They had stored all their belongings in their inventory space, so there was nothing to pack. The six of them scanned their wristbands, opened the door to Carriage 28, and waited in front of the transition car’s exit.
The door had a glass window, allowing them to see outside.
Night had fallen, and the final station was situated at the edge of a city. It was a massive station, with the train smoothly gliding along the tracks into the platform.
The platform itself was large, with multiple sets of tracks and both upper and lower levels, closely resembling real-world train stations. However, at this moment, no other people were visible on the platform.
As the ten-minute countdown ended, the electronic voice echoed again, and the train doors slowly opened.
Yu Xi and the others stepped out, and the moment they did, a blinding golden light flared up before them.
They instinctively shut their eyes against the brightness. Their bodies felt as if they were suddenly free-falling into emptiness, their consciousness fading into a void.
…
She had no idea how much time had passed before she felt the weight of her body again.
Yu Xi vaguely sensed that she was lying on something. Her eyelids felt impossibly heavy, just like the rest of her body. She struggled to open her eyes and, in the process, began to hear voices nearby.
Then came the sound of hurried footsteps.
“Subject 235 is waking up!”
“Really?”
“Her vital signs are changing! Her eyelids are moving!”
“Is she really waking up, or is it just another reflex response like last time?”
“I think it’s real!”
“Quick! Call Dr. Lou! And the medical team!”
“Got it!”
…
More hurried footsteps followed.
Yu Xi gathered every bit of strength she had and finally managed to lift her heavy eyelids.
A blinding white light filled her vision, making her instinctively shut her eyes again. Someone nearby quickly adjusted the lighting to dim the brightness.
She felt it.
She was awake.
She slowly opened her eyes once more.