Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo'

Chapter 405 - 280: Grandpa Train (High Energy - )

"I’m telling you, loads of people want to spend money to come to this place. I’m a Dark Energy User—or, in your Puluo State lingo, someone with a cultivation level.

"In Spring Proclaim City, there are quite a few circles of Dark Energy Users. I joined several, and only then did I find the right way to come to Dream Tugging Tower."

The man’s name was Zhao Dajun, a very talkative person. Without waiting for Li Banfeng to ask, he launched into his story, "I’m a Number Theorist—an Arithmetic Cultivator, as you call it in Puluo State. In Spring Proclaim City, I worked as a coder for a full ten years."

An Arithmetic Cultivator, Li Banfeng thought. The name suggests he’s good at math.

Li Banfeng said, "As a coder, your profession certainly matched your skills."

"It did!" Zhao Dajun nodded. "When I first graduated and started working, I felt coding was perfect for me. I was sure I’d be a future industry giant, and I really did have the knack for it. I’m not bragging, but at my peak, making fifty or sixty thousand a month was nothing.

"I worked in Spring Proclaim City for ten years. After living expenses and money sent home, I’d saved up over two million. That was enough to buy a house in Spring Proclaim City; even in a better location, the down payment would have been a breeze."

Li Banfeng nodded. "Impressive!"

Zhao Dajun sighed. "I thought I was pretty remarkable too, but I just couldn’t do it anymore.

"I’m a First Layer Dark Energy User, so I’m quite a bit stronger than the average person. But even so, working from seven in the morning until eleven at night, with barely a few days of rest all year—my body just couldn’t take it.

"And that wasn’t even the worst part. The moment I sat at my workstation and saw code, I felt like throwing up. When the phone rang and I heard the department manager’s voice, I felt even more nauseous.

"I didn’t want to work anymore. But if I bought a house in Spring Proclaim City, I’d have to spend all my savings. If I chose a good location, I’d still owe a hefty mortgage. How could I live like that?

"I didn’t want to buy a house. My girlfriend dumped me. So what if she did? I could live by myself. But I couldn’t stand my family nagging me every day, calling me useless, unfilial, and a good-for-nothing.

"I was worn out and had had enough. I wanted to live for myself for once. Later, thanks to connections from friends in my circles, I spent all my savings. After a great deal of trouble, I finally came to Dream Tugging Tower—the best place in the world! I want to live out the rest of my life well here!"

Li Banfeng didn’t quite understand. "What’s so good about it here?"

Zhao Dajun looked surprised. "Do I even need to say? You can have anything you want here. Food doesn’t cost money. As long as your request isn’t too outrageous, the canteen chefs will cook whatever you want, whenever you want.

"Accommodation doesn’t cost money either. It’s warm in winter and cool in summer, without even a mosquito in sight."

Li Banfeng said, "You spent over two million just for free room and board?"

"There’s more! We still have dreams! Dreams have everything: snowy mountains, idyllic fields, small islands, beaches...

"There are the beauties from my hard drive, and they talk—we can even understand them!"

"Really?" Li Banfeng was very interested in this.

"Really!" Zhao Dajun nodded vigorously. "That’s my dream; I call the shots. If I feel those girls are real, then they are real."

Actually, Zhao Dajun had a point; real-life women weren’t necessarily as wonderful as the ones in dreams.

"But what if you have a nightmare?"

Zhao Dajun shook his head. "At Dream Tugging Tower, you never have nightmares, and you’ll never suffer from insomnia—unless you’ve offended the Tower Master."

"Who’s the Tower Master?"

"I don’t know. I’ve never seen her, and if I don’t have to, I don’t want to. As long as the rules here stay the same, I’m happy to live here peacefully."

Li Banfeng said, "What if I don’t want to stay here?"

"I suggest you think it over carefully," Zhao Dajun looked at Li Banfeng earnestly. "No one who comes here ever wants to leave. Sleep a little longer, have a few more dreams, and then it’s not too late to make a decision."

Li Banfeng remained silent.

After they finished eating, Zhao Dajun told Li Banfeng the dining hall was on the second floor and the exit on the first. If he didn’t want to leave, he should go back to his bedroom. Zhao Dajun told him to make his own decision.

Li Banfeng had already made up his mind.

He went down to the first floor and pushed open the stairwell door. By the light of a match, he vaguely made out the exit.

They were two large glass doors. Li Banfeng quickly walked towards them when a cold gust of wind suddenly blew out his match.

He struck another match. As the flame flared, a tall woman in white suddenly appeared before him.

The invader from my dream!

The woman looked at Li Banfeng, her face almost expressionless, showing only a hint of languor.

This time, Li Banfeng saw her features clearly.

She had an oval face, a high nose bridge, and a pair of captivating, almond-shaped eyes. Her lips were red and petite, the corners slightly upturned in an almost imperceptible smile.

She seemed to possess an indefinable, ethereal aura.

A peerless beauty stood before him. Li Banfeng stared at her for a moment before using the match to set her clothes on fire.

Once her clothes caught fire, that ethereal aura became even more pronounced.

The beauty still looked at Li Banfeng lazily and asked in a flat tone, "Why are you burning my clothes?"

Li Banfeng retorted with feigned sincerity, "Why are you scaring me?"

Using the flames on her clothes, the beauty lit a candle she held and placed it on a candlestick mounted on the wall.

She gently blew out the flames on her body and looked at Li Banfeng, her voice airy and elusive. "Leaving so soon?"

Li Banfeng countered, "Do I need to go through some check-out procedure?"

The beauty smiled faintly. "You came all this way, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

Li Banfeng answered honestly, "I really didn’t want to come. An old man carried me here; he thought he was a train."

"He is Grandpa Train."

"You know that crazy old man?"

"Why do you think he’s crazy?"

"As a train, he doesn’t even burn coal. Isn’t that crazy?"

The beauty nodded slightly, seemingly agreeing with Li Banfeng. She gracefully stepped aside, clearing the path.

Li Banfeng started to walk, without a hint of hesitation.

As he reached the doorway, the beauty asked, "What’s your name?"

Li Banfeng recalled scenes from the dream: some called him Seventh Master, others Boss Ye.

This woman knows all this.

After a moment’s thought, Li Banfeng replied, "My name is Night Seven."

The beauty didn’t seem to doubt him and answered earnestly, "My name is Meng Qian. After you exit, keep walking straight. Go until you reach where you want to go, and whatever you do, don’t look back."

"Thank you, Miss Meng."

Meng Qian nodded. "We will meet again."

Li Banfeng exited through the main doors into a pitch-black mountain forest. A faintly visible path wound through the dense vegetation.

Whether what Meng Qian said is true or false, leaving this place quickly is definitely the right choice, he thought.

Running madly down the path, Li Banfeng reflected on his recent experiences.

I got lost on the edge of the New Land and found my way to a station, where I encountered a crazy old man who brought me to this place.

If the station actually existed and the crazy old man was real, I must have paid the fare and then fallen into a dream. After that, I stumbled into this building and was put to sleep in a room.

In the dream, I felt an urgent need to pee and even looked for a bathroom. That means, in reality, I was probably sleepwalking and actually went to the bathroom.

Do I know where the bathroom is? People in this building can find the bathroom without opening their eyes. And it’s not just the bathroom.

In my dream, I dreamt of going down a mountain and back up, and I also ate a meal in a restaurant. The actual situation must have been going downstairs and upstairs, and I ate a meal in the cafeteria.

How did I find the cafeteria? That must stem from some hints in the dream.

The master of this building must be that woman, Meng Qian. She can invade everyone’s dreams within the building and can also control the actions of the residents through their dreams.

If I jump off a cliff in the dream, then in reality, I might have climbed to the rooftop and jumped off. In such a case, would I die from the fall? It depends on the height of the building and how I’d react. As a Traveling Cultivator, I most likely wouldn’t die from a fall. But that’s just one example I can think of.

Meng Qian could have many ways to kill me, Li Banfeng thought, a chill running down his spine. He ran even faster.

She didn’t try to kill me and even let me go. So, what was her purpose in having me brought here? Could it be that she also didn’t know why I came here, and this was just an accident caused by that crazy old man? That crazy old man is Grandpa Train... but what was his purpose in bringing me here?

After running nonstop for more than an hour, Li Banfeng stopped.

He roughly estimated he must have run over ninety miles, definitely beyond that building’s control.

Ahead, he could see some light; it looked like he was about to reach Proper Land.

My stamina is still good; running a few hundred more *li* would be no problem. But I’m thirsty. I was already thirsty when I woke up, and I still haven’t had a single drop of water. I need to get back to the Portable Residence for a drink. While I’m there, I’ll tell my wife about this and see if she recognizes this Meng Qian person.

Just as Li Banfeng was about to reach for his keys, a sound that made his scalp tingle erupted from behind him.

"HUFF PUFF, WOOO! WOOOO!"

Without a second thought, Li Banfeng bolted.

Grandpa Train! How did I run into him again? He’s not going to force me onto his ’train’ again, is he? He’s a high-level Traveling Cultivator; escaping him won’t be easy. I need to be smart, use my head, and plan my route carefully. I’m a Fifth Layer Traveling Cultivator... what’s his cultivation level? Seventh Layer? Eighth Layer? Or even higher...?

Suddenly, Grandpa Train, now somehow in front of him, turned his head and said, "The train is departing."

When did he get in front of me?

"Get on the train!" Grandpa Train moved with astonishing speed. Before Li Banfeng could clearly see his form, he found himself already on the old man’s back.

"WOOO! WOOOO!" Grandpa Train pumped his arms and surged forward.

Li Banfeng was speechless. "Old Man, where on earth are you taking me?"

"HUFF PUFF," Grandpa Train turned his head. "Have you ridden a train before?"

Li Banfeng replied, "Of course, I have!"

"If you have, then why ask?"

"Why can’t I ask?"

"Anyone who’s ridden a train knows that you have to go where the train goes!"

That... He... he actually made a lot of sense, Li Banfeng thought, but then said, "But the point is, I didn’t want to get on your train!"

"You must get on my train."

"Why?"

"Because you haven’t woken up yet."

What does that mean? Is this old man actually insane, or is he just pretending?

Li Banfeng frowned. "How do you know I haven’t woken up?"

Still chugging and whistling, Grandpa Train responded, "Because I haven’t woken up either."

Anyone else would have been driven to distraction by the old man’s reasoning.

But Li Banfeng didn’t break down. He asked seriously, "How do you know that you haven’t woken up?"

The old man looked at Li Banfeng, puzzled. "Isn’t it obvious? If I were awake, would I think I was a train?"

What he said... still made a lot of sense. But if what he said is true, does that mean I’ve entered this old man’s dream? How could I possibly enter his dream?

Li Banfeng managed to stay rational and continued, "Why would you dream of becoming a train?"

Grandpa Train paused before answering, "Because I miss my own train."

"You used to own a train?"

"I did."

"What happened to your train?"

"Sold it."

"Who did you sell it to?"

"A Peddler."

Li Banfeng rubbed his forehead, inwardly scoffing at the mad old man. Even a lunatic’s dreams have no logic! How could a Peddler possibly buy a train?ŸŸŸ