If Only It Were That Easy

The sky was gradually beginning to darken.

Oil lamp flames flickered to life across the entire Aragane Station, like scattered stars dotting the earth, lending a touch of warmth to the air.

The silver moon hung high in the void.

Cicadas chirped among the thickets.

Before rows of crude wooden houses, people chatted and laughed with one another, turning the warmth in the air into a cozy atmosphere.

Not a single person knew.

On the railway tracks several hundred meters away from Aragane Station, a train was racing toward the station at full speed.

The train's entire body was forged from steel, making it look like a running steel fortress.

This steel-clad fortress thus entered a tunnel, speeding toward Aragane Station.

And atop the Steel Walls of Aragane Station, a samurai on gate duty was peering through a telescope toward the tunnel, spotting the Hayajiro racing in.

Immediately, the samurai called out.

"The Fusang Fortress is here!"

Hearing this, the surrounding samurai all reacted, turning their gazes toward the tunnel.

"Finally here?"

"Right on time."

"It's the Fusang Fortress scheduled to arrive today, right?"

"No other possibility."

The samurai's tone was still relaxed.

After all, the arriving Fusang Fortress was a Hayajiro that had been scheduled to arrive today. Since it was on time, there shouldn't be any problems.

That thought was the beginning of all tragedy.

"Open the gate! Lower the drawbridge!"

Amid the shouts, the gate of the Steel Walls—protecting humanity's last paradise—was slowly opened, and the drawbridge outside was gradually lowered, linking the railway leading into Aragane Station.

"Toot-toot-toot-toot-toot—!"

A piercing whistle rang out.

The steel train called Fusang Fortress raced toward Aragane Station, its surface gleaming with a cold luster.

At this moment, not a single samurai standing guard in Aragane Station noticed.

On top of this Fusang Fortress, countless dark figures clung to it like spiders.

Looking closely.

At the heart of each of these dark figures, a glowing heart pulsed.

The Fusang Fortress, loaded with monsters called Kabane, thus charged toward Aragane Station.

On the outskirts of Aragane Station stood rows of buildings used as warehouses.

At that moment, the door of one such building opened.

Fang Li stepped out, draped in a cloth cloak for warmth, braving the whistling wind as he made his way to a high vantage point.

Fang Li stood there, on a cliff-like height, staring in one direction.

That direction was the only gate leading out of Aragane Station.

Looking at that gate, Fang Li first checked the items in his leg pouch.

Stamina Recovery Potion... still sealed, carried on person!

Wound Recovery Potion... half a bottle left, carried on person!

Energy Compression Biscuit... intact, carried on person!

Water Bottle... filled with water, carried on person!

Then, feeling the dagger sheathed at the small of his back, Fang Li murmured.

"Everything's ready. All that's left is to wait."

If he wasn't mistaken, today was when the story would begin.

And now, the Fusang Fortress loaded with Kabane should already be charging toward Aragane Station.

"When that Fusang Fortress crashes into Aragane Station, the trial begins."

In the end, would Fang Li die smoothly under the siege of the Kabane horde?

Or would he successfully rendezvous with Yomogawa Ayame and escape Aragane Station aboard the Iron Fortress?

"It all depends on how lucky I am."

With that, Fang Li leaped, sliding down the steep slope from the height, and ran off in one direction.

After spending three days in Aragane Station, Fang Li hadn't come away empty-handed.

During those three days, Fang Li had been diligently gathering information through his daily work.

So, Fang Li knew exactly where the escape train, the Iron Fortress, was located.

Originally, Fang Li had thought about finding Yomogawa Ayame and staying close to protect her, waiting until Aragane Station fell before escaping with her.

However, Fang Li was nothing more than a Wanderer. If he kept hovering around Yomogawa Ayame, not to mention how Kurusu Kunoichi might react, the samurai of the Yotsuyu Clan would certainly not stand by idly. They might even suspect him of having ulterior motives.

Therefore, Fang Li simply waited until nightfall, calculated the time, and headed straight for the direction of the escape train, the Iron Fortress.

If the original story progressed smoothly, Yomogawa Ayame would surely arrive there under the protection of Kurusu Kunoichi and a group of samurai.

At that point, Fang Li could rendezvous with Yomogawa Ayame and board the escape train together, fleeing Aragane Station. Main Mission Two would then be complete.

"If only it were that easy."

Running along a path leading to a bustling street, Fang Li narrowed his eyes slightly.

In the original story, Yomogawa Ayame successfully escaped Aragane Station and did not die at the hands of the Kabane.

In other words, if he did nothing and just followed the plot, Main Mission Two would be resolved almost without Fang Li lifting a finger.

However, Fang Li didn't believe the Space would issue a mission that essentially handed Exchange Points into the Main God's Envoys' pockets.

"If something unexpected happens..."

Then Main Mission Two would be a failure.

"At the very least, I hope nothing goes wrong before we rendezvous at the Iron Fortress."

Just hearing those words felt like a luxury.

"I can only leave it to fate."

With that remark, Fang Li adjusted his breathing and quickened his pace.

Just as Fang Li was about to dash into the street, an unexpected incident occurred.

"Boom----!"

A thunderous crash resounded through the quiet night sky.

Fang Li whipped his head around toward the source of the sound.

There, at the direction of Aragane Station's gate, a train clad in iron armor violently smashed through the gate, spinning several times like a ragdoll flung into the air. Carrying terrifying momentum and weight, it kicked up clouds of dust and rubble, crashing heavily onto the houses not far from the street.

"Clang--clang--clang--clang--!"

One after another, the bronze bells atop the watchtowers scattered throughout Aragane Station were struck, their echoes reverberating across the entire station.

That was the alarm.

The alarm that notified residents to take shelter when the Kabane invaded.

Instantly, a moment of deathly silence fell over Aragane Station.

Half a beat later, screams of sheer terror began to ring out one after another.

"Ka... Kabane!"

"Kabane!"

"The Kabane are coming!"

People scrambled to flee.

Aragane Station had completely fallen into chaos.

The fall had begun.