[Bites the Dust]

As a summoned creature, the Shadow Guard was connected to Bai Zhi's Perception.

Although he could not share its vision like he could with the Shadow Puppet, Bai Zhi could sense whether the Shadow Guard had survived or died, as well as its exact location.

In Bai Zhi's Perception, when the Shadow Guard reached roughly the middle of the carriage, all connection with it was suddenly severed. It had not even put up a proper struggle.

The Shadow Guard had vanished in an instant.

"The front of the carriage..."

Standing at the carriage connection and looking down the long corridor ahead, Bai Zhi narrowed his eyes slightly.

Judging from what had happened earlier, the front of the carriage was far more dangerous than the rear. The Shadow Puppet exploring backward had safely reached the carriage connection, but the Shadow Guard exploring forward had fallen midway.

After a brief moment of thought, Bai Zhi summoned three more Shadow Guards. Under the watchful observation of the Shadow Puppet stationed at the carriage connection, the three newly summoned Shadow Guards began exploring toward the front once more.

But it was the same as before. Once the Shadow Guards reached the middle of the carriage, the moment they tried to proceed farther ahead, they vanished without a trace.

—It was as if a boundary line existed there, ruthlessly dividing Life and Death.

"...Danger ahead, safety behind?"

Just as Bai Zhi frowned in thought, the door leading to the next carriage suddenly opened at the carriage connection at the rear, where the Shadow Puppet was stationed. Someone dressed as a Conductor emerged from within.

The instant before the other party pushed open the door, the Shadow Puppet under Bai Zhi's control silently turned into a shadow and slipped back into the darkness of the carriage.