With a slight jolt, the passengers in the carriage all realized that they had arrived at Rock Junction Station, and the Magic Energy Rail Train was gradually coming to a stop.
Outside the window, the station's magnificent Station Hall gradually came into view.
The station's hall was spacious and brightly lit. Its ceiling was made of transparent glass, allowing the faint natural light to spill across the entire hall. Works by local artists hung on the walls, depicting the history and culture of Rock Box Mountain.
Each platform was supported by enormous stone pillars that blended perfectly with the main body of the station. In the past, trains from the north had often passed through here, connecting the northern city-states with central and southern Protos. Now, however, the number of trains arriving at the station had dropped to an absurdly low level, leaving the once-prosperous station looking somewhat desolate.
Lanchi and Sid stood up inside the carriage, carrying their luggage.
As they walked down the carriage aisle and got off, they saw numerous uniformed Imperial Soldiers patrolling the entire station platform. They wore black military uniforms, each gripping a gleaming weapon.
Every soldier wore an expressionless face, as if they were part of Rock Intersection Station itself—stern and unwavering.
The merchant passengers looked somewhat uneasy. They carefully made their way off the train, trying to avoid making too much eye contact with the soldiers.
There were two routes from the platform level to the Station Hall level.
They could either transfer toward the connecting platforms or leave the station.
The vast majority of passengers headed for the exit.
But as Lanchi and Sid walked along the transfer route, they found that there were almost no people left around.
It was not until they neared the inspection checkpoint that they finally