The Utterly Vicious
Woooooo—
As the clattering gradually faded, the steam train packed with prisoners finally came to a steady stop at a small mining station shrouded in morning mist.
As usual, Conductor Old Li carried a clipboard and headed toward the prison car adjoining the locomotive.
In truth, as the conductor, he had no need to do any of this.
But Old Li enjoyed it. He liked the feeling of cursing those scum out.
Hiss—
Old Li pulled open the heavy iron door.
In an instant, a deathly stillness tinged with a faint stench of decay rushed straight at him.
"Fucking reeks!"
Covering his nose with practiced ease, Old Li muttered, "Damn it, bad people stink too. What a bunch of stinking bastards!"
Still cursing under his breath, he spotted through the bars that the dimly lit cell was strewn with people lying every which way, all utterly motionless.
"Fuck! Are you all dead? You're still sleeping when we've arrived?!"
Cursing as he moved closer, Old Li stared—and froze in shock at the prisoners inside.
Every last one had turned into a shriveled corpse, their faces twisted and their skin stretched over bone, as though all moisture had been sucked from their bodies.
A chill shot from the soles of Old Li's feet straight to the crown of his head, making his entire body tremble.
"M-Monsters!"
Old Li was immediately scared out of his wits. He tumbled and crawled out of the carriage, face pale as paper, hands pressed together as he stammered incoherent prayers. "Three-String Celestial Venerable, protect me! Heavenly Eye Divine Lord, show your power! Evil Exorcism, ward off misfortune—Evil Exorcism, ward off misfortune—"
The captain of the guards, who had long been waiting on the mining station platform to take custody of the train's prisoners, approached