The Train Conductor pushed open the heavy partition door to carriage five, and a suffocating sense of pressure struck her. In the narrow aisle, a dozen security guards armed with Soul Guidance Ray Guns were using armrests and walls as cover, their faces pale and their foreheads drenched in cold sweat. A short distance ahead, several masked criminals used roughly dismantled seat backs as shields, completely blocking the way.
"How are things looking?" The Train Conductor crouched low and hurried to the security captain's side. Her voice trembled, but it carried unquestionable authority.
The security captain's face was ashen, his voice barely above a whisper. "Very bad! They're using the seat backs as cover, and their suppressing fire won't even let us raise our heads. Worse still, they've installed timed Soul Guidance Cluster Bombs at the carriage junction! Judging by how fast those red lights are flashing, they're at least high-explosive grade."
The Train Conductor's heart sank. She glanced forward through a gap in the cover. The dismantled seat backs were made of thick, sturdy steel; shots from the Soul Guidance Ray Guns merely scattered sparks across them, unable to penetrate. That meant there was a ninety percent chance that the carriages ahead—the ones packed with the most passengers—were already completely under these desperadoes' control.
"Damn it..." The Train Conductor gritted her teeth, cold sweat seeping from her temples. The situation had become perilous in the extreme.
"Listen, everyone in there! Please don't do anything rash!"
The Train Conductor drew a deep breath and abruptly straightened, shouting toward the steel barricades ahead. "Tell us your demands! We can negotiate! I'll do everything possible to meet your requests, on one condition—don't hurt the passengers!"
A sinister chuckle came from the other end of the carriage. A hoarse voice rang out through