Li Wei sat in the carriage, watching the weather outside.
A day had passed, but instead of improving, the weather had only grown worse.
Accompanied by low rumbles of thunder, fat raindrops hammered the carriage and windows, their relentless pattering enough to make anyone uneasy.
"It's a complete mess back there, boss."
Anthony had sneaked into the Salon Car again, but this time he looked miserable.
"Is it that bad?"
"It's nothing like first class, that's for sure. Can you imagine? A bunch of filthy men packed into one carriage, smelling sour and rotten enough to make you sick. And they're all bellowing, spraying spit everywhere..."
Anthony grimaced in disgust.
"What a rotten assignment."
As he spoke, Anthony looked around the Salon Car.
"It's much better here. Quiet, relaxing, and there's even music..."
At that point, Anthony lowered his voice.
"But boss, there's something I need to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I heard some people saying they think the train stopping here is a bad omen."
"Oh?"
Li Wei set down his teacup.
"What do they mean?"
"They say that when this railway was being built, a lot of the workers disappeared in this forest. That's why it's called the Death Forest. According to the stories, the forest devours fools who wander into it, making them vanish completely."
"Then how did they finish the railway?"
"Apparently, they sent in the army to blast a passage through here, then finished laying the tracks. But they say that even afterward, workers inspecting and maintaining the railway still disappeared occasionally... Of course, those are just rumors."
Anthony stressed that last point again, but both he and Li Wei knew that so-called rumors were often the deadliest things of all.
Besides, of all the places the train could have stopped, it had stopped