The pocket watch

Zhao Xun had actually just considered whether to pretend to take a bite of the parchment by accident.

But that would have been far too conspicuous, and he would have had a hard time explaining it.

Arousing Whistle's suspicions at a time like this would not be a good idea.

Besides, the parchment had been kept in a Storage Slot, so he was not sure whether it would count as an item that had been on the target's person for more than twenty-four hours.

If it did not, biting it would accomplish nothing.

That risk was not worth taking.

After thinking it over, Zhao Xun asked Whistle another question. "How about throwing in a piece of information for free?"

Whistle did not immediately refuse. Instead, he asked, "What do you want to know?"

After all, if the information was valuable, he could not give it away for free.

But if it was nothing important, there was usually little point in asking about it.

He was rather curious about what the other man would ask.

"Since the Endless Train first appeared, has there ever been a repeated Platform Game?" Zhao Xun asked directly, without beating around the bush.

"You actually thought of that question this quickly." Whistle was a little surprised. He looked at Tiantian. "He really does have a brain."

Tiantian lifted her chin slightly, looking rather proud. "Of course I have a good eye."

"All right, consider this information a freebie," Whistle told Zhao Xun. "No."

"Not even once?" Zhao Xun asked to confirm.

"That's right," Whistle said with certainty. "So far, none of the train's platform stop durations have ever repeated. My guess is that even a difference of just one minute means the instance you enter after getting off will be different."

"Just as I thought." Understanding showed on Zhao Xun's face.

He had formed this suspicion after going through his first Platform Game.

Regardless of their attitude toward new players, none of the veteran players participating in the Platform Game had shown any sign of being comfortably in control when facing it.

If it had been a Platform Game the veterans had played before, they should have been confident.

In fact, the veteran players could have done their best to choose Platform Games they had already played every month, increasing their chances of survival.

Looking at it another way, once they knew exactly how long the train would stop, they could also have bought information about known games from other veterans or information brokers. That would have greatly improved their chances of clearing them, too.

But there were so few surviving veterans that it did not seem they had any opportunity to play repeated games.

The Train Rules did not prohibit players from sharing information about games they had already cleared, either. That also served as evidence that revealing information about Platform Games did not affect the players' mortality rate.

From every angle, Zhao Xun had gotten the impression that none of the Platform Games the players had experienced had ever repeated.

Now that he had a definite answer, he would not need to spend any effort asking other players for information to help him clear future Platform Games.

At that moment, Tiantian finally finished her Yangzhou fried rice. She set down her bowl and chopsticks, took out a tissue, and wiped her mouth.

Then she said to Zhao Xun, "If there's nothing else, we'll be leaving."

"You should have some food on you, right?" Zhao Xun asked Tiantian. "Just give me a biscuit."

Tiantian looked at Zhao Xun suspiciously. "Why should I give you a biscuit?"

"Because I'll give you two in return," Zhao Xun replied.

Tiantian: "..."

That really was a reason she could not refuse.

After two seconds of silence, she suddenly laughed. "Is this your Personal Mission for today?"

Zhao Xun said nothing, tacitly confirming it.

Still laughing, Tiantian took a small, individually wrapped packet of biscuits from her pocket. "Anyone else wouldn't have such an easy time getting something out of me. But since you'll give me two packets back, I'll help you out."

"Thank you." Zhao Xun thanked her politely and accepted the biscuits.

A pop-up immediately appeared in front of him.

[Congratulations to player Zhao Xun for completing the Personal Mission for September 6 and earning 15 points.]

Just as Zhao Xun had guessed, this Personal Mission awarded fewer points than any of the previous ones.

Zhao Xun opened his unfinished pack of biscuits. Those, too, were divided into small individual packets.

He took out one packet and gave it to Tiantian along with the packet she had just given him.

His gaze lingered for a second on the packet that belonged to Tiantian.

Unfortunately, he could not use this packet of biscuits to try to obtain Tiantian's special ability.

Tiantian was no fool. Giving her two packets of other biscuits right in front of her would inevitably arouse suspicion.

Even if Tiantian did not know why he wanted to keep her biscuits, any veteran with a brain would take the initiative to ask him to return her packet.

That would not only arouse suspicion but also create a rift in their current partnership. There was nothing to gain and everything to lose.

Tiantian did not stand on ceremony and took both packets of biscuits.

"If you need anything from me, come to Car 6." She blinked at Zhao Xun. "You're welcome anytime."

With that, she waved, turned, and left.

Whistle stood up as well, nodded to Zhao Xun, and followed Tiantian out.

Zhao Xun was in no hurry to go back. Instead, he went into the nearest restroom first.

He took his suitcase out of the Storage Slot and counted his remaining food.

He still had three bottles of mineral water, five packs of instant noodles, three packs of compressed biscuits, two bags of ham sausages, and ten braised eggs.

Well, thanks to having food to eat during the Platform Game, he had been using up his supplies more slowly. If he rationed these, they would last another three or four days.

Zhao Xun took out two ham sausages, two braised eggs, and two packs of instant noodles, along with a bottle of mineral water. That would be enough for tonight and tomorrow morning.

He stuffed everything into the large pockets of his jacket and was about to close the suitcase when he suddenly noticed a metal chain poking out of an inner compartment.

His hand stopped.

After hesitating for two seconds, he reached over, hooked the thin chain with his finger, and pulled out a pocket watch.

Intricate, delicate patterns were engraved on the antique-bronze casing. One glance was enough to tell it was an old piece.

Zhao Xun opened the pocket watch. Inside, the hands kept ticking along. It still worked perfectly.

It was the coming-of-age gift his father had given him.

Apparently, it had been passed down through the family for generations. Whenever someone in the younger generation came of age, it would be given to them, symbolizing hope for the family's future.

It was the most important thing his father had left him.

Who could have imagined that the couple would meet with such a tragedy when all they had wanted was to take a trip together and rediscover the joys of life?

Zhao Xun slowly drew a deep breath, then gently let it out.

Only at that moment did he seem to truly realize that his father and mother were dead.

He unconsciously touched his chest over his heart.

It was a very strange feeling.

He did not seem sad. He could not even feel the grief and pain other people described, but... he did not seem entirely devoid of feeling, either.

He felt as though a part of his heart was hollow, as if it had turned into a black hole, and he would never find anything to fill it again.

In fact, before boarding the Endless Train, he had already prepared himself for the possibility that his parents were dead.

He had thought he would be just as he had been every other time. Whether an animal he had raised died, a relative passed away, or a stray animal was hit by a car on the roadside, he had always remained calm inside, feeling very little.

He had been born with an emotional deficit and found it difficult to understand grief and pain.

Yet he had never expected that, even after anticipating his parents' deaths, he would still feel this discomfort.

Well, it was not quite grief, but there was indeed an uncomfortable feeling he could not put into words.

Perhaps it was because the couple had been among the few people in this world who had treated him with genuine sincerity.

After more than twenty years together, he had developed feelings even he had not anticipated.

"Don't worry. As long as the murderer is still out there, I'll avenge you." Zhao Xun gently closed the pocket watch and murmured to himself.

He returned the pocket watch to the inner compartment and carefully tucked the thin metal chain inside. Then, looking at the small bulge on the outside of the compartment, he said softly, "But since you're already dead, the promise I made to you can only end here."

Thanks to [Melancholy Parting Song] for the one monthly vote.

Thanks to everyone for your recommendation votes ^o^