Instinctively, Meng Changyi turned her head.
His face was deathly pale, utterly devoid of color. His eyes were sunken into their sockets, like two bottomless voids, and an eerie, unnatural smile curled at the corners of his lips—disturbing and ghastly.
Her gaze accidentally locked with his bloodshot eyes. A shiver ran down her spine. She quickly lowered her head and pretended to fiddle with her phone.
His seat?!
Dear heavens! Don't tell me the train's name changed, and now the seat allocations have too?
A child nearby clung tightly to his mother, too frightened to make a sound.
The young mother, trembling, held her child close and murmured softly, "Jiajia, don't be afraid… Mommy's right here…"
Under the cold, silent stare of the man beside her, she quivered as she comforted her child.
After a while, she finally soothed the boy and stood, offering the seat with a shaky voice:
"I… I'm sorry… I thought no one was sitting here… I was just resting for a moment… This is your seat. I… I'll give it back to you…"
No, no, no! Please don't! I don't want to sit next to this creepy guy…
Miss, come back…
Meng Changyi wailed internally, helpless and anxious, but the man sat down anyway.
The moment he did, she instinctively scooted closer to the window.
Ahhh—he's right next to me! If something happens… will I even have a chance to escape?
While her thoughts spiraled wildly, the train's intercom crackled to life.
"…zzzz… Esteemed passengers, welcome aboard.
This train is now departing once again from East Station, City B. The next scheduled stop is South Station, City C. Estimated arrival time is 16:33. Please pay attention to the following safety reminders: …"
Meanwhile, the young mother stood and looked around. The carriage was nearly full—except for a few vacant seats beside those ominous passengers.
Summoning her courage, she approached one of them, attempting to ask if they could move slightly so she might sit for a while.
"E-excuse me…"
At the sound of her voice, the person turned abruptly and stared straight at her.
"N-no, it's fine… I'm sorry…" Her eyelids twitched, and fear surged through her like a tide. All at once, she no longer wished to sit.
With no other choice, she remained standing with her child in the corner of the carriage.
Perhaps it was because those eerie passengers had done nothing for a long while—simply sitting still with their eyes closed, seemingly resting—that everyone slowly relaxed, assuming this was some peculiar event organized by a group.
After standing with her child for what felt like an eternity, the mother's legs began to give out. Exhausted, she looked around and pleaded softly,
"Could someone please let me sit for just a little while? Just a moment—I'll stand again after that…"
A middle-aged woman scoffed coldly and spoke with biting sarcasm:
"If you didn't have the means to buy a seat, then don't expect to sit in someone else's! Honestly—how ridiculous."
Her expression was filled with disdain.
Tears welled up in the young mother's eyes. Her voice choked slightly as she said,
"I had a ticket originally… but I had to cancel it when my child fell ill. By the time I tried to buy another, only standing tickets were left…"
She turned to the others with a pitiful gaze.
"I've been standing so long… I really can't take it anymore…"
An elderly gentleman furrowed his brow, visibly displeased by the woman's words. He stood and offered kindly,
"Here—bring your child and sit here, my dear."
Another man stood enthusiastically.
"Ah, let me give you mine too!" he said heartily, patting his seat. Speaking in his local dialect, he added, "Miss, take this one! My bones are strong—I'll be fine standing. You're still young, and the elder here should rest too. I'll stand instead."
The man with glasses quickly rose as well.
"You can have my seat too," he said gently, his tone warm.
"You've got your child with you—please, sit. I'm young. I can stand just fine."
In the shadows, a pair of eyes fixated on them with an unblinking stare.
The grin on its lips stretched wider and wider—almost grotesquely so—clearly delighted by the scene unfolding before it.