Chapter 115: Catastrophe Messenger Whistle

The other party knew about the train as well…

Chen Qi was startled, but soon regained his composure.

How could a gigantic train running through the Land of Sparse Light possibly escape the intelligence network of the Calamity Messengers, who patrolled all day long?

But why had she told him this?

【Is this a little abrupt…? The Crow Witch noticed the confusion on your face and slowly explained, “That train is called the Textile Train.

Every year around this time, greedy treasure hunters, people wishing to travel to other districts, wanted criminals, and those with more money than they know what to do with all make their way across the Land of Sparse Light and board that train.”】

【She thought you might be interested, just as you were interested in going to Mist City.】

【The Crow Witch told you that she had visited the Tower of Medicine. When the people there heard news of you, every one of them had been left open-mouthed.

They all said they knew you well—you would not return so easily.】

“…”

He indeed would not be returning to the Tower of Medicine anytime soon.

Chen Qi rested his chin on his hand. She had actually guessed correctly.

【You look down from above. Below, you can see caravans of merchants riding snow oxen as they hurry toward the mountains.】

【The Crow Witch said that the train was indeed an excellent journey to undertake, but it required luck. Even she did not know exactly when or where the train would arrive.】

Chen Qi compared the map with the investigator’s guide. As far as he was concerned, the odds of reaching the Textile Train were not low.

【The Crow Witch rested one hand against the wall and gazed into the distance. Snow-laden wind swept past, lifting her jet-black hair.

That train always passed through this region during this month. It had never changed from year to year. Because of certain past events involving the witches, a former witch was also aboard the train.

As a result, the train rejected the Calamity Messengers and hated the people of Black River Prison.

It would even alter its course for the sake of avoiding a Calamity Messenger, then launch an attack against them.】

【The Crow Witch advised you, “Traveler, if you possess enough money, perhaps you should make a trip on that train. The things found there are quite extraordinary.

I can sense that, as the only survivor who remained conscious, you obtained quite a lot in Mist City.”】

【Of course, she was merely offering a suggestion. In her view, you were more likely to return to the Tower of Medicine.】

【As you listened to the Crow Witch, questions began to rise in your heart.】

【Would you ask the Crow Witch directly about her purpose?】

Chen Qi thought it over and chose yes.

Yes.

【You leaned against the wall, gazing toward the distant mountains as you slowly asked the Crow Witch why she had come.】

【The snowy wind swept past. The Crow Witch slowly closed her dark eyes, her black hair turning white beneath the frost.】

【The Crow Witch tapped her fingers against the stone.

During the Mist City incident, with the intelligence you provided, the Calamity Messengers managed to analyze some information.

But it was still far from enough. They had gathered very little, and had been unable to give Black River Prison a satisfactory explanation.

The great catastrophe that had occurred in Mist City was a disgrace to Black River Prison, and also a disgrace to the Calamity Messengers.】

【As far as Black River Prison was concerned, those criminals were no longer important. What truly mattered were the bodies of the Prison Hunters.】

【After searching, they found that most of the Prison Hunters’ bodies had disappeared, and none had been turned to stone.

In other words, some of the criminals might have taken the bodies of the Prison Hunters.】

【The Crow Witch told you that Prison Hunters were soulless monsters created by Black River Prison. They possessed no emotions, yet contained certain terrifying powers within themselves and served as sources of dreadful contamination.】

【As for those criminals, even if they replaced their own hearts, surviving in the Land of Sparse Light would still be extremely difficult for them.

But if they entered the Textile Train, everything would become troublesome. The people aboard that train hated Black River Prison and would purchase the bodies of the Prison Hunters.】

【The Textile Train harbored a deep hostility toward Black River Prison.】

【The Crow Witch sighed. In truth, everything that followed was no longer part of her mission.

Even so, she still hoped to gather information about the Textile Train and contribute something to what came next.】

Chen Qi stroked his chin. According to the information he possessed, the Kin-Eaters had undoubtedly taken the bodies of the Prison Hunters.

Moreover, a player had already exchanged a Prison Hunter’s hand with the people aboard the train for an invitation.

But it was also possible that some of the criminals had seized the bodies of the Prison Hunters.

Not every criminal would obey the orders of the people in white robes.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Qi continued reading.

【For some reason, she always felt that you could go farther than those greedy and powerful treasure hunters.】

【She hoped you would do them a favor: tell them about any calamities you encountered along the way. She was also willing to offer payment for such information.】

【The Crow Witch handed you a “whistle.” She told you that it was a whistle used within the Calamity Messengers. Through it, a Calamity Messenger could request assistance from the others.】

【You obtained the “Crow Whistle.”】

Chen Qi opened the status panel.

【Crow Whistle:

Description: A whistle developed by the Crow Witch. Its widespread adoption greatly reduced the mortality rate of the Calamity Messengers in New Capital District 8. It is extremely valuable.

Introduction: A special whistle manufactured by the Calamity Messengers. Once blown, if there are any Calamity Messengers within a hundred miles, they will be able to locate you through the sound of the whistle.】

A hundred miles… That was quite a range.

Chen Qi thought it over. This was essentially a distress signal.

At present, his relationship with the Calamity Messenger Tower was fairly good. The Calamity Messengers themselves patrolled the Land of Sparse Light, so the whistle might prove quite useful.

【The Crow Witch looked at you. You not only possessed the talent to become a Calamity Messenger, but also the potential to become an investigator of calamities. However, your record was still insufficient, and your origins as a Night Watchman were not particularly favorable.】

【As for whether you would go to the Textile Train, that was your decision. She had no right to choose a direction for a brave traveler of the Lamp Aspect.】

【They were willing to assist travelers of the Lamp Aspect. At least within the range of the Calamity Messengers’ patrols, you would no longer be a lone traveler.】

【After she finished speaking,

the Crow Witch gazed into the distance, allowing snowflakes to strike her face. For a long while, she said nothing.

She was no longer the willful young lady who had run away from home. Too many chains bound her now, and she no longer possessed the courage to go adventuring.】

【Over the past few years, the number of Calamity Messengers had continued to decline.】

【She had to remain here. She had to train the other Calamity Messengers, and she also had to restrain their adventurous hearts.】

Chen Qi rested his chin on his hand. From the text, it seemed that the Crow Witch had always been protecting the other Calamity Messengers.

【The snowy wind swept past. You looked toward the distant Furnace Mountains. The Calamity Messenger apprentice beside you also looked toward them, and you could feel how desperately she longed to set foot in that faraway place.】

【The Crow Witch brushed the snow from her head and glanced at the apprentice behind her. Perhaps she should not hinder the Calamity Messengers from going on adventures.

The Crow Witch said to her apprentice that once she had mastered the most basic weather formulas, she would be able to venture into the outside world alone, just as you had.

Leading her apprentice away, the Crow Witch said one final thing to you:

“The Calamity Messenger Tower will always welcome travelers of the Lamp Aspect. May the daylight rise as usual tomorrow, and may you find the legendary treasure.”】

【The Crow Witch left.】

【After the Crow Witch departed, your thoughts churned. Alone, you remained standing at this high place, gazing toward the distant mountains.】

【In the stories told by the Night Watchmen, you had heard tales of the Steam Age and of colossal machines known as trains.】

【You exhaled a plume of warm breath. You had never expected that one day you would truly come into contact with one of those legendary trains!】

【Snowflakes struck your face. You released the white dove and rode the snowy wind downward, slowly gliding across the sky above the land as you looked into the distance.

Messengers unwilling to endure solitude, herbalists who had accepted assignments, greedy and powerful treasure hunters, people of advanced age battling terminal illness who sought to purge impurities…

Those who yearned for a new world and its treasures were already streaming toward the Land of Sparse Light like dense swarms of bees.】

Chen Qi also let out a long breath. He was nearly ready to set off.

He opened the Calamity Messenger map and planned his route.

If he wanted to reach the designated location, he would have to cross the Furnace Mountains in the Land of Sparse Light.

According to the Calamity Messenger map, the Furnace Mountains were searingly hot. Yet under the depths of winter, both their danger and their temperature were greatly reduced.

Once he crossed the Furnace Mountains, he would arrive at the location described in the guide.

With the experience he had gained from his journey to Mist City, he would not need to make any special preparations regarding food or clothing this time.

Experience was useful, but it was not omnipotent.

In the Land of Sparse Light, you never knew what dangers you might encounter.

But neither did you know what treasures you might find!

After excitedly planning his journey with a pen, Chen Qi returned to the Traveler’s Box to check on the little lamp-shadow fox.

Thanks to the 100-coin tip from “I Was Kissed by a Pig as a Child,” and thanks to Remarkable for the 100-coin tip!

Thank you all for your monthly tickets and subscriptions! Happy May Day!

(End of Chapter)