Chapter 128: The Conductor's Masterpiece

You draw your long blade and gaze into the distance.

The train’s loudspeaker crackles with the aged, heavy voice of the conductor:

"Passengers from all sectors, I am Ang, conductor of the Weaving Train.

I apologize deeply. We have encountered an unexpected incident during our journey; perhaps the train disturbed a monster's nest.

Outside, a massive swarm of spiders is currently attacking the train.

In the history of the Weaving Train, this emergency ranks among the top ten most dangerous incidents.

Our crew cannot quickly neutralize this overwhelming number of lava spiders, and these furnace spiders will inflict horrific damage upon the train.

This concerns the safety of us all.

Therefore, I hope to enlist your strength, dear passengers, to help us deal with these furnace spiders and the calamity monsters currently threatening the train.

This is a failure on our part, and I implore you to assist.

For every furnace spider a warrior kills, I am willing to pay one White Day Coin. These coins can be used to purchase the items I have crafted on this train over the years.

For those travelers who play a key role in resolving this crisis, I am also willing to bestow my masterpieces upon them.

I beg of you, travelers who have come from afar."

A spider attack?

Judging by the current situation, the crew is already struggling to handle these furnace spiders.

As expected, this Weaving Train is about to be crawling with massive spiders.

One White Day Coin per furnace spider.

Chen Qi checks the level of these furnace spiders: they are around level 15.

They possess over 200 health points, and on top of that, they have thick steel-like shells that resist physical attacks.

Furthermore, these spiders move in swarms and are not easy to kill.

Chen Qi ponders this. His combat style relies on bursts of power, but his sustained fighting ability is not particularly strong. If he were to fight these furnace spiders head-on, he wouldn't be able to kill many.

It would be best to scavenge for opportunities.

Chen Qi exhales. The entire train will soon be subjected to the gnawing of these furnace spiders; he must be careful.

[Through the white mist, eyes resembling red lanterns draw ever closer!]

[The crew member, Zhi, notices you. She snaps back to reality, walks up to you, and shouts: "Fire the cannons!"]

Fire the cannons?

Chen Qi is stunned. There are cannons on this train?

[You look down at your feet. On the train, rows of scorching hot cannon barrels slowly emerge!]

[These barrels begin to charge...]

[Boom, boom, boom! Boom, boom, boom!

The magic-stone cannons unleash a dense barrage, striking the swarm of furnace spiders in the white mist!]

[You look toward the distant bombardment; the swarm of furnace spiders is scattered.]

[The train's broadcast sounds again:

"Attention, all passengers. In one minute, the Weaving Train will activate defense mode. The entire outer layer of the train will be reinforced with runes to form a protective shell.

The windows, doors, and all other exits will be sealed. Please ensure all passengers and crew members return to the carriages within one minute.

I repeat, all passengers and crew, please return to the carriages within one minute!"]

[You look at the outer shell of the train; intricate runes are glowing continuously! A solid white shell is forming across the surface of the Weaving Train.]

A protective rune.

Chen Qi claps his hands. This train has quite a few tricks up its sleeve.

It seems he won't be able to hop around on the exterior of the train anymore.

[Under the heavy barrage of artillery fire, the offensive of the furnace spider swarm momentarily stalls...]

[After a round of fierce shelling, the crew member, Zhi, speaks to you urgently, taking your hand: "Guest, please follow me back to the carriage immediately. It is too dangerous outside right now."]

[You return to the forging carriage and brush the dust off your clothes.

Following the broadcast, the atmosphere in the forging carriage has become more boisterous, with the sound of people discussing the situation rising constantly.

People are talking about the spider swarm outside. Some express thoughts of fleeing, but those are quickly drowned out by voices eager for the hunt.

The dominant powerhouses are already formulating a plan—a plan to hunt down those spiders!]

[The crowd discusses the battle plan enthusiastically. Many have already downed a cup of strong liquor, their hands gripped tightly around their long blades: "Everyone, tomorrow morning, let's feast on spider legs!"]

Those who can make it to the Weaving Train are not the faint-hearted.

Most have traveled long distances and endured numerous dangers to arrive at this carriage.

Facing these spiders, their first reaction is to hunt.

The train is not slow; if the train is destroyed, the remaining passengers will not fare much better.

[You lean against the carriage wall, quietly listening to their bold declarations.]

Chen Qi hesitates, wondering whether he should join these people to hunt the furnace spiders.

At this moment, a highlighted text pops up!

[Inside the forging carriage, a powerful figure appears.]

[The man is white-haired and weary. His hand and chest are highly mechanized, and he wears a conductor's cap engraved with a hammer symbol.]

[The crew member, Zhi, introduces him to you.

This nearly hundred-year-old man is Ang, the conductor of the Weaving Train. He is the creator of this train, as well as a legendary blacksmith and weaver!]

The conductor?

Chen Qi is quite interested in this conductor and locks his gaze upon him.

[The conductor looks around, coughs twice, and slowly speaks:

"Dear travelers, I am the conductor here. Many of you should recognize me.

Perhaps in my youth, this train was merely a decision born of impulse, but now, it has become a part of my life.

I must protect it.

I implore those of you with the capability to help handle this incident.

I swear in the name of the White Day: I will fulfill my promise and reward everyone who helps handsomely."]

[A skilled demon-slayer says:

"No problem, old man, I’ll help.

But if I resolve this incident for you, can you give me your masterpiece, the 'Circuit Garment,' for free?

I heard you finished another Circuit Garment this year, forged from top-tier materials!

It’s boring to keep selling them to those corrupt people in the upper echelons, isn’t it?"]

The Circuit Garment?

This must be one of the conductor's masterpieces.

Chen Qi is stunned. Many travel to the Weaving Train specifically for this conductor's work.

To purchase the conductor's masterpieces, one must not only pay with White Day Coins but also provide rare materials.

Beyond that, one needs the right connections for this master-level conductor to sell his work.

Although Chen Qi has some money now, he is still far from being able to afford the conductor's masterpieces.

[The conductor hesitates for a moment, then looks up at the carriage:

"We shall see. That is a true masterpiece. As long as someone can provide significant help, my masterpieces will be available!"

The conductor is immediately stared down by the other powerhouses in the forging carriage.

They demand a definitive answer from him!

The conductor shakes his head, but eventually says:

"Rest assured, I am not one of those blacksmiths obsessed with money; I will never break my promise!

I swear in the name of the White Day: if I fail to fulfill my promise, may I be burned alive by the flames of the White Day! May I be locked in the Black River Prison and suffer endless torment!"

The conductor appears very anxious; he does not possess the arrogance of a person in power at this moment.]

[The conductor takes out a valuable "Beh-Phase Contract" and swears upon it!]

[In the face of the Beh-Phase Contract, many travelers who had not intended to fight feel tempted!]

[They begin to clamor, vowing to kill all the monsters outside the train!]

[The crew member, Zhi, bows and says to the old conductor:

"Conductor, I would like to ask: we have already surveyed this Abyss of White Mist, so why have these spider swarms appeared here?"

Zhi is very curious; these spiders should not be here.]

[The conductor also wears a puzzled expression:

"I am not entirely sure either. Perhaps the surveyors made a mistake; after all, this white mist inherently obscures vision."

The conductor spends his days obsessed with creating new things; he has not been aware of the specific conditions along the train's route for days.]

[Zhi bows again:

"Conductor, please allow me to act alone to investigate this incident."]

[Hearing Zhi's request, the conductor looks at you and, after a moment of hesitation, says:

"You may investigate, but you must fulfill your primary duty: protect our guests. They are valued customers who have bought tickets."]

[Zhi straightens her back, pats her chest, and looks at you with her reddish eyes:

"No problem, Conductor. I will do my utmost to protect our guests."]