Chapter 217: What Am I Waiting For?

“Su Yan, should we wake them up?” Ma Chulong asked for Su Yan's opinion.

Su Yan shook her head. “It would be easy to wake these people, but it would be difficult to find any clues among them.”

“You mean...”

Ma Chulong and Su Yan exchanged a glance, clearly understanding her thoughts.

“Little Sister, you stay here and look after these people. Su Yan and I will get off the train to take a look.”

Since everyone except the three of them was currently in a state of "deep sleep," moving around was very convenient.

“Alright, be careful.” Ma Chulan did not hesitate for a second.

The darkness outside the carriage felt as if it had condensed into a physical substance.

The sensation of being completely "blind" immediately gave Ma Chulong a sense of crisis.

“Su Yan?”

“I’m right beside you. I can already see Gan Hua and the others.” Su Yan's soft, sweet voice provided a strange sense of stability.

Ma Chulong felt an even greater sense of admiration for her.

To be able to "see" so clearly in such an environment, she was likely the only one.

He took a fire starter from his bag and lit it.

Though the light was faint, it was much better than his previous state.

He couldn't see Gan Hua or Ruan Tao whom Su Yan mentioned at all, so he stayed close to Su Yan's side, never straying a step.

After walking about dozens of meters, he finally saw two blurry figures.

As he continued walking, he confirmed that the two had also fallen into a deep sleep—they were just sleeping while "standing."

Ma Chulong tentatively called out to each person, but received no response whatsoever.

“Su Yan, if they can all be forced into sleep, we must be even more careful. What do we do next?”

“Walk forward and see what is actually ahead.”

Su Yan's voice wasn't heavy, yet it was exceptionally clear in this silent environment.

The two continued walking forward.

According to Ma Chulong's knowledge, this tunnel was only a few hundred meters long, yet they had been walking for a long time without seeing the end.

Not only was there no end, but even the exit that should have been there had vanished.

However, in the current situation, any kind of bizarre occurrence was normal for them.

Suddenly, a soft sigh sounded directly in front of them.

Ma Chulong froze almost instantly. “Su Yan, did you hear that?”

The feeling of being surrounded by darkness was truly unpleasant.

Su Yan stared ahead, as if she were staring intently at something.

Seeing her abnormality, Ma Chulong also strained his eyes, trying to see something.

But there was nothing except the darkness.

He didn't dare to ask further and could only focus all his attention on her.

“There is a woman ahead.” After ten or so seconds, Su Yan suddenly uttered this sentence.

Ma Chulong's scalp felt numb. If she had said there was an evil spirit or a vengeful ghost ahead, he wouldn't have felt much at all. But a woman? A single person? How could anyone be here under these circumstances?!

Yet, he absolutely did not believe Su Yan would use the wrong words.

“She is walking toward us.” This sentence from Su Yan made Ma Chulong's nerves tighten even further.

One second.

Two seconds.

Ten seconds.

Twenty seconds.

*Click, clack.*

Ma Chulong actually heard footsteps.

It was clearly the sound of shoes stepping on the ground.

A chill crept up from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

He had no idea what he would see next.

Beside him, Su Yan remained calm, which prevented him from losing his composure.

As expected, what people truly fear is not what can be seen, but the imagination existing in their minds.

The footsteps grew closer, and finally, the woman appeared in his field of vision.

There was no terrifying face, no horrifying aura; she was just a woman.

An ordinary-looking woman.

“Is she a human or a ghost?” Ma Chulong found himself unable to distinguish.

Reason told him that in such a situation, what walked out could absolutely not be a human.

Yet, his eyes confirmed over and over again that she was indeed a person.

What he received was not Su Yan's answer, but the woman's very calm voice.

“Who are you? Why are you here?”

It was so calm that it didn't even carry a shred of human emotion.

Su Yan said, “We are passengers from the train; we got lost after getting off. You came from ahead; is the exit of the tunnel coming up soon?”

Ma Chulong couldn't figure out Su Yan's intention, so he simply shut his mouth.

The woman seemed somewhat bewildered. She turned her head to look behind her, then shook her head under the gaze of Su Yan and Ma Chulong.

“I know that too.”

Such an answer was nonsensical.

Su Yan continued to prompt her patiently, “Didn't you come from that direction?”

The woman tilted her head slightly as if listening intently. “I came from that direction, but there was nothing there. I want to go home too; I think I'm lost as well.”

As she spoke the last part, a look of confusion appeared on her face.

“Where is your home? If you say it, perhaps we will know.” Su Yan's gaze remained locked on the woman's face.

“I don't remember. Do you know?”

Listening to their conversation, although Ma Chulong still couldn't determine what this woman was, he could be certain that her mind was not in a clear state.

“I am very lonely all by myself. Why don't you stay here and wait with me?” the woman pleaded proactively.

Su Yan immediately caught the key point in her words. “Wait? Wait for what?”

The woman blinked her eyes and suddenly muttered to herself, “Yes, wait for what? What am I waiting for?”

Ma Chulong tugged at the hem of Su Yan's clothes, wondering if she had felt that the surrounding air seemed to have turned strange.

Su Yan gave him no response, continuing to stare at the woman.

The woman repeatedly murmured that question. After an unknown amount of time, the scene before Su Yan and Ma Chulong changed.

They were suddenly standing in the middle of a bustling street, and the pedestrians passing by were all dressed in the style of the Republican Era, something they had only heard of in plays.

Ma Chulong gasped, knowing very well that he and Su Yan had been drawn into an illusion.

Sure enough, the woman in front of them had disappeared.

“Su Yan, did we fall for a trap?”

Compared to his agitation, Su Yan appeared much more composed.

“Since we're here, we might as well stay. Let's see what she's up to.”

Ma Chulong truly admired her mindset. “But we don't even know where that woman is right now?”

Before his voice could even fade, the woman actually appeared from a street corner and began walking toward the two of them.

Ma Chulong saw her appearance and attire clearly; it perfectly matched the era of the illusion.

The difference was that the current woman looked a bit younger. Two long braids hung over her chest, her eyes were curved, and her entire being was filled with youthful vitality.

(End of Chapter)