The elderly man stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"First... the attendants in blue uniforms—they can be trusted. They're here to help. And… there are no attendants in red uniforms..."
He faltered, momentarily at a loss.
The burly man scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly.
"I just remember the part about trusting the ones in blue. The rest, well… I can't really recall."
The young mother frowned slightly, earnestly trying to remember.
"Second, there are no attendants in red uniforms aboard the train. If you see one, avoid them at all costs. Do not let them realize you've broken the rules.
Third, there may be impostors lurking on the train—do not speak to them. If encountered, ignore them and distance yourself immediately.
Fourth, maintain civility while on board. Keep the carriage clean—no spitting, no littering. Janitors will collect trash once every hour.
Fifth… fifth…"
Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead as she struggled to recall.
The janitor nodded and moved on, continuing her random inspections.
"You, passenger—state the rules of travel."
The man looked startled, panic flickering across his face as he stammered,
"T-the… the travel… r-rules…"
The janitor's expression darkened, her eyes growing increasingly unsettling. A chill seemed to seep through the carriage. Her gaze swept slowly across the passengers.
"How can you forget something so important?"
The abrupt questioning stirred a ripple of unease throughout the carriage.
"What's going on? Why are they suddenly asking about the rules?"
"Why this obsession with the regulations?"
"They've been repeated so many times—why emphasize them again? Is there a deeper reason?"
"This feels stricter than before… what could be coming next?"
Some passengers whispered among themselves. Others glanced up at the display screen, rereading the rules. A few discreetly snapped photos with their phones.
The attendant stepped forward with a gentle smile.
"Everyone, please don't be too nervous. It's all right if you can't remember everything—I'll go over the key points once more."
The janitor gave a nod of acknowledgment to the attendant, Xiaoru, before speaking in a grave tone.
"Since Xiaoru has reminded you, let me also offer a word of caution: forgetting the rules may lead to consequences."
"A friendly reminder:
Rules are not only restrictions—they are protection."
"May you all have a pleasant journey."
Having finished collecting the trash, the janitor took her leave.
After that, silence settled over the carriage. Everything seemed tranquil once more.
Yet unease coiled tighter in Meng Changyi's chest.
Something's not right…
The attendants and janitors weren't like this before.
Back then… they behaved more like pre-programmed machines.
But now… now they seemed aware—more agile, more alive…
As if… they've been upgraded.
And earlier—amid all that noise—those strange, unnatural passengers didn't stir. Were they truly asleep?
Could anyone really sleep that deeply?
Their complete lack of response… it was almost as if—
They had been shut down, like dormant machines.
And that red-uniformed attendant… Why hadn't he appeared to intervene amid the commotion?
Was he in another carriage? Occupied elsewhere? Or had he simply missed the opportunity to observe and punish?
A storm of unanswered questions swirled in Meng Changyi's mind. She exhaled deeply, trying to calm the rapid thrum of her thoughts.
Come to think of it…
The janitor's words just now felt like something more—
Like a hint.
Yes—just like the kind of clue that appears before a new chapter in a game.
A premonition bloomed within her:
The train was beginning to awaken.
And what came next would not be peaceful.
Outside the window, a blood-red moon hung eerily in the sky, like an unblinking eye coldly watching from above.
It regarded the caged birds below—indifferent to their futile struggle.
Or perhaps…
It was simply waiting for the show to truly begin.
Everything, it seemed, was only just unfolding.