Chapter 140: Zhu Xingtu: Thank you for your hospitality

Payment made, disembarked. The train exchange in the City of a Thousand Stars was vastly larger than the one in Suoluo City.

The expansive open ground was crammed with countless unknown train cars and locomotive sections.

Untended, stalled here, since this city's founding, who knew how many train conductors had sold their trains here.

This was the middle level of the City of a Thousand Stars, accessible only by passing through the aerial gate via aerial transport.

Ye Qiyan and Zhao Lin entered the exchange.

He didn't really have any desire to purchase train cars, but since they were already here, he figured he might as well try whether the medal from Suoluo City's Tribunal still worked here in the City of a Thousand Stars.

The transaction interface changed the moment it touched the medal.

"It actually works."

The train cars sold here were quite similar to those in Suoluo City. After browsing for a while, he found nothing worth purchasing.

In contrast, Zhao Lin's shopping desire was through the roof. Her train had been severely damaged, leaving only one locomotive section. In the upcoming stations, she wouldn't even have the capacity to store resources.

Feeling somewhat bored, Ye Qiyan stood up planning to look around outside. Just as he was about to leave, his gaze was caught by a woman approaching his direction.

"Zhu Xingshu?"

The founder of the Imperial Sequence Organization, a charlatan, a woman who claimed to hear fate.

Although Ye Qiyan hadn't formally met her, her profile picture in his friends list showed her actual appearance.

Why was she here?

Ye Qiyan's mind immediately recalled what that driver had said not long ago.

Curfew, important person, and then, Zhu Xingshu appeared here.

Could it be that she was here to seize another card sequence?

"Huh?"

Zhu Xingshu, who had walked over, tilted her head slightly as she looked at Ye Qiyan, adopting a thoughtful expression.

After examining Ye Qiyan up and down, she knocked a clenched fist into her other palm.

"I see, what a coincidence. First time meeting you, little brother Ye Qiyan."

This was indeed their first face-to-face meeting.

Previously they had only communicated through chat.

But how did she recognize him?

"Are you sure you're not mistaking me for someone else?"

Zhu Xingshu pondered hard for a moment, then shook her head.

"No mistake."

She leaned close to Ye Qiyan, stood on her toes, and softly spoke into his ear in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Fate tells me a demon resides within you. Also, have you forgotten? That Death Omen card—the card sequence carries its own aura. I wouldn't mistake it."

So that's how it was. Ye Qiyan silently released his grip on the gun in his hand, took a step back to maintain a safe distance, and they found seats opposite each other.

Opening the light screen, they directly used the system's friend chat to speak face-to-face.

["Are you here to seize another card sequence?"]

Zhu Xingshu found a seat and sat down, smiling.

["Hehe~ You misunderstand me. This time I'm just here to borrow something. Speaking of which, that girl over there—is she your little lover? Shaya would cry, you know~"]

["She's just... never mind, I don't need to explain that much to you."]

["Heehee, just joking. I'm just a bit curious about who that girl is. Introduce her to me? Maybe I can invite her to join the organization."]

Seeing Zhu Xingshu type these words, Ye Qiyan's eyes instantly filled with vigilance.

Something's wrong.

Absolutely something's wrong!

Would this charlatan randomly invite Zhao Lin to join the Imperial Sequence Organization? Impossible. She definitely had her own agenda. Moreover, thinking carefully, although Zhu Xingshu had been walking toward his direction earlier, her initial gaze hadn't been on him at all.

And it wasn't hard to notice that this woman hadn't recognized his identity at first.

Which meant Zhu Xingshu's target had always been Zhao Lin.

What was special about Zhao Lin?

Did she have a card sequence? If she did, this girl wouldn't have been able to wreck her train like that, and she might have been able to put up some resistance even at the Misfortune Station.

Then could it be...

Ye Qiyan quickly ran through possibilities in his mind and immediately arrived at an answer.

Talent?

Without doubt, the most precious thing about Zhao Lin was her talent.

With this charlatan's abilities, perhaps at some point she had been told something by what she called "fate."

That's why she came here actively seeking Zhao Lin.

If it really was related to talent, what did Zhu Xingshu want to do?

Like him, to ride on some luck?

Ye Qiyan didn't believe this charlatan had that much free time.

["What exactly do you want to do?"]

["Nothing, hehe~"]

She closed the light screen, stood up, and said aloud:

"I didn't expect to find you here. This city is going to become very interesting, you know~"

With that, she walked toward Zhao Lin.

Watching Zhu Xingshu's movements, Ye Qiyan didn't voice any warning—he wanted to see what this charlatan was really up to.

He wasn't worried about Zhao Lin, after all, this was currently her lucky station.

"Little sister~"

Zhao Lin, who was selecting train cars, heard the voice behind her and turned around confused.

Seeing Zhu Xingshu, she looked puzzled.

"Are you calling me?"

"Yes, I'm calling you."

Zhu Xingshu familiarly sat down opposite Zhao Lin.

She took out a dark golden card from her inner jacket pocket and placed it on the table.

"This, for you~"

Zhao Lin blinked, looking at the card, then at the inexplicable woman opposite her.

"For me? Uh, why? We don't even know each other."

"Well, you certainly don't know me, but I know you. Look over there—that Brother Ye, he and I are friends. Don't worry~"

Zhao Lin looked back; Ye Qiyan didn't say anything, just silently drank his sweetened coffee.

"Seven Words Brother's friend... but I still shouldn't accept it. We're not familiar, after all."

"No problem. Fate tells me this card wants to be with you. My being here is precisely for this."

Even without a demon card's bewitchment, this charlatan's tone was full of seductive power.

As if deliberately using such a tone, yet also as if having an invisible magic affecting people's minds.

Zhao Lin stared at the dark golden card on the table.

On the card was a hooded woman holding scales, her face unseen.

As if guided by ghosts or gods, a voice in her heart seemed to tell her she desperately wanted to obtain this card.

Is it luck?

Zhao Lin thought to herself.

Her hand unconsciously reached out.

Under Zhu Xingshu's amused gaze, she picked up the dark golden card.

Boom—!

A deafening sound suddenly erupted.

Zhao Lin instinctively covered her ears but found that only she seemed able to hear this sound.

Zhu Xingshu, sitting opposite her, stood up, gave a mysterious smile to Ye Qiyan not far away, and left with a parting words.

"Thanks for the hospitality~ This was a fair trade."

Leaving only Zhao Lin sitting there somewhat bewildered and at a loss.

What just happened?