Chapter Sixty-One: The Stowaway, Zhou the Half-Immortal

"Of course, that's no problem!" Black Spider laughed heartily and clapped his hands. The overhead transport rail automatically activated, slowly moving a black exoskeleton toward them.

Max frowned. "Is this...?"

"That's right, just as you guessed—the third-generation exoskeleton armor, directly connected to the nervous system. You'll be as strong as a Terminator. Mobility won't be an issue, but I must warn you, the neural-link surgery... hurts like hell!"

At that moment, a greasy-looking man pushed a battered surgical bed over. Max climbed onto it without hesitation. "Do I really have any other choice?"

Black Spider grinned, motioning for his men to wheel Max inside.

He turned and pointed at Panda. "You're Max's brother, right? Don't be shy! If you need anything, just take it. You're welcome here!"

Panda nodded repeatedly, anticipation swelling within him.

That night, Panda immersed himself in revelry with a motley crew, while Max lay on the operating table, half-awake and hoarse from screaming.

———

Manor, garden pavilion, four people sat facing each other.

"Who is he?" Liang Bing asked.

"My brother," Gao Ning replied casually, raising his cup and savoring the pure aroma of black tea.

"Liu has died."

This was the Mysterious Train, where all manner of strange things could occur. Gao Ning didn't wish to elaborate, and Liang Bing, sensing this, refrained from probing further.

A smart woman, Gao Ning thought, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement.

"When she died, I wasn't far away. I found her body and that of her pet dog at the scene—both decapitated with one clean, smooth stroke.

Liu's face bore a look of astonishment, as though she was caught off guard.

The surveillance footage showed Liu walking her dog when the animal suddenly acted strangely, barking madly at something. Moments later, Liu's head was severed in an instant.

Then, it was the dog's turn.

There was no trace of a third person at the scene, so to this day, we can't determine what ability the killer used."

Liang Bing slid a small USB drive across the table. "Inside you'll find the surveillance footage, photos, and some police analysis. If you're interested, you can look into it."

Gao Ning nodded, and Gao Er pocketed the drive.

"I don't hold out much hope. If the killer dared act so boldly, it shows they are very confident in their methods. Besides, tonight we can directly enter the Bliss Space.

So I propose we wait until after the mission to investigate further."

"Our score is negative right now—even if we complete the mission, the rewards will be wiped out," Gao Ning spread his hands. "This dimension is exploding with population. Trying to find someone hiding among tens of billions is harder than finding a needle in the ocean.

Since we've come this far, heading to Bliss Space is inevitable. Even if we can't complete the mission, we might gain other benefits."

Liang Bing nodded, agreeing with this line of reasoning.

In Bliss Space, Earthly values are limited; all high tech is concentrated there.

If time permits, she too hopes to absorb some future knowledge.

"I've wanted to ask—who is this man?" Liang Bing's gaze turned to Zhou Half-Immortal.

Gao Ning offered no explanation, drinking his tea quietly.

Zhou Half-Immortal chuckled. "Miss, we're on the same team!"

"How can you prove it?" Liang Bing's eyes were calm and clear. "New teammates enter the cargo hold first, and before entering the mission world, they meet the team. I've never heard of someone skipping this step and going straight into the mission world.

Are you a stowaway?"

The garden pavilion fell instantly silent. Zhou Half-Immortal's smile remained, but confusion flickered in his eyes.

"Miss, don't accuse a good man. I've received a mission too—to seize the Universal Medical Pod!"

"That's not surprising! The Universal Hibernation Pod is the most valuable thing in Bliss Space. Anyone who crosses over will have their sights set on it."

Liang Bing paused, her gaze sharpening. "Liu once told me, the Mysterious Train's task system is flexible, but the number of crossing slots is fixed.

Before each mission, the Mysterious Train supplements both sides with one new member. If no one arrives, it means something unusual has happened.

First, the world will resists, preventing new loopholes. Second, the slot has been taken by a stowaway using the train as a route."

Zhou Half-Immortal's usually sly smile froze. He barely moved before Gao Er pressed his shoulder firmly.

Gao Ning calmly set his teacup down. "So that's it. By taking the new member's template, you also received the mission, but you're an unofficial participant—the mission doesn't truly concern you. You just want to achieve your own goal, like using the Universal Medical Pod to heal yourself?"

Everyone stared at Zhou Half-Immortal. His lips trembled, then he sighed deeply. "Why expose me? We could have just gotten along! I was forced into this.

Those who divine fate and reveal secrets rarely end well.

I've lived carefree for the first half of my life, but the latter half has been lonely, wracked with illness, and staring death in the face. When a heaven-sent opportunity finally appeared, I seized it desperately.

I thought, with my skill, guiding and borrowing power, avoiding misfortune, I would surely succeed.

But in the end, I've still been caught!"

Zhou Half-Immortal shook his head with a bitter smile. "You can't fake the real, nor reveal the false! Those who divulge heaven's secrets will suffer retribution—no matter how you struggle, you can't escape. Think of Zhuge Liang, a hero among heroes, who lit the Seven Star Lamp to prolong his life, yet died suddenly all the same. What hope do I have?

It's a shame that just as I was about to extend my life, the goal slipped out of reach!"

Liang Bing suddenly looked at Gao Ning. "Don't tell me you haven't noticed anything?"

"I truly haven't. You know I'm just a newcomer—I haven't even figured out the Mysterious Train's rules, and I've already been tossed into two mission worlds back to back. I'm barely surviving!"

Gao Ning spread his hands, feigning innocence.

"Enough with the sarcasm," Liang Bing gestured toward the endless line of trucks in the distance. "I may not know your cards, but to stir up such a scene in Bliss Space, you're no fool.

This old man is good at playing mad, but I spotted his flaws within twenty minutes. If you didn't know there was a stowaway, you should at least be suspicious!

I think you're just using his feng shui and divination skills to avoid unexpected trouble while completing the mission."

Gao Ning was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "Sometimes, it's better not to say what you know. There isn't just one Universal Medical Pod. The old man is interesting enough—why not lend him a hand?"