He couldn't help but worry about his uncle's family's situation.

...

It was still early before the train departure, so Chen Shouyi walked out of the station, planning to find a place to eat breakfast first.

The train station has always been a mix of all sorts of people, especially now when most people are living in hardship, and security has deteriorated further.

A young man with a delinquent look and long hair brushed past him.

Chen Shouyi's expression turned cold, and his hand swiftly grabbed the young man's wrist:

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, don't, don't, let go... man, I was wrong!" The long-haired youth's face turned white, and his body arched in pain, feeling as if the hand gripping his wrist was like an iron clamp about to break it. Instantly, he realized he'd encountered something tough.

Chen Shouyi reached out, retrieved his wallet from the young man's hand, and then released him.

"Man, look, you didn't really lose anything..."

Chen Shouyi said coldly, "Scram!"

The long-haired youth immediately slunk away, not daring to utter a single harsh word. Although the opponent looked young, his indifferent expression even made this experienced swindler tremble in fear, clearly someone who had killed before.

Watching the thief leave, Chen Shouyi put his wallet back in his trouser pocket and quickly walked towards the breakfast shop outside.

...

"Chug..."

An old-fashioned steam train spewed white steam, like a giant steel beast, slowly rolled into the platform, its speed decreasing until it came to a stop.

Once the train door opened, a group of people queued up to board.

"Please show your credentials!" a train police officer said, looking at the sword in a young man's hand.

Chen Shouyi took out his Martial Artist Certificate, and after the officer took a careful look, he immediately saluted and returned the certificate.

The carriage was sparsely seated with less than half filled, giving off a strange indescribable smell. He looked down at the near-bare metal patterned floor beneath his feet.

The age of this green-painted train was definitely older than him.

He found his seat, placed his backpack with a bow and clothes on the luggage rack, and sat down with his briefcase in his arms.

The two young girls who were chatting looked up at him when they heard the noise, their cheeks blushing slightly and their voices becoming much softer.

The younger of the two looked about the same age as Chen Xingyue, while the older was around twenty-one or two. Their appearances were somewhat similar, likely indicating they were sisters.

Chen Shouyi noticed the older sister carried a sword beside her and had calluses on her palm, indicating she was either a Martial Artist Apprentice or a Martial Artist, of course, if she weren't, she wouldn't have been able to bring a sword on the train.

"You study martial arts too?" The older sister, clearly bolder, asked.

"Uh, yes!" Chen Shouyi replied, "Where are you all headed?"

"Dongxing, handsome, what about you?"

"I'm heading to Dongxing too!"

"Are you from Dongxing as well, little brother?" The younger sister suddenly asked sweetly, "Like my sister, are you here to take the martial arts exam?"

"Ah, no! I just live in Hedong, and I'm going to Dongxing to handle some affairs. Did you pass the exam?" Chen Shouyi replied politely.

"Of course, my sister is a genius; she passed in one go, very impressive." The younger sister said proudly, clearly admiring her sister greatly.

Look at the sisters of others!

Chen Shouyi felt a bit envious, unlike his own sister, who was always waiting to see him make a fool of himself or get scolded.

"That's really impressive!" Chen Shouyi said, without much sincerity.

"Don't listen to her nonsense; geniuses are everywhere in this world. I heard from those who have taken the test before that the requirements for this exam have been relaxed, making it much easier, with a pass rate of sixty percent." The older sister said with a blush.

At this moment, Chen Shouyi thought of something and suddenly asked, "Do you know what happened over in Dongning?"

Dongning and Dongxing were very close, neighboring, and only about a hundred kilometers apart.

"Dongning!" The older sister recalled, "It's a mess over there now; I heard there are cultists everywhere, even pulling up rail tracks and roads!"

"Hasn't the army intervened?" Chen Shouyi asked in confusion.

"I heard they have fought a few times but eventually withdrew from the district." The older sister said.

Chen Shouyi felt a chaotic mess inside hearing this, knowing that if the military had withdrawn, Dongning had clearly fallen completely.

He clenched his fist tightly, then slowly loosened it.

"Whooo..."

At that moment, the long sound of the train whistle sounded, and the train gradually started moving.

After chatting a while with the two girls, Chen Shouyi turned quiet, looked out the window as the scenery slowly receded.

In the distance lay a sprawling industrial area with countless chimneys standing tall, spewing thick black smoke. The trees by the roadside were covered with a layer of dark gray dust, almost obscuring their natural green color.

Under the thick fog, several swallows chased each other, flying through the air.

Chen Shouyi withdrew his gaze, his mood gradually calming down. No matter how dangerous Dongning was, since he had already come, he had to go at least once, at the very least to find out whether his uncle's family was alive or dead.

"Hot boxed meals, anyone? Freshly made boxed meals, anyone?" The train's vendor pushed a small cart, shouting while walking over.

"What boxed meals are available?" Chen Shouyi stopped the trolley. The old-fashioned train moved very slowly, taking at least four hours to reach Dongxing Station, by which time it would be two or three in the afternoon, long past meal time.

"Chicken leg meal, duck leg meal, ribs meal, potato beef brisket meal, which one do you want?"

"Potato beef brisket meal, please! Give me six boxes!" With that, Chen Shouyi glanced at the two sisters, who looked startled, and continued, "No, make that eight boxes, how much is it?"

"Four hundred and eighty yuan in total!"

So expensive, it's almost like the prices in Hedong District from before.

"Give me three bottles of water too!"

"All together, four hundred ninety-five yuan!"

After paying, Chen Shouyi placed the boxed meals on the small table in front, inside metal boxes with a square cover on top, no longer the disposable type from before.

"I didn't even ask what you like to eat, don't know if you'll like it?" Chen Shouyi handed over two boxed meals and two bottles of water.

The two sisters exclaimed "Ah," their faces turning red:

"We brought snacks," the older sister said.

"Well, I bought them already, can't just throw them away." Chen Shouyi persuaded.

"Alright, thank you!"

"Thank you!"

The sisters thanked him separately, the older with an air of composure.

The younger spoke as softly as a mosquito.

Chen Shouyi left them be and focused on eating. He finished one box in one or two minutes, then moved to the second, third... sixth box.

After opening a bottle of mineral water and emptying it,

The two sisters were still eating slowly, occasionally exchanging glances to share their thoughts discreetly.

At this point, the two sisters were bewildered.

He really ate it all!

Ate it all!

Although they knew he bought so many meals to be eaten, they hadn't expected that he'd eat them all, and so quickly, seemingly capable of having a few more.

They couldn't figure out how his stomach could handle so much.

The train moved slowly forward, and Chen Shouyi gently unzipped the briefcase, glanced at the soundly sleeping Shell Lady, and began to rest his eyes, drifting into a doze.

...

"Dear passengers, hello! The next stop is Dongxing East Station. Passengers wishing to alight, please prepare your luggage ahead of time for disembarking."

A train attendant entered the carriage, announcing while walking, and soon moved on to another carriage.

Chen Shouyi opened his eyes, glanced at his new watch.

He found it was almost three o'clock.

Remaining seated for over ten more minutes, the train began to slow to a stop, and he grabbed his luggage, stepping off the train with the two sisters.

...

"Goodbye then!" Exiting the station, Chen Shouyi waved farewell.

The two sisters watched Chen Shouyi's departing figure, and the younger sister suddenly said, "He's definitely stronger than you."

"Why?" The older sister retorted, somewhat unconvinced.

"He ate more than you, so he must be stronger, and when I mentioned you passed the martial arts assessment, he didn't seem surprised!" The younger sister analyzed.

"Seems like it. Oh, I didn't even ask for his name, but since he's in Hedong City, we might run into him again."

PS: I'll try to make it two chapters in the future.

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