Chapter 9: Song Dynasty General-in-Chief Liu Quan

  The midnight wind was already very cold, and Jiang Zhen had just buttoned up the collar of his shirt that he had undone in the arcade. But when we walked out of the entertainment city, both of us still shrank our necks. I exchanged a smile with him, and together we ran into the night wind.

  Upon arrival at the subway station, it was exactly 10:50. The second-to-last subway train was just about to depart.

  The broadcast in the waiting hall sounded, a sweet female voice said: "Respected passengers and friends, hello. It is now 22:50 Beijing time, the last subway train is about to depart, please board the train on time for those who need to get on, and exit from B exit for those who need to get off. After the subway departs, this station will enter the trial operation period of the subway, please do not stay in the waiting hall."

  "Ding ding ding..." The warning sound of the subway door closing started, and immediately, this subway slowly started to accelerate and left the station.

  Ten minutes later, the ceiling light went out, leaving only a piece of darkness.

  I waved my phone and turned on the flashlight. Jiang Zhun, who was beside me, also opened his phone, and two white lights shone on the ground in front of us, dispelling a bit of darkness.

  "In five minutes, the last subway will arrive." Jiang Zhun said softly.

  I nodded and looked around, then sighed: "It would be great if there were duck eggs here, then we could see what this place used to be."

  "Are you afraid?" Jiang Zhun suddenly asked.

  I sneered: "Seniors, people like us shouldn't say the word 'fear' anymore, okay?"

  Jiang hummed in agreement and then said nothing more.

  Four minutes...

  Three minutes...

  Two minutes...

  One minute...

  The ground beneath my feet trembled slightly, and two bright lights came from the end of the passage. I suddenly stood up, grasping the waist bell that was shaking slightly.

  "I feel it." I said with a frown.

  Yes, I felt it. With the last subway came a chill wind. This cold wind was not really wind, but a burst of evil energy that pierced through to the bone, as if ice had been stuffed into the meridians and emitted a chill from within. Accompanying the evil energy and wind was the howling sound of the subway, like the wailing of ghosts and wolves.

  Jiang turned off the flashlight on his phone and said, "I'm here."

  The subway stopped at the starting station, and with a series of beeping warning sounds, the subway doors slowly opened. The empty carriage was devoid of people, the dim light from the ceiling lamps casting an eerie glow in the dark waiting hall.

  "In!" Jiang Zhun gave the order and we almost simultaneously rushed into the subway.

  The next second, the subway door closed again, the subway started and accelerated slowly, leaving this station.

  "Wow..." I let out a long sigh and lay down on the seat, laughing, "I've never taken such an empty subway before."

  Jiang Zhun didn't sit down, he just stood beside me, looking around.

  "Shh..." Just as Jiang was about to speak, I raised my index finger, signaling him to be quiet: "Listen."

  The atmosphere in the carriage suddenly became quiet. The light from the ceiling lamp was very dim, and the handrail hooks shook back and forth with the movement of the train, occasionally colliding with each other. The subway was moving at a high speed, and all around were the sounds of whooshing wind, which could be heard clearly due to the silence.

  From a few cars away came the sound of "creaking".

  Like someone is eating something.

  "This young master, is this young lady, are you two here to join the army?" A loud and clear voice came from a nearby carriage.

  My eyes lit up and I was about to get up and take a look, but Jiang Zhun pressed me down with one hand, turned around and bowed deeply before asking: "May I ask who you are?"

  "I am a military advisor under the command of General Yue Fei, you are just a group of ignorant children, since you are not here to join the army, then leave quickly, this is not a place where you can come." The voice sounded again.

  I raised an eyebrow: "Uncle, the Yue Family Army is a national hero that protects the country and is admired by all. Why are you slaughtering people indiscriminately here?"

  "A pack of nonsense! Are you spies sent by Qin Hui?!" The voice grew shrill, "Quickly, come and take them down!"

  As soon as the words fell, the temperature inside the train suddenly dropped, and a surge of yin energy rose from each carriage, shrouding us in a chilling wind.

  Jiang Zhen stood in front of me, his hands raised, one palm forward and the other clenched into a fist. He extended his index finger and drew a mystical symbol on his palm. The next second, a brilliant golden light burst forth from his palm, and the illusory symbol floated up from his palm, repelling all evil energy. At the same time, I quickly unfastened the crimson bell from my waist and held it high above my head, its tip slightly swaying. The clear, crisp sound of the bell pierced through the air and struck against the wall of the train car.

  "Haha, what a formidable Taoist!" A burst of laughter came from somewhere.

  Jiang Zhun raised his eyes: "We are not Taoists."

  I looked in the direction of the voice that had just been heard and calmly said, "You are General, the leader here, right? I think we can sit down and have a good talk?"

  "Dolly, tell me who you are, or else you'll be staying here today."

  I lowered my eyes: "My surname is Shu, and for some reason, I can see your existence."

  The voice fell silent for a long time, then said: "My name is Liu Quan."