Secret World: I Became a God Through Lies

Chapter 222 Shadowy Trails, Madness Out of Control

"The real nightmare doesn't begin in the night."
Rather, it begins from the moment you realize you cannot wake up.

boom--!
With a violent jolt, the steel wheels under the rails snapped into the sleepers, and the entire train roared out of the station in the darkness.

The city skyline outside the car window was already blurred, and the neon lights were stretched into countless distorted streams of light.
Trailing distorted paths in the night fog, they resembled struggling, convulsing souls.

The train plunged into an unknown tunnel, and the lights inside the carriages flickered.

The emergency lights flickered like a heartbeat, casting long, thin, and distorted shadows.

Silence, at this moment, has become a kind of "illness".

Everyone was so quiet they were almost frozen, as if the slightest movement would awaken something lurking in the dark corners.

Si Ming leaned against the carriage wall, standing sideways, one hand resting on the window frame, his knuckles slightly white from prolonged tension.

His gaze slowly swept from the front of the train to the rear, as if he were assessing a dangerous gamble.

Selene sat on a chair not far away, legs crossed, arms folded over her chest, her golden-red eyes slightly cold.

She casually patted the toes of her boots, her movements flippant yet carrying an undeniable sense of oppression.

"How do you feel?" Siming asked in a low voice.

Selene rolled her eyes, her voice indifferent: "It's like I'm being stared at by something disgusting. I don't like the smell of this carriage."

Wang Yichen sat in the middle seat, his back pressed tightly against the wall, his whole body trembling slightly.

His gaze was fixed on the connecting area between the carriages, as if a bloody hand might reach out from there at any moment.

Xu Jinxiao stood in the last row like a ghost, her shadow blending into the darkness.
His expression was blank, his eyes were dark and heavy, as if some kind of alien, vine-like substance was silently growing inside him.

On the other side——

Xiao Lianyin and her squad stood around her. She did not sit down, but leaned against the handrail of the carriage, her gaze as cold as a knife.

Her left hand rested quietly on her fanny pack, where a peach-colored lipstick lay dormant, like a sharp blade that could be drawn at any moment.

A barely perceptible acrid smell filled the air; it wasn't the smell of burning wires, nor was it the smell of machine oil.

Instead, it was the smell of sweat fermenting from tension and fear inside the body, mixed with the curse power hidden between the metal parts of the carriage, that created an emotion called "suffocation".

“This train…” Xiao Lianyin narrowed her eyes, her voice extremely soft, like a cold breeze, “couldn’t just be there to take us away.”

Just as she finished speaking, Si Ming turned his head.

Their eyes met in mid-air, exchanging only a brief, silent glance.

next moment--

"—Welcome to the game."

A sudden sound rang out, like a rusty blade slicing through glass, shattering the tense atmosphere in the entire carriage.

The old speakers on the roof emitted a piercing crackling sound, as if someone were pounding on the inside with bloody, mangled fingers.

The woman's voice was hoarse and stiff, with eerie sighs interspersed between each word.
It was like a kind of hesitation, a kind of despair in the twilight of life.

"A 'ghost' has infiltrated this carriage."

"If it cannot be found, the train will continue to accelerate—until it is destroyed."

The air suddenly solidified.

After a brief, suffocating silence, Wang Yichen suddenly stood up, the chair legs scraping against the floor with a piercing shriek.

"What the hell! Who the hell is playing tricks on us?"

His voice was harsher than a radio broadcast, filled with anxiety and a forced toughness that only betrayed the fear deep within him.

"Isn't the train a dungeon passage? What kind of rule is this?!"

"Wang Yichen, shut up."

Si Ming leaned against the side of the chair, his eyes half-closed, and interrupted him in a languid tone.

He casually glanced at the speaker on the car roof, which was already dripping water, and spoke coldly:
"Noisy sounds will get 'its' attention."

Wang Yichen paused, his throat moved, but he swallowed the rest of his sentence.

"This is a stress system test." Xiao Lianyin's voice was extremely calm, like a slender ice blade.

"'Infiltrator,' 'Acceleration,' 'Destruction'—this is not a simple hunting mechanism, but rather... the fuse for forced group confrontation."

Her tone was calm yet dangerous, as if she herself were a thunderstorm that could erupt at any moment.

Behind her, the disheveled male survivor, who was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, asked in a low voice, "Miss Xiao... what should we do now?"

Xiao Lianyin did not answer immediately.

She slowly looked around.

The lights on the roof of the car began to flash wildly, each second like a hammer blow to mark the countdown.

"If you can't find the 'ghost,' you die."

She repeated the broadcast text in a low voice, then looked at Si Ming with a sharp gaze.

"What do you think?"

Si Ming shrugged, a hint of amusement playing at the corners of his mouth:

"I've said it before, I absolutely love this concept."

"A confined space, a limited time, group behavior, a game of disguise."

He smiled, a smile that concealed a detached calm and cruelty.

"but……"

Si Ming squinted, his voice low:

"Usually this 'ghost'—"

"Not a ghost."

"It's the human heart."

This sentence struck everyone's hearts like a heavy lead weight.

Before the words were even finished, the train gave everyone an answer in the most direct way.

boom--!
A deafening roar, like thunder exploding in the enclosed darkness, resounded.

The entire train suddenly shuddered violently, as if a furious steel behemoth was roaring and turning over on the tracks.

The carriage shook violently, and the passengers all fell to the ground. Debris was swept down like a whirlwind, and there were thuds as the seats collided.

"Damn it!" Wang Yichen gripped the handrail tightly, gritting his teeth to support his body. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his face was as pale as paper.

The car's speed soared, and the scenery outside the window turned into fragmented afterimages, completely unrecognizable—the light was like torn film, constantly flickering and stretching in the darkness.

As those afterimages swept past the car window, human-shaped outlines were vaguely visible, or perhaps deformed creatures with eyes pressed against the glass, peeking out, before vanishing in an instant.

"This isn't ordinary acceleration." Si Ming narrowed his eyes, his fingertips tapping the edge of the car window.

Staring intently at the abnormal vibrations at the train connection, he thought, "...is the train system out of control, or—being manipulated."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was another sharp, ear-piercing sound of metal tearing, which made everyone's eardrums ache.

The metal bridge deck at the train connection point twisted violently, as if it were being fiercely scratched and torn by invisible claws.

At that moment, the same thought surged in everyone's mind:
This train is running at a speed that is "beyond human survival standards".

"Someone has fainted!" came a cry from the back row.

He was one of Xiao Lianyin's teammates. His eyes were unfocused, his lips were pale, and his body was convulsing like a kite about to burst.

"Press him down!" Xiao Lianyin rushed over like lightning and covered the man's mouth and nose to prevent him from biting his tongue.

Her eyes were calm as frost, cold yet powerful:
"If we don't stabilize the situation soon, we won't just die slowly, we'll die quickly."

At the same time, she picked up the peach-colored lipstick from her waist with her other hand and applied it to her lips without hesitation.

That was her secret—"Slut's Lipstick".

A sinister smile appeared on her face as she leaned down and gently placed a lip print on the team member's forehead.

In an instant, the light flickered.

The team member shuddered suddenly, his previously frantic expression quickly stabilized, his blood returned, and his breathing gradually calmed down.

“A seductive interference.” Si Ming raised an eyebrow, clicked his tongue, and commented with a half-smile.

"Your lipstick... can it still soothe agitation?"

"It's still gentler than your gambling skills," Xiao Lianyin retorted casually, a hint of barely perceptible sarcasm in her eyes.

Si Ming shrugged, responding lazily and indifferently:

"Unfortunately, ghosts don't respond to gentleness."

The emergency lights flashed, casting distorted and elongated shadows on the passengers' pale, tense faces.

“Alright.” Si Ming straightened up, flexed his wrists, and his expression suddenly became serious.

“Since we’re going to play ‘Who’s the Ghost’, let’s start with the basics.”

"Give me your name, disclose your information, and we'll rule out who you are—that's the first step in the investigation." "You really believe that a 'ghost' will obediently reveal its real name?" Xiao Lianyin glanced at him with a half-smile.

“Of course not.” Si Ming smiled slightly, the curve of his lips lazy yet sharp. “But I’m not saying this for it, I’m saying it for ‘humans’.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the carriage subtly changed.

It was a change from initial panic to a gradual transition to "doubt".

Si Ming knew that this was the first step to breaking the deadlock.

After a brief silence, everyone began to give their information, led by Wang Yichen.

In the dim light, each name is like a die thrown into the abyss—is it trust or doubt that is thrown out?
"Wang Yichen." Wang Yichen was the first to speak, gritting his teeth and squeezing out a sound, his voice a little dry, "Professional streamer, ordinary person."

No one responded to him, but no one questioned his honesty either.

Wang Yichen's gaze darted around, clearly trying his best to maintain a calm demeanor.

"He Chengxun, retired special forces soldier, now captain of a security company." A deep, husky male voice followed.

The voice came from a tall, aloof man with a faint diagonal scar on his face. He stood behind Xiao Lianyin, his eyes sharp as knives, yet he consistently avoided direct eye contact with her.

No one could ignore his half-charred left arm—the mark of the fatal blow he had once taken for her.

“Martin Ayers.” Another light, airy voice with a strong British accent rang out.

The blond-haired youth lowered his head, his voice almost a murmur, his fingers unconsciously tightening around the ribbon with a red lipstick mark around his neck.

"The painter... I guess so. She's my muse."

"Ryoma Takenaka, a journalist."

Another person spoke, their eyes behind their glasses gentle and clear, "Now they're better at... recording the truth."

After saying that, he gave Xiao Lianyin a deep look, his eyes filled with a kind of almost morbid obedience.

“Fabio.” The last voice was rough and powerful, with a heavy Italian accent.

The burly boxer grinned, revealing his white teeth and the nine-tailed fox tattoo on his wrist, as if showing off some kind of medal.

"It was also her dog."

One by one, they called out their names, their tones ranging from calm to impassioned, but without exception, their words and expressions revealed—

This is not just loyalty,

It's more like a mark that has been "tainted".

Then, all eyes in the carriage turned to Si Ming and his group.

In the darkness of night, a game of trust and deception has just begun.

"Promise tonight..."

From the corner, the person who was as quiet as a shadow finally spoke.

His voice was so soft it was almost swallowed up by the roar of the train and the noise.

"...I...I'm not ready to speak yet."

He hugged his knees tightly, like a small animal curled up in a dark corner, his whole body trembling slightly, exuding a heart-stopping sense of vulnerability.

Selene rolled her eyes, lazily raised her foot and kicked Siming without any mercy.

"Don't force me to give my name."

She crossed her arms, her golden-red eyes slightly upturned, and her voice carried a lazy yet dangerous arrogance, "I'm not in a good mood today."

No one questioned her.

Even if she only said that one sentence, even if she didn't explain anything.

Her golden vertical pupils and nonchalant yet assertive demeanor alone were enough to make everyone present understand that she was no ordinary person.

Xiao Lianyin's gaze fell on Serian and lingered for a few seconds.

The corners of her lips turned up slightly, as if she understood something, but she said nothing.

As the last person finished announcing their name, a brief silence fell over the carriage.

The dim yellow light flickered, and the lingering electromagnetic echoes of a broadcast seemed to still resonate in the air, silently spreading along the metal walls.

Like some hidden presence in the shadows, quietly listening to their every move.

At this moment, the two mystery masters standing in the very center of the carriage finally spoke.

"Si Ming."

The man smiled slightly and lightly flicked his life lines with his fingertips.

A flash of white light disappeared in an instant, like a silent, small explosion.

"The Gate World: The Mysterious Garden".

Guild Branch: Angel's Tears

"Profession... Gambler Mystic."

His voice carried a nonchalant flippancy, yet every syllable pierced the air with precision and composure.
Like the last die a gambler throws before the game begins.

"The game begins with a stake on life."

"Anyone interested in joining my table is welcome to place a bet in the next round."

As he spoke, a smile played at the corners of his lips, but his eyes were so sharp they seemed to see through the rhythm of everyone's breathing.

The woman standing opposite him, Xiao Lianyin, raised her eyebrows slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"Xiao Lianyin".

She spoke calmly, her voice carrying a silent yet undeniable air of authority.

The sound seemed to drown out the roar of the train, crashing straight into everyone's ears.

"The World of Doors: Fallen Red Mirror Village".

"The daughter of the Xiao family, a ten-star destiny sorcerer."

She raised her hand and pursed her lips, the movement light and graceful.
It was as if the lipstick stained with the color of fate had not yet faded.

"My secret lies not in truth or falsehood, but in the heart."

"—Everyone who has lied will eventually be awakened by my kiss."

As soon as she finished speaking, the male team members behind her unconsciously stood even straighter.
A near-fanatical reverence flickered in his eyes.

Si Ming looked at her, his eyes still smiling, but behind that smile, there was a hint of wariness about danger.

He suddenly spoke up: "Then what do you think—"

Am I lying?

Xiao Lianyin tilted her head slightly, stared at him for a few seconds, and then smiled gently: "I haven't kissed you yet, so it's hard to say."

The carriage shook slightly.

In that instant, the aura between the two as they locked eyes was like two sharp swords hidden in their sheaths.

Intersecting, rubbing, sparking silent flames.

Their silent exchange, in the next second, completely pulled everyone in the audience into a real psychological battle.

—The "ghost" has not yet appeared.

But fate and ill-fated destiny are already intertwined in the undercurrents.

All names have been finalized.

Si Ming looked around the carriage, flicked his fingertips lightly, as if striking the starting rhythm on a gambling table.

"Now--"

He smiled slightly, his voice carrying a chilling lightness:
"'Ghosts' now know our names."

The dim carriage lights flickered a few times, as if in response to his declaration.

Si Ming lowered his head slightly, marking each name and each face in his heart.

Only after the last person had been confirmed did he slowly raise his head, his eyes calm as an abyss beneath a mirror.

"……So,"

He gave a lazy yet sharp smile.
"The 'ghost' is hidden in these dozen or so cards."

"Whoever makes a mistake will be the one to self-destruct."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the carriage shook violently again in the next second.

Outside the window, something seemed to be quietly approaching—

A pair of cold, lifeless eyes were pressed against the blurry car window, staring at them.

"The train keeps moving forward. Fate has run aground here. But the ghosts never get off."

(End of this chapter)