Train Survival: Can I get a treasure chest by touching my goddess?

"The Colosseum in ancient Rome?"

Jiang Youchu pressed her face against the porthole, her eyes wide open.

"A giant version of the ancient Roman Colosseum? That's way too exaggerated."

The train gradually slowed down, and the scenery outside the window became clearer and clearer.

The enormous circular building sat on the wasteland, its gray-white stone walls gleaming with an ancient luster under the hazy skylight.

The arches, layer upon layer, resemble countless half-open mouths, waiting to devour something.

"If it were an arena,"

Jiang Youchu turned around and twirled the staff in her hand.

"Could it be that we have to fight monsters? And we have to win to advance in rank? Like those classic gladiator scenarios?"

Su Qingxuan leaned against the carriage wall and tapped the edge of the storage box with her fingers, making a rhythmic, soft sound.

"If it's just about fighting monsters, why don't the old people say anything?"

The carriage was silent for a moment.

Jiang Youchu blinked: "That's true. What's there to hide about defeating a monster? It's not like it's anything shameful."

Su Mu sat on the edge of the cushioned bed, holding a battle axe in his hand, the dark red luster on the axe blade flashing on and off.

"Perhaps there are limited spots available for this promotion."

Shen Wen turned to look at her.

Su Mu continued, "Those who advance to the next level may not only have to face monsters, but also other advanced individuals."

Jiang Youchu gasped, "You mean... players fighting each other?"

Su Mu nodded.

Shen Wen leaned against the porthole, watching the huge building outside getting closer and closer, and went over Su Mu's words in his mind.

Quota.

disuse.

The elderly person concealed information.

If there really is a limit to the number of places available for upgrading, then every person upgrading will be a competitor.

The fewer people who know about it, the greater your chances.

It's not that I can't say it, it's that I don't want to say it.

"That makes sense then." Shen Wen withdrew his gaze. "Those elders didn't reveal the details of the trial so that their own people could advance to higher ranks more easily."

Jiang Youchu pouted, "These people are more cunning than honeycomb briquettes."

Su Qingxuan didn't reply, but just looked at Shen Wen, her brows slightly furrowed, a thin layer of worry in her eyes, but she didn't say it.

The train came to a complete stop.

The last thud of wheels rolling over the rails echoed across the empty wasteland, and then everything fell silent.

A mechanical voice simultaneously echoed in the minds of the five people.

[Arrived at Ascension Platform: Arena]

Current stop time: 02:00:00

[Note: This platform is for single-person challenges only; passengers are not permitted to disembark. The train will enter a protective state while the conductor is away, making it impervious to any external forces.]

Shen Wen turned to look at the four women, and the three-tailed fox jumped into his arms.

Su Mu looked at Shen Wen, her lips moved but she didn't say anything, she just nodded.

Lydia stood in the corner, her long, silvery-white hair cascading over her shoulders, clutching the priest's staff in her hand. She whispered, "Be careful."

Su Qingxuan walked over.

She didn't say anything, but simply reached out and wrapped her arms around Shen Wen's waist, burying her face in his chest and holding him tightly.

Shen Wen could feel her heartbeat, which was much faster than usual, clearly transmitted through her thin loungewear.

"We're waiting for you here."

"If it's really too dangerous, then give up. With your talent, you're growing much faster than others, there's no need to force it."

Shen Wen reached out and patted her back, feeling the outline of her shoulder blades in his palm.

"Don't worry, sister."

Su Qingxuan released him, took a step back, raised her hand to tidy her hair, and resumed her usual composure.

But the thin layer of tears in her eyes couldn't be completely hidden.

Jiang Youchu, however, was quite nonchalant. She patted her chest and said, "Shen Wen, if you come back safely, I'll let you enjoy yourself right now!"

Under Jiang Youchu's movements, the peaks seemed to gather and the waves seemed to rage.

Su Mu glared at Jiang Youchu, "What are you saying! Shameless!"

"Oh dear, you've already eaten it yourself, and now you're calling others shameless."

After all, compared to before when they always acted together, this time Shen Wen was alone, so they were naturally worried.

Shen Wen turned around and opened the train door.

A cold wind blew in, carrying a dry, dusty, and rusty smell, as if opening up a long-sealed place.

He stepped down the stairs.

Behind him, the train doors slowly closed, and four faces pressed against the porthole, watching him walk away step by step.

Shen Wen did not turn around.

He entered the arena.

The building was bigger than he had imagined.

It's already breathtaking from the outside, but the moment you step through the archway, the sense of oppression triples.

The huge circular venue is surrounded by layers of stone stands, rising one level at a time, like solidified waves.

The stands were empty, with only the wind whistling through the empty seats.

In the center of the field was a flat sandy ground, with a thick layer of dark yellow sand that felt soft and spongy underfoot, causing shoes to sink in half an inch.

Dark red particles were mixed in with the sand, gleaming ominously in the grayish-white light.

It's not staining.

is blood.

Blood that seeped into the sand, layer upon layer, accumulated over countless years.

Shen Wen stood at the edge of the field, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

The arena has more than one entrance.

Shen Wen stood at the edge of the field, his gaze sweeping over his surroundings.

The arena has more than one entrance.

He saw it.

People are coming out from the other archways.

Not just one or two, but many.

Some were wearing armor and holding weapons that gleamed faintly;

Some wore robes, and different colored lights gathered at the tips of their staffs;

Some were wearing nothing but a T-shirt, yet they exuded an uncomfortable and oppressive aura.

They entered the venue from all directions, keeping a great distance from each other, each eyeing the others warily, like a pack of wild beasts trapped in the same cage.

Shen Wen counted them roughly.

There are at least forty or fifty people, and the number is still increasing.

He stood at the edge of the field, his hand on the hilt of the butcher's knife, without moving.

Someone noticed him.

A man in light silver armor walked from the left, his steps slow but steady, his boots leaving clear footprints in the sand.

He had a long sword hanging at his waist, its scabbard inlaid with gems that gleamed faintly in the pale light of the day.

His gaze lingered on Shen Wen for a moment, scanning him up and down, before shifting away and continuing forward.

There was no greeting, no nod, and not even a change in expression.

But Shen Wen noticed that after he walked over, the frequency of his steps changed. It didn't speed up, it slowed down, so slow that he was almost stepping in place.

He is waiting.

Wait for Shen Wen to make the first move, or for someone else to make the first move, and then seize the opportunity to strike.

Shen Wen looked away and ignored him.

Then someone else came out of the archway.

This time it was a woman wearing a black robe, embroidered with dark red patterns, like dried blood vessels.

She held a bone-white staff in her hand, topped with a fist-sized dark purple gem.

She walked into the venue, glanced around, and finally her gaze landed on Shen Wen.

It paused for a second.

Then move it away.

Shen Wen frowned slightly.

It wasn't because she glanced at him, but because of the way she looked at him.

It wasn't wariness, it wasn't scrutiny, it was more like... scanning.

It's like they're using some kind of ability to read his information.

Shen Wen's killing intent activated automatically, and an invisible barrier covered his body.

When the woman's gaze swept over, it was as if she had hit a wall. Her pupils contracted slightly, and she quickly looked away, quickening her pace as she walked to the other side of the field.

Shen Wen withdrew his gaze and did not follow.

At that moment, a figure emerged from the archway on the right, walking lightly with his boots making almost no sound as they trod on the sand.

Shen Wen turned his head to look over.

It's a girl.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with shoulder-length short hair, delicate features, wearing a dark jacket and cargo pants, and a short knife at his waist.

Her steps were light and quick, but her center of gravity was low, as if she were ready to spring up at any moment.

Her gaze swept around the area and then she noticed Shen Wen.

It paused for a moment.

Then she walked straight over here.

It wasn't the sneaky approach, but rather a straightforward, direct walk.

Shen Wen loosened his grip on the hilt of the knife slightly.

The butcher instinctively didn't call the police.

There was no malicious intent.

She walked up to Shen Wen, stopped, looked him up and down, then grinned, revealing a row of neat white teeth.

"Hey bro, need to buy a spot?"

Shen Wen raised an eyebrow.

"Spots?"

The girl put her hands in her jacket pockets and tilted her head to look at him.

"It's a promotion spot. You didn't know?"

Shen Wen looked at her expressionlessly and didn't reply.

The girl blinked, realizing something, and lowered her voice: "You're a solo player, right? Has no one told you about the upgrade platform?"

Shen Wen thought for a moment and then asked, "What did you mean by 'buying a spot'?"

The girl glanced around to make sure no one was approaching before taking a step closer, lowering her voice even further.

"Our Aurora Club guarantees you a spot for advancement."

Shen Wen raised an eyebrow.

Aurora Viewing.

It's another aurora viewing event.

Zhang Kun said that the leader of the organization that recruited people in the regional channel was already a Gold-level expert.

"How do you guarantee a minimum return?" Shen Wen asked.

The girl counted on her fingers, speaking quickly: "Either a bronze-level item, or sign a contract, become a bronze-level member, and join our Aurora Club. It's one of the two."

Shen Wen stared at her for two seconds.

"A bronze-grade item?"

"Yes." The girl nodded. "One piece is fine."

Shen Wen almost burst out laughing.

This is the platform for upgrading from black iron to bronze.

Everyone present was at the peak of the Iron level.

How could a Black Iron-level character possibly possess Bronze-level items so easily?

"This is already at the peak of the Black Iron level, so how could it possibly contain a Bronze-level item?"

"And you said there's a guaranteed spot," he changed the subject, "the number of spots is limited, isn't it?"

"By guaranteeing one person's place, you're taking away someone else's opportunity. Doesn't that mean offending someone?"

The girl's expression became even more subtle.

She looked at Shen Wen, as if reassessing something.

Then she smiled, a smile that was a little more genuine than before.

"Looks like you really are a free spirit!"

She paused, then added, "But you're right, having a guaranteed spot can indeed offend people. But we at Aurora Club aren't afraid of offending people. And—"

He saw it.

People are coming out from the other archways.

Not just one or two, but many.

Some were wearing armor and holding weapons that gleamed faintly;

Some wore robes, and different colored lights gathered at the tips of their staffs;

Some were wearing nothing but a T-shirt, yet they exuded an uncomfortable and oppressive aura.

They entered the venue from all directions, keeping a great distance from each other, each eyeing the others warily, like a pack of wild beasts trapped in the same cage.

Shen Wen counted them roughly.

There are at least forty or fifty people, and the number is still increasing.

He stood at the edge of the field, his hand on the hilt of the butcher's knife, without moving.

Someone noticed him.

A man in light silver armor walked from the left, his steps slow but steady, his boots leaving clear footprints in the sand.

He had a long sword hanging at his waist, its scabbard inlaid with gems that gleamed faintly in the pale light of the day.

His gaze lingered on Shen Wen for a moment, scanning him up and down, before shifting away and continuing forward.

There was no greeting, no nod, and not even a change in expression.

But Shen Wen noticed that after he walked over, the frequency of his steps changed. It didn't speed up, it slowed down, so slow that he was almost stepping in place.

He is waiting.

Wait for Shen Wen to make the first move, or for someone else to make the first move, and then seize the opportunity to strike.

Shen Wen looked away and ignored him.

Then someone else came out of the archway.

This time it was a woman wearing a black robe, embroidered with dark red patterns, like dried blood vessels.

She held a bone-white staff in her hand, topped with a fist-sized dark purple gem.

She walked into the venue, glanced around, and finally her gaze landed on Shen Wen.

It paused for a second.

Then move it away.

Shen Wen frowned slightly.

It wasn't because she glanced at him, but because of the way she looked at him.

It wasn't wariness, it wasn't scrutiny, it was more like... scanning.

It's like they're using some kind of ability to read his information.

Shen Wen's killing intent activated automatically, and an invisible barrier covered his body.

When the woman's gaze swept over, it was as if she had hit a wall. Her pupils contracted slightly, and she quickly looked away, quickening her pace as she walked to the other side of the field.

Shen Wen withdrew his gaze and did not follow.

At that moment, a figure emerged from the archway on the right, walking lightly with his boots making almost no sound as they trod on the sand.

Shen Wen turned his head to look over.

It's a girl.

He looked to be in his early twenties, with shoulder-length short hair, delicate features, wearing a dark jacket and cargo pants, and a short knife at his waist.

Her steps were light and quick, but her center of gravity was low, as if she were ready to spring up at any moment.

Her gaze swept around the area and then she noticed Shen Wen.

It paused for a moment.

Then she walked straight over here.

It wasn't the sneaky approach, but rather a straightforward, direct walk.

Shen Wen loosened his grip on the hilt of the knife slightly.

The butcher instinctively didn't call the police.

There was no malicious intent.

She walked up to Shen Wen, stopped, looked him up and down, then grinned, revealing a row of neat white teeth.

"Hey bro, need to buy a spot?"

Shen Wen raised an eyebrow.

"Spots?"

The girl put her hands in her jacket pockets and tilted her head to look at him.

"It's a promotion spot. You didn't know?"

Shen Wen looked at her expressionlessly and didn't reply.

The girl blinked, realizing something, and lowered her voice: "You're a solo player, right? Has no one told you about the upgrade platform?"

Shen Wen thought for a moment and then asked, "What did you mean by 'buying a spot'?"

The girl glanced around to make sure no one was approaching before taking a step closer, lowering her voice even further.

"Our Aurora Club guarantees you a spot for advancement."

Shen Wen raised an eyebrow.

Aurora Viewing.

It's another aurora viewing event.

Zhang Kun said that the leader of the organization that recruited people in the regional channel was already a Gold-level expert.

"How do you guarantee a minimum return?" Shen Wen asked.

The girl counted on her fingers, speaking quickly: "Either a bronze-level item, or sign a contract, become a bronze-level member, and join our Aurora Club. It's one of the two."

Shen Wen stared at her for two seconds.

"A bronze-grade item?"

"Yes." The girl nodded. "One piece is fine."

Shen Wen almost burst out laughing.

This is the platform for upgrading from black iron to bronze.

Everyone present was at the peak of the Iron level.

How could a Black Iron-level character possibly possess Bronze-level items so easily?

"This is already at the peak of the Black Iron level, so how could it possibly contain a Bronze-level item?"

"And you said there's a guaranteed spot," he changed the subject, "the number of spots is limited, isn't it?"

"By guaranteeing one person's place, you're taking away someone else's opportunity. Doesn't that mean offending someone?"

The girl's expression became even more subtle.

She looked at Shen Wen, as if reassessing something.

Then she smiled, a smile that was a little more genuine than before.

"Looks like you really are a free spirit!"

She paused, then added, "But you're right, having a guaranteed spot can indeed offend people. But we at Aurora Club aren't afraid of offending people. And—"

She lowered her voice, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes: "The issue of the quota isn't as simple as you think."