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Chapter 297 The Train Station
After dining together, the two went back to their respective homes to prepare, and then reconvened at the train station.
"Wow, so many people!" An Qing, still dressed in her white blouse and black trousers, carried a cute black-and-white backpack upon her back. Observing the bustling crowds at the train station, she couldn't help but express her amazement.
"You'll see even more soon," Qin Chao, without any luggage, stood there wearing only a black trench coat with empty hands.
Puzzled, An Qing asked, "Qin Chao, are you not bringing anything?"
"Well, I'll just buy what I need when we get there." Qin Chao waved his hand nonchalantly, the Sumeru Ring on his middle finger gleaming for a moment. An Qing, of course, was unaware of the magical properties of the Sumeru Ring. With it, Qin Chao could store any desired items within the ring, leaving his hands unburdened.
"That seems wasteful," An Qing shook her head, saying, "When we get there, you can use my stuff first. I've brought along two sets of things like toiletries." As she spoke, she patted her backpack.
"Let me carry it for you," Qin Chao offered, extending his hand to take the backpack from An Qing. As a gentleman, he couldn't let the lady carry the burden.
"It's fine, I'll manage," An Qing waved her hand dismissively, "There are some girly things in there, so I'd rather carry it myself."
Since An Qing insisted, Qin Chao did not press further. Glancing at his watch, he noted that their train was scheduled to depart at 7:10 pm, and it was currently 6:30 pm.
"We should head in. An Qing, remember to stay close to me." Saying so, Qin Chao led An Qing into the sea of people filling the train station's waiting hall.
Upon entering, they had to go through a luggage check. An Qing took off her backpack and placed it on the black conveyor belt. Qin Chao guided her quickly to the other side of the machine.
However, as they approached the security checkpoint, two young men suddenly appeared, blocking their path. Just then, a man clad in black leather armor snatched An Qing's bag from the other side of the machine and turned to head towards another exit.
"Stop!" Qin Chao, having witnessed everything, shouted.
"That man took my bag!" An Qing also cried out, pointing at the leather-jacketed man. Her voice was unexpectedly loud, drawing the immediate attention of several nearby transit police who quickly blocked the exit.
The leather-jacketed man reacted swiftly, gripping the bag and sprinting in the opposite direction. The train station had multiple exits, offering him several escape routes.
"Out of the way!" The two young men had already vanished, but the crowd still obstructed Qin Chao's pursuit. Frustrated, he stepped onto the nearby railing, leaping high into the air, his eyes locked on the leather-jacketed man as the crowd gaped in disbelief.
"Wow, that guy can jump so high!"
"Good heavens, is this the legendary lightness skill of the Swallow School?"
"Honey, come quick, they're shooting a movie!"
As onlookers gasped in awe, Qin Chao had no time to pay them any heed. Upon landing, he transformed into a gust of wind, pursuing the thief relentlessly.
The leather-jacketed man seemed intimately familiar with the station's layout, knowing exactly where to run. But Qin Chao was like a persistent maggot clinging to one's bones, doggedly following the man in the leather jacket. No matter how many people were in front, they were pushed aside by the vigor emanating from Qin Chao's body.
The man in the leather jacket glanced back and saw that Qin Chao was still following him, and he couldn't help but panic. He hastily rushed up the escalator, causing a group of people standing on it to curse loudly as he pushed them out of his way.
As for Qin Chao, he leaped directly onto the black handrail, using it to quickly catch up. With no crowd to obstruct him, he was even faster this time, reaching the second-floor platform first.
"Get out of the way!" The man in the leather jacket saw Qin Chao, yet was not frightened. Instead, he menacingly pulled out a dagger, brandishing it back and forth at Qin Chao. The bystanders, seeing the man brandishing a knife, were frightened and hastily retreated.
"Boy, you've got guts, daring to follow me up here! Get out of my way, or it'll be a white blade in and a red blade out," the man threatened.
Qin Chao didn't bother wasting words with the man. With every passing moment, the train was getting closer to departure. He strode forward two steps, approaching the man in the leather jacket. Seeing that Qin Chao indeed dared to approach, the man was startled and became more ruthless, stabbing his dagger fiercely toward Qin Chao's abdomen.
With a casual swipe of his hand, Qin Chao knocked the man's dagger aside. Then, he delivered a punch to the man's stomach. The man doubled over, clutching his belly, foaming at the mouth, and collapsed to the ground.
Qin Chao picked up An Qing's bag and dusted it off. A group of transit police soon arrived and pinned the man down.
"Kid, you've got some nerve," the man said, still scowling at Qin Chao. "Watch yourself on the train!" After saying this, he was taken away by the transit police.
Qin Chao didn't care about the man's threats; how could an ordinary person cause him any harm? He picked up An Qing's bag and shook it.
An Qing, who had come up the escalator, took her bag back, letting out a long sigh of relief. She patted her chest, exclaiming, "My goodness, that scared me to death! It's so chaotic here."
"When there are a lot of people, it's like this," Qin Chao shrugged. "You don't often take the train, so you wouldn't know."
"Indeed, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to find my bag today," An Qing said, still somewhat frightened. "You've learned some martial arts, and your skills are impressive. When we get to Weilian City, let me treat you to a meal."
"That's easily said," Qin Chao waved his hand, seeing how An Qing cherished her bag, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "What treasures do you have in this bag?"
"Two sets of clothes, cosmetics, toiletries... and some girl stuff, which I won't tell you," An Qing replied.
"...I've been listening, and there doesn't seem to be anything valuable inside..."
"Of course not! I keep my money in my pockets. How could I put it in the bag?" An Qing blinked her beautiful eyes as she spoke.
At that moment, Qin Chao suddenly realized that he and the man in the leather jacket were both fools.
Feeling dejected, Qin Chao, accompanied by An Qing, found the waiting room designated for their train. Train stations were never short of people, and this waiting room was no exception.
As far as the eye could see, it was a sea of heads. One person was packed next to another, creating a curious spectacle. In this waiting room, various activities took place: some were eating instant noodles with hot water, others were feeding their babies, and a group gathered to play poker.
Particularly within this waiting room, all sorts of activities were taking place. Some were enjoying instant noodles with hot water, others were feeding their babies, while a group gathered together to play poker. In a word, chaos reigned.
"Isn't it interesting?" Qin Chao teasingly asked the stupefied An Qing beside him.
"It is... very interesting..."
An Qing realized that if given another choice, she would never choose to take a train again. This mission had been quite frustrating. Trouble seemed to follow them everywhere: disturbances at mealtimes, an attempted bag snatching at the station. She hoped that once they boarded the train, things would proceed smoothly.
Qin Chao led An Qing into the crowded room. Surrounded by people on all sides, finding a place to sit or even stand was quite difficult. Fortunately, neither of them was carrying much luggage, making their journey somewhat easier.
An Qing noticed a middle-aged woman burdened with several large bags and kindly offered her help.
"Auntie, are your bags heavy? Do you want me to help you carry one?"
"No, no, I can handle it myself!" The woman waved her hands, refusing An Qing's assistance.
An Qing frowned, puzzled by the woman's reaction. She had only wanted to help, so why did the woman seem so disinterested? Turning to Qin Chao, she sought an explanation.
"You don't understand," Qin Chao whispered, "She's afraid you're a thief who will run off with her bag."
"How could that be!" An Qing protested, "Why would I want her bag? It's clear that it's just filled with clothes and blankets."
Qin Chao thought to himself, when your own inexpensive bag was snatched, weren't you just as scared?
The two stood for a long time, but Qin Chao was fine. He could stand here for days without issue. He took the opportunity to cultivate his inner qi and consolidate his early-stage magical abilities.
At the same time, he pondered where to find the other types of flames. Wudangshan Yimendao should possess Samadhi True Fire, and Baotai Temple in Songshan should have the Bodhi Holy Fire. These two were possible, and he just needed to figure out how to obtain them.
However, he still needed to find the remaining four. If only Su Ji were by his side, her extensive knowledge of the cultivation world could help. Without her, he could try seeking help from the female demon, Rosy, but she would undoubtedly demand a soul in exchange.
The only other option was to ask Hua Niang, but she was difficult to find, and his upcoming trip to Weilian City made meeting her even less likely.
Suddenly, he remembered Hu Ke, the woman who had lived as a zombie for over a thousand years. She should know something. Once he returned, he would go to the hospital and ask her.
Qin Chao had a multitude of tasks to complete now. Not only did he need to earn five million within a year, but he also had to become stronger before the Zombie King's appearance.
He couldn't help but think of a Western expression: "When it rains, it pours!"
"Ticket inspection!"
The previously statue-like crowd suddenly stirred. The ticket inspector had opened the gates and started checking the passengers' tickets. Fearing An Qing would be separated from him by the surging crowd, Qin Chao hastily grabbed her hand.
At that moment, An Qing felt a jolt, as if she had been electrocuted. It seemed that, in all these years, this was the first time a boy had taken her hand.
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