The train named "Galaxy" quietly traversed the endless expanse of the cosmos, gliding smoothly along the particle tracks. Its next destination was the planet designated as ROSS128b in the Virgo constellation—a world transformed a century ago into a habitable haven for humanity.
Now, people had grown accustomed to calling it the "Rose Planet."
For many, drifting through the universe aboard trains had become a commonplace reality, as one habitable planet after another succumbed to destruction.
This particular train had been journeying for two years, with another year remaining before reaching the Rose Planet.
Today, the train made a stop at a transfer station on the planet known as "Right Enforcer," where a new group of passengers would board.
Due to a meteor storm, the train was delayed by half an hour, and some passengers had already grown impatient.
"Do you people have no sense of time? I have a client waiting for me on this train! If they’re unhappy because of this delay, I could lose billions. Can you even afford to compensate me?"
The train attendant was a young woman named Linda, according to her name tag.
Linda stood at Gate 3, bowing apologetically to the irate man. "We sincerely apologize for the delay caused by unforeseen circumstances. We deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused."
The potbellied man grumbled, clearly itching to say more, but the passengers behind him waiting to board grew restless. "Hey, could you stop blocking the way? Get on first and argue later!"
The man turned and saw a trendy guy dressed in Gothic retro style. He scoffed. "You common folk wouldn’t understand the economic value we bring to the galaxy every day. People from different social strata really can’t communicate."
The trendy guy frowned. "What’s that supposed to mean? Yeah, you look like you’ve soaked up plenty of grease. I bet the moment you step on board, the train’s gonna blare an overweight alert!"
Bystanders couldn’t help but chuckle.
The potbellied man’s face darkened as he pointed at the trendy guy. "What’s your name? Where do you work? Planning to settle on the Rose Planet? Let me tell you—cross me, and you’ll never find a job there!"
The trendy guy, Gou Dejiu, was about to retort when his companion quickly pulled him back. "Enough, Gou Dejiu. Drop it."
His companion, Xue Fufu, was a soft-spoken girl with delicate features, the picture of a timid, well-behaved student.
Gou Dejiu huffed. "Xue Fufu, don’t worry. We live in a society of laws—he can’t do anything to us!"
Gou Dejiu and Xue Fufu were classmates, on decent terms, which was why Xue Fufu had mustered the courage to intervene. The rest of their classmates, however, preferred to stay out of trouble.
The potbellied man was just as hot-tempered. He cursed under his breath, calling Gou Dejiu ungrateful. Gou Dejiu, never one to back down, stepped closer, and the two were on the verge of a brawl when a patrol team in uniform approached.
A tall young man stood at the center, smiling warmly. "Gentlemen, the train’s departure is imminent. We’ll be leaving soon."
He was strikingly tall, his black uniform accentuating his lean frame, and his military boots only emphasized his long legs. Yet his handsome, almost pretty face—adorned with a bright, sunny smile—made him seem approachable rather than intimidating.
The most eye-catching feature, however, was his vibrant orange hair, as if the glow of an orange dwarf star had settled upon him, radiating warmth.
He was young, with sharp, well-defined features and blue eyes as clear as Earth’s oceans in textbooks—hinting at ancient Slavic ancestry.
The number "13" was emblazoned on his uniform.
Black uniforms marked them as the train’s armed security force, tasked with maintaining order. They had the authority to detain suspicious individuals—or even kill, without repercussions.
Gou Dejiu, still a student, instinctively toned down his aggression at the sight of the armed team.
The potbellied man, however, pointed at Gou Dejiu and demanded, "You got here just in time! Arrest this troublemaker and lock him up—teach him a lesson—"
A hand clamped down on the man’s wrist.
No. 13’s eyes crinkled with a friendly smile. "Sir, departure is approaching. Didn’t you mention an important client? If you don’t board now, you might miss the train."
His tone was polite, but the man broke into a cold sweat.
His arm throbbed in pain, his bones creaking under the pressure. As he met the smiling man’s gaze, a chill ran down his spine—he suddenly remembered that this man could very well pull out a gun and shoot him dead.
No. 13 released his grip and turned to Linda. "Let’s get the passengers aboard quickly."
Linda nodded. "The train departs in five minutes. Please board in an orderly fashion."
With the armed team’s intervention, no one dared cause further trouble—even if they had grievances, they’d have to swallow them for now.
No. 13 and his team boarded first.
No. 10 sidled up to him. "You always talk to people with a smile, yet somehow, troublemakers get terrified the moment you show up. How?"
No. 13 rubbed his chin, blinking playfully. "I’d like to know too. I don’t think I look that scary, do I?"
"If you’re scary, what does that make the rest of us?" No. 7 chimed in. "I still remember that female passenger who threw herself at you. Why’d you turn her down?"
No. 13 grinned. "Probably because I’m not interested in women."
"So this is the so-called most luxurious train in the universe?"
A girl’s voice, dripping with disdain, cut through the air, her tone so full of contempt it seemed to dominate the space around her.
No. 13 and his team turned to look.
She was stunning—her long, wavy black hair styled into an elegant half-updo, adorned only with a crystal hairpin that sparkled like starlight under the lights. But her beauty was almost aggressive, striking in a way that felt overwhelming.
Arms crossed, she wore a pristine white dress that should have looked innocent—but her dark, critical eyes swept over everything with such arrogance that an air of superiority clung to her effortlessly.
"It's nothing special, not even as advanced as the trains in my family's experimental factory."
