Long Shenting was dragged away by No. 3 and No. 15. To be fair, they hadn’t done anything excessive—just dutifully reminded him, "Mr. Long, your excessive proximity has caused discomfort to the lady. We’ve imposed biometric restrictions on you. Please maintain a distance of at least fifty meters from Miss Xia. If you enter within that range, we will be forced to take coercive measures."
They might as well have outright said they were going to lock him up.
Long Shenting shook off the two men’s grip. Though his appearance was disheveled, he still straightened his back, sweeping a disdainful gaze over them as he coldly declared, "I’ve now personally experienced the so-called ‘finest hospitality’ of this so-called best train in the universe. The ignorance you’ve displayed today will cost everyone dearly."
He might as well have spelled it out—the Long family would surely settle the score with the company behind this train. To put it bluntly, the Longs controlled half the universe’s economy. Acquiring a mere train company wasn’t beyond their reach. And when that happened, those who had crossed him would face the consequences.
No. 3 and No. 15 would undoubtedly be the first to suffer.
Yet, the two men exchanged a glance and then laughed it off as if it were nothing.
No. 3 said, "We respect Mr. Long’s personal will."
No. 15 added, "If there’s nothing else, we’ll take our leave."
Without so much as a second glance at Long Shenting, they turned and walked away, their steps light and unburdened.
First Xia Miao, and now even lowly security personnel dared to disregard him.
Long Shenting had never endured such disrespect. Gritting his teeth, he wanted to confront Xia Miao, but the surge of agitation tugged at his wounds, sending sharp pain through his body.
Clutching the injury on his head, he leaned against the wall, hunched over as he gasped in agony.
"Are you alright?"
A girl’s voice, sweet as a celestial melody, pierced the lifeless air, breathing vitality into the stagnant surroundings like a burst of spring.
Long Shenting lifted his gaze, pausing at the sight before him.
A quiet, delicate girl with a soft, doll-like face and innocent, rabbit-like eyes gazed at him with genuine concern. The light enveloped her, casting a radiant halo around her figure.
She was like a sun in the endless darkness of the universe, radiating warmth.
To someone long accustomed to the shadows, that light felt like salvation.
The girl offered him a tissue, smiling gently. "Hello, my name is Xue Fufu."
The Galactic Train was more than just a train—it was practically a self-contained world, complete with fitness facilities, entertainment, and everything else to ensure passengers never grew bored.
Of course, with the security team in place, safety was also guaranteed.
Today, the security team had split into groups of three, patrolling different sections.
No. 7, a gossipy young man, couldn’t resist chattering away. "Hey, have you heard? No. 6 might be in a relationship."
No. 8 immediately perked up. "He’s dating someone?"
No. 7 nodded. "I saw him the other day, getting awfully close with a female passenger."
No. 8’s interest grew. "A passenger? Really?"
No. 7 lowered his voice conspiratorially. "I took a careful look—she seemed to be from the first-class cabin."
At that, No. 8 scoffed. "And here I thought it was true love. Just another fling, huh?"
Given that interstellar journeys often spanned years, loneliness was inevitable, and emotional comfort became a necessity. It wasn’t unheard of for passengers and crew to engage in fleeting romances.
But it was like a college fling—once graduation came, so did the breakup.
And first-class passengers were all wealthy elites, worlds apart from the security grunts risking their lives. No first-class passenger would be naive enough to believe in a future with a lowly security officer.
Likewise, the security team, having seen all sorts of people, weren’t foolish enough to think such relationships were serious.
So, it was all just a game—a way to pass the time, mutually beneficial and nothing more.
No. 8 had no interest in such trivial affairs. He walked ahead, curiosity getting the better of him. "Hey, No. 13, hasn’t that young mistress come looking for you anymore?"
No. 13 had been ignoring their gossip until now, but at the direct question, he merely chuckled lazily. "Nope."
No. 7 frowned. "We all thought she might’ve taken a liking to you. Were we wrong?"
No. 13 remained unfazed, his smile unchanging. Whether or not the young mistress had ever been interested in him was of no concern to him.
As they entered the first-class cabin, No. 7 suddenly whispered, "Look, there she is."
Xia Miao sat by a window-side table, dressed elegantly today in a vibrant green dress, her long hair tied into a ponytail adorned only with a green ribbon bow—radiating youthful charm.
Many passersby couldn’t help but glance her way.
No. 8 smirked. "Should we go say hello?"
He was the type to stir up trouble for fun.
Just then, a man clutching a bag approached. Spotting the security team, he instinctively hugged the bag tighter, lowering his head as he tried to hurry past.
No. 13 suddenly commanded, "Stop."
The man froze, his body tensing as he met No. 13’s gaze. His grip on the bag shifted uneasily.
The others immediately sensed something amiss.
No. 7 stepped forward. "Hey, let’s see what you’ve got in there."
Panicked, the man spun around to flee, but No. 8 lunged at him. The bag slipped from his grasp, hitting the floor—and in an instant, a black creature darted out.
It was the size of a small dog, with four clawed limbs, a long, blade-like tail, and an elongated head covered in an exoskeleton as tough as armor.
A juvenile extraterrestrial creature—originating from the desolate, nightmarish planet of Sel.
Even in its infancy, its claws were sharp enough to tear through human flesh.
Screams erupted in the dining car. Amid the chaos, firing a weapon was out of the question.
No. 7 and No. 8 rushed to restore order while No. 13 pursued the creature. His speed was remarkable—he could’ve crushed half its body underfoot in seconds.
But the seemingly mindless beast moved with eerie intelligence, scaling the walls and leaping onto passengers, leaving deep gashes with each landing.
And ahead, amidst the panicked crowd, stood a girl in a striking green dress.
