Chen Mo stared at the hand.
Its palm was callused, its fingers long and slender. A loop of red cord was wrapped around the wrist, with a miniature bronze token hanging from it.
"Not going to shake?" Big Bro One raised an eyebrow. "Afraid I'll eat you?" Chen Mo hesitated, but finally reached out and took it.
Big Bro One's hand was warm. Far too warm for a courier who frequently traveled through the Netherworld. "That's more like it." Big Bro One gave a hard pull and hauled Chen Mo up from the ground.
"In all the years I've been doing this, I've only met three rookies who could take down two Sweepers." "What happened to the first two?" "One became a leader in Rogue Logistics." "...And the other?" "The other became my partner." Big Bro One shrugged. "Then, while delivering his thousandth package, he delivered himself straight into the Reincarnation Well. They still haven't fished him out."
Chen Mo: "..." "Just kidding." Big Bro One patted him on the shoulder. "The Reincarnation Well's so deep. Why bother fishing? He probably washed all the way into the Beast Path by now."
Chen Mo: "...That wasn't funny at all." "You'll get used to it." Big Bro One turned and headed deeper into the alley. "Follow me." "Where are we going?" "Yellow Springs Station." Big Bro One didn't look back. "You don't expect me to stand here and give you on-the-job training, do you? What if two more Sweepers show up? I don't want to work overtime." Chen Mo pushed his bicycle after him.
The two of them passed through a maze of winding alleys before finally stopping in front of a rust-covered iron door. A sign hung on it: "Scrap Recycling Center." Chen Mo: "...This is Yellow Springs Station?" "It's the Mortal Realm outpost. We keep a low profile." Big Bro One pulled a key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock.
"Click." The instant the door opened, Chen Mo felt the space before him wrinkle as though an invisible hand had crumpled it. Behind the rusted door was not a scrap center.
It was a long corridor. Lanterns hung all along both sides—red, white, blue-green, and every other kind. Beneath each lantern sat a table piled with packages, wooden crates, and even... coffins?
"This is Yellow Springs Station's transfer hub in the Mortal Realm," Big Bro One explained as he walked. "You know Three Realms Express, right? The official outfit." "Yellow Springs Station is the special department that handles difficult cases. Basically... the special forces of the delivery world?" Chen Mo looked at the coffins, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Your special forces have a pretty broad range of services."
"Of course." Big Bro One proudly lifted his chin. "As long as the money's right, we'd even dare deliver the Yama King's Book of Life and Death." He led Chen Mo to the end of the corridor. There was a counter there. Behind it sat an old man dozing off, his head bobbing up and down as a snot bubble alternately swelled and shrank from his nose.
"Old Zhou, wake up." Big Bro One knocked on the counter. The old man jerked his head up, and the snot bubble went "Pop!" "Who is it?! Can't an old man get any sleep..." He opened his eyes and saw Big Bro One. His expression instantly changed. "Well, well, the Gold-Rank Courier is back?" "I brought a rookie." Big Bro One pointed at Chen Mo. "Get him a temporary Yellow Springs Station pass." The old man's gaze fell on Chen Mo. Then his eyes shifted to Chen Mo's wrist. The blood-red Rogue Mark. The old man's expression changed. "A Rogue Mark?" He looked at Big Bro One, lowering his voice.
"You brought someone marked by Rogue Logistics into the station?" Big Bro One shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned lazily against the counter. "That's why he needs a temporary pass." "Old Zhou, you know the rules—the official Three Realms Express system can't protect anyone marked with a Rogue Mark." "Only the rules of Yellow Springs Station can temporarily suppress the Rogue Mark's fluctuations." The old man frowned and dug a yellowed sheet of paper out of a drawer. "Sign here."
He pushed the paper and a pen toward Chen Mo. "Temporary Yellow Springs Station Entry Agreement." "Clause One: While inside the station, opening any package that doesn't belong to you is prohibited." "Clause Two: Speaking with any 'stranded guests' inside the station is prohibited." "Clause Three: If you hear someone call your name, do not turn around under any circumstances." Chen Mo read the three rules, and a chill crept up his back. "This station... is it actually legit?" "Perfectly legit." The old man cackled, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Anything that's not legit, you won't see until after you sign." Chen Mo: "..." He signed with a sinking feeling.
The instant the pen left the paper, the Rogue Mark on his wrist suddenly flared hot, then quickly cooled. That sensation of being watched by something disappeared.
[External rule override detected.] [Rogue Mark fluctuations suppressed.] [Current status: Safe (temporarily).]
Chen Mo let out a sigh of relief. Big Bro One, however, suddenly dropped his lazy demeanor. He leaned close to Chen Mo and lowered his voice. "Kid, let me ask you something." "That Three-Lives Stone Fragment of yours..." "When you delivered it to Meng Po, what did she say after opening the box?" Chen Mo thought back. "She said... 'Old Qin finally decided to send the thing.'" "Then she stared at the fragment with a strange look on her face." "She also told me to deliver a full thousand packages before going back to see her." Big Bro One's expression changed.
It was a look combining shock, realization, and... a trace of fear. "Just as I thought." He straightened and muttered to himself. "That fragment wasn't for Meng Po." "It was for you." Chen Mo froze. "For me?" "The Three-Lives Stone Fragment can reveal your past and present lives." Big Bro One stared into Chen Mo's eyes. "Meng Po told you to deliver a thousand packages before going back because only after delivering a thousand packages will your soul be able to withstand the impact of the fragment's memories." "Otherwise..." "You'll go insane." Chen Mo's throat went dry. "What was I in my past life...?" Big Bro One didn't answer. He turned and walked toward a hidden door behind the counter. "Come with me." "I'll show you something." Behind the hidden door was a secret chamber. It wasn't large. Portraits covered all four walls. No, not portraits. Paintings. Each one depicted a person wearing a different style of courier uniform, some ancient and some modern. A number and a name were marked beneath each painting. Chen Mo's eyes swept over the numbers. Courier No. 9,742,001. Courier No. 1,000,000. Courier No. 5,000,000. ... Finally, his gaze stopped on a painting in the farthest corner. That painting was blank. There was no figure. Only a number: Courier No. 9,742,001. His number. Big Bro One stood behind him, his voice low. "These are portraits of every past Rogue Mark bearer." "Everyone marked by Rogue Logistics eventually reaches a choice." "Either become a puppet of Rogue Logistics." "Or..." He paused. "Become the one who ends Rogue Logistics." Chen Mo stared at the blank portrait. "Why is my portrait blank?" Big Bro One smiled. There was no frivolity in that smile, only something heavy. "Because you haven't made your choice yet." "Chen Mo, do you know why Rogue Logistics came after you?" "It wasn't because you delivered the wrong package." "It was because of your number." "Courier No. 9,742,001—" "In Rogue Logistics' prophecy, this number represents the 'Ender.'" Chen Mo turned his head. "What prophecy?" Big Bro One didn't answer. Because the door to the secret chamber was suddenly smashed open. Old Zhou rushed in, flustered and pale. "This is bad!" "Outside the station..." "We've been surrounded!" "At least twenty Sweepers!" "And their leader... is the Ghost Courier!" Big Bro One's expression instantly froze. He looked at Chen Mo and said each word slowly: "Looks like they..." "don't want you to live long enough to make your choice."