Dear passengers, congratulations on being part of the 10,000th journey of Train K104.
To celebrate this wonderful occasion, please scan the QR code on your ticket to join the group.
We have prepared various surprises for you, including the red envelope game! At 18:00 on December 4, 2022, the sunset was swallowed by the darkening horizon, and the train departed on time.
01
Rushing, my mom and I made it onto the train just before the doors closed.
A blue-uniformed attendant smiled warmly at us.
We had barely sat down and caught our breath when the train started.
At the same time, we heard the onboard broadcast.
“Wow, what a treat!”
The guy in front of me shouted excitedly,” Quick, join the group and grab a red envelope!”
Someone else slapped their thigh and said, “That’s ridiculous! The QR code on the ticket is usually for ticket information. How could it lead to a red envelope group… Oh crap, it really did!”
“I’m in too!”
Instinctively, I took out my phone and ticket.
My mom beat me to it and said happily, “Hurry, son! Listening to you and taking this trip seems to have paid off. We’re so lucky!”
“K104-11” The moment I scanned the code, I entered a WhatsApp group.
This was the group name.
The number of group members quickly increased, soon surpassing a hundred.
Messages in the group refreshed rapidly, and everyone’s name was a code based on their seat number.
I glanced at my group nickname: 11G02.
I immediately understood this corresponded to the carriage and seat number.
Just as I was about to join the conversation, the K104-11” group was suddenly muted!
An anonymous person with a dark profile picture started to speak after the mute was initiated— Anonymous: “Dear friends, this train has 12 carriages, with 10 passenger carriages.
This is carriage No.11.
Currently, 129 people have joined the group, and entry is now closed!
Before the first round of the red envelope game, please pay attention to the following rules:
[1. Anyone who receives a red envelope must accept the rules and complete the task assigned by the random selection.]
[2. The red envelopes cannot be transferred or withdrawn. They can only be used during this train journey. You can use them to buy food, drinks, or souvenirs from the attendant, or you can go to the dining carriage, No. 2 carriage, during its open hours.]
[3. Please note, only goods provided by blue-uniformed attendants are safe. If you see attendants in other colored uniforms, do not contact, talk to, or buy anything from them!]
[4. This is a non-smoking train. Anyone caught smoking in the carriages must be stopped. If you must smoke, you can do so in the restroom between carriages, but do not look outside while smoking!]
[5. The sales cart does not offer braised meat or mineral water!]
[6. If you see garbage in the train, pretend not to see it. Attendants will handle it.]
“Stop babbling, just send the red envelopes already!” The impatient guy in front of me shouted again.
I turned to see my mom, eager and ready.
A chill ran down my spine, an ominous sense of déjà vu creeping in; the rules felt eerily familiar, like a forgotten nightmare.
Suddenly, the sound of fingers frantically tapping on phone screens filled the carriage!
An enticing red envelope was posted in the group by the anonymous personae!
“I missed it!” I heard my mom shout in disappointment.
The hundred red envelopes were snatched up in seconds.
Because I was momentarily distracted, I didn’t get one either.
I didn’t feel too disappointed, but an unsettling feeling lingered, as if something much darker was lurking just beneath the surface.
After all, I brought my mom on this trip to relax, and I didn’t want such a small thing to ruin our mood.
At this moment, the anonymous in the group broke the tense silence—” Congratulations to 11T05 for becoming the Lucky King! According to the rules, please complete a task now!” Everyone instinctively looked in one direction.
I turned my head to look as well.
Towards the back, a young man sitting by the window raised his hand excitedly and shouted, “It’s me! It’s me!”
Anonymous:”11T05, please quietly ask 11K02 the color of her underwear today! Remember, completing the task will earn a reward, but failing or refusing will result in punishment!”
Boom! The entire carriage burst into laughter.
A young girl in a pink wool coat turned red and cursed angrily,” What a disgusting game! You perverts! Stop this madness!”
“Go ask! Go ask!”
“Hey young man, don’t be shy!”
“If you find out, let us know!” Everyone was egging him on.
The guy in seat T05 looked embarrassed and rubbed his hands nervously.
After a while, he finally gritted his teeth, left his seat, and walked toward row K, about ten meters away.
He stood awkwardly beside the girl in seat K02.
People kept urging,
”Ask already!”
“Hahaha, this is hardly asking quietly!”
“Come on, are you going to do it or not? If not, let me do it!”
“I…,” T05 hesitated, then squatted down, almost kneeling, and whispered, ”Miss, please tell me quietly.
I promise I won’t tell anyone!”
K02 turned her head away, ignoring him.
T05, anxious, scratched his head and swore, “If I tell anyone, may I die a horrible death! Is that okay?”
K02, her face red, was obviously unwilling.
However, the entire carriage was egging him on.
K02 remained silent for a full minute.
Suddenly, she took a deep breath, her eyes flickering, and said,”Alright, come closer..,”
T05, overjoyed, leaned in, tilting his head to listen.
K02 leaned close to his ear, her face flushed, and whispered two words.
No one else could hear.
“She said it! She said it!”
“Young man, tell us, what’s the color?”
“Don’t keep it to yourself!”
T05 shook his head repeatedly and quickly returned to his seat, saying, “I can’t tell! I promised her!”
Suddenly, a large suitcase on the overhead luggage rack, perhaps too big to fit entirely, slid out with the train’s movement and fell!
With a loud thud, it hit T05 on the head!
The large and heavy suitcase hit him again on the back of his head as he fell to the floor.
T05 managed to let out a scream before his body stiffened! A pool of blood slowly spread out.
02
Buzz buzz buzz— Everyone’s phones vibrated.
In the group, the anonymous person posted a message: “Unfortunately, 11T05 failed to complete the task and was punished!” Everyone was stunned.
“This, this is the punishment?”
“Punishment means death?!”
“What kind of red envelope game is this? It’s a death game!”
“No, he did go ask!” Suddenly, the girl in seat K02 burst into tears, “I, I lied to him, told him the wrong color..,”
”I want to get off! I want to get off!”
“I’m not staying on this train!”
“Someone helps! Someone died, don’t you see? Where are the attendants?” The carriage was in chaos, filled with shouting.
Everyone realized the rules in the group were real! And behind these rules lurked terrifying danger—death!
Click, click, click…
The sound of high heels tapping on the floor echoed.
From the end of the carriage, a small cart appeared, followed by a female attendant.
She had a good figure and wore a bright red uniform.
We sat relatively close to the front.
My mom immediately raised her hand to call the attendant, to inform her someone had died.
A flash of lightning seemed to pass through my mind, and I reacted instantly, turning to cover my mom’s mouth.
Rule 3: Please note, only goods provided by blue-uniformed attendants are safe.
If you see attendants in other colored uniforms, do not contact, talk to, or buy anything from them!”
Rule 6: If you see garbage in the train, pretend not to see it.
Attendants will handle it!” —Do not contact or talk to attendants in red uniforms! More importantly, the face of this red-uniformed attendant looked eerie.
Her delicate makeup covered a lifeless face, especially those cold, dull eyes…
I could only stop my mom, but I couldn’t stop others.
Someone shouted at her, “What’s going on? Can’t you see someone’s dead?” She turned her head indifferently.
She opened the large plastic box on the cart, took out a red plastic lunchbox with her left hand and a red bottled water with her right, and asked, “Would you like to buy something? I have braised meat and mineral water available!”
“I—” The person she addressed fell silent.
Then she smiled stiffly, walked over to the dead T05, took out a large black garbage bag from under the cart, and quickly put T05 inside.
Then…
She stuffed it into the large plastic box! Buzz buzz buzz— My phone vibrated again.
03
”Dear passengers, the train will soon stop at the next station.
Passengers who need to get off, please take your luggage and disembark in an orderly manner.
Before that, let’s start the second round of the game!” —Anonymous.
“I’m not playing! Not playing anymore!”
“Who dares to play, life is more important than money!”
“No way I’m clicking the red envelope!”
“Why can’t I leave this group?” The carriage was in an uproar.
Anonymous: “The game for this round is…
the lucky roulette! The person selected by the roulette only needs to complete a specified task to get a chance to upgrade their seat to the No.12 sleeper carriage!”
A black roulette appeared in the group interface.
The edge of the roulette was marked with small letters and numbers, with a pointer in the center.
The roulette spun rapidly.
The carriage fell into a nearly suffocating minute—the roulette spun for one minute!
“Congratulations to 11N03!”
“Task: There is someone in this carriage wearing a gold ring that doesn’t belong to her.
Find the person and get the gold ring! You have 5 minutes!” …
A middle-aged man near the aisle stood up with a grim face, looking flustered.
“What does this mean?”
“A gold ring? Doesn’t belong to her… does that mean it’s stolen?”
“Who stole someone’s gold ring?”
“Nonsense, whoever stole it won’t admit it! But if someone stole it, someone must have lost it! Whoever lost a gold ring, check quickly.
Who did you come into contact with?”
“I don’t have a gold ring.
It’s none of my business..,”
…
N03, the middle-aged man, knelt down in the aisle, crying.
“Who took someone’s gold ring? Please, give it to me…
I don’t want to die…
I’ll pay! Yes, I’ll pay to buy it! Name your price!” He looked around frantically, shouting.
“A gold ring?” A wave of dizziness washed over me.
Vaguely, I seemed to remember something, but it wasn’t clear.
At this moment, I felt my arm being grabbed forcefully.
It was my mom.
She was trembling all over, clutching me tightly, whispering, “Tim, gold, gold ring..,”
Boom! My mind buzzed.
I remember now!
04
Three years ago.
On my way back from a trip, I picked up a gold ring and casually gave it to my mother when I got home.
Strangely, I only remember that I found the gold ring, but I completely forgot where I found it and how I picked it up.
At that time, my mother was still worried—
“Son, where exactly did you get that gold ring? I’m still a bit uneasy,”
“Mom, I told you, I found it,”
“I’m just worried that the owner will come looking for it,”
—This gold ring, at this very moment, is on my mother’s hand!
Indeed, it does not belong to my mother!
As for who it originally belonged to, I actually don’t know.
I can’t remember at all!
I started racking my brain, trying hard to recall.
However, when it came to this gold ring, my mind was a complete blank!
But then, a thought suddenly flashed in my mind, and I remembered something else.
I frantically searched through my phone’s message history.
Finally, I found a text message from three years ago!
On the day my mother asked me where the gold ring came from, I received this message:” Tim, congratulations, your resume has passed the National Railway Corporation’s review. We have advanced career concepts, an excellent working environment, and we will definitely train you to become an outstanding train conductor. —Anonymous,”
At that time, I thought to myself, I don’t even know how to open a train door, how could I be a train conductor?
After that, I didn’t take it seriously at all.
In the next three years, I searched for jobs but unfortunately didn’t succeed.
Later, following my mother’s suggestion, I went on a few blind dates, but those didn’t work out either.
I was very depressed, so I thought I might as well go out and relax, which led to this trip with my mother…
05
I swallowed hard, a growing sense of dread creeping through me like ice, and could only softly comfort my mother: ”Don’t be afraid, it’s okay,”
Although I said that, I still grabbed my mother’s hand.
With my other hand hidden under her palm, I quickly slipped the gold ring off and clenched it in my fist.
At this moment, the carriage was dead silent.
No one dared to speak.
Only 11N03 was in a state of panic.
Time passed by the minute and second, and finally, 11N03 couldn’t suppress his fear any longer.
He suddenly jumped up and grabbed the hand of the person next to him.
“Let me see if you have a gold ring!”
The person was startled and pushed him away.
He then went to check someone else…
My mother was even more terrified, huddling close to me.
“Son, we..,”
“We can’t give it!” I said in a low voice.
“Then, then will he…
also die?”
I took a deep breath: “If we give it, it might be you who dies!”
11N03 was forcibly checking each passenger’s hand for a gold ring.
One man almost fought with him.
He was nearly driven mad.
I could feel my mother’s breathing becoming erratic.
11N03 was now at the row behind us!
I made up my mind that if 11N03 did anything outrageous when he got to us, I’d rather fight him!
Buzz-buzz-buzz—
On my phone screen, in the group chat interface.
Anonymous: “Time’s up.
Unfortunately, 11N03, you failed to complete the task and will not have the chance to upgrade to the No.12 sleeper carriage!”
11N03 leaped up and shouted loudly: “I’m not going, I’m not going to the No.12 sleeper carriage! I’m fine sitting here!”
He quickly returned to his seat, holding his head with both hands, curling up into a ball.
However, Anonymous’s message continued: ”Congratulations to 11G02 for successfully avoiding the search! Now, you have the chance to upgrade to the No. 12 sleeper carriage!”
Damn!
I nearly let out a curse!
11G02, isn’t that me?!
And the gold ring is indeed in my hand at this moment!
Which means, if I hadn’t taken the gold ring from my mother’s hand and clenched it in my palm…
It would have been my mother being upgraded” to the No.12 sleeper carriage!
Who knows what horrors await in the No.12 sleeper carriage!
No!
Now that it’s me going, I will face unknown dangers and won’t be able to take care of my mother, who is still in the equally dangerous No.11 carriage…
The only thing that comforts me is that at least my mother doesn’t have to go…
My mind was in turmoil.
As for refusing to change carriages, I didn’t even have that thought.
Who knows if I’d become the next person to die if I refused!
Meanwhile, I felt the weight of over a hundred pairs of eyes bearing down on me!
Especially 11N03.
He jumped up, glaring at me fiercely: “You little bastard, you almost got me killed!”
If he weren’t afraid of dying like 11T05, I guess he would have rushed over to beat me up.
The passengers also started condemning me: “Yes, yes! He looks decent, but he actually steals things!”
“Who knows whose it is?”
“Where’s the owner?”
“It may not necessarily be a theft after getting on the train.
Maybe it was before…
Wait! No! Anonymous said ‘she,’ not ‘he’!”
Shush-shush-shush…
All eyes shifted again.
I immediately sensed something wrong.
However, before I could react, my mother stood up with her hand raised, crying and shouting: “The gold ring wasn’t stolen by my son! My son picked it up three years ago, and I’ve been wearing it since then.
He just took it off me.”
Buzz-buzz-buzz—
Anonymous:”11G02, please proceed to the No.12 sleeper carriage before the train reaches the next station. Your berth is No.29!”
06
I picked up my luggage, a canvas bag, and left my seat under everyone’s gaze and my mother’s cries.
I walked towards the rear of the carriage.
As I passed 11N03, he glared at me viciously.
I crossed the connectors between two carriages and entered the last carriage of this train, the No.12 sleeper carriage.
The No.12 sleeper carriage is arranged with berths in an upper and lower layout, probably around fifty or sixty berths.
When I walked in, I saw everyone in the carriage looking at me with strange eyes.
My heart started pounding like a drum, echoing the fear gripping my mind.
What happened in the No.12 sleeper carriage?
I walked to berth No.29, a lower berth.
I put my luggage at the head of the bed and sat down, checking my phone.
I was no longer in the “K104-11” group.
Instead, I had entered a group called “K104-12,”
The group had 37 members.
There was a new message in this new group—
“Let’s welcome the new owner of berth No.29!” —Anonymous!
At this time, the train was braking.
I glanced out the window; it was pitch dark.
At the same time, I received a voice message from my mother on WhatsApp.
“Tim! That person is dead! 11N03! He’s dead!”
My mother’s messages came continuously: “The group just said the train is about to stop, and those who need to get off can do so, but those who received red envelopes and participated in tasks cannot get off. He went crazy and rushed to the door, then, with a flash of red light, he was dead!”
“It just flashed, and he was dead!”
The screeching sound of the train braking pierced my ears.
I urgently sent a voice message to my mother: “Mom! The train has stopped! Get off quickly! You didn’t receive any red envelopes, and you didn’t participate in any tasks.
I’m the one who participated! You can get off!”
“Hurry and get off!”
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll take care of myself! You get off now!”
…
I saw a blue-uniformed attendant appearing in the connector between carriages.
The sound of the train door opening came soon after.
Around ten people in the No.12 sleeper carriage, carrying their already packed luggage, rushed to the door eagerly.
Get off!
07
I quickly opened the group chat for the No.12 sleeper carriage, and sure enough, there was a message!
Anonymous: ”The train will stop at this station for 1 minute.
Passengers in this carriage who did not receive red envelopes and did not participate in tasks can get off!”
“If you don’t have the qualification to get off, don’t move, or you’ll die!”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bright red light.
It was the light!
A passenger at the door of the No.12 sleeper carriage, trying to get off, turned into a pile of fragments in a flash of red light!
08
Everyone left in the No.12 sleeper carriage quickly shrank into their blankets.
I almost reflexively laid down, pulled the blanket over myself, and covered up!
As I lay there, covered by the blanket, my mind suddenly exploded!
A massive amount of memories flooded back!
The gold ring!
Garbage!
Garbage bag!
Rules!
Braised meat!
Chicken feet!
Blue uniform, red uniform!
…
And, Chris!
My classmate, Chris!
Train conductor Chris!
And, the K104 I had taken twice before, this being the third time!
All the memories suddenly came back!
They rushed into my mind!
I remembered everything!
“I can’t get off the train!”
I sat up immediately, preparing to rush to the No.11 carriage to stop my mother from getting off!
However, it was too late!
The train, stopping for only 1 minute, had already restarted!
I saw a red-uniformed attendant at the door of the No.12 sleeper carriage, cleaning up the ”garbage” on the floor with a large black garbage bag…
I kept sending messages to my mother on my phone.
All were like stones sinking into the sea, without any response!
“…
Unfortunately, out of greed, I took something from the train, which led to an anonymous message three years later, telling me that I must bring someone on board as my substitute, or I would disappear from this world forever!
I was terrified and unsettled.
In the end, I thought of you..,”
—This was what Chris finally told me three years ago.
I felt as if my brain and heart were being torn apart.
So, that gold ring caused me to bring someone on board three years later?
And unconsciously, the person I brought on this K104 was my mother?
Three years ago, as a K104 attendant, why did I have a greed for that gold ring?
I am clearly not a greedy person!
At this moment, the gold ring was in my hand.
Because I was gripping it too tightly, my palm hurt.
09
My brain was working at the limit.
I started to recall and think hard.
First, at the end of my second K104 journey, Chris told me that K104 had disappeared 12 years ago—from this moment.
According to limited data, K104 entered a mist 12 years ago and vanished.
Nine years ago, Chris got on the K104 by mistake.
He survived by strictly following the anonymous instructions but needed to board again six years later with a substitute due to his”greed,”
That person was me.
Three years ago, after boarding the K104 again, I became an attendant, and he was already the train conductor.
In the end, he saved me.
He said that all passengers breaking the rules on the K104 would be killed, their bodies absorbed! The living beings influenced by the train’s rules would consume the blood of the deceased and turn their corpses into special braised meat…
He wanted to destroy the K104!
But obviously, he didn’t succeed.
Secondly, this K104 journey was clearly very different from my previous two!
The rules had changed!
The train’s departure time had also been moved up!
The horror incidents on the train didn’t occur at a stop in the freezing area at midnight…
Wait!
Stop! Freezing area…
Buzz-buzz-buzz—
Anonymous:
[1. This train will enter a region of extreme cold in 10 minutes. Please do not leave your berth… During this period, please try to sleep; or at least pretend to be asleep.]
[2. When an attendant pushes the sales cart past, you can use the money from the red envelope to buy food, drinks, or souvenirs!
Note that the sales cart does not offer braised meat or mineral water! The attendant will only wear a blue uniform.
If you see an attendant in a red uniform, do not make eye contact, approach, or communicate with them.]
[3. This train is a non-smoking train.
No one is allowed to smoke inside the carriages.
If you see someone smoking, please stop them immediately.
If you really need to smoke, you can go to the restroom before the cold arrives, but during the smoking process, do not look outside the train!]
[4. If you see garbage in the train, pretend not to notice it.
It will be dealt with by the attendants.]
[5.The countdown begins!]
At this moment, I felt my heartbeat reach an unprecedented speed.
It was like it was going to burst through my lungs, explode them, and jump out of my throat!
These rules, finally, were very similar to those I had seen before!
Instinctively, I yanked the blanket over my entire body, including my head, trying to shield myself from whatever was out there.
At the same time, I heard almost the same sound from others.
I hid under the blanket, staring at my phone screen, forcing myself to calm my breathing, while straining my ears to listen to the outside sounds.
Time passed second by second.
“Mom—”
“Mom—”
In the No.12 sleeper carriage, a child’s cry suddenly echoed.
The voice was very young, probably at most six or seven years old, a little girl.
She cried and stumbled as she walked—I could hear her delicate footsteps echo ominously through the carriage.
I heard her stop in front of a berth.
Then, a muffled, angry male voice came from under the blanket, ”Damn it, get lost! I’m not your mother!”
The little girl moved again and stopped in front of another berth.
“Go away! Go, go, go!”
Her footsteps got closer.
I pressed the blanket tightly.
I felt it! She had come to my berth.
“Mom,”
The little girl called softly.
I could even hear her sniffing.
“Smells like mom,”
Damn it!
