"Wait!"
A sharp voice cut through the chaos—all eyes snapped toward it.
A woman in a deep blue uniform stepped forward—Mo Lan, the train's conductor.
The hostage girl's eyes lit with hope, tears streaming.
"Conductor—save me! I don't want to die…"
"Don't be afraid," Mo Lan's voice was steady as steel.
She stared down Wang Zai, fearless.
"I'm this train's conductor. State your demands—I'll meet them. Just don't harm the hostage!"
Beside her, the Security Captain's face turned ashen.
He knew her secret—her father was Mo Wu, Tian Dou City's Governor and Federal Councilor.
If she were captured… the consequences would be catastrophic.
"Conductor—this is too dangerous!" he hissed, reaching for her sleeve.
Mo Lan shook him off.
She'd already sent a distress signal—but rescue could take hours.
She had to buy time.
"Oh?"
Wang Zai's voice perked with twisted delight.
"You're the conductor? How… interesting…!"
"Yes," Mo Lan confirmed, scanning the terrified passengers. "Why attack this train? What do you want?"
"Hmm… let me think…"
Wang Zai tilted his head, striking a theatrical pose.
His voice softened to childlike innocence—yet dripped with dread:
"Why did I attack this train again?"
The carriage froze—silence so thick it choked.
Then—CLAP!
He clapped his hands, voice booming with manic glee:
"TO HOLD A CONCERT!"
"A… concert?" Mo Lan's brow furrowed—this madness defied logic.
Passengers exchanged bewildered glances.
"EXACTLY!"
Wang Zai spread his arms wide, as if embracing an invisible stage.
"We need an audience! A stage! And…"
His voice dropped to a guttural whisper:
"…a blood sacrifice."
Mo Lan's pupils shrank to pinpricks—she finally saw their true insanity.
But before she could react—Wang Zai bellowed:
"WHERE'S MY APPLAUSE?! WHERE ARE THE SCREAMS?!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
His henchmen opened fire, rifles blazing into the crowd.
They used hostages as human shields, bullets ripping through flesh,
blood splattering windows, soaking pristine curtains.
Screams. Sobs. The stench of iron.
The carriage became hell incarnate.
Mo Lan was tackled to the floor by the Security Captain—helpless as innocents bled out.
Her nails dug into her palms—no pain registered.
"Stop them… at any cost!"
"HEHEHE! NOW THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT!"
Wang Zai spread his arms, drunk on screams.
His eyes—visible through the mask—glowed crimson with madness.
"Conductor…" the Captain's voice trembled.
Mo Lan's eyes blazed with resolve. "Open fire! I'll take full responsibility!"
"ENGAGE!" he roared.
Security unleashed a hail of bullets.
"HEHEHE—FINALLY! AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION!" Wang Zai cackled.
Mo Lan drew her pistol—shot him point-blank.
CLICK.
Nothing.
"What…? Impossible!" she gasped.
His henchmen shook off bullets like rain.
Security fell—throats slit, chests blown open.
"Did you think I didn't know you were stalling?" Wang Zai sneered.
"My soul-guided array blocks all signals. No help is coming."
His six rings flared—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black.
"I am Bloodfeast—the Six-Ring Soul Emperor! WHO DARES KILL ME?! WHO CAN?!"
Despair drowned the carriage…
"Oh? Really?"
A voice—calm, icy—cut through the hysteria.
Fang Yang and Gu Yue stepped into the carnage.
"You two?" Wang Zai's mask tilted, voice dripping with mockery.
"Think you can stop me?"
"Try me," Fang Yang said coldly.
He turned to Gu Yue. "Cover me."
"Mm," she nodded—silver light shimmering around her.
Fang Yang's right hand clenched—Black Flame erupted, warping space itself.
"Th-this…?!"
Wang Zai staggered back—for the first time, he smelled death.
"KILL THEM!" he screamed, panic cracking his voice.
His henchmen lunged, Spirits flaring.
"Stay safe," Fang Yang murmured to Gu Yue—eyes locked on Wang Zai.
"You too," Gu Yue whispered, silver barriers flaring to block attackers.
Fang Yang's blood surged—his second purple ring blazed!
"Second Soul Skill: Annihilation Collapse!"
He shot forward, fist wreathed in Black Flame.
Wang Zai howled, summoning his martial soul:
Bloodbone Soul-Devouring Scythe—a bone-white blade dripping dark-red mist, grooved with blood channels.
Absorbed blood to empower itself. "Soul-Devour" effect—shattered spiritual defenses.
"First Soul Skill: Blood Mist Permeation!"
He swung the scythe—corrosive crimson mist flooded the carriage, melting flesh, boiling blood.
But Fang Yang's spiritual sense pierced the fog.
His Black Flame carved a path through the haze.
"NO!"
Wang Zai panicked, unleashing his second skill: "Second Soul Skill: Bone Chain Bind!"
CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!
Blood-caked bone chains lashed from the scythe, snapping toward Fang Yang…
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