Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 9 - 8: Lucky Star

Li Banfeng stepped forward and yanked the box directly off the uniformed man’s shoulder, causing him to stagger.

The uniformed man said in astonishment, "What do you think you’re doing?"

"What do you think *you’re* doing?" Li Banfeng countered. "In broad daylight, are you openly robbing her?"

The uniformed man frowned. "I’m a station staff member. She’s engaged in illegal vending, and I’m just doing my job by the rules!"

"What illegal vending?" Li Banfeng looked at the old lady. "She’s my Second Aunt, seeing me off on the train and bringing me a box of instant noodles. Is that a problem?"

The uniformed man was speechless for a moment. Li Banfeng turned back to the old lady. "Second Aunt, this is far enough. I’ll be boarding the train soon."

While speaking, Li Banfeng secretly slipped a hundred-yuan note into the old lady’s hand.

The old lady looked at Li Banfeng and didn’t say anything for a long time.

HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!

Li Banfeng followed the tracks with his eyes to the end of his line of sight.

He first saw white smoke.

To be accurate, it wasn’t smoke; it was white steam.

The steam was mixed with billowing black fumes—that was the real smoke, soot produced from burning coal.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

It was the unique mechanical collision sound of a crankshaft and connecting rod.

WHOOO~~~

The genuine sound of a steam-powered whistle!

Li Banfeng’s jaw dropped.

The deep black locomotive, belching steam, gradually slowed and entered the platform.

The green carriages opened one by one, and conductors set down boarding ladders.

Carrying a box of instant noodles, Li Banfeng walked towards Carriage Seven.

At the platform entrance, Xiao Zhenggong and Light Bulb silently watched Li Banfeng’s figure as he was about to board the train.

"Light Bulb, take action!" Xiao Zhenggong ordered.

Light Bulb shivered. He hadn’t expected Chief Xiao to be there in person and yet not take action himself.

Actually, Xiao Zhenggong had considered taking action himself, but then he saw the old lady on the platform—the one selling instant noodles.

The old lady kept her gaze fixed on Li Banfeng, which made Xiao Zhenggong very fearful.

He knew the old lady’s identity. If she had any connection with Li Banfeng, then taking action against Li Banfeng here would have severe consequences.

Yet, letting Li Banfeng go so easily was something Xiao Zhenggong couldn’t stomach.

"Eliminate the suspect immediately! This is the last chance!" Xiao Zhenggong issued the order again.

Upon hearing Xiao Zhenggong’s order, Light Bulb gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to rush towards the platform, someone grabbed him from behind.

When Light Bulb turned around, he saw that the person holding him back was Captain Chen.

Light Bulb quickly saluted. Pointing at Li Banfeng, who was about to board the train, Xiao Zhenggong told Captain Chen, "Captain Chen, Li Banfeng is escaping! He might be carrying important items. Now is the only chance to recapture him."

Old Chen nodded. He turned to Xiao Zhenggong and said, "You make a good point. You go. I’ll wait for you here."

Xiao Zhenggong’s cheeks twitched, but he didn’t move.

Light Bulb was surprised. He didn’t understand why Xiao Zhenggong refused to make a move.

Old Chen looked at Xiao Zhenggong and chuckled. "Are you afraid?"

Xiao Zhenggong didn’t argue. He was indeed afraid.

Light Bulb was even more puzzled.

Old Chen looked at the old lady on the platform. "Li Banfeng took something from Lucky Star; he’s bound to experience good luck three times. In front of Lucky Star, you’re telling Light Bulb to go after Li Banfeng? Isn’t that sending Light Bulb to his death?"

Those words completely baffled Light Bulb.

Light Bulb looked at Chief Xiao in astonishment. Chief Xiao wore a neutral expression, showing no sign of guilt. "I’m not certain that she is Lucky Star," he said, "and I’m not certain if Lucky Star has any connection with Li Banfeng."

Light Bulb turned pale. His impression of Chief Xiao had completely changed.

Chief Xiao continued, "The item in Li Banfeng’s hands is crucial. We cannot let him take it away. We must assume some risk for it!"

"And I’m supposed to shoulder that risk alone?" Light Bulb stared directly at Xiao Zhenggong.

Xiao Zhenggong spoke calmly, "This was your duty to begin with. You’re the one who lost Li Banfeng!"

Captain Chen patted Light Bulb on the back, soothing his emotions.

Once Light Bulb had calmed down, Captain Chen turned to Xiao Zhenggong. "Letting that thing go where it’s meant to go wouldn’t be so bad, would it?"

Xiao Zhenggong’s expression was icy. "Li Banfeng is not a Dark Energy User. Taking such an important item to Puluo State is tantamount to suicide for him. It would be better to... now."

"I’ll say it again: if you want to go, then go." Captain Chen’s smile didn’t falter. "Didn’t you just say you wanted to eliminate him? Go ahead. I won’t stop you!"

Xiao Zhenggong remained silent. He wouldn’t risk his life to provoke Lucky Star.

Old Chen gazed at Li Banfeng’s retreating figure, muttering to himself:

WHOO! WHOO!

The steam whistle sounded again, as if urging passengers to board quickly.

Li Banfeng reached the door of the green-painted carriage. The conductor checked his ticket, punched a notch in it with a pair of clippers, and let him board.

Entering the narrow corridor of the carriage, Li Banfeng found his seat: number seven.

Li Banfeng pushed open door number seven.

Behind the door was a small room.

Inside the room was a long bench seat, common on green-painted trains. But in Li Banfeng’s memory, such seats usually came in pairs; here, there was only one.

In front of the seat was a small dining table, also standard on these trains, which Li Banfeng recognized.

Beside the dining table was the window. It had handles and latches in the two lower corners for opening. Li Banfeng was about to open the window for some air when he noticed two more doors in the small room.

Li Banfeng pushed open one of the doors, and a familiar smell wafted out.

It was a toilet. Looking down through the bowl, one could see the tracks directly.

Next to the toilet was a washbasin.

Li Banfeng turned and pushed open the other door. Inside was another small room—more accurately, a sleeping berth, as it contained only a bed.

Worried he was in the wrong place, Li Banfeng was about to go out and ask when the broadcast in the ’living room’ crackled to life:

"Dear passengers, welcome aboard Train 1160. Passengers already on board, please refrain from moving about. For those traveling on this train for the first time, please close your curtains, do not look out the window, and remember, do not open the window.

"The train staff are only responsible for checking tickets upon boarding and announcing station arrivals. They will not disturb passengers at other times. Unless absolutely necessary, please do not allow strangers into your compartment.

"We wish you a pleasant journey."

BZZT!

The broadcast stopped. Li Banfeng was puzzled by some of the strange rules, like why he couldn’t open the window or why he had to close the curtains.

His phone vibrated. Li Banfeng received a message from He Jiaqing.

"Brother, whatever you do, follow the rules on the train."

PS: Thank you to Alliance Hierarch Nyasia for the top sponsorship, for supporting me all the way since bestowing upon me the name of a god!