Chapter 158: Matsumoto Meumi
At that moment, the bullet screen exploded with cries of despair.
"It’s over!"
"The dungeon is playing the family card now. Who could possibly resist that?"
"If my sister suddenly appeared and told me Shen Yu was safe inside, I wouldn’t go out either!"
"This is hopeless!"
The viewers were nearly driven to despair.
The situation was simply too cruel.
The dungeon had already discovered their greatest weakness.
Fear could be overcome.
Logic could be questioned.
But when someone they loved appeared before them and promised that everything would be fine if they simply stayed inside for one more day...
Who would willingly walk into danger?
The live-stream room of Iron Tower Country had also fallen into chaos.
"Damn it!"
"Is Meilin’s ability going to fail this time?"
"No way!"
"Believe in the power of an SSS-rank talent!"
"Didn’t Meilin’s SSS-rank talent just activate? She went to the station because she likes Shen Yu, got trapped by the memory train, and now she’s here. Do you really think she’ll turn back?"
"Shen Yu is terrifyingly strong. If he can get through this, Meilin should be able to as well!"
"I knew it. Shen Yu isn’t ordinary!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At the front of the dusk train, Meilin’s mother repeatedly pounded on the door.
"Open up!"
"Hurry and open the door!"
"Can’t you hear me? There are zombies outside!"
Meanwhile, the back compartment door shook violently.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Bill stood firmly behind it, refusing to open it.
"Don’t think I’ll open the door for you."
"No way."
"Open the door!"
Boom! Boom!
The hulking woman outside began kicking the door with all her strength.
Her enormous shoes slammed against the metal, but the door didn’t move an inch.
Then—
Beep.
The electronic announcement sounded again.
[The departure time of the Dusk Train has been adjusted.]
[Remaining time: 170 minutes.]
Bill’s expression twisted.
"Damn it."
"What kind of ridiculous announcement is this?"
"One minute it’s ninety minutes, the next it’s one hundred and seventy."
"This system is completely brainless."
He cursed under his breath before ignoring the people outside and leaning against the door, preparing to sleep.
But he didn’t notice the strange cracks spreading across his skin.
Crack.
A faint pink petal emerged from beneath his skin.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds, pink cherry blossoms began bursting from the cracks in his body.
The petals drifted onto the floor.
Slowly, they gathered.
They intertwined.
They formed the outline of a woman’s body.
Then—
Whoosh!
The cherry blossoms condensed completely.
A woman wearing a beautiful kimono stepped out from the petals.
It was none other than—
Matsumoto Meumi.
The participant who had supposedly died during the first level.
When Matsumoto Meumi died, Cherry Blossom Country hadn’t immediately triggered the memory train.
Everyone had assumed she was still alive.
No one had expected that she had actually resurrected by using Bill as her host.
Matsumoto Meumi stretched lazily and glanced at Bill.
"Damn, handsome boy."
"Why are you so selfish?"
"Can’t you go outside for a while?"
"Because of you, I’m about to be exposed."
Bill stared at her in shock.
"Who the hell are you?"
Matsumoto Meumi ignored him.
Her expression became slightly annoyed.
[S-Rank Talent: Rebirth]
[Within an instance, the user may avoid true death once.]
[After death, the user may store their soul within a living target.]
[The user may resurrect at any chosen moment, provided the host remains alive.]
[While in soul form, the user is immune to all external effects.]
Matsumoto Meumi sighed.
"Useless."
"I thought you were the strongest one here."
"So I figured hiding inside you would let me survive until the final level."
She clicked her tongue.
"Who would’ve thought you’d become useless at the fourth level?"
"If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve hidden inside Shen Yu."
"That kid isn’t bad."
"If I had followed him, wouldn’t I have hit the jackpot?"
Neither the people outside nor the remaining participants inside the train noticed Matsumoto Meumi’s appearance.
She didn’t hesitate any longer.
Thud!
She kicked Bill aside.
Bill stumbled backward.
Matsumoto Meumi opened the compartment door and walked straight into the blood-red mist.
"Hey!"
Bill shouted after her.
"Who are you?"
"Are there any living people inside?"
"Don’t go over there!"
"There are zombies!"
Matsumoto Meumi didn’t even turn around.
Her kimono fluttered in the mist as she continued forward.
"Whether there are zombies or not..."
"Won’t I know after taking a look myself?"
Her figure gradually disappeared into the red fog.
Bill stared after her in confusion.
At the same time, the previously silent comments from Cherry Blossom Country finally exploded inside the United Nations live broadcast room.
"I thought Matsumoto Kika could hide until the end!"
"I didn’t expect Bill to be this stupid."
"If Matsumoto Kika hadn’t come out now, she would’ve been exposed sooner or later."
"The fourth level is still possible!"
"Let Matsumoto Kika follow Shen Yu!"
"That kid might actually clear this level!"
"If only we had known earlier, we should have let Matsumoto Meumi possess Anlin."
As the comments from Cherry Blossom Country flooded the screen, viewers from the other countries also erupted.
"Damn! They’re playing dirty!"
"They’ve just been hiding this entire time!"
"I knew something was wrong!"
"If they keep hiding like this, Shen Yu and Matsumoto Kika might become the first people to clear the level!"
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Inside the waiting hall, the sound of wooden sandals echoed through the empty station.
Shen Yu sat with Sandy on his lap.
His eyes immediately turned toward the entrance.
A woman slowly emerged from the blood-red mist.
Her kimono fluttered around her body.
Her hips swayed as she walked.
A playful smile appeared on her face.
It was Matsumoto Kika.
"Yo, yo, yo."
"I really didn’t expect Shen Yu from Dragon Country to become the biggest contributor to this instance."
She approached him with a teasing smile.
"I wonder if I can hold onto your remaining leg."
Her kimono shifted slightly as she casually tapped the ticket machine before walking toward him.
Shen Yu’s expression immediately became guarded.
"You?"
"Who are you?"
"One of those headband participants?"
"You should also be part of this trial, right?"
"I don’t remember seeing you before."
He studied her carefully.
"Is this your ability?"
Matsumoto Kika smiled.
Before Shen Yu could say anything else, Sandy suddenly glared at her.
Then she spread her legs and firmly sat on Shen Yu’s lap.
The message was obvious.
This is my man. Don’t touch him.
Matsumoto Kika raised an eyebrow.
"Wow."
"Even after losing your memories, your instincts are still incredibly sharp."
She laughed softly.
"Anlin, why don’t we cooperate from here?"
"If you can help me survive, perhaps we can form a friendly exchange afterward."
She tilted her head.
"What do you think?"
"You’re handsome, I’m charming."
"Maybe we’re a perfect match."
She deliberately leaned closer.
Shen Yu frowned.
He had no memory of Matsumoto Kika.
He didn’t know who she was.
So he simply remained cautious.
"Let’s wait until everyone gets here before discussing anything."
"Everyone?"
Matsumoto Kika glanced around.
"Who else is here?"
"It looks like it’s just the two of us."
As she spoke, her hand slowly reached toward Shen Yu’s thigh.
Slap!
Sandy immediately slapped her hand away.
Matsumoto Kika wasn’t angry.
Instead, she giggled.
"Oh?"
"How possessive."
Sandy narrowed her eyes.
Matsumoto Kika merely smiled.
At the same time, Bill finally recovered from being kicked aside.
He stared in shock at the open compartment door.
"What the hell?"
He limped toward the doorway, intending to close it.
But before he could—
Boom!
Meilin’s mother kicked him squarely in the chest.
Bill flew backward and slammed into the opposite compartment door.
His head struck the metal, and blood immediately began flowing.
His eyes widened.
"Y-You..."
"How can you be here?"
Meilin’s mother didn’t care.
"Son, get inside!"
With her enormous strength, she grabbed Menlo and dragged him toward the pink compartment.
"Sister, let’s go too."
Mei grabbed Meilin’s arm, trying to pull her inside.
But Meilin suddenly stopped.
She stood motionless in the blood-red mist.
Her gaze remained fixed toward the distant waiting hall.
Then, without warning—
"Go inside."
She pushed Mei backward.
Clang!
The compartment door slammed shut.
"Meilin!"
Mei cried from inside.
"Sister!"
Meilin ignored her.
She stared into the red mist.
"Menlo, take care of my sister."
"I still need to find Shen Yu."
"Sister!"
"Don’t leave me!"
The cries continued behind the closed door.
Meilin didn’t turn back.
She took a step into the mist.
"I’m sorry."
"I’m sorry, sister."
"But compared with your safety..."
Her expression became complicated.
"I still care about Shen Yu more."
"If I don’t see him..."
"I won’t be able to let it go."
The viewers watching the scene were stunned.
"Wait a second."
"She just abandoned her own sister because of Shen Yu?"
"I’ve seen this plot before."
"Usually it’s a female succubus making a family turn against each other."
"Why is it happening in reverse?"
"Is the dungeon using a male succubus to tempt the female characters?"
Another viewer suddenly raised a more important point.
"Have you noticed something?"
"It’s always Shen Yu who saves Meilin when she’s in danger."
"The headband."
"The compartment door."
"Now the station."
"Is this attraction?"
"Or just luck?"
No one could give an answer.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Meilin hurried through the blood-red mist.
The closer she got to the station, the stronger the smell of blood became.
A nauseating metallic odor filled the air.
Then—
Grrrrrr...
The terrifying growls of zombies echoed from inside the station.
Distant gunshots followed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Every instinct told her to turn around.
To run.
But Meilin tightened her fists.
One hand unconsciously touched her abdomen.
She remembered Shen Yu’s words.
He wanted to uncover the truth.
If he had gone inside...
Then she had to follow him.
Meilin took a deep breath.
Then—
Tap.
She stepped into the waiting hall.
Suddenly, another figure rushed toward her.
"Meilin!"
"Hurry!"
"Go back!"
"Quickly!"
A large hand grabbed her arm.
Meilin looked up.
Shen Yu stood before her.
His expression was filled with concern.
"Are you okay?"
"Why did you come here?"
Meilin’s face immediately lit up.
"Shen Yu..."
"I’m fine."
"I found a chance to get out."
She smiled.
"I’ll stay with you."
"Just one day."
"We only need to survive one day."
"The Self-Defense Forces will arrive."
Meilin frowned.
He kept repeating the same thing.
One day.
Just one more day.
Stay inside.
Wait for the Self-Defense Forces.
Something about it felt wrong.
Then Meilin suddenly froze.
"Wait."
"Did you see a girl in a kimono?"
Shen Yu hesitated.
"Her?"
"She’s dead."
"She died in the zombie horde."
"Stop talking nonsense."
"Come back with me first."
Shen Yu tried pulling her away.
But Meilin suddenly stopped.
Her eyes sharpened.
"You reached the security room."
"So you must have seen my parents."
"You came back alone."
"You didn’t bring them with you."
Shen Yu froze.
A trace of guilt appeared in his expression.
"I..."
"I didn’t think about it at the time."
"Besides, the security room was safe."
"They should be able to hold out for one day."
Meilin stared at him.
"No."
Her voice was quiet.
"The Shen Yu I remember isn’t like this."
She slowly lifted her coat.
Her abdomen was covered with old scars.
Knife wounds.
One after another.
The sight made Shen Yu’s expression change.
He instinctively reached toward the scars.
But before his fingers could touch her skin—
Slap!
Meilin knocked his hand away.
Her expression became even stranger.