Apocalypse Star House Hoarding-Chapter 306

Notification: Golden Team Ticket scan approved. Welcome to the Golden Train waiting area.
Notification: Please check your phone for boarding updates and wait in the designated area.
As soon as Yu Xi and her group stepped through the doorway into the departure hall’s first floor, enveloped by a faint red glow, they felt momentarily disoriented.
Just one door separated them, yet the change in their surroundings made it feel as if they had entered an entirely different world.
Having experienced so many stations, they were accustomed to the usual train stations—whether in the departure or arrival halls, they were always the same: old, dilapidated, flickering yellow lights, grimy walls, cracked floors, and a pervasive stench of decay that made one physically uncomfortable.
But the waiting hall before them was bright, clean, luxurious, and refined.
The arched ceiling was adorned with rows of exquisite crystal chandeliers, casting a carefully designed illumination that made the space well-lit without being glaring.
The black marble floors gleamed with a mirror-like finish, while the sunken lounge area, featuring wooden floors, was furnished with stylish dining tables. There were massage chairs, chaise lounges, and even booths equipped with board games and entertainment options.
Against the left wall stood rows of crystal-glass dining tables and cabinets filled with an array of beverages, alcohol, and snacks.
On the glass dining tables, steaming hot buffet dishes were neatly arranged, exuding an enticing aroma. There were Western-style fast foods like pizza, roasted chicken wings, fried calamari, sandwiches, and burgers, alongside desserts such as cakes, puddings, and ice cream. Sushi options included salmon, arctic surf clams, and red snapper sashimi. For those preferring Chinese cuisine, there were fried rice, tonkatsu, stir-fried noodles, soup noodles, and soup dumplings.
Soft, relaxing music played in the background, the temperature was perfectly regulated, and the air carried a light, refreshing fragrance. Every detail seemed meticulously crafted to perfection.
If not for the fact that there were no visible staff members, they might have thought they had suddenly returned to a real-world VIP lounge.
They had entered the hidden station early, possibly among the first batch of travelers, yet the waiting hall already had other occupants. Judging by their appearance, they seemed to belong to two separate teams, unfamiliar with each other, and had chosen to sit far apart in the sunken lounge area.
As Yu Xi’s group glanced at them, they, in turn, assessed Yu Xi’s team. From their expressions, it was clear they, too, were experiencing the Golden Train VIP waiting hall for the first time, sharing the same sense of surprise and unease.
This level of luxury, even in Yu Xi’s original world, would be considered an ultra-five-star VIP lounge—let alone in this world.
Compared to the stations below, the difference was simply too vast.
All travelers had become accustomed to eerie, dilapidated train stations and blood-soaked battlefields on the platforms. Being suddenly placed in such a setting instead evoked a sense of unease.
Of course, Yu Xi understood that this reaction likely stemmed from their inability to adapt.
After exchanging glances, they reasoned that since fighting was strictly prohibited in both the waiting area and the platform, it meant these zones were temporarily safe. They remained cautious but didn’t need to be overly tense. The world of the Endless Train operated by strict rules—any action within those rules was safe.
Thus, they chose a lounge area at a reasonable distance from the other two teams to rest. Ya Tong and Yu Zhenzhen went to fetch drinks and food from the tables and cabinets, while the three men scouted the waiting hall’s perimeter, looking for the platform entrance and checking for boarding updates.
Yu Xi, however, was asked to remain in the lounge. Since her senses were the sharpest, she could hear every conversation from the other teams, no matter how quietly they spoke.
Five or six minutes later, Ya Tong and Yu Zhenzhen returned first, ing that the food here was safe. They had even tried storing some of it in their inventory spaces, and it worked without issue.
However, since they had plenty of supplies from the previous station, they didn’t take much—only what suited their personal preferences—storing it away to avoid having to carry things by hand.
Moments later, the other three returned.
Lin Wu accepted the cold drink Yu Xi handed him, took a sip, and said, “The platform entrance is at the far end of the waiting hall. It looks no different from a standard platform entrance. Since it’s not yet time to board, the door remains closed, and we can’t see what’s on the other side. We didn’t try to force it open in case it violated the rules. The entire waiting hall has no windows—it’s a completely enclosed space.”
“Got it.” Yu Xi responded, though her expression suggested she had more to say.
Xing Min immediately noticed and, instead of speaking, communicated telepathically.
[What are you thinking?]
Yu Xi glanced up at him, then took out her phone and sent a message to their team chat:
“Something strange.”
Everyone received the message simultaneously and pulled out their phones to check.
Since the sunken lounge area was lower than the ground level, the other teams might hear them speak, but they wouldn’t see their hand movements.
Likewise, for those other teams to eavesdrop, they would need someone with Yu Xi’s extraordinary hearing. She chose to communicate through text as a precautionary habit.
Ya Tong: “What’s wrong? Did you overhear something?”
Yu Xi: “They’re not from ‘Devourer’s Domain.’”
Yu Xi: “The two teams came from different stations.”
Her fingers moved rapidly across the phone screen. The situation was complex, and it would take some time to explain in text.
One team consisted of nine people, the other of eight, all young and seemingly capable individuals. Both teams were composed of members who worked together rather than weaker ones relying on stronger ones for survival.
In this world, the latter type of team might function at first, but over time, it would inevitably lead to problems.
Precisely because these two teams were strong as a whole, they had managed to complete seven stations and unlock the “VIP Train Entrance.” However, obtaining the “Golden Team Ticket” hadn’t been so easy.
Some members of their teams had also activated Easter Egg fragments, though later than Yu Xi’s team. As a result, they had found fewer fragments. Still, their perception of the Golden Train aligned with Yu Xi’s.
It was through these memory fragments that they realized they had lost a crucial part of their memories—specifically, how they had entered the world of the Endless Train in the first place.
Although their memories remained incomplete, they had at least confirmed their goal: escaping this virtual world of the Endless Train and returning to reality.
Thus, this unique “Golden Team Ticket” became their greatest hope of going back.
However, obtaining this ticket had been far more difficult than expected. Even after unlocking the VIP Train Entrance, they had been unable to find clear clues, forced instead to piece things together step by step.
Afterward, they discovered that some clues related to the “Golden Team Ticket” could only be obtained at higher-level stations, so they prioritized choosing A-level and S-level stations.
Through this journey, both teams suffered casualties and faced countless dangers, traveling through multiple stations before finally obtaining this precious ticket.
Based on their assessment, the Golden Train must be heading to the final station of the Endless Train world.
Two things stood out to Yu Xi. First, before entering the VIP waiting hall, neither of the other two teams had come from “Devourer’s Domain.” One team was from “Snow Maiden’s Legend,” and the other from “Endless Abyss,” both S-level stations.
Since the teams had not communicated, they were unaware that they had come from different stations.
Three teams, arriving from three different hidden stations, now stood in the same VIP waiting hall. It was clear that the door covered in a faint red glow possessed some kind of spatial travel ability, allowing people from different stations to enter the same space.
Conversely, this also suggested that the VIP waiting hall might not be located within the hidden station of “Devourer’s Domain” but rather in a separate, special space.
The second point was that the two other teams were quite strong, yet they had to navigate multiple stations and endure heavy losses before barely obtaining a “Golden Team Ticket.” In contrast, Yu Xi’s team had acquired theirs far too easily.
They had only just unlocked the “VIP Train” access before arriving at “Devourer’s Domain.” It was at this very station that they received the ticket immediately—almost impossibly lucky.
Yu Xi: I don’t know if it’s because we got the ticket too easily, but it makes me feel uneasy.
Xi Yuan: It wasn’t that easy. If we hadn’t restarted the mechanical units at the time, we wouldn’t have survived that 30-minute battle. You would have been forced to redeem all the rewards just to make it through, and that likely would have prevented us from obtaining the hidden reward.
Lin Wu: From what you’ve described, restarting the mechanical units seems like a crucial factor. That could also explain why the station was downgraded from S to A afterward.
Yu Zhenzhen: Yeah, I think so too.
The group ate some food in the lounge and waited for more than half an hour, yet no boarding notification came. They frequently checked their phones, and the other two teams also seemed restless.
In a regular platform scenario, failing to board before the countdown ended meant being left behind permanently. Right now, the countdown on Yu Xi’s phone showed only fifteen minutes remaining.
They stood up again, rechecking the waiting hall and platform entrance for any overlooked clues, but found nothing.
Eventually, someone from one of the other teams, unable to contain their anxiety, spoke up and asked both Yu Xi’s team and the third team if they had received the same message instructing them to wait for a boarding notification.
Yu Xi nodded, and someone from the third team did as well. The questioning man’s anxiety eased slightly.
And so, they continued to wait.
When the station countdown ended, everyone tensed up, but nothing unusual happened. Instead, a new countdown appeared on their phone screens.
Golden Train boarding time remaining: 3 hours, 59 minutes, 54 seconds.
Three and a half hours later, the doors leading from the waiting hall to the platform finally opened. Unlike the bright and elegant waiting hall, the space beyond the doors was a long, fully glass-enclosed corridor.
Outside the glass corridor was complete darkness, but unlike the thick, oppressive blackness seen from inside the train, this darkness was speckled with twinkling starlight.
The corridor seemed to stretch through space itself.
There were moving walkways installed along the corridor, with glass handrails on either side. As soon as they stepped onto the track, it began to carry them forward. The initial speed was slow, but midway, it accelerated significantly, and they could feel the rush of wind.
After a short while, the speed slowed again as they reached the end of the corridor.
They stepped off the walkway and found themselves standing on a platform made entirely of glass. The platform wasn’t very large, and like the corridor, it was surrounded on all sides by transparent glass, including the tracks in front of them, creating an almost dreamlike effect.
Looking back at the corridor they had just traveled through, they saw the waiting hall at the far end. Against the backdrop of deep space and twinkling stars, it appeared as if it were floating in the cosmos.
Yu Zhenzhen couldn’t help but ask, “Is this really outer space?”
“Hard to say. It could be real, or it might just be a simulated projection embedded in the glass,” Yu Xi replied as she crouched down, pressing her hand against the floor. The surface was cold and solid—unmistakably glass.
Her offhand comment suddenly sparked a thought in Lin Wu. “Then what about the darkness we see through the train windows? Is it real, or just a projected illusion?”
“It’s real, right?” Yu Zhenzhen furrowed her brows, thinking it over. “Every time we disembark from the train, we can see the outside from the platform—it’s all pitch black.”
“But…” Yu Xi paused before continuing, “That’s only from the platform. Whenever the train departs, we’re inside the fully enclosed train cars, and the only view of the outside comes through the train’s glass windows…”
As she spoke, she suddenly noticed something.
On one side of the glass platform, a golden train was approaching.
Previously, whenever they arrived at a platform, the train had always been waiting there. This was the first time they had ever seen a train arriving in real time.
The Golden Train emerged from the star-speckled darkness as if it were floating in from the cosmos.
The entire platform was sealed shut. As they watched the train draw closer, they wondered how it would enter the station.
Then, they saw the front of the train press against the glass track barrier. The glass rippled like water, allowing the train to glide through seamlessly and come to a stop.
The Golden Train was long, but the platform was small, so only a few train cars entered the station, while the rest remained outside.
The cars that had arrived at the platform opened their doors simultaneously. Their phones gave no further notifications. After a brief moment of observation, they chose a random car and boarded.
Once inside, their phones still did not display any ticket verification messages, unlike on ordinary trains.
They took in their surroundings.
This appeared to be a tea lounge car. The interior was far more spacious than it looked from the outside—higher, larger, and wider. Rows of plush sofa seats and dining tables filled the space, and at one end stood an elegant bar counter. The walls were adorned with oversized glass windows in various artistic designs. The decor was incredibly lavish, completely unlike anything typically found inside a train.
At the moment, no other passengers were visible.
A young man dressed in a train attendant’s uniform stood inside the car, slightly bowing as he presented an ornate tray toward them.
“Welcome aboard the Golden Train, esteemed guests. You must be weary from your journey. Please have a drink and rest for a moment. Your personal concierge will arrive shortly.”
No one spoke. Each of them silently took a vividly colored drink from the tray and found a seat on one of the sofas.
The young attendant smiled and stepped back behind the bar counter. Yu Zhenzhen took a sip of her drink and commented, “It’s not alcohol, but it’s pretty good.”
Ya Tong glanced at Lin Wu. “What do you think?”
“If this train is heading to the final station, we can’t judge it by the same standards as the previous trains…”
Everyone had the same feeling. They had boarded countless trains, but this was the first time they had ever seen an attendant. The problem was, whether or not this attendant was actually human was uncertain…
In some ways, this felt even more unsettling than a train with no attendants at all.
They didn’t have to wait long before another man, wearing a uniform in a different color, appeared in the carriage. He wore white gloves and also carried a tray in his hands.
“Welcome, esteemed guests. Thank you for waiting. I am your exclusive train concierge for this journey—Number Seventeen. Please take a Golden Train navigation wristband. It contains information about your cabins and an introduction to the different functional areas of the train. If you need anything, you can call me through the wristband at any time…”
The wristbands were different from the ones in “Fairy Tale Park.” These resembled platinum bracelets combined with a smartwatch display. The screen was touch-sensitive and provided detailed descriptions of the Golden Train’s various function zones and their operating hours.
After distributing the wristbands, Number Seventeen put away the tray and continued to speak with a polite demeanor.
“Dear guests, all food, entertainment, and other facilities on the Golden Train are free of charge. However, every usage must be verified via the wristband. Train attendants will also conduct wristband checks during the journey, so please keep them on at all times. Now, allow me to escort you to your assigned cabins.”
He led them to one end of the carriage, where the cabin doors were located.
Unlike regular trains, the doors between carriages were fully closed, preventing them from seeing what lay beyond.
“Please note that aside from public function and observation carriages, passenger cabins are private and cannot be entered by others. When opening a cabin door, you can enter the desired carriage number on the door’s screen, then scan your wristband to unlock it.”
As he explained, Number Seventeen demonstrated by inputting the number 28 on the panel. After scanning his wristband, the door emitted an “unlocked” prompt, and when he turned the handle, the door opened, revealing Cabin 28.
“Cabin 28 is for ladies. The three gentlemen’s cabin is in Cabin 29. Please scan your wristbands before entering.”
The corridor of Cabin 28 was on the left side, with a pink-gold metallic interior. The windows were not large, but the design remained exceptionally luxurious. A wooden sliding door was located at the center of the carriage.
Number Seventeen escorted Yu Xi and the other two women to the door before continuing forward with Xing Min and the two men to Cabin 29.
The two cabins were identical in structure, but Cabin 29 had a black-and-gold-themed corridor, an unmistakably masculine aesthetic.
“Everything you need is in your rooms, and all items are freely available for use or to take with you if you wish. Should you require anything else, you may request it via the wristband, and an attendant will deliver it promptly. Please enjoy your stay. As your dedicated concierge, I am at your service at all times.”
After saying this, the man bowed respectfully, scanned his wristband again, and prepared to exit through the door of Cabin 28.
“Wait—” Yu Xi called out to him. “What is the Golden Train’s next stop? Is it a regular station, a transfer station, or the final stop? How long will we be on board?”
Number Seventeen looked at Yu Xi and smiled. “You need not worry, esteemed guest. The train will notify you before reaching its next station. Until then, please enjoy the services of the Golden Train. The train will depart in ten minutes, and there will be beautiful scenery along the way. I hope you will enjoy it.”
It sounded like an answer, but at the same time, it answered nothing at all.
After Number Seventeen left, the three women scanned their wristbands and opened the wooden sliding door in the middle of the carriage, stepping inside.
“Wow—” Yu Zhenzhen couldn’t help but exclaim.
Even though they had expected the cabins to be luxurious, the reality far exceeded their imagination.
The entire carriage was a single suite, designed as a duplex luxury space.
The ceiling was around four meters high, with large multi-layered glass windows and automatic curtains. Directly across from the entrance was a lounge area, furnished with a dining table, sofas, a bar stocked with drinks, and a reclining chaise by the window.
To the right was the bathroom, designed with a nature-inspired wooden theme. Against the glass wall was a massive jacuzzi, seemingly capable of fitting four people at once.
The bathroom was fully equipped with a separate wet and dry area. Inside a glass cabinet, they found everything they needed—new toothbrushes, toothpaste, fresh clothes, body lotion, scented oils, and perfumes.
Outside the bathroom was a spiral staircase leading to an upper-level sleeping area with a soft, oversized bed.
The left side of the suite also had a duplex layout. Below, separated by a golden lattice partition, were two additional beds, while the upper level featured another tea lounge area.
Yu Zhenzhen opened the fridge beside the bar, revealing a selection of fresh fruits, cakes, sliced sashimi, beverages, and alcoholic drinks.
In the bedroom, the wardrobe was filled with stunning dresses and luxurious outfits, all brand new, with tags still attached and neatly stored in transparent dust covers.
On the vanity table sat unopened sets of cosmetics and skincare products, while in a nearby drawer, an array of jewelry—platinum, diamonds, pearls, and gemstones—sparkled so brilliantly that it was almost overwhelming.
This didn’t feel like a train cabin at all. It was more like a grand suite in a seven-star hotel. But even a seven-star hotel wouldn’t provide this level of luxury—where every item was free for the taking.
Now it was clear why the previous Golden Train passengers they had seen all looked so relaxed and at ease.
After all, most travelers in the Endless Train world lived in the moment. Whether the train was heading to a regular station or the final stop, at this moment, on the train, they were meant to indulge in the present.
However, the most shocking surprise was yet to come.
As the boarding countdown on their phones reached zero, the Golden Train began to move, slowly departing from the glass platform.
And at that moment, the view outside the train window changed.
Instead of the deep darkness speckled with faint starlight, they now saw a vast expanse of a purple-blue night sky. A soft yellow moon hung in the air, casting a gentle glow over endless green fields below.
The Golden Train raced through the middle of the fields, and in the distance, faint city lights flickered at the horizon.
Yu Xi and the other two stood by the window, staring at the peaceful, ordinary nightscape in a daze.
Was this a real scene?
Or was it just another illusion embedded in the glass?