Abyss Express

Jiang Xueming is a man of life.

Gender male, like female.

Twenty-one years old, came to HK for work four years ago.

Just to raise tuition for his younger sister—to prevent this family from being educated by illiterate parents.

He worked as a cashier in a lo mei shop at Hung Hom MTR station.

If you also take this subway, you should be able to see such a person in the small store near the ticket gate of the subway.

He is just over 1.7 meters tall, not too tall.

When facing customers, he occasionally squeezes out a little smile, and anyone with a discerning eye can see the enthusiasm for service and business.

If there are no guests, he looks cold. He frowned, as if he was thinking about it all the time—thinking about how to get on with his life, but today's life seemed impossible.

He received two counterfeit banknotes—to be exact, two train tickets that looked very much like banknotes. Regardless of the thickness of the bill or the texture of the paper, it resembles a thousand-yuan currency.

When night came, the lights of the subway station gradually went out, only a little light source of security lights spread towards the exit.

Holding the two tickets, he felt anxious.

The salty smell of oil stains on the apron was in his nose.

In the eyes, I saw the model with heavy makeup like a monster after the advertising light board lost its light and color.

The steps that were stepped out echoed lengthily in the empty corridor.

He swallowed nervously, not daring to look directly at the receipt in his hand, he only hoped that these two tickets could be turned back into banknotes in the dim light.

"If you receive fake money, you must pay for it in full."

"The store manager said that he received fake money. He will pay the full amount according to the order."

He just muttered, as if in a daze.

"Who would use a thousand yuan bill to buy beef offal? I also used two bills. How could I be fooled by this?"

"Bai Lu has a skin disease, so she took three days off to see a doctor, and she has to continue her studies."

"She must see a doctor."

"She needs to be well. I brought her out of the house, and I have to take care of her."

"I"

It is said that the collapse of adults is often in an instant, but he doesn't even have time to collapse.

He still has two hours to return to the rented house like a pigeon cage, and prepare three meals for his younger sister Jiang Bailu tomorrow morning, afternoon and evening.

Then take a shower, brush your teeth, and you must fall asleep before eleven o'clock, otherwise you may not be able to catch the morning start bell the next day.

On the way home, he checked and checked the balance in the mobile bank. There were still next month's rent and living expenses in it, but it would be painful to check the income account when he started work tomorrow.

Until the old elevator doorbell whistled harshly. The rusty door lock that had been in disrepair for a long time began to scream, and the kitchen and toilet were just inside the door.

Jiang Xueming saw her younger sister standing next to the two-story wooden frame bed, wearing short-sleeved shorts, just standing, doing nothing or saying anything.

As if waiting for him to come home.

The dishes and dining table that hadn't been cleaned up in time were crowded in the small room like this.

"Brother" Jiang Bailu greeted timidly: "I didn't wash the dishes. I'm sorry, I'm sorry I feel very tired today."

"Stop it, stop it!" Jiang Xueming took off his apron very quickly, and began to clean up the dishes and prepare to cook.

The kitchen was very small, and Bai Lu couldn't help much, so she had to watch. Concerned about being anxious, he continued to explain.

"Brother, I'm not trying to be lazy. I originally said that I would wash the dishes, but today I found spots on my hands." She put her hands behind her back, not daring to stretch them out.

Xueming: "Show me."

"No, why don't you wait until tomorrow?" Bai Lu immediately changed her words, with panic in her eyes: "How about I sleep? Maybe it will recover after a night of sleep! Brother, I'm afraid it will infect you. I... "

Jiang Xueming's voice became quieter, and the stone in his heart became heavier: "Show me, Bai Lu."

In the pale light.

Bai Lu's eyes were dull, and the dark circles under her eyes were suddenly exposed. The entire right half of her face was covered with erythema, spreading to the neck and collarbone.

Holding his sister's hands in his arms, he saw clusters of red spots appearing on the wrist and the fleshy mound of the thumb, all the way to the forearm, and many places were lumpy and raised.

He asked, "Does it hurt? Is it itchy?"

Bai Lu just shook her head.

He then asked, "What did the doctor say?"

Bai Lu squinted her eyes and pursed her lips. It took a long time before I spoke.

"Just say it's an allergy."

He turned his head and cleaned up the house: "That's allergies, don't be afraid."

Bai Lu asked anxiously, "Isn't it going to cost you a lot of money?"

He sneaked back a sentence in his busy schedule: "It's okay, it's okay."

Bai Lu was still very nervous: "How about...how about we go back?"

When this question was asked, Bai Lu was very unwilling.

"Don't think about it, I brought you here. I just want you to study hard to avoid your parents. What are you doing when you go back? Do you want them to arrange a marriage for you to earn a dowry? Tie you to a sedan chair and send you to the mountains?" Xue Ming finally helped his sister back to the bed, "Heal with peace of mind."

"Hmm..." Bai Lu closed the curtain, and stared out with a pair of dark eyes. Seeing Brother Xueming's busy schedule, she felt relieved.

She heard ingredients gurgling in the pot.

She smelled the special chicken breast and macaroni cooked in plain water, and although they chewed like leaves and mud, they were delicious—it was made by her brother himself.

She saw her elder brother tidying up the cutting board swiftly and meticulous in his grooming.

She was full of small thoughts, thinking, her brother is so good-looking, she should be able to find a rich woman, and then she will be able to live a good life, just smile more - after all, her brother doesn't like to laugh.

She shouted: "Brother, let me tell you a joke. My classmate told me today."

Xue Ming was still tidying his beard in front of the mirror, and glanced at the ticket on the mirror table, but didn't pay attention, "Say, I'm listening. I'll sleep when you fall asleep, don't be afraid."

Bai Lu went on to say, "My classmate said, you are so weird."

"Strange? They don't like me?" Xue Ming held the razor, raised his head, and looked at himself in the mirror.

"No, no, they like it. We saw you at the subway entrance, and they all said that you don't look like a hawker, but a star." Bai Lu's tone became playful: "Where is the time to be lazy and start reading newspapers?" The miscellaneous dealers don’t even try to please and laugh with customers. When they deliver lo mei, they act as if they are pouring red wine. It’s like a firefly in the dark night, like”

Jiang Xueming had a rare smile on his face. The razor in his hand also seemed to understand his sister's funny intentions, and finally became sharper, "Should it be served with a martini? Add olives and lemon slices? How about a butcher's knife?"

Bai Lu went on to describe: "Like a killer, yes hahahahaha. A killer disguised as a cashier."

"En." Jiang Xueming just responded.

"It's boring, it's boring. I've worked so hard! Why don't you?" Bai Lu muttered, turning over, "It's boring, go to sleep!"

After a while she fell asleep.

When the slight snoring came out, Xue Ming finally cleaned up inside and out. He took a bucket of clothes and went to the laundry room. When he came back, he stood under the clothesline in the corridor and looked at the stars.

In his day, he finally had some time to collapse.

He covered his face, rubbed his forehead, and tried to keep his voice quiet so as not to disturb a bunch of neighbors.

"I'm sorry, sister. My brother is a bad person. What should I do if I promised something I couldn't do?"

It's been a long, long time—a long, long time, and life has to go on.

Under the starlight, he stared at the two tickets. Can barely make out the words on the bill.

[Jiujie Station]

[HK→SW]

[Block 15B, Car 13, Platform 3]

The other ticket is for the return journey.

Nine Realms Station? This strange place name made him completely puzzled.

"It looks like banknotes, is it used to deceive people? Don't even bother to write the bus time? It's so fucking clever. Counterfeit banknotes and counterfeit banknotes are punished differently. Now these criminals want to make a living. Good day, it’s really all about it.”

He tore the two bills into pieces and threw them away.

But - this is just the beginning.

The moment the alarm goes off in the morning.

Xue Ming's thumb has already pressed on the phone, as if he is a prophet. Turn over and get up, put on overshoes, quietly and calmly cover up the sound of the lower bunk landing, so as not to disturb my sister's sleep.

Everything is completed within tens of seconds, as if it is as precise as the gears of a clock.

His mechanical movements came to an abrupt end when he touched the badge.

There were two extra tickets in the pocket of his jacket, which were clearly the tickets he tore up with his own hands last night—the familiar touch made his hair stand on end.

This time, there was an extra line printed on the ticket.

[Jiujie Station]

[HK→SW]

[Block 15B, Car 13, Platform 3]

[July 7, 2024 16:11-23:55]

The bright red printed characters are so eye-catching, and if you sniff carefully, you can still smell the ink.

The same is true for the other bill, except that the return time is not written.

Jiang Xueming stared at the two tickets suspiciously. He thought a lot, but he remembered clearly that he was very awake last night.

The sound and touch of tearing the ticket are so real, not like a dream.

At the same time, the daily man didn't have much time to think about it, he had to go to work - he casually put the ticket back on the table.

As soon as he walked to the elevator door, he immediately met a courier boy.

"Is it Mr. Jiang Xueming? You have a courier."

"Leave it out the door. I'm in a hurry."

"It's your ticket. It's written on the mail package that it's very expensive, and it's insured for more than 30,000 yuan. It must be delivered to you personally."

Jiang Xueming was stunned for a moment, and then felt an inexplicable chill in his heart, as if his whole body was frozen.

The courier brother just put an envelope in Xue Ming's hand, and rushed to deliver it to the next family.

I can't care about any work. What's happening right now is too weird.

The sender's address on the envelope was also the Nine Realms Station. When I called the phone number, it was an empty number.

He opened the envelope, and the ticket inside was exactly the same as what he touched just now.

There is no ticket number, only the place of departure and arrival, as well as the name of the station and the time of departure and arrival.

This ticket is orange as a whole, like a currency with a denomination of 1,000 yuan, but there is no emblem. In its place is an inverted pentagram and barley grain, and it bears no printed proof of any note.

Moving his thumb away, Jiang Xueming could still see a little bit of brown ink on his finger, like dried blood.

He just felt evil, as if an invisible guy had sent him an invitation.

But here comes the problem.

"Where the hell is the Nine Realms!?"

People in daily life immediately forget about work, as if they have found a way to tide over the difficulties.

But instead of going to the Nine Realms Station, he immediately called the local police station.

He had no choice but to pin his hopes on the police officer, hoping that the police officer could help him recover the money.

That morning, Xue Ming entered the Hung Hom Police Department and explained the matter to the people's police. And fully inform the police of the specific details of the process.

When he showed the ticket in his hand to the police comrades, something even more incredible happened.

"Mr. Jiang Xueming, what do you mean is the ticket that looks like a counterfeit banknote? Is it the one in your hand?" The police officer was a little puzzled, with a very puzzled expression on his face.

At this moment, Xue Ming looked at the ticket in his hand, not quite understanding what the police officer was asking.

"Yes, this ticket. Can't you see it? It's the ticket and it says on it"

"It says 1,000 yuan upon presentation of the ticket." The police officer interrupted: "At the order of the board of directors, it will be printed on September 1, 2003. The ticket number is AK887411. Is this the version? I can read. It's currency." Oh, not the ticket."

"Currency?" Jiang Xueming was stunned.

The police officer asked disgustedly: "Where are you from? You don't know the money anymore? Think it as a ticket?"

"Oh..." Jiang Xueming didn't react for a while, thinking in his heart, could this weird ticket be money in the eyes of others?

"Here, I'll go check the banknotes." The police officer took the receipts from Xue Ming's hand and went to the next department.

During the waiting period, Xue Ming felt uneasy. Not only the inexplicable encounters in the past two days, but also the skin disease on his younger sister made him anxious.

After a long time, I heard disappointed hisses from the department next door.

The police officer finally came back.

"Hey! Keep the money! Don't report to the false police if you have nothing to do in the future! Are you under a lot of pressure in life? Do you want me to call Baiche for you to go to the psychiatrist? Are you fooling around? Do you want to eat in prison?"

"Is this real money?" Xue Ming stood up immediately, he couldn't believe it.

"That's right, I thought I could make meritorious service." The police officer stared at Jiang Xueming suspiciously: "This is real money, and the money detector won't deceive people. Did you pick it up?"

"No, no, no, no, I'm under a lot of pressure. I've been having hallucinations recently, and I'll definitely pay attention next time." Jiang Xueming thanked him and backed out.

"(ˉ▽ˉ～) Cut~~ I thought there was a big case of counterfeit banknotes!" The police officer waved his hand, "Let's go, let's be careful on the road. I also have the contact information for a psychiatrist here. What about next time? Do you still want to be more careful next time? Next time you come to Yu Lan Festival to bring Ming coins? Crazy line!"

Jiang Xueming smirked all the way, and hurriedly stepped back to the door: "Thank you. Thank you."

After a few seconds, he came back again.

Xue Ming asked politely: "Well, officer, do you know the place Nine Realms?"

"I know both Kowloon and the New Territories. What the hell is the Nine Territories? Why don't you go to the map navigation and ask Siri to draw a middle point. Also, don't call the police officer, call Sir."

“Okay Sir”

After leaving the police office, he looked thoughtfully at the ticket in his hand.

People's lives have to go on.