Ivy Tesla Lake glanced over at her friend Suzinna, who looked as worried as ever. They were standing at the edge of the train station, and Ivy knew that Suzinna was not going to make it easy for her to leave on her own.

"Ivy, you need to check in with me and send a picture twice a day. Do you hear me? If you miss even a single day, I'm going to the police," Suzinna said sternly, her face serious.

"I know, I know," Ivy responded, her tone dismissive.

"No, I mean it. Do you really understand? You never follow through on anything you say you will. You can barely take care of yourself, and now you want to go on this adventure alone? You're not even as strong as you used to be. Geez, can I still get a ticket?" Suzinna grumbled, her face filled with frustration. Ivy, for all her talents, was just as dangerous in daily life as a lost panda cub.

Cooking fires, broken mirrors while cleaning, sweeping and somehow making a room messier—that was Ivy Tesla Lake. A woman who appeared as if God had decided to make something beautiful, but maybe got a little too tipsy and forgot to add the common sense.

Ever since they were in high school, Suzinna had played the role of Ivy's caretaker—giving up on countless dates and missing out on so much just to keep her out of trouble. The single Suzinna couldn't help but feel bitter. She often promised herself that if she couldn't find a boyfriend by the time she was thirty, she would sue Ivy for ten million dollars.

"I'm just going on a trip. I can take care of myself," Ivy said again, her voice softening, almost pleading.

"Ivy..."

"I just want to go alone, you know? I want an adventure, a real one—no checking in, no safety nets. I want to meet strangers and swap stories, live the life I never got a chance to. Isn't that worth something?" Ivy smiled, her eyes distant, as if she was finally accepting something.

She used to have everything—power, fame, influence. But now? Now she had nothing. And no one else seemed to understand that feeling.

"Ivy, forget about the company, and your ex, too. They aren't worth it," Suzinna said, her heart aching for her friend.

"I've already forgotten them."

"Bullshit!"

"I really did… last night," Ivy said, her voice cryptic, a strange smile playing on her lips. The memories of the previous night surfaced—the drunk stranger, how his roughness had left her marked, but also feeling alive. She had bruises hidden under her thick pink coat, bruises that she didn't hide because of modesty, but because of what they meant.

She liked it—being controlled. It was something she hadn't realized until the night before. She thought about his rare amethyst eyes, the strong grip, the feeling of almost choking. It had been electrifying, a raw awakening.

'Obsessed. I'm getting obsessed,' Ivy thought. She silently cursed herself—of all times to daydream about that, now wasn't it. She had never felt so low.

"Are you sick or something? Your face is flushed," Suzinna remarked, eyeing her suspiciously. Ever since Ivy had come back this morning, something seemed off about her—she was drifting, distant.

"No, I'm fine. I have to go." Ivy waved Suzinna off and pulled her luggage towards the train. As she lined up, she noticed a familiar figure only about a hundred meters away, also waiting for the same train.

"It's him," she muttered, her heart skipping a beat. She didn't believe in fate, but there he was, the man from the night before. Just hours ago, she hadn't thought she'd see him again. The urge to go over and say something gripped her, but Ivy didn't know how. She was twenty-six and didn't have the first clue about approaching men.

----

**On the Train**

"Holy crap, this train is HUGE!" Ejin exclaimed as he boarded. The massive intercity train was powered by high-speed solarnium, with double-decker cars each spanning 100 square meters in width and 250 in length, capable of accommodating up to 500 people depending on ticket type. Expensive tickets got you private rooms, while cheaper ones meant cramped seats. Thanks to Asic, they had mid-tier tickets, which gave them enough space without being luxurious.

The train had twenty carriages linked by magnetic connections, allowing movement from front to end. Ejin's eyes widened at the sight—there were restaurants, bars, cafes, and even game rooms. It was like a traveling village, stretching over five kilometers in length.

"Next stop, Time Train Rhyner—is it taking us to the past or the future?!" Ejin blurted.

"Ejin..." Palon sighed, rubbing her temples, embarrassed to be seen with him. Why did he always have to act like that? Compared to Asic, who was calm and radiated an aura of dignity, Ejin's antics felt like night and day.

"Mas Timer?" Asic asked, intrigued. "That old superhero series from Asia? The one with the time-traveling train?"

"You know about it?!" Ejin brightened immediately, excitement washing over him.

"Yeah, I liked watching superhero shows as a kid, especially the Asian ones." Asic smiled at Ejin warmly.

"Same here, same here!" Ejin's hostility towards Asic decreased—a fellow superhero fan deserved some leniency. He decided he wouldn't hold a grudge over Asic kissing Palon's hand earlier. Still, he was determined to keep Asic from getting too close to her.

'It's clear as day from Mars that he's a player. No way am I letting him near Palon,' Ejin thought. It was his duty to protect her.

'What a good kid,' Asic thought, amused by Ejin's jealous, protective demeanor. He found his seat. Their tickets were for seats in a 200-seat mid-tier carriage—he could afford a private cabin, but he wanted to get closer to these kids, so he chose the same class as them.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Their seats were close by—Asic by the window, Ejin between him and Palon, determined to keep some distance. Palon shot Ejin a glare that seemed like it could set him on fire.

'I'll remember this, Ejin,' Palon thought, gritting her teeth.

'Not happening,' Ejin thought, equally resolute. There would be no compromises.

The train started moving, leaving the station behind. Asic pulled out the book Satori had given him and began flipping through it, reading to pass the time—[The Path to Miner].

"You wanna be a miner?" Ejin asked, curious.

"I went to mining school, but I never wanted to be a miner," Asic replied.

"Why not?!" Ejin was shocked, and so was Palon, both looking at him intently.

Mining was the most crucial job. Humanity depended on rare minerals, which were extracted from mines and collected from battles with monsters in the new world. Those who ventured to gather these resources, in any way, were known as miners.

Miners faced harsh environments, monsters, and opened new territories for humanity to settle. The old world was collapsing—only China and the US had managed to preserve themselves. Japan, North and South Korea had been submerged, along with half of Southeast Asia.

Less than a tenth of the population had managed to move to the new world—resources, jobs, and homes were all scarce. Expanding settlements was the only way to solve this, and doing so required minerals.

That made miners key to humanity's future. The fastest path to wealth and fame was to become a miner—it was the aspiration of this new world. Ejin wanted to be one, driven by dreams of fame and riches. He had finally managed to land a job as an assistant miner, which was why he was headed to Oceanstone. However, he didn't have an official miner's license yet. Asic, though, had graduated mining school and could get a license if he wanted—something Ejin could only dream of.

Yet Asic said he never wanted it—then why go to mining school at all?

"My older brother was a miner. He sent us a lot of money, and my mother thought I should go to mining school, too. She hoped I'd make as much as he did. But after I graduated, I signed up for the police academy instead. That was what I wanted."

"Police?!" Both Ejin and Palon gasped. Their benefactor had been a police officer?

"No wonder your social credit is so high," Palon said, looking at Asic with new respect. Public officials received significant social credit, especially police officers.

"I can't compare at all," Ejin muttered, looking down. He felt like he was staring up at an insurmountable mountain. He was uneducated, had bad manners, and had struggled to land a decent job. Asic, by contrast, seemed to have it all. He couldn't help but feel inferior.

"Speaking of which, why was your credit score too low, Ejin?" Asic asked, curious.

Social credit was the key to accessing many services in the new world. Those who behaved well and contributed to society earned credits, while those who misbehaved lost them. A low score meant restrictions—no matter how much money you had, you couldn't call a taxi or buy certain services. It was society's way of treating you like air—completely invisible.

"Ejin gets into fights all the time," Palon explained.

"They always start it!" Ejin protested. He didn't think he was in the wrong—in his mind, his punches were always justified. That made Palon sigh. More than a friend, she felt like his guardian, constantly preventing him from causing trouble.

"And that's why your credit score sucks. If Asic hadn't helped, you'd still be stuck in Cryptopolis."

"Alright, alright, enough already."

"Hey!"

"Excuse me, passengers. Please keep your voices down; it's disturbing others," a train attendant said, coming over to warn them. Both Palon and Ejin looked embarrassed and apologized, putting an end to their argument.

"That book—can I read it after you?" Ejin asked, eyeing the one in Asic's hands. Palon shot him a disapproving look, as if Ejin was so poor he couldn't even afford to buy a book.

Books on the Fluction System were supposedly cheaper than physical copies, but the truth was Ejin didn't have the money.

"Sure. In fact, you can have it." Asic handed the book over.

"Really?"

"I just got it by chance. Better you have it—you'd enjoy it more than I would." Asic smiled as Ejin eagerly took the book, flipping through it with an excitement different from his usual moodiness or jealousy. It made Asic think of a blue hedgehog he'd had as a pet as a child—always grumpy, but when happy, a delight to watch. Ejin clearly loved the book.

"You're really nice—first you helped us, now you're giving Ejin a book," Palon said, her eyes full of gratitude.

"One book for your smiles—a fair trade," Asic replied.

"You're really something, Asic. Ejin, you could learn a thing or two."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Ejin mumbled.

The atmosphere relaxed, almost like a picnic. Cool air from the AC breezed through the train car, and the scenery blurred outside the windows. Asic ordered matcha lattes for himself and the kids. Ejin was too engrossed in his book to care about anything else—even ignoring Palon, who was growing closer to Asic.

"I'm off to the bathroom. Be right back," Palon said.

"Yeah, sure!" Ejin didn't even look up. She got up and walked down the train—it was a couple of cars to get to the restrooms, and she had no idea that this bathroom break would become unforgettable.

----

Hours after leaving Cryptopolis station, the train was surrounded by empty terrain—not a settlement in sight for miles. Amid the passengers, a group stood up, drawing guns on the train attendants.

It was a hijacking.

"Stop right there!" A train attendant barely had time to yell before he was shot—a bullet straight to the head.

"AAAHHHH!" Screams filled the carriage.

"Shut up! Nobody move!" BANG! BANG! BANG!

Shots fired through the ceiling, and passengers upstairs began to panic. Some train attendants rushed in armed, but the terrorists had better weapons. They were ultimately shot and chained to their seats. Only the driver remained unchained, held at gunpoint while the leader of the hijackers connected into the train's systems.

"We are Neo-Guevara, revolutionaries. We have taken over this train to bring down the corrupt systems of the new world. We have two demands. First, transfer one hundred million dollars to the account we provide. Second, grant equal social credit to everyone. If not, we will kill a passenger every hour," the leader announced to the train's owners. It was a one-way message, not a negotiation.

Asic hadn't even finished his matcha latte before he heard the announcement. Panic spread among the passengers—the terrorists had hijacked the train.

"We are not terrorists. We are revolutionaries! Capitalism has degraded society, eroded morality. We are forced to live under the rules of immoral corporations. We don't want to hurt you," the leader said, his voice rising with anger.

"The social credit system strips us of our basic rights. We're denied services simply because we don't contribute to society in the way they want. Even a simple taxi ride is denied. Is that justice? No, it's not," he continued, his tone heated.

"We demand equality. We demand human rights. No one is above another—we are all equals. If anyone wishes to join us, show yourselves now. Join us, brothers and sisters of Neo-Guevara," he concluded.

Their actions were clearly criminal—hijacking the train, taking hostages, killing officials. But his words resonated with some. A few even understood Neo-Guevara's ideals, though most were too scared to care about ideology—any of them could be the next victim. They couldn't support the ideals of those who would so easily kill them.

But the message of Neo-Guevara did strike a chord with some, like Ejin—someone who had struggled with the social credit system, unable to buy a simple train ticket. It was mostly people like him who might be swayed to join the terrorists.

But right now, Ejin was frantic.

"Palon… Palon's in the bathroom!" he muttered, his face pale. He didn't know if Palon was safe, if she was hiding or if she'd been taken by the terrorists. He lost control, lunging to help his friend without even considering that he had no way to fight against armed men. But a hand held him back.

"Let me go! I need to help Palon!"

"Calm down, Ejin," Asic said, holding him firmly.

"Palon's in danger!" Ejin yelled, his eyes blazing with frustration at being restrained.

"And if you rush out there, what happens? Do you even know how to handle terrorists? Do you have any combat experience? If not, then stay put. In situations like this, we need to be cautious." Asic's amethyst eyes were calm and unyielding, even in the face of danger. His demeanor was chillingly composed—a calmness before the storm.

The steadiness in Asic's gaze seemed to cool Ejin down a bit.

He was right. Ejin had no weapon, no power, no skill. If he barged out, what could he do?

He could die—and leave Palon alone.

No.

He couldn't leave her alone.

"I promised to protect her… I swore I would protect her."

"Palon means a lot to you, doesn't she?" Asic asked.

"Yes. We're more than friends. We're family… I vowed to protect her, so she wouldn't be alone. I want to be a miner to make money, to be strong enough to keep her safe. But right now, I can't do anything. I'm not strong enough," Ejin said, his voice cracking, tears falling. No matter how famous a miner he became, it wouldn't mean anything without Palon.

He was scared. Scared that she wouldn't be there with him—scared that he wouldn't be there for her.

"We're running out of time. If you want to save her, you need to follow my lead."

"Follow you?"

"I'm a cop."

A cop?!

Ejin didn't fully understand the situation—but this was a well-organized, well-armed terrorist group. They had bested the train's security. Even a fool knew one man couldn't take down an entire group alone.

"First, we need information. We don't even know if Palon is safe. Message her now, but don't call—just text," Asic said firmly.

"Got it," Ejin nodded, understanding. He used the Fluction System to send Palon a message. There was no noise, no risk of being overheard.

Palon was in the bathroom—hiding, trembling. She had heard the gunshots, the screams of passengers. She couldn't bring herself to leave. The terrorists were moving through the carriages, gathering people, and she knew they'd reach the bathrooms soon.

As her panic grew, a message popped up.

Ejin: Palon, are you okay?

"!?" A smile broke across Palon's tear-streaked face. It was like she had found a light in a dark tunnel.

Palon: I'm in the bathroom. Ejin, please help me.

Ejin: I'll save you. I swear on my life.

"She's still in the bathroom!" Ejin almost shouted, relieved she hadn't been taken.

Asic didn't share his excitement. Palon was safe for now, but only because they hadn't reached her yet. Maybe they were still busy with the front carriages. But eventually, they would come for her.

'They don't have large numbers, which means they must have superior firepower,' Asic thought, assessing the situation.