Chapter 70: The Desperado

“That young fellow carried so much money alone, isn’t he afraid?”

“Exactly, and the cash was exposed. Thieves might have their eyes on him.”

“If I were him, I’d find the train police right now and ask them to hold it…”

Seventy or eighty thousand yuan wasn’t a huge fortune these days, but it certainly wasn’t small. A student who looked barely seventeen or eighteen carrying that much instantly became everyone’s topic of gossip.

“Ye Tian, maybe… we should hand the money to the police on the train for safekeeping?”

After overhearing the talk, Cen Jinglan felt guilty. If she hadn’t snatched Ye Tian’s bag, no one would have known it held so much cash.

As soon as Cen Jinglan finished, Manager Zhao nodded in agreement. “Yes, Xiao Ye. You can’t be careless. Last year, when I was on a business trip to the northwest, my leather jacket got slashed this big.” He gestured with his hands. “If it weren’t for my colleague, I might’ve ended up sleeping on the streets.”

“Haha, it’s fine. I’ll sit on the bag. No one can steal it.”

Ye Tian chuckled. He had just cast a divination for himself, but as usual, it was vague when predicting his own fate. It hinted something might happen.

Ye Tian knew handing the money to the train police wouldn’t avoid the trouble anyway. What puzzled him were the familiar faces he’d spotted earlier. Would they really dare target him?

Most thieves on the railways stuck to fixed routes. Two years ago, one tried cutting Ye Tian’s pocket. Caught in the act, the thief slashed out with a razor blade. In response, Ye Tian maimed his hand.

To root out future threats, Ye Tian had traveled north to Cangzhou with his Master to meet a railway-line thief king. Since then, no one operating on this route should have dared bother him.

Moreover, after Ye Tian briefly glanced at those men earlier, anyone planning to “work” this carriage had quickly left. They clearly signaled they had no designs on Ye Tian’s money.

But many troubles in this world start by accident. Ye Tian stayed wary. While chatting with Cen Jinglan, his peripheral vision tracked every passerby near their seats.

As time passed, the carriage gradually quieted. The incident that evening had silenced the two girls. They occasionally whispered to each other but left Ye Tian alone.

Though sensing something might occur, Ye Tian didn’t dwell on it. He followed Manager Zhao’s example, closing his eyes to rest. His sharp awareness meant he could react instantly to any threat.

After eleven o’clock, some ceiling lights switched off, dimming the carriage significantly.

Dozing faintly, Ye Tian felt a jolt as the train shuddered. His eyes snapped open to hear the station announcement.

“Xuzhou already?”

He checked his watch—past one in the morning. Xuzhou was a major transfer hub. With many passengers disembarking, the crowded carriage thinned noticeably.

He glanced around: The two girls were asleep against each other. Manager Zhao’s head slumped downward, chin bobbing toward his chest—Ye Tian half-expected him to topple forward. Yu Ziyang slept soundly with his head on his mother’s lap. Along their row, only Aunt Chen remained awake. Her upright posture, keeping her son comfortable, made sleep impossible.

Seeing Ye Tian stir, Aunt Chen offered a gentle smile. “Go back to sleep, Xiao Ye. I’ll keep watch and wake you if needed.”

“Thank you, Auntie…”

Ye Tian gave a polite nod, adjusted the backpack tucked beneath him, and prepared to rest. Though not exactly tired, staying alert all night would be exhausting.

Just as he began closing his eyes, the light dimmed briefly—a man slid into the seat diagonally across from him, recently vacated at Xuzhou station.

“Hmm?” Ye Tian scanned the man under the cabin lights. A chill shot through him, jolting him fully awake.

Concealing his shock, Ye Tian narrowed his eyes as if drowsy, using slitted vision to study the newcomer closely.

The man appeared twenty-seven or twenty-eight, about 1.75 meters tall, with a sturdy build. These details weren’t remarkable. What stood out was his face.

His ears stood nearly 45 degrees from his head—typical wind-catching ears. Ancient physiognomy lore warned such ears signaled a squanderer destined to ruin his family; stubbornness and poor social skills followed.

Beyond the ears, a distinct dip marked the man’s forehead, and thick lips betrayed intense materialistic cravings.

Were this his only traits, Ye Tian might have dismissed it—many shared such features. But when Ye Tian glimpsed the eye area, his heart quickened.

The brow-bones protruded laterally like reversed blades. Strands of eyebrow hair tangled like weeds. Though avoiding direct eye contact, faint savagery simmered beneath the lowered lids.

As physiognomy teaches: laterally protruding brow-bones denote innate ferocity; eyes gleaming with brutality predict criminal acts. Even without active divination, Ye Tian felt certain—this man had blood on his hands, and not just once.

An aura of danger radiated from him, hinting at concealed weapons. Ye Tian tensed slightly—desperadoes like this could inflict serious harm if underestimated.

Ye Tian wasn’t one to wait for trouble. Planning swiftly, he nudged Cen Jinglan beside him. “Sister Lan, make way? Need the restroom…”

Stirring sleepily, Cen Jinglan shifted outward and roused her friend. “Qianqian, wake up. Ye Tian needs through…”

When Ye Tian had spoken, muscles abruptly tensed across the stranger’s frame.

The mention of a toilet drew instant relaxation, though the man’s gaze lingered on Ye Tian’s backpack.

The train had departed Xuzhou but moved slowly, rocking violently. Rising unsteadily, Ye Tian swayed like a drunk.

Passing the man’s seat, the car lurched wildly again. Ye Tian stumbled; his fingers slipped as the backpack flew from his grasp.