While eating, Kagashi opened the Chat System.
On the screen, messages were flooding in frantically.
Most of the messages were talking about the same thing: missing the train.
“I didn’t catch the train.
The fog was too thick, I couldn’t see the road at all.
By the time I found the train, it had already started.”
“There were five of us in our carriage, but only two came back.
The other three are trapped in the fog, I don’t know how they are now.”
“So many zombies, there are zombies in the fog!
I saw someone get dragged away with my own eyes.”
“Shouldn’t the newbie protection period be safe?”
“If you don’t catch the train, the system said you’re on your own.”
“Does anyone know what the next stop is?
I don’t want to stop anymore, I want to go home.”
“Go home?
Which home?
None of us can go back.”
Messages came one after another, every line of text felt like it had been rolled through mud, heavy and carrying an air of despair.
Some people were relieved they had caught the train.
“Me too, I almost didn’t make it.
I rushed through the door in the last few minutes, my legs are still weak.”
“Thanks to my teammate.
If she hadn’t pulled me along, I definitely would’ve been trapped in the fog too.”
Others were sharing things they had found.
“I found a box of compressed biscuits at the stop!
It’s enough to last several days!”
“I found an axe, cutting trees is much faster now.”
“I found a bottle of alcohol.
Wait, what is this thing even used for?”
The messages scrolled rapidly, but most were just text, with the occasional blurry photo.
Kagashi watched these messages, falling silent for a few seconds.
Then he exited the chat box, opened the System Camera, and aimed it at the long table.
The soup in the pot was still steaming, with chunks of meat and vegetables faintly visible in the dark red broth.
Kagashi pressed the shutter button.
“Click!”
A photo appeared in the System Album.
He opened the chat box and sent the photo out.
He added a line of text: “Hot pot.
The moment the message was sent, the chat box went quiet.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
And then—
It exploded.
???
What is this thing???
Hot pot???
You’re fucking eating hot pot???
Meat?
Is that meat?
Where did you get meat?!
Vegetables?
There are vegetables too?
I can barely even get grass to eat and you’re actually eating hot pot?!
No, look closely, there’s a fire under that pot, he’s really cooking something!
Our carriage doesn’t even have enough water to drink, and you guys are eating hot pot???
Kagashi, it’s this Kagashi again.
He got the first kill, the first upgrade, and now he’s even the one eating hot pot.”
“I’m salty, I’m really salty.”
“Big boss, I’m begging you, take me with you, gender isn’t an issue!”
“Big Boss Kagashi, do you still need people?
I can do anything!”
“I’ve decided, starting today, my goal is to eat a meal of hot pot.”
“+1.”
“+10086.”
“+ID card number.”
Kagashi looked at these replies, smiled, and turned off the Chat System.
He put the system away, picked up his bowl, and continued eating.
Yoshino had already finished a bowl, her small face was flushed, and a bit of soup was stuck to the corner of her mouth.
“Brother Kagashi, is there more?”
“Yes.” Kagashi served her another bowl, giving her a few more pieces of meat this time.
Yoshino held the bowl, her eyes curving into smiles.
Furina had also finished eating; she leaned back against the chair and let out a satisfied sigh.
Why did so many people reply?”
“I posted a photo of the hot pot,” Kagashi said.
Furina was stunned for a moment, then she laughed.
“You, sir, are quite wicked.”
The group ate everything in the pot until it was clean, not even leaving any broth behind.
The five of them sat around the long table, leaning back against their chairs in satisfaction.
Outside the carriage, the fog was still churning.
But inside the carriage, it was warm, as if something was slowly fermenting.
“I’m full.” Furina stood up and stretched, “I’m going to go pick a room.”
“Me too.” Misaka Mikoto stood up and followed her toward the rear carriage.
Yoshino carried Yoshinon and followed behind with small steps.
Roxy also stood up, nodded to Kagashi, and then followed them.
Kagashi didn’t follow; he sat by the long table and finished tidying up the dishes.
Then he walked to the rear carriage.
On both sides of the aisle, the doors to the eight compartments were closed.
The first one, Furina.
The second one, Misaka Mikoto.
The third one, Yoshino.
The fourth one, Roxy.
Standing in the aisle, Kagashi heard sounds coming from the compartments.
Furina was humming, Misaka Mikoto was running water, Yoshino was talking to Yoshinon, and Roxy was walking softly.
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly as he turned and walked back to the front carriage.
Just as he reached the meeting and dining area, Roxy came out of her compartment.
“Mr.
Kagashi,” she called out to him.
Kagashi looked back.
“The water in the bathroom.” Roxy walked over, staff in hand.
“Oh, right, I almost forgot about that,” Kagashi said.
As soon as he finished speaking, Misaka Mikoto also came out of her compartment.
She stood at the entrance to the aisle, a trace of an unnatural blush on her face, her hands unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes as she spoke hesitantly.
“Um, it seems like there’s no water in the bathroom, it won’t flush.”
Her voice grew smaller as she spoke, the last few words practically squeezed out from between her teeth.
Looking at her embarrassed state, Kagashi almost laughed, but he held it in.
“Wait a moment,” he said.
“I’ll build a water reservoir and connect it to all the carriage rooms.”
“As for the water source issue, that’ll be up to you guys.”
He turned back to the front carriage, stood before the main control computer, and opened the Construction System.
He typed “Water Reservoir” into the search bar.