Chapter 470: Chapter 470: The Goddess Light Bulb_1
The incoming train slowed down, the sound of the wheels rolling over the gaps in the tracks gradually softened.
Aiden watched the train enter the station and observed closely, realizing it was indeed a cargo train, just as he had expected. The only coach that was not a freight car, following directly behind the engine, had lit windows. Instead of goods, shadows of people could be seen inside.
Once the train had stopped, the doors of the coach opened immediately. The conductor, leading several men dressed like porters, descended from the train and headed straight for Aiden.
"Mr. Galode?" the efficient-looking conductor asked Aiden.
"Thatās me." Aiden handed over the ticket he had prepared in advance.
Given that Heinz had arranged this special car using his connections, these people on the train were probably either secret police or military personnel.
The conductor glanced at the ticket and immediately confirmed Aidenās identity with an understanding nod, then pointed to the sealed box on the ground, "Your consigned goods?"
"Itās quite heavy, be careful with it," Aiden replied.
"Allow us to check it, please." The conductor gestured, and a porter immediately bent down to open the box.
"Mercury?" The conductor was taken aback after seeing the contents but, in the end, he didnāt ask any questions and instructed his men to load the items onto the train.
"Weāll carry your luggage for you," one of the porters offered, picking up the baggage after Aiden nodded.
"Iām going," Aiden said as he turned his head to say goodbye to Veronica, who hadnāt left the platform yet.
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"Please, wait a moment!" Veronica called out suddenly, her voice tinged with nervousness.
"What is it?" Aiden stopped and turned back to ask.
Veronica hesitated, "Well..."
At that moment, the "conductor" not far away seemed to notice something and interrupted, "Sir, is this something youāll be taking with you as well?"
Aiden and Veronica both looked over. The "conductor" was pointing to a picnic basket on the waiting seatāone seat away from where Veronica had just been sitting.
Veronicaās eyes widened in an instant.
"Let me take that onto the train for you," the conductor said as he prepared to pick up the picnic basket.
At that moment, Veronica sternly stopped him, "Hey."
"Hm?" The conductor turned back at the sound, his expression suddenly stiffeningāhe read a murderous intent in Veronicaās eyes.
As a professionally trained individual, he wasnāt easily shaken by threats, but the mere fierce glare from this girl instinctively made him fearful.
His gut told him that if he took the picnic basket onto the train without permission, the next second could be very ugly for him.
Fortunately, Aiden quickly intervened on his behalf, "Donāt bother with such a small thing, you go on the train and wait for me there."
"Alright." The conductor, relieved, nodded gratefully at Aiden before returning to the coach.
Only then did Aiden turn his attention back to Veronica. Veronicaās expression was tense, she seemed at a loss for what to say.
In the end, it was Aiden who broke the silence, "That basket, is it for me as well?"
"Yes, yes it is!" Veronica quickly seized the opportunity, reaching for the picnic basket. "I... thought, not knowing if thereās dining service on such a late train... so I just, made something myself."
Her voice trailed off as she spoke.
"If you canāt finish it or itās really not to your taste, you can throw it away, itās okay." She pushed the meal basket into Aidenās arms as if she was afraid he would refuse and hadnāt dared to look him in the eye.
"Well, this is a surprise, I really hadnāt expected you to be able to cook." Aiden threw in a comment.
"To not expect at all is a bit much," Veronica said, looking up at Aiden with some dissatisfaction, her previous nervousness now gone.
"Just kidding," Aiden chuckled and took the basket, "Thanks, I was worried thereād be nothing to eat on the train."
Veronicaās expression turned to one of relief.
"I... learned a few things from the canteenās chef, and Iāve tasted them myself, they shouldnāt be bad," she said softly.
"Great, thatās really something to look forward to..." Aiden nodded.
He hadnāt finished speaking when suddenly a "whoosh" sound of an untimely whistle broke the nice atmosphere. Aiden glanced to the side.
The Goddess of Revenge stood with arms crossed, looking on with a joking expression, completely lacking the consciousness to leave.
After such a long silence, she finally spoke, and her first utterance was a whistle.
"Youāre pretty capable, having so many of the opposite sex interested in you," the Goddess of Revenge teased Aiden.
Having this being attached to you is the most annoying part, with absolutely no privacy.
The Goddess of Revenge, without any hesitation, turned herself into a third wheel, bringing her divinity down to the level of a "bothersome" goddess.
"Disappear if thereās nothing else; would a great goddess really be interested in this kind of thing?" Aiden replied telepathically.
"Mortalsā love affairs? I am, of course, interested. What I enjoy most is seeing people go crazy. Humans are really interesting; the deeper the desire, the easier it is to lose sanity," the Goddess of Revenge laughed, "The deeper the love, the more bone-deep the hatred that betrayal brings, thatās the nature of the ābetrayalā power."
Aiden simply ignored her, mentally blocking out the image of the Goddess of Revenge, and her illusion immediately disappeared, but her voice still echoed in his mind: "This girl is too likeable, I really want to make her my plaything."
"Boss?" Veronica noticed Aidenās gaze shifting away a moment ago and looked sideward twice, but saw nothing.
"Iāll gratefully finish every bite," Aiden quickly restored his smile, "Itās getting a bit chilly, you should get back soon as well."
"Itās alright, Iāll see you off," Veronica smiled back.
"Alright then, Iām really off now."
"Please take care on your journey," Veronica waved her hand.
Aiden, holding the meal basket, made his way toward the carriage and once again heard the Goddess of Revengeās voice: "Why donāt you respond?"
"I generally donāt stop people from courting death," Aiden mentally replied, "Occasionally I even give them a push."
"Threatening me? Hehe, interesting."
Aiden stepped into the carriage, and the conductor inside tipped his hat to him: "We have prepared the highest standard of dining for you, but it seems perhaps unnecessary now, sheās a good girl, truly enviable."
Aiden silently smiled and, following the conductorās lead, entered a compartment to take his seat.
The engine roared again, and the entire train began to crawl forward slowly like a snake awakening from hibernation.
Aiden turned his head towards the window, watching the silhouette of Veronica waving farewell, growing more distant. She stood there, waving until she disappeared from Aidenās view.