Chapter 43 A tragic story

　　The train continued to rumble forward, "clang-dang, clang-dang," disappearing into the boundless night.　　The carriage was deathly silent.　　The middle-aged woman had her mouth wide open, her face twisted into an expression as if she'd just swallowed a dead fly.　　Although the old man's words weren't particularly convincing, when linked to the eerie events before and after, they exuded a mysterious aura that made people inclined to believe.　　My professional sensitivity made me suspect that the old man was up to something, that the old lady was also suspicious, and I even began to think the middle-aged woman was in on it. They seemed to be working together, putting on this act with the sole purpose of exonerating the money thief. Think about it: if everyone believed in the story of the "yin person" borrowing money, in the benevolent ghost writing a receipt, and in the idea that being borrowed money brought good fortune, who would bother to pursue the lost money? In fact, some people might even be eager to lose some money themselves.　　However, the male conductor's sinister words echoed in my ears again: "The midnight special train isn't so easy to ride. Expect to lose some money or even bleed."　　Was it all just a coincidence, or did he really know something? Could there truly be a mysterious force at play here?　　Nevertheless, as a police officer, I was determined to keep investigating. No matter what the truth was, I was going to uncover it.　　Just as I was about to speak, Ling grabbed my arm. She obviously knew what