un: daozhang | voice;

[binghua]

[Xiao Xingchen speaks quietly wherever he has found some privacy.]

I am sure everyone in our group is wise enough to keep any information gleaned to themselves, but please keep along those lines. I, and another man - forgive me, I did not learn your name - promised to keep quiet about this in exchange for not being jailed. Of course, we agreed.

[He clears his throat.]

Earlier at breakfast the two of us were taken in and questioned by two guards and their old dog who sniffed me out. We learned they try to keep appearances that this is a respectable train where nothing illegal ever happens when, in fact, there are exchanges made under the table, perhaps literally.

This train seems to be the ideal place for more wealthy patrons to make exchanges for anything dreamed. They did not detail what those things may be, only that if they were to be stopped, then the train may lose out on a large amount of revenue. They also mentioned that this has happened in the past and the repercussions were the trains have been meddled with and hijacked, as well as those patrons just being overly aggressive.

So, in the end, they turn a, ah, blind eye to everything so as to keep operations running smoothly.

If I have forgotten anything, I am sure my co-conspirator can fill in.

[And, as quickly as he popped onto the network, Xingchen goes silent.]


[ooc: The other person is none other than Dean Winchester and tags will likely come from both him and Xingchen.]

Comments

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ Is this supposed to be surprising? What exactly was it about a train that openly forces people to sleep in order to harvest dreams that seemed respectable? (He looks forward to the day he can stop questioning reality, but what the hell... he doesn't trust anything else.) ]

Shocking news. [ He'll give them the benefit of the doubt that it means something more than it seems if they're this concerned. ] So they're still harboring dream thieves and pretending to be against them, is that it?

[binghua]

It seems to be that way. They want everything to look clean. I do not know how long they can keep up that lie when their guard dogs can falsely sniff out innocent passengers.

[somebadnews]

I don't know that it's the secret they think it is. From the way I see it, everyone outside of us is complicit. [ He's still not sure what the exact threat is, but it bothers him enough that he keeps pulling at this thread. ] And some inside. They seem like the types who would have been interested in those boxes that mysteriously got onboard.

You have no idea why they singled you out?

[binghua]

They kept mentioning making sure the conductor did not know of the goings-on. I could not tell if what they said was a cover for him, or if he truly is unaware.

Would you believe it was simple, bad luck? Where I was sitting is apparently a normal spot for the deals to take place and the dog smelled that.

[somebadnews]

No, I wouldn't. Unless they're so afraid of the conductor that they're making a show of looking for thieves. [ There's still a part of him that thinks the conductor is a robot that's directly connected to the train. He's familiar with those vibes. ]

Are you telling everyone to make sure they don't rat them out, or do you have another plan?

un: pillar of the heavens | audio

[inkfire]

So the food and meal times here are cursed.

[ he knew there was something weird about this. ]

So the train staff just let other people steal dreams?

[binghua]

[Xingchen can't hold back a little laugh.]

Possibly. The staff definitely chooses not to get involved past a certain point.

[inkfire]

Then what's with the boxes and the people who kept getting arrested for that?

[binghua]

...That I do not know. They may jail those who are not involved with the wealthy patrons.

un: absterge

[downswing]

You are harmed?

[binghua]

No, just surprised.

[downswing]

Your companion?

un: jensenackles | voice;

[cholesterol]

I assume there's a statute of limitations to sharing this over the pocketwatches?

( Just - to be safe. Recognize this voice? He's not about to identify himself just yet. He'd like confirmation that he won't be taken to the brig or whatever the equivalent is in train jail. )