After a moment of tingling for about three minutes, Yao Yao released me, letting me maintain that state. Slowly, I turned my head to look at her. I turned back, and sure enough, the three streams of aura reappeared on her shoulders and the top of her head. I then looked at the other people on the platform, and I could see them too. Even through the escalators that obstructed my view, I could see the translucent phantom images of the passengers behind. Without exception, they all had three streams of aura – Hmm, wait a minute, I think I saw someone with only two streams of aura!
He was about two train cars away, but because there were many people blocking the view, I couldn't see him directly, only "see" his aura. It was definitely two streams, with no aura above his head. I shifted my steps left and right, finding a suitable angle, and finally got a clear look. It was a middle-aged man wearing a suit and a top hat, dressed in an English-style suit with a vest, and a tall gentleman's hat on his head. He looked like a magician stepping out of a movie. In today's Great Britain, you wouldn't see anyone dressed like that on the streets anymore, would you?
"You see him?" Yao Yao asked me.
"I do."
"He got on the train at Shanhaiguan. I don't know where he's going," Yao Yao said in a low voice. "He's the same species as Old Third."
"A tiger demon."
"Mhm," Yao Yao nodded. "A Northeast tiger demon. But his demon age is much longer than Old Third's. He should have transformed into human form over a hundred years ago. There aren't many tigers in the Northeast, and even fewer who become demons. He and Old Third should know each other."
"Relatives, huh?" I laughed. "Should we go say hello?"
"He'll be getting on later. Be careful, don't have any strong emotional fluctuations, or your aura-reading technique will disappear," Yao Yao instructed.
I was careful even when blinking, slowly lighting a cigarette, trying to stabilize this special "vision." It was okay; my eyes weren't as sore and strained as yesterday. Because my vision was clear, it actually felt somewhat comfortable.
After finishing my cigarette, it was time. Back in the carriage, Li Jingxiang had somehow bought three exquisite bento boxes. While eating, she noticed the abnormality in my gaze and asked if I was feeling unwell and if she needed to perform some ritual for me, like a doctor, which she had some knowledge of.
"No, no, I didn't sleep well last night, my eyes are just a bit unfocused. I'm fine." I dared not let her perform any rituals for me, or I might disappear completely.
After eating, I gave Yao Yao a look: Shall we go?
"You go yourself," Yao Yao said with a smile.
"What if he does something to me?" I was a little scared.
"In broad daylight, why would he? Go on! I'm watching!" Yao Yao said.
That's true. The train had already started and was now approaching 300 kilometers per hour. If that tiger demon dared to cause trouble, and after committing the act, tried to escape by jumping off, even the most powerful demon probably couldn't jump off a train at such high speed and remain unharmed.
I wiped my mouth and stood up. Following his unique aura, I walked through two carriages. He was indeed there, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed monocles and reading a magazine. The other end of the glasses was connected to a gold chain that was tucked into his waistcoat pocket.
As we approached the final station, there weren't many passengers left on the train. This was the first carriage, a first-class business section, with larger and more expensive seats, so fewer people remained. The seats next to him were all empty.
I sat in a seat diagonally opposite him, staring at his face. This demon looked to be in his early forties, and beyond that, he had no other distinguishing features. His appearance was too ordinary; if you threw him into a crowd, and not for his eccentric attire, you would definitely not find him again.
The tiger demon clearly noticed someone sitting opposite him, but he remained composed, simply picking up a cup of coffee from the small table and taking a sip. He glanced at me, then put down his coffee cup and continued reading his magazine.
"Sir, where will you be alighting?" I asked, making small talk.
"Jinling," the tiger demon replied, his gaze still not lifted.
"What a coincidence, me too. What are you going to Jinling for? Judging by your attire, are you perhaps an actor?" I asked with a smile.
The tiger demon finally looked up at me and said calmly, "Yes, I'm an actor. I'm going to a film set to shoot a movie, but I'm an extra."
"Looking at your demeanor, I believe you will surely become a famous actor in the near future," I flattered him.
"Heh, thank you for your good wishes." The tiger demon then returned to his magazine, showing no inclination to continue the conversation with me.
It seemed he was too full and had no interest in me, a mere human…