The Train Station's Flowing Clouds Stop (8)

Eighth installment: The Clock's Secret Directly above the center of the main hall hung a massive brass antique clock. Its pendulum swung left and right with an extremely bizarre and irregular rhythm, emitting a monotonous 'tick, tock' sound. Peculiarly, the clock face bore no common Arabic numerals; instead, it was engraved with twelve skull icons of different shapes, depicted in expressions of agonizing screams. Su Yue noticed that each time the pendulum swung to its extreme, a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with an intensely strong odor of decay permeated the air. Even more chilling was that every time the antique clock emitted a faint chime, one person on the long bench would disappear. Meanwhile, on the plastered walls on both sides of the hall, shadows writhed like living things, subsequently forming lifelike murals of human figures contorted in extreme fear. This station... was not a place for people to wait for a train; it was a living digestive organ, slowly consuming the souls and bodies of these shadowless individuals. To be continued...