Eurostar

London St Pancras Station, London, UK, 5:30 a.m.

As the clock tower chimed the half-hour, a black Hackney cab slowly pulled up in the plaza of London's St Pancras Station. This station, standing back-to-back with the neighboring King's Cross Station, forms the most important and largest ground transportation hub in the entire city of London. It is also the departure point for the high-speed train to Paris—the Eurostar.

As the two men stood before the dilapidated but still magnificent Gothic Revival style building, they felt the majesty of the Victorian era from a hundred years ago roll over them. However, as they stepped closer, they realized that the so-called grandeur was nothing more than a shabby, haphazard ruin. Due to years of neglect, the station's iconic spire had been half-collapsed by a lightning strike. The once exquisite stone carvings were now home to pigeons, covered in droppings. The red-brick façade was weathered and mottled, defaced with bizarre graffiti. A pungent smell of urine mixed with the scent of marijuana lingered in the shadowy corners of the walls.

Song Jie reminisced about his student days when he had once studied abroad here. Back then, the station had been bustling and vibrant, but now it was nothing more than a scene of desolation and decay. Filled with emotion, he couldn't help but recall a line from Kunqu opera: "Once in full bloom with vibrant hues, now all reduced to crumbling wells and broken walls."

Eva Herzog couldn't understand what Song Jie was muttering about, so she urged him, "Come on, we need to hurry. If we take the Eurostar high-speed train, it departs at 6:20, and we'll arrive at Gare du Nord in Paris by 9:20 a.m. We can make up for the lost time!"

The two walked into the station, one after the other, with Eva Herzog leading the way and Song Jie closely following behind.

"It feels like someone's watching us," Song Jie said, sensing something was off.

"I noticed it too, but it's fine. We're in a public place, and soon we'll go through customs and security. Once we're on the train, we'll be safe," Eva Herzog replied, then led Song Jie straight to the Eurostar ticket counter.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the platform, standing in front of the sleek, bullet-shaped high-speed train. It appeared to be well-maintained, with a large six-pointed star on the yellow-green exterior, and bold letters beneath it reading—"Eurostar." Song Jie and Eva Herzog found the door to the business class carriage and boarded the train. Within minutes, the train began to glide forward, carrying them away from St Pancras Station.

The business class carriage was sparsely occupied, offering a quiet and peaceful environment. Song Jie and Eva Herzog had deliberately booked two independent, face-to-face seats. After a night filled with endless running around and the recent attack, both of them were utterly exhausted. They agreed to take turns resting during the three-hour journey.

With that arrangement, Eva Herzog stayed on watch first. Song Jie sat back in the soft, deep gray leather seat. As he allowed himself to relax a little, an inexplicable sense of comfort washed over him. His heavy eyelids, as if glued together, became impossible to keep apart, and he soon drifted into a deep sleep...

Not knowing how long he had slept, Song Jie slowly woke up. A beam of morning sunlight streamed in through the side window, casting a warm glow on his face. Across from him, Eva Herzog was watching him with a gentle smile. "You're awake?" she said.

"Yeah. How long was I out? Where are we now?" Song Jie, still groggy, looked out at the endless fields bathed in the soft morning light and asked.

"We've already passed through the Channel Tunnel and just arrived in Calais," Eva Herzog replied with a smile:"We will be in Paris in 1 hour and 45 minutes."

"Oh, so we've entered French territory. I must have slept for over an hour. Why don't you take a break now?" Song Jie sat up straight and stretched, loosening his stiff muscles.

"While you were asleep, I contacted headquarters. First, I reported our situation, including what happened at the British Museum and the attack we encountered. Second, I requested assistance from the French side in Paris. They'll be waiting for us at the entrance of Gare du Nord when we arrive," Eva Herzog promptly updated Song Jie on the latest ongoings.

"Didn't Director Horden warn us to be cautious of the French police? He said they might not be reliable," Song Jie was perplexed by Eva Herzog's decision.

"First, our whereabouts have already been exposed, so sneaking around won't do us any good. Second, we need the local police to help us establish contact with the Musée Guimet in advance. You don't want us to show up there without an appointment and not seeing anyone, right? Third, if we run into an emergency, we'll need backup. With me injured and you having little combat ability, we can't risk being completely isolated," Eva Herzog explained.

After hearing this, Song Jie found her reasoning to be sound. He nodded in agreement and asked, "You're right. How's your arm, by the way?" He pointed to the sling supporting her right arm.

"It's just a minor dislocation. It was set back in place, and it doesn't hurt anymore." Eva Herzog removed her arm from the sling and gave it a light wave to reassure Song Jie. Then, locking eyes with him, she added, "Dr. Song, thank you for stepping in front of me during the attack."

For a moment, Song Jie found himself staring into her clear, lake-green eyes, and a sudden warmth rushed from his neck to his ears. Embarrassed, he quickly said, "It was nothing. Someone had to step up. Besides, I ended up on the ground after one hit, completely useless. I was basically dead weight, hahaha..."

"Precisely because you're not a fighter, your courage in stepping up was even more valuable. Thank you," Eva Herzog said sincerely, watching Song Jie's reddened face with a gentle smile.

Song Jie laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, trying to mask his embarrassment with more laughter.

"How about this—since I'm so grateful, are you hungry? Let me treat you to something in the dining car," Eva Herzog suggested.

The moment Song Jie heard this, he realized just how famished and thirsty he was. After a whole night of chaos, both his energy and strength had been thoroughly drained. He immediately responded, "Yes, Sounds great!"

The two of them made their way to the dining car, one after the other. Inside, there was only a drowsy attendant dozing off in the corner, completely unaware that passengers had entered the carriage.

"What would you like to eat? My treat," Eva Herzog asked.

Song Jie was momentarily taken aback. "Let me handle it instead. Your arm's injured—it'd be inconvenient for you."

"Alright then. I'll find us a seat and wait for you," Eva Herzog agreed.

She found a sunny four-seater booth, with a wide window-side table in the middle, and took a seat facing backward to the direction of travel.

Before long, Song Jie returned, carefully balancing a tray with both hands. He placed it on the table, revealing two cups of water and two plates.

"Sorry, Officer Herzog, but the attendant said this is all they have," Song Jie said apologetically as he handed her a set of utensils, offering an awkward smile.

"Fish and chips, the national dish of Britain," Eva Herzog remarked without complaint. She got the knife and fork with a nod of thanks and began eating.

However, after just two bites, Herzog noticed something odd. The more she chewed, the more her brows furrowed together. Eventually, she looked up at Song Jie and, unable to hold back, quietly asked, "Dr. Song, don't you think this fish tastes a bit… strange?"