When Lin Yan woke up, the back of his head was pressed against the cold metal floor.
He did not open his eyes immediately, but first felt the surrounding environment with his skin. The air smelled of rust, mixed with a faint smell of disinfectant, and the temperature was on the low side, about fifteen degrees. There was a continuous low-frequency vibration under his body, as regular as the heartbeat of some kind of machine.
It's a train.
After confirming this, he opened his eyes.
Overhead is a gray-white metal ceiling, with fluorescent tubes emitting a bleak light. He turned his head and saw rows of blue seats fixed to the ground, with faded numbers printed on the backs. The carriage was very empty, with only four or five people in sight. Some were leaning on the backs of their chairs in a daze, while others were huddled in their seats holding their knees, all with the same numb expressions.
