However, it's only 6 a.m. right now. When I searched Countless Springs's business hours online, I saw that it only opens at 10 a.m. every morning. Is it really necessary for me to go there so early in the morning?
I mention my doubts in my reply to the text message and receive another reply almost instantly. I received a photo that looks like it was taken on the street where Countless Springs is located. Probably due to the height of the person taking the photograph, all I can see in the photo are the heads of many people. Even so, I can vaguely tell that this photo was taken by someone in a queue.
Suddenly, I remember reading online that Countless Springs will open up its garden to the public on the day of the auction. Geisha performances and interactive activities will also be held at fixed times during the day, so it is usually packed with people on the day. To enter the venue early, many people even start lining up on the previous day and wait all night.
It looks like I will really need to go out soon. I wash up quickly and check that the precious bank card is packed safely in my bag before I leave the house.
On my way to the exit of my apartment building, I receive another text message, which is a row filled with ellipses without anything else. However, I can feel that this message is conveying feelings such as silence, speechlessness, and frustration. Thanks to my years of experience in chatting online, I quickly understand the real meaning of these punctuation marks.
I start receiving about one text message every 30 seconds on average. I check them one by one.
[Unknown Number](Text message) ....................................
[Unknown Number](Text message) You're so slow.
[Unknown Number](Text message) You left home late because of your meaningless doubts. The route you received earlier no longer applies because the traffic situation has changed.
[Unknown Number](Text message) This is your new route. I hope you will follow it precisely this time! If you do, you will arrive at your destination at 7:26.
I start running towards the nearest subway station while opening the new route map. Is this the strength of an intelligence organization? Somehow, they know that I had only just left home! Where could the surveillance camera that betrayed my whereabouts possibly be?
Although the morning rush of Line 1 isn't so crazy that station attendants would need to push people into the train, it's still crowded enough to make it difficult to get on the train and even more difficult to get off. By the time you finally push through the crowd to reach the door of the train, you usually get pushed back into the depths of the train by a stream of people who are eager to get inside.
After experiencing this a few times, I finally manage to squeeze out of the train at the last second when the lights are flashing. I take a look at the route map for the next stop. I need to run from Line 1 to Line 9 within six minutes and thirty seconds.
The subway station is filled with silence today.
Anyone who has taken the train in One Han City would know that the transfer route between Line 1 and Line 9 is one of the three "subway legends." Even though it is only 600 meters on foot, it usually takes more than ten minutes by foot because you need to get through everyone in your way, which means I'll need to put in some real effort to get to Line 9 within six minutes and thirty seconds.
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