To put it simply, Aidan has 19 lives. Each Path is a revival coin for Aidan. If all 18 Paths are consumed within one day, he will become an ordinary person without abilities and truly die.
Of course, if his body is destroyed but the 19 lives haven't been fully consumed, his body will be reborn at a safe spawn point.
The spawn point is where he last slept.
"So, this morning I was probably researching something incredibly important, which attracted something to come and kill me."
The Trailblazer, Aidan, explained and then recalled the events.
"It's okay, I still have 18 lives left today."
"..."
"Huh?"
"You didn't say that yesterday!"
Aidan scratched his head.
"Uh... wasn't I planning to prove it to everyone practically today?"
"But every Path is my consciousness. Everyone shouldn't worry about there being eighteen or nineteen of me or anything; it's just that the focus of my personality and abilities differs. For example, me in the Trailblaze state is the most normal version of me—warm-hearted, eager to help, and fond of exploring new things."
"Then... what was your Path this morning?"
"It was originally Erudition, but now it's Trailblaze!" Aidan said cheerfully, "I'm sorry for making everyone worry."
March 7th looked confused, then immediately asked—
"So, did I cry for nothing just now?"
Aidan looked at March 7th's eyes and felt momentarily at a loss.
"Uh... this..."
He scratched the back of his head, and the smile on his face became a bit awkward.
"Well... your tears were definitely not shed in vain!" he said seriously, "It shows you genuinely care about me, and I'm especially touched! Really!"
March 7th looked at him with a complicated expression.
"So you're saying you knew yesterday that you might die this morning?"
"No, no, I really didn't know!" Aidan quickly waved his hands, "I only knew that my Path switches every day, but I didn't expect the Erudition Path to be this dangerous! And I didn't expect someone to try and kill me..."
"You talk about death so lightly."
"Because I really didn't feel much, you know." Aidan spread his hands, "It was like getting disconnected from a game. When I logged back in, I found everyone crying around me. It was kind of embarrassing."
"You even know how to be embarrassed!" Pom-Pom jumped up angrily, "The Conductor's heart was almost scared out of their chest by you!"
Welt, having finished contemplating, spoke up.
"So, you have 18 chances to resurrect every day?"
"Yep, that's about it! Early this morning, the switch was to Erudition, but Erudition temporarily died, so now I am Trailblaze!"
Although Dan Heng's tone was somewhat detached, there was a hint of concern in his words: "Is there any discomfort in your body? What about the killer? Did you see who it was?"
"I don't know, but it didn't hurt."
Aidan scratched his head.
As a transmigrator who had played Star Rail, Aidan could probably guess who took one of his lives.
The stern mother of the Erudition, Polka Kakamond.
Polka believes that Chaos and the Unknown will prematurely lead the universe to the 'Finality,' and to maintain the perfect future model proclaimed by Nous through the 'Moment,' she repeatedly hunts down geniuses, restricts the growth of knowledge in the universe, and extinguishes the possibility of chaotic variables.
Well, at least that's what the game says...
Her style of operation is not cruel, but rather very decisive.
Was I that powerful when I was in the Erudition state?
Did I touch upon a knowledge singularity?
"However, under the Erudition Path, if an enemy got face-to-face with me, I would definitely die. In that state, I was a pure glass cannon."
Although he could conjure equipment out of thin air, he couldn't improve his physical constitution.
Perhaps someone tampered with me—having a brilliant mind, but shattering upon contact.
"The fact that the killer could kill someone silently aboard the Astral Express indicates their strength cannot be underestimated. Even if you have multiple chances to resurrect, you cannot guarantee you'll be safe every time. Moreover, if the opponent knows you can resurrect, they might resort to more extreme measures."
Aidan scratched his head, his expression becoming a bit more serious: "Mhm, I understand. It's just that I'm not clear on who exactly did it. In the Erudition state, I was indeed researching something, but those contents... I was killed before I could even finish reading them."
He squatted down and picked up a scrap of paper.
"These notes were destroyed very thoroughly. It seems the other party didn't want me to record that knowledge."
"Do you... still remember what you were researching?" Dan Heng asked.
Aidan closed his eyes to recall, then opened them: "I don't remember at all. Memories from the Erudition state seem to have vanished along with the death. Right now, I only know I was researching something very important, but the specific content is a blank slate. It's probably because the Erudition state consciousness realized that if I recorded it, I [would definitely be killed]."
"Then what will you be like tomorrow?" Dan Heng asked the crucial question.
"I really don't know about that; it's random." Aidan spread his hands, "But don't worry, no matter what Path it is, I stand with the Astral Express."
"That's good then." Dan Heng nodded, and the solemnity in his eyes lessened slightly.
"So, do you have any special abilities right now?"
"Uh." Aidan blinked, "It's just... being very spirited, kind-hearted, and eager to help?"
"Then how are you different from the Erudition state?"
"Maybe Erudition isn't as enthusiastic as I am?"
"So you're just an ordinary person now?"
"You can't say that!" Aidan puffed out his chest, "I'm an ordinary person with a strong spirit of Trailblaze! Look, right now I want to help everyone clean the carriage, help the Conductor tidy the room, help Sister Himeko make coffee, help Mr. Welt..."
"Stop, stop, stop!" March 7th quickly interrupted him, "Aren't you being a little too enthusiastic? You weren't this... yesterday either."
"I was also Trailblaze yesterday!" Aidan said as a matter of course, "It's just that yesterday was my first day on the train, and I wasn't quite familiar with things. Today is different! I'm already a Trailblazer, so of course, I have to do something for everyone!"
After everyone confirmed he was fine and left, Aidan looked at the scattered paper scraps on the floor and the pen that had pierced his previous life's heart. The smile on his face subsided slightly.
He squatted down and began picking up the trash on the floor.
Although Erudition died today, there's still an 1/18 chance it will refresh tomorrow morning.
Does that mean Polka will come to kill me once every day?
"Aidan?"
It was Himeko's voice.
"Here!" Aidan quickly responded and turned around.
Himeko leaned against the doorframe, holding two cups of coffee. She handed one to Aidan and glanced over the room, which was almost tidied up.
"Recovered quite quickly."
"After dying once, there has to be some improvement, after all." Aidan took the coffee and took a bitter sip, "Sister Himeko, did you come to confirm I'm really okay?"
"Half and half," Himeko sat opposite him, "The other half is wanting to ask you if you have any leads on the killer who killed you."
"That..."