"Oh, really?" Lin Xian chuckled. "Feeling reassured now?"
Kiki averted her gaze, muttering, "Didn’t I already say we’re good now…"
She suddenly turned to Chen Sixuan, speaking in a soft, pleading tone, "Ms. Chen, thank you for taking care of me these past two days. Can you help untie me? It’s so uncomfortable ."
"Really? I don’t see how it’s bothering you." Chen Sixuan snorted. "You slept quite soundly these past two days while tied up."
Though gentle by nature, Chen Sixuan wasn’t without her limits. Kiki’s stunt had scared her, and she wasn’t in the mood to indulge her.
Kiki was momentarily speechless, then shot an annoyed look at Lin Xian. "Hey, you’re not seriously planning to keep me tied up , are you? What if a monster shows up?"
Lin Xian’s expression remained indifferent. "This is punishment for stealing food. If you want me to untie you, show me what you can do. If your ability isn’t helpful, you’re off the train."
Kiki huffed in frustration, stealing a nervous glance at him before curling up on the sofa.
"Good." Lin Xian’s voice was cold.
He left it at that and got up to head to the driver’s cabin, leaving Chen Sixuan to keep an eye on her.
Lin Xian took out the guns he had scavenged from the Oasis Convoy, shaking his head as he examined them. One of the AKs even had a bent barrel. Judging by how the group had run out of bullets and likely used their guns as firewood sticks, it was no surprise they had been completely wiped out.
What kind of monster could annihilate them so thoroughly?
[Devour Progress: 5%]
With no bullets and a warped barrel, Lin Xian decided to feed the gun to his Mechanical Devour ability and see if there was any value to it.
[Devour Successful. Mechanical Core Points +2. Mechanical Devour Skill Proficiency +1.]
[Devour Successful. Mechanical Core Points +1. Mechanical Devour Skill Proficiency +1.]
"...That’s it? This was a gun!"
Staring at the notifications on his interface, Lin Xian felt his patience wearing thin.
"AKs aren’t firewood! Damn it!"
Suddenly, his expression shifted as he sensed something.
From the quiet floor of the carriage, a faint but distinct tremor came through the tracks.
Clack... clack... clack...
The sound was rhythmic, like countless iron chains sliding along the rails—steady, yet heavy and deliberate.
"What’s wrong?" Chen Sixuan asked as Lin Xian stepped into the carriage.
"Shh!" Lin Xian gestured for silence.
"Something’s approaching," he said in a low voice, motioning for them to stay still.
He quickly turned off the lights in the carriage, plunging them into darkness. Squatting down, he pressed his hand against the train floor, activating his Mechanical Heart ability to merge with the train and assess the situation outside.
Chen Sixuan frowned. She walked to the bedside window, carefully lifting the blackout shade just enough to peek outside. Her eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively covered her mouth to stifle a gasp.
From her reaction, Kiki’s face grew tense as well.
"Lin Xian," Chen Sixuan whispered, lightly tapping his shoulder in the dark.
Lin Xian rose and joined her at the window. Peering through the gap, he froze.
What he saw left him utterly stunned.
By the dim light of the night, Lin Xian could make out a massive black shadow climbing the iron bridge supports near the rear carriages. Its countless legs clinked rhythmically against the bridge’s pillars and tracks, producing a metallic scraping sound. Two long, slender antennae swayed ominously in the dark.
Lin Xian’s heart sank. How was this thing still following him? From Jiang City’s freight hub to Yushan Station, he had driven at least one or two hundred kilometers during the day, yet this creature had kept up.
Was it targeting him specifically?
As the shadow drew closer to the rear of the 3rd carriage, Lin Xian’s expression hardened. Without hesitation, he activated his Mechanical Heart, pushing both the Whale 03E and Huanxing 7F locomotives to roar at full power.
That was his only thought. This massive centipede was just as terrifying as the pale white giant they had faced earlier. Regular armor would stand no chance against it. While the Infinite Train was fortified with rolled steel and high-hardness tungsten alloy used in tank armor—much stronger than the freezer doors from before—Lin Xian didn’t dare gamble. Instead of waiting to be torn apart, it was better to let the train’s combined power and weight charge forward.
The sudden acceleration threw both Chen Sixuan and Kiki off balance. The carriage lights flickered on as the engines roared louder than ever.
"Ms. Chen, to the driver’s cabin!" Lin Xian shouted, drawing his short blade.
Chen Sixuan, her heart pounding, steadied herself before rushing unsteadily toward the cabin.
The abrupt motion of the Infinite Train enraged the crimson centipede. A piercing shriek echoed through the canyon before the train was slammed violently from behind.
The sheer force tilted the entire 3rd carriage, causing the entire train to shudder. Sparks flew from the wheels, filling the air with a screeching wail of grinding metal.
"Not good!" Lin Xian hissed, tightening his grip on his blade as he dashed toward the 3rd carriage.
Meanwhile, Kiki, still tied up, screamed, "Hey!!! You bastard! Untie me already!"
Clack-clack-clack-clack-clack!
Following Lin Xian’s commands, the blackout shades of all the carriages rolled up simultaneously, flooding the interiors with the eerie night glow. Lin Xian rushed to the 3rd carriage, where he spotted the massive crimson shadow clinging to one side of the train.
The centipede was unnervingly fast, its legs functioning like mechanical claws that allowed it to scale the train with ease. The immense weight caused the roof of the 3rd carriage to creak and groan ominously.
Lin Xian’s scalp prickled. This thing was far quicker than he had anticipated—it was impossible to shake off.
Realizing it might try to reach the engine and derail the train, he decisively lowered the hydraulic tailgate at the rear of the train. But as it descended a third of the way, it jammed. Glancing outside, Lin Xian saw the centipede’s segmented body sliding rapidly toward the obstruction.
Without hesitation, he aimed his Wind Cannon at the insect’s abdomen and fired.
The powerful blast struck directly, emitting a harsh metallic echo. The impact severed one of the creature’s hundreds of legs, sending it flying, but caused no significant damage.
The attack, however, drew the centipede’s attention. It scuttled rapidly onto the roof of the carriage. As the tailgate remained stuck, the centipede curled its tail upward, revealing several massive stingers over a meter long.
With a sharp motion, the stingers converged and thrust violently at the steel tailgate.