“Chen Jie, how did you manage to bring the train here?” Kiki asked eagerly as soon as she got on board, her face filled with astonishment. Ever since she and Lin Xian entered this fog-shrouded area, all wireless signals seemed to have been completely blocked by an invisible hand, cutting off all contact with the outside world—including communication with Chen Sixuan.
Chen Sixuan, in a flurry of activity, handed a medical kit to Luo Shasha with a sense of urgency in her voice. “Here, take this and treat your wounds first.”
“Thank you, Jie,” Luo Shasha said, glancing at Lin Xian and Kiki. She realized that Chen Sixuan and Lin Xian were together and added gratefully, “So it was you driving the big train…”
Chen Sixuan turned to Lin Xian, her face carrying a hint of apology. “Last night, I noticed this train leaving Beiwang Station via the No. 3 branch line track. It felt suspicious since that track isn’t on any maps or records. I guessed it might be a special military route, and considering that was likely where you were headed—and the fact I couldn’t reach you—I decided…”
Before leaving, Lin Xian had informed Chen Sixuan that the electric locomotive had reserve energy. Seeing a train emerging from the fog with over a dozen armed guards, Chen Sixuan sensed trouble for Lin Xian’s group. Acting decisively, she maneuvered the Infinite Train onto the military line through the switch that Tang Hai’s train had prepared, blocking his escape route.
At this moment, a small wave of zombies was beginning to emerge at the outpost and platform. However, with no more sounds from before, the hundred innocent survivors had all perished, leaving these monsters wandering aimlessly.
With the Fog Spider gone, the Infinite Train was no longer in immediate danger. Hearing Chen Sixuan’s explanation, Kiki couldn’t help but exclaim, “Brilliant, Chen Jie! You’ve been a huge help this time.”
Chen Sixuan glanced at Lin Xian upon hearing Kiki’s praise, only to see him smiling appreciatively.
“Yes, well done!” he affirmed.
“Wow, that Tang guy is truly ruthless! He actually planned to use all the survivors as bait to lure monsters away so he could escape on his own!” Kiki fumed, her arms crossed indignantly. “Luckily, this young lady is clever and exposed his scheme!”
“Was it really you who figured it out?” Lin Xian asked flatly.
“Fine, fine, you’re smart too,” Kiki relented, sulking.
After some casual banter, Lin Xian turned his attention to Luo Ye. Although the latter looked somewhat pale, it didn’t seem like his injuries were too severe. As an Ability User, Luo Ye’s recovery rate was significantly better than that of ordinary people.
“What’s your plan now?” Lin Xian asked.
Luo Ye looked out the window, searching for their pickup truck, but there was no sign of it anywhere.
Shasha, carefully wrapping her brother’s shoulder with gauze, glanced at Lin Xian and pleaded, “Lin Ge, could your train give us a lift? Once my brother recovers, we’ll find another vehicle…”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Lin Xian said seriously. “You two should just join my team and stick with us. Our chances of survival are better together.”
Shasha’s eyes lit up immediately. “Really?!”
“Hey!” Kiki protested from the side, pouting angrily. “You’re so quick to let them on board, but you were mean to me and even tried to kick me off. What’s that about?”
Lin Xian snorted. “You brought that on yourself.”
“I, I, I…” Kiki stammered, visibly upset. She knew her incident of sneaking food wasn’t something Lin Xian would let slide easily. She huffed but then relented, “Fine, fine, I don’t mind if Shasha and her brother join. But you’re the boss, so it’s your call anyway.”
Chen Sixuan, standing nearby, looked pleased to hear that two more people were joining the train. After all, strength lay in numbers. Having only Lin Xian go out to search for supplies while she stayed back guarding the train had always felt risky.
“Thank you,” Luo Ye said suddenly, breaking his usual silence. He looked at Lin Xian, his eyes brimming with gratitude.
Lin Xian nodded. Truthfully, he had been hoping to recruit more teammates. The Luo siblings were good people, and they had even saved his and Kiki’s lives. Luo Ye, as an Ability User with superhuman strength, made Lin Xian feel assured about the decision.
“So, what’s the plan now?” Chen Sixuan asked.
Lin Xian looked out the window, exhaling deeply. “All the supplies Tang Hai looted are on that train of his. We’re going to take it.”
“Exactly!” Kiki chimed in excitedly.
Kiki clapped her hands, suddenly realizing the situation. "We’re gonna strike it rich! Oh, and there’s all the stuff left behind by those convoys down there. Not to mention the information equipment in the command center. Oh, oh, and that close-in weapon system!"
Lin Xian sighed in exasperation. “You’re overthinking it. The CIWS alone weighs tens of tons, if not more, when you include the ammo and power systems. Do you have a crane to lift it? And that ammo chain in the storage—thousands of rounds would be used up in just a few seconds. Without more bullets or resupply, you think we’ll stumble upon some 30mm tungsten-core armor-piercing rounds on the road?”
Truth be told, Lin Xian had considered devouring the CIWS for parts, but he didn’t have the energy to spare. Even after recovering, it might take him longer to deal with it than the generator system.
Fortunately, by scanning the generator and CIWS subsystems earlier, he had obtained a full 1130 Holographic Blueprint! With that, as long as he had the necessary materials, he could eventually handcraft a new one right on the train.
“Oh… that’s true…” Kiki clicked her tongue in disappointment. “But we can at least strip the electro-optical targeting system and phased-array radar. We could integrate it with the train’s navigation radar to build a compact targeting and observation system, right?”
Lin Xian raised an eyebrow and glanced at her curiously. That’s actually a solid idea…
“Good thinking!” he agreed.
“I’ll help too!” Luo Ye, disregarding his injuries, stood up eagerly at the mention of clearing out the base.
“Me too!” Shasha brushed the dirt off her face, looking like a little adult. “Oh, and my brother and I need to find our truck—there’s still plenty of stuff on it.”
“Alright, but be careful,” Lin Xian nodded. He then turned to Chen Sixuan. “Chen Jie, come with me to reconnect the train cars. After we head back to Beiwang Station, we’ll reorganize the carriages.”
At the same time, Lin Xian handed a few guns, taken from Tang Hai’s men, to Luo Ye and Shasha. “We’re not in a rush tonight. Let’s gather as much as we can before leaving, no need to wait for daylight.”
It wasn’t greed on Lin Xian’s part—he had nearly exhausted himself while dealing with the generator system and attempting to restore the CIWS subsystem. His battle with Feng Yuming had left him so drained that he couldn’t even summon his Ice Shield. Without rest, he doubted he’d have the strength to even stand.
Moreover, the area had already been swept clean, and no major threats were likely to emerge. It made sense to thoroughly scavenge the military base while they had the chance.
What excited Lin Xian the most was discovering several flatbed trailers that Tang Hai had loaded with jeeps, off-road vehicles, and Qian Yu’s armored car. There was also a stockpile of firearms and ammunition—dozens of weapons in total, providing a significant boost to their firepower.