Three Xinghuo-26 semi-automatic tactical rifles with 120 rounds of ammunition could be exchanged for food to sustain a ten-person convoy for five days or 80 liters of gasoline. Yet those same weapons were only worth two boxes of antibiotics in trade.
As the apocalypse dragged on, items like water filtration systems, heating equipment, and communication devices became increasingly valuable.
In particular, red beans—what the Phoenix called Eerie Blood Essence—had become a new hard currency. With the continued encroachment of the Polar Night and deeper research into its properties, the value of these red beans kept rising.
They could facilitate communication in the Dark Tides, peer into the shadowed world, enhance abilities, and measure Soul Wave Value, which determined the danger level of an area. It was no wonder they were so highly prized.
At the moment, Lin Xian was particularly eager to get his hands on a Soul Wave Detector. Adding such a device to the train would allow them to assess the risk of a given area during stops, greatly improving their safety during rest periods. It would also free up more of his time for exploring his Mechanical Heart ability.
Before long, most convoys had settled their trades. Without lingering, people began their exchanges.
“Excuse me, my friend,” a middle-aged man named Xu Jin approached Lin Xian with an urgent expression, accompanied by the short-haired and capable-looking Shu Qin.
“If it’s convenient, could you take a look at her water filtration system?”
Shu Qin nodded. “If you can fix it, I’m willing to offer compensation.”
“Got it!” Kiki grinned as she left to handle the exchange.
The moment Lin Xian stepped out of the abandoned factory, he was greeted by heavier wind and snow. The crunch of their boots on the snow broke the night’s eerie silence.
Outside, survivors from various convoys wore thick layers to fend off the cold, though a few, clad in tattered clothing, shivered miserably in the snowy night.
As Lin Xian followed behind, he surveyed the convoy survivors. Their vehicles were caked in mud, with streaks of dried blood darkened under the night sky. Vehicles carrying supplies, water, and children were clustered in the center, while guards, some sharp-eyed and others hollow-faced, stood vigil on the perimeter.
Shu Qin’s convoy was small, with only eight vehicles. One of them, a pickup truck, towed a water tank. Its roof featured a makeshift rain collector made from sheet metal.
“Rainwater can’t be consumed directly—not even after boiling. It needs to be filtered first. Otherwise, water heaters break down quickly, and energy usage skyrockets,” Shu Qin explained, her tone heavy as she tapped the tank. “Drinking too much rainwater doesn’t just cause fevers and diarrhea from bacterial infections—it can induce terrifying hallucinations and severe mental strain.”
“That’s right,” Xu Jin added with a sigh. “We’ve been searching for water for two days. We used to distill rainwater after filtering it through makeshift nets, but it’s too fuel-intensive…”
Lin Xian frowned silently. On the Infinite Train, they had been relying on bottled water scavenged from earlier supply runs. Not once had he considered these issues since he hadn’t received Phoenix’s broadcasts.
Now that he thought about it, he felt a pang of concern. The train’s primary advantages—cargo capacity and robust defenses—meant he could store large amounts of resources. But bottled water wouldn’t last forever.
Without proper water filtration systems on board, he only had a boiler and a steam generator.
The Ice Shield, while useful, wasn’t a solution he had fully thought through. He’d assumed the ice it produced was clean, but was it truly safe? The shield might condense surrounding moisture, which could carry contaminants. Luckily, he’d only licked it once experimentally…
Medical supplies like iodine and antiseptics, already scarce, wouldn’t be enough to manage widespread illness.
And with heating systems draining power daily, his Mechanical Heart ability was already taking a toll on his stamina.
“Damn it,” Lin Xian muttered under his breath. “Once this is over, I’m swallowing those useless carriages and that spare engine. I’ll keep Qian Yu’s armored car and my motorcycle as backups. Reducing the load might help boost my ability’s level faster.”
“I’ll take a look first.”
Lin Xian climbed onto the pickup truck, flashlight in hand, and began inspecting the water filtration system.
In truth, he had already activated Mechanical Scan, quietly mapping the device’s blueprint and identifying the problem areas.
[Scan Complete: Acquired blueprint for Blue Sky KK-93 Reverse Osmosis Water Purifier.]
Moments later, a holographic blueprint of the small water purifier materialized on his interface.
“So simple,” he murmured. “But it needs PVC filter membrane material…”
Lin Xian frowned. Most of the items he had decomposed were metallic. Ever since gaining his decomposition ability, he hadn’t scavenged much civilian machinery or appliances.
“Looks like I’ll need to search for more equipment to scavenge. Even if it doesn’t yield much energy, it’ll provide the materials I need.”
“How is it, Captain Lin? Can you fix it?” Xu Jin asked anxiously, seeming more desperate than Shu Qin. He looked like he hadn’t had a proper drink in days. Earlier, he had traded weapons and supplies for some clean water to deal with the immediate crisis.
“Seems to be an electrical issue. Can you get me a screwdriver and pliers?”
Lin Xian’s calm and confident tone lit up Xu Jin’s and Shu Qin’s eyes.
For Shu Qin, repairing the purifier meant she could trade it for valuable resources. For Xu Jin, it was a lifeline to survive the water crisis.
“Right away!” Shu Qin called, instructing her team to fetch a toolbox.
“Captain Lin, if you can fix this, just tell us what you need—”
"Just give me twenty cans of food," Lin Xian said simply. When he’d arrived, he had scanned Shu Qin’s convoy and noted their limited resources. The dozen or so people in her group looked haggard, clearly not well-off.
From the beginning, Shu Qin had shown goodwill toward him, openly sharing what she knew about abilities without expecting anything in return. Lin Xian had developed some respect for the female leader. Besides, now that he had obtained the purifier’s blueprint, he didn’t feel the need to exploit the situation.
If repaired, this water filtration system could fetch Shu Qin goods worth at least two red beans from Xu Jin—far more valuable than the twenty cans he was requesting. His price was exceptionally fair.
“Really?!” Shu Qin’s face lit up with joy. “That’s wonderful! I’ll get them for you right away!”
Lin Xian had an additional reason for asking for canned food.
During the campfire trade earlier, he had deliberately avoided listing food or water among his needs. Operating a train, this omission might lead others to assume that the Infinite Convoy had an abundance of both, which could invite trouble.
By requesting canned food as payment, he subtly dispelled that notion while keeping people guessing.
Next to them, Xu Jin also looked eager. From Lin Xian’s expression, the problem didn’t seem too complicated, which reassured him that the purifier was likely repairable.
Without another word, Lin Xian got to work. Using the screwdriver, he removed the purifier’s casing and furrowed his brows in mock contemplation.
In reality, the repair was already done. While running his Mechanical Heart, he had quietly fixed the issues. Although the problems weren’t severe, an ordinary person would have found the repairs tedious and challenging. Thanks to the abilities of his Mechanical Heart, he had easily patched up the circuit board and motor with materials from his decomposition space and resolved the clogging issue simultaneously.
After a few minutes of tinkering, Lin Xian reassembled the unit, wiped a bit of sweat from his brow for effect, and turned to Shu Qin.
“Alright!” Shu Qin eagerly knocked on the pickup truck door, signaling the driver to start the engine and switch on the purifier.
The purifier hummed to life, its system functioning properly. Moments later, a stream of freshly filtered water began to flow steadily from the outlet.
“It’s working!” Shu Qin exclaimed, her voice brimming with relief and excitement.