As the group searched the surroundings, the sound of the zombie tide had vanished, leaving only the eerie silence of the night. Flashlights danced along the tracks, illuminating the frost-covered ground. Shasha’s face was etched with urgency as she scanned every corner with her flashlight.
On the other side, Lin Xian and Luo Ye were hacking furiously at the white giant’s corpse, digging through its flesh for one of those red beads.
Suddenly, Shasha’s excited shout broke the silence.
Both men froze, abandoning their task to rush over to her.
Shasha stood at the edge of a drainage ditch, pointing her flashlight at the grotesque, decapitated head of the white giant. The disembodied head lay amid a mix of red blood and black ichor, an ominous sight that made Shasha hesitant to approach any closer.
As Lin Xian approached, Shasha pointed toward the severed neck. “Look!”
From the giant’s neck, black smoke seeped out, snaking into the ground. Amid the murky ichor and blood, a bead the size of a thumb shone bright red.
Strangely, this bead was significantly larger than the one Lin Xian had retrieved earlier.
Cautiously, he approached. As he drew nearer to the bead, a faint rustling sound began in his ears. The closer he got, the louder the sound grew, transforming into a deafening cacophony of wails and cries.
The noise became so intense it threatened to rupture his eardrums, but Lin Xian gritted his teeth and pressed on. Just as the sound became unbearable, he reached out and grabbed the red bead.
The wailing abruptly ceased.
“So that’s how it works!” Lin Xian exhaled deeply, his gaze sharp.
He remembered hearing similar cries when he killed the red centipede-like creature but hadn’t known about the existence of these beads at the time. Now it was clear—there must have been a blood crystal then as well.
“Different sizes, huh…” he mused, noting the bead's larger form before rushing back to the train with it.
On the train, Lin Xian placed the larger blood crystal near Kiki’s nose. This time, before it even touched her, the crystal shattered into fine red mist. The mist surged into Kiki’s nostrils and eyes, suffusing her with an eerie crimson glow.
“Whoa!” Shasha exclaimed, her curiosity piqued as Kiki’s pale face began to regain color, and her breathing grew steadier.
Lin Xian pried open her eyelids, watching as the dark inkiness in her eyes dissipated. Though he didn’t fully understand what was happening, the bead appeared to be working.
Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.
“Why are there still so many zombies and that monster?” Chen Sixuan frowned. “We lost them back in Jiang City, didn’t we?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Lin Xian replied, glancing at the air-conditioning unit on the train’s roof. “Looks like we need an extra layer of protection up there.”
Earlier, when he and Luo Ye had inspected the train, they found Car No. 5 damaged and parts of the roof dented. However, the side armor of the Infinite Train remained intact, withstanding the zombie tide’s onslaught.
Lin Xian began formulating ideas:
“Ms. Chen, what time do you think dawn will come?” Lin Xian asked.
“I’d estimate between 2:40 PM and 3:10 PM.”
“Good,” Lin Xian said, glancing at the unconscious Kiki. “We have enough time. Let’s head to Yu Chi Station and stop there to refit the train and upgrade its defenses. After that, we’ll scavenge for supplies in Yu Chi City.”
“Supplies aren’t the priority,” Lin Xian continued, pulling out a map. “Our main targets are here: the electronics mall and the city’s power substation.”
“Power substation?” Shasha looked puzzled. “What for?”
“To gather transformers and capacitors,” Lin Xian explained. “If we find a suitable vehicle, we’ll take it back with us as well. With the fuel we got from the outpost—over a thousand liters—we can split into two groups. Load everything onto the flatbed trailer and save time.”
Lin Xian also planned a large-scale collection effort. Electric and mechanical items were ideal for his devouring abilities—small, scattered components could be absorbed efficiently without the long process required for larger machinery.
Reflecting on the gains from devouring the locomotive, Lin Xian was emboldened. If another opportunity arose and the train could handle the weight, he wouldn’t hesitate to tow it along the tracks for devouring.
He also had a bigger idea. Inspired by the GK03 electric blade’s high-energy capacitor and arc discharge system, Lin Xian envisioned equipping the train with an external electric defense system.
“Ms. Chen, let’s go,” he said decisively.
Chen Sixuan nodded and instructed Shasha, “Help them treat their wounds.”
“Leave it to me!” Shasha grabbed the medical kit and set to work on Lin Xian’s chest wound.
“Brother Lin, does it hurt?”
“It’s fine,” Lin Xian replied stoically.
“Okay.” Shasha poured iodine onto his wound.
“Ssssssss!!!” Lin Xian hissed in pain.
With a metallic groan, the Infinite Train rumbled back to life, its iron wheels rolling forward once more.
The frigid night stretched out before them, the landscape blanketed in white snow. Lin Xian opened the tailgate of Car No. 5 and surveyed the scene.
Behind the train, only one off-road vehicle and the Black Jiao Convoy’s armored car remained intact.
“Forget it,” he muttered, eyeing the flatbed trailer. “It’s just a heap of iron—better to use it as an open cargo platform for devouring while on the move.”
The Mechanical Heart’s new decomposition space, unlocked at Level 2, had greatly expanded his capabilities. Yet, two challenges remained:
When dawn finally broke, Lin Xian was ready to rework his priorities, focusing on teamwork and bolstering their collective strength.
Leaning against the tailgate, Lin Xian smiled as Luo Ye offered back the steel-slaying greatsword.
“Who do you think I made it for?” Lin Xian chuckled.
Realizing the sword was meant for him, Luo Ye blushed and gratefully accepted it. “Thanks, Brother Lin.”
The sword’s solid build and sharp edge made it ideal not just for combat but also as a makeshift shield. For someone like Luo Ye, it was perfect.