Beep beep, beep beep~
The wristwatch’s alarm went off again.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Luo Ye drove the off-road vehicle into the pedestrian street as planned, drawing a large horde of zombies. Lin Xian, meanwhile, used the now-vacant street to sprint into the plaza. There, he placed a battery on the roadside, constructing a speaker and arranging several floodlights in a circular pattern around the plaza. The speaker was connected via wires to the central spot.
Following the predetermined route, Lin Xian rapidly set up tripwires and animal traps, building them almost effortlessly with a simple wave of his hand.
In a narrow alleyway, Lin Xian dashed through, using his Wind Cannon to dispatch obstructing zombies while setting up specialized traps at chokepoints and confined areas.
At one exit, he installed a spiked wall—a gravity-triggered contraption that would fall and trap any pursuers under its razor-sharp teeth.
These devices were simple, meant not to destroy the eerie entities but to buy Lin Xian time to escape. Facing the eerie forces for the first time, he exercised extreme caution.
After completing his setup, Lin Xian dashed to the roadside, spotting Luo Ye’s off-road vehicle barreling toward him, zombies in tow.
The vehicle screeched to a halt. Lin Xian hopped into the passenger seat as Luo Ye hit the gas, speeding toward the city outskirts. To avoid luring trouble back to the station, Luo Ye took a detour along the main road, losing the horde before circling back to Yuchi Station.
Once back, they loaded the off-road vehicle onto the flatbed trailer. Chen Sixuan and Shasha, riding a motorcycle with its headlights on, returned from scouting along the railway.
Chen Sixuan dismounted and removed her helmet. “We didn’t go too far, but we found that special branch line. It’s newly built, but we didn’t have the tools to change the track switch.”
“No problem,” Lin Xian replied, nodding. “If it’s new, it’s probably meant for the underground city. We’ll adjust the switch when we reach it. For now, get on the train and rest.”
Lin Xian and Luo Ye resumed adding armor plating to the remaining carriages. Meanwhile, Chen Sixuan and Shasha sorted through the supplies gathered earlier in the day.
For Carriages No. 1 and 2, Lin Xian used the Mechanical Heart to craft metal storage cabinets. Carriages No. 3 and 4, initially used by Tang Hai’s convoy for material storage, were fitted with mesh partitions to prevent the supplies from scattering.
Once the armor upgrades were complete, Lin Xian planned to reorganize the carriages, including upgrading the water supply system. Everything needed to be tackled step by step.
While dismantling and devouring freight train carriages, Lin Xian simultaneously manufactured armored roofs. Despite each carriage weighing several tons, the mechanical core points gained were comparable to devouring a car.
Fortunately, Lin Xian only needed the materials. The simple structures of these carriages made them quick to dismantle.
Skill Upgrade Notification:
With the upgraded skill, Lin Xian’s devour efficiency soared. Within half an hour, he could process an empty carriage.
Inside and outside, the team worked tirelessly. With the final armored roof panel welded into place, the Infinite Train—save for its flatbed trailer—was now entirely encased in black armor. The train exuded an imposing aura in the night, like a Steel Fortress.
“For the icebreaker shield, we’ll use the tank’s armor materials combined with tungsten-titanium alloy connectors,” Lin Xian said.
At the front of the Whale 03E Heavy Gas Turbine Locomotive, Lin Xian and Luo Ye began installing the most critical component: the massive front shield.
The harsh clangs of metal reverberated as Lin Xian’s glowing hands manipulated a vast amount of metal, shaping, forging, and assembling it into a thick, solid icebreaker shield.
Weighing over 5 tons, the shield required over an hour to install with the crane.
“Now the roof, sides, wheels, and front are all reinforced. It finally looks like an armored train,” Lin Xian said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he admired their achievement.
The train wasn’t just armored—it was significantly heavier. Lin Xian estimated that even the Pale Giant they’d encountered earlier wouldn’t be able to budge it.
However, the added weight meant Kiki’s ability to lift the front carriage with her powers was now severely limited unless her abilities evolved further.
“Let’s rest, Luo Ye,” Lin Xian said, noting it was past 5 a.m. They’d been working through the night.
In Carriage No. 1, Lin Xian found Chen Sixuan and Shasha had neatly organized the interior. The fortified train now boasted a more livable environment, inching closer to becoming a mobile fortress.
“How’s Kiki?” Lin Xian asked.
Chen Sixuan, wiping sweat from Kiki’s face with a towel, said worriedly, “She hasn’t woken up. I think she’s having a nightmare; she’s been sweating non-stop.”
Inspecting Kiki’s eyes, Lin Xian noticed the black, inky substance creeping back. He frowned.
“Looks like the Eerie Blood Crystals weren’t enough,” he muttered.
“But we don’t know how much more we’ll need,” Chen Sixuan replied.
Lin Xian sighed. “If we can collect more, we’ll keep one to reactivate the Dark Radio. Maybe we can trade with someone instead of relying on trial and error.”
Trading would be safer and might uncover additional information.
“When do we head out?” Chen Sixuan asked.
“Let’s rest for now. I’ll regain some strength and handle the capacitors and transformers before dawn. Being prepared is the safest option.”