Chapter 256: Snowstorm Frequency |
"His brother? Where is he?"
Sun Kai glanced toward the ice canyon behind them. "He died down there while covering us on the last day. See the tear in the nano-ceramic viewport on Unit 01’s head? His brother, Chen Lie, was ripped out in one bite by an Eerie Entity. In the end, it was Chen Wei alone who piloted this mecha and protected the rest of us."
After saying that, he looked at Lin Xian with a meaningful gaze. "That guy's temper has always been like this—he never shows a good face to anyone, and he especially resents Ability Users. I heard that after Apocalypse Day, his entire family was slaughtered by a bandit convoy of Ability Users. Now, with his brother gone too, plus the mental strain from linking directly to Unit 01’s neural resonance system, he's taken some serious psychological damage. So, don't take it to heart. You risked your lives to come help, and yet he acted like that... On his behalf, I apologize to you."
Lin Xian fell silent for a moment before sighing. "No need to be so formal, Captain Sun. We didn’t really manage to help much. Looks like we’ll have to think of another way."
"Piloting a mecha alone with neural resonance?!" KIKI was shocked. "And he survived?!"
"Guess he’s just got ridiculous luck..." Sun Kai nodded.
KIKI turned to him. "Right, didn’t you say Captain Yu’s team had a breakout plan? What is it? Surely they’re not just waiting for Xilan City’s rescue?"
At that moment, Shi Diyuan spoke up. "Seems like they’re planning to have this mecha send out some kind of signal to attract the monsters. Then, they want to make it self-destruct to see if it can take out that black worm or at least severely injure it, giving us a chance to escape. But I don’t know the details. They had this rough idea before you guys even arrived."
"Quantum-dot nano clusters," Sun Kai added. "This was something Unit 01 was originally experimenting with—an apparatus meant to lure monsters. Apparently, these nano-particles can enter a quantum-entangled state with the ‘Mother Quantum Trap’ inside a monster’s nest, or something like that. It’s way too complicated for me to understand."
"But there's another plan," Sun Kai continued. "Chen Wei suggested it. Both he and his brother were Level-5 Unified Control pilots. Now that his brother is gone, there's still a Level-3 pilot in the team. Chen Wei wants to take that person and forcefully restart Unit 01 to clear a path for all of us."
"As for waiting for a rescue..." He shook his head. "With no comms and this blizzard making navigation impossible, even a flying Ability User might not make it to Xilan City. So, that’s just a backup plan. Our main hope is to break out on our own."
Lin Xian nodded. "Relying on rescue alone won’t work. This canyon is swarming with Eerie Entities—even if help does come, it won’t be easy."
KIKI, however, had caught onto something important. She turned to Sun Kai. "Restart the mecha? You mean… it’s still functional?!"
Sun Kai suddenly looked a bit awkward. "I really don’t know the technical side of things. But if they’re suggesting this plan, then… maybe it’s possible?"
He quickly changed the subject. "Anyway, you guys keep talking—I need to go report on the scouting situation." With that, he turned and left.
"Holy sh*t, that thing can still start up?!" Shi Diyuan’s eyes widened as he turned toward the towering steel giant, realization dawning on him.
"It won’t be that simple," Lin Xian said. "If it were, this would’ve been Plan A—not self-destructing the mecha."
Shi Diyuan opened his mouth but didn’t say anything for a long time. Eventually, he let out a heavy sigh, looking up at the endless snowstorm. "What a fcking mess. I thought that once Dragon Mountain No.1 reached Xilan City, even if I died here, at least I wouldn’t feel so bitter. But now we’re still stuck in the same damn place. Fck, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have come!"
Lin Xian looked at him. "You would’ve come no matter what. You’re just not the kind of guy who can be cold-hearted and selfish."
"Exactly," KIKI added with a grin. "Back at Yubei Spaceport, when that Federation guy, Taylor, was about to shoot at us survivors, you jumped in to stop him without even knowing what was going on. Shi, admit it—you’re a good guy."
"A good guy, huh…" Shi Diyuan muttered bitterly, pursing his lips. "Damn bad luck. I’m responsible for so many lives here—what the hell am I supposed to do?"
"We’ll figure something out. Shi, I’ll take KIKI to check out the mecha first."
"Alright." Shi Diyuan turned away. "Go ahead. I’ll check the frontlines. Let’s regroup before nightfall and go over the plan."
"Got it."
Lin Xian then led KIKI toward the enormous mecha.
At this point, none of the Starfleet soldiers or the busy engineers stopped them—after all, everyone was in the same boat now. Besides, they weren’t the only curious survivors approaching the mecha to get a closer look.
As they walked up to Unit 01’s arm, KIKI extended her hand and used her psychic power to create a large energy dome, shielding them from the wind and snow. This allowed them to clearly see the intricate, industrial beauty of the metal plating.
"For humanity to build a weapon of this scale… with such a civilization, how could we lose to these beasts in the darkness?" Lin Xian murmured as he placed his hand on the mecha’s cold, armored finger.
"The allure of machinery… is intoxicating."
At that moment, Lin Xian’s Mechanical Heart finally activated!
BOOM!
The moment the power of the Mechanical Heart connected with the steel titan in the storm, an invisible tremor seemed to echo through the depths of Trakamar Ice Canyon and the heavens of the Extreme Cold Vortex!
Lin Xian didn’t waste time scanning blueprints—he knew there wasn’t enough time to analyze an entire mecha of this scale. Instead, he spread his Mechanical Heart across Unit 01, using his own perception to substitute for a full diagnostic scan, attempting to envelop the entire machine.
Doing so allowed him to "feel" the mechanical colossus in a fraction of the time and with minimal energy expenditure. Through his mechanical intuition, he could grasp its issues without running a full technical analysis.
A humming sensation filled the air—his awareness flowed like a celestial vantage point, gliding across the folding high-frequency blade chainsaw hidden beneath the wrist, trailing along the six-column high-energy capacitors behind the plasma cannon, up past the multi-surfaced torso joints, to the niobium-titanium superconducting reactor core in the chest, and finally sinking into the magnetorheological transmission chamber in the knee joints.
For a brief moment, time itself seemed to fold into liquid form—he saw hydraulic pistons sketching Mobius strips in four-dimensional space, and every frictional movement of the nano-bearings was like birthing a parallel universe.
In his mind, Unit 01 stood in its full, undamaged form beneath the auroras of the ice canyon.
"Hah..."
Letting out a deep breath into the icy air, Lin Xian’s awareness swept past the neural resonance cockpit, and at last, he discovered the mecha’s official designation:
PANGU.
At that moment, a grand, earth-shaking sense of awe surged through his chest.
KIKI, still shielding them with her power, watched as Lin Xian opened his eyes. She couldn’t help but exclaim, "That fast? How is it?!"
Lin Xian replied gravely, "The main structure is intact except for the left arm and the tear in the nano-ceramic viewport. But… that tear may have damaged the primary control system. That could be a huge problem."
"You mean the AI might be down?" KIKI frowned.
Lin Xian nodded. "Yes, and that’s bad news…"
Ning Jing lowered her head and checked herself over, her eyes narrowing. "What does Captain Lin say? He’s a Mechanical Ability User—does he have a solution?"
"Heh."
Shi Diyuan suddenly stood up. "Of course, he has a solution! That guy has saved tens of thousands of people—this little setback won’t stop him. But…" He trailed off, then looked at Ning Jing seriously. "Whether Dragon Mountain No.1 can break through this blizzard might depend on him. So no matter what happens tonight, we must ensure Lin makes it out safely. The people on both trains need him to survive."
"All of you, got that?!"
His sharp gaze swept across the gathered fighters. The others stiffened, their expressions turning solemn as they nodded without hesitation.
In the storm, Lin Xian stood alone beneath Unit 01—Pangu, gazing up at its massive nuclear-powered turbine engine. He could feel the intense heat radiating from it, pushing back the surrounding cold. The swirling vortex of energy seemed as if it might swallow him whole.
"Handsome guy, what’s the problem? Stuck?"
A sharp voice cut through the wind. Lin Xian turned to see Qian Dele, dressed in an extravagant mink coat, watching him with interest.
Lin Xian glanced behind him, then back at Qian Dele, surprised. "You move fast. When did you get behind me?"
"Just now."
Qian Dele’s sharp eyes roamed over Lin Xian before shifting toward Unit 01. "Everyone thinks this big hunk of metal is our only ticket out of here. Are you one of them?"
"It’s a natural thought," Lin Xian replied. "With a weapon of this scale at your back, anyone would want to seek shelter under its shade."
"Shelter? Ha, I’m freezing to death out here."
Qian Dele tightened his coat around himself, then spoke slowly. "Still, in all this time running for our lives, this is the first human-made weapon that has actually made those disgusting monsters hesitate. This 'Emperor Project'… it’s given survivors like us a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, humanity isn’t so small after all."
Lin Xian replied bluntly, "Do you know about the Dark Mark?"
Qian Dele looked puzzled but waited for him to continue.
"We discovered that Eerie Entities have a way of communicating—a hunting language, so to speak. They can mark prey with an invisible signal, turning them into beacons in the darkness. Once marked, those in the vicinity will inevitably be hunted down."
"Interesting," Qian Dele mused. "So these creatures are actually quite cooperative."
"Hmm?" Lin Xian was taken aback. It was the first time someone had focused on that particular detail, making him instinctively engage in the discussion. "That’s your first reaction?"
Qian Dele’s gaze held a trace of arrogance as he spoke in a nostalgic tone. "Before the apocalypse, my biggest hobbies were shopping and hunting. As a licensed professional hunter, I had a rule—I never let other hunters take my targets."
"Why?" Lin Xian asked.
"Isn’t it obvious?" Qian Dele smiled faintly. "Hunters enjoy the act of hunting, not just the spoils. It’s like fishing—anglers love the thrill of the catch. If they just wanted to eat fish, they’d buy one at the market. Besides… I don’t even like eating meat."
"Fishing enthusiasts enjoy catching fish and feeding fish—but not eating fish," Lin Xian murmured, recalling his university days when he often skipped class to go fishing. He had all the gear, looked the part, but always came back empty-handed. His dorm mates would constantly roast him for it, often inviting him out just to eat fish.
"Heh heh heh~" Qian Dele chuckled, then added, "Hunters don’t share their prey. So this 'Dark Mark' you mentioned? It doesn’t sound like a predator marking its hunt."
His voice turned cold. "It sounds more like a death warrant."
Lin Xian’s expression grew serious. "I’ve always thought the Eerie Entities weren’t just eating us—they wanted us erased."
"Which is why I was so puzzled when I heard that giant black worm wouldn’t approach this place. We’ve always seen these creatures as fearless, but now, one of them is actually hesitating? Just because Unit 01 killed one of its kind?"
Qian Dele frowned. "Even monsters have survival instincts. That’s normal."
Lin Xian, still busy crafting something with his hands, glanced up at the towering mecha and responded calmly, "Maybe."
Qian Dele crossed his arms, studying Lin Xian intently before turning to leave. "Come on, Captain Yu has called a meeting for all convoy leaders to discuss the breakout plan. There may only be two of you, but I think you should still be there."
After he left, Lin Xian checked his watch, his expression growing heavier.
At that moment, a slender silhouette descended from the storm above, wrapped in an invisible psychic barrier. KIKI landed, her small face flushed red from the cold. "It’s done."
"Let’s go. Time is short," Lin Xian nodded. The two of them quickly headed for the command tent.
As soon as they stepped inside, warmth washed over them. The tent was filled with people—Shi Diyuan, Ning Jing, Qian Dele, Sun Kai, and the leaders of five other convoys, as well as members of the Emperor Project team, led by Yu Yuheng. In total, over thirty people were gathered, and the atmosphere was heavy.
The Snow Wraith attacks were growing more frequent. They might survive one more night, but two? That was uncertain.
Everyone knew—they had to make their move before nightfall.
As Lin Xian and KIKI entered, all eyes turned to them. Shi Diyuan and Ning Jing nodded in greeting, while Captain Sun also acknowledged them with a glance. They quietly made their way to a corner.
Lin Xian’s gaze fell on Chen Wei, the pilot. He was sitting on a work chair not far behind Yu Yuheng, bundled in a thick military coat. His face was cold and rigid, and his arm was wrapped with sensor wires and IV tubes, indicating he was receiving treatment.
Once everyone had arrived, Yu Yuheng called Sun Kai forward and addressed the group.
"It’s 15:20. We have about 2 hours and 40 minutes until nightfall, give or take 10 minutes. We’ve gathered you all here for an urgent discussion on our breakout strategy."
Sun Kai stepped up. "All of you came to help us escape this crisis, so let me make one thing clear—we, the armed division, will take the front line in any plan we choose."
"Hey!"
Shi Diyuan immediately interrupted, raising his hand in a bold gesture. "No need for that. Unity is what matters. And let’s be practical—my train has the thickest armor. We should be the ones leading the charge. If we have heavy armor, we use it. No sense sending our brothers to take the brunt of the attack."
"Damn right! I’d rather risk my own life!"
"Don’t make it sound like we’re afraid to die!"
The other convoy leaders chimed in—none of them were selfish cowards. Over the past two days, they had grown close, and in this moment, none of them hesitated.
"Let’s focus on the actual plan first," Qian Dele interjected, arms crossed. "It’s too early to argue about this."
Yu Yuheng adjusted his glasses and spoke seriously.
"We have two plans—one is a direct breakout. The other is abandoning the position and retreating through the ice canyon."
Sun Kai stepped forward. "We scouted the canyon three times and found a 3-kilometer-long ice tunnel leading north to a slope near Yaze Lake. From there, we could circle around. The problem is… we’d have to abandon all large vehicles and escape on lightweight snowmobiles."
Yu Yuheng added, "The advantage is a stealthy escape with minimal risk of encountering Eerie Entities. The downside? Once we leave this area, we might still run into them."
"And the direct breakout?" Ning Jing asked.
Yu Yuheng activated a holographic projection on the war table. "That… is where the Quantum Resonance Generator comes in."
Yu Yuheng shook off the hand restraining him, adjusted his glasses, and said, "I've already told you many times—the reason I won't consider your plan is purely due to technical concerns. No one understands this mecha's issues better than I do. If you two go up, you'll just be throwing your lives away for nothing and wasting our time."
He then turned to someone else. "And you—don't get too happy. Your plan is nothing but empty talk on paper."
Just as everyone thought the argument had ended, KIKI suddenly shifted her focus to Yu Yuheng, catching everyone off guard.
"Me?" Yu Yuheng asked in surprise.
All eyes turned to KIKI with confusion. From a logical standpoint, Yu Yuheng's plan seemed feasible. He had even prepared three contingency strategies—though brutal, they were at least viable.
Hearing Yu Yuheng’s confusion, KIKI let out a sigh. "Your work doesn’t usually involve dealing with eerie entities, does it? You haven't really experienced moments of true peril, have you?"
Yu Yuheng frowned. "What do you mean? Are you trying to question my experience?"
"It's not about experience—it's about common sense."
KIKI raised a finger. "Regardless of whether it's a device that attracts monsters or their own blood, you've ignored the most important factor. These creatures have eyes, noses, and ears. They can track us in the dark and even possess a certain level of intelligence. We've encountered eerie entities countless times at night—our only options were to run, die, or kill them. But tell me, have you ever seen them miss their mark?"
Yu Yuheng's face stiffened at her words, while Chen Wei narrowed his eyes slightly.
"And then there's your 'split into two teams' idea—it's even worse. Even with all of us together, relying on defensive positions, we can barely hold off their attacks. What makes you think splitting up will increase our chances of survival? Do you have any idea how many Snow Wraiths and Snow Demons lurk in this snowfield? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Millions? To them, our numbers are insignificant. Whether we split into two teams or twenty, it won’t matter—the endless monster horde will just swallow us even faster."
KIKI's voice carried a sharp edge as she continued, "And another thing—there’s a black worm carcass just three kilometers away. What makes you so sure there’s only one of them underground?"
At this, Yu Yuheng was left speechless, and the faces of Shi Diyuan, Qian Dele, and the other convoy leaders darkened. As experienced leaders, they quickly realized the flaws in the plan.
"So according to you, we should just sit here and wait for rescue?" Chen Wei snapped, his voice sharp. KIKI's words were like a bucket of cold water, dousing any lingering hope before they could even act. To a soldier like him, such pessimism was unacceptable.
"KIKI, Lin—do you two have a better plan?" Shi Diyuan, who had been observing them from the sidelines, perked up. Since KIKI had just shot down all their options, he figured she and Lin Xian must have something else in mind. His tone was urgent as he turned toward them.
"Of course we do," KIKI said casually. Instantly, the room's atmosphere shifted, everyone's eyes lighting up.
Seeing KIKI dismantle both Yu Yuheng and Chen Wei’s plans, Lin Xian decided to step forward. He addressed Yu Yuheng directly. "Captain Yu, there’s one thing we all agree on—you and the Phoenix Guild officials are willing to put your own safety aside to stand in front of us survivors. Your courage and conviction deserve recognition."
Yu Yuheng’s expression remained conflicted after KIKI had so thoroughly shut down his plan. Hearing Lin Xian’s words, he sighed and spoke with less confidence. "If you have a better plan, just say it. No need to flatter me. She’s right—I’m just a technical specialist. I lack experience in this kind of situation…"
Lin Xian nodded, checked the time, and got straight to the point.
"The solution is simple—we all rush out together before nightfall."
Silence filled the tent.
Everyone stared at Lin Xian, expressions mixed with disbelief.
What kind of plan was that?
Chen Wei's face darkened. Seeing Lin Xian step forward with such confidence, he had expected a well-thought-out strategy—only to hear… this?
Just charge? Wasn’t that obvious? If it were that easy, why were they still hiding here?
Even Shi Diyuan, who usually trusted Lin Xian, seemed bewildered. Scratching his head, he asked, "Uh, Lin, that’s it?"
"Not exactly," Lin Xian replied, his expression serious. He had no time for word games.
"First, let me remind you of something important—the time. It’s currently 15:20." Lin Xian glanced at his watch before continuing. "All Snow Wraiths emerge from beneath the snow. They can’t stay exposed to sunlight for long. They’re more active during blizzards, which clearly shows that light is dangerous for eerie entities. Even that giant worm—both times it surfaced, it didn’t stay above ground for long. The parts of its body exposed to sunlight were blown apart by our gunfire, shedding flesh and blood. If that doesn’t tell you something, I don’t know what will."
"We already know that," Qian Dele crossed his arms, looking smug. "But once night falls, these monsters won't be nearly as sluggish."
"And then?" Yu Yuheng pressed, frowning.
Lin Xian saw their confusion and walked up to Yu Yuheng, grabbing the mobile terminal from his hands before tossing it to KIKI.
"Hey, girl."
"Got it!" KIKI responded instantly, already beginning to operate the system.
A moment later, the screen behind Yu Yuheng projected a temporary terrain curvature map.
Lin Xian pointed at a location. "We’re currently near Duck Ze Lake, close to Trakamar Ice Canyon. In extreme cold weather, cold air clings to the ground, forming what’s called an 'inversion layer.' Normally, the thick clouds during midday block sunlight, but as the inversion layer dissipates in the afternoon, the sun will angle westward, and snow reflection will amplify the light—making it the brightest time of the day."
"More specifically…" Lin Xian checked his watch again. "That window is between 16:00 and 17:00. If we break through then, our chances are highest."
"Hah," Chen Wei scoffed impatiently. "This is nonsense. The sky is covered in dark clouds—what, you think you can just command the sun to shine?"
Yu Yuheng’s face darkened. "With this blizzard, the weather is unpredictable. I get what you’re saying, but the sunlight—"
"I can handle that," Lin Xian interrupted.
Dead silence.
Everyone looked at him in shock.
"Lin," Sun Kai asked, incredulous, "what do you mean by that?"
Before anyone could react, Lin Xian suddenly raised his hand and activated his ability—Gravity Lens!
Buzz!
A miniature spatial vortex manifested in the tent, instantly distorting the light. The entire room was thrown into layered refractions, and even the computer screens flickered erratically, their signals bending toward the gravitational anomaly.
Then, just as suddenly, everything returned to normal.
"I can manipulate light for short bursts," Lin Xian explained.
His words hit like a bombshell. Chen Wei and Yu Yuheng stared at him, stunned.
"Wait—what?! You can control the weather?"
"Not exactly. I can amplify light. Normally, it’s not very useful, but against monsters that hate daylight… it comes in handy." Lin Xian shrugged, downplaying his ability.
"Besides, there’s another crucial factor no one has considered." He glanced around the room. "Before we arrived, there were no Snow Wraiths around Duck Ze Lake. Now, they’re all swarming here. That likely means the mecha or some high-level eerie entity is drawing them in. But if we move, they’ll chase us. We can’t outrun them to Xilan City in two hours. Without backup, even if we escape, we’ll still be hunted down."
"But my Infinite Train and Shi's Dragon Mountain No. 1 are stationed just 100 kilometers north on the rail line. They’re fully armed and ready to provide cover. If we can reach them, we’ll have the firepower to hold out until nightfall."
"Wait!" Yu Yuheng blurted. "The blizzard blocks all signals—how could you possibly contact a convoy 100 kilometers away?!"
"Yeah! Even I didn’t know you got in touch with Dragon Mountain No. 1!" Shi Diyuan added.
Beside him, Ning Jing suddenly caught on, her face lighting up.
Lin Xian smirked. "Who said I couldn’t?"
Lin Xian smirked, then casually pulled out his communicator.
"Hey, Mr. Chen. Fire Bro, is the path cleared yet?" He pressed the call button and spoke into the device.
Crackle… sizzle…
"Lin Xian, we’re all set over here!!"
Through the static interference, Chen Sixuan’s voice came through loud and clear, echoing inside the now-silent tent.
Everyone’s heads snapped toward Lin Xian in shock.
Then, under their stunned gazes, he casually raised his hand and conjured a signal pillar—a small, glowing device resembling an antenna. He tossed it in the air a few times before gripping it firmly.
"I’m a cautious person," he explained with a chuckle. "When I came out to find Brother Shi, I didn’t want to get lost, so I left signal pillars behind every few hundred meters."
With that, he turned to the wide-eyed Yu Yuheng and added, "Oh, by the way, Captain Yu—just a heads-up. My nearest signal pillar is only two kilometers away. I didn’t get a chance to plant more on the way here because we ran into a monster horde. So earlier, I borrowed Unit 01’s overclocked signal relay system and set up a bridge to connect to my network."
Yu Yuheng’s glasses slid down his nose as his mouth opened and closed, struggling to form words. "Y-you… When… h-how…?"
Lin Xian turned to KIKI with a smirk. Yu Yuheng followed his gaze, locking onto the girl.
KIKI squinted playfully and gave him a cheeky grin. "Relax~ I didn’t peek at your classified files."
Shi Diyuan let out a hearty laugh and clapped his hands. "You sly fox! So you had a backup plan all along, huh? Hahaha!"
Qian Dele, now thoroughly impressed, shot Lin Xian a thumbs-up. "Damn, dude—you’re on another level."
"This plan is solid," one of the convoy leaders said, his face full of excitement.
"Definitely worth trying!" Others chimed in, their voices carrying a renewed sense of hope.
Even Sun Kai, who had been skeptical, now looked at Lin Xian with astonishment. His breathing quickened as he processed the full scope of the plan. A full-team breakout, accounting for terrain, weather, and sunlight. More importantly, it resolved their biggest issue—the lack of backup.
No plan was foolproof, but this was, without a doubt, their best shot at survival.
The atmosphere in the tent shifted dramatically. The tension and despair that had weighed everyone down moments ago were gone, replaced by fiery determination. For the first time in a long while, hope had returned.
Outside, the Trakamar Ice Canyon howled with blistering winds. Snowflakes danced furiously in the air.
And in that vast, frozen wasteland—every few hundred meters—stood a series of gray signal pillars, their green lights pulsing like electronic beacons in the white abyss.
They flickered steadily, carrying the rhythm of an encrypted signal—a heartbeat in the storm, a silent call to arms.
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