Chapter 271: Yeah, I Did It. Gonna Kill Me? |
"Expensive? Do you even know the value of a high-powered electric locomotive?"
Song Hao didn’t know where Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan had suddenly popped out from, but upon hearing the questioning tone, he immediately retorted.
"That I do." Before Monica could respond, Shi Diyuan answered loudly, "A standard electric locomotive in good condition with 70,000 kW of power is worth at most ten Eerie Blood Crystals—if you can even find someone willing to take it."
"What did you say?!"
"Shut up."
Monica cut off Song Hao sharply, then turned around and apologized slightly to the two.
"Brother Shi, Captain Lin, sorry—I got carried away just now. This is our maintenance tech. Let me take you on board. Want something to drink?"
"No need, no need~"
Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan didn’t stand on ceremony and boarded the train directly. As soon as they entered, both couldn’t help but look around with surprised expressions.
"Friends, here to help repair the train."
"Repair the train?!" Song Hao’s eyes widened at her words. "Just... just the two of them?"
"Sister Mo, didn’t we already contact someone from the Golden City Convoy? They’ve got the best mechanical engineers in the city. Why are we calling someone else?"
Monica shot him a cold glance without offering any explanation and followed Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan into the carriage.
Song Hao swallowed his words under her gaze, lowering his head awkwardly.
But after Monica passed by, he lifted his eyes and looked at her retreating figure, a hint of cold malice flashing in his eyes.
"Let’s see what they’re really here for."
Beside him, Fat Zhu nudged him with his elbow and gave him a meaningful look. Song Hao’s expression shifted slightly, then he silently turned around to tidy up the maintenance tools.
From appearance alone, Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan looked nothing like mechanical engineers or repair technicians. In fact, one wore a grizzly coat and the other a high-tech power armor, making them look more like higher-ups of some convoy. Plus, neither of them brought any tools—they showed up empty-handed. No way Song Hao would believe they were here to fix anything.
Right now, Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan were examining the interior of the Queen Monica as if they were looking at some novelty. Despite both men living on trains with their own convoys, the inside of this train was nothing like a typical one. Lin Xian’s first impression? It was more like the interior of a spaceship!
The fully integrated functional carriages, filled with automated systems, made the space feel a bit tight. The train was completely sealed, with no windows except for those in the head and tail sections. External conditions were entirely monitored through a 360-degree Sentinel System. Inside, there was a strong sense of security. The sleeping area was built into honeycomb-like compartments. The control room’s ring-shaped screens were filled with maps of snowy terrain. Advanced air circulation and heating systems made anyone walking in feel like they’d stepped into spring.
Hiss~
They arrived at the largest driving carriage in the front, which required Monica’s iris scan to unlock the hatch.
This wasn’t just the power carriage—it was also Monica’s personal living space. Over 60 meters long, it contained the power core, propulsion system, and the main control unit. The onboard AI system could monitor the train’s full status, diagnose faults, and operate autonomously via remote. Everything was under Monica’s command.
"This is my private living area. Normally, no one is allowed in here."
Monica smiled while leading the way. "We’ve got 26 people total on this train. There are five responsible for vehicle control and driving. Even though it's fully automated, we still need people monitoring road conditions 24/7. The radar stays on all the time."
"Whoa, Sister Mo, this is pretty spacious!"
The moment they stepped in, Shi Diyuan couldn’t help exclaiming in awe.
Despite housing so many core systems, the carriage still offered Monica a wide and luxurious living space. A space capsule-grade bathroom, a large wave-massage bathtub, a roomy bedroom, a walk-in closet, a wine cabinet, a spa capsule...
It didn’t feel like the apocalypse—it felt like a vacation retreat.
"No wonder they call this the 2-billion Eerie-Class Express." Lin Xian chuckled at the sight. You could say it was flashy, sure, but the train’s defense, survival, and weapon systems were like a mobile fortress. On the other hand, in a post-apocalyptic world, living in this kind of luxury fortress beat welding scrap metal and sleeping in the foul-smelling backseat of a junked-out car.
"Mm!" Shi Diyuan said seriously, "I should’ve brought a few of our engineers along. Forget everything else—even the interior layout is worth studying. Just the air circulation and graywater system alone, if we could install them on Dragon Mountain No. 1, would solve a huge headache."
Shi Diyuan wasn’t exaggerating. A train holding over a thousand people, fleeing through an apocalypse—hygiene was a major issue. A little neglect and the whole place would reek. Just keeping the toilets clean was enough to drive any carriage supervisor nuts.
Lin Xian’s Infinite Train hadn’t run into that problem yet. The passengers were all pretty hygienic, and the logistics crew, led by Xiao Yuan, was diligent and handled sanitation proactively. The living carriages stayed clean and comfy, sparing Lin Xian from having to worry.
"Sorry if it’s a bit much." Monica crossed her arms, voice tinged with melancholy. "I’m the only woman on this whole train. For me—even if death’s coming one night—I want to face it in a clean and comfortable place."
That surprised Lin Xian. The only woman on the entire train... and she was the convoy leader. That setup was already unusual. Judging by how she treated her subordinates, she didn’t seem like the warm and fuzzy type either.
Putting it all together, Lin Xian figured Monica must not only have full control over the train systems—but she likely had some serious strength herself.
Otherwise, how could she keep all those power-armored guards in line?
"So? What do you think, Captain Lin?" Monica turned to look at him.
"Give me a bit of time."
Tour done, Lin Xian didn’t hesitate. He went straight to the main control console, sat down, and placed his hand on it, activating his Mechanical Heart.
Once the field expanded, Lin Xian quickly got a rough assessment.
"Three hours."
Monica’s eyes lit up. "Three hours and it’ll... be fixed?"
Lin Xian didn’t give a firm answer, only said, "It’s possible."
Three hours was roughly the time it’d take to finish scanning the train. While it only had eight carriages, there were countless subsystems. Fortunately, Lin Xian had previous experience scanning nuclear-powered systems. The most advanced component on this train was the AI control system. The chip manufacturing alone would eat up time. While he could try bypassing some systems, the integrated design meant the master control connected everything. Skipping around might actually take more time.
Monica forced herself to stay calm, though joy flickered in her eyes. She looked between Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan, then asked tentatively,
"Captain Lin, I don’t think I know your terms yet?"
"Twenty Eerie Blood Crystals." Lin Xian answered before she even finished.
"Only twenty?!!" Shi Diyuan blurted. "Just fixing an electric locomotive’s circuitry, people dare charge forty. And you’re fixing a whole train for twenty? Brother Lin, you’re generous."
Lin Xian just smiled. Shi Diyuan clearly wasn’t criticizing him—he was throwing shade at the Golden City Convoy. That forty-crystal quote was ridiculous.
Lin Xian’s Huanxing 7F Electric Locomotive had been basically free. Nuclear-powered trains were already ultra-high-power traction engines. For a super-long train like Dragon Mountain No. 1, one locomotive was more than enough. Sure, Shi Diyuan had a backup plan, but if you didn’t have a nuclear engine, ordinary electric ones were useless—especially a broken-down freight unit.
So when they heard the forty-crystal price tag, Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan immediately knew it was a scam. That kind of unique price only existed because the Golden City team was exploiting Monica’s situation—counting on her having no alternatives.
"Really twenty crystals?" Monica almost thought she misheard. If that price fixed the train’s issues, it was a steal.
Luckily, she knew Qian Dele was a cold, picky man. If someone didn’t have real skills, he wouldn’t endorse them.
With that thought, Monica relaxed a bit.
She said nothing more and walked to the wine cabinet, opening a treasured bottle of red.
Soon, she brought wine for both Shi Diyuan and Lin Xian. Watching Lin Xian work, she didn’t detect any fluctuation in Soul Wave Value, so she said calmly,
"Captain Lin, you’ve really helped me out here."
"Just a small favor," Lin Xian replied flatly.
For him, not only was this an easy twenty Eerie Blood Crystals—it also gave him a blueprint of this Eerie-Class train. Key systems like integrated power, automated weapons bays, bathrooms, living quarters, lighting, air and water circulation—all of these were more valuable than the crystals. He couldn’t find designs like this anywhere. Even the Infinite Train’s current auto-blast doors were cobbled together from airport corridor systems.
The power integration, wiring, and various lift pods on the Infinite Train were all reverse-engineered and forcefully installed by Lin Xian using his god-tier mechanical ability. Sure, they worked, but they were nowhere near the quality of the Queen Monica, which was purpose-built for trains. It was like putting a house door on a car—it might function, but it was far from refined.
Now with this train-specific structural blueprint in hand, any future modifications to the Infinite Train would be far more logical and coherent. Solving the entire framework problem in one go—that was what truly excited Lin Xian.
Shi Diyuan took a sip of red wine, then turned to Monica. "Sister Mo, while Brother Lin’s busy, if you don’t mind, can I take a look at your weapons setup? I’d like to learn a thing or two about your firepower layout."
Dragon Mountain No. 1 was also preparing to purchase a large batch of weapon systems from major convoys and the Phoenix Society for an upgrade. They had started by blindly stacking firepower, but after all the dangerous situations they’d been through, Shi Diyuan had come to understand the importance of tiered weapon layouts—and that supplying ammunition across carriages was a logistical nightmare. Even though Monica herself wasn’t particularly skilled in this field, her train had been co-designed by the military, which made it worth studying.
"Of course." Monica glanced at Lin Xian, then smiled and led Shi Diyuan to the other carriages for a tour.
【Scan progress: 1%】
Back in the lead carriage, Lin Xian was fully focused, his Mechanical Heart quickly sweeping through every corner of the Queen Monica.
Bit by bit, the detailed blueprint of this heavy-duty doomsday train appeared before his eyes on the holographic screen. Seeing the incredibly complex structural design, Lin Xian couldn’t help but marvel silently: “Even if it’s just a gimmick from a tech company, designing a train like this isn’t easy. No wonder it costs two billion...”
Lin Xian concluded that the team behind this train had to be from a top-tier industrial group. Some systems even borrowed avionics designs from fighter jets, with a massive array of sensors tied into onboard radar. The complete data chain transmission system was centralized in Carriage No. 1’s central processing server.
From the very start, this Eerie-Class Express was built to meet five-protection standards: bulletproof, cold-proof, fireproof, waterproof, and radiation-proof. It even had a design consideration for short-duration underwater travel, which made its propulsion system extremely complex.
The deeper Lin Xian scanned, the more impressed he became. The only downside was exactly what he had guessed earlier: the train accounted for so many variables that its maintenance cost was sky-high. He assumed there must be backups for all the vulnerable parts, but even then, after a few months of attacks from Eerie Entities and zombie hordes, it wouldn’t hold up forever.
Lin Xian kept his eyes on the timer while scanning, planning out future upgrades for the Infinite Train once this was done. Right now, the entire train was fitted with new composite armor—all modular standard parts. Combined with the reinforced roof armor, it would drastically improve the vehicle’s seal, solving the problem of snowmelt seeping in.
Then there was the Sentinel System. Now that he had time, he could borrow the design from the Queen Monica—360-degree surveillance linked to the Information Center. He could even install external display screens on each carriage, so they could see outside without opening windows. That would multiply the train’s defensive capability and give all team members a stronger sense of safety.
Speaking of upgrades, the Triangle Track Electromagnetic All-Terrain Drive Module on Dragon Mountain No. 1 was still waiting to be scanned. The new Weilong electric locomotive hadn’t even been integrated yet. Weapons systems, the 1130, railguns, power armor, PX-05 robots, planting carriage upgrades...
Lin Xian couldn’t wait to squeeze out every minute and arm the Infinite Train to the teeth—create a space that gave them just a bit more peace of mind before the night fell.
At the same time, he opened his R& D Center.
【R& D Center】
【TRP Gen-4 Special Industrial Active Exoskeleton (Blueprint): 1 Day 4 Hours】
“The new exosuit’s almost done. Wonder what it’ll look like when upgraded.”
He also pulled up his Mechanical Heart panel to check his skill proficiencies.
【Special Skills】
Kinetic Cannon 【Amplified】
AT Field 【Amplified】
Backlash (Rare) (Level 2 - 50%)
Power Surge (Rare) (Level 2 - 45%)
Gravity Lens (Legendary) (Level 1 - 73%)
“Mechanical Amplification only applies to maxed skills... it’s been a while since I used Backlash and Power Surge. I should level them up soon—hit Level 3.”
After amplification, his skills had jumped several tiers in strength. He hadn’t even used the AT Field in real combat yet, but even thinking about it, he knew it had to be far better than the Ice Wall.
Most importantly, he could expand its effect using Power Surge, increasing the area of protection. Which meant, if needed, he could even shield the Infinite Train during an assault!
Just then, Lin Xian scanned to the transmission system’s fault point, and his brows furrowed.
"This problem... is trickier than I thought..."
...
"Not bad, not bad. Sister Mo, your train’s way more impressive than my Dragon Mountain No. 1. Now this is what I call professional work—unlike us, patching together scraps from everywhere."
Outside the carriage, Shi Diyuan had just finished touring the entire weapons system. Monica, like her drinking style, was bold and straightforward. She even showed off some of her killer trump cards without hiding anything.
"Brother Shi, don’t make fun of your little sister. I’m just a woman—how could I have the skills you and Captain Lin have? If I didn’t have this train thanks to my background, I’d probably have been zombie food long ago... or sold to some bandit convoy and turned into a toy~"
Monica’s tone was laced with self-deprecating humor, lamenting her helplessness in the apocalypse—but she still smiled as she spoke.
"Hey! Don’t say that." Shi Diyuan waved his hand and said bluntly, "In times like these, surviving is a skill in itself."
As they chatted, Shi Diyuan kept an eye on Dragon Mountain No. 1’s ability scan reports. Without realizing it, more than two hours had passed. His communicator began receiving the final batch of results via the city’s relay signal.
That meant the ability scan was nearly complete.
Just as they were about to head back to speak with Lin Xian, the distant station suddenly echoed with the roar of an engine.
Looking over, they saw a heavily modified monster truck storm onto the platform, drawing annoyed glances from survivors camped out there. But once people saw the mounted Gatling gun and even a small Arc Pulse Rifle on the roof, those complaints turned into silence.
Simple reason: the level of a vehicle’s modding spoke volumes about the strength of its convoy. If this monster truck had the luxury to carry a compact Arc Pulse Rifle, this crew was definitely powerful—and loaded.
The vehicle was massive, rolling right up to the edge of the platform and driving straight toward the Queen Monica.
Hiss~
The monster truck screeched to a halt in front of Monica and Shi Diyuan. The door popped open, and a middle-aged man with a mohawk and a thick down jacket leapt out nimbly. He took off his sunglasses, revealing a long, narrow face.
Three others also stepped out of the truck, carrying strange mechanical toolboxes and scanning devices, following closely behind him.
"Who’s the boss here?"
The mohawk man glanced between Monica and Shi Diyuan with a confrontational air.
Sensing the man’s disrespectful gaze, Monica’s expression turned cold. She answered sharply,
"Who are you?"
"Who am I?" The mohawk man frowned, then chuckled inexplicably before ignoring both of them and raising his communicator. "Hey hey hey, Song—you there? We’ve arrived."
Before he even finished speaking, Song Hao came running over, panting and speaking quickly to Monica, "Sister Mo, Sister Mo, they’re from the Golden City Convoy! You told me to find someone to fix the train, right? I asked around—they’re really legit. Lots of convoys in Xilan City have used them."
Then he quickly turned to introduce, "Captain He, this is our boss, Monica—Sister Mo."
"Oh~ you’re the boss? Nice to meet you, real pleasure."
He Kun looked Monica over, clearly surprised that the leader of such a well-armed doomsday train was actually a woman.
Even though he offered a greeting, Monica clearly had no interest in dealing with someone so rude. She gave him a cold glance and said to Song Hao,
"Did you already agree on a price?"
"Not yet—"
"How could we?" He Kun cut in before Song Hao could reply, raising his voice with mock sincerity. "Beautiful lady, we’re professionals. Quoting a price without knowing the problem? That’d be straight-up scamming."
As he spoke, he patted the diagnostic gear his team brought, proudly adding, "We at Golden City Convoy specialize in solving all kinds of repair problems. Our motto is: free diagnostics first, reasonable quotes second. Once the customer agrees, then we fix it—and we offer after-service too. We’ve got over twenty mechanical engineers in our convoy. Whether it’s software, hardware, or military-grade vehicles—even if you’re left with just a single tire, we’ll get it fixed. Absolutely professional!"
Hearing this, Shi Diyuan couldn’t help but laugh. "Hahaha! You sure talk big. What, you gonna build a new train from a single tire?"
"It's just a figure of speech," He Kun replied flatly. "Whatever the issue is, you come to us—you won’t go wrong!"
At that moment, Song Hao leaned in close to Monica and whispered, "Sister Mo, I’ve checked. This Golden City Convoy really is pretty professional—they can fix anything. Since the inspection is free anyway, I figured I’d just invite them over. Once they’ve checked it out, we can hear the quote and decide whether to use them."
Monica let out a sarcastic chuckle. "The same guys who dared to quote 40 Blood Crystals to fix a scrapped electric locomotive? And you think I’ve got the patience to let them touch my train? What do you take me for, an idiot?"
Song Hao froze at her words, not knowing how to respond.
Unexpectedly, He Kun didn’t get angry when he heard that. Instead, he put on a serious expression and said to Monica,
"Miss, from that one sentence I can already tell—you have a serious misunderstanding about us!"
"First of all, that wasn’t just a regular electric locomotive. It was a Weilong-Class electric locomotive with a 70,000 kW output. That kind of power can haul 50,000 tons of cargo without breaking a sweat. And repairing an electric system? That’s not a simple task. It requires a full teardown and overhaul."
He looked at Monica with a wide smile and continued earnestly, "And the most important factor is time. We’re close to evacuation. Getting that thing moving again would take at least a dozen people working overnight nonstop. This is a life-or-death situation. As the convoy leader, I’m sure you understand how serious this is. So it’s not about how valuable that scrapped electric loco is—what matters is the result you need to achieve."
"Look at it that way, and you’ll see 40 Blood Crystals isn’t expensive at all. We’re just charging to get the job done."
"Hah! You've got what it takes to be a top-tier profiteer," Shi Diyuan chuckled, giving He Kun a thumbs-up.
"Not necessary," Monica said.
He Kun had just rattled off a whole spiel that sounded convincing, but Monica shot him down without hesitation.
"I’ve already commissioned someone else to do the repairs. No need to trouble you. Thanks. Please leave."
With that, Monica made it clear they were no longer welcome.
He Kun’s expression changed immediately, his smile fading. He looked sharply at Song Hao and muttered, "What’s going on? Didn’t you tell me the train still wasn’t fixed?"
Song Hao was equally confused. He looked to Monica.
"Mo... Sister Mo, who did you commission?"
Monica turned and gave him a piercing look. "All repair duties have been handed over to Captain Lin. He should be almost done. So you don’t need to find anyone else right now."
Song Hao was caught completely off guard. He hadn’t taken her seriously earlier when she said Lin Xian was there to fix the train. But now it sounded like he was already working on it?
You’ve gotta be kidding. No tools, no equipment, and he thinks he can repair a 200-meter-long automated doomsday train by himself?
"Sister Mo!" Song Hao was starting to lose it. "Why didn’t you discuss this with me first? I’m the train’s maintenance tech—I know the issues better than anyone. How can someone else work on it without me knowing?"
"Didn’t I just tell you?" Monica’s voice was cold.
"No, I didn’t think he was actually going to repair it! He came alone, with nothing—no tools—and you didn’t even ask me to assist. This is reckless! How could he possibly fix it?!"
"You don’t need to worry about that. Captain Lin has his own methods."
Song Hao froze.
He knew Monica didn’t understand machines, so all technical matters had always gone through him. And now she was letting some random stranger repair the train? To him, Monica had clearly been scammed.
But Monica knew exactly what she was doing. Even if she hadn’t seen it herself, she wasn’t about to explain Lin Xian’s skills to He Kun. Since she had already reached an agreement with Lin Xian, all repair duties were entrusted to him.
If she let another team in to inspect or repair now, it would be disrespectful to Lin Xian. Monica was a sharp woman—she clearly understood the weight Lin Xian carried, having been escorted back by the Phoenix Society’s 7th Investigation Corps. That alone told her everything she needed to know.
So she didn’t hesitate. Nor did she feel the need to explain anything to people like He Kun.
At this point, He Kun noticed Song Hao’s reaction and finally understood the situation. A curious expression spread across his face.
"Wow, when did Xilan City get a genius mechanic? Never heard of him before. He can repair your entire train singlehandedly, and without tools? And judging by the lady boss’s tone, sounds like he’s almost done?"
His voice rose deliberately, full of mocking undertones. Behind him, the three engineers could barely hold back their laughter.
Shi Diyuan stood to the side with his arms crossed, and at those words, he barked,
"What, got a problem? My brother Lin’s got the skills. If you’ve got nothing else to do, take your smart mouth somewhere else. Keep chirping and I’ll rip your damn vocal cords out."
Shi Diyuan wasn’t the kind of guy to mince words. He didn’t put up with people he didn’t like—he’d tell you off right to your face.
As soon as he spoke, the others’ faces all changed. Even He Kun’s expression grew serious. One glance at Shi Diyuan and he could feel the pressure. Nuclear-powered train captains weren’t people you could just provoke.
He quickly toned down his arrogance and said sincerely,
"Okay, okay, big bro’s got a temper, I get it. Don’t get mad—I didn’t mean anything by it. Since we’re all here, I’d just like to meet the legend who fixes nuclear-powered trains barehanded. Just making a new friend, that’s all. That’s not too much to ask, right?"
"Hey! The transmission system fault alarm just cleared!!"
Right then, Fat Zhu came running out from the train, shouting in shock.
"What?!" Song Hao immediately pulled out his terminal and checked the train’s fault data. Sure enough, not just the transmission system—several other minor and major alerts had also been cleared.
"This... this can’t be real..."
Seeing the look on Song Hao’s face, Monica couldn’t help but feel amazed too. She was about to go inside to find Lin Xian when she noticed he was already standing at the door.
"Captain Lin?"
"A little ahead of schedule." Lin Xian patted his hands as he stepped out of the train. His hands were spotless—completely different from the oil-covered look of Song Hao and Fat Zhu.
Monica’s eyes widened, then she turned to Song Hao.
Song Hao was dumbfounded. "Sister Mo—transmission, electric control, propulsion... all the faults are gone. How... how the hell did he do that?!"
Hearing Song Hao’s words, Monica finally relaxed. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she looked at Lin Xian.
"Captain Lin, you really fixed it?!"
"Of course! Hahaha!"
Shi Diyuan proudly slapped Lin Xian on the shoulder. "When it comes to machines, there’s nothing my brother Lin can’t handle. Sister Mo, you definitely picked the right guy this time. Twenty Blood Crystals—what a bargain, right?"
Twenty Blood Crystals?
Across from them, He Kun’s face darkened as he heard this. He suddenly felt like he’d been played.
"Hey, Song!" he called out to Song Hao. "Didn’t you tell me the transmission’s magnetizer was fried, the power turbine was shot, and the electric controls and shock absorbers were all failing? How the hell did all that get fixed in two hours? You trying to screw me?"
"I... I swear I didn’t!"
Song Hao looked like his entire worldview had just collapsed. He ran another subsystem diagnostic on his terminal. From the back of the train came the hum of engines and turbines. None of the faults they’d seen over the past month appeared again. At first, he’d thought Lin Xian had just silenced the alarms, some sleight of hand. But now, the reality was clear—Lin Xian had actually fixed everything. In just over two hours.
"Hmph."
He Kun clearly didn’t believe it. The patience he’d shown earlier vanished. He shot a dark look at Song Hao and sneered, "Alright, fine. If your lady boss thinks her train’s all fixed, then I guess we’re not needed anymore. But here’s some friendly advice: train failures are life-or-death. Best to have it checked by real pros. Otherwise, when you’re trying to evacuate and it breaks down again, no one’s gonna save you—not the sky, not the earth~"
"You motherf**er, you calling my words bullsht?!"
Shi Diyuan exploded with rage, throwing off his coat and about to throw hands, but Lin Xian quickly held him back.
"Don’t bother with him. We’ve got more important things to do."
Then he turned to Monica and said, "He’s not wrong. It’s still good to double-check. That way, you’ll feel more at ease too."
Lin Xian had already guessed this other team was someone Monica had contacted earlier. Since she invited them, there was no need for conflict. Besides, checking the repairs was a reasonable request. Even if she wanted to pop open the panels right there and inspect, he wouldn’t care. After all, he got paid—there was no reason not to let them verify the work.
Monica smiled slightly. "Song Hao already ran a full system diagnostic. I may not know much about machinery, but I can tell when a turbine’s running smoothly. Captain Lin, I really appreciate it."
He Kun glanced coldly at Shi Diyuan, visibly rattled. He waved to his people. "We’re leaving."
Halfway down the platform, he suddenly stopped and turned back toward Song Hao and Monica.
"Oh right, about that electric locomotive—you don’t need it anymore, right? If not, we’ll go ahead and tow it out."
There was a probing edge to his tone. He was clearly trying to test Monica’s response. He’d gotten intel that the Queen Monica had serious hidden issues. He’d come here expecting a huge repair job, hoping to make a fortune. So he still suspected this was all just a stunt to drive down the price—and he wasn’t ready to give up.
Before Monica or Song Hao could speak, another voice rang out—calm and indifferent.
"If you’re talking about those two Weilong-Class carriages over at the West Freight Terminal—sorry, I already fixed and towed them."
The moment those words dropped, He Kun staggered in place and whipped around in shock. "Wha—what the h*ll?!"
Lin Xian looked at him. "Is there a problem?"
Hearing that, He Kun panicked. "You’ve gotta be kidding me! That electric locomotive was discovered by our Golden City Convoy! We were going to fix it up and sell it to a client—what gives you the right to tow it?!"
Lin Xian couldn’t help but laugh. He raised his eyes and gave him a cold stare.
"I towed it. So what? You gonna try and take it back?"
"Hah, what a joke. You find it, and it’s yours? What—did you piss on it to mark it or something?" Shi Diyuan chuckled too. This He Kun guy really thought people were fools. A train no one wanted—now that Lin Xian had fixed it—it was suddenly theirs? Saying crap like that was obviously picking a fight.
"You motherf***er, you really think my patience is politeness, huh?!" He Kun’s face turned dark. Enraged, he reached behind and pulled out a big gun. "Stealing business from Golden City Convoy? Boys, gear up!"
Click-click-click!
Before He Kun’s men could even draw their weapons, six combatants in Lone Wolf-A Military Rapid-Response Power Armor moved with lightning speed, surrounding them with guns aimed directly at their heads.
The overwhelming presence immediately extinguished He Kun’s rising rage. He felt a chill in his chest and quickly lowered his weapon.
"Wait, wait, hold on! It’s a misunderstanding, really! Miss Boss Lady, I was just talking to that guy—not trying to pick a fight with your people!"
Monica’s nuclear-powered train was right there. He Kun knew full well this was her turf, so his real target had only been Lin Xian—the guy who "stole" their business. Honestly, he just wanted to save face. Otherwise, when word spread that their massive Golden City Convoy got their job snatched by a repairman in front of everyone, no one in Xilan City would hire them again.
Monica stepped forward coldly, the sable trim of her coat lightly rippling. "These two are my guests. Causing trouble on my turf... so your convoy came ready for war, is that it?"
As she spoke, her beautiful eyes suddenly glowed red, and an invisible pressure exploded outward. He Kun and his men were instantly hit by a suffocating sense of oppression.
In the back, watching with interest, Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan both narrowed their eyes slightly, mentally guessing at what kind of ability Monica possessed to create such an effect.
Meanwhile, Song Hao and Fat Zhu, seeing Monica get angry, quietly backed off.
"No, no, of course not!" He Kun now saw this was no ordinary lineup. He’d only brought a few technicians—there was no way he’d actually fight back. He immediately backed down.
"Since your train’s fixed, we won’t bother you anymore. Business can go to anyone, right? We’re all just trying to survive. No need to blow this up and get the Phoenix Society involved, right...?"
As he spoke, He Kun and his crew raised their hands high and slowly retreated toward their monster truck.
Monica said nothing, just stared coldly at him. That alone made He Kun’s scalp tingle. This woman is way more terrifying than she looks... Without another word, he scrambled up into the truck, stomped on the gas, and took off.
Seeing them flee, Monica didn’t press the issue.
"Brother Shi, Captain Lin, I’m sorry about that." Monica walked over with an apologetic tone. One of her subordinates brought a small box, and upon opening it, revealed 20 Blood Crystals.
"Captain Lin, if that Golden City Convoy gives you trouble again, please let me know. I’ll take care of it."
Lin Xian accepted the box. He was satisfied with how Monica had handled things. He replied,
"Sure. If your train ever breaks down again, you can come find me."
He looked at Monica, his next words carrying subtle meaning: "At the very least, you’ve got a couple days of after-service."
"Hah, Sister Mo, honestly it’s not even your fault. That Golden City Convoy clearly makes a living off overcharging people. I’ve seen their kind plenty of times. As long as they don’t mess with me, I don’t even bother talking to them." Shi Diyuan waved it off, then turned to Lin Xian. "Brother Lin, the ability scans on Dragon Mountain and Infinite Train are up. Let’s not waste time—we should head back."
Lin Xian nodded. Right on schedule. He had finished scanning the Queen Monica’s blueprint and didn’t need to wait in line.
"Alright. I’ll drive you over."
Monica hadn’t expected the mechanical crisis that threatened her convoy’s survival to be resolved so easily by Lin Xian. To her, 20 Blood Crystals was nothing. And now she’d also connected with two top convoy leaders—Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan. She was in an excellent mood, smiling as she gave orders to her men and then personally drove them to Michelle Church.
—
Michelle Cathedral – Ability Testing Plaza
The entire square was bustling with excitement. Crowds of survivors packed the nearby streets, gossip and news spreading wildly across every channel. Xilan City hadn’t seen the Ability Testing Plaza this lively in days.
And the reason was simple: in under two hours, three Rampage-Level abilities had been detected!!
Two of them were convoy leaders escorted into the city last night by the 7th Investigation Corps—Zhou Li and Qian Dele!
The third was a man named Long Dahei, leader of a large convoy called Heizi Convoy, who had arrived in Xilan just yesterday afternoon.
Among them, Captain Zhou Li—who’d even shared drinks with Lin Xian the day before—had no ability at all. Purely through genetic evolution, he’d reached a peak Soul Wave Value of 700. Combine that with an extreme coefficient of 1.5, and his final ability evaluation reached 1050—crossing the 1000-point Rampage-Level threshold!
Long Dahei, who commanded a convoy of over 800 people, also had a 1.5 coefficient and an astonishing peak Soul Wave Value of 800. Final evaluation: 1200!
But the most shocking was the elegant, aristocratic-looking Qian Dele. Her peak Soul Wave Value was a staggering 1080!
And her extreme coefficient was the highest seen today: 1.7!
In an instant, this Joker Convoy leader became the hottest topic in the square. With an evaluation score of 1836—nearing 2000—she was a monster!
“Holy sh*t, that pretty boy turned out to have an ability level over 1800?!”
“D*mn, if you don’t count the Nightwalkers, he’s gotta be third or fourth in Xilan now.”
“At least top five. I remember Qin Xueming from Cosmic Convoy scored 1972. The strongest is still Han Jun from the Arctic Wind Alliance—the only one to break 2000. F***ing beast.”
“But this guy’s a convoy leader. No one’s gonna be able to recruit him.”
“Maybe. But what if Arctic Wind wants to bring in his whole convoy?”
“An 1836-level ability user? He’s not gonna just jump ship like that.”
“You never know. Even the strongest are still refugees in the dark. Anyone smart knows sticking together increases survival chances. If we could join the Arctic Wind Alliance, we might actually stand a chance against A-Class Eerie Entities!”
The crowd buzzed with discussion. Even in the apocalypse, people couldn’t resist a good spectacle.
—
On a rooftop above the square, a woman with mechanical eyes kept her gaze locked on Qian Dele, who had just completed testing. She began analyzing aloud:
"Joker Convoy. Over 400 people. Top-tier equipment. This Qian Dele is close with Monica of the Queen Monica. Also seems tight with several convoy leaders who arrived last night."
"Green Wind, go talk to her. Offer appropriate terms. If she’s unwilling, I’ll speak to her myself."
Han Jun, draped in a long coat, spoke softly.
Beside him stood Qin Xueming, leader of the Cosmic Convoy. His face like molten gold, arms crossed, his voice was stern. "1836? And a 400-person team? Good luck coming up with an offer that works."
"Crossing the Abyss won’t spare you just because you’re over 2000." Han Jun glanced at him calmly. "If you want to live—we talk."
...
Down below, Qian Dele stood on the outer edge of the testing station, casually chatting with Ning Jing from Dragon Mountain No. 1.
"Old Shi and that handsome Lin guy aren’t here yet?"
"Almost." Ning Jing glanced at the Dragon Mountain crew already lining up and replied, "Someone outside told me they’re done and already on their way. Should be just a few minutes."
Qian Dele touched her face with a frown. "That ion oscillation from the machine is way too strong. If I weren’t curious to see their test results, I’d be out of here already. Standing here is terrible for the skin~"
"You can see from outside too," Ning Jing replied helplessly.
"That’s not the same." Qian Dele scanned beyond the plaza with a flick of her eyes. "It’s packed out there—those buildings are full of people. I’m not squeezing in with the crowd. I’ll just stay here."
Back at Infinite Train, Ning Jing had also passed the message about Lin Xian’s return to Chen Sixuan. There was no signal inside the inner field, so communicators didn’t work, but luckily Dragon Mountain had personnel stationed outside to relay updates.
"Lin Xian’s almost back," said Chen Sixuan.
"It’s almost our turn~" Miao Lu chimed in. "Why am I a little nervous?"
"Me too," whispered Xiao Yuan. "Facing monsters was never this stressful." She already knew her test result wasn’t going to be great, but the atmosphere still made her incredibly anxious.
"Don’t worry. One step at a time. The Phoenix Society’s research is also progressing step by step," Shu Qin said, trying to comfort the two.
"Exactly. Once we’re tested, we’ll at least know where we stand—and pick up some experience." Lü Chang looked eager.
Da Lou nodded as well, then glanced toward Lu Xingchen nearby. "Is Fire Bro asleep?"
"Ugh, that damn guy!" Sasa rolled her eyes immediately. "He can fall asleep here of all places? I’ll go wake him up."
"Don’t."
KIKI grabbed Sasa’s arm. "That guy loves the spotlight. He’s definitely planning to show up last—don’t worry."
That made perfect sense, and Sasa instantly agreed.
"Look, it’s Ning Jing’s turn now!" Chen Sixuan pointed out, and everyone turned their attention forward.
By now, most of the Dragon Mountain team had already completed testing. Members like Dongzi, Wang Zhong, Zhuang Yue, Yu Lianxing, Zhu Anran, and Min Ming—all frontliners—were done. Now it was Lu Yong’s turn, the third-in-command of the convoy, who was stepping onto the Soul Wave Pressure Platform.
Under the staff’s operation, the massive mechanical ring emitted a deep electric hum. White light pulsed brightly.
Woooo~ Zap!
A surge of ionized vibration made everyone’s skin crawl. Lu Yong exhaled slowly and stepped down.
【Test complete. Peak reading: 650】
"Whoa, Captain Lu got 650! That’s already above Titan-level."
As soon as the result was announced, people on Dragon Mountain’s side started buzzing.
"Impressive. I wonder if he can reach Rampage Level."
"With 650, if his coefficient hits 1.6, he might break through."
Once the Extreme Coefficient was calculated, Lu Yong’s final evaluation score came in: coefficient 1.5, total score 975.
The number made even the Infinite Train team sigh in regret.
"975... Damn, so close."
The disappointment wasn’t just for pride—the Phoenix Society offered real rewards for reaching Rampage Level: a supply truck, one Cold Dark Reagent, one YJ-03 Vehicle-Mounted Anti-Air Cannon, and 200 rounds of ammunition. Even for a thousand-person convoy like Dragon Mountain, that was a substantial haul.
In the next batch, Ning Jing, A Bai, and Xiao Qing were all on the list. Lu Yong, freshly tested, walked over with a somewhat rueful smile.
"Sister Jing, your turn."
Ning Jing nodded and led the group into the queue.
When the three of them passed the Soul Wave Pressure Platform, the numbers displayed by the machine shocked even the Phoenix Society staff.
Genetic Evolver: Xiao Qing – Peak: 750
She was the first Evolver without any ability today to reach that number!
Laser Eyes: A Bai – Peak: 1000!
The moment that number flashed, the entire plaza erupted!
All eyes turned toward the young man in thick sunglasses. No one had expected such an unassuming guy to harbor such a terrifying Soul Wave density!
Then Ning Jing stepped down—and the display flashed again.
1080!
The second 1080 of the day, tying with Qian Dele from the Joker Convoy.
Their Extreme Coefficients weren’t out yet, but based on Soul Wave Value alone, even Han Jun, Green Wind, and Qin Xueming—watching from the rooftop—were visibly startled.
"Dragon Mountain No. 1... this convoy is no joke."
"It’s a rail convoy with over a thousand people. Its firepower’s probably on par with Qin’s Cosmic Convoy," said Green Wind, her mechanical eyes flickering. She seemed to know everything about Xilan’s surviving convoys. "This one’s not recruitable. They’re rail-based."
Comments 2