Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train

"Oh, I see."

KIKI floated over, using her telekinesis to pick up a vial and examine it closely. "So drinking this can enhance abilities? That means our Eerie Blood Crystals finally have another use besides trading…"

She then picked up the round, medallion-like badge, feeling its weight in her palm. Flipping it over, she noticed a data interface and some kind of information module embedded in the back.

"This is a Phoenix Badge," Zhou Wuer explained, pulling out his own badge. However, his was slightly different—it had a silver-black coloration.

"Phoenix issues these special badges to allied teams. They're called Crimson Phoenix Badges. Meanwhile, internal personnel like us carry the Starry Sky Phoenix Badge. These badges can receive and decode transmissions from our regional radio stations or division broadcasts. We call this system Fire Book. It contains up-to-date information packets valid for 48 hours, covering ability research, Abyss survival strategies, and the latest studies on Eerie Entities. It also allows for distress signals to be transmitted on a specialized frequency, leaving behind a personal Fire Book entry."

"In simpler terms, the Phoenix Badge provides direct one-way communication with the Phoenix organization within a certain range. You can also log messages—say you run into danger, you can send out a Fire Book transmission on all available frequencies. This transmission will be temporarily stored on any accessible information device, including survivor radios and Phoenix communication towers. If another survivor team or Phoenix unit passes through the area and broadcasts, your message will ‘jump’ along the network, eventually reaching distant Phoenix divisions."

Zhou Wuer scratched his head. "Am I making this too complicated? Basically, it’s primarily an identification tool. Any team carrying a Phoenix Badge will be recognized by Phoenix branches worldwide as a trusted ally or even a peer-level unit."

"I get it," Lin Xian nodded.

Having just experienced the Blizzard Pursuit Battle, Lin Xian had already used a similar relay system to contact Infinite Train a hundred kilometers away and to ping a rescue team.

To reduce this cost, Phoenix embedded numerous hidden codes in each transmission, allowing authorized personnel to extract targeted information. Lin Xian suspected that access levels varied based on rank, region, and department.

"If I’d had this back at Hengshan Pass, I might have been able to contact a nearby Phoenix team directly."

However, what intrigued Lin Xian most was the Fire Book Information Pack. It provided the latest Phoenix research updates, essentially synchronizing him with their official intelligence network—a critical survival advantage.

Access to information was the key to survival. Some survivor teams even had dedicated information officers who worked around the clock collecting regional and global updates. On Lin Xian’s team, this task rotated among KIKI, Ding Junyi, and Ms. Chen.

Yet, despite their efforts, gaps remained. For example, after entering the Extreme Cold Vortex, they had gone days without receiving a single Phoenix broadcast.

"In short," Zhou Wuer continued, "the Crimson Phoenix Badge is a marker for allied teams and a way for us to maintain contact with potential reinforcements. Carrying this means Phoenix acknowledges you as a legitimate organization and a friendly force. Of course, since you're just an allied team, we won’t issue direct orders—but if we need assistance, we’ll prioritize working with trusted teams. Whether it's a contract job or a joint operation, you'll be compensated. Likewise, if your team needs something, we'll do our best to assist—provided it's within our regional capability."

Lin Xian nodded.

KIKI tossed him the Phoenix Badge, and he caught it midair. Turning to Zhou Wuer, he said, "This is a solid partnership. No matter what, we really appreciate your support."

"Now, onto the second matter," Zhou Wuer said. "The Nightwalkers are currently conducting large-scale ability assessments and intelligence gathering in uncharted areas. It’s a mutually beneficial exchange—we provide Ability Users with critical information and evolution support, and in return, we gather data on their abilities. We also use this as a recruitment tool. That being said, we’d like to conduct a more detailed assessment on you specifically."

"Right now?"

"No, in Xilan City. You don’t plan on leaving anytime soon, do you?"

Lin Xian shrugged. "Depends. We’re likely moving with the main convoy. Once we clear Abyss Zone No. 5, we’ll reassess."

"Speaking of which," Lin Xian continued, "we actually sought out Phoenix for an important reason."

He glanced at Ding Junyi. Since she was a Phoenix member, she could handle the research handoff directly, saving them some trouble.

Ding Junyi nodded and pulled out a miniature portable hard drive, handing it to Zhou Wuer.

"This contains research on the behavioral patterns of Dark Entities when attacking humans. While some data is incomplete, I assume Phoenix has conducted extensive research in this area. Our findings include practical field data, which could provide useful insights for your team."

One major limitation in Dark Mark research was the lack of theoretical models for Cold Dark Fundamental Particles and their capture mechanisms. Infinite Train simply didn’t have the necessary particle-level measuring instruments.

Because of this, Ding Junyi had been forced to rely on Soul Wave Detectors for comparative studies instead of direct analysis.

Hearing this, Zhou Wuer and Peng Peng were visibly shocked. They hadn’t expected a refugee train to be conducting scientific research on the side.

Zhou Wuer took the hard drive with interest. "Wow, you guys are impressive. Surviving Eerie Entities while researching ways to save humanity?"

"Saving humanity isn’t our goal," Lin Xian replied bluntly. "We just happened to notice these patterns. And understanding them is why we’re still alive."

Zhou Wuer was intrigued. "I’m not a scientist, but could you give me a quick summary?"

Ding Junyi explained the basic principles behind the Dark Mark Theory.

Upon hearing it, Zhou Wuer gasped. "Ohhh—I know this! Nightwalkers and Phoenix researchers have been investigating a similar phenomenon. I can’t recall the exact name, but it’s nearly identical to what you’re describing. This theory is gaining traction within Phoenix, though we lack conclusive evidence."

He glanced at the hard drive. "I didn’t expect you to hand us something like this. Alright, I’ll submit it immediately. We have a research team in Xilan City—they’ll be very interested."

The group collectively sighed in relief.

Chen Sixuan asked, "Many survivors still believe in the Predator Effect, which discourages cooperation and increases mortality rates. If Phoenix verifies this theory, how long until it’s publicly announced?"

Zhou Wuer chuckled awkwardly. "Well… that’s above my pay grade. Phoenix is extremely cautious about official statements. Unless the research team provides indisputable proof, they won’t make a formal declaration. For now, all we can do is continue our rescue efforts."

"You realize that criminal organizations are already exploiting the Dark Mark as bait traps? Phoenix is the biggest official group—how are you falling behind those scumbags?!" Shasha protested.

"Criminal organizations?"

Ding Junyi nodded. "There’s a group called SIID Foundation Laboratory. Their Dark Tides research is far more advanced than ours. We encountered them at Hengshan Pass, but by the time we arrived, their facility was abandoned."

She also described the bait trap incident. While there was no concrete evidence linking SIID to it, the fact that they had left behind a forged Phoenix insignia made Zhou Wuer’s expression darken.

"A fake Phoenix emblem…?"

Zhou Wuer turned to Lin Xian, frowning. "Where exactly was this research facility located?"

"About three kilometers north of Clearwater Town. But it’s probably buried by now."

Zhou Wuer nodded. "This is critical intel. I’ll report it immediately. Phoenix’s Polar Night Division will likely send a team to investigate."

Zhou Wuer took a deep breath, put away the portable hard drive, and said to Lin Xian, "Our task here is complete, so we'll be leaving for now. If there's a chance, we'll meet again in the next couple of days in Xilan City. If our higher-ups or any other divisions need assistance, I hope Mr. Lin will be willing to help."

"Of course," Lin Xian nodded.

"Farewell."

With that, Zhou Wuer gestured for KIKI to open the roof hatch of Carriage No. 2. Peng Peng placed a hand on Zhou Wuer’s shoulder, and in the next instant, their special cloaks wrapped around them, lifting them into the air. With a powerful gust of wind, they shot off into the sky above the train.

"Flying ability users?" Shu Qin couldn't help but comment as she watched them disappear into the distance.

"I've heard before that Postmen are usually highly mobile ability users. Having flight abilities isn’t surprising," Lin Xian replied.

Chen Sixuan, watching the hatch slowly close, frowned. "I don’t know why, but I have a bad feeling about this Dark Mark situation. It’s not as simple as we think."

"We've done everything we can. The rest is up to their official researchers."

Lin Xian rubbed his temples. He had provided all the information he could—he wasn’t about to hand over Hell’s Black Chrysanthemum as well. This was as much as he could do, and he considered it a closed matter for now. What concerned him more was the state of the train.

"How are Xiao Yuan and the others holding up?"

"Nothing serious," Shu Qin replied. "Good thing our armor held up; otherwise, it could’ve been much worse."

"Armor… right."

Lin Xian sighed. The entire right side of Infinite Train was now a wreck—many of the armored plates had been torn off entirely. The grated panels were missing in multiple places, and the high-manganese steel and hardened tungsten steel armor looked like it had been through a battlefield bombardment.

These defenses were originally designed for Zombie Tides, but the sheer force of the Snow Wraith Swarm was on an entirely different level…

"We’ve cleaned up most of the interior damage. As for the outer armor, we can do repairs once we reach Xilan City," Chen Sixuan reassured him, sensing his exhaustion.

"Yeah, Brother Xian, the train's still holding together just fine," Da Lou added.

Lin Xian nodded, then picked up a vial of Cold Dark Serum. "I forgot to ask earlier… do we just drink this?"

The eerie green liquid swirled inside the vial, giving him an uneasy feeling.

"And how much of a boost does it give? They didn’t say."

The only thing they knew was its value—10 Level-1 Eerie Blood Crystals per vial. With Infinite Train receiving 10 vials, that was 100 Blood Crystals worth—almost equivalent to the entire resource stockpile of a mid-sized convoy.

That alone proved its importance.

But in truth, Lin Xian knew that the Phoenix Badge was the real treasure here.

This badge meant that, in this lawless apocalypse, they were now on Phoenix's whitelist. It granted them direct access to Phoenix communications via regional radio channels and enabled them to build mutual trust and cooperation with Phoenix teams.

Not to mention, it provided access to Fire Book Information Packs, which would be invaluable for their future survival—helping them strategize routes, improve their understanding of abilities, and assess dangers more accurately.

Simply put, they were no longer blindly searching for Phoenix strongholds. They now had direct access.

"The Phoenix branch in Xilan City has an ability assessment device. It can measure your ability level by detecting the peak fluctuations of your Soul Wave Value," Ding Junyi added.

"They told me earlier, and I figured you’d be interested in the Cold Dark Fundamental Particle Separator. But there’s no civilian version yet—it’s still under development. This serum was officially produced by Phoenix. I've also heard that Dawn City has a similar version, but it’s ridiculously expensive."

"An ability assessment device?" Lin Xian asked. "It just measures power levels?"

"Yes. It’s part of the Nightwalkers’ widespread experimental program. Zhou Wuer mentioned earlier that ability users need a clear understanding of their own abilities, and Phoenix needs more data on ability users. That’s why Phoenix is rolling out these testing stations—to help ability users evolve while also gathering intel and recruiting talents."

"So Nightwalkers have already established a classification system for abilities, including levels, rarity, and even effective growth methods? They’re actively helping ability users develop while improving survivor survival rates?"

Lin Xian picked up the Crimson Phoenix Badge. "Then the Fire Book Information Pack inside this thing must contain all of that, right?"

"Oh yeah! I was curious about that too—why don’t we check?" KIKI’s eyes lit up.

Lin Xian handed the badge to her. KIKI quickly connected it to the information center's computer, and soon, a special encryption key was automatically inputted. The Phoenix Badge activated.

"Looks like this thing needs to be connected to a radio system," KIKI observed.

"It’s probably a highly sophisticated information device," Lin Xian noted.

Once activated, the badge immediately decoded a set of messages—not from a live transmission, since Infinite Train was still stuck in a blizzard with no access to long-range signals. Even Dark Radio was out of range.

Instead, this data had been retrieved from a temporary storage frequency—information that Infinite Train had received days ago, before entering the blizzard.

The contents weren’t complex—just regional Phoenix activity reports, covering schedules and key events in Xilan City, Wei River, and surrounding areas. There were also assistance requests, but most had expired due to the time delay.

If not for the blizzard, they would’ve had access to real-time transmissions.

However, the real goldmine was the Fire Book Information Pack.

Unlike the short text bulletins normally broadcasted via Phoenix radio (due to Dark Tides interference), this detailed data package was structured more like an apocalypse survival manual, divided into three main sections:

1. MAPS

• Included real-time expansion rates of all 13 Abyss Zones within the past 48 hours.

• Listed natural disaster zones linked to Abyss phenomena.

• Provided an updated survival map, marking multiple safe zones—places that had successfully survived the Dark Night under specific conditions.

2. EERIE ENTITY BESTIARY

• Cataloged all observed Eerie Entities, complete with names and serial numbers.

• Provided images or hand-drawn sketches for well-documented entities; less-known ones had text descriptions.

• Ranked all known Dark Creatures into five threat levels: C-Class, B-Class, A-Class, Special-Class, and S-Class.

• The massive atmospheric creature they encountered in Yubei City was listed as #10.

• However, the Deep Abyss Behemoth from Underground City No. 9 was not found in the records.

3. WORLD-LEVEL DISASTERS

• Included a classification above S-Class:

  WORLD-LEVEL CATASTROPHE

  Also referred to as: Dark Invaders.

• Four of these creatures had already been identified, designated as 01–04.

• Among them was a floating colossal corpse—the one Lin Xian and KIKI had seen in Jiang City.

"Entity #02: Unknown Sky Corpse—Humanoid, estimated size over 10,000 meters, floating at an altitude of 3,000–4,000 meters. Disaster capabilities: Unknown. Current location: Ping'a Lake to Congshan region..."

KIKI’s expression darkened. "Holy crap… So that thing was real. Not just a nightmare… And it’s moving!"

Lin Xian felt chilled to the core.

He vividly remembered hearing a woman’s voice in his dreams:

"Entity #02… is moving… is moving… Heading eastward… heading eastward…"

Who was she?

Why did Lin Xian dream about her?

Lin Xian's mind was swirling with questions.

How did he dream of something that actually exists?

Was it just a coincidence? Or was it something else entirely?

He had originally thought it was hallucinations caused by overusing his ability—a symptom of mental exhaustion. But now, seeing this Phoenix report, he realized his dreams were real.

"Entity #02… is moving… is moving… Heading eastward… heading eastward…"

This was exactly what that voice had said in his dream.

Who was that woman?

Why had he heard her voice?

Lin Xian clenched his fists, forcing himself to calm down. There was no way to figure this out now—he had more pressing issues to deal with.

Taking a deep breath, he refocused on the conversation happening around him.

"This thing has been hiding inside massive cloud formations near Jiang City," Lin Xian said, glancing at KIKI. "I always felt something was off, but I never got a clear look at it."

It was only through KIKI’s consciousness that he had glimpsed the Floating Colossal Corpse’s true form.

KIKI’s face darkened. She muttered, "It’s terrifying. Worse than the Atmospheric Mica. I honestly don’t know how humans are supposed to fight something like this."

"Holy crap—" Shasha’s eyes widened. "Just looking at it freaks me out."

"And this… isn’t even the biggest one," Lin Xian added grimly.

His gaze moved further down the Fire Book Information Pack.

"Entity #01: Unknown Subterranean Organism"

• Location: Abyss Zone No. 1 (Siberia)

• Type: Giant Crustal Parasite

• Shape: Disk-like

• Observed Diameter: 65 kilometers

• Radiation Levels: Extremely high

• Disaster Capabilities: Unknown

"65 kilometers?!" Shu Qin gasped. "That’s not a creature—that’s a freaking continent!"