Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train

Clang! Clang!

The carriage returned to silence once again.

Lin Xian gritted his teeth and looked up, only to see the massive pincers still embedded in the armored grating. His heart sank. Quickly turning around, he spotted the metal tow hook dragging the severed rear half of the giant insect along the tracks, leaving a gruesome trail. The tail was already shattered into pieces, blood and flesh strewn about.

“Is it dead?!”

At that moment, Kiki finally released her hands and jerked her head upward. However, the abrupt movement caused her forehead to slam directly into Lin Xian’s chin.

Thud! The crisp sound echoed inside the carriage.

“Ouch!” Kiki cried out, clutching her head instinctively with both hands.

“D**n!” Lin Xian grimaced in pain, holding his jaw and groaning through gritted teeth.

Neither of them had time to confirm whether the giant insect was truly dead as they both clutched their respective injuries, crying out in pain.

“Is your head made of steel?!” Lin Xian retorted furiously.

Despite the brief spat, Lin Xian forced himself to ignore her and stood up, his gaze fixed on the motionless insect corpse outside the carriage. Half his tension eased as he began slowing the train.

Cautiously, he picked up a blade and moved toward the rear of the train. Peering out, he saw the insect's body clinging to the side of the train. Its torso had been ground down to a thin layer of flesh and countless legs, with half its corpse severed and hanging from the tow hook.

Eek!

Lin Xian gently brought the Infinite Train to a stop.

“It’s really dead!” Kiki exclaimed as Lin Xian stopped the train. Rubbing her head, she eagerly rushed over. But as soon as she saw the shattered insect remains scattered across the ground, her face turned green. Covering her mouth, she dry-heaved. “Ugh, that’s disgusting!”

Lin Xian turned to look at Kiki, his gaze wary.

To his surprise, blood began to trickle from Kiki’s nostrils. She didn’t seem to notice, wiping it away carelessly and tilting her head with a smug expression. “See? I told you keeping me around would be useful!”

“You figured out how to use your ability?”

“I think so...”

“When?”

“Just now, when I was saving you.” Kiki blinked at him. “See? I told you I’m a good person.”

As she spoke, a fresh stream of blood dripped from her nose, and her face turned unnaturally pale. “But it’s weird. Using it makes my head hurt and feel all woozy...”

Lin Xian realized her energy was completely drained. Growing serious, he looked around for something useful. Finding a towel, he tossed it to Kiki. “Wipe the blood off your face.”

“Is everyone okay?”

Chen Sixuan ran over with a look of lingering fear. When she saw the carnage in the third carriage, she immediately covered her mouth, gagging.

The insect’s corpse exuded a nauseating stench. Even the strongest-willed person couldn’t help but frown.

Lin Xian glanced at Chen Sixuan. He had to admit, the teacher was much sharper than he’d initially thought. In the face of danger, it was her quick thinking that led to their survival.

“We owe you for this,” Lin Xian said earnestly.

Chen Sixuan avoided his gaze, a little embarrassed. “It wasn’t really me...”

“Of course it was. Without your idea, I wouldn’t have known how to handle that monster,” Lin Xian said bluntly.

“Hey!” Kiki placed her hands on her hips, glaring in frustration. “Why isn’t anyone thanking me?”

As she spoke, another trickle of blood ran down her nose.

Lin Xian frowned, noticing her unhealthy pallor. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

“I...” Before she could finish, Kiki’s eyes fluttered shut. Her body swayed, and she collapsed toward Lin Xian. Her face pressed against his chest as she lost consciousness, her hand grabbing his arm weakly.

“Don’t... leave me behind...” she murmured faintly before passing out.

Lin Xian’s expression softened. Looking at the unconscious Kiki, his tense heart finally eased a little.

Seems like she knows her situation. When it matters, she can be reliable. With this thought, Lin Xian let go of some of his suspicions toward her.

He exchanged a glance with Chen Sixuan. “Watch over her. I’m going to check the situation. If it’s safe, we’ll stay here until dawn.”

“Okay.” Chen Sixuan nodded uneasily, her gaze flicking between the wreckage of the third carriage and the dark wilderness outside.

Lin Xian grabbed a flashlight from the toolbox in the carriage, jumping off the train through the rear ramp. Frowning at the insect’s shattered remains, he inspected the scene closely.

He soon returned, hauling out a small winch. Using it, he pried the insect’s massive pincers out of the armored grating. The remaining torso fell from the side of the train. Lin Xian then moved to the back, unhooked the severed tail, and reeled the hook back onto the train.

“This’ll need some fixing.”

Lin Xian gazed at the aftermath in the third carriage, his expression heavy.

“As that brat said, this train needs weapons and a defense system. Speed alone isn’t enough.”

If it hadn’t been for Chen Sixuan’s quick thinking, Lin Xian truly wouldn’t have known how to handle tonight’s chaos.

His wind cannon could rival the power of firearms at close range, but its effectiveness dropped drastically at a distance. Against thick-skinned monsters like the pale giant or tonight’s red insect, conventional weapons were practically useless.

Just as Lin Xian finished clearing the wreckage and prepared to head back to the train, he suddenly felt a tremor beneath his feet, as if something was stirring underground.

In an instant, a faint rustling reached his ears. Flashlight in hand, he aimed it toward the massive insect corpse beside the train. Black smoke was pouring out of it, but instead of dissipating into the air, the smoke seemed to be drawn underground by some mysterious force.

Lin Xian frowned and stepped forward cautiously. The rustling grew louder, turning into what sounded like the cries and wails of countless people, sending chills down his spine.

“What the hell is that?!”

Startled, Lin Xian jumped back several steps, distancing himself from the black smoke. As he retreated, the terrifying wails faded back into a faint rustle.

Within seconds, the black smoke completely disappeared, leaving only the rotting corpse of the insect, its stench hanging in the air.

“Did I imagine that?” Lin Xian stared in shock. When he had been near the black smoke, he was certain he’d heard the cries of humans, as though the victims swallowed by the creature were screaming in unison. It was disturbingly eerie.

Returning to the train, Lin Xian attempted to raise the rear ramp.

Though the train’s body was damaged in several places, the hydraulic lift for the ramp was thankfully still functional. Activating his Mechanical Heart, Lin Xian raised the ramp, then looked over the mess in the third carriage. Tools were scattered everywhere, including the welder, small winch, and even his motorcycle.

These items were essential. Repairing them would be difficult and time-consuming if they were damaged.

Lin Xian’s mechanical repair and manufacturing abilities were intertwined, requiring both materials and significant time investment. After the intense battle, he was utterly drained. Thankfully, this remote wilderness hadn’t attracted a zombie horde despite all the commotion, allowing him a moment’s respite.

He glanced at the time: 9:15 PM. The battle and escape from the giant insect had lasted over two hours.

“How is everything?”

Chen Sixuan rose as Lin Xian closed the door behind him.

“For now, we’re safe.” Lin Xian grabbed a bottle of water from the storage rack and downed a third of it in one go.

As his gaze swept across the carriage, he noticed the young girl had fallen asleep on the couch, supported by Chen Sixuan. It was clear that while her newly awakened ability was powerful, it also drained her energy at an alarming rate.

Lin Xian’s expression turned complicated. Though he had just saved her life and they had fought side by side, he couldn’t help but be wary of the girl’s cunning nature. Now that she had awakened an ability, Lin Xian wasn’t confident he could best her in a confrontation. The thought troubled him.

“Are you injured?”

Chen Sixuan asked, noticing the blood on Lin Xian’s hands and face.

“Just scratches.” Lin Xian sighed, then turned to Chen Sixuan. “We’ve covered a lot of ground tonight. Tomorrow, depending on the situation, I plan to stop at Beiwang Station to rest.”

Chen Sixuan nodded. “Beiwang Town is small. It shouldn’t be too complicated there. After Beiwang, the next major city is Yubei City. That’s where we’ll properly enter the Planetary Orbital Rail. The conditions...”

She hesitated. Initially, she’d intended to say the conditions might improve, but now she wasn’t so sure. After all, they’d been lucky not to encounter rubble or broken tracks so far. Who knew if the road ahead would be better—or worse?