Apocalypse: I Built the Infinite Train

Chapter 275: Train Upgrade on a Snowy Night

?Scan Successful – Acquired Blueprint: Kor Industries – 6-Axis Mechanical Power Arm?

?Devour Successful – +200 Mechanical Source Points, +100 Mechanical Devouring Skill Proficiency?

?Disassemble: Obtained 100 units of hot-rolled forged steel, 30 units of molybdenum-tungsten corrosion-resistant alloy, 50 units of titanium alloy, 5 units of zirconium-based amorphous alloy, 20 units of ordinary carbon steel, plus graphene-aluminum wiring, zirconium-based amorphous alloy, silicon carbide fiber reinforcements…?

18:20, outside the workshop of the Xilan Weapons Manufacturing Plant. Dusk approached, and the blizzard began to howl.

As the glowing interface faded, a pile of gray ash slipped from Lin Xian’s hands.

“200 points. Not bad.”

Most importantly, both the molybdenum-tungsten alloy and titanium alloy were military-grade materials. When converted in the manufacturing plant, the efficiency would be much higher.

At that moment, KIKI was sitting on the lid of the arc smelting furnace, boredly using her psychic power to stack a bunch of metal scraps in front of her like toy blocks, practicing fine control of her abilities in the process.

Seeing Lin Xian finishing up, she glanced over and pointed to the arc furnace beneath her.

Lin Xian leapt across using KIKI’s psychokinetic platform and landed on the furnace lid. He looked down and said, “This should go quick.”

This industrial-grade arc smelting furnace was massive, around 30 tons, but its mechanical structure wasn’t too complex. Lin Xian didn’t need to scan a blueprint either, so devouring it should be faster than the mechanical arm.

?Devour Progress: 1%?

As expected, once Lin Xian activated his Mechanical Heart and unleashed his Devouring power, he immediately felt pleased. He estimated it’d take about an hour to finish this big guy—roughly the same difficulty as devouring a freight carriage.

Still, with nightfall approaching, Lin Xian’s nerves tensed instinctively.

“Don’t worry~” KIKI sat casually on the furnace lid, looking over at Lin Xian. “There are tons of convoys outside. This city should be safe. Besides~”

She hugged her knees and smiled at him. “You’ve got me protecting you, remember?”

Lin Xian gave her a serious look. “Sit tight. Stay alert.”

“Okay~” KIKI straightened her posture immediately. After a second of thought, she floated over and sat beside him, facing his back. “I’ll watch the rear. You cover the front. Satisfied?”

Lin Xian glanced at her, took a deep breath, and said nothing more.

Beep, beep~

“Ms. Chen,” Lin Xian spoke into his communicator, still connected with the Infinite Train.

“Everyone made it back safely, don’t worry,” Chen Sixuan replied from the Living Carriage. She looked at the excited teammates around her. “When are you coming back?”

“Two, maybe three hours,” Lin Xian estimated.

“Alright. I’ll have the others put the supplies into storage and take inventory.”

With the situation back on the train confirmed, Lin Xian relaxed a bit and focused on preparing for the oncoming night.

18:30. Nightfall.

Darkness swept across the sky, swallowing even the vortex of storm clouds. Thunder rolled ominously above.

The bustling crowds across the streets vanished as if by magic. All the convoys were fully geared up and on high alert as night fell. Everyone looked grim. A chill seemed to sweep through Xilan City all at once.

From the east and south of the city came a sudden spike in cannon fire. Electromagnetic cannon beams lit up the sky, and aerial vehicles began to lift off from the north.

This was a nightly occurrence. The 7th Investigation Corps was already well-prepared for night combat.

Minutes ticked by in eerie silence. Eventually, the convoys along Central Avenue began to relax. Campfires and lights came back on, and the collective tension eased.

Another safe night had begun.

The teams from both Infinite Train and Longshan No. 1 had made preparations too. But with no Eerie Entities attacking, everyone in the carriages gradually let their guard down.

In the control cabin, Chen Sixuan monitored the outside for a while, then walked to the Information Center. She checked all cameras using the Sentry System, confirmed everything was normal, then contacted Lin Xian:

“Lin Xian, things are all clear on the Infinite Train side.”

Inside the pitch-dark factory, Lin Xian and KIKI sat atop the cold arc furnace. Hearing Chen Sixuan’s report, they both sighed in relief.

“Looks like Xilan City really is pretty safe,” KIKI exhaled.

A faintly glowing Psychic Barrier surrounded them. Maybe it was an illusion, but inside the barrier, the air didn’t feel quite so cold.

“The zombies and Eerie Entities in the city have been cleared. The Phoenix guards the outskirts, plus all those city defense weapons... yeah, it’s solid.”

Lin Xian’s expression eased slightly. His gaze swept the dark interior of the factory. Through the high windows, the lights of nearby convoy camps twinkled gently in the distance.

“Relax already, and hurry up~” KIKI smacked her lips. “I’m starving~”

“Mhm.”

Lin Xian whispered, “Almost done.”

Their voices stayed low to avoid alerting other convoys. Lin Xian didn’t even turn on the lights.

In the dark, KIKI leaned back against Lin Xian’s shoulder and whispered, “Lin Xian... do you think we’ll ever go somewhere warm?”

He opened his mouth, wanting to say no—but instead replied seriously,

“The Dark Tides have blocked out the sun. It’s only going to get colder. But... if we can escape this Extreme Cold Vortex, maybe things will be a little better.”

“You can’t even lie to me a little,” KIKI huffed.

“Actually,” Lin Xian asked, “you keep mentioning Jinhai. Was that real, or just made-up?”

Swoosh—

KIKI flopped back, resting her head on Lin Xian’s knee. Through the darkness, she looked up at him. “What do you think?”

Lin Xian slid his hand under her head to make her more comfortable, then said,

“I always figured... with how rich your family is, maybe we could head to Jinhai and strike a deal. Upgrade the train with some high-tech stuff. You wouldn’t mind, right...?”

“What are we, a pair of thieves?” KIKI responded instinctively—then immediately caught herself and changed the subject in a tiny voice, “I mean, I wouldn’t steal from my own family...”

Lin Xian laughed. “When you wanted to use your inheritance to help me steal the Starry Sky Propulsion System from Underground City No. 9, you were very excited.”

“Ahhh... well, about that...”

KIKI was momentarily speechless and then fell quiet.

“Lin Xian.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m cold,” KIKI said, snuggling into his chest.

Lin Xian sighed, didn’t say anything, and wrapped his arms tighter around her.

?Devour Progress: 88%?

“Lin Xian.”

“Mhm?”

“Let’s go rob my family together.”

“……”

In the darkness, Lin Xian felt her breath gently brushing his face. He lowered his head—though he couldn’t see her expression, he could somehow feel her eyes, bright and shining, looking up at him.

“Okay,” he said.

A moment later, a soft pair of arms slipped around his neck, and warm breath hit his lips. Then came a gentle, tender kiss.

Lin Xian’s heart surged. He didn’t speak. Just leaned in and kissed her back.

No sound in the dark.

Despite her usually fiery personality, KIKI’s kiss was surprisingly gentle, cautious—shy, even. Soft and intoxicating.

Because they couldn’t see each other, only feel each other’s breath, there was an unexpected spark of secret affection—quiet and sudden. Lin Xian lost track of time.

?Devour Successful – +150 Mechanical Source Points, +100 Mechanical Devouring Skill Proficiency?

Suddenly, Lin Xian was jolted back to reality as the interface popped up. The arc furnace beneath them vanished in a swirl of ash—he almost lost his balance.

They were so lost in the moment that the sudden drop broke their kiss.

“Ahh—” KIKI yelped and instinctively activated her Ability to lift them both before they hit the ground.

“Phew. That was close,” Lin Xian exhaled after landing.

“Yeah, geez! Be more careful!” KIKI replied, flustered and pretending nothing happened.

Click.

Lin Xian turned on a flashlight. KIKI immediately ducked away from the beam and pointed quickly. “Hey, you still have another machine to take care of, right?”

“Right.”

Lin Xian knew she was embarrassed, so he played along and got to work on the Automatic Shell Pressing Machine.

?Scan Successful – Acquired Blueprint: Kor Industries – Automatic Shell Pressing Machine?

?Devour Successful – +100 Mechanical Source Points, +50 Mechanical Devouring Skill Proficiency?

This one was simpler than the 6-axis arm. Lin Xian wrapped up the scan and devour in under an hour. His Disassembly Center was now stocked with high-tier materials.

With everything done, the two of them headed straight toward the western rail freight station.

Western Freight Station. The wind and snow howled.

Longshan No. 1 rested on the tracks, covered in snow. The thousand-meter train glowed with warm yellow lights. Behind the ice-covered windows, figures moved about, filling the carriages with life and chatter.

Team members chatted as they ate their rations. Mothers made fresh beds. Men fixed household items. Kids played in the hallways.

Veterans trained the youth in firearm handling, and the scent of soup in the dining car warmed everyone against the cold night.

After a full day of rest, the Longshan team finally experienced their first peaceful night in Xilan City. The atmosphere was lighthearted and relaxed.

Many had traded for useful or rare supplies. Laughter echoed through the carriages.

On the Infinite Train, the Living and Dining Carriages were equally lively. The supplies from the Phoenix were way better than standard canned goods or biscuits.

As Lin Xian and KIKI returned, hot soup was just finishing. The smell filled the air and made their stomachs growl.

There were canned fish, braised pork, braised beef, five-spice beef, ham, chicken—even the compressed biscuits came in flavors like scallion and peanut.

There were also self-heating meals that Chen Sixuan and Xiao Yuan had turned into full hot dishes.

On top of that, they had chocolate, hard candy, chewing gum, and even cigarettes for stress relief.

“Look! I traded a nail clipper for this~” Miao Lu held up an old music player, beaming. She pressed play, and an old North American song—“Let It Snow”—filled the air. The joyful tune lit up the entire carriage.

Lü Chang had scored a pair of Kevlar fingerless tactical gloves, perfect for his wire-chain “System.” Just as he was about to show them off, Shu Qin dragged him to help in the back carriage.

Shasha had somehow gotten her hands on a paint sprayer and a case of colored paint. The little firecracker was in Carriage 11, wearing a gas mask and repainting the Sally. She even installed her own custom anti-flameback device on the flamethrower.

Following Ding Junyi’s advice, Chen Sixuan picked fresh vegetables from the vegetable base in Carriage 4 and used spices she’d traded from other convoys to cook up a big pot of soup.

Ever since learning from the Phoenix that veggie soup could neutralize Dark Fear Energy and aid Ability growth, Carriage 4 had become a “sanctuary”—both a place for mental refreshment and a vital food source.

In Carriage 5, Lu Xingchen was loving the cozy vibes. The Tea Brewer was bubbling away, and he handed a tiny cup to Big Luo, who was cleaning his weapons. Big Luo took it with care, finished it in one gulp, and nodded in approval. Then asked for another.

Lin Xian patrolled the train using his Mechanical Heart, feeling completely at peace.

Ever since escaping Jiang City, it had been a long time since he’d felt so content.

“Let’s hope there are more nights like this,” he said, holding a bowl of hot soup in the dining car, speaking to the teammates gathered around.

“Yeah, exactly! It’s been so long since I’ve felt this relaxed…” said Miao Lu, her easygoing personality making her the first to chime in.

“We’ll just turn this train into the safest fortress in the world, problem solved!” Lu Chang grinned, speaking with that one-track-mind kind of confidence.

Lu Xingchen blew on his bowl of hot soup and said in a deep, mysterious tone, “Not quite. Only when all evil is purged from this world can we truly rest easy.”

For once, his words drew a surprising amount of agreement. People around him nodded in support.

“Once we all become superhumans, maybe those monsters won’t stand a chance against us anymore,” Shasha said. “Just look at how fast Sis Xiaoyuan, Miao Lu, and Chen-jie have evolved. They used to struggle with zombies, but now? I bet they could crush a zombie’s skull with their bare hands.”

“I—I can’t crush a zombie’s head,” said Xiaoyuan quickly, a bit timid as she glanced toward Lin Xian.

But Shu Qin nodded. “Actually, Shasha’s got a point. It’s been less than a hundred days since Apocalypse Day, and humanity has already broken through its limits more in that time than it did in millions of years of evolution. Who knows where the upper limit really lies? Given enough time, anything’s possible.”

“Mhm~” KIKI hummed brightly, a lollipop in her mouth. “Anyway, we humans are definitely smarter than those monsters. If we all evolve together, they won’t stand a chance. Like those bugs—they’re already easier to handle.”

“Optimism is good. But don’t forget caution,” said Chen Sixuan. “So far, the Polar Night and the Abyss Zones are still forbidden territory for humans. Haven’t you heard? Nightwalkers Division Two, which is in charge of Abyss investigations, has the highest casualty rate in the whole organization. So the real danger is still out there—in the Abyss.”

Lin Xian responded, “We don’t need to worry about all that just yet. Let’s follow Phoenix’s Dawn Project. Our evolution will accelerate, and the secrets of the Dark Tide will become clearer.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Captain Lin,” Lu Chang suddenly stepped forward, full of enthusiasm. “Let’s upgrade the train tonight—all of us together! You shouldn’t have to do everything on your own.”

“Yeah!” Miao Lu quickly added. “We can all help!”

“Captain Lin, everyone’s gotten plenty of rest these past two days. You’ve been working yourself to the bone—it doesn’t sit right with us.” Shu Qin’s tone was sincere.

Chen Sixuan and KIKI both looked over at Lin Xian. They knew the entire burden of the convoy had been resting on his shoulders. He hadn’t taken a single break since last night.

Lin Xian felt a wave of relief. After taking a sip of hot soup, he said, “What are you talking about? Of course I’ll let you help! It’s just, last night I was working on the armor plates—you wouldn’t have been much help anyway. But tonight’s different. You’d better not slack off!”

“Got it!” Lu Chang grinned and gave a thumbs-up.

“Don’t worry.”

“We’ve got this.”

“Brother Xian, leave it to me!”

“I’m in too!”

“We’re all in!”

“Alright,” Lin Xian put down his soup and got right into it, not holding back in the slightest.

“Da Lou, you take a team and handle the left-side armor plate removal. Once I finish fabricating the new ones, start welding the support frame and install the new composite armor panels. Also, we’re adding new arc-pulse vibration units.”

“Got it, Brother Xian,” Da Lou responded immediately.

“Lu Chang, you’re in charge of pipework. I’ve made a new integrated circuit system. Also, get that Wei Long unit prepped—gonna need a lot of hands later.”

“Understood.”

“Shu Qin, KIKI, you two have the heavy-duty task—installing the anti-air cannon and the sentry system. I’ll guide you through it. We’re also putting in a new command module.”

“What about the radar? Are we upgrading that too?” KIKI asked.

Lin Xian nodded. “Yeah. We’ll add a search radar and link it with the 1130 and the railgun. That way, the entire weapon system reacts as one.”

“Perfect. You build it, I’ll handle the rest,” said KIKI confidently.

“Alright then, I’ll support KIKI,” Shu Qin added.

“What about me?” Chen Sixuan looked at Lin Xian.

“Interior,” he replied, turning to her. “For safety reasons, I plan to clear out Carriage No. 11.”

“Shasha, get the Shali ready and move it out. I’m planning to install a 6-axis mechanical arm in Car 11. It’ll serve as a mech bay for loading and deploying units—much more convenient.”

“So Cars 11 and 12 might both need major overhauls. We’re adding a weapon station, and if time allows, I’ll install a fully automatic casing press in Car 12 for bullet production—plus another 1130.”

“Understood.” Chen Sixuan nodded.

Xiaoyuan looked toward Lin Xian nervously, but before she could speak, he turned to her and said, “Xiaoyuan, you’re in charge of hygiene and logistics inside the carriages. Bring a few people to help.”

“Okay!”

Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she eagerly nodded.

“Uh… Brother Lin,”

Even Lu Xingchen, who usually preferred keeping to himself, couldn’t help but speak up. With everyone else getting involved, he felt a little awkward.

“Is there any task this great one can assist with?”

Lin Xian looked at him and smiled meaningfully. “Oh, absolutely.”

Lu Xingchen opened his mouth to respond but suddenly had a bad feeling.

20 minutes later.

“FIRE FIST!!!”

BOOM!

Flames roared as heat engulfed the area. Inside the Infinite Train’s repair bay, Lu Xingchen sat next to a makeshift “boiler,” looking completely defeated as he kept the water heater going.

Since most of the manufacturing had to be done outside the carriages—and the roof and windows needed opening—the cold was brutal both inside and out. To make night work bearable, Lin Xian had built a circle of “heaters” using metal pipes in the repair area. The system used a hot water loop from a boiler, and because the area was enclosed, it warmed up fast.

And the great honor of being boiler man?

That went to Fire Bro—Lu Xingchen.

Lin Xian figured since this guy liked making tea and boiling water, this should be a piece of cake for him.

Wrapped in a blanket, Lu Xingchen sat on a recliner, watching the boiler’s pressure gauge and temperature. Every now and then, he’d extend a finger and shoot fire into it.

He opened his mouth, about to yell “Fire Fist!”—but the thought of how lame it felt made him purse his lips and swallow the words.

No one was listening anyway. Might as well just… keep the boiler going.

He was exhausted.

Elsewhere, the massive repair bay—stretching hundreds of meters—was brightly lit and buzzing with energy. Even Shi Diyuan and Ning Jing came over to check it out.

Seeing that Lin Xian had built such a huge bay, complete with a heating system, they were both amazed. Lu Yong immediately called over a group of engineers with mobile terminals to study and learn from the advanced modifications.

Lu Yong declared that, under Captain Lin Xian’s tech-enhanced abilities, life on the Infinite Train had been revitalized. The working environment and team spirit were at an all-time high. The brand-new overhaul system made train upgrades more efficient and seamless. Green development ideals had taken root, the ecosystem was steadily improving, and the results were clear. Dragon Mountain No. 1 needed to learn from the Infinite Train—embrace innovation, and write a new chapter of progress.

19:00

Clang clang clang—

Silver-black composite armor plates were being manufactured one by one. The team used cranes to hoist them into place. Da Lou rolled up his sleeves and led the careful installation work.

22:00

The entire roof of Carriage 11 had been removed and converted into a double-sided flip-top hatch. The first 6-axis mechanical arm was now being installed.

The Sally was moved down by KIKI’s ability, and the vehicles and tools inside the carriage were completely cleared out. The mech hangar designed for the Sally had started to take shape.

01:00

Five YJ-03 Vehicle-Mounted Anti-Aircraft Guns were mounted on the roofs of Carriages No. 12, 10, 7, 5, and 1. All were built with retractable systems that folded into the carriages when not in use. The hatch doors were specially sealed to prevent water leakage.

03:00

A new Arc Pulse String Resonator system was installed along both sides of the train, integrated with the Electric Blade Armor System.

Inside the carriages, cleaning and repairs were still ongoing. Everyone was hard at work—dozens of welding and cutting machines barely had a second of downtime.

The women had surprisingly gained impressive strength. Even Xiao Yuan could carry hundred-kilogram anti-aircraft ammo crates to the storage carriage with ease.

KIKI and Lü Chang were working together off the blueprints, rewiring the train’s internal circuit systems and even updating the air circulation system. Chen Sixuan led a team to clean all the water tanks and install several newly manufactured water circulation filters from Lin Xian to reinforce their defense against Dark Invasion.

06:00

Lin Xian was in full work mode. His Mechanical Heart was operating at full tilt, and the Disassembly Center and Manufacturing Plant hadn’t stopped for a moment.

Composite armor plates, automatic lifts, hatches, search radars, AA gun mounting brackets, circuit integration systems, Arc Pulse String Resonators, Sentinel System infrared monitors, electro-optical targeting, 6-axis robotic arms, water filtration systems...

Manufacturing was only part of it—he also had to tackle tons of technical details: heating system maintenance, modular component assembly, the mech hangar, ammo rack designs for each carriage...

Much of the progress was thanks to the design schematics from the Monica Queen. They helped Lin Xian resolve a lot of issues.

Take the train's electrical system, for example. Lin Xian had been clueless at first. He’d previously just slammed together the Gemini Nuclear Locomotive and the Whale 03E Heavy Gas Turbine Locomotive into a single unit.

As a result, every time the G3 Electromagnetic Railgun fired, the train’s voltage would fluctuate wildly—and there was no contingency plan. If something went wrong, Lin Xian had to overhaul the whole thing.

So, this time, he was taking the chance to do a complete upgrade.

08:00

Lin Xian had never worked this hard before. Both hands kept projecting his fabrication light screens nonstop, supplying an endless stream of materials, components, parts, equipment, and screws.

He was like a one-man industrial nation, solving problems that would stump entire convoys—like a missing screw, a support bracket, or a simple bearing frame.

To improve efficiency even further, Lin Xian started fabricating a PX-05 robot, which KIKI then configured and added to the team working on complex systems like the circuit grid and Arc Pulse String Resonator.

Everyone else was also working like mad. With only about 30 people trying to upgrade a super-heavy train over 300 meters long, it was no easy feat.

Even though it was -50°C outside, inside the maintenance bay, Luo Ye had stripped down to just a tank top. The work was intense. Tons of composite armor plates were mounted tightly along one side of the train. Once connected to the sensors, they could report real-time impact data and feed visuals to the Sentinel System.

The Weilong-class electric locomotive was connected to the Gemini nuclear engine using a specialized carriage connector. Since the corridor between them was blocked, it could only be used as a power unit, maintained by PX-05 robots. It was also armored and cleaned out, equipped with interior and exterior surveillance systems, rear radar, and a targeting suite.

Under this intense mechanical workload, Lin Xian’s Mechanical Manufacturing proficiency was growing faster than ever.

• [Manufactured Composite Armor Plate – Mechanical Manufacturing +20]

• [Manufactured PX-05 Robot – Mechanical Manufacturing +100]

• [Manufactured Search Radar – Mechanical Manufacturing +35]

• [Manufactured Kor-6 Axis Robotic Arm – Mechanical Manufacturing +200]

• [Manufactured Unknown Fastener – Mechanical Manufacturing +5]

• [Manufactured…]

Mechanical Manufacturing: 4 (666/2000)

Mechanical Manufacturing: 4 (880/2000)

Mechanical Manufacturing: 4 (1245/2000)

Mechanical Manufacturing: 4 (1796/2000)

[Congratulations! Mechanical Manufacturing upgraded to Level 5. Efficiency increased!]

He was on a manufacturing rampage. Lin Xian had entered a hyper-focused state, with his production speed and energy output reaching insane levels. It wasn’t until the light screen popped up with the notification that he realized—his skill level had actually surpassed his Mechanical Heart for the first time.

His energy had been bouncing on the edge of 1% all night, but the adrenaline rush made him feel no fatigue at all. If it weren’t for the fact that the Disassembly Center had run out of almost every raw material, he’d still be going.

It was like… “Give me a push and I’ll fight three hundred more rounds.”

“Lin Xian!”

Chen Sixuan’s voice finally pulled him back to reality. He looked up to see her staring at him in concern.

“You’ve been zoning out for over ten minutes. Are you okay?”

Lin Xian rubbed his eyes. On his right-hand light screen, an unfinished bearing was only a third complete. He canceled the process, and the component clattered to the floor in pieces.

He was sitting in Carriage No. 11. A massive six-axis robotic arm stood in front of him, freshly calibrated. The roof hatch was wide open. Parts were scattered all around him. A horizontal mech hangar clamped tightly onto the Sally, with charging cables already connected in the back. The PX-05 robot was running a pre-load ammo test.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he needed Chen Sixuan’s help just to stand up. A wave of crushing fatigue hit him like a falling abyss.

There was still so much unfinished. He’d only built one PX-05 robot, though he’d planned on four. Only one 6-axis arm, when two were intended. He hadn’t even started the automatic ammo press—let alone the 1130s.

By his original plan, all of this was supposed to take two full days, including daytime hours.

To get this far in just one night was beyond what he thought possible.

Hoo~

Outside, work was still underway. The sound of welding and cutting hadn’t stopped.

KIKI had worked through the night too. The integrated power system was still incomplete.

Chen Sixuan helped Lin Xian sit down and offered him a bowl of hot soup. He snapped out of it a bit and started taking inventory:

“The external armor, arc pulse string resonators, AA guns, Sentinel system upgrades, search radar and fire control radar... all the key defensive systems are done.”

“As for the internal—”

“Just rest for now,” Chen Sixuan interrupted gently. “KIKI and Lü Chang are almost done with the circuitry. The Sally's storage issues are handled. The robots and robotic arms aren’t urgent—we still have manual loaders. Shu Qin and I double-checked the water and heating systems. The only thing left is bullet manufacturing and installing the 1130s. Once you’re rested, we can take our time finishing the rest.”

Lin Xian took a sip of soup and pulled her into a hug, resting his head against hers.

“I also want to make more exosuits... for Miao Lu, Lü Chang, and Xiao Yuan.”

“No rush,” Chen Sixuan said softly, glancing at the clock. “It’s already 10 a.m. You’ve been running your ability for fifteen hours straight since last night. You need to take care of yourself.”

Lin Xian nodded. He couldn’t make anything else anyway—he was out of materials.

Still, the night’s work had paid off. The defensive system was basically complete. All that remained was firepower upgrades.

“I was thinking of remodeling the Living Carriage too. Monica’s convoy had that honeycomb-style layout...”

“No need,” Chen Sixuan said, looking up. “It’s fine as is. Everyone’s comfortable. As long as the outside is strong, we all feel safe.”

Lin Xian finally relaxed a little. With Mechanical Manufacturing now at Level 5, he could probably produce the 1130s, railguns, and PX-05s a lot faster. Maybe even deploy a missile system. That thought alone lifted a weight from his shoulders.

Then something clicked in his mind—his skill had leveled up. What about the R& D Center?

He quickly opened it—and sure enough, a message popped up:

[Research Complete. New Blueprint: Black Hawk – Silent Hunter Power Armor]

Lin Xian pulled up the blueprint and stared, eyes wide.

“This isn’t just an exosuit… it’s full-body armor!”

His heart surged. The armor included auxiliary jump jets and landing boosters—capable of low-altitude flight. It felt like the future of steel-bodied combat!

Still, he didn’t want to get ahead of himself. Excited as he was, he wondered—could it be upgraded?

He tried putting the blueprint back into the R& D Center.

[Unable to insert. Maxed out R& D tier. Upgrade Mechanical Heart to continue.]

[R& D Center missing critical mechanical info-processing units. Cannot proceed.]

“What the h*ll? So it’s not just a level issue—it’s missing components?”

He stared at the message, puzzled. This was the first time he’d seen this kind of limit. He thought the R& D Center could do anything—maybe just slow it down. He didn’t expect it to require some kind of special info unit.

Sigh.

“Forget it. I haven’t even built the Black Hawk yet. No need to get ahead of myself.”

Right now, they only had three TRPs. Not even deployed. Jumping straight to the high-end stuff would be overkill.

So Lin Xian dropped in the blueprint for the G3 Electromagnetic Railgun instead.

[Device R& D Time: 3 Days 20 Hours]

“Nice. Just three days.”

He confirmed the process.

[G3 Electromagnetic Railgun (Blueprint) R& D in progress: 3 Days 19 Hours 59 Minutes]

“All right, let’s go. It’s almost morning. Time to get some sleep.”

Lin Xian stood up and took Chen Sixuan’s hand, planning to finally rest.

The train’s outer armor was finished, and the weapon systems had received a massive boost. With dawn approaching, he felt much more at ease.

As he held her hand, Chen Sixuan gave him a look and teased, “You’re this exhausted, don’t tell me you still have bad ideas?”

Lin Xian stretched with a grin. “Whatever you say.”

Hearing that, her heart softened. She could tell he was finally listening to her now—gone was the roughness and awkwardness from when they first got close.

CLANK CLANK CLANK~

Even with dawn nearing, Xilan City remained cloaked in night. In the howling wind and snow, construction at the freight station's temporary workshop never stopped.

Lin Xian stumbled into Carriage No. 1. No time for a shower—he just collapsed onto the bed. Fatigue fogged his mind, but the successful upgrade progress filled him with a deep satisfaction.

Just as he was about to fall asleep—

A massive tremor struck!

—

Xilan Industrial University – Phoenix Research Group Temporary Base

Once a premier defense engineering school, the place had trained many of Dragon Nation’s military researchers. But now, the broken front gate leaned against the snow, and the library’s shattered glass was webbed with cracks.

From midnight till now, the lab building had stayed brightly lit.

Armed Phoenix soldiers guarded every entrance. The site had clearly seen battle—dried blood stained the corridor walls.

Inside one lab, Ding Junyi was deep in discussion with a group of senior researchers.

BANG! The lab doors burst open. A disheveled Wei Kexue rushed in, panting.

“Professor Ding—something happened!”

CLANK CLANK CLANK

Ding Junyi and Wei Kexue quickly headed downstairs, flanked by armed guards.

“What’s going on?”

“Specimen 13 still hasn’t shown any reaction during testing. Not even a ripple in Soul Wave readings.”

Wei Kexue’s pace quickened. “I just got word—Captain Yu’s team tried a shockwave scan. Nothing. Old Guo got desperate and ordered targeted electric stimulation. It was just a routine test—but the specimen suddenly went berserk!”