Chapter 117: Escape

“Hold on tight!”

Lin Xian shouted into the intercom, his eyes bloodshot, exerting every ounce of strength to activate the Mechanical Heart.

The Twin Star 11r nuclear-powered electric locomotive, combined with the Infinite’s engine thrust, accelerated rapidly, hurtling through the upward tunnel.

Cold wind howled inside the tunnel as the train re-entered the sealed passage.

But the abyssal monster seemed to permit no living thing to escape its domain; thunderous crashes echoed from outside the walls.

Lin Xian’s heart pounded wildly—no one knew if the ceiling would collapse in the next instant, burying the entire train beneath the deep pit of Underground City 9, becoming the abyssal monster’s prey.

Watching the countdown on her mobile terminal, Kiki clenched her teeth and gripped Lin Xian’s arm, utterly terrified.

AAAAAAHHHHH!

A massive, muffled roar echoed through heaven and earth.

Earthquakes began, rocks and sand flying everywhere.

Lin Xian knew—the abyssal monster outside.

Was coming.

【10】

【9】

……

In Underground City 62, the newly built private academy was silent, desks scattered, stationery littered on the floor; in the corridors, zombies ran wildly.

【5】

【4】

In the residential zone on level 56, tiny capsule rooms still hung wind chimes for safety, shaking violently in the quake.

On the commercial street, utter silence reigned; neon lights and shop signs vanished into darkness.

【3】

【2】

【1】

ZZZZZZ!

At the center of level 70, a brilliant blue light flashed; a white orb triggered pre-installed explosives across ten floors above and below, filling the entire ten-story span with light and heat, the shockwave vaporizing every zombie and Gui in an instant.

With the main structure destroyed, floors began collapsing from level 65 downward, all sealed isolation walls rendered useless.

Collapsing floors triggered a domino effect, severing layer by layer; the blinding white orb surged toward the tunnel’s center.

BOOM!

The great quake trembled—the ground began to sink!

A colossal fireball and shockwave swallowed the monstrous shadow, driving it downward into the tunnel’s depths.

Instantly, heaven and earth fell silent.

Inside the tunnel, the Twin Star 11r nuclear-powered electric locomotive pushed the Infinite forward at high speed; behind them, a terrifying devouring sound erupted like thunder, rock layers fracturing, the deafening noise cracking the snow-covered ground above.

BOOM!

Vast amounts of snow surged into the tunnel—a sign they were nearing the surface.

The heavy snow load caused the flatbed trailers behind the Infinite to derail, making the entire train tilt.

“Kiki, help me stabilize the front cars!”

“Got it!”

Kiki gripped Lin Xian’s arm with one hand, raised the other toward the front, unleashing her ability to pin the Infinite firmly onto the rails.

THUD THUD THUD!

Rocks slid, concrete shattered, tunnel walls collapsed; countless stones slammed onto the Infinite’s body with thunderous crashes.

On the Infinite, Chen Sixuan and Ding Junyi clung tightly to the handrails inside the cockpit, having lost all control of the train, helpless as the engines roared.

KOOOOO!

A massive quake struck; the excavated underground city began collapsing. Everyone felt the noise grow deafening, all light swallowed.

“Break through!”

Lin Xian’s eyes bulged as he roared.

At that moment, a light, clear voice sounded in his ear.

【DRX core acceleration successful】

【Program initiated, connecting drive power!】

WOOOOO~

A surge of immense electrical energy flooded through—the sensation of rowing hard suddenly vanished, replaced by the thrust of a powerful propeller; a colossal force propelled the train into sudden acceleration!

ZZZZZZ!

Sparks flew across the rails as the Twin Star 11r nuclear-powered electric locomotive pushed the Infinite through the crumbling tunnel.

After a ringing roar in their ears, all sound suddenly vanished; the howling blizzard seemed hollow, the oppressive weight lifting.

We made it out!

CLANG CLANG CLANG!

The Twin Star 11r’s headlights blazed, revealing vast open surroundings; behind them, thunderous crashes and collapses echoed.

The train then switched onto a turnout, racing at high speed toward the dark platform ahead.

!

“We made it out!” Kiki snapped back to reality—the massive underground city behind them was rapidly being swallowed.

“That side’s completely collapsed!”

Chen Sixuan’s voice came through the intercom; inside the Infinite’s cockpit, she stared out the window at the collapsing city behind.

Snow dust settled; Lin Xian now saw the surrounding night— the train had broken the surface, the massive underground structure collapsing behind them.

SSSSSHHHH~

As the quake behind faded, the Infinite surged into the external GF4 platform—then abruptly stopped.

“The ground collapse might trigger a chain reaction—do you still have time to retrieve those two Keer carriages?”

Ding Junyi frowned, puzzled that Lin Xian had stopped the train: “Logically, shouldn’t we be using every second to escape?”

“Toss your logic aside.”

Lin Xian swiftly disconnected the coupling devices, then spoke into the intercom: “Chen Laoshi, prepare to reverse direction!”

The blizzard outside had piled snow over a meter deep; the external corridors beyond the walls were blocked by zombies and vehicles. Without reversing the train’s head, the Infinite—lacking an ice-breaking shield—would surely overturn.

So Lin Xian acted decisively: the moment they reached the platform, he reversed the train’s direction.

Chen Sixuan immediately understood—there was only one single-track line on the snowfield; charging forward with the two flatbed trailers attached would cause a catastrophic chain of derailments.

“I understand,” Chen Sixuan said, immediately acting.

Ding Junyi furrowed her brow but now grasped Lin Xian’s intent—he hadn’t stopped to retrieve the carriages, but for another reason entirely.

RUMBLING!

The earth still trembled; Lin Xian moved swiftly, coordinating with Chen Sixuan and Kiki to reorient the carriages using the platform’s dual-track system.

The Whale 03e heavy gas turbine locomotive, equipped with an ice-breaking shield, led the way; the Twin Star 11r nuclear-powered electric locomotive now brought up the rear. Meanwhile, Lin Xian located the two Keer carriages, brutally hooked them up with cast coupling hooks, bypassed the wheel locks via electrical override, then fired up the train and fled.

Lin Xian and Kiki had returned to the Infinite, restarted the engines, and surged forward without pause toward the platform’s exit.

“No time to open the gate—crash through it!”

URRRRGH!!!

Outside the iron fence gate, tens of thousands of unfrozen zombies howled, drawn by the noise; the ground split open, multiple walls collapsed, and countless zombies surged forward like locusts in the night.

WOOOO!

The gas turbine roared, the 290-megawatt nuclear-powered electric locomotive pulling from behind—the Infinite surged through the zombie horde like a blade of darkness.

Behind the train, the trillion-credit super-underground city collapsed layer by layer, dragging its hundreds-of-meters-deep foundation into the center.

Vast clouds of dust obscured the sky beneath the snowy night, stretching endlessly…

New book, please vote for monthly tickets, brothers—get on board and charge forward!

(End of Chapter)