Chapter 141: Entering the Airport

Compared to the Infinite Train’s mere nine carriages, those two apocalypse trains could be called orbital behemoths; the first was almost entirely double-decker large carriages, fifty to sixty in number, over a kilometer long, powered at the front by intercontinental nuclear-powered locomotives—six locomotive units alone, each with wildly different paint schemes, all wrapped in armored steel plating, now docked on the airport track, rows of lights blinking like a moving two-story city!

The other was even more breathtaking to everyone, including Lin Xian: a silver Eternal-class train, like a silver dragon stretched across the airport platform, uniformly painted, over a hundred carriages long, with four electromagnetic rail cannons mounted at the front, rear, and center, looking profoundly sci-fi.

Without guessing, Lin Xian knew this was the apocalypse train “Silver Star,” from Yangcheng’s Fenge Group, a colossal vessel housing over three thousand people!

The other double-decker steel construct must be Longshan City’s Longshan One.

“Whoa, what a long train!”

Sha Sha leaned on the control panel, eyes wide.

Chen Sixuan looked at Lin Xian and said with awe, “You’re right—we’re not the only ones fleeing along the Ring Star orbit and using trains as transport.”

“Of course,” Lin Xian nodded, his expression calm. “The orbital network is well-developed; there are always survivors using this route.”

Clank. Clank.

Beneath the night, the Infinite Train slowly neared the airport; the track widened, and several massive double-track bridges stretched across both sides. As the Infinite Train and the convoy approached, dozens of searchlights from the airport swept toward the train.

Tap-tap-tap!

Gunfire and flashes erupted along the airport’s edge; beneath the searchlights, countless zombies surged against the high walls, climbing upward while automated machine gun turrets on the walls continuously rained fire to clear them.

“The zombies are growing more numerous—probably the airport won’t hold much longer.”

Among the zombie hordes, strange giant insects and towering grotesques now slammed against the defensive walls.

“It won’t last till dawn—the airport will shut down completely,” Lin Xian said.

Beep-beep-beep-beep!

The responder chimed—an airport call.

“KH5580, this is Airport Tower. Immediately slow down and identify yourself!”

KH5580 was the old registration number of this vintage Whale 03E heavy gas turbine locomotive. Hearing the call, Lin Xian immediately answered.

“Airport Tower, this is the Infinite Train. We have over two hundred survivors seeking passage through the high-altitude corridor.”

Beep.

“Infinite Train, stop immediately and submit to inspection!”

“Still inspecting?” Chen Sixuan frowned. “They’re not going to board us, are they?”

Beep.

Just as Lin Xian sensed trouble, the responder suddenly crackled with the airport tower’s voice:

“KH5580 Infinite Train, authorized to enter via Gate D. Awaiting sequence for ascent elevator access.”

Kiki frowned. “What’s going on? Just now they wanted to inspect, now they don’t?”

“Maybe with zombies surrounding them, they’ve got no personnel left to check us,” Sha Sha said.

“Don’t know. Just go in.”

“Received.”

Lin Xian pressed the responder, restarted the train, and steered it into the massive airport ahead.

Whoosh~

A heavy gate slowly opened; dozens of Taitiewei soldiers stood behind, armed with heavy weapons, equipped with powered exoskeletons and night-vision gear, their eyes alert as the heavy train rolled in.

An officer stepped forward, inspected briefly, then looked at the long convoy behind and asked Lin Xian: “Any wounded on board? We can provide medical aid.”

“Plenty in the back,” Lin Xian replied immediately. The escape from the Sky Jellyfish had left casualties in Shu Qin and Xu Jin’s convoys.

“Park on the track platform—I’ll dispatch a medical team right away.” Lin Xian and Chen Sixuan and the others were stunned; after so long on the run, this was the first time anyone had offered help to survivors.

“D Platform has survivor casualties—request medical team,” the officer whispered into his earpiece, then gestured to Lin Xian to proceed.

Doo-oo! ... Tap-tap-tap!

On elevated platforms to either side, close-in defense cannons constantly tracked approaching targets, occasionally firing toward distant parts of the city, tracers streaking like meteors across the night sky.

As the convoy entered, twelve automated targeting machine cannons locked onto every heat source on the train; Taitiewei soldiers scanned for threats; the atmosphere grew heavy with tension.

Behind them, Shu Qin, Lao Mo, and Xu Jin’s convoys tensed, following the Infinite Train onto the airport platform.

Spotlights fell on the newly arrived train, drawing countless stares.

“After all this running, I’ve never seen so many people.”

Xu Jin’s voice came over the comms.

“More people isn’t better—look at those monsters outside, acting like they’re insane. If the line breaks, this place becomes their buffet,” Shu Qin’s tone was grim.

“Man, it’s been ages since I was here—everything’s changed.”

Lao Mo’s voice crackled: “But it looks like only one ascent elevator’s operational. The Silver Star arrived hours ago—why hasn’t it entered the ascent sequence yet?”

!

Inside the “Infinite Train,” Lin Xian looked up at the ascent corridor stretching into the sky and said gravely, “These trains—including ours—can use the Horizon Gate to be pulled up, but it seems the airport tower has no intention of opening other channels...”

“They’re probably afraid of chaos and falls,” Chen Sixuan said, tense. “The airport lacks enough personnel and repair equipment. With all these trains and survivor vehicles heavily modified, without proper traction systems, there’s risk of derailment—or worse, elevator collapse. If that happens, the ascent corridor is ruined.”

Lin Xian nodded. Chen Sixuan was right. Decades ago, ascent trains used Horizon Gate traction combined with electromagnetic acceleration; the Whale 03E’s turbine was designed for exactly that. But after years of upgrades, brute-force ascent was replaced by orderly ascent elevators for efficient, controlled passage.

“This Taitiewei unit seems badly depleted,” Chen Sixuan observed closely. The soldiers holding the line looked like they’d fought for days and nights—covered in blood, their armor scorched and charred.

“The battlefield in the valley lost at least a regiment’s worth of weapons; casualties must be heavy too.”

Kiki’s expression grew grim. “Even the military can’t hold. Now we can only keep fleeing, searching for survival.”

Clank~ Clank~

The Infinite Train switched tracks and entered the airport platform; the two massive apocalypse trains appeared on either side of the cockpit. As the train moved forward, over a hundred carriages receded past the windows.

Lin Xian and the others watched as countless survivors inside the trains peered curiously at their black armored train speeding past.

The two trains’ styles were utterly different.

To the left, the silver “Silver Star” had uniformly sleek, high-end interiors; as their gaze swept past, they saw elegant living carriages, dining cars, entertainment and medical carriages—even one carriage where children sat at neat desks in a bright room, attending class. The external armament of the Silver Star was terrifying, radiating an aura of money spent without restraint.

Fenge Group had once been a famed conglomerate in Longguo, specializing in technology, defense, and transportation. Rumor had it they helped build the Ring Star orbit—no doubt their power was immense.

Seeing this apocalypse train, a mobile utopia, opened Lin Xian and the others’ eyes.

“Oh my god, over a hundred carriages—this thing must have everything,” Kiki exclaimed, nudging Lin Xian with her elbow. “Hey, hey, can you scan it?”

Lin Xian smiled wryly—he couldn’t even fully scan the Infinite Train, let alone an Eternal-class mobile city.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the train receding past the Infinite Train’s left windows was a stark contrast to the “Silver Star.”

It was a fortress-train, heavily modified like the “Infinite Train,” mostly double-decker, painted in wild patterns, every few carriages topped with cannons and heavy machine guns. Though shorter than the Silver Star, it clearly carried a large population.

As the Infinite Train passed, passengers on Longshan One pressed against their windows to watch; the entire train’s armor exuded a wild yet secure vibe.

As an intercontinental train converted into an apocalypse fortress, its power output and internal subsystems were at least several times greater than Lin Xian’s “Infinite Train.” With his current dual-locomotive setup, pulling twenty or thirty carriages would be easy—but he had so few people, and armor fabrication fell solely to him; he couldn’t produce it quickly.

Thank you for the 3,000 monthly tickets—extra chapter today, and more will come on the 15th mid-month. Kneeling in advance for your mid-month tickets tomorrow!! Every additional 1,000 tickets will trigger another bonus chapter!

(End of Chapter)