Chapter 253: Snow Realm (Happy New Year, Requesting Your First Monthly Vote)

Wu ~ Huhu ~

The howling cold wind continued unabated; Lin Xian devoured every car he could dig out, gathering plenty of materials. The once-prominent snow mounds were now gone, and the corpses within the convoy had been buried deep beneath the snow, vanished beneath this natural disaster.

Back on the train, Chen Sixuan had woken up. Seeing Lin Xian return from outside, she immediately guessed he had gone to devour the cars from the convoy.

"Want something to eat? It's so cold outside."

Lin Xian nodded and returned to the train; the eerie chill immediately vanished. He knew this wasn't just the cold—it was the hidden fear force lurking in the snow, now fully blocked by the Heteromorphic Cube.

"Did you hear that sound earlier?" Lin Xian asked.

Chen Sixuan nodded. "Many people woke up, but nothing seemed to have happened. Could it have been an earthquake?"

"Possibly, but I feel it might've been some kind of creature."

"Creature?" Chen Sixuan's expression changed. "What do you think it was?"

Lin Xian shook his head. "I don't know. We just need to be more cautious. Since so many are awake, let's serve food—we need to leave here as soon as possible."

"Got it." Chen Sixuan replied immediately.

Seeing Chen Sixuan's spirits were high, Lin Xian said, "I feel you've changed a lot."

"Changed?" Chen Sixuan, reaching for something from the storage locker in Car 1, turned her head. "What do you mean?"

"Overall. You don't seem as frail and delicate as before."

"Really?"

At that moment, a can slid down from above. Without looking, Chen Sixuan calmly reached out and caught it mid-air, her eyes still fixed on Lin Xian as she asked, "I don't feel any difference—how did you notice?"

Lin Xian:...

After a night of bitter cold, before dawn, the train was already brightly lit. To ward off the chill and help the exhausted crew recover their spirits, Lin Xian ordered Chen Sixuan and Xiao Yuanmiao to prepare hot meals for everyone to warm their bodies.

"Xiao Yuan, bring me a case of braised pork cans."

In the dining car, Chen Sixuan and the others were busy.

"Team Leader Chen, look at this…" Xiao Yuanmiao rushed into the dining car, carefully cradling a bundle of vibrant green vegetables. She held them out to Chen Sixuan: "Look—these are celery from Director Ding's greenhouse. A few have matured. Team Leader Lin said to cook them into the soup."

"Wow!"

"Really?"

Hearing this, the men and women bustling in the dining car gathered around in amazement. That handful of emerald green was a refreshing sight for people who hadn't seen fresh food in ages.

Chen Sixuan stepped forward joyfully, admiring the clean roots and fresh scent of the celery. She couldn't help but take it. "Growing this fast? Perfect—we'll have vegetable soup today!"

The phrase "fresh vegetables" had become alien to everyone on the Infinite Train. Under the black rain, plants had gone extinct en masse. Only the earliest refugees had been able to forage wild greens and fruits along the road; such crops had gradually vanished from survivors' lives.

Growing required farmland or greenhouses—time-consuming and labor-intensive, impossible for fleeing survivors to manage. Fresh produce was hard to preserve; aside from drying or pickling, it only rotted. As days passed, fresh food became rarer and rarer—a true luxury for survivors.

Yet this single bundle of fresh celery from Car 4's greenhouse brought a surge of revitalizing life energy. Amid the apocalyptic winter, it reignited a spark of hope. Suddenly, the dining car buzzed with lively chatter—memories of food, hobbies, daily life—lifting the heavy gloom of the despairing night.

By 8 a. ., everyone not on watch had woken up, and the train's temperature had risen slightly from human activity.

Lin Xian ate a steaming hot breakfast with everyone, feeling energized. Soon after, he gathered the core team in Car 2 to plan the day's journey.

"Teacher Chen, Shu Qin."

Lin Xian handed each of them a newly forged power suit: "I built these last night. Equip them first—activate the system, and you'll adapt quickly."

"Whoa, power suits!"

Sha Sha's eyes lit up instantly. "Brother Lin, are we finally getting to wear these?"

Lin Xian gave her a deadpan look. "Aren't you already piloting a giant mech? Do you really need this?"

"Hehe…" Sha Sha giggled. "I just wanna try it out!"

"Dream on~" Kiki, seated on a swivel chair, pulled Sha Sha over and pinched her cold cheeks. She nodded approvingly at the two power suits Lin Xian had made. "Nice job—you built two in one night. You're exhausted, aren't you?"

Chen Sixuan and Shu Qin were both surprised.

"I… do I really need to wear this?" Chen Sixuan asked, staring at the suit. "Maybe give it

Shu Qin also said: "Team Leader Lin, I think it would be best to give these power suits first to Kiki and Hu Ge—they're both psychics and our main combatants..."

"Come on, just take them and use them!"

Kiki sat cross-legged on the swivel chair, a smile playing on her lips; she understood Lin Xian's intention and directly addressed the two:

"This power suit primarily enhances your mobility. As gene-evolved individuals, using this suit is like adding wings to a tiger. I'd love to play with it too, but honestly, it wouldn't help me much—I can already fly, so I don't need running or jumping. As for Hu Ge, he can't use it either—what if it gets burned up?"

"Exactly," Lu Xichen leaned against the side of the carriage and nodded in strong agreement: "This power suit would actually restrict my own abilities—it's impractical."

"Everyone will get one eventually."

Lin Xian immediately added: "As a mechanical psychic, my goal is to mechanize and arm the Infinite, whether it's people or vehicles—but we must take it step by step."

He turned to Shu Qin and Chen Sixuan: "As core members, you two can start using them first. Once you're proficient, you can teach others. I'll keep upgrading and manufacturing these power suits, making them increasingly powerful. As for other psychics, I have other plans—for example, Hu Ge. I heard Director Ding mention that interstellar military forces use a nano-carbon-ceramic alloy that can withstand temperatures over 6, 00 degrees and offers substantial defensive capabilities."

Lu Xichen shrugged, sounding indifferent: "Actually, I don't need..."

"That battle armor looks awesome."

Lin Xian added.

"Brother Lin, please accelerate your research!" Lu Xichen's expression instantly changed; his gaze toward Lin Xian seemed utterly sincere and urgent.

Lin Xian nodded, then turned to Kiki and Daliu: "Simply put, the functions differ—this power suit currently offers little benefit to you, but that doesn't mean you can't use battle armor."

Daliu nodded: "No problem—I'll follow whatever you decide, Xian-ge."

Upon hearing this, Shu Qin also nodded enthusiastically: "Alright, I'll follow Team Leader Lin's orders."

With that, she stepped forward to the power suit and began putting it on.

Chen Sixuan gave Lin Xian a thoughtful look, understanding he wanted to protect her; she too wanted to step forward, so her gaze gradually hardened as she walked up and donned the light gray power suit.

Instantly, two stunningly sleek female warriors clad in light gray power suits appeared before everyone's eyes.

"Whoa, so cool!" Sha Sha exclaimed.

Shu Qin now felt an overwhelming surge of strength; she clenched her fist, and the power units on her suit responded fluidly. The suit didn't feel cumbersome at all—it made everything feel effortlessly easier!

"It's truly impressive," she marveled.

Besides assisting limb movement with power output, the suit can also execute preset motions, actively guiding the wearer's actions, and even passively trigger evasive maneuvers in critical moments.

Of course, these active guidance functions can be disabled to prevent interference with the wearer's intended movements.

Chen Sixuan, adapting to the surging power of the suit, now carried a newfound confidence in her expression.

A holographic display flickered into view.

【Program Initializing】

After donning the suit, Chen Sixuan activated its program.

【New User Identified. Please Input User Information.】

"Chen Sixuan."

Information entered, the suit began scanning her limbs and muscle state; joints automatically contracted and tightened, quickly conforming to her body and fitting perfectly.

She moved her arms and legs—powerful torque responded instantly, giving her the sensation of being as light as a swallow.

Looking ahead, several teammates were now precisely tracked by the suit's targeting system, their vital signs displayed clearly.

Seeing this, Chen Sixuan's eyes lit up—this feature perfectly matched her role as a sniper, as she'd briefly encountered something similar on the Yuxing-3's smart scope.

Now, the power suit felt like a mobile battlefield AI assistant, simultaneously enhancing her rapid mobility.

Chen Sixuan had seen the girls Amin and Luoluo from the Chase-the-Sun convoy—delicate-looking girls who, within their mechs, moved with astonishing agility, darting swiftly through swarms of insects and cutting them down with grace and power, leaving everyone awestruck.

"Alright, let's get to the real business."

Lin Xian shifted tone and addressed everyone: "Same as before—we depart before dawn."

"Mm-hmm," Kiki turned around, manipulating her computer to pull up a map: "If we leave two hours early, we should reach Dala Te Town before sunrise."

"But we won't stop at Dala Te."

Lin Xian said: "Given the current situation, we must push straight toward Xilan. The Yaze Lake area is likely the epicenter of the extreme cold vortex—the blizzards will only intensify. We have no time or capacity to stop en route." Chen Sixuan nodded: "With this level of blizzard from the extreme cold vortex, we simply can't stop—trains can barely move in this snow."

"So we're going straight through to Xilan?"

Shu Qin said with concern: "During daylight?"

"Impossible," Lin Xian activated his Mechanical Heart, and the shading panels on Car 2 rose in unison; he gazed at the deep snow outside: "This much snow makes even starting up difficult—we can't reach high speeds. We'll have to run through the night. My plan is: Xilan City has a Phoenix Society outpost and many other survivor groups. Even if we arrive at night, we'll get fire support."

"Whoa, so we'll be fighting snow wraiths the whole way?" Kiki frowned: "Aren't we worried about attracting even bigger problems in the dark with our markings?"

"We'll have to adapt as we go."

Lin Xian stood up: "If conditions are good, we can follow yesterday's approach and stop near Chixia or Sufeng Village. If things turn bad, we'll push straight through to Xilan under cover of night. Our goal is to mount a full defense outside the city and avoid bringing greater marking risks inside."

"So today's going to be a tough fight," Chen Sixuan said.

"Mm," Lin Xian nodded, turning to Kiki and Lu Xichen: "Not only that—we've got a tough fight right now."

Infinite is starting up!

The snow layer was so deep it nearly buried the icebreaker shield two-thirds of the way, and both the tracks and wheels were frozen and buried under snow. Not only could we not build up speed, we could barely even start.

The only solution: use Kiki and Lu Xichen's abilities to first break through the snow and clear a space for startup. Once Infinite gains momentum, we'll rely on its powerful inertia to plow through the snow and advance forward.

！

It was now 9 a. . The Infinite was fully prepared; Kiki stood on the roof and Lu Xichen in the cockpit, both ready to clear snow.

"We need to move fast."

Chen Sixuan looked toward the slopes on either side of the pass: "The snow on the mountains is too thick. Our large-scale snow-clearing could trigger avalanches. We must finish it in one go and accelerate out."

Although the Wuliya Si Tai Mountains were a range of low, gently sloping hills, such deep snow sliding down would still pose a massive threat—triggering chain reactions, violent tremors, and possibly burying the entire train.

"You're right—we only get one chance," Lin Xian added.

"No problem," Lu Xichen said through the comm, holding fire in his palm for warmth.

Kiki stood in the cockpit, proudly declaring: "How hard could this be? The great Miss Kiki's got this snow covered!"

"Hu Ge! I'm waiting for you to go first!" Kiki said over the comm.

"No problem."

The two reached an agreement. Lu Xingchen drew a deep breath, standing in the howling cold wind, his eyes ablaze with fiery determination.

Fwoosh!

A scorching heat surged through him. The frost and snow clinging to his clothes evaporated instantly. Rising thermal waves radiated outward, and the thick ice on the roof beneath his feet melted rapidly in all directions.

"This technique… I'll name it…"

"Inferno·Heaven's Path!"

Boom!

He raised both hands above his head. In an instant, a crimson flame erupted skyward like a blazing pillar, instantly illuminating the surrounding darkness.

Then Lu Xingchen barked a cold command and slammed the massive fire column forward. Simultaneously, blue Mach rings erupted from the flames, triggering a thunderous shockwave.

BOOM!!! In the mountain pass, the howling wind was instantly disrupted. The clash of hot and cold air generated a violent updraft, and the floating snowflakes shot upward into the sky.

A colossal jet of flame slammed directly into the snow layer ahead of Infinity. It vaporized instantly, carving out a hollow tunnel.

Not done yet.

Kiki seized the moment, her eyes glowing faintly. She thrust both hands forward, using powerful telekinesis to grasp the surging fire column and then shoved it forward with all her might!

Whoom! Under her telekinetic control, the flames exploded forward. The snow layer ahead of Infinity's cab was cleared as if scooped away by an iron spoon—leaving a hollow channel hundreds of meters long. Beneath it, the black railway tracks were clearly visible under the headlights, still radiating searing heat, utterly free of ice or snow.

Whoosh!

Seizing this moment, Lin Xian activated the engines of both drive cars. The electric motors hummed as immense power surged forth. The steel behemoth, buried beneath snow, let out a ferocious roar. Ice cracked and peeled off its entire surface; snow slid rapidly from the roof. The iron wheels turned, and the train began to move.

Rumble!

As the train advanced, snow on both sides of the track began collapsing inward, triggering a chain reaction. Combined with the massive disturbance caused by Lu Xingchen and Kiki, vast layers of snow fractured and slid downhill toward the tracks.

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!

Infinity was accelerating!

Ice shells and icicles kept falling with a continuous splash, yet the fire column remained. Kiki and Lu Xingchen continued channeling their abilities to clear the path.

"Faster!"

"Kiki, watch the fire guy—don't let him get buried by the avalanche."

"Don't worry!"

Boom! Boom! Boom! Vast layers of snow slid down like dominoes, crushing both sides of Infinity. The carriage plunged into darkness—but thanks to the train's accumulated momentum, it burst through the thick snow in quick succession.

"Speed's building!" Chen Sixuan shouted.

"Fire guy, get down!" Lin Xian called over the comms.

Lu Xingchen heard the order and immediately extinguished the flames. He sprinted quickly to the elevator hatch of Car 5 and returned to the carriage.

Meanwhile, Infinity had accelerated to 80 km/h. Inside the cockpit, Kiki continued using her ability to split the snow ahead.

90 km/h.

Clatter! Clatter! Clatter! The cab smashed through the heavy snow.

Snow dust exploded upward in a towering plume!

"Enough!" Lin Xian shouted to Kiki.

"I can hold it longer," Kiki said.

Lin Xian grabbed her arm, then pulled Chen Sixuan too: "Prepare for impact!"

A steel rail train weighing thousands of tons, moving at 100 km/h, with its ice-breaking shield ahead—Lin Xian knew this momentum was more than enough to smash through the snow. Without hesitation, he ordered Kiki to cease her ability output.

Boom! Splash! Splash! Splash!

In an instant, Infinity slammed head-on into the snow layer, 1. meters thick. The entire train shuddered violently from the impact. Everyone felt a powerful forward lurch. The steel behemoth, fueled by immense momentum, sliced cleanly through the snow ahead, sending up a tidal wave of snow—its forward drive unrelenting.

Whoosh!!!

The Whale 03e heavy gas turbine engine roared furiously. Deep snow scraped against the train's side armor and wing panels, emitting a deep, vibrating hum. Through the carriage windows, the snow surface was barely ten centimeters away.

Standing in the cockpit, watching the snow ahead violently tear apart, Chen Sixuan felt awestruck. Lin Xian knew the entire train was running at full power. He glanced at the speedometer: 95 km/h—faster than he'd expected. But he couldn't slow down.

Once speed dropped, it would be nearly impossible to regain. If the blizzard intensified and snow piled higher, the train could stall entirely.

So now, Infinity was like a runaway train—only forward, never stopping—charging ahead at full throttle.

Beneath the darkness, the wind howled.

Soon, the train emerged from the mountain pass and entered an endless snow plain.

Lin Xian, Chen Sixuan, and Kiki stood ready in the cockpit. But after driving dozens of kilometers, no snow spirit attack came.

"Director Ding," Lin Xian quickly asked over the comms.

"No incidents. All clear," Ding Jun replied.

Clear?

Impossible. It was night. They'd seen yesterday how the snow layers teemed with snow spirits. Lin Xian had even prepared to fight his way through until dawn. Yet now, the situation defied his expectations again.

"Huh, weird. Are those things only active during the day, not at night?" Kiki asked, puzzled.

"Impossible," Lin Xian shook his head. "Radio reports already confirmed snow spirits grow more violent at night. Why wouldn't they appear now?"

"It's definitely strange," Chen Sixuan frowned, staring at the snow layers being torn open by the train's headlights. "Could we have passed the snow spirits' territory? Is this another kind of anomaly zone?"

"That's possible."

Lin Xian considered it. Multiple cases proved higher-level anomalies possessed territorial awareness. If no snow spirits appeared, it likely meant some massive anomaly resided here.

But the Hell Black Chrysanthemum showed no change. This bizarre scene left Lin Xian baffled.

Then he remembered the previous earthquake and low growl—he'd heard countless snow spirits boiling in agitation. Yet now, not a single one was visible. Could the earthquake have driven them away?

"Hey, doesn't matter if they're here or not—we can't stop," Kiki said seriously. "Who cares? We've got no choice but to push forward. One step at a time."

"You're right," Lin Xian nodded.

As soon as he spoke, a black object appeared ahead in the snow. Before anyone could react, Infinity smashed into it.

Boom!

Sparks flew. The black object shattered into fragments and flew outward.

The group reacted instantly. It was a car lying across the tracks—but its interior and exterior were completely filled with snow and ice. Infinity smashed it into pieces. One fragment of the chassis remained hooked on the ice-breaking shield. A piece of human tissue landed on the windshield, scraped a trail of frost, then flew off and clattered onto the snow, stiff and lifeless.

(End of Chapter)