Chapter 274: Special List (10,000 Explosions!)

"No problem, no problem~"

Zhou Wuer smiled and said, "That's fine."

Peng Peng, beside them, explained seriously: "You went through a major battle yesterday. Rest well and recover your energy—it'll give better test results."

"Yes, let's register first."

Zhou Wuer pointed to the threshold robot: "I'll brief you in advance: after entering your information here, you'll be placed in a system queue. Today isn't busy—should be done in a few batches. Each batch has 100 people, about thirty minutes per batch."

"Hey, handsome, what exactly are you testing?" Sha Sha couldn't help asking: "You're not doing human experiments, are you?"

Zhou Wuer laughed immediately: "How could that be? Currently, the Phoenix Society's detection of psychics and enhanced individuals consists of two steps: one is the Oscillating Spirit Value peak detection, the other is called the Limit Coefficient. Together, they determine a person's evolution level."

"Oscillating Spirit Value peak detection?" Shu Qin stepped forward: "Can enhanced individuals even be tested for Oscillating Spirit Value?"

"Of course." Zhou Wuer said. "Gene-evolved individuals are also affected by Cold Dark Base Particles, triggering hyper-evolution in humans. This is essentially a psychic ability. Measuring this peak limit represents the individual's degree of evolution and energy density."

"And what is this Limit Coefficient?" Lin Xian asked.

"It's simple," Peng Peng explained. "Think of it as a person's combat talent: courage, mindset, experience, response to crisis, and development of their own psychic ability."

"If Oscillating Spirit Value peak represents the power of a gun, the Limit Coefficient represents a soldier's quality. Together, they determine how powerful that gun becomes—put a heavy machine gun in a rookie's hands, he might not even kill a zombie and could break his own arm; but put a pistol in a master's hands, and if he fires like a sniper, its power won't be weaker. So many factors affect psychic expression—even knowledge."

"Knowledge?!"

"Exactly." Peng Peng chewed her gum, blew a bubble, then popped it with a finger twist—suddenly the bubble hardened. A stream of air gathered inside it. She clenched her palm, and a vortex of air blasted out, forming a rapidly spinning ring in her palm. As she compressed her psychic ability, the vortex grew stronger, humming with air pressure!

Hummm!

Pfft!

Peng Peng fired the vortex at the ground, instantly punching a ring-shaped hole through the solid floor—its power rivaling a bullet!!

"Vortex effect," Peng Peng said calmly, then popped another gum into her mouth. "Basic fluid physics from middle school, combined with my psychic ability—turns ordinary air into a strike stronger than alloy bullets."

Behind the crowd, Lu Xingchen's eyes lit up instantly—Peng Peng's display had opened a whole new world to him.

"Physics combined with the Fire God's power? Interesting," he murmured.

Even Kiki now frowned thoughtfully, deep in contemplation.

Peng Peng's simple, direct demonstration made everything instantly clear.

Lin Xian said: "So the Limit Coefficient varies by person, used to assess talent?"

Zhou Wuer shrugged: "Sort of. But evolution level is only a relatively objective numerical assessment—it doesn't fully represent combat power or survival rate. Some psychic abilities are more functional than lethal—for example, flight grants high survival and utility, but low combat power."

"We understand."

"I heard the Phoenix Society offers supplies for those who take the test?" At this, Miao Lu pushed forward eagerly, curious.

"Yes," Zhou Wuer smiled. "Anyone who reaches Evolution Level gets one crate of supplies. If you reach Diamond Level, you get three crates, plus a heavy machine gun and a thousand rounds!"

"That much?!" Everyone gasped.

Zhou Wuer nodded, clearly pleased by their shock: "Heh, if you reach Rampage Level, we give you a supply truck, one Cold Dark Reagent, a YJ-03 vehicle-mounted anti-air cannon, and two hundred shells. How's that for incentive?"

"Huh?!" Everyone exclaimed.

"Anti-air cannon?"

"Is that real?!"

"Absolutely true," Zhou Wuer shrugged. "And it's all free. The only requirement: those above Diamond Level must leave a blood sample for our Nightwalkers Organization to track and study."

Chen Sixuan said: "It's not just for research, is it? You also want these high-level psychics to strengthen cooperation with the Phoenix Society?"

"That's one goal," Zhou Wuer said, slightly weary. "But we also want to help these teams survive better. In a way, these teams that survived nine deaths to one might be humanity's last hope. The Phoenix Society naturally wants to channel resources toward survivors—that's our purpose."

"Besides, while you're being tested, our Firebrand Team colleagues will give you basic training on methods we've compiled—emergency psychic training. The Phoenix Society isn't just handing out supplies; every rescue outpost is now promoting comprehensive survival skills—not just psychic use, but firearms, medical training, survival routes, night-time adaptation, psychological counseling, and more…"

"Understood."

Watching the Longshan No. team gradually pass through the threshold and enter the Cathedral Square, Lin Xian said to Zhou Wuer: "Looks like we'll be in the later batches. Can I register now and come back later when it's less crowded? I have other business to attend to."

Zhou Wuer blinked slightly: "Of course. I'll wait here for you."

"Hey, Lin Xian, where are you going? I'll come with you?" Kiki asked.

Lin Xian shook his head. "You all stay here and get tested. Learn as much as you can. I'll be back soon."

Xilan City was still relatively safe. Lin Xian didn't need to bring Kiki along. Since Zhou Wuer had offered him extra time, he wouldn't waste it waiting in line.

Hum~

Before the threshold screen, a deep blue light swept over Lin Xian.

"Infinite Fleet, Lin Xian."

"Scan successful. Former Federation citizen, Lin Xian. Hometown: Jiangcheng, Dragon Nation. Citizen ID: CN15132192430126. Phoenix Society synced: Infinite Fleet. New survivor ID registered: D19529527."

"Please proceed."

After successful registration, Lin Xian briefed his team, then immediately contacted Shi Di and Mo Nika via communicator, preparing to drive straight to Mo Nika's Mo Queen.

Mo Nika hadn't expected Lin Xian to bring the whole team for testing while he came alone to fix her vehicle. She'd planned to observe the fleet's psychics, but now she cared more about her train. Upon receiving his message, she drove over without hesitation to pick up Shi Di and Lin Xian.

"Kaka, hey Lin Xian, communication's clear."

After driving several blocks, Lin Xian pressed his communicator—the signal was crystal clear.

"Once they enter the testing area, communication will be blocked. But my men will relay messages from the perimeter—you'll get real-time updates on your team's test results."

In a polar vehicle, Mo Nika sat in the passenger seat, speaking to Shi Di and Lin Xian in the back.

"No problem. It's still early. Maybe we'll make it back in time to see it. My people have their own records—early or late, same result. Mo girl, I'm actually curious about your apocalypse train, hahaha."

Lin Xian thought the same as Shi Di. After Zhou Wuer explained, he had a rough idea of the test's content. For this, he only needed the final result—no need to spend hours watching others' psychic tests. He wasn't particularly interested anyway.

He had no intention of recruiting. Since Zhou Wuer promised he could test later, avoiding public exposure of his mechanical psychic ability, he had no reason to flaunt his "mechanic" identity. With tens of thousands in the city, if another "Hua Xiaoling" showed up, he'd have trouble. So Lin Xian preferred to avoid unnecessary complications—he'd already been open with the Phoenix Society.

Still, he was curious about the Phoenix Society's rewards.

At the Michel Church Testing Square, crowds packed the area. Many survivors stood on vehicle roofs, peering through binoculars at the inner grounds.

After Infinite Fleet joined Longshan No. and entered the temporary site, the space opened up. Dozens of large base vehicles had raised blue rectangular shield curtains, enclosing the entire square.

Chen Sixuan stepped inside—immediately, a tingling, ionizing sensation swept over her, then vanished.

Spectators were kept behind barriers, surrounded by layers of base vehicles. The former cathedral fountain square now felt like an indoor arena.

Looking around, hundreds of diverse survivors filled the square. Since Lin Xian was gone, Shu Qin and the others stayed close to Chen Sixuan and Kiki. Their eyes fell on two rows of ten black, large devices—apparently some kind of holographic simulation pods. In the center stood a massive heavy ring, occasionally flashing white light paths—the source of the earlier ionizing sensation.

"Your Brother Lin is so busy, even queue time is for errands~"

Kiki pinched Sha Sha's cheek, scanning the crowd ahead.

"When I heard about the S-rank Weird Body, I knew he couldn't sit still. He told me this morning—he's pressed for time, wants to finish outfitting the Infinite before we face another situation like before." Chen Sixuan said seriously, then pulled out a list: "After we test here, we'll exchange blood essence for essential supplies."

Kiki nodded: "I wonder if any of us hit Diamond or Rampage Level. If we can grab some supplies, that'd be great."

"I think you and Fire Brother are definitely Rampage Level!" Lu Chang grinned, stepping over.

"I agree too. You two are so strong—you should aim for it," Chen Sixuan replied seriously, turning back.

Lu Xingchen, wearing sunglasses with arms crossed, smirked dismissively: "Rewards? I don't care much. I just wonder if these mundane devices can even recognize my true power."

Kiki glanced at him: "Then you'd better use all your strength. See if the machine gives you a high score."

"Whoa, that machine looks terrifying," Sha Sha shrank back. "I wonder what it's for."

"Oscillating Spirit Value Peak Tester. No need to strain—just stand on it. Your body will naturally show its peak value."

At that moment, a female staff member with a mobile terminal walked over, glancing down as she operated, explaining to them.

She walked to a designated area and gathered the Longshan No. and Infinite Fleet teams.

"Alright, you're the fifth testing batch. Wait about two hours. First, I'll go over the guidelines."

The staff member pointed to the large circular device behind them: "Peak detection is quick. When your turn comes, just step on. Five seconds and it's done. Relax. You'll feel a moment of fear—but don't worry, no physical harm."

Wooo—Zzzt!

No sooner had she finished than the tester behind them roared—a surge of electrical energy erupted, followed by an ionizing wave that made even the thousands of onlookers feel their faces tingle.

The noise startled everyone. Someone from Longshan No. froze: "W-what was that? Is this really safe?"

"It's safe," the staff member assured. "The device triggers your body's automatic defense mechanism, but causes no real damage. Just close your eyes and relax—you'll get the reading quickly."

Kiki squinted, nodded, and murmured: "So it's like making you feel like you're dying, forcing your body's reflex to show maximum resistance to measure the peak?"

"Exactly."

Ning Jing from Longshan No. nodded: "Smart method. High accuracy, consistent standard."

"After the peak tester, you'll proceed to the Limit Test Pods for multi-dimensional evaluation. Don't worry—no danger inside. It uses holographic projections and non-lethal mechanical structures."

The staff member continued: "Limit testing lasts five minutes. After each batch, Nightwalkers will have a guidance team offer brief instruction. If you have questions, you can speak directly with them."

Pssht~

At that moment, a man stepped off the machine, face pale with lingering dread.

【Test Complete. Peak Value: 320】

"320? That's Evolution Level, right?" someone asked.

"No. You must multiply by the Limit Coefficient to determine final level."

"Normal people have a Limit Coefficient around 1. , so he's close to 400."

Onlookers around the cathedral square murmured. Every ten people who passed the peak tester moved to the side pods for the second round—Limit Coefficient testing.

Watching this, Shu Qin from Infinite Fleet asked the staff member: "What's the normal range for Limit Coefficient?"

"Phoenix Society's range is 0. to 2. Most people exceed 1. . Below 1 suggests health issues—disabilities, heart or respiratory problems affecting movement, or neurological/intellectual impairments."

The staff member explained patiently: "Normal is 1. to 1. . 1. to 1. is excellent. Above 1. indicates high intelligence or exceptional physical/combat talent, with psychological resilience far beyond average."

"If you reach 1. or higher, you're a full-spectrum genius. Even a basic Limb Psychic has terrifying potential."

"Hmm. Very reasonable," Lu Yong from Longshan No. nodded. "Your standards are truly objective."

"But only for combat. Other applications can't be judged this way," the staff member said seriously. "Ultimately, the test is only a reference. It has little meaning for fighting Dark Weird Bodies—you all know how brutal the Dark Night battlefield is. Phoenix Society set these standards to help survivors clearly sense the danger of Oscillating Spirit Value and track their own evolution progress."

Everyone nodded. They all agreed: knowing how their evolution changed after surviving the Night, after deadly battles, or after using Cold Dark Reagents would let survivors better control this power, build confidence, and understand Oscillating Spirit Value's threat—not just as a number.

This sounded profoundly significant.

TEST COMPLETE. PEAK DATA: 280

TEST COMPLETE. PEAK DATA: 430

TEST COMPLETE. PEAK DATA: 600

Whoa~

At that moment, a number appeared on the Soul-Dispersing Value Pressure Tester that stunned everyone, instantly drawing countless eyes from inside and outside the venue.

Reaching this level means that even if the limit coefficient is only 1, it still exceeds the Steel Grade (500) standard.

Everyone turned to look—only to see a burly man stepping down from the machine with a stern expression, then, guided by staff, heading toward the Limit Test Chamber.

"Whoa, Steel Grade just showed up!"

On the Infinite, Miao Lu and Xiao Yuan, like two gawking fangirls, couldn't help but gasp.

"He gets three crates of supplies, plus a heavy machine gun and a thousand rounds, right!" Sha Sha's face flushed with envy as she poked Kiki. "Kiki, it's your turn!"

"I've seen that guy—he's from Joker's team, right?" Chen Sixuan's gaze locked onto the first group, where Qian Dele stood with an air of arrogance.

"Interesting~"

On the other side, Lu Xingchen had somehow found a reclining chair and was lounging alone on an open patch of ground beside the square, basking in the sun while waiting for monitoring. Hearing the noise, he lifted his sunglasses toward the commotion. Though his face remained calm, his heart was inexplicably tense.

He knew he had surpassed Evolution Grade before arriving in Yubei, but right now, under the watchful eyes of so many, he had no idea what his peak Soul-Dispersing Value actually was.

"Stay calm, stay calm~"

With the appearance of a Steel Grade individual, the atmosphere around the church square visibly grew more electric. Everywhere you looked, the rooftops of surrounding high-rises glittered with the reflections of telescopes.

"Steel Grade already? Impressive~"

"I saw several flight-capable psychics."

"They're from the convoys that reached Xilan City last night, right?"

The crowd's murmurs began to swell.

"Yeah, yeah, those are them—some came during the day too."

"I heard Commander He mobilized half the Recon Battalion—ground forces and air combat units deployed en masse. This setup? I bet there's going to be a massive battle. Maybe even an S-Rank Weird Entity involved."

!

"You mean these people escaped from an S-Rank Weird Entity attack? Impossible!"

"Who knows? Otherwise why deploy so many? It also proves these convoys have top-tier experts—maybe even on par with the Arctic Wind Alliance or the Cosmic Convoy."

"That's ridiculous. Fine, the Cosmic Convoy maybe—but equal to the Arctic Wind Alliance? They've got more than one Rampage Grade!"

"Let's wait and see~"

On the rooftop of a tall building beside the church, a dozen figures stood. Several subordinates relayed constant updates through their comms. In the biting wind, three figures stood at the front, gazing down at the church square enclosed by a massive transparent dome.

"They say last night, other Phoenix Society squads were escorted in alongside these convoys. This much force can't be just for that train."

A middle-aged man in a heavy coat, his face like molten gold, spoke sharply: "They came via the Hengshan Pass rail line. My people checked—they're heavily armed."

Another speaker, a short-haired woman in combat gear, added: "They've also formed an alliance with the Phoenix Society." Her left cheek bore metallic structures; her left eye was a mechanical implant glowing green. Its optical system rapidly focused, capturing every face in the square clearly despite the hundreds of meters between them.

"The Infinite team was extensively contacted by Zhou Wuer of Nightwalker Unit One—they're clearly a priority. But for some reason, the leaders of both the Infinite and Longshan No. trains left early."

"Let's wait and see. I can sense extremely strong Soul-Dispersing Value fluctuations in those teams. There will be some interesting individuals."

Standing at the center was a man around thirty-six or thirty-seven, with a clean, composed face, sharp brows, and narrow eyes. He radiated an aura of gentleness.

In any other place, no one would guess that this mild, harmless-looking man in the apocalypse was the leader of a super-large convoy of over ten thousand.

He was Han Jun, leader of the Arctic Wind Alliance's First Unit.

Upon hearing this, the other two men's expressions shifted slightly. Han Jun had sensed their reaction from such a distance—meaning the testers likely included some formidable individuals.

…

Inside the Michel Church, Nightwalker Organization headquarters.

Dozens of Phoenix Society staff moved with orderly efficiency. These were field operatives attached to the Nightwalker Organization, operating under the Phoenix Society's umbrella, directly subordinate to the accompanying Spark Department.

The Spark Department handled support, escort, and assistance across Phoenix Society territories. Its role mirrored that of the Interstellar Army, tasked with frontline investigations and monitoring, while also serving as a hub to coordinate dispatches from Courier Unit One and Nightfall Unit Two.

"Send Group Three, Lin Chuan, with the flight team to investigate the area 100 kilometers south."

"The research team requested additional psychic guards for their lab last night—we're short on personnel."

The cathedral's gospel hall had been converted into a temporary Nightwalker command center, directly linked to the command hub in South City.

The psychic testing data from the church square was also aggregated here.

By the stained-glass window, a man of average height but strikingly handsome features wore an earpiece communicator. He listened to dispatches while watching the testing ground below.

Wen Zhuo, leader of Nightwalker Spark Unit Three, Xilan Operation Group.

"Has Lin Xian from the Infinite convoy been registered on the A-Class list?"

"Yes," replied a subordinate behind him. "Fifteen minutes ago, ten members of that convoy were registered in the fifth testing batch."

"Understood."

At that moment, his gaze sharpened—he sensed something. In an instant, his body blurred into a afterimage and vanished, reappearing ten meters away beside his desk, grabbing a thief who was stealthily stealing from it.

"Damn, your speed's gotten even faster since I last saw you."

The man caught red-handed didn't panic. Instead, he chuckled helplessly and set down the bottle of Xinghua Fen liquor—even Wen Zhuo rarely drank it.

Wen Zhuo snatched his precious bottle back, a rare smile breaking across his stern face.

"Get lost. I traded half a month's mission points for this. Not a drop!"

Zhou Wuer grinned sheepishly. "So stingy? Can't I at least have a sip?"

In this freezing cold, sipping such liquor on the blizzard frontline of the Nightfall Zone was a true luxury.

"Not a single drop."

Wen Zhuo pulled open a drawer, shoved the bottle inside, and said sternly: "And it's work hours. Nightwalker regulations forbid alcohol. Even though you're from Unit One, I still have the authority to report you to your superior for disciplinary action."

"You think I care?"

Zhou Wuer sat back in his chair, hands behind his head, utterly relaxed. "You're working, but Courier Unit is on leave. We're on standby under Director Zhao's command. So right now? I'm completely free."

Wen Zhuo glanced to the side—Zhou Wuer's partner Peng Peng sat nearby, engrossed in a handheld game console. He sighed.

"If you've got this much free time, you should train your psychic ability. The garrison's pressure is rising daily—you Courier Unit might be called to reinforce the frontline at any moment."

"Train what?" Zhou Wuer smiled faintly, snapped his fingers—and Wen Zhuo's computer began to fade, vanishing into thin air. "Before I joined the Phoenix Society, who told me my ability had huge strategic potential? Look—its greatest use is survival."

He snapped again. The computer reappeared.

His ability allowed him to render objects optically invisible within a limited range—an unusual power.

"Isn't survival a skill?"

Wen Zhuo said seriously: "You chose the Courier Unit because you thought it suited your ability—not because I pushed you."

"Whatever, whatever~"

Zhou Wuer lounged comfortably. "I only get two days off—might as well relax here. You, Mr. Spark Unit expert, keep telling every survivor who tests that psychics are naturally inferior to gene-enhanced types in physical evolution, so we should focus on psychic development. I listened. So I won't bother with physical training—Peng Peng and I are out."

Wen Zhuo snorted. "Brat. Don't think I don't know you've been secretly training with Jing Tian. Stop pretending to be lazy."

"By the way," he changed topic, "two special-list individuals are on today's testing roster: Lin Xian and Kiki. You were the one who contacted them and issued the Phoenix Order, right?"

"Yes. One's a mechanical psychic, the other's a telekinetic. Both showed up today."

Zhou Wuer scratched his nose. "But Lin Xian had an emergency—he might be late."

Wen Zhuo nodded, musing: "A mechanical psychic? Interesting. Even I'm fascinated—let alone the headquarters."

"Don't lure him in. He doesn't want to join the Nightwalker and die for them. Besides, I heard the Emperor Project is also interested in him…"

"The Emperor Project? Aren't they into mechs?"

Wen Zhuo's words died on his lips. His eyes flickered slightly. He said nothing more.

…

On the other side, Lin Xian and Shi Di rode in Mo Nika's vehicle toward the Xilan Railway Passenger Station in North City. They'd passed through here last night, but all tracks—including maintenance spurs—were packed, forcing them to divert onto the mining freight line toward the Fenglan Mine Freight Platform to the west.

Xilan City was built against the mountains. Once a major western strategic stronghold, it was riddled with air raid shelters. Its heavy fortifications concentrated in the east and north. The north was the direction Lin Xian's group entered yesterday—a narrow valley. The famous Xilan Refinery sat twenty kilometers outside the city. The east faced the open Palma Grasslands, where roads remained accessible before the extreme cold storm hit, crisscrossed by highways, national roads, and rail lines.

North City also had a medium-sized airport, originally military-civilian dual-use, now the main base for the Phoenix Society's Interstellar Army air combat unit. The dreadnought-class space carrier was docked there; from tall buildings, its massive steel silhouette was still visible.

Mo Nika led Lin Xian and Shi Di through several streets to an underground station entrance. Following behind, Lin Xian realized several trains were parked below.

The underground rail environment was noticeably warmer and safer than the surface platforms. The wide station held numerous camp tents. Survivors preparing lunch glanced up as Lin Xian's group descended.

"I prefer safe environments, so I parked underground. Less wind, won't get buried by snow. Not bad, right?"

Mo Nika smiled as she explained, as if sharing survival tips.

Shi Di wasn't impressed. "Comfortable, sure—but if something happens, you can't even run properly down here."

Shi Di managed over a thousand people and was always cautious. Lin Xian, having survived the horrors of Underground City No. 9, also disliked being underground.

Still, Mo Nika's choice saved them from worrying about cold waves and snowdrifts—and conserved energy when starting up.

"Since we're in the city, I'd never stay in a cave if we were outside."

Walking along the underground platform, they saw ahead a heavy automated train painted rose-red with black-and-red accents.

Both men's eyes widened instantly. The train looked utterly sci-fi—nothing like the converted passenger cars of the Infinite or Longshan No. .

Beyond its automatic blast doors, the entire vehicle was a sealed survival unit: a reinforced composite armor shell with modular weapon platforms. The power car included photovoltaic alloy plates harder than titanium—meaning multiple energy sources.

Lin Xian guessed the side-mounted weapon ports concealed hidden systems: missile vertical launchers, railguns, electromagnetic cannons—all currently retracted.

The drive system used standard rail wheels, but Lin Xian spotted the triangletrack magnetic terrain drive modules, similar to Longshan No. , and even magnetic levitation components.

Lin Xian and Shi Di exchanged glances. One look told them the vehicle's integrated systems were insane.

Lin Xian even worried—too many subsystems might make it flashy but unreliable, disrupting normal operation.

After all, pre-apocalypse tech companies designed based on imagined end-times, cramming in every gimmick they could. Functionality looked impressive, but they ignored the biggest post-collapse threat.

Maintenance.

Such systems might work fine in nuclear winter or zombie apocalypses—but under current Weird Tide conditions, when delicate subsystems began failing, repair costs would become utterly hopeless.

"Big Brother Shi, Team Leader Lin, want to take a look inside?"

Mo Nika walked with a smile toward the automatic door; after the recognition system scanned her, the door opened immediately.

At that moment, two men appeared just inside the door, around thirty years old, holding wrenches and screwdrivers, their entire bodies covered in black grease—clearly just finished repairing something.

"Sister Mo!"

"Song Hao, Zhu Pang, did you finish the transmission system?" Mo Nika frowned the moment she saw them.

"We can't finish it," said one of the slightly overweight men, looking miserable. "The subsystems below are too complex—we can't even disassemble them all. We've been tinkering all this time and just had to put everything back together, afraid something might break."

Song Hao glared at Mo Nika, his voice heavy: "I think we should hand this over to professionals. Otherwise, we won't even get it started."

Mo Nika's eyes flashed with anger. She crossed her arms and lowered her voice: "Song Hao, I brought you on board because you claimed to be a senior mechanical technician from Chuangke. For the past few months, you've been in charge of maintenance—now you're telling me we need professionals?"

Song Hao looked troubled. "Sister Mo, I've told you many times before—this vehicle had serious design flaws to begin with, and maintenance has caused many wear parts to need frequent replacement. These aren't things you can just fix on a whim."

"So are we just going to sit here and wait to die?!" Mo Nika snapped back.

"It's not that dire—we're not at the point of being unable to start," Song Hao explained. "But we should prepare a backup plan now—like a diesel-electric locomotive. Our power carriages are still fine for now. If the traction or transmission systems fail, we can swap them out immediately, so we won't be stranded on the road."

"Yeah, Sister Mo," added Zhu Pang. "Didn't we find a Weilong-class high-power electric locomotive at the Fenglan Mine freight platform in Chengxi? It's broken, but those guys from the Jincheng convoy said if we pay them forty blood essences, they'll fix it for us..."

"Forty blood essences? That's expensive!" A voice came from behind.

Lin Xian walked over, frowning. The electric locomotive they mentioned sounded oddly familiar—could it be the one he'd fixed by accident and driven off last night?

(End of Chapter)