Chapter 275: Yes, I Did It. Kill Me? (130,000 Explosive Hits!)

"Expensive? Do you know the value of a high-power electric locomotive?"

Song Hao didn't know where Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan had suddenly appeared, but upon hearing the skepticism, he immediately retorted.

"I do know that," Shi Diyuan replied loudly before Mo Nika could speak: "A standard electric traction locomotive with 70, 00 kW output in good condition is worth at most ten Blood Essences—and even then, there may be no buyers."

"What did you say?!"

"Shut up."

Mo Nika cut off Song Hao sharply, then turned to the two with a slightly apologetic expression.

"Brother Shi, Captain Lin, sorry—I got so caught up in my anger. This is my train's maintenance technician. Let me show you aboard. Would you like something to drink?"

"No need, no need~"

Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan didn't hesitate—they boarded the train, and as soon as they stepped inside, their eyes widened with surprise as they scanned the interior.

Song Hao and Zhu Pang stared blankly at the two passing by: "Sis Mo, who are they?"

"Friends. Here to help fix the train."

"Fix the train?!" Song Hao's eyes bulged: "Just… just these two?"

"Sis Mo, didn't we contact the Jincheng convoy? They've got the best mechanical engineers in the city—why are we bringing in outsiders?"

Mo Nika shot him a cold glance and said nothing, following Lin Xian and the other behind into the carriage.

Song Hao swallowed his words under her gaze, lowering his head awkwardly.

But as Mo Nika passed, he lifted his eyes toward her back, a cold glint flashing in them.

"Let's see what they're really here for."

Beside him, Zhu Pang nudged him with his elbow and gave him a look. Song Hao's expression shifted, then turned away silently to pack up his tools.

From outward appearance, Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan looked nothing like mechanical engineers or technicians. If anything, one wore a grizzly fur coat, the other a high-tech powered armor suit—they seemed more like high-ranking officers from some convoy. And they carried no tools at all, arriving empty-handed. Song Hao refused to believe they were here to repair anything.

Now, Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan stared at the interior of the "Queen Mo" with the rapt attention of children discovering something new. Though both lived on trains daily, the "Queen Mo"'s interior was nothing like ordinary train layouts. To Lin Xian, it felt more like the cabin of a spaceship!

The integrated functional carriages, packed with automated systems, felt cramped. Fully enclosed, it had no windows except for the front and rear portholes—all external conditions monitored via a 360-degree sentry system. Inside, one felt a deep sense of security. The sleeping bunks were embedded in honeycomb compartments; the main control room featured a circular screen displaying snowy terrain maps. The advanced air circulation and heating systems made newcomers feel as if they'd stepped into spring.

Hss~

The largest first carriage required Mo Nika's iris scan to open the hatch.

This wasn't just the power carriage—it was also her personal living space. Over sixty meters long, it housed the power, propulsion, and main control systems. An onboard AI monitored the entire train's status, faults, and could remotely control or autonomously drive it—all under Mo Nika's command.

"This is my private living area. No one is allowed in normally."

Mo Nika smiled as she led them: "Our train has only twenty-six people total. Five handle vehicle control and driving. Even with full automation, someone must monitor road conditions 24/7, and the radar stays powered on constantly."

"Whoa, Mo girl, you've got it nice."

As soon as they stepped in, Shi Diyuan couldn't help but exclaim.

Though packed with core systems, the carriage's living space remained vast and luxurious: a space-cabin bathroom, a large wave-massage bathtub, a spacious bedroom, a dedicated wardrobe, a wine cabinet, a spa capsule…

It felt less like the apocalypse and more like a vacation.

"No wonder this is a 2-billion-credit apocalypse train," Lin Xian smiled, watching it. "Call it flashy and impractical? Its defense, life support, and weapons are a weapons depot fortress. Call it unrealistic? In the apocalypse, living in this luxury fortress is infinitely better than those who weld scrap steel together and sleep in the reeking backseats of cars."

"Exactly!" Shi Diyuan said seriously: "I should've brought the engineering team to take a look. Even if nothing else, the layout's worth studying. The air circulation and gray water systems—if installed on my Longshan No. 1, they'd solve major problems."

Shi Diyuan wasn't exaggerating. With over a thousand people on a train fleeing the apocalypse, sanitation was a huge issue. Neglect it for a moment, and the carriage reeked. Just cleaning the toilets was enough to give the crew headaches.

Lin Xian's Infinite No. 1 hadn't faced this yet. The men and women in the living carriages were all careful about hygiene. Led by Xiao Yuan, the logistics crew worked tirelessly, taking on cleaning duties and keeping the living areas comfortable—something Lin Xian didn't have to worry about.

"Forgive the modesty," Mo Nika said, arms crossed, her tone wistful: "I'm the only woman on this entire train. Even if I'm destined to die in some dark night, I want to meet death in a clean, comfortable place."

Lin Xian was taken aback. Only one woman on the entire train—and she was its leader? The setup sounded odd. And from her attitude toward her subordinates, she didn't seem warm or approachable.

Combining these, Lin Xian guessed Mo Nika controlled the convoy not just through train access rights, but likely through formidable personal strength as well.

Otherwise, how could she command the fully armed, powered-armor-clad guards behind her?

"Well, Captain Lin?" Mo Nika asked, turning to him.

"Give me some time."

After the tour, Lin Xian didn't hesitate—he sat at the main console, placed his hand on it, and activated his Mechanical Heart.

As his Mechanical Heart's field spread, he quickly formed a rough assessment.

"Three hours."

Mo Nika's eyes lit up: "Three hours… you can fix it that fast?"

Lin Xian didn't promise: "There's a chance."

Three hours was roughly how long it would take him to scan the entire train. Though only eight carriages, it had countless subsystems. Fortunately, he'd previously scanned nuclear power systems. The most advanced component here was the AI controller—the chip fabrication would take the most time. He could bypass these systems, but since the train was fully integrated, bypassing would take even longer.

Hearing him, Mo Nika suppressed her joy, her eyes flickering with doubt. She glanced between Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan, then ventured:

"Captain Lin, I don't think I know your terms yet?"

"Twenty Blood Essences." Lin Xian replied instantly.

"Only twenty Blood Essences?!" Shi Diyuan blurted: "People charge forty for repairing an electric locomotive's circuitry! You're fixing the whole train for twenty? Brother Lin, you're generous!"

Lin Xian smiled. Shi Diyuan wasn't mocking him—he was mocking the Jincheng convoy's absurd pricing.

Lin Xian's previous Huanxing 7F electric locomotive had been a free find. Nuclear-powered rail locomotives themselves were massive power units—just one could drive a super-long train like Longshan No. 1. But Shi Diyuan had backups. Without nuclear locomotives, ordinary electric traction units were useless—let alone a damaged, abandoned freight electric locomotive.

So when they heard the forty-Blood-Essence repair price, Lin Xian and Shi Diyuan immediately knew it was a rip-off. This monopoly pricing targeted Mo Nika's desperation—knowing she had no other options.

"Really? Twenty Blood Essences?" Mo Nika thought she'd misheard. If this price solved the train's current fault, it was a steal.

Fortunately, Mo Nika knew Qian Dele was cold and picky. If Lin Xian didn't have real skill, how could he earn his approval?

Thinking this, Mo Nika felt a little more at ease.

Without another word, she walked to the wine cabinet and opened a bottle of her prized red wine.

Soon, she brought wine to Shi Diyuan and Lin Xian. Watching Lin Xian's movements, she detected no Ling Energy fluctuations, and said calmly: "Captain Lin, you've done me a great favor."

"It's nothing," Lin Xian replied calmly.

For Lin Xian, earning twenty Blood Essences was secondary—he gained the full blueprint of this apocalypse train. Key structures—the integrated power system, automated weapon pods, bathroom and sleeping cabin designs, lighting, air and water circulation—all were worth more than Blood Essences. He had no design blueprints for any of these. His Infinite No. 1 still used airport corridor doors for its automatic blast doors.

The train's power integration, wiring, and various lift cabins were all externally copied and forcibly installed on the train using his extraordinary mechanical ability. Functional, yes—but nowhere near as refined as the "Queen Mo"'s purpose-built design. Like mounting a door on a car frame: usable, but not fine craftsmanship.

With this purpose-built design, future upgrades to his Infinite No. 1 would be far more rational. Solving the entire train's structural framework in one go was what truly interested him.

Shi Diyuan sipped his wine, then said to Mo Nika: "Mo girl, while Brother Lin's busy, mind if I take a look at your weapons? I'd like to study the firepower layout."

Longshan No. 1 planned to upgrade with weapons from various convoys and the Phoenix Society. At first, they'd blindly piled on firepower. After surviving countless dangers, Shi Diyuan understood the importance of layered firepower and ammunition supply between carriages. Though Mo Nika wasn't skilled in this, her train was designed by former military teams—there were many valuable features.

"Of course," Mo Nika glanced at Lin Xian, then smiled and led Shi Diyuan to tour other carriages.

【Scan Progress: 1%】

Lin Xian pushed his Mechanical Heart to full power, rapidly scanning every corner of the "Queen Mo."

Gradually, a detailed blueprint of the heavy apocalypse train formed on his visual screen. Seeing its intricate design, Lin Xian couldn't help but marvel: "Even if this was a tech company's gimmick, designing such a train isn't simple. No wonder it costs two billion…"

Lin Xian was certain the design team came from a top-tier industrial conglomerate. Even aircraft avionics integration systems were used. Hundreds of sensors connected to onboard radar, a complete data transmission network—all centralized in the main server of Carriage One.

From the start, the apocalypse train was designed to meet five-defense standards: bulletproof, coldproof, fireproof, waterproof, and radiation-proof. It even accounted for short-term underwater travel, requiring extremely complex propulsion design.

Scanning further, Lin Xian was awestruck. The only problem was what he'd suspected: the train considered too many factors, making maintenance costs astronomical. He guessed it had spare parts for vulnerable components—but even those couldn't withstand months of relentless attacks from powerful anomalies and zombie hordes.

As he scanned, Lin Xian timed himself, already planning upgrades to his Infinite No. 1. The entire train's armor had been replaced with new composite armor—standard modular panels. Combined with roof armor, the train's seal would improve dramatically, reducing snow leakage like before.

Then the sentry system: now he had time, he could adapt the "Queen Mo"'s design for 360-degree monitoring linked to the info center. Install external displays on every carriage—no need to open windows to see outside. Protection levels would skyrocket, giving all crew members far greater security.

And there was still Longshan No. 1's TriangleTrack magnetic terrain drive module waiting to be scanned. The new Weilong electric locomotive hadn't been integrated yet. Weapon systems, 1130, electromagnetic cannons, powered armor, PX-05 robots, upgraded planting carriages…

Lin Xian wanted to seize every second to fully arm his Infinite No. 1—to create a slightly safer environment before nightfall.

At the same time, he opened his R&D Center.

【R&D Center】

【TRP-4 Special Industrial Active Exoskeleton Powered Armor (Blueprint): 1 day 4 hours】

"The new powered armor's almost ready. I wonder what upgrades it'll bring."

He also opened his Mechanical Heart panel to check his skill proficiency.

【Special Skills】

Mechanical Cannon 【Amplify】

AT Field 【Amplify】

Flash Dodge (Rare) (Level 2, 50%)

Surge (Rare) (Level 2, 45%)

Gravitational Lens (Legendary) (Level 1, 73%)

"Mechanical Amplify only works on max-level skills. Flash Dodge and Surge haven't been useful in a long time—I should raise their proficiency, reach Level 3 soon."

Skills enhanced by Mechanical Amplify improved by more than one tier. Though he hadn't tested the AT Field in combat, even his knees told him it was far stronger than an ice wall.

Most crucially, he could extend it using Surge, expanding the defense area. In a pinch, he could even shield the entire Infinite No. 1 from attack!

As Lin Xian began scanning the transmission system's fault point, he frowned.

"This problem… is trickier than I thought…"

…

"Excellent, excellent, Mo girl! Your train's far more impressive than my Longshan No. 1. Real professional work. Ours? Patched together from scraps."

Outside the carriage, Shi Diyuan had toured the entire weapon system with Mo Nika. Like her wine, she was generous—she openly activated and displayed her deadliest weapons, showing no concealment.

"Don't tease your sister, Brother Shi. I'm just a woman—how could I match your and Captain Lin's abilities? If not for my good birthright and this train, with my weak skills, I'd have been devoured by zombies or sold to bandit convoys to be raped into a plaything~" Mo Nika's tone carried weary self-mockery, yet her smile remained.

"Hey, don't say that," Shi Diyuan waved his hand. "In this world, surviving is skill enough."

As they talked, Shi Diyuan waited for Lin Xian while monitoring Longshan No. 1's psychic detection results. Unknowingly, over two hours passed. Then, his communicator received the final batch of detection data via city relay signals.

This meant psychic detection was complete.

As the two prepared to board and speak with Lin Xian, a distant engine roar echoed from the platform.

Looking out, they saw a heavily modified four-wheeled, legged vehicle crashing onto the platform, drawing annoyed glances from survivors camping there. But when they spotted the brutal Gatling gun and even a small arc-pulse cannon mounted on it, they fell silent.

The reason is simple: a convoy's strength can be judged by the level of modification on its vehicles. If even these big-foot trucks are outfitted with compact arc pulse cannons, this must be an extremely wealthy convoy—showing not just overwhelming firepower, but also immense resources.

The big-foot truck was enormous, nearly scraping the platform edge as it rolled in, then heading straight toward the "Queen Mo."

Hssss~

In the blink of an eye, the truck stopped right before Mo Nika and Shi Di. The door opened, and a middle-aged man with a mohawk, clad in a thick down jacket, leapt down nimbly. He removed his sunglasses, revealing a long, thin face.

At the same time, three more people stepped down from the truck, carrying strange mechanical toolboxes and diagnostic instruments, following closely behind the man.

"Who's the boss of this vehicle?"

The mohawked man's gaze swept over Mo Nika and Shi Di, radiating an air of arrogance.

Mo Nika sensed the man's offensive stare, her expression turning icy as she spoke coldly:

"Who are you?"

"Who am I?" The mohawked man frowned, smirked oddly, then ignored them entirely, picking up his communicator: "Hey, Song! We're here."

Before he finished speaking, Song Hao, one of Mo Nika's men, rushed over, panting: "Mo Jie, Mo Jie! They're from Jincheng Convoy. You told me to find mechanics, right? I checked—they're top-notch. Many convoys in Xilan City have had them repair their vehicles."

Then he quickly introduced the mohawked man: "Captain He, this is our boss, Mo Nika."

"Oh~ So you're the boss? Nice to meet you, nice to meet you."

He Kun looked at Mo Nika, clearly skeptical that the leader of such a heavily armed apocalypse train could be a woman.

Though he greeted her, Mo Nika had no interest in dealing with someone who radiated nothing but rudeness. She merely gave him a cold glance and said to Song Hao:

"Did you negotiate the price?"

"No…"

"How could that be?" Before Song Hao could reply, He Kun cut in earnestly: "Miss, we're professionals. Charging without diagnosing the problem? That's just scamming."

He turned, patted the diagnostic instrument on his man's back, and boasted: "Jincheng Convoy specializes in all kinds of repairs. Our principle: free inspection first, fair pricing. Only if the client agrees do we fix it. We offer after-sales service too. We have over twenty mechanical engineers alone—whether it's software, hardware, or military vehicles, even if only one wheel remains, we can fix it. Absolute professionalism!"

Hearing this, Shi Di, watching nearby, couldn't help laughing: "Hahahaha! What a load of bullshit. You can rebuild a whole train from just one wheel?"

"It's just a metaphor," He Kun replied coolly. "Whatever the problem, come to us—you won't be wrong."

At this moment, Song Hao leaned close to Mo Nika and whispered: "Mo Jie, I confirmed it—Jincheng Convoy really is professional. They can fix any vehicle. Since inspection's free, I invited them. Let them check first, then we can decide whether to hire them based on the quote."

Mo Nika snorted: "A guy who dares to charge forty blood essences to fix a dead electric locomotive—I still have patience to let him inspect my train? Do you think I'm stupid?"

Song Hao froze, speechless.

But He Kun, hearing this, didn't get angry. Instead, he put on a serious expression and said to Mo Nika:

"Miss, from your words, I can tell you have a deep misunderstanding of us!"

"First, that wasn't an ordinary electric locomotive—it was a 70, 00-kilowatt Weilong-class electric locomotive. Its output can pull fifty thousand tons without issue. Also, repairing its electrical system isn't simple—it requires major disassembly."

He smiled warmly at Mo Nika, speaking solemnly: "Most importantly, it's time. Evacuation is imminent. To get that thing running again, we'd need at least ten men working through the night. This is a matter of life and death. As convoy leader, you must understand the stakes. It's not the dead locomotive that's valuable—it's the result you need. That's what's worth this much."

"So, is forty blood essences really expensive? We're just taking your money to get your job done."

"Damn, you're cut out to be a crook," Shi Di laughed, giving He Kun a thumbs-up.

"No thanks," Mo Nika said.

He Kun had just delivered a long, seemingly logical speech—but Mo Nika rejected him without hesitation.

"I've already entrusted repairs to someone else. No need to trouble you. Thank you. Please leave."

With that, she issued a direct dismissal.

He Kun's face darkened. His smile vanished. He turned sharply to Song Hao and hissed: "What's going on? Didn't you tell me it wasn't fixed yet?"

Song Hao was equally stunned. He turned to Mo Nika.

"Mo… Mo Jie, who did you entrust it to?"

Mo Nika turned, her gaze sharp as she said: "I've assigned all repair work to Lin's team. It should be finished soon. So you don't need to find anyone else to fix the train." Song Hao was stunned. Earlier, when Mo Nika said Lin Xian was coming to repair it, he hadn't taken it seriously—but now it sounded like Lin Xian had already started?

What nonsense. No tools, just one man, trying to repair a 200-meter automated apocalypse train?

"Mo Jie!" Song Hao couldn't sit still anymore: "Why didn't you consult me? I'm the train's mechanic—I know every problem inside out. How come I didn't even know someone else was repairing it?!"

"Didn't I just tell you?" Mo Nika replied coldly.

"No—I never thought he'd actually start repairing! One man, no tools, you didn't even let me assist! This is pure madness! How could he possibly fix it?!"

"Don't worry. Lin has his methods."

Song Hao was stunned. He knew Mo Nika understood nothing about machinery—she always relied on his judgment for maintenance. But now she'd hired some random guy to fix the train? In his eyes, she'd clearly been fooled.

But Mo Nika knew well—even though she'd never seen it herself—she had no intention of explaining Lin Xian's abilities to He Kun. She'd already reached an agreement with Lin Xian. The train's repair was his responsibility now.

In this situation, bringing in others to inspect or repair would be a slap in Lin Xian's face. She was a sharp-minded woman. Lin Xian was the man escorted back by the Seventh Investigation Corps of the Phoenix Society. She knew exactly what mattered—and had no need to hesitate or explain herself to He Kun or his kind.

Seeing Song Hao's reaction, He Kun finally understood. A spark of interest lit his face. He spoke:

"Oh? When did Xilan City get a genius mechanic? We never heard of him. One man, no tools, fixing your entire train—and according to this lady captain, he's almost done?!" His tone rose deliberately, dripping with sarcasm. His three engineer subordinates couldn't suppress smirks.

Shi Di, arms crossed, stepped forward, voice icy:

"What's wrong with it? My brother Lin has the skill. You got business? Or not? If not, get lost. Don't stand here making noise. You think I won't rip out your vocal cords?"

!

Shi Di was blunt and unyielding. He spoke straight, never danced around. If someone annoyed him, he said it outright—no one got special treatment.

His words made the others flinch. He Kun's face darkened. He scanned Shi Di and sensed an aura he dared not provoke. Though Jincheng Convoy was large, he knew those who operated nuclear-powered trains were no ordinary people. He dropped his arrogance and said seriously:

"Okay, okay, big brother, calm down. I meant no offense. But since we've met, I'd like to meet this genius who fixes nuclear-powered trains with bare hands. Just to make friends—no problem, right?"

"Hey! The transmission system fault alarm is cleared!!"

At that moment, Zhu Pang, one of Mo Nika's men, ran down from the train, terrified: "What?!"

Song Hao immediately pulled out his mobile terminal, checking the train's fault logs. He saw—not just the transmission system—but several other minor and major fault alarms had also cleared.

"This… this can't be…"

Mo Nika, seeing Song Hao's stunned face, felt a surge of amazement herself—but she showed no expression. She was about to board the train to confirm with Lin Xian—when she saw him standing at the door.

"Lin Team?"

"A bit faster than expected," Lin Xian said, clapping his hands as he stepped down. His hands were spotless—unlike Song Hao and Zhu Pang, who were caked in grease.

Mo Nika's pupils contracted sharply. She looked up at Song Hao.

Song Hao stared, speechless: "Mo… Mo Jie… transmission, control, drive—all faults gone. How… how is this possible?!"

Hearing Song Hao's words, Mo Nika's tension vanished. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Lin Xian, voice trembling with excitement: "Lin Team—you really fixed it all?!"

"Of course! Hahaha!"

Shi Di stepped forward, slapping Lin Xian's shoulder proudly: "Any mechanical problem? My brother Lin solves it. Mo girl, you picked the right guy. Twenty blood essences? Total bargain!"

Twenty blood essences?

At that moment, He Kun stared at the group, face darkening. He felt like he'd been played.

"Hey, Song!"

He shouted directly at Song Hao: "You told me the transmission shaft's magnetizer was broken, the power turbine was faulty, the control system and shock absorbers too—how did you fix all that in two hours? Are you messing with me?"

"I… I didn't lie!"

Song Hao felt like his world was crumbling. He switched his mobile terminal to the subsystem self-check. Behind them, the train's engine and turbine roared steadily—none of the previous faults reappeared. He'd thought Lin Xian might've just disabled the alarms, a trick—but the reality proved it: Lin Xian had fixed the train's month-long problems in just over two hours!

"Hmph."

He Kun naturally didn't believe it. His patience vanished. He glared at Song Hao: "Fine, fine, fine. If your lady captain thinks her train's fixed, then she doesn't need us. But I'll give you a friendly warning: train faults mean life or death. Better have a professional check it. Don't wait until evacuation to have problems—then you'll scream to heaven and get no answer, scream to earth and get no reply~"

"Motherfucker, did you swap your tongue with the hair on your head? You think my words are bullshit?!"

Hearing this, Shi Di exploded. He flung open his coat, ready to charge—but Lin Xian grabbed his arm.

"Don't bother with him. We've got other things to do."

Then he stepped forward and said to Mo Nika: "He's right—better check it. You'll feel more at ease."

Lin Xian had guessed He Kun was another repair team Mo Nika had called. Since she'd invited them, he and Shi Di had no reason to clash. They were strangers. And a proper inspection was normal—even if she ordered the train's panels ripped open, he didn't care. He'd taken payment; letting others verify was only fair.

Mo Nika smiled slightly: "Song Hao already ran a full system check. I don't understand mechanics, but I can tell if the turbine core's sound is right. Lin Team—thank you very much."

He Kun glanced at Shi Di, slightly intimidated. He waved his team away: "Let's go."

Halfway, he stopped, turned back to Song Hao and Mo Nika: "By the way, that electric locomotive—you don't need it, right? If not, we'll tow it away."

His tone was deliberately probing—trying to see if Mo Nika would panic. He'd heard the "Queen Mo" had serious hidden issues. He'd come hoping for a big contract. He still believed she was just pretending to save money.

Before Mo Nika or Song Hao could answer, another voice spoke calmly:

"If you mean the two Weilong-class cars on the west-city freight platform—I've already fixed and towed them away."

He Kun staggered. He spun around, horrified: "What the hell?!"

Lin Xian looked at him: "Problem?"

He Kun snapped: "What nonsense! That electric locomotive was found by Jincheng Convoy—we planned to fix and sell it! Why'd you tow it away?!"

Lin Xian laughed. He raised his eyes, coldly:

"I took it. So what? Come take it back?"

"Hah! Found it's yours? Did you piss on it to mark it?" Shi Di laughed. He Kun really thought they were fools. A discarded train, now fixed by Lin Xian, suddenly became Jincheng's property? Saying this was clearly a provocation.

"You think my politeness is weakness?!" He Kun's face darkened. He yanked a large rifle from behind his back: "Dare to steal Jincheng Convoy's business? Brothers—grab your gear!"

Click-click-click!

Before He Kun's men could draw weapons, six soldiers in Wolf-A military rapid-response power armor surrounded them in an instant, guns leveled at He Kun and his team.

The sudden, overwhelming force instantly doused He Kun's rage. A chill ran through his chest. He lowered his gun.

"Wait, wait! Misunderstanding! Lady boss, I only meant to confront that guy—I never meant to fight you!"

Mo Nika's nuclear train stood nearby. He Kun knew he was on her turf. His target was only Lin Xian—the man who stole their business. He just wanted to save face. If word got out that Jincheng Convoy, hundreds strong, lost a job to a lone mechanic, no one in Xilan City would hire them again.

Mo Nika stepped forward, her mink coat rustling. "These two are my guests. You want to cause trouble on my territory? Does your convoy really intend to go to war with us?"

As she spoke, her beautiful eyes suddenly glowed crimson. An invisible pressure surged forth, crushing He Kun and his men with suffocating force.

Behind them, Lin Xian and Shi Di exchanged glances, both sensing something strange. They wondered: what kind of ability did Mo Nika possess to generate such oppressive force?

On the other side, Song Hao and Zhu Pang, seeing Mo Nika's anger, reluctantly stepped back.

"No, no, how could that be!" He Kun now realized the other side's display was no joke; he had only brought a few mechanic technicians and dared not escalate matters, so he quickly backed down.

"Since your vehicles are fixed, we won't disturb you anymore. Who you do business with doesn't matter—we're all refugees. Making a scene and drawing the Phoenix Society's attention wouldn't be wise, right…"

Saying this, He Kun and his men raised their hands and retreated toward the big-footed vehicle.

Mo Nika said nothing, watching him coldly—He Kun's skin crawled; he thought this woman's aura was far more terrifying than she appeared, so he said nothing more and climbed into the vehicle, stomped the accelerator, and sped off.

Seeing them flee, Mo Nika made no effort to escalate the situation.

"Brother Shi, Team Leader Lin, I'm sorry," Mo Nika approached with an apologetic tone; then one of her subordinates brought a box. Inside were twenty Blood Essences.

"Team Leader Lin, if the Jincheng convoy gives you trouble, please contact me—I'll handle it for you."

Lin Xian reached out and took it; he was fairly satisfied with Mo Nika's handling of the matter, and replied:

"Alright. If your vehicle breaks down, you can come to me."

He looked at Mo Nika, his next words carrying deeper meaning: "At least for the next two days, I'll cover the after-sales."

"Bah, Sister Mo, this has nothing to do with you. That Jincheng convoy clearly likes to extort—I've seen plenty like them. If they don't cross me, I wouldn't even bother." Shi Di waved his hand, then turned to Lin Xian: "Little Lin, the psychic testing's reached Longshan and Wuxian Hao. Let's stop chatting and head back."

Lin Xian nodded. The timing was perfect—the blueprint of Mo Queen Hao had already been scanned, saving them the wait in line.

"Fine, I'll take you there."

Mo Nika hadn't expected the mechanical failure threatening her convoy's survival to be so easily resolved by Lin Xian. Twenty Blood Essences meant nothing to her, and she'd now gained connections with two major convoy leaders—Lin Xian and Shi Di. Her mood was excellent, a smile on her face; she gave brief instructions to a few subordinates, then drove off again, taking Lin Xian and Shi Di toward Michel Church.

Michel Church, Psychic Testing Plaza.

The entire plaza was in an uproar; more and more survivors flooded the surrounding streets to watch. Messages spread wildly across all channels—this was the most crowded day at the Xilan City Psychic Testing Plaza in days.

The reason was simple: within less than two hours, three Rampant-level psychics had appeared!

Two of them were convoy leaders escorted into the city last night by the Seventh Investigative Battalion—Zhou Li and Qian Dele!

The third was the leader of the Blackzi Convoy, who arrived in Xilan City yesterday afternoon—Long Dahai.

Team Leader Zhou Li had drunk with Lin Xian last night; he had no psychic ability at all, yet his gene evolution alone reached a peak of 700 Dangling Value, and with his measured Limit Coefficient of 1. , his final psychic rating soared to 1050—meeting the Rampant-level (1000) standard!

Long Dahai, leader of the 800-member convoy, also had a Limit Coefficient of 1. and a Dangling Value peak of 800, giving him a rating of 1200!

Most astonishing was Qian Dele, dressed like a noblewoman—his Dangling Value peak alone reached a terrifying 1080!

And his Limit Coefficient hit the day's highest: 1. !

Thus, the Joker Convoy's leader instantly became the hottest topic of discussion—this monster with a rating of 1836, nearly 2000!

"Holy shit, that guy looked like a pretty boy, but his psychic rating's over 1800!"

"Incredible! If you don't count the Nightwalkers, he's probably third or fourth among survivors in Xilan City."

"Yeah, at least top five. I remember Qin Xueming of the Cosmos Convoy had 1972—he's second. The strongest is Han Jun of the Arctic Wind Alliance, the only one to break 2000. Fucking amazing."

"But he's a convoy leader—no one's likely to steal him away."

"Who knows? What if the Arctic Wind Alliance wants to recruit his entire convoy?"

"An 1836 psychic won't just follow someone easily."

"Who can say? No matter how powerful he is, he's still fleeing in the dark like us. Smart people know that survival rates are higher when we stick together. If we joined the Arctic Wind Alliance, with their organization, we might even have a chance against an A-rank Weird Entity!"

The crowd buzzed with chatter—even in the apocalypse, people couldn't resist a spectacle.

On the rooftop, the woman with the mechanical eye kept her lens focused on Qian Dele, now that his test was complete, beginning her analysis:

"Joker Convoy: over 400 members, high-end configuration. This Qian Dele knows Mo Nika of the Mo Queen Hao, and likely has good relations with the convoys that entered last night."

"Lv Feng, go make contact. Offer reasonable terms. If he refuses, I'll speak with him myself."

Han Jun, wrapped in a trench coat, spoke calmly.

Beside him, the middle-aged man with a face like burnished gold was Qin Xueming, leader of the Cosmos Convoy. He crossed his arms, voice stern: "A rating of 1836, a 400-member team—your offer won't be easy to set."

"Crossing the Star Abyss, even 2000 won't guarantee survival," Han Jun replied coolly. "Want to live? Then there's room to talk."

…

Below, Qian Dele stood outside the testing area, chatting with Ning Jing of Longshan No. 1.

"Has Old Shi and that handsome Lin guy arrived yet?"

"Almost," Ning Jing said, watching Longshan No. 1's members begin lining up. "Someone outside just told me—they finished their business and are on their way. Should be a few minutes."

Qian Dele touched his face, sounding impatient: "That machine's ionization oscillation's too strong. If I weren't curious to see their results, I'd have left long ago. Standing here's terrible for the skin~"

Ning Jing sighed: "You can see just as well outside."

"Not the same," Qian Dele scanned the plaza's perimeter. "Crowds everywhere, rooftops packed. I'd rather not squeeze in with them—I'll stay right here."

On Wuxian Hao, Ning Jing informed Chen Sixuan that Lin Xian and the others were returning; since there was no signal inside the venue, communicators wouldn't work, but Longshan No. 1 had a dedicated liaison stationed outside.

"Lin Xian's almost back," Chen Sixuan said.

"We're up next!" Miao Lu said. "I'm kinda nervous."

"Me too," Xiao Yuan whispered. "I never get this nervous facing monsters. I know my results won't be good, but this scene still has me shaking."

"Don't worry, take it step by step. The Phoenix Society's research is advancing gradually too," Shu Qin comforted them.

"Exactly. Testing tells you your condition—and you learn from the process," Lu Chang said eagerly.

Da Lou nodded, then glanced at Lu Xingchen nearby: "Is Fire Brother asleep?"

"Oh, that damn guy!" Sha Sha shot him a disgusted look. "He can sleep through this? I'll wake him up."

"Don't wake him."

Kiki grabbed Sha Sha's arm. "He loves the spotlight—he'll definitely be the last one to step up. Don't worry."

Hearing this, Sha Sha immediately found it sensible.

"Look, it's Ning Jing's turn!" Chen Sixuan said. All eyes turned forward.

By now, most Longshan No. 1 members—including Dong Zi, Wang Chong, Zhuang Yue, Yu Lianxing, Zhu Anran, and Min Ming, the external combat selectors—had completed testing. The convoy's third-in-command, Lu Yong, stepped onto the Dangling Value pressure meter. Under the operators' control, the massive mechanical ring emitted a dull surge of electricity, white light flashing.

Wuuu—zss!

A shiver-inducing ionization oscillation flared. Lu Yong exhaled deeply and stepped down.

【Test complete. Peak value: 650.】

"Whoa, Lu Team's 650? That's past Diamond-level!" As soon as the result appeared, Longshan No. 1 members began murmuring.

"Impressive. Wonder if he'll reach Rampant-level."

"At 650, if his Limit Coefficient hits 1. , he'll break Rampant."

After the Limit Coefficient test concluded, Lu Yong's final rating was revealed: 1. , total score 975.

The number sent a wave of regret through Wuxian Hao's team.

"975—damn, so close!"

What they regretted most was the Phoenix Society's Rampant-level reward: a supply vehicle, a Cold Dark Reagent, plus a YJ-03 vehicle-mounted anti-air cannon and 200 shells—not a small haul, even for a thousand-member convoy like Longshan No. 1.

Now, in the next batch, Ning Jing, Bai Bai, and Xiao Qing were all on the list. Lu Yong, having finished, walked over with a wry smile.

"Jing-jie, it's your turn."

Ning Jing nodded and led her group into the queue.

After Ning Jing and the two others passed the Dangling Value peak meter, the device displayed numbers so shocking they stunned even Phoenix Society staff.

Gene-evolved: Xiao Qing, peak value: 750.

First non-psychic gene-evolved to reach this number today!

Laser Eyes: Bai Bai, peak value: 1000!

The moment the data appeared, the entire plaza fell silent.

Countless eyes turned to the young man wearing thick sunglasses—no one expected this frail-looking man to harbor such terrifying Dangling Value density!

Then, as Ning Jing stepped down, the meter behind her flashed again.

1080!

The second 1080 of the day—identical to Qian Dele's.

Their Limit Coefficients hadn't been measured yet, but just this Dangling Value peak alone made Han Jun, Lv Feng, and Qin Xueming on the rooftop freeze.

"Longshan No. 1… this convoy's no ordinary group."

"It's a rail train, over a thousand strong. Its firepower rivals Qin's Cosmos Convoy," Lv Feng, the mechanical-eye woman, seemed to know every survivor convoy in Xilan City: "We can't recruit them—they're on rails."

(End of Chapter)