Chapter 296: Human-Fungus

Makes me feel very good?

Lin Xian, who was originally very gloomy, was stunned when he heard this. He originally wanted to thank Ding Junyi properly. As a member of the Infinite with a relatively low sense of presence, Lin Xian wanted to take this opportunity to give her some rewards. How did it sound now as if he had become her reward?

Ding Junyi looked at Lin Xian, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly, and then she said seriously:

"Back to work, I have some very important information to give you."

Lin Xian breathed a sigh of relief: "Hmm, go ahead."

Ding Junyi walked to the side of the Hell Black Chrysanthemum and said: "When we were investigating the dark mark, I used my ability to try to perceive the affinity of the Hell Black Chrysanthemum, and the result allowed me to see some unusual things."

"See?" Lin Xian pointed to the Hell Black Chrysanthemum, which was flickering with red light and absorbing dark energy for conversion: "Visually?"

Ding Junyi nodded: "That's right, I am sure, I saw the perspective of a dark creature in Xilan City through this disaster plant, perhaps that giant sea urchin, or the higher-level creature it worships and guides."

Lin Xian's expression became solemn upon hearing this, signaling her to continue.

Ding Junyi's cold eyebrows frowned: "To be precise, using the word 'see' is not rigorous enough. Dark creatures currently belong to another form of biological existence for humans. Their senses and survival modes are completely different from us humans. They should have a special visual/olfactory/perceptual network. The WIMP-type weakly interacting massive particles we discovered this time can directly form dark matter bonds with human cell membranes, thereby making the marked person a 'dark universe lighthouse'. In other words, this dark matter is their 'light'."

Lin Xian pondered: "And they cannot see our light?"

"That's right." Ding Junyi: "We cannot use common sense to understand this kind of biological existence. For example, cold-dark basic particles might be their oxygen or a higher-level form of energy. I just perceived the existence of a super-large creature through the perspective of the disaster plant, plus through the behavioral pattern of that sea urchin, so we judged that it should be a scout role."

"Of course, all this is just my guess, it doesn't have much significance for current research. What I want to tell you is another thing."

Ding Junyi said, then raised both hands, and in front of Lin Xian, actually lifted the extremely subtle energy fluid flowing in the air, and—directly sent it into her body!

"This... ah?" Lin Xian was a bit unable to understand: "You can grab these energies?"

"It should be that I have acquired some kind of characteristic similar to the Hell Black Chrysanthemum, and can directly convert and absorb the energy of black smoke, although it is extremely weak... but..." She said, looking at Lin Xian with a somewhat overwhelmed expression: "To be honest, I am pessimistic about this kind of change."

"Currently, I am not sure whether this characteristic will exist for a long time, whether it is a copy, a borrowing, or because of my plant ability, which has led me to maintain some kind of symbiotic relationship with the disaster plant..."

"This is also why I could perceive the location of the Hell Black Chrysanthemum when Team Leader Yu had an accident."

Ding Junyi's brows were tightly locked, and her tone sounded very worried, but Lin Xian was completely numb at this time.

No, sister, are you a cheat collection device?

How did the Hell Black Chrysanthemum's heaven-defying ability copy directly onto you?

"Lin Xian?" Ding Junyi looked at Lin Xian, who was dumbfounded at this time: "Do you also think this kind of change is very unusual?"

"You are too modest."

Lin Xian turned his head away, ten thousand horses galloping in his heart at this time. He pondered and searched for what wording to use to describe it, but seeing Ding Junyi's serious expression, he could only say:

"First... keep watching, your ability has just awakened, maybe there are many, many, many, many..." Lin Xian deliberately said many to emphasize: "Many unknowns that need to be found."

"For example, you can sense disaster plants, maybe you can find more disaster plants."

Ding Junyi shook her head upon hearing this: "No, I tried, currently except for the Hell Black Chrysanthemum, I can't sense any others, such as that Silver Dragon Ten Thousand Mistakes."

"Oh right!" Lin Xian reacted at this time: "Have you discovered the function of this thing?"

"No, but if I can use the same method as the Hell Black Chrysanthemum, I should be able to find the answer."

"Don't!"

Out of caution, Lin Xian refused at the first opportunity: "I think we shouldn't do that for now. You fainted last time, and now we haven't even found the reason for the impact of this Hell Black Chrysanthemum on you. If you rashly try another one, it might be counterproductive."

Lin Xian's worry was not without reason. Who knew if this Silver Dragon Ten Thousand Mistakes would involve any terrifying existence in the darkness. Their key task now was to escape the polar night quickly. This kind of suicidal behavior should be avoided for now. Anyway, this thing couldn't run away. With Ding Junyi, this biologist and plant-type ability user, he would solve the mystery sooner or later.

"You are right." Ding Junyi nodded: "We cannot be too rash."

Lin Xian looked at the dark train corridor and said to Ding Junyi: "This time the Hell Black Chrysanthemum absorbed a lot of energy, plus everyone fought for a day and two nights, vegetable juice might need to be prepared a bit more, this will trouble you."

"Hmm, don't worry, the research on the dark mark has ended. My next main direction is cold-dark basic particles and plant cultivation."

After talking with Ding Junyi, Lin Xian walked toward the rear carriage.

At this time, because the lights were not turned on and the train was driving quietly, Building and Brother Huo in Carriage No. 5 were sleeping soundly, so Lin Xian walked directly to the living carriage.

But before he arrived, a rustling chatting sound came from a living cabin, with both men and women.

"Xiao Yuan, you are so brave, actually driving over alone to find the Hell Black Chrysanthemum."

"Exactly, we were scared to death at the time..."

"It was really dangerous. I didn't expect Team Leader Lin to rush over like that and save you from the belly of the big worm. My god, it was simply a god descending to earth!!"

"Our Team Leader Lin is really amazing, like a savior, I have fallen in love with him."

"A-Chen, have you forgotten that you are a pure man?"

"So what, what man doesn't like super-large mechas? It's simply too cool, it even opened the shell of that sea urchin!!"

"Exactly, awesome!"

Xiao Yuan's voice came: "Alright, stop talking, Team Leader Chen told us to keep our voices down. Everyone be obedient, ah~"

"Xiao Yuan."

At this time, Lin Xian walked over. When everyone saw it was Lin Xian, they all stood up in surprise and joy.

"Lin..."

Shh.

Lin Xian made a gesture to be quiet: "Now that we are in the polar night, try not to make too much noise without knowing the situation outside."

Everyone nodded, all lowering their voices.

"Great, Team Leader Lin, we are relieved to see you are okay."

"Thank you, Team Leader Lin."

"Everyone risked their lives, no need to say these things." Lin Xian nodded, his gaze looking at Xiao Yuan. At this time, Xiao Yuan was still bandaged on her head and body. The full-effect medical pod had already performed two rounds of treatment on her, but because she suffered huge squeezing damage in the abyss giant mouth plus a large amount of dark invasion, Xiao Yuan's face was full of weakness at this moment, and her originally somewhat baby-fat face was pale. Seeing Lin Xian arrive, she first widened her eyes in surprise and was about to get up from the bed immediately.

"Lin... Team Leader Lin."

Lin Xian immediately reached out to signal her not to get up: "Just living is enough, recover your body first."

Xiao Yuan looked at Lin Xian with gratitude and nodded obediently: "Hmm, Team Leader Lin, thank you."

"You almost died to save me, why do you still want to thank me." Lin Xian looked at her and said sadly: "You are very brave, I should be the one thanking you."

"I..."

Empty!

At this time, the train suddenly experienced a slight tremor, and everyone's nerves tightened.

Lin Xian signaled everyone to be quiet, and at this time, Xiang Xiang Ningjing's voice came from the communicator:

"All subsequent fleets, pay attention, some kind of creature has appeared on both sides of the track, do not launch an attack yet."

As soon as the voice fell, Xiang Xiang Ningjing immediately asked Lin Xian on a separate channel.

"Team Leader Lin, confirm whether there are any marks."

"Team Leader Lin!"

At this time, Shu Qin also walked over quickly: "Look out the window!"

Lin Xian's expression changed immediately upon hearing this. He immediately opened the blackout board of the living carriage and found that the wind and snow were already very small. He only saw that some buildings and fences began to appear constantly on both sides of the original pitch-black track, appearing desolate. And what surprised everyone the most was that those wire fences, fences, houses, and abandoned cars were actually growing some kind of fungal mushroom, emitting a faint fluorescence in the dark night.

These fluorescences were very weak, blue and green, cold and desolate. With the progress of the united train, these glowing mushrooms went from stars at the beginning to gradually forming clusters of fluorescent fungal blankets.

Instantly, people on various trains constantly opened the blackout boards to look out. Under the patches of night-glowing mushrooms, people gradually saw a city group in the dark night, Yijin.

Everyone on the Infinite looked at this scene with surprised expressions.

"What kind of mushroom is this, it actually glows?"

"Growing in the polar night, it definitely isn't something from the Blue Star."

"Looks so beautiful..."

"Can it be eaten?"

A group of people began to discuss in low voices.

At this time, Xiao Yuan suddenly shouted: "Team Leader Lin, look."

She pointed to a few low houses in the distance of the track. Lin Xian and everyone looked over, and they actually saw a few people standing on the ruins in front of the houses!

Those figures were motionless, not knowing whether they were dead or alive. The most critical thing was that these people were all growing night-glowing mushrooms on their bodies and heads, just standing in place. With the roar of the train, those "people" turned their heads in unison. They couldn't see any faces, but a creepy aura came over them.

"Director Ding."

Lin Xian subconsciously pressed the communicator. Ding Junyi in Carriage No. 3 replied immediately: "No marks produced." Lin Xian asked Ding Junyi to report the situation of the marks to the frequency bands of the 22 train leaders in real time, which slightly eased the tense heartstrings of everyone.

But at this time, more and more "people" of the anomalies appeared on both sides of the track.

They were either in twos or threes, or in groups, but without exception, they were standing in place like wooden stakes, only their heads would slowly turn following the sound of the train passing by the tracks.

Shasha and Chen Sixuan lay on the window, also watching this strange scene outside. At this time, a "person" very close to the train passed by the window. That "person" turned his head, and through the reflection of the night-glowing mushrooms on the train window, the two finally saw the person's face.

That was actually a living person!

The withered, yellow, wood-like human face was covered with fungal hyphae and old vines. The top of the skull was broken by fungal hyphae, and the gray-white brain matter solidified into the veins of the umbrella cap. The umbrella surface was covered with honeycomb-like holes, oozing blue-green fluorescent mucus. The mandible hung down like a dislocation, and the throat was covered with coral-like fungal clusters. And the most terrifying thing was that the person's eyes were actually still turning, like living things.

"Mom!"

Shasha took a step back fiercely, frightened: "What the hell is this, is it alive or dead?"

"I saw its eyeballs moving, could it be a zombie?"

Although more and more human-fungi appeared in the field of vision as they gradually drove into Yijin City, making the survivors who saw the beautiful night-glowing mushrooms at the beginning feel a strange feeling that could not be described in words, everyone was also carrying thick vigilance, not knowing what kind of dark creature this was.

"No marks produced yet. All fleets, synchronize down, absolutely do not open fire!"

!

As soon as the voice fell, a violent explosion came from the area one kilometer behind.

Then soon a voice came from the communicator. It was a train captain called Ocean who said very anxiously:

"Sorry Team Leader Lin, someone in our fleet opened fire on that kind of human-fungus. That kind of mushroom will burn and explode, and the power is very strong. Everyone must be careful!!"

In an instant, the hearts of all fleets were raised, and they all hurriedly passed down the order to prohibit firing.

Lin Xian ran all the way toward Carriage No. 2, preparing to send a drone to take a look. Just at this moment, the train suddenly braked sharply!

Screech!!

Starting from Longshan No. 1, everyone felt a violent lag due to the impact inertia of the rear trains. The 15-kilometer-long steel dragon made a harsh metal screeching sound, and sparks flew everywhere on the tracks!

"All trains stop, broken tracks ahead!"

Xiang Xiang Ningjing's urgent voice suddenly came from the communicator. In an instant, many people panicked. Lin Xian hurriedly stopped the power output of the Infinite, while the powerful impact inertia of the entire fleet still pushed Longshan No. 1, which had already braked, to continue rushing out for hundreds of meters.

Accompanied by the trembling, sharp friction sound, the Xilan United Train Fleet finally stopped.

This harsh sound echoed in Yijin City under the dark night, appearing particularly abrupt.

Instantly, the more than 4,000 extremely sensitive survivors who had just experienced the Xilan City defense battle were like frightened birds, picking up their weapons and holding their breath for the first time, ready for battle.

"What happened?"

"Did we encounter a monster?"

"Don't open fire, listen to the captain's arrangement!"

On the Infinite side, everyone tightened up. Building and Brother Huo were both awakened, and even Kiki climbed up with sleepy eyes, asking everywhere: "What's wrong, what's wrong?"

"Everyone stay calm first."

Lin Xian happened to stand still in Carriage No. 3, looking at the Hell Black Chrysanthemum. Ding Junyi on the side shook her head seriously.

No marks.

So Lin Xian asked Xiang Xiang Ningjing on the other side: "Sister Ning, how is the situation?"

"Not good."

Xiang Xiang Ningjing's words immediately made Lin Xian's heart cold.

On the Longshan No. 1 side, Xiang Xiang Ningjing looked at the large blank space on the track detector, her face sinking, and she said to Lin Xian: "Our track detector distance is at least one kilometer..."

She said, looking up at the front of the cockpit. Through the outline of the faint night-glowing fungal cluster, the track ahead was a city water accumulation area frozen with ice shells, like a swamp. Further ahead, it was pitch black, and the shadow of the track could not be seen at all.

Xiang Xiang Ningjing took a breath, clang, and turned on the large searchlight of Longshan No. 1.

In an instant, a dazzling train headlight illuminated the track ahead and the buildings on both sides of the road like daylight. The abandoned city buildings and the ground were covered with a thin layer of snow. Looking around, it was dead silent everywhere.

The light probed far. At this time, the train had just entered Yijin City and had not yet reached Yijin Station. The ground on the distant street was cracked into a spider web, and every crack was gushing with coral-like fungal clusters. Vaguely, one could see billboards covered with various withered yellow fungal vines and various abandoned buildings. On the road, various human-shaped "human-fungi" could be seen everywhere. They had different forms, some with cracked chests, and some with feet already grown into the ground.

Fungal hyphae were entangled into symbionts like veins. The words "Welcome to Yijin City, a beautiful western home" on the billboard were rewritten by fluorescent fungal spots into "Welcome... to... beautiful... home."

And as Longshan No. 1's lights turned on, the large patches of human-fungi illuminated by the lights retracted their umbrella caps one after another. Subsequently, these human-shaped creatures began to shake violently. Click, click, click—the fungal vines on their bodies snapped, and the roots already fixed to the ground were also pulled up. These strange "people" pulled their necrotic joints like machines and began to move toward Longshan No. 1 constantly.

Seeing this scene, Xiang Xiang Ningjing immediately turned off the car lights again, her gaze vigilant as she shouted in the communicator:

"Everyone pay attention, these things will move when they see light, don't turn on the lights!"

After speaking, she took two steps back. Shi Diyuan walked up limping with his upper body covered in bandages. Looking at the countless silhouettes approaching in the darkness, he said coldly:

"Damn it, haven't rested for a day, what kind of ghost thing is this again?"

"Don't know, now the track is broken, we can't run even if we want to." Xiang Xiang Ningjing frowned: "Need to send someone to investigate the situation of the track, and need to repair it as soon as possible, otherwise we will be trapped here."

Of the 22 Doomsday Trains, only Mo Nika's Queen Mo is capable of all-terrain drive deformation. Longshan No. 1 can only count as half. In this road condition, it is impossible to drag dozens of iron-wheeled carriages away by force.

"Should have known when we encountered the Silent City, we should have changed them all." Shi Diyuan found a shotgun, quickly loaded it with one hand, and looked at the monsters getting closer and closer with cold eyes: "Now it's good, didn't have trouble early or late, damn it, broken tracks in the polar night, really know how to joke."

"Just saying, we didn't have that much to trade with the Silent City at that time."

"Then..."

"Wait, don't rush." Xiang Xiang Ningjing held Shi Diyuan down. She found that those approaching human-shaped human-fungi walked halfway and then began to stop, motionless in place. Not long after, the fungal mushrooms on their bodies began to slowly brace their umbrella caps, emitting a faint light.

"These things are only attracted by light, they don't seem to have any attack..."

Boom!

Before Xiang Xiang Ningjing finished speaking, a huge impact sound suddenly came from the side of the cockpit, as if some creature had directly hit the cockpit's armor plate.

The two were shocked. Before they could react, impacts appeared on the rear carriage again, and then, more and more impacts appeared on both sides of the train fleet.

On the Infinite side, Lin Xian felt these large, heavy impacts and immediately opened the blackout boards on both sides. Everyone hurriedly came to the information center. At this time, Kiki pointed to the strange giant rat creatures with thorny armor on the monitor in the sentry system's night vision mode, which were frantically hitting the Infinite, while other trains encountered the same situation.

"It must be the sound of the braking just now that attracted these things!" Chen Sixuan said.

"Director Ding." Lin Xian shouted.

"No marks!"

"Should we fight back?" Shu Qin asked at this time.

"Prepare to finish them off." Lin Xian deployed immediately. Shu Qin nodded, but before she ran two steps, Lin Xian suddenly called her: "Wait!"

At this time, Lin Xian found that these giant rats gave up quickly after hitting for a few minutes, and then escaped into the darkness.

Although the impacts just now caused a certain amount of panic, they did not cause any substantial damage to the train. The new composite armor of the Infinite was not even breached. Not only the Infinite, but other Doomsday Trains were the same, only some grid steel plates were dented. Besides that, no train had problems.

Instantly, the more than 4,000 survivors who were tense and ready to fight back all breathed a sigh of relief.

"The train is indeed much safer." In the Sun Fleet, Luo Yang and a group of classmates all breathed a long sigh of relief with horror on their faces. Such impacts just now, unless it was a heavy truck, it was simply impossible for ordinary jeeps or off-road vehicles to withstand.

After this sudden attack in the dark night ended, the leaders of the 22 fleets immediately discussed in the communication frequency band.

"Longshan No. 1's drone has flown for more than ten kilometers, and still hasn't found the track. It's a ghost, where did all the city tracks of Yijin City go?"

"Are we not going to be trapped here?"

"Wait a little longer, there will be news soon."

On the Infinite side, all the backbone members gathered in Carriage No. 2, waiting for the reconnaissance information from Longshan No. 1.

"Everyone." At this time, Xiang Xiang Ningjing's voice sounded in the communicator: "Good news, we found the track. Bad news, the breaking point is in the north of the city, which means that the entire 22 kilometers of city inner tracks crossing Yijin City are gone, including the spare track sections."

"What, 22 kilometers?"

At this time, Qian Dele in the Joker fleet looked at a group of dumbfounded subordinates and complained to Mo Nika via communicator: "Hey, stinky woman, didn't you tell me that you basically haven't encountered any track problems?"

"You have good luck."

In the luxurious driving carriage of Queen Mo, Mo Nika looked at the feedback in the train system and said with a headache: "Before, we were all walking on the Star Ring tracks, and we haven't entered the polar night area. This time it counts as you catching up."

Mo Nika was not very panicked. Her Queen Mo was capable of all-terrain movement, which meant that only she had a way out among the 22 train fleets. However, she actually chose to follow the tracks to follow the Infinite. After all, this man had just driven a giant mecha to open the shell of an S-level anomaly. Mo Nika believed that choosing the right team accurately in the doomsday was very important, sometimes even exceeding the improvement of her own strength. On this point, she had no doubt about herself.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 297 =====