Chapter 321

Shi Di's voice came through the communicator, cutting off Lin Xian's train of thought.

Upon hearing it, Lin Xian immediately turned, his eyes flashing with mechanical light—flash, flash, flash—in an instant, all the sunshades of the Infinite Train's cars snapped open, revealing beyond the windows a vast expanse of hard-packed desert steppe, a desolate land covered in yellow sand; the entire united train wound its way across the earth, and through the windows, a small town nestled in the barren desert sands gradually came into view.

The blazing sun boiled visible heatwaves over the desolate steppe; in the distance, the town resembled a dried-out camel carcass, utility poles like ribs jutted obliquely between sand dunes, broken wires trembled faintly in the heat, and far beyond, vast fields of greenhouse farms stretched across the land, their black tarps long since torn to shreds, appearing like deliberate wounds upon the earth.

The incoming platform was an old-fashioned open-air platform; the rusted iron panels bore the words "Luo Bu Station," as if relics from last century. This small place had a railway line only because it lay along the route to Quancheng and was once famed for its honeydew melons and other fruits—but now, such rare fruits were long gone.

The united train was too long; long before entering the station, Longshan No. 1 began signaling to slow down and brake, decelerating for half a kilometer before the entire train finally screeched to a halt amid ear-splitting rails.

After a brief discussion, Lin Xian and Shi Di agreed that only a few teams from the front cars needed to inspect the town—no need to linger in such a minor place; if no water source was found, they'd press on to the next zone and aim to reach Akesai before nightfall.

After the train stopped, Lin Xian assigned the eager Huo Ge, and had Shu Qin lead Lv Chang and others; two teams would search the town from sky and ground respectively, while Longshan No. 1 would be led by Ning Jingjing with Bai Xiaoqing and Bai Bai.

With Bai Bai present, Lin Xian no longer needed to consider sending Ding Director or Hell Chrysanthemum—he could finally enjoy the rare leisure of waiting on the train while his teammates explored.

Lin Xian distributed over a dozen communication stakes to Shu Qin and others, instructing them to place one every two kilometers to prevent signal loss; Kiki also launched drones to patrol the surrounding airspace and observe the vicinity.

Hssst,

Under the scorching sun, the automatic door of Car 5 opened; before Lu Xingchen and Shu Qin stepped out, a wave of dry, stifling heat slammed into them—the desert wind whipped sand across their skin like knives, and the air itself reeked of grit.

The powered armor wasn't fully enclosed, but it had a standalone gas mask kit; Lu Xingchen found it cumbersome and simply donned a stylish windshield mask, then ignited flames at his fingertips and shot forward in a blur.

Shu Qin also donned powered armor, armed her team with rifles, and leapt down.

Creak~

The hard-packed earth of gravel and sand emitted a grinding sound; at a distance, around the platform and several abandoned buildings, a few gaunt zombies, resembling withered corpses, shuffled toward the train, moaning "Eh… eh…"

Whoosh!

A spinning blade shot out, slicing off the heads of those zombies in an instant; Lv Chang retracted his electric knife and quietly followed Shu Qin as they crept toward the town's interior.

Other train teams behind them either opened windows to peer through binoculars or launched drones; after stopping, the survivors fell silent, awaiting feedback from the vanguard team.

In Car 2, Kiki operated the drone; Lin Xian and Chen Sixuan stood behind, watching the information center's screen—this town called Luo Bu was as desolate as a forgotten wasteland; barely 100 days since the Apocalypse, many of its abandoned towns had already been buried under thick layers of sand, with withered dead grass everywhere, broken shop doors half-hanging from their frames, swaying in the wind and emitting mournful wails.

Under the blazing sun, only the sun-dried zombies, still standing and shambling, wandered slowly, clad in faded, weathered clothing.

The drone's rotor noise drew the zombies' attention; they all lifted their heads, their rotting white eyes searching the sky.

"This place doesn't even have water, let alone a single broken car you can devour."

Kiki watched the monitor, her control stick flicking rapidly.

Lin Xian remained calm: "It's just a passing town. Once they've checked it, we'll leave immediately."

Hearing this, Chen Sixuan looked at Lin Xian: "By the way, after we left the polar night, several teams suggested keeping the united train together permanently—but when I told Shi Brother we might change routes, they dropped the idea."

"They all want to head straight north toward Dawn Center, right?"

Chen Sixuan nodded: "Definitely. After everything they've been through, they all want to catch up with the main Phoenix Society force—it's safer for them."

"I understand."

Lin Xian said: "If we're on the same route, joining forces isn't a problem—strength in numbers."

"Hey, joining's fine, but merging? No way~"

Kiki immediately turned around: "We can't possibly manage so many people, and some of these teams… really…"

Chen Sixuan frowned, puzzled: "What teams?"

Seeing Kiki's expression, Lin Xian understood and smiled as he explained to Chen Sixuan: "Longshan No. 1 investigated the conditions of all the other dozen or so teams besides ours before assembling this united train—Shi Brother and his team did their homework well."

"Then in Yijin City, Ning Jie told us that the Ocean Team had mostly been running black-market trades in Xilan City—its members were a mixed bag, poorly managed. On our first day in Yijin City, they caused trouble. Also, there was the Rose Team—eighty percent of the women on board survived the apocalypse by prostitution, while the men handled security and pimping. And there was another team called Hell Braves…"

"Hell… Braves?" Chen Sixuan repeated, frowning: "What's wrong with them?"

Kiki's face twisted in disgust.

Lin Xian glanced at Kiki's odd expression, then said: "Nothing much—they're just a whole train of muscular guys. You're overthinking."

"I'm not overthinking!" Kiki snorted, glancing at Sha Sha beside her: "Sha Sha, have you ever seen your brother in denim shorts?"

Bam!

Sha Sha, who was tinkering with a power activator, flinched at the words—her hand jerked, the device short-circuited, spitting a burst of white sparks; she spun around, face pale with horror.

"W-what the hell?"

"See?" Kiki pointed at Sha Sha's expression: "Even she reacts like this."

Chen Sixuan's expression turned equally strange.

Lin Xian remained calm: "That's why I said we only join forces—we won't merge. And once we reach Quancheng, they'll all head north. Only we and Longshan No. 1 will take the southern route to Jinhai."

"What about Mo Queen and Joker Team?" Kiki asked: "Aren't they still trying to follow you?"

Lin Xian groaned: "We'll see then—if they stick with us, it's not a problem."

Qian Dele and Mo Nika's teams were both strong, and their abilities were formidable; having them along to Jinhai posed no issue for him.

"Lin Team Leader."

At that moment, Shu Qin's voice came through the communicator: "We've searched a few streets—no findings. There are traces of past team camps, but nothing useful left."

On a desolate street, the road was half-buried in sand; dry tumbleweeds rolled past in the chilly wind. Shu Qin stood at a street corner, Lv Chang atop a rooftop, both observing their surroundings.

"There are a few more streets and a large market—we'll finish in about ten minutes."

"Good."

Lin Xian pressed the communicator: "Huo Ge, how's your side?"

Hooosh~

Soaring high above, Lu Xingchen savored the freedom of flight under the daylight—his speed allowed him to survey the entire town in moments; the scorching heat didn't affect him at all. Among the entire united train, he was the one enjoying the desert steppe the most.

"Brother Lin, no signs yet. I'll expand my search radius."

With that, Lu Xingchen smiled gracefully and shot upward, flames blasting behind him.

Meanwhile, in a farm northeast of Luo Bu Town, over a dozen wildly modified off-road vehicles, bristling with savage spikes, surrounded a convoy of a bus and a small car. These off-roaders were welded with barbed steel spears; their bodies bore red vulture emblems, twisted versions of the Phoenix Society's phoenix logo. Their front ends were converted into rotating meat grinders, blades caked with dried blood and flesh; doors replaced with serrated circular saws; wheels fitted with spiked chains, crushing everything in their path.

One of the trucks had been converted into a steel cage, holding dozens of survivors like prisoners. They weren't from the same team—some wore special metal masks and handcuffs and leg irons, clearly meant for psychics or enhanced individuals. Most of the captives were men, children, and elderly women.

Some newly captured survivors were screaming in frenzy, trying to break free from the cage. Ahead, in a warehouse, dozens of thugs were reveling wildly—fully armed, clad in riveted jackets or bizarre vests, they shouted in ecstasy. Among them, six or seven women were beaten black and blue by kicks and rifle butts, most of their clothes torn off, bound with iron chains to discarded wooden crates, and being raped in sequence.

Several corpses lay on the ground, their blood still warm and fresh. The scene—a cacophony of whips cracking, women screaming, comrades roaring, thugs cackling, and zombies howling beyond the farm's barbed wire—formed a hellish tableau of humanity's collapse in the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

The leader of this thug convoy, nicknamed J-Ge, was a squad leader under the Crimson Vultures. Unlike his men, he wore a spotless white shirt, gold-rimmed glasses, and his hair was neatly oiled and combed—he looked like a refined middle-class man from a big city.

But the contrast was grotesque: in his right hand, he held a Nepalese combat knife, dragging a bound, struggling middle-aged man toward one of the girls. She was the youngest among them, tied at the edge, her clothes stripped but not yet violated—clearly reserved for him.

The girl's face was streaked with tears as she watched the leader slash the man's shoulder with a single cut—blood gushed forth; the man screamed in agony.

"Aaaaaa!!!"

"Dad!!"

The girl's face turned deathly pale, her eyes blazing red as she screamed hysterically, completely losing her mind, tearing at the chains—barbed hooks tore her hands and feet into bloody pulp.

Hearing her screams, the surrounding thugs grinned strangely; J-Ge's eyes lit up with madness, radiating a perverse, civilized depravity unique to this wasteland. He grew excited—her reaction stimulated his twisted fetish. He frantically unfastened his pants and shouted at her:

"Yes, yes, that's the look—keep screaming, watch your father scream!"

"Let her go!!" The man's eyes turned crimson, screaming in agony, as if he'd forgotten his own wounds.

At that moment, atop the thug convoy's truck, a glint of light flashed through a telescope; the lookout's face paled. He grabbed his radio:

"J-Ge, trouble—something big's arrived in Luo Bu."

J-Ge, just about to begin, froze at the radio's voice. He yanked up his pants and barked coldly at the crowd:

"Enough!"

In the Western Desert, one must never be careless—especially when the lookout speaks. All the thugs knew this well.

Instantly, whether they'd just started or were halfway through, they all pulled up their pants, grabbed their guns, and turned sharply outward, going on full alert.

J-Ge rushed back to his vehicle, grabbed an electronic telescope, and stared in the direction the lookout pointed.

His pupils contracted sharply.

In the distance beyond Luo Bu Town, a fully armed apocalypse train stretched like an endless steel dragon, its sides soaked in blood and flesh—like a war machine charging out of hell. Merely seeing its aura, J-Ge's face paled, and he immediately ordered:

"Fuck, it's a major force from Xilan—get out of here, now!"

One glance told him this was a force his team could never challenge. The train had stopped in Luo Bu for exploration—luckily, they didn't need the tracks. If they could flee into the desert depths before being spotted, these rail-bound trains couldn't touch them.

The moment he spoke, every thug scrambled onto their vehicles. The modified metal war machines roared to life. One thug pulled out a firebomb, ready to toss it into the warehouse to burn the half-used women—but the big-bearded man in front turned and slapped him hard.

"J-Ge said retreat—no noise! Are you an idiot?"

As the convoy prepared to move, the lookout suddenly spotted something, gaping and shouting into the radio:

"Shit—it's a flying psychic!"

The warning spread instantly through every radio; instantly, every thug drew weapons, chambered rounds, and prepared for combat!

"Fuck, shoot him down!"

"Run!"

Above, soaring toward Luo Bu Town, was Lu Xingchen. After circling the town with no findings, he expanded his search—and far off, he spotted the farm with its massive water tank. His interest sparked; he immediately roared toward it.

From high above, Lu Xingchen initially thought the vehicles were a survivor convoy, intending to make contact. But as he drew closer, he saw the corpses, the prisoner cage—and his face instantly froze with frost.

Taptaptap!

Below, the vehicles opened fire on the sky, while simultaneously accelerating—wheels kicked up clouds of sand and dust, preparing to flee.

"To kill and plunder before my eyes? Today is your end!"

Boom!

The fleeing convoy, dozens of guns firing skyward, had no time to react before a colossal fireball, larger than a basketball court, blotted out even the sun's light, hurtled down from above!

"Fire Fist!"

…

Vvvvvv!

Beneath the blazing sun, dozens of apocalypse vehicles rolled across the horizon. On a stretch of desert near the Infinite Train, over a hundred people gathered—captains and elite core members from all 22 teams. Meanwhile, atop the united train, electromagnetic cannons, 1130s, machine gun turrets, and countless armed patrols formed an impenetrable defense; distant zombies were eliminated before they could approach.

Lin Xian, Chen Sixuan, Kiki, Shi Di of Longshan No. 1, Qian Dele of Joker Team, Mo Nika of Mo Queen, and Luo Yang, Li Yi, and others stood together, watching the convoy approach from afar.

Not long after, the team dispatched from Dragon Mountain No. 1, along with Shu Qin, Lü Chang, Xiang Ningjing, Bai Xiaoqing, and others, brought over all the vehicles from the raided convoy—including the red-haired vulture gang's trucks and the iron cage prison car.

Inside the prison car, dozens of cramped captives stared in terror. Seeing this vast, rolling column of steel, many widened their eyes, swallowing nervously. The sudden turn of events left this group of plundered "prisoners" bewildered, unsure what fate awaited them next.

Whoosh.

After the lead truck halted, Shu Qin and Bai Xiaoqing dragged out the last seven bandits, tossing them onto the ground—including the man in the white shirt, J-ge. All their weapons had been confiscated, and they were now bound with their own iron chains.

On the bus, the surviving victims of the raided convoy were packed tightly together. Several women who had been violated shivered under their tattered clothes, some unconscious, others weeping, while their companions tended to them.

Shhh~

A sharp whistle cut through the air as Huo Ge descended from above, planting his foot squarely on J-ge's back. The immense force nearly burst J-ge's internal organs; he spewed blood uncontrollably.

"Fuck your grandfathers! Do you know who I am? Kill me, and you'll all die!!"

Covered in blood, J-ge glared around at Lin Xian and his group—still arrogant, even as a prisoner.

"Lin Brother, I'm truly sorry," Lu Xingchen sighed, looking at Lin Xian with regret. "When I saw these monsters raping men and oppressing women, stripping them of all humanity, I couldn't contain my rage. I accidentally burned a few too many…"

Lin Xian glanced at J-ge on the ground and asked Lu Xingchen: "How many died?"

"They had over forty people. Only these seven remain." Xiang Ningjing yanked another bandit from the trunk and hurled him like a sandbag across the distance. He slammed into the earth with a thud, dust exploding upward, bones snapping audibly—he collapsed without even a cry.

She glanced at Bai Xiaoqing beside her, whose gun-blade dripped crimson. "If I hadn't stopped her, not one would've been left alive."

Bai Xiaoqing stared blankly at the seven bandits on the ground, her face utterly expressionless. Had Xiang Ningjing not intervened, not a single soul would've survived.

"Wretched creatures—they deserve to die!"

Bai Xiaoqing spoke in a rare, icy tone. Lin Xian couldn't help but look at her—how did this girl speak like some ancient warrior? Wasn't it 2069? Could Huo Ge's weird habits be contagious?

"Fuck these beasts—just kill them. Why bring them back?"

Shi Di swept his gaze across them and declared loudly.

"There's a reason," Qian Dele observed their gear and war vehicles. "These trucks were modified specifically for desert and wasteland terrain. They're not migrants—they're desert bandits entrenched in the Western Wastelands."

Shi Di frowned, turning to Lin Xian: "Lin Brother, you want to extract information from them?"

"Kill us if you want! See if you can even leave this wasteland!"

Before Lin Xian could respond, J-ge shouted again.

"Shut up." Kiki had heard their crimes over the comm and clenched her teeth in fury. Now, with two fingers, she snapped J-ge's jaw shut—every tooth shattered instantly, blood unable to spurt out.

Lin Xian signaled Shu Qin. She stepped forward, kicked J-ge onto his back, then used her gun to slit open his shirt buttons. There, on his left chest, was a dark-gold hexagonal device—embedded directly over his heart.

"That device?"

"Yes," Shu Qin nodded. "According to him, they have a desert alliance of over ten thousand. It's a profit-driven coalition. This thing on him is called the Iron Alliance Token. If his heart stops, every Iron Alliance convoy within range will attack us."

"That's right!" another bandit shouted. "Dare to cross us? You'll never escape this desert. Every Iron Alliance member will unite and tear you apart!"

"Bullshit!" Shi Di snarled. "You think I'm an idiot? That thing emits signals like that?"

"It's true!"

From the prison car, a young man with sunburned, peeling skin gripped the iron bars, terrified: "These desert bandits are all allied. They specifically ambush convoys heading to Phoenix Society and the Federation. That device on him emits a regional signal packet—like a radio. If no response is received within three hours, nearby convoys all link up and swarm toward the signal. That's how our convoy got wiped out!"

"Same thing happened to us," added another middle-aged man in the cage, teeth gritted. "They're wolves!"

"So that's why they're so bold even at death's door," Shi Di sneered. "A ten-thousand-man alliance? Trying to scare me?"

"Signal packet…" Qian Dele crossed his arms. "Sounds similar to Phoenix Society's Fire Signal Packets."

"These desert bandits all act for personal gain—how could they possibly unite?" Li Yi frowned in confusion.

"True. It's unusual," Luo Yang added.

"Lin Xian," Chen Sixuan whispered beside him. "Why is he still so arrogant? Could he really have such leverage?"

Lin Xian looked at J-ge—his mouth bloody, mumbling incoherently. He gave Kiki a subtle glance.

"Mmm~ mmm~"

After Kiki's psychic pressure, J-ge was filled with terror and dread. These people were terrifying! Their tactics were endless. Even their junior members had crushed him effortlessly, and the leaders ahead seemed unfathomably deep. Now he knew he was as good as dead. His survival instinct surged—adrenaline spiked, and a false bravado rose to mask his fear. He struggled to his feet, spitting blood, slurring:

"Don't believe me? Kill me! Hahaha! This entire train is full of treasures, women, supplies—once the Iron Alliance spots you, they'll rip up your rails, leave you stranded, wings clipped…"

"Hehehe… You came out looking for resources—you must be thirsty, right? Even armies here dare not touch us. Even if I die, I've delivered a great gift to the Iron Alliance. My Crimson Vulture brothers will have a feast~ Hahaha!"

"Jie jie jie… You came out to scavenge, so you must be short on water. In this place, even armies dare not touch us. Even if I die, I'll have delivered a great gift to the Iron Alliance—my fellow brothers in the Crimson Bald Eagle Clan will have it easy~ Hahaha!"

Who could imagine a small bandit convoy would dare threaten a united convoy of over four thousand? Yet his words planted doubt in the minds of dozens of convoy leaders.

If he spoke truth, these desert hyenas were a serious threat. Even if your train had strong defenses, they weren't anomalies—they wouldn't fight head-on. Instead, they'd destroy tracks, harass from the sides, strike suddenly at night, lure anomalies to surround you. That was the real nightmare.

Thinking of this, several convoy commanders grew grim. Killing these men was easy—but the consequences? Uncertain. All eyes turned to Lin Xian and Shi Di, waiting for their decision.

Xiang Ningjing's face turned cold. "Oh? Our weapons are meant for monsters. Tell me—does your Iron Alliance have enough bodies for us to kill?"

"Hmph. A pack of wild dogs dares threaten the Infinite Train?"

Lu Xingchen clenched fire in one hand, roaring: "You vermin of humanity—even ten million of you wouldn't be enough for me to exterminate!"

"Fire Brother is awesome!" Shasha couldn't help but glance at Lu Xingchen with approval. "He's right—we've killed S-rank anomalies. Why fear these stinking bugs?"

Da Lou stepped forward silently, holding his steel cleaver, eyes fixed on the bandits. One word from Lin Xian, and he'd send these scum straight to hell.

"Didn't expect desert bandits in the apocalypse could pull off alliances and wolf-pack tactics. Interesting," Mo Nika said, tapping her high heels, fanning herself with her hand. Behind her, her team held an umbrella over her head. She smiled calmly. "But you've picked the wrong target. Our train doesn't need rails to move. As for your Iron Alliance—do they truly have the courage to swarm like wolves?"

Her confidence was absolute. J-ge's manic grin froze. His eyes darted between the Infinite Train and the Mo Queen Train—both armored with cutting-edge tech, topped with electromagnetic railguns and terrifying 1130 cannon muzzles, their fire-control lights flickering faintly. He didn't understand the trains, nor whether they truly had all-terrain mobility—but he saw: these apocalypse trains were advanced.

J-ge was shaken. If he died, the Iron Alliance might react—but not because of him. He'd merely signaled a target. Whether they succeeded or failed, it meant nothing to him. He'd be dead.

So he panicked—but kept up his bravado. It was his only chance to live—even a miserable life was better than immediate death.

"Lin Brother," Shi Di turned to Lin Xian, lowering his voice. "Mo's right. They're playing the 'easy to anger the king, hard to deal with the minions' game. This Iron Alliance isn't simple. But thinking a few words can control us? They're disrespecting us."

"Exactly," Kiki chimed in. "Even if we killed them all, it'd be too kind."

Lin Xian's eyes flickered, sweeping over the vehicles and the iron cage. Then he walked straight toward J-ge, bloodied and broken.

Lin Xian's eyes flickered as he scanned the vehicles, including the iron-caged prisoner truck, then walked straight toward the man covered in blood, Brother J.

J-ge saw a young man approaching. He was stunned. From others' reactions, he realized: this youth was the leader of the steel dragon. A flicker of contempt rose—he must be some rich kid running a big convoy. The longer he lived, the more it proved the other side was afraid.

Brother J saw a young man approaching him and was stunned—he naturally understood from others' reactions that this youth was the leader of the long iron dragon. A hint of contempt rose in him: clearly some rich kid running a convoy. The longer he lived, the more it proved the other side was growing wary.

Lin Xian walked up, scanning the bizarrely dressed bandits, his expression serious.

"You mean, if we don't kill you, you stay alive, and none of this happens?"

J-ge's gaze steadied. That was exactly his fear—but he'd already prepared his response.

"Heh, whatever. You can lock me up, or chop off my limbs and dump me in the wild. If you lock me, my signal device exposes your location. If you make me suffer, I'll just kill myself. My life's worthless anyway." He smirked at Lin Xian, taunting: "But you? You'll suffer terribly!"

"Hey, whatever. You can lock me up, or chop off my hands and feet and dump me in the wild. If you lock me up, my signal device will expose your location. If you make me wish I were dead, I'll just kill myself—I've got nothing to lose." He glared defiantly at Lin Xian, sneering: "But you? You're gonna suffer!"

"Hahahaha!! It's up to you, boss!" J-ge laughed wildly, blood pouring from his mouth. His bound underlings joined in, cackling.

Seeing J-ge's arrogance, everyone's faces darkened.

Lin Xian looked around, as if weighing his options, then said to J-ge: "Letting you go is impossible. Your threat is concerning. We'll lock you up—for now—and find another solution."

J-ge's expression flickered. He didn't stop smiling. He knew they'd never release him—but at least he still had a chance to live. He'd won his gamble.

As for the suffering ahead—or escaping later—that was tomorrow's problem.

Seeing Lin Xian's expression, he relaxed slightly. What a spineless leader. This guy couldn't even outwit him—how could he possibly challenge the Iron Alliance?

He's just meat on the chopping block.

"Do whatever you want!" J-ge sneered, his smug expression making everyone want to crush him.

But Lin Xian stared at his white shirt, intrigued. "Not bad. In this godforsaken wasteland, you still dress like this. You must've done well before the Awakening Day—soft skin, delicate flesh. I'll make sure to treat you properly."

But Lin Xian looked at his white shirt and said with interest: "Not bad. In this godforsaken place, you still dress like this. You must've done well before the Awakening Day—soft skin, delicate hands. I'll have to treat you properly."

Soft skin? What did that mean?

Before he could ask, Lin Xian turned and called out: "Da Dong."

Unexpectedly, Lin Xian suddenly turned his head and called out: "Big Dong."

From the rear of the crowd, a deep, resonant male voice answered. Then the crowd parted—especially the men, their expressions shifting: shock, gasps, gleeful amusement, and… outright revulsion.

From behind the crowd, a deep, resonant male voice replied. Then Brother J saw the crowd parting—especially the men, their expressions turning strange: surprise, sharp intakes of breath, gleeful schadenfreude, and… outright revulsion.

From behind, five towering, muscular men strode forward. All were in their thirties or forties, built like bodybuilders, muscles bulging, ox-strong. The shortest stood at least 185 cm. The leader was a true giant—balding, with a thick beard, a tight tank top revealing curly chest hair and full-arm tattoos.

Though they radiated terrifying power, many here knew: the Hell Warriors' giants all had a taste for men. Their aura was so fierce, even ordinary men dared not meet their gaze.

Though these men looked monstrous and terrifying, many here knew the giants of this Hell's Warrior convoy all had a taste for men—their aura was so fierce, even ordinary men dared not meet their gaze.

J-ge's face paled as the giants stepped forward.

Lin Xian ignored him, turning to Da Dong with solemn seriousness: "Da Dong, these men raided convoys, raped women. What do you think should be done?"

Da Dong blinked, stunned. Why ask him? He blurted: "Fuck these scum—kill 'em! I hate men who bully women and the weak. Pfft!"

Big Dong, hearing Lin Xian's question, was momentarily stunned—why ask him this? He blurted out: "Fuck, you kill scum like this! I hate men who bully women and the weak—pah!"

"Kill 'em!"

His giant companions echoed him. Then Da Dong bowed respectfully to Lin Xian: "But we'll follow your orders, Boss. Whatever you say, we'll do."

Lin Xian nodded, feigning hesitation. "I was thinking—we lock them up, give them a proper lesson. But our train has women and children—they don't want to be near these bastards. I heard your carriages are empty. Could you… help us out?"

Da Dong froze, then instantly understood. His eyes lit up as he stared at J-ge and his men, swallowing hard: "Boss, I get it!"

He turned to the bus, then grinned wickedly at J-ge.

"Heh heh, don't worry, Boss. You hand these soft-skinned… uh, sorry—these bastards over to us. We'll watch them tight. We'll hand them back to you—whole and intact!"

As he spoke, he cracked his thick neck with a series of loud pops.

The other giants caught on too, grinning, breathing heavier, their gaze shifting from fury to dark amusement.

The other giants also realized what was happening. Each smiled, breathing heavier now, their gaze toward the thugs shifting from fury to something far more amused—and appreciative.

"I hate rapists—I'll definitely… uh, I mean, I'll definitely kill them… no, not kill—"

"Perfect! This godforsaken wasteland was so boring…"

"Brothers—grab 'em!"

"Brothers, catch them!"

J-ge and several thugs felt the gaze of these men and couldn't help shuddering; he suddenly turned to Lin Xian and roared.

J and the other thugs felt the gaze of these people and couldn't help shuddering; he whirled on Lin Xian and roared.

"Fuck, make up your mind—live or die, don't play mind games with me, I'm not fooled by this shit!"

"Fuck, decide if you're gonna live or die—don't play mind games with me. I don't buy this shit!"

Lin Xian ignored him, gave Da Dong a smile, then waved his hand.

Lin Xian ignored him, smiled at Da Dong, then waved his hand.

Da Dong and the others, upon receiving the order, widened their eyes and immediately stepped forward, dragging and hauling the thugs toward the rear train.

Da Dong and the others shot him a sharp look, stepped forward, grabbed the thugs, dragged and hauled them toward the rear train.

"What the fuck are you doing? Do you know who I am?!"

"What the fuck are you doing? Do you know who I am?!"

The last one, J-ge, seeing Da Dong approaching him, cried out in terror.

The last J-ge, seeing Da Dong approaching him, cried out in terror.

Da Dong's eyes gleamed with a sinister smile as he softly opened his mouth, speaking in a tone only J-ge could hear.

Da Dong's eyes held a twisted smile; he whispered, lips barely moving, so only J could hear.

"I heard you like hearing people call you 'Dad.' Don't worry, baby—I'll make sure you scream it until you're hoarse!"

"I heard you like hearing people call you Dad. Don't worry, baby—I'll make you scream it till you're hoarse."

J-ge gasped in horror, his eyes going vacant; before he could struggle, Da Dong grabbed him, yanked him hard, and slung him over his shoulder. Even then, J-ge thrashed wildly, spitting blood as he glared at Lin Xian and roared.

J's breath hitched; his eyes glazed over. Before he could struggle, Da Dong seized him, yanked hard, slung him over his shoulder. Even then, he thrashed wildly, spitting blood as he glared at Lin Xian and screamed.

"Kill me! Kill me now!!!"

"Kill me! Kill me now!!!"

All the onlookers wore complex, uneasy expressions; some men couldn't help grimacing and drawing sharp breaths, as if they could already imagine what awaited J-ge and the others—air thick with an aura of sorrow.

Everyone watching wore complex, uneasy expressions. Some men winced, sucked air through their teeth—they could already imagine what awaited J and the others. The air seemed thick with sorrow.

Even Da Lou leaned slightly away; though he too was a towering brute, he felt his own tastes were normal—he'd just kill such bastards outright.

Even Da Lou shifted slightly aside. Though he, too, was a giant of a man, he felt his tastes were normal. With guys like this, you just kill them and be done.

Ning Jing and the others watched Lin Xian's arrangement; though satisfying, after the men left, they couldn't help saying:

Ningjing and the others watched Lin Xian's arrangement. Though satisfying, once the thugs were gone, they couldn't help speaking up.

"Captain Lin, if you hand them over to them, they probably won't survive."

"Captain Lin, if you hand them over to those guys, they won't… survive."

Lin Xian turned, calm as ever: "I never told them to keep them alive. Didn't Da Dong say 'whole and intact'?"

Lin Xian turned, calm as ever: "I never said to keep them alive. Didn't Da Dong say 'whole and intact'?"

He glanced at the bus and sneered: "Killing these scum outright is too wasteful. Since they love raping others, let them experience being raped themselves before they die—that's fair."

He glanced at the bus, sneering: "Killing these scum outright is a waste. Since they love raping others, let them feel what it's like to be raped before they die. That's fair."

"Huh?!!"

"Huh?!!"

Lin Xian's words left everyone stunned. Monica regarded him with keen interest: "He mentioned the Iron Alliance—do you not care?"

Lin Xian's words stunned everyone. Mo Nika studied him with interest: "You don't care about this Iron Alliance he mentioned?"

"Caring changes nothing—it's just empty posturing," Qian Dele sneered. "I think he's right. We can't release them. They're treating us like fools—deserve to die!"

"So what if we care? It's just bluster." Qian Dele sneered. "I think he's right. We won't let them go. They think we're fools? They deserve to die."

Shi Diyuan crossed his arms, sternly declaring: "Exactly! What's to fear? We meet them head-on. We're passing through this region—we'll surely encounter more Iron Alliance members. Are we supposed to cower like mice before wolves? Hell no—I refuse to believe it!"

Shi Di crossed his arms, stern: "Exactly. What's to fear? When soldiers come, we meet them; when water rises, we build dams. We're passing through here—chances are we'll run into more Iron Alliance types. Do we cower like mice before cats just because they've got muscle? Fuck no."

"Actually, that's not what I meant."

"I didn't mean it like that."

But Lin Xian calmly shook his head, raised his hand, and in front of everyone, activated mechanical fabrication. Countless tiny components flew out, rapidly forging and assembling in midair—less than a minute passed before he had crafted the golden hexagonal life-binding signal device on J-ge's chest. He then spoke calmly.

Lin Xian merely shook his head calmly, waved his hand, and activated Mechanical Fabrication right before them. Countless tiny components flew out, rapidly forging and assembling in midair—less than a minute passed before the golden hexagonal life-sign binding device on J's chest was fully built. Lin Xian spoke, expressionless.

"Sounds mysterious, but it's just a simple physiological and radio device. The most complex part is its unique signal signature—probably their identity code."

"It sounds mysterious, but it's just a simple vital-signs and radio device. The most complex part is the unique signal signature—probably their ID code."

Lu Xingchen's eyes lit up, snapping out of his earlier rage: "So Brother Lin wants to use this to swap identities—avoid triggering the death signal?!"

Lu Xingchen's eyes lit up, snapping out of his earlier rage: "So Brother Lin wants to swap this out, avoiding the death signal?!"

"Ugh, you're so dumb!"

"Oh my god, you're so dumb!"

Before he finished, little Sha Sha rolled her eyes and pouted: "I just thought you were so cool a moment ago."

Before he finished speaking, Sha Sha, the tiny figure in the crowd, rolled her eyes and puffed her cheeks: "I just thought you were badass."

"Huh? Did I misread Brother Lin's plan again?" Lu Xingchen looked bewildered.

"Huh? Did I misread Brother Lin again?" Lu Xingchen stared, stunned.

Chen Sixuan smiled gently: "Think—carrying this device is no different than carrying him—it becomes a tracking beacon for the Iron Alliance. Lin Xian's plan is to simulate the life signal and send it far away, so we can avoid the Iron Alliance's trouble."

Chen Sixuan smiled faintly: "Think about it—carrying this device is the same as carrying him. It becomes a tracking signal for the Iron Alliance. So Lin Xian's plan is to simulate a life signal and send it far away, so we avoid their trouble."

Kiki chuckled: "Exactly. We can also reverse-trace the Crimson Vulture Gang's movements, uncover their hideout, and ambush them off-guard. They raid convoys heading to the Phoenix Alliance and Federation—maybe we can follow the trail and find tons of resources. That turns passive into active!"

Kiki smiled: "Right. We can trace back the Crimson Vulture Gang's route, find their base, ambush them off-guard. They're robbing convoys heading to the Phoenix Society and the Federation—maybe we can follow the trail and uncover tons of resources. That turns defense into offense!"

Chen Sixuan and Kiki's words instantly clarified everything for everyone; all eyes turned to Lin Xian in astonishment.

Chen Sixuan and Kiki's words instantly clarified everything. Everyone stared at Lin Xian in astonishment.

Lin Xian looked back at the two women—damn, they understood him better than anyone, almost like they could read his mind.

Lin Xian turned back, eyeing the two women. Damn. Each understood him better than the last—almost like they were his intestinal worms.

"Wow! Brilliant idea!"

"Wow! Brilliant idea!"

"This works! I'm in!"

"This works! I'm in!"

"No wonder he's Captain Lin."

"Of course, Captain Lin."

"Hah! That guy thought he could control us?"

"Hah! That guy thought he could control us?"

"We were just short on resources!"

"We were just short on resources!"

"I think we should go after every such convoy we find—it's the survivors' consensus!"

"I say we hit them both ways—destroy every convoy like this. It's the survivors' consensus!"

"Exactly!"

"Exactly!"

"Ah!" Shi Diyuan slapped his thigh, laughing heartily: "We were just looking for water, and these bastards show up to deliver it! Let's be desert bandits ourselves—hahaha!"

"Ah!" Shi Di slapped his thigh, laughing. "We were desperate for water—and here they come, right to us. Let's be desert bandits for once, hah!"

Lin Xian nodded, scanning the barren desert: "This place is a wasteland—vast, empty, swarming with zombies. Finding water is hard. But these desert bandits must know the routes. Since they've come to us, let Da Dong and the others squeeze them for information first. Then I'll trace their route—they'll lead us to plenty of useful stuff."

Lin Xian nodded, scanning the desert: "This place is barren, sparsely populated, crawling with zombies. Finding water's hard. But these desert bandits must know the routes. Since they showed up, let Da Dong and the others squeeze them—see what info we can pull. Then I'll trace the convoy's path. We'll find plenty of useful stuff."

Some troubles can't be avoided—they'll find you anyway. So why not take the initiative? And "locals" surely know the land better than outsiders. Seeing those prisoner cars, Lin Xian suspected these men were involved in human trafficking. Resources in these areas had long been stripped bare; to find supplies, going straight for the desert bandits was the simplest path.

Some troubles can't be avoided—they'll come to you anyway. Better to act first. Locals know the land better than outsiders. Seeing those prisoners on the convoy, Lin Xian guessed they were trafficking people. Resources here were surely long since stripped bare. To find supplies, going straight for the desert bandits was simplest.

Lin Xian thought his explanation was clear—but as soon as he finished, everyone stared at him with complex expressions.

Lin Xian thought he'd explained clearly. But as soon as he finished, everyone stared at him with complex expressions.

Squeeze them?

"Squeeze them?"

What kind of bizarre phrasing is that?

What kind of demonic phrasing is that?

Just moments ago, you looked helpless in front of J-ge—so you never cared whether he lived or died? You didn't even fear the Iron Alliance's wolf pack threat—you were just thinking up ways to make him question existence?!!

Just now you looked helpless in front of J—so you didn't care whether he lived or died, didn't give a damn about the Iron Alliance's wolf-pack threat, and were just thinking up ways to make him question existence???

And your solution? Send a trainload of giant brutes to "squeeze" these delicate, pampered thugs?

And your solution? Send a whole trainload of giant brutes to squeeze these "soft-skinned" thugs?

You really are something else…

You really are something else…

Even Satan would come to you for training. Even the weirdest aberrations seem gentle beside you…

Even Satan would come to you for training. Even the Strange Ones seem gentle beside you…

(End of Chapter)

(End of Chapter)