[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train":3,"chapter-apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-334":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Apocalypse: I Built an Infinite Train",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2262098,4414,"Chapter 334","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-334",334,"\u003Cp>In the instant night fell, everyone seemed to fall silent at once, their movements and breaths stilling together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire united train had been darkened; the external convoys had locked all windows and doors, shut off their engines, and survivors huddled in small safe rooms within the steel carriages, listening quietly to the sound of wind and sand sweeping past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wuuu~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The wind across the Gobi never ceased; gravel hammered against the armored vehicles with a rustling sound, while empty oil drums and tin cans rolled and clattered across the streets and wastelands of Akesai, carried by the wind. Only distant rolling hills remained visible. Though surrounded by open land, no one knew what might emerge from the wasteland—time itself seemed to halt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Sixuan sat down leaning against Lin Xian, while Lin Xian constructed an automatic bullet stamping machine, using his Mechanical Heart to observe the outside through the train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the train had been fully re-equipped today, sand ants passing through weren’t Lin Xian’s greatest concern—he feared most the insect leg hanging downward from the sky, the terror force it unleashed like hell itself, strong enough to pierce even steel armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know what kind of monster it was, but its oppressive force was no less than the S-class Black Spike Sea Urchin of Xilan City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Survivors had long grown accustomed to silence after nightfall—it was the most dangerous hour each day. Relatively speaking, if nothing happened in the first half of the night, the likelihood of trouble in the second half dropped sharply. That was why survivors dared to depart one or two hours before dawn: first, to seize the limited travel time; second, because this period was often safer—if trouble arose, daylight would come quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian had expected tonight to be like last night, with sand ants passing through. But after waiting twenty to thirty minutes, the outside remained utterly silent. He and Chen Sixuan exchanged a glance in the dark, both surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tonight… seems unusually quiet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait a little longer,” Lin Xian whispered. “If nothing happens in an hour, we’re probably safe tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The silent effect of the Dark Mark had proven immensely beneficial to survivors. Since leaving Xilan City, aside from ordinary zombies, their train had encountered no strange entities. The most dangerous moment had been when they nearly met the Corpse Driver after leaving Yijin City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Report your status, all convoys.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian activated the united convoy channel, asking the other teams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No anomalies,” Shi Di responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Safe,” Qian Dele replied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing happened,” Mo Nika’s calm voice came through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Lin, all clear!” Hu Lushou’s obnoxious voice crackled over the channel, brimming with false enthusiasm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, all united convoys—including Dawn, the Akesai Brotherhood, and the Windwalker convoy rescued from Brother J—sent messages confirming no abnormalities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, over an hour had passed since nightfall. Hearing the reports, Lin Xian exhaled in relief and announced:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Turn on the lights!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight seemed another safe night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Scrape, scrape.* No sooner had the words left his lips than every convoy leader in the channel let out a sigh of relief and ordered their teams to turn on the lights. Soon, hundreds of carriages flickered on one after another. Light spilled through gaps in the blackout panels onto the Gobi beyond, and the entire united train seemed to come alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crew members across the convoys began moving about: some lit fires to cook meals and inventory supplies, celebrating today’s haul; others prepared weapons or exchanged combat techniques under cover of night, preparing for tomorrow’s unknowns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Infinite, activity surged: weapons and ammunition were distributed; Luo Yang and Liang Lei led teams outside to install arc pulse string Zhen ers and sentry monitoring systems—all manufactured by Lin Xian that afternoon—to fully cover the entire train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shu Qin and Lu Chang circulated among the genetically enhanced crew, exchanging combat techniques and insights on power armor use. Nearly every convoy now possessed tactical-grade power armor; together, they formed a hundred-man power armor force, devastating in strength. But many were using such high-tech gear for the first time, so even Shu Qin and Lu Chang sought advice from the Twin Stars, Amin and Luoluo—whose mastery and fluidity with power armor were undeniable to all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Liang Lei and Luo Yang as his mechanical and information assistants, Kiki had grown far more relaxed. Her main task now was analyzing Grace’s system. She entered Carriage 13, saw Lin Xian building the automatic bullet stamping machine, and said: “It’s great having enough hands. Our train’s turning into a fortress.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not that simple,” Lin Xian smiled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Sixuan understood his meaning and looked at Kiki helplessly: “Remember when we left Beiwan Town? We got a huge haul from Tang Hai. Back then, only the three of us—plus Daliu Shasha, making five total. That supply lasted us half a year, and we never worried about water. Now we’ve wiped out a thousand-strong sand bandit alliance, yet the loot barely gives us a day and a half of water…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kiki’s smile froze. Her brow furrowed. She nodded slowly: “When you put it like that… the pressure’s real.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian said: “Food isn’t the biggest issue—it’s water. Right now it’s just desert dryness. But when water becomes undrinkable? That’s when things get truly desperate. We can only hope Phoenix Society quickly develops tech to resist and filter the Dark corruption in water. Otherwise, humanity won’t survive this year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop worrying,” Kiki said firmly, boosting their morale. “There’s always a way. What’s wrong with you two? Don’t you have faith in us? Don’t you remember? Humans are evolving too. If we adapt to the Dark corruption, it’ll accelerate our evolution!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian paused, then smiled: “That… makes sense.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Xiang Ningjing’s voice came over the comm: “Captain Lin, we’ve screened everyone we rescued. They’re all from small convoys caught by sand bandits in the Wurenqu  recently. The longest any of them were held was six days. We think the bandits collect their captives roughly once a week—men, women, children, all of them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian nodded: “They’re probably valued by their Soul-Resonance Peak readings—used for psychic human research, or something else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian then recounted Old Mo’s situation and his suspicions to all convoy leaders. When they learned Old Mo’s group had entered the Western Gobi from the Wei River, everyone was stunned. These leaders knew the terrain well—they understood it was impossible to drive such a distance in one night, let alone through the Extreme Night Mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is too strange. Did some monster drag them through the Star Abyss? Or is there some kind of spacetime anomaly inside?” Shi Di asked, baffled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To reach the Western Gobi overnight… unless their vehicle had plasma pulse thrusters…” Qian Dele said dryly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mo Nika, wine glass in hand, spoke sharply: “If it’s not our fault, then it’s something inside the Star Abyss. We’ve seen plenty of unexplained phenomena so far. But if Old Mo’s group survived, they didn’t encounter a Strange Entity—they encountered something… even stranger.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many nodded in agreement. Inside the Star Abyss, facing a Strange Entity head-on, Old Mo’s convoy would have been annihilated. Yet they escaped the night—and bore no Dark Mark. That proved their experience couldn’t be explained by mere monsters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Hu, tell us your story,” Lin Xian said, calling Hu Lushou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Lushou, lounging on his luxury RV’s sofa, sat up straight at the call, his expression grim: “Uh, Captain Lin… you mentioned the Tieli convoy—weren’t they two all-terrain heavy truck-RVs?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Lushou’s eyes narrowed: “I remember now. Before dark, I saw those two vehicles among the convoys. I thought their modifications were incredible…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing Lin Xian’s seriousness, Hu Lushou didn’t hesitate—he recounted every detail of his encounter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We followed the route from the Wei River toward Quiet City. Dozens, maybe hundreds of convoys had already gathered. I figured sticking with this big group would give us safety.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just Hu Lushou—every convoy at the time shared the same goal: follow Quiet City to Jinhai!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a massive convoy offered some security, especially with a mobile mechanical city leading. But when night fell, every GPS and compass failed. Strange Entities attacked en masse. Panic erupted. Even Quiet City, its engines roaring, began moving frantically through the mountains. All convoys, disoriented, fled wildly, using the mobile city as their only reference point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quiet City’s electromagnetic cannons boomed all night. Hundreds of convoys ran nonstop. Dawn never came. Half the convoys were dead or dying. The night was thick with despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Lushou didn’t know where his convoy had ended up—no direction, no landmarks. Everyone was swallowed deeper and deeper by the mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night poured down like thick asphalt. Mist seeped from the ground like living things. Hu Lushou, huddled in his vehicle, turned ashen. He thought he heard distant, broken whistles—but they weren’t ship horns. They sounded like the guttural groans of some colossal, gelatinous creature contracting its innards. The moonlight outside had twisted into a sickly bluish-gray, as if filtered through the corpse of a billion-year-old, rotting jellyfish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, recalling it sent chills down his spine. That night, they’d wandered into the depths of the Black Abyss—a world like hell. Every glance out the window burned his retinas, as if countless rusted steel needles pierced his optic nerves and drove into his cerebral cortex. Outside, colossal, writhing shadows dissolved and reformed in the mist—sometimes revealing limbs covered in coral-like bone spines, or half a face stitched from rotting petals and gears. Reality and illusion blurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Hu Lushou frantically ordered his convoy to push harder. Against all odds, the Fulu Shou convoy broke through the mist. When sunlight finally fell, he realized he and Sun Chang had emerged in the Western Gobi—his convoy reduced to half its size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, his main supply vehicles and personnel remained. Just as Hu Lushou thought he might rebuild, he encountered sand bandits again…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So many convoys lost their way in the Extreme Night… this is too bizarre,” Qian Dele said after hearing Hu Lushou. “North of Longjiang are Luling Forest and Haiqu City. Even if you entered that primeval forest, you couldn’t emerge in the Western Gobi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly. To reach the Western Gobi, you’d have to cross hundreds of miles of hills and canyons. Driving blindly? Impossible,” Shi Di said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you stumble into a spacetime wormhole?” Mo Nika teased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian glanced at Chen Sixuan and Kiki. If only Hu Lushou had reported this, he’d have dismissed it as exaggeration. But Old Mo and Sun Yuzhen described nearly identical events. Their appearance in the Western Gobi proved Hu Lushou’s story true. Lin Xian had no choice but to accept it: Hu Lushou and Old Mo’s group had encountered something supernatural…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This might be a warning,” Lin Xian said gravely. “Star Abyss #5 is becoming extremely unstable. Phoenix Society’s monitoring may already be failing…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell across the channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Phoenix Society’s estimate of one year and ninety-six days was already conservative. If Lin Xian was right, everyone’s time might be running out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian thought for a moment, then said: “Speculating further is pointless. Tonight, rest up. We’ll depart two hours before dawn tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Agreed!” Everyone accepted. Not only was water running low, but Star Abyss #5 was now active. The priority was clear: cross the Wurenqu  and reach Quancheng as soon as possible. Everything else was irrelevant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After communicating with all convoys, Lin Xian briefly updated the Infinite’s core team. The automatic bullet stamping machine was complete—a gleaming industrial press stood in Carriage 13, impressive in scale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All he needed now were a few material conveyor belts, managed by PX-05 robots. He’d feed in primers, metal sheets, bullet cores, and propellant. If output was insufficient, he’d add two more robots. Once programmed with specifications and quantities, the machine could produce bullets 24\u002F7. The only limits: power and consumable materials.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power wasn’t an issue. The materials he’d consumed in Yijin City were still abundant—stockpiled for laying tracks. No problem there either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finished, Lin Xian stood, stared at the massive machine, and exhaled slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Finally, one big thing’s done. No more hand-cranking bullets…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hand-cranking bullets was trivial for Lin Xian’s stamina—but it wasted too much time. Ammunition consumption far outpaced his output. He was turning into a mechanical mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The automatic bullet stamping machine had taken him roughly four hours. With night watch posted in every carriage and weapon station, Lin Xian hastily ate and drank, then returned to Carriage 1 to sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His last sleep had been after collapsing in Xilan City. Since then, in Yijin City, entering the Western Gobi—he hadn’t closed his eyes. Today’s battle, followed by nonstop manufacturing all afternoon, had drained him completely. He felt light-headed, almost floating. The moment he lay down, he fell asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click. Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the dark, Lin Xian thought he heard the ticking of a watch’s second hand—but he wore a digital watch. It shouldn’t make sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his eyes. Blinding light. Before him: a bright corridor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corridor was spotless—seemed to be inside some research facility. He couldn’t tell if it was above or below ground, but something about it felt faintly familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at his hands. The realism was overwhelming. Yet his subconscious screamed: this isn’t real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corridor was utterly silent. He looked ahead and behind—no one. Ahead, he spotted a sign. It might tell him where he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he took a few steps forward, sudden footsteps echoed around the corner—rapid, multiple people approaching. Instinctively, he knew he shouldn’t stand there. But before he could move, a door beside him burst open. A hand shot out, yanked him inside, and slammed shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click. Click.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second, a group passed the spot where he’d just stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the room, dim light. Lin Xian was pressed against the door, a hand clamped over his mouth. He looked up—and saw a familiar face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wore a researcher’s outfit, black-framed glasses, short hair, sharp features. If not for her icy eyes, he might’ve believed she was a scientist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian shrugged. “You always ask that. I’d like to know too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This time is different.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan studied him, then said coldly: “Help me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Follow me. Don’t wander.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without another word, Chu Yan opened the door and strode out. Lin Xian frowned and followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Chu Yan walk ahead, Lin Xian’s doubts grew. This was the first time he’d touched her. But logically, he wasn’t physically here—how could he feel this?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the scene felt so real, he instinctively tried activating his Mechanical Heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It activated. But the holographic interface didn’t appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strange…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are we going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian watched Chu Yan hurry toward the corridor’s end, then silently open a heavy office door. Inside, the decor was luxurious—clearly the office of someone high-ranking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan said nothing. She walked straight to the computer and began typing rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you stealing something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.” Chu Yan responded directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s face showed surprise. Who exactly was Chu Yan? Why did she act like a spy, stealing data? He walked forward slowly, glancing at a nameplate on the desk, and immediately frowned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Julius Lite…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This name… it feels strangely familiar.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… don’t know much. My husband always brought me here. This organization is extremely secretive. The only person I’ve ever met at the highest level was a white man named Julius Lite, around forty years old. He was the one who explained the properties of the mycelial network to us and let us experience the hallucinogenic spores. The rest…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, memories surged back—he remembered the sign he’d seen behind Chu Yan in the corridor: 【5F, Core Experimental Zone】. His face turned pale.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan, busy at her keyboard, looked up at Lin Xian’s expression, a faint smile tugging at her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re quite sharp.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian stared in disbelief. “That doesn’t make sense. The fifth basement level of Crimson Pharma was already completely overrun by mycelium. Didn’t everyone evacuate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Chu Yan’s fingers stopped tapping the keyboard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been here before?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t know I’ve been here?” Lin Xian froze. “Didn’t you remind me that the Corpses of Star No. 5 appeared in this region during the last tidal cycle? Didn’t you suggest we lie low underground and wait for the next mycelial surge before leaving?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s face flickered with confusion. She looked at Lin Xian. “What are you talking about? Our last meeting wasn’t in Yubei City?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s heart jolted. “How many times have we met?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Including this one?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Four times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian frowned. “Twice in Jiang City Shelter, once in Yubei City, and now here. Are you sure we’ve never met anywhere else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.” Chu Yan glanced at him, her tone cool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what exactly is this…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Bang! Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish, sudden gunshots erupted at the door. Chu Yan’s fingers flew faster—she’d gotten what she wanted. She stood up instantly. “Follow me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian turned back. The office door was riddled with bullet holes. A group of armed men were preparing to break in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who’s in there!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Security! Catch them!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man roared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Chu Yan moved to a corner of the office, activated a hidden mechanism, and the bookshelf swung open to reveal a secret door. She stepped inside without hesitation. Lin Xian followed immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two sprinted in sequence through a concealed passage, emerging into a bright, wide corridor. At its end stood a large elevator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian remembered this corridor. When he’d led Kiki’s squad through the hallucinogenic giant mycelium in Crimson Pharma’s main lobby, they’d taken this elevator down to this level. When the doors opened, the entire corridor had been choked with mycelial vines. They’d circled around to the underground platform and reached the Zero-S Center via the subterranean train.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Lin Xian ran after Chu Yan, his mind raced with chaotic thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Had he time-traveled? Had he arrived here before Jin’s mycelial takeover?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had Grace at the Zero-S Center shown him a hologram of Chu Yan—and warned him about the Corpses?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was he encountering Chu Yan? Was he no longer aboard the Infinite?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All his questions twisted together like a thick, murky tar churning in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang! Bang! Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gunfire erupted behind them. Lin Xian instinctively activated his AT force shield—but nothing appeared. He dropped low, dodging bullets as he sprinted toward the elevator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elevator doors opened. Chu Yan and Lin Xian dashed inside, pressing against either side of the doors. Outside, armed personnel were riddling the elevator with bullets. Behind them stood a tall, gaunt middle-aged white man with a cold, stern face. Without doubt, this was Julius Lite—a senior figure at the Zero-S Center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the last second, the elevator doors sealed shut. The gunfire outside ceased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian exhaled in relief. But Chu Yan remained calm. She swiftly shed her lab coat and removed her glasses, revealing a black tactical suit underneath. To his shock, her arms and legs were mechanical prosthetics. When she pulled off her wig, a long, gray-white braid emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that instant, Lin Xian felt as if Chu Yan had become an entirely different person—vastly distinct from the woman he’d met in Jiang City and Yubei City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know your identity now, Lin Xian. Member of the Infinite Fleet. Partner of the Phoenix Society’s Crimson Phoenix Order. Your records appear in the evacuation reports from Yubei City and West Lan City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan ignored Lin Xian’s shock and confusion. “Don’t worry. Strictly speaking, I’m also aligned with the Phoenix Society.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aligned? So you’re not an official member of the Phoenix Society?” Lin Xian said immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You could say that. But the Phoenix Society isn’t just the single official organization you imagine. Anyone in the Salvation Faction can be considered part of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Can you just be straightforward? Where are we right now? What’s your real identity? And why did I form this connection with you in my dreams?” Lin Xian dumped all his questions at once—but his sixth sense suddenly prickled with unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the elevator had been rising too long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crimson Pharma wasn’t a skyscraper. Its basement only had five levels. Why had it been ascending so long? Lin Xian looked at the elevator panel—suddenly realizing: it wasn’t rising. It was descending. They’d already passed -80 floors, and were still plummeting at high speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-85, -86, -87…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s going on? We’re going down?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan remained calm, turning to Lin Xian. “You said you’ve seen me here before. That I warned you about the Corpses in this area. Did I personally give you that information?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian frowned. “Not exactly. But she looked just like you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A robot?” Chu Yan asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s brow tightened, her expression unreadable. She stepped forward and pressed a button on the elevator panel. Finally, the elevator stopped at -99.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ding~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elevator doors slowly opened. Outside, blinding light flooded in. Lin Xian shielded his eyes—and realized he and Chu Yan stood atop a skyscraper!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian stepped out, gazing in bewilderment. Before him stretched a thriving mechanical metropolis. From the distant twin-star spires to the colossal city ring, this place…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was Dawn City!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dawn City was not yet night. The sky was thick with clouds, but the sprawling urban sprawl below moved with the same dull, orderly rhythm as before the Apocalypse Day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan stepped out, standing at the building’s edge, facing the cold wind as she spoke to Lin Xian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you know why I was so curious to see you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I’m starting to guess.” Lin Xian exhaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Guess?” Chu Yan studied him with interest. “Tell me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s expression turned grave. He looked at Chu Yan’s sleek, mechanical frame and spoke:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I’m right, I’m inside Julius Lite’s dream. You came here to extract information from his subconscious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t time travel. Based on the bizarre terrain shifts and the tactile sensation of touching Chu Yan, Lin Xian believed she possessed some kind of consciousness or psychic ability. But he didn’t understand why his own mind had become entangled with hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Lin Xian’s words, a flicker of surprise crossed Chu Yan’s cold, beautiful face. Then she regarded him with clear admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impressive. No wonder the Phoenix Society recognizes you. But this is my consciousness world.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d guessed correctly, Lin Xian was still stunned. A consciousness world? What the hell…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thunder rolled as the entire Dawn City began to shake violently; the Twin Stars Tower swayed incessantly, and skyscrapers everywhere crumbled and collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Dawn City shook violently. The Twin-Star Towers swayed. Buildings collapsed all around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like our meeting’s over again.” Lin Xian watched the chaos, voice tinged with frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan now looked at Lin Xian with a serious expression: “If you don’t escape my dream now, you may never wake up again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s face turned serious as she looked at Lin Xian. “If you don’t leave my dream now, you may never wake up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan said calmly: “Your appearance raises many questions for me. In the past, I always entered others’ consciousnesses, but only you have entered mine. According to Phoenix Society records, you don’t seem to possess this kind of ability, so I can only deduce from my own logic that if your consciousness doesn’t leap out of my dream and return to reality, it might harm you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan spoke calmly. “Your appearance here puzzles me. Normally, I enter others’ consciousnesses. But you’ve entered mine. According to Phoenix Society records, you don’t possess this kind of ability. Logically, if your consciousness doesn’t detach from my dream and return to reality, it could harm you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do I leave?” The ground shook violently. The skyscraper trembled. Lin Xian could barely stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan stepped onto the building’s edge, pointing down at a puddle of rainwater on the street below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See that puddle? Aim for it. Jump.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, you’re kidding me! I’ve seen movies and novels about dream escapes—nobody ever said you had to aim for a puddle!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan turned back, glancing at him coolly. “You forgot we’re on floor -99?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So we’re actually in the reflection of that puddle of rainwater downstairs!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So we’re already inside the reflection of that puddle!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan grabbed Lin Xian’s hand and shoved him off the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jumping from a reflection?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flipping the world?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, a crushing sensation of weightlessness slammed into him; inside the No. 1 car of the Infinite-1, Lin Xian’s eyes darted wildly as he saw the ground hurtling toward him, the world around him crumbling and shattering, the black puddle of rain now glowing faintly, as if an unknown passage!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, crushing weightlessness slammed into him. In Carriage No. 1 of the Infinite, Lin Xian’s eyes darted wildly. He saw the ground rushing toward him. The world shattered around him. The black puddle below glowed with eerie light—like an unknown portal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian gritted his teeth, instinctively shielding his face. As he hit the ground, every nerve in his body jolted. The scenery around him shifted violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his eyes. He was in a dim room. Several armed personnel in power armor lay dead on the floor. Six others stood nearby—four men, two women—all radiating powerful auras, clad in full-body high-grade battle armor: three Iron Hunters, three Shadow Wolves. They stood together, flanking two chairs in the center, where two people sat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One was Chu Yan in power armor—different from the mechanical-prosthetic version he’d just seen. The other was the middle-aged white man he’d just encountered: Julius Lite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan seemed to awaken. She slowly rose from her chair. One of the six immediately asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Captain Yan, how did it go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Done.” Chu Yan’s voice was icy. She turned her head, glancing at Lin Xian, who stood in the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Take the data. Prepare for extraction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[201] “Yes!” The six moved swiftly, leaving the room. Only Lin Xian and Chu Yan remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian realized that, besides Chu Yan, no one else could sense his presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the corpses scattered across the floor and the white man named Julius Lite, who was still alive but seemingly under some control, trapped in prolonged unconsciousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man wore a high-end powered armor suit, with three-pronged blue light columns as power sources on his chest; his expression appeared refined and scholarly. Lin Xian surveyed the room—it seemed to be some kind of underground shelter, where holographic screens continuously scrolled through the identities of survivors, all labeled with experimental subject numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Xian, mechanical adept, August 11: proposed the ‘Traction Plan’ to rescue thirty thousand survivors by repairing the Yubei Ascending Elevator; August 30: participated in the Xilan Cast-City Project, piloting a specialized weapon to achieve humanity’s first kill of an S-class anomaly, ‘Black Spike of the Clouds,’ since Awakening Day…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s armor helmet opened as she walked, scanning Lin Xian: “You accomplished something monumental in Xilan City, inspiring and giving hope to survivor groups worldwide—but it also triggered signs of unstable expansion in the Star Abyss.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian frowned: “Because we killed an S-class?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan tilted her head slightly: “No. The Star Abyss’s changes remain a mystery to us—but humanity’s first eradication of an S-class anomaly panicked those creatures who prefer to hide underground.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Descenders?” Lin Xian didn’t understand: “Why would they panic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“S-class anomalies are currently believed to be dark entities capable of influencing civilization. To the Descenders, they are gods—keys to unlocking new dimensions of life,” Chu Yan glanced back at him. “What do you think they’re panicking about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Chu Yan turned and walked out. Lin Xian rose and followed behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Descenders are a nuisance we must constantly deal with while responding to the global crisis. For humanity, we’re caught between two fronts. And for some reason, these organizations have made research progress in extreme dark science fields that surpass global scientific standards. You’ve been to Qingshui Town—it may not be unfamiliar to you, but it has also raised alarms within the Phoenix Society.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian followed behind, listening to Chu Yan. He realized this was likely an underground facility carved into a mountain. The corridors were littered with signs of battle, corpses everywhere. Lin Xian noticed all these people bore a three-pronged deep red emblem on their chests—they were all members of this organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is there any theory suggesting someone knew about the Awakening Day before it happened?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Someone proposed it long ago, but it’s never been proven. The Phoenix Society is conducting a full investigation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They walked until they reached a door. Chu Yan pushed it open, and Lin Xian saw only a desert under nightfall outside. The underground facility lay beneath a massive rock, surrounded by many outdated radio telescope reflectors—but one large radar overhead was newly built, bearing the deep red emblem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is… the White Deer Beach Star Observation Station?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Lin Xian stepped out, he immediately saw several rusted iron plaques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re familiar with this place?” Chu Yan asked from a higher vantage point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian shook his head: “By estimation, my convoy and I should now be within a thousand kilometers of here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s expression changed instantly. She spun around: “Akse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian said nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan stared at him in silence, then exhaled deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The organization I belong to is called the North American United Front (NAUF). Think of it as a special offshoot of the Phoenix Society, spanning Oceania and North America. My information is top secret within the Phoenix Society. Even though you’re part of the Crimson Phoenix Order cooperation team, I cannot disclose my mission or actions to you. I don’t even know why this link formed between us. We’re leaving immediately. As a courtesy, I’ll give you two pieces of information. Whether you believe them is up to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“First: the Deep Red World has already marked you. That doesn’t mean you’re high priority—right now, every powerful or unusual adept is on their target list, including me. I’m not one of them. Why they’re using my face for holographic projections… you might find out later…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.” Lin Xian turned back toward the corridor full of Deep Red World corpses. He’d once considered investigating this White Deer Beach Star Observation Station—but now, it seemed unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s face was icy as she looked at Lin Xian: “Second: if you’re in Akse, you’ve already run out of time to evacuate the Wurenqu .”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s expression froze slightly: “What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s armor helmet displayed a holographic interface: a simulated map of Star Abyss No. 5. On its southeastern edge, an irregular expansion zone had appeared—not a uniform expansion, but a localized one, making the once-circular No. 5 Star Abyss now resemble a circle with an added elliptical region of perpetual night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Star Abyss No. 5 has developed an unstable energy anchor. According to our investigation and the Nightwalkers’ Second Division, this is likely tied to a large forbidden artifact recently extracted from within by the Deep Red World. That artifact is now somewhere in the Wurenqu , triggering the sudden expansion. This expansion is irregular, non-circular, and utterly bizarre. The last time this happened was on the Wei River. This time, the forbidden artifact has appeared in the Akse Wurenqu !”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We estimate the Star Abyss remained stable today—meaning it will likely activate tomorrow. If you don’t escape the Akse Wurenqu  before sunset, I advise you turn back or detour around the Hailar Mountains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s face darkened: “Impossible. We’re a train convoy. This is the only route we have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turning back meant returning to Yijin City and Xilan City. To bypass Star Abyss No. 5, they’d have to circle back to Hengshan Pass—utterly impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan spoke calmly: “That’s your problem. I can’t help you. Of course, if you’re extremely lucky, you might avoid it entirely. Good luck.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Chu Yan turned to leave—but took one step, then stopped, turning back to Lin Xian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before each of these times you established this mental link with me, did anything similar happen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only Lin Xian was curious—Chu Yan was too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her ability was top secret. For Lin Xian to perceive it was already a crisis. Logically, she should have reported this immediately to ensure her special mission wasn’t compromised. But this calm, composed woman had withheld it—and each time Lin Xian appeared, she felt a strange, unreal unease she couldn’t explain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian’s background and recorded deeds had eased her concerns slightly—and sparked curiosity about his mechanical ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In some sense, mechanical ability encompasses nearly all of humanity’s current technological power. It can no longer be understood merely as an “ability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something similar…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian exhaled, a vague answer forming in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep. Beep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The watch’s alarm sounded. Lin Xian startled, quickly checking the time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>5:00 a.m. To depart two hours early, he’d allowed himself only six hours of sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, anxiety gripped him. If Chu Yan was right, they had to break through the Wurenqu  before 18:45 tonight—meaning they had thirteen hours and forty-five minutes if they left immediately!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Combined Train must maintain a speed above 280 kilometers per hour to possibly escape the Wurenqu  before nightfall!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Lin Xian’s expression, Chu Yan guessed his intent. As she sensed his consciousness straining to awaken, she shouted loudly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Listen: humans must understand forbidden artifacts correctly. They are not treasures—they are distortions of power from another world, incomprehensible. ‘Containment’ merely means we’ve found a way to interact with them. Though some organizations now seek to exploit their power, the dark corruption inherent in forbidden artifacts cannot be eliminated. They are double-edged swords. Human logic cannot grasp containment—imagine you draw a line on white paper with a pen. You wouldn’t think your pen miraculous. But if the paper contained a two-dimensional world, your pen would become a godlike tool that splits reality.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the Infinite, Lin Xian’s eyeballs trembled violently. He forced his consciousness awake, staring at Chu Yan’s fading form, straining to hear every word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t interpret forbidden artifacts through human eyes. If you see one, don’t look. If you try to understand it, you’ll violate all common sense. Don’t describe it. Don’t name it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And never, ever look at the sky!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hum~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chu Yan’s voice stretched into a massive, resonant bell tone, echoing endlessly through the darkness. The sound grew closer, clearer—transforming into the wind howling against the iron station sign at Akse Station.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lin Xian!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bedroom door opened. Chen Sixuan saw Lin Xian jolt awake and immediately said: “Sandstorm’s coming!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Start the train.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian rose instantly and, for the first time in a long while, activated the engine of the Whale 03e Heavy Gas Turbine Locomotive using his Mechanical Heart!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Whale 03e’s engine roared like a furious lion. A colossal traction force slammed forward, shaking the Dragon Mountain No. 1 car car by car, and jolting the entire train behind it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 5:00 a.m., while most slept, the entire Combined Train suddenly shrieked with the metallic cry of its cabins!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Xian sprinted frantically toward the rear cars, his face grim as he slammed the comm unit and roared across all frequencies:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Everyone—depart immediately!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Requesting monthly votes, brothers~\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",5894,"2026-06-19T18:20:06.633Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","f4c318b13b91f9d9373226b529b971095963fc4ede4e8fdd0d74c995b885aa66","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-335","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-333",541,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fapocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-cover.jpg"]