[{"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-372":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},2262136,4414,"Chapter 372","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-372",372,"\u003Cp>The night was ink-black; beyond the outskirts of Dawn City, abandoned streets and buildings were lined with barbed wire and barricades, holding back the tidal wave of corpses. Every few hundred meters stood reinforced concrete defense towers, where armed guards silently watched, their automated machine cannons’ infrared targeting radars constantly scanning for suspicious anomalies approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corpses’ howls rose and fell in the distance, like some ancient, ravenous beast gnashing its teeth. At that moment, several modified trucks smashed through the zombie encirclement, black smoke billowing from their hoods, tires crushing rotting limbs, headlights piercing the darkness as they surged forward. Under the night sky, the hundred-meter-tall No. 1 city wall of Dawn City stretched like a sheer cliff across the east-west horizon, its signal lights faintly glowing in the dark, while welder’s sparks flickered in many areas and countless searchlights swept the wasteland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re here… finally, fucking here!” the man behind the wheel rasped, fingers white-knuckled around the steering wheel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The survivors crammed in the cargo compartment stared through the bulletproof glass at the towering wall. The wall’s searchlight beams swept across the wasteland, occasionally illuminating the dense clusters of tents, caravan camps, and bonfires at its base—refugees who couldn’t afford the entry fee, huddling together in makeshift settlements for warmth. From afar, the caravan camplights resembled a vast post-apocalyptic night market, stretching endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the city entrance, vehicle queues stretched for kilometers. Countless drones buzzed overhead, spraying disinfectant mist and scanning for dark markers. Heavily armed mechs patrolled back and forth, their rotary cannons slowly rotating to maintain order.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the entry checkpoint, federal officials on 24-hour shifts screened every entrant. All newcomers had to exit their vehicles, pay the entry fee, then pass through multiple detection portals to receive a new Dawn City resident ID and be assigned a district and dwelling within the inner city behind the No. 1 wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Three blood essences per person?! Didn’t the notice yesterday say two level-one blood essences were enough to enter?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chaos erupted at the crowded entrance as the leader of a survivor convoy shouted at the population control officer: “How come prices went up again after just one day?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah! Three blood essences per person? So now the anomalies are our prey, right?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is outrageous!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s all the yelling?!” The enforcement officer, clad in powered armor, stepped forward, scowling. “According to regulations, any convoy with a non-combatant ratio exceeding 1:2 must pay this rate. Your convoy has only fifteen combatants but thirty-four elderly, weak, sick, or infirm. If it weren’t for your two Berserk-class fighters, you’d pay extra for every extra person!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You—!” The middle-aged leader stepped forward, face flushed—only to be instantly targeted by twin heavy mech cannons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Trying to force your way in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The officer sneered, then barked: “Do you know why prices rose? Because here, alone in the world, you can drink water purified to 95% against the Dark. Here, alone, you can withstand S-class attacks!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He leapt onto the convoy’s roof and shouted toward the endless line behind: “This is humanity’s last hope! Everyone must contribute everything to defend together! Where would our defenses get weapons and ammo without resources? How could we build the invincible fleet to strike back against the Dark? Thanks to Vice Chairman Zhou’s wise leadership, Dawn City is now the safest place on earth!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to the convoy leader and said: “Dawn City is humane. Even outside the wall, if you’re stronger than Diamond-class or possess special skills, you can earn blood essences through labor. If you can’t pay entry fees now, stay outside. Better than getting eaten by anomalies in the wasteland, isn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, the convoy members fell silent. Behind them, the queue buzzed with murmurs; many convoys lacking sufficient blood essences began withdrawing from the line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, a newly cleared convoy reboarded its vehicles and followed an Anzhi  drone slowly into the city. In the passenger seat sat a girl who rolled down her window, breathing in the air as the convoy passed through checkpoints—the stench of decay replaced by the thick, crowded smell of humanity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side, a convoy that had just completed inspection and registration restarted its engines and slowly followed the drones assigned to relocate residents; in the front passenger seat sat a young girl who rolled down her window, watching as the convoy’s original stench of decay was replaced by the crowded smell of human bodies after passing through multiple checkpoints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cramped, overcrowded, teeming with people. The original urban buildings were not only dilapidated but brutally modified for survival: windows sealed with steel bars, countless post-apocalyptic vehicles parked bumper-to-bumper along the streets. Entire neighborhoods were walled off; malls and office towers had been converted into housing. Dawn City allowed weapons; rifles and cannons lined every rooftop and alley.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“D-47…” The convoy leader glanced at his electronic tag and led his group through the noisy streets. Behind every window, three or four families squeezed together. Children cried, couples quarreled, the sick moaned—all blending into a symphony of despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dawn City had network communication; old phones and the internet still functioned, with thriving survivor communities for trade and information exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing atop a rooftop, gazing toward the former Twin Star Tower core district, now enclosed by the No. 2 wall. A towering steel forest rose from low to high, its center still the two former Twin Star Tower landmarks—once a landmark and famed spaceport. Within the neon-drenched cyberpunk inner city, aerial vehicles were rare; only federal Garrison troops and armed patrol vessels cruised the skies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the spaceport lay the massive entrance to Federation’s No. 1 Underground City—a colossal subterranean project plunging three hundred levels deep. Circular platforms spiraled downward like an inverted Babylonian Tower. The entire underground city resembled a self-contained subterranean hive, stretching dozens of kilometers, with every level interconnected. Unlike No. 9 Underground City, this one boasted an unparalleled public transit system: hundreds of magnetic levitation pods zipped like meteors, endlessly cycling through the subterranean world, a thousand meters beneath the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Below the starport stretched the massive entrance to Federation City One, a colossal underground project extending three hundred levels deep, its circular platforms resembling an inverted Babylonian Tower spiraling downward; the entire underground city formed a self-contained subterranean hive, spanning dozens of kilometers, with every level interconnected—unlike City Nine, it boasted an extraordinarily advanced public transit system, with hundreds of magnetic levitation cabins hurtling like meteors in endless loops through this subterranean world plunging a kilometer beneath the earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t resemble an office. The space was vast, the ceiling a projection of blue clouds, gilded carvings coiled with cloud motifs. At its center hung a massive palace lantern—its flame a holographic “artificial sun,” its light deliberately tinted golden and warm like dusk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire hall had been transformed into a miniature Jiangnan garden: white jade steps, trickling streams, scattered rockeries, vermilion pavilions, and a vast clear pond where post-apocalyptic freshwater koi still swam joyfully beneath floating water lilies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire office had been transformed into a miniature Jiangnan garden, featuring white jade steps, trickling streams, staggered rockeries, vermilion pavilions, and a vast clear pond where, beneath floating water lilies, some freshwater koi that had survived the apocalypse still darted joyfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gunshot shattered the silence. Soon, two armed guards sprayed dissolving agent over Zhou Mingyuan’s face, letting it rot, then packed the corpse into a body bag and dragged it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t I tell you not to bring him back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the pond, a portly middle-aged man in lavish robes held a dish of fish food, pinching a pinch between his fingers and scattering it into the water, watching the fish surge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker beside him was a woman—short-haired, efficient. Wen Hui was 42, but looked no older than thirty, her features and makeup radiating icy detachment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Dong watched Zhou Mingyuan’s corpse being dragged away and said to Wen Hui:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Many were watching our trip to Silent City, so we couldn’t dispose of him outside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned to the middle-aged man: “Chairman Zhou, Silent City has docked at Ningnan. But Wang Yue Zhenji has activated microwave shielding—no news from inside the city can get out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man turned around—he looked exactly like Zhou Mingyuan. The difference? The corpse dragged away had looked healthier; this Zhou Mingyuan bore the weight of years, faint wrinkles etched across his face, yet both shared the same smiling eyes, radiating authority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just get the job done,” he said calmly, then glanced coldly at the departing corpse: “He played leader for a few days and thought he was real. I can’t stand the sight of him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, Chairman Zhou… what about Jian Xuxi?” Wen Dong asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Mingyuan pinched more fish food, his voice steady: “The Silver Star Alliance now has over sixty thousand people. Many core members were recruited from Chongbei’s spaceport. They’re a significant force inside Dawn City, concentrated in the inner city, with strong ties to some Old City factions. Half the Jinhai Starport construction team are from Fing Group engineers and robotics units. Jian Xuxi isn’t easy to handle. We can’t touch her now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Dong nodded, smiling obsequiously: “Since we successfully killed the S-class Gray Mist and our purified water is in demand, more people are streaming in. Many large groups planning to join Phoenix Society have switched to Dawn City. We’ve gained plenty of Berserk-class and Destruction-class fighters—even a few Evaluated Angel-class psychics. Our prestige is growing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Dong nodded and smirked, “Now that we’ve successfully killed an S-class Gray Mist, and with the purified water issue resolved, more people are entering the city. Many large groups originally planning to join the Phoenix Society have switched to Dawn City instead—among them are plenty of Rampage and Destruction-class fighters, even a few powerful psychics whose ratings have reached Angel-class. Our Dawn City’s prestige is growing stronger by the day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Resources are always limited. This is a tougher test for us. We must raise thresholds while accelerating construction. Resources are also a major problem… all of this demands attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes.” Wen Dong nodded, then added: “Right now, many on Dawn City’s network are discussing Silent City’s potential merger with us. It’s a major advantage. Everyone credits your leadership, Chairman Zhou. Public confidence against the Dark is growing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, yes.” Wen Dong nodded, then turned to Zhou Mingyuan and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Mingyuan’s lowered eyelashes flickered slightly: “The network is already discussing this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news pleased him, though he showed no sign. He waved a hand: “Silent City won’t easily cooperate. But we’ve shown our goodwill. Now it’s up to them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui and Wen Dong exchanged glances. The latter understood and said: “I’ll closely monitor their response.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Zhou Mingyuan waved his hand, and Wen Dong left the Core Administrative Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now only Wen Hui and Zhou Mingyuan remained. Wen Hui tapped her earpiece. A metal door nearby slid open silently. Cold air, faintly scented with disinfectant, rushed in. Three specialized cryo-capsules, carried by drones, glided to a stop above the pond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the three cryo-capsules lay three naked young men, in deep low-temperature stasis. All appeared very young, with handsome features and athletic builds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui stepped forward: “Chairman Zhou, these are two B-class Flight and Energy Concentration types, and one A-class Resonance type. Their physical potential and intelligence scores are excellent. No diseases or genetic defects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These three had been meticulously selected—physical fitness, appearance, intelligence, even genitalia met the highest standards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Mingyuan glanced at them without expression, then returned to feeding the fish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where is the Zhen Tian?” he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his reaction, Wen Hui’s eyes flickered with barely perceptible disdain. As the cryo-capsules withdrew, she replied: “They’re at Qingbo City. The outpost reported Phoenix Society engaged an A-class aerial anomaly. Their firepower was strong—they eliminated it quickly. Now they’re halted outside Qingbo City, possibly waiting for Yongcheng Port’s forces to assemble.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Mingyuan chuckled coldly: “An 83rd Iron Guard Brigade can’t intimidate Dawn City. Ye Lan isn’t here just to warn us—she has another purpose.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chairman Zhou, our engineering teams are still in Jinhai, and Lu Tianye’s garrison regiment is there too…” Wen Hui looked at him, her tone layered with implication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In Qingbo City, the outpost reported that the Phoenix Society engaged an A-class aerial anomaly; they had strong firepower and resolved it quickly. Now they’re stationed outside Qingbo City, possibly waiting for reinforcements from Yongcheng Port.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Mingyuan, back turned to Wen Hui, gazed at the fish in the pond: “A strange tide has emerged at Mount Qilian. A thousand-person convoy is trapped. I ordered Lu Tianye to mobilize his troops for rescue. That man is always eager.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He added, as if losing interest in feeding: “Broken bottles don’t matter—but don’t let our Jinhai industrial zone suffer damage. Dawn City still needs those weapons to reassure the people. Also, Silent City has over a hundred thousand people, full of information. At this critical moment, cooperation outweighs confrontation. We cannot attack fellow human factions. You understand me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, Chairman,” Wen Hui replied coolly. “Our expected outcome is that Silent City suffers a terrifying anomaly tide at night, and you personally lead the fleet in full support, rescuing survivors and helping to repair the city…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhou Mingyuan nodded, then gave Wen Hui a long, meaningful look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Crimson World situation is already causing unrest in the city. With Phoenix Society arriving now, I don’t care what happens—no one can pin the ‘anti-human’ label on Dawn City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui understood, bowed slightly, and turned to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui walked down the dim corridor in high heels, returning to her private office. She activated a hidden holographic communicator. A pale-faced man in sunglasses appeared on screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Red World situation has already stirred up major unrest in the city. With the Phoenix Society here, no matter the outcome, I won’t let the label of ‘anti-human’ be pinned on Dawn City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhou Mingyuan has withdrawn Jinhai’s defenses. No one will reinforce Silent City there,” Wen Hui reported respectfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well done. This may just solve our recent shortage of test subjects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are test subjects really that scarce?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Star Abyss is expanding. Survivors are dwindling,” Yurius said coldly. “That mechanical psychic, Lin Xian, wiped out all the sand bandits near Akse. Though Zhou Mingyuan granted us access, the survivor groups have organized their own defenses, and Lu Tianye’s garrison keeps watching our hidden points. We’ve lost seventy percent of our recent captures—and the quality is poor. With the Star Abyss’s current invasion power, even Evolution-class specimens won’t survive three days. Useless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Silent City’s armed strength is formidable. Won’t such a large-scale conflict cause trouble for Dawn City?” Wen Hui asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We won’t confront Silent City directly. We only seek to recover Crimson No. 3—and conduct a necessary experiment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Star Abyss is expanding further, and survivors are growing fewer,” Julius said coldly and calmly. “That mechanical psychic, Lin Xian, wiped out all the sand bandits in the Akse direction. Though Zhou Mingyuan granted us passage into Dawn City, those survivor groups have organized their own defenses, and Garrison Commander Lu Tianye has kept constant surveillance on our hidden spots—resulting in a seventy percent drop in our recent experimental specimens, and their quality is poor. With the Star Abyss’s current invasion power, Evolution-class specimens can’t survive three days—they’re useless.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Silent City’s armed strength is formidable,” Wen Hui said. “Could such a large-scale conflict cause trouble for Dawn City?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yurius didn’t answer. Instead, he turned to Wen Hui: “Has Zhou Mingyuan decided yet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Experiment? What experiment?” Wen Hui asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui quickly composed herself: “Vice Chairman Zhou wants the fungal consciousness transfer technology to reach a higher safety standard. He’s willing to wait longer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A cautious man,” Yurius said dismissively. “Tell Zhou Mingyuan: Chu Zhaonan and Phoenix Society have lost patience. He doesn’t have much time left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you worried Phoenix Society will topple Dawn City?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yurius gave no answer: “Just remind him how much time remains on his value as a collaborator. Also tell him: our research into fungal technology aims to transcend this inferior, fragile human form—to ascend to a higher-dimensional existence. Immortality isn’t the goal. His desire to transfer consciousness into young humans for cyclical rebirth means nothing once the Dark comes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He knows this well,” Wen Hui said solemnly. “But he can’t suppress his basic desires: to cling to human immortality and absolute power. Out of caution, he’s left himself multiple escape routes. He won’t risk consciousness transfer until death is truly imminent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yurius smiled, looking at Wen Hui: “Power is desire. Fear of death is desire. That’s why Zhou Mingyuan cooperates with us—and so do you, aren’t you, Miss Wen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui’s eyes flickered nervously; her knuckles whitened as she clenched them, trying to hide her panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do your job, Miss Wen,” Yurius said coolly. “Your loyalty to the organization will ensure you and your family receive your due reward.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julius smiled and looked at Wen Hui. “Power is desire; fear of death is also desire. That’s precisely why Zhou Mingyuan cooperates with us—and so do you, aren’t you, Miss Wen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Ding.* Only after Yurius ended the holographic call did Wen Hui draw a sharp breath, slowly calming from the suffocating unease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire office felt empty, save her breathing and heartbeat. She walked to the window, staring silently at the vast No. 1 Underground City—the immense, oppressive subterranean metropolis—her gaze shifting, lost in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*Click.* The door suddenly opened. She whirled around, sharp: “Who?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A young man in powered armor, arrogant in bearing, poked his head in. Seeing him, Wen Hui exhaled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you not to come to my office unless necessary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youth entered uninvited, casually picking up a desk ornament and playing with it: “Just ran into Uncle Er. He said he saw Wen Qi at Silent City. My cousin’s got some serious luck—survived the corpse-herders in Yijin City, escaped from No. 5 Star Abyss. Impressive! Why don’t I have a psychic ability as awesome as hers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He flicked his chin at Wen Hui: “Mom, has the Crimson World researched psychic transfer or theft tech? I want a flight ability—fire, electricity, nature powers—so cool.” Li Jian clenched his fist; instantly, strange scales shimmered across his skin. “My C-class ability is just pathetic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure,” Wen Hui shot him a scathing look. “Digital life. Fungal consciousness. Cloning. Pick one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I told you not to come to my office unless necessary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The young man walked in uninvited and unconcerned, boldly picking up a trinket from the desk and playing with it. “I just ran into Second Uncle—he said he saw that Wen Qi in Silent City. My cousin’s got quite the luck, doesn’t she? Surviving the corpse-pusher in Yijin City was one thing, but escaping from the Fifth Star Abyss? Impressive. Why don’t I have a psychic ability that’s this damn awesome?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gestured with his chin toward Wen Hui. “Mom, has the Crimson World researched any tech for transferring or stealing abilities? I want one that lets me fly—something like fire, electricity, or nature-based powers. So cool.” As Li Jian spoke, he clenched his fist, and instantly, strange scales flickered across his skin. “My C-rank ability is just pathetic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure,” Wen Hui shot him an indignant glare. “Digital life, mycelial consciousness, clone replication—pick one.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jian spat dismissively: “Those digital life clones? They’re all other people—what do they have to do with me? Only the mycelial consciousness is somewhat interesting, but even if I could pull it off, I don’t want to swap into someone else’s body, let alone a woman’s.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So I told you before—stop thinking about all this nonsense,” Wen Hui said sternly, staring at him. “Powers, evolution—they’re meaningless. How much longer will this world even last? Survival is the only thing that matters. Don’t be fooled by Zhou Mingyuan’s crowd and their obsession with the Deep Red World. I couldn’t care less. Digital life, mycelial immortality, human evolution—all delusions. Breaking through the Celestial Curtain and escaping Blue Star is the only practical path.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then why are you working for the Deep Red World?” Li Jian plopped down on Wen Hui’s desk, tossing the trinket in his hand. “If you think like that, aren’t you more supportive of Chu Zhaonan’s Far Star Project?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do I have a choice?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui crossed her arms and turned toward the underground city outside the window, speaking softly: “If I hadn’t used the Wen family’s resources to align with the Deep Red World, the Wen family would’ve been completely torn apart. Do you think we have this status in Dawn City because of anything else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She continued: “The two factions in the Federation—Chu wants to save human civilization by fleeing Blue Star; Zhou spends his days chasing immortality and absolute power. Neither gives a damn about the lives of these few million people. The underground city? After spending so much to dig a kilometer-deep grave, it won’t stop the Dark Infiltration—it’s just a slow death sentence.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jian stared at her in disbelief: “We’re not actually going to join the Deep Red World in some consciousness rebirth scheme, right? I don’t want to turn into a monster!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui glanced at him. “I told you to join the Break the Curtain Project, and what do you do? You spend your days training your powers and fighting underground. This is the end of the world—no matter how much you upgrade your pathetic power, you’ll still get crushed under a Class-S’s foot!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fuck, that project’s already lost over a dozen test ships! Am I even your real son, sending me to die like this?” Li Jian swallowed hard. “Besides, even if we wait until the Break the Curtain Project succeeds, we can still leave on the main fleet’s starship. We’ve got the ‘Celestial-Class’—why the hell do we have to board the Vanguard? That’s a suicide mission!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui shot him a look of utter disappointment. “It’s not that simple. Chu Zhaonan put his own son in charge of the Break the Curtain Project—do you think he’s an idiot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Chu Jing is in charge, but no one said he has to board the Vanguard,” Li Jian sneered. “It’s just a show—look, Chu Zhaonan’s sacrificing his own son for humanity’s sake? Pfft. Hypocrite. I bet you anything—if Chu Jing actually boards the Vanguard, I’ll reverse my name!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui gave him a weary glance, shook her head, and said quietly: “No. I don’t think that way. I have a feeling—none of these plans are what we think they are. They don’t follow our will.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jian frowned. “You mean the Deep Red World doesn’t trust you? They’re hiding things from you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui sneered and stepped forward. “To the Deep Red World, we’re all just pawns they use. They don’t care about Chu Zhaonan’s Far Star Project or Zhou Mingyuan’s quest for immortality. Their cooperation with Dawn City is purely for resources—to achieve their goals, Dawn City is merely a breeding ground for a new human civilization. Don’t just say Dawn City—even if every other human on Earth died, they wouldn’t care.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jian fell silent, tense. He asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom… does that mean war’s coming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where did you hear that?” Wen Hui asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Jian shrugged. “Everyone’s talking about it. The Star Abyss is expanding faster than ever. The Phoenix Society is supposedly coming to rescue Dawn City’s refugees. Those who didn’t get underground either ran or are just waiting to die.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui’s gaze flickered with complex emotion. She opened her mouth, then stopped herself, and said firmly: “War probably won’t break out—at least, not with humans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at Li Jian. “The main structural segments of the ‘Celestial-Class’ are already built. The hull’s been fully outfitted. The only major things left are the weapon systems and the stellar gravity ring. The cargo cars don’t matter. Tell your Second Uncle and the others—even if the starport is destroyed, we must preserve this train. With it, even if the Far Star Project fails, we can cross the Pacific via the orbital ring. If the Celestial Curtain opens, we can lift off and escape. This is our last chance at survival. Do you understand?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I get it. Always prepare two options. Zhou Mingyuan’s unreliable. The Deep Red World’s even worse.” Li Jian nodded seriously, then frowned. “But aren’t we overthinking this? Even if the Phoenix Society shows up, they won’t take Jinhai in a hurry. A quiet little town like Silence City plus a bunch of train operators—can they even survive tonight? Why are we worrying about Jinhai?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hmph.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wen Hui sneered. “The world’s just a giant shoddy operation. Don’t overestimate the Deep Red World—they’re just a bunch of mentally deranged fanatics. Lin Xianleng swept through the Ekin Zero Center and the White City Research Institute like they were nothing. He stole Deep Red No. 3, the Dark Shi  Cells, and all their research data. I admit, the Deep Red World has an edge in studying Dark Beings—but in the end, they’re just pathetic worms who think they can wear the skin of the strange and worship Dark Beings like gods. So I’m not worried about Silence City or the Deep Red World. I’m worried their conflict will bring unavoidable dangers to Jinhai and Dawn City. When facing the true horror of the Dark World, we’re ants…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So are they!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",4239,"2026-06-19T18:20:06.633Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","53c91a8d8e57a4fb351c52ba085876bfc69ce1820655eaac9fe4aa1b3f609326","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-373","apocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-chapter-371",541,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fapocalypse-i-built-an-infinite-train-cover.jpg"]